Under The Book Cover: kenna bellrae

Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag!

book tag 8:00:00 AM

Hi hello and welcome to the Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag! This tag was originally created by Earl Grey Books and Chami and is an incredibly popular tag that lets you talk about your reading year so far and some things that you're wanting to get to in the second half of the year. I've done this tag for several years and I always get excited when the time comes around for me to do another one. This is a great way for me to see how I’ve done so far with my reading and maybe allows me to see any changes I want to make with my TBR for the second half of the year, which is so helpful. Let’s get started!

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1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2023

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro! This is my favorite book of 2023 so far and one that is easily on my favorite books of all-time list. It was such a fantastic journey with Alejandra and her ancestors and the trauma that they've endured and the entity that haunts them. If you're a fan of books that have generational trauma, empowering females, and creepy entities, then you need to read this!

2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2023

That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming. I absolutely loved book one in the Mead Mishaps series and book two was just as fun and adorable. I'm really excited for the third book in the series, That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human because I know it's going to be another great installment in one of my new favorite series!

3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. I know everyone is talking about this book and the pretty first edition with sprayed edges but I haven't exactly heard if the book is good or not. I'm assuming it is because it really is everywhere, but I'd like to find out for myself!

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year
The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab. To no one's surprise I'm excited about a V.E. Schwab release! That's sarcasm because of course I'm excited about a V.E. Schwab release and if you've read just one of my blog posts, you would know that. I do need to re-read the series (I read book one and half of book two, don't come at me for not finishing them) but I'll absolutely be ready once September comes around!

5. Biggest disappointment

Okay hear me out, because this wasn't exactly a disappointment. The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca is a book that I initially wasn't a fan of and I gave it 3 stars. I felt like I had missed something while reading that everyone else seemed to get and it made me feel sad because I was just like meh about it after reading. But this book has stuck with me and I keep thinking about it long after reading, and I think that's the sign of a book that left an impact. So, this may have initially been a "disappointment" but I've absolutely changed my mind on this one.

6. Biggest surprise
The Last Word by Taylor Adams. I have a hard time finding thrillers that I actually enjoy because it feels like a lot of them are so similar and follow the same kind of formula, if that makes sense. This one may come across as a generic isolated house thriller, but it was done so well! It actually creeped me out a few times while I was reading in the dark before bed so I think that's a sign of a good book.

7. Favorite new author (Debut or new to you)

Definitely R.F. Kuang. I just finished reading Yellowface and it was my first book by her. For some reason, I've never picked up any of her other books despite them all being on my TBR, but something about Yellowface made me want to read it. I'm so glad I finally read a book by her because I absolutely loved everything about it. I cannot wait to read The Poppy War trilogy and Babel!

8. Newest fictional crush

I don't necessarily have book crushes but I do love characters in books that have crushes! Everett and Sienna from Kisses From Cupid by Kenna Bellrae (they're also in All Hallows' Haunt and that book shows the beginning of their relationship!) are one of my all-time favorite couples. I mean, I honestly love all of the characters that KB has created, but something about Everett and Sienna just hits different. Highly recommend if you enjoy spicy books!

9. Newest favorite character
Alright don’t hate me but I don’t think I have one, and let me explain! I’m the kind of reader that forms an attachment to pretty much every character I read about in some way. I felt the pain of not being enough that Alejandra felt, I understood being an outcast like James, I understood Emma’s depression and desire to no longer live, and the main characters of The Trees Grew Because I Bled There were absolutely cancer and grief and of course, I have been there and experienced those things. I love the characters that I have the privilege to read about for so many different reasons, and I can’t wait to fall in love with more in the books that I’m able to read in the second half of the year!

But also I love James and Becks from A Song of Sin and Salvation.

10. Book that made you cry

A Song of Sin and Salvation by L.H. Blake. I had the wonderful opportunity to read an ARC of this book and it absolutely destroyed me in the best way possible. True story, I went with my husband to get his hair cut at a Great Clips and I was reading this on my phone. I was towards the end at a very cute and intense part of the book (for those that have read it, it's the prom scene) and I was quite literally crying, kicking my feet, and gasping in public surrounded by people. I have never done that before but this book was so good that I couldn't help myself.

11. Book that made you happy

The Fae Queen's Captive by Sierra Simone. I loved this novella, oh my gosh. I read it based off of the recommendation of AModelWho'sRead and I am so glad I did! It was filled with beautiful imagery, a super interesting world, frickin fae politics that made me want so much more because it was that cool, and it was a good amount of spicy and sweet with the main character and fae queen. I just remember reading it and smiling and being so happy that I picked it up.

12. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)
Prince of Thorns & Nightmares by Linsey Miller is so pretty in person, oh my gosh. Linsey sent me an ARC (shoutout to Linsey, I still love you and your grocery lists) and not only did she sign it for me, she stamped the edges with a really pretty flower stamp and I just love it so much.

13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
Any book in my Most Anticipated Releases in the Second Half of 2023 post

14. Favorite Book Community Member
I have a few bookish community members that I absolutely love and find myself going back to constantly to read their reviews or consume the content they release.

a lil bit mads
AModelWho'sRead
Booked and Busy
BooksandLala
chloe bunny
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
gabbyreads
Jess Owens
Jordaline Reads
Katie Colson
oliviareadsalatte
Reading With Meg
Reads with Rachel
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And that does it for the Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag, 2023 edition! I always love getting to do this tag and looking back on my answers to see how my reading tastes have changed. This is also one of my favorite tags to see the bookish community answer because there are so many different answers to these prompts, and it’s great to see why people choose the answers that they do. Have you done the Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag yet this year? What is one book you need to read before the end of 2023? Let me know in the comments below and feel free to link me to your post so I can check out your answers. Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the next chapter!

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Best Books of 2022!

ashley poston 10:00:00 PM

Hi hello and welcome to my first post of 2023! This is not only my first blog post of the year but a celebration of my 9th year of blogging! I cannot believe that it has been almost a decade since I've been a part of the book blogging community. I've had some ups and downs throughout the years but I have never lost my love of blogging about books. I hope that 2023 is much easier on me so that I can continue to blog and share even more amazing posts with the community. Thank you so much if you've ever commented, read, shared, or anything in between. I can't wait to see what this year has in store and I hope you'll stick around to see! Now, for today's post, I'll be sharing the best books that I read in 2022. I read 92 books (which is incredible for me) but I'll be talking about my top 10 favorites. Let's get started!
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Just as a side note before I begin, these aren't in any particular order until the top 3!

10. I Am Not Your Final Girl by Claire C. Holland

From Claire C. Holland, a timely collection of poetry that follows the final girl of slasher cinema - the girl who survives until the end - on a journey of retribution and reclamation. From the white picket fences of 1970s Haddonfield to the apocalyptic end of the world, Holland confronts the role of women in relation to subjects including feminism, violence, motherhood, sexuality, and assault in the world of Trump and the MeToo movement. Each poem centers on a fictional character from horror cinema, and explores the many ways in which women find empowerment through their own perceived monstrousness.

9. Only a Monster by Vanessa Len

It should have been the perfect summer. Sent to stay with her late mother’s eccentric family in London, sixteen-year-old Joan is determined to enjoy herself. She loves her nerdy job at the historic Holland House, and when her super cute co-worker Nick asks her on a date, it feels like everything is falling into place. But she soon learns the truth. Her family aren’t just eccentric: they’re monsters, with terrifying, hidden powers. And Nick isn’t just a cute boy: he’s a legendary monster slayer, who will do anything to bring them down. As she battles Nick, Joan is forced to work with the beautiful and ruthless Aaron Oliver, heir to a monster family that hates her own. She’ll have to embrace her own monstrousness if she is to save herself, and her family. Because in this story, she is not the hero.

8. He Who Haunts Me by Kenna Bellrae

Bexley Laughtery lives a very unassuming life in Old Oaks, where secrets fast become dangerous. Unease grows as women are found murdered. Trails run cold for Detective Bishop as he is cuffed with bureaucracy trying to piece the city back together. While some believe they know the party responsible, every new answer leads to further questions. Bexley and other students keep a watchful eye as they participate in fraternity games and social politics. When she finds herself in the camera’s flash, Bexley soon discovers everything comes at a price when the monster they're looking for lurks closer than she could ever imagine. The game is survival. Things get complicated when romance, friendship, and loyalty get involved – and they aren’t playing fair.

7. Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie who only finds solace in books discovers a chilling ghost story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who loved her, and a peculiar deal made with "the smiling man"--a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price. Captivated by the tale, Ollie begins to wonder if the smiling man might be real when she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she's been reading about on a school trip to a nearby farm. Then, later, when her school bus breaks down on the ride home, the strange bus driver tells Ollie and her classmates: "Best get moving. At nightfall they'll come for the rest of you." Nightfall is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie's previously broken digital wristwatch begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN. Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed these warnings. As the trio head out into the woods--bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them--the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: "Avoid large places. Keep to small."

6. Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes

Claire Kovalik is days away from being unemployed—made obsolete—when her beacon repair crew picks up a strange distress signal. With nothing to lose and no desire to return to Earth, Claire and her team decide to investigate. What they find at the other end of the signal is a shock: the Aurora, a famous luxury space-liner that vanished on its maiden tour of the solar system more than twenty years ago. A salvage claim like this could set Claire and her crew up for life. But a quick trip through the Aurora reveals something isn’t right. Whispers in the dark. Flickers of movement. Words scrawled in blood. Claire must fight to hold onto her sanity and find out what really happened on the Aurora, before she and her crew meet the same ghastly fate.

5. Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake

Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls—nothing is there for her but memories of a lonely childhood where she was little more than a burden to her cold and distant stepfamily. Her life is in New York, with her photography career finally gaining steam and her bed never empty. Sure, it’s a different woman every night, but that’s just fine with her. When Delilah’s estranged stepsister, Astrid, pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a five-figure check, Delilah finds herself back in the godforsaken town that she used to call home. She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid’s stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there’s some fun (and a little retribution) to be had in Bright Falls, after all. Having raised her eleven-year-old daughter mostly on her own while dealing with her unreliable ex and running a bookstore, Claire Sutherland depends upon a life without surprises. And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise…at first. Though they’ve known each other for years, they don’t really know each other—so Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly what buttons to push. When they’re forced together during a gauntlet of wedding preparations—including a plot to save Astrid from her horrible fiancé—Claire isn’t sure she has the strength to resist Delilah’s charms. Even worse, she’s starting to think she doesn’t want to.

4. Funeral Girl by Emma K. Ohland

Sixteen-year-old Georgia Richter feels conflicted about the funeral home her parents run--especially because she has the ability to summon ghosts. With one touch of any body that passes through Richter Funeral Home, she can awaken the spirit of the departed. With one more touch, she makes the spirit disappear, to a fate that remains mysterious to Georgia. To cope with her deep anxiety about death, she does her best to fulfill the final wishes of the deceased whose ghosts she briefly revives. Then her classmate Milo's body arrives at Richter--and his spirit wants help with unfinished business, forcing Georgia to reckon with her relationship to grief and mortality.

And now, let's talk about my top 3 books of 2022!

3. The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead. When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father. For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she can’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it. Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is. Romance is most certainly dead . . . but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.

When I picked this book up, I assumed it would just be a cute romance, maybe with some ghosts or something. What I didn't expect was that I would find one of my new all-time favorite books and one of my favorite books of the year. When I say that I loved this book, I mean it with my whole heart. It was exactly what I thought it would be, which is a cute romance. But it tackled things like loss and finding who you are and what your voice is, as well. The Dead Romantics was an absolutely beautiful book and it actually made me cry several times! I can't even remember the last time I cried over a book, but this one got me. There were so many quotes/lines in here that felt like they were written just for me to read, and I'd love to share some of them.

"Love was putting up with someone for fifty years so you'd have someone to bury you when you died."

"Love was a high for a moment that left you hollow when it left, and you spent the rest of your life chasing that feeling."

"There's a certain smell to death."

"I'd always written how grief was hollow. How it was a vast cavern of nothing. But I was wrong. Grief was the exact opposite. It was full and heavy and drowning because it wasn't the absence of everything you lost- it was the culmination of it all, your love, your happiness, your bittersweets, wound tight like a knotted ball of yarn."

"Because loneliness was the kind of ghost that haunted you long after you were dead. It stood over your plot in the cemetery where a lone name sat carved in marble. It sat with your urn. It was the wind that carried your ashes when no one claimed your body."

"There were no happily ever afters between an undertaker's daughter and her ghost."

"I hoped that when they eased Dad into the ground, the dirt would part for the thunder. I hoped the sound would rattle his bones still, make them dance, like they did mine. I hoped that. when the wind was high, blown from some far-off shore, I could hear him singing in the storm, as loud and high and alive as all the dead I'd ever heard singing."

"Love wasn't a whisper in the quiet night. It was a yelp into the void, screaming that you were here."

"She told me that you don't ever lose the sadness, but you learn to love it because it becomes a part of you, and bit by bit, it fades. And, eventually, you'll pick yourself back up and you'll find that you're okay. That you're going to be okay. And eventually, it'll be true."

"Ghost stories never had happy endings."

"Because ghost stories were just love stories about here and then and now and when, about pockets of happiness and moments that resonated in places long after their era. They were stories that taught you that love was never a matter of time, but a matter of timing."

2. Every book by Charlie Nottingham

Laila's a bubbly waitress at a small-town diner. Jeremy's a rogue supernatural hunter with a dark past. When they meet, sparks don't just fly but catch aflame. Her sunshine merges with his dark sky, and it's as though the rest of the world disappears. But he can't rope a human girl into his dangerous life. No matter how much he wants her, no matter how much she wants him, he can't risk her life. Except... Maybe she isn't the defenseless little flower he thought she was.

Okay, okay, hear me out. I know this should be one book, but this is my list. I came across a TikTok from an author earlier in 2022 who was searching for ARC reviewers, and she mentioned Charlie Nottingham was also looking for reviewers. I got approved to read an ARC of Spades by Charlie and instantly fell in love with her writing and world-building! So of course, like any sane person, I started my journey of reading every previous book that she had published. I also got an ARC of Raven's Cry, which is set in the same world as all of her other books, and devoured it immediately. I read through her entire backlog of books and am happy to say that I have found a new favorite author. I just fell so in love with her writing and the world she has built and these books mean the absolute world to me in so many ways. I have a ton of quotes saved from all of these books (seriously, there are so many books) so I won't share a ton, but maybe these will allow you to see a glimpse of why these books are so amazing.

"But that’s how every pivotal moment starts out. Just another day. You never know when your entire world is about to change."

"To grow, to be strong, we have to survive the storms. We hate the rain as it falls, but without it, everything that grows will wilt."

"It’s funny how when something awful happens, people view us as the result of something awful instead of the powerful, badass survivor the awful forced us to become. They act like we’re something to be pitied and cared for. But we don’t want pity. We don’t want thoughts or prayers. We don’t want to hear people say, “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” We want people to say, “I’m glad you lived to tell the tale.” And then to shut their god damned mouths."

"You’re a writer, you have to write. Passions give us purpose and if you’re forgetting what that is, put the pen to paper and you’ll remember. Even if you think you don’t want to, once you start, you know you won’t want to stop."

"You wish you were as strong as me. You wish you had a fraction of the strength women have. That’s why you degrade us down to a single organ."

"Love is like a gaseous compound in the empty wonders of outer space. It can’t be limited to one small box because it expands endlessly in every direction. There’s always infinite room for it to grow. It doesn’t in any way lessen the love that’s already taking up space. That love simply morphs together to create something larger, complex, and even more beautiful."

"It occurred to me that trauma isn’t just the moment that it occurs, it’s damage to the way your mind works every day for the rest of your life afterwards."

"Experiencing trauma does not excuse inflicting the same on others."

"But love is not always simple. Love can be complicated. Love can cause wars. Love can save nations. Love is at the root of all things—good and evil. Sometimes it’s a sweet tale. Sometimes it’s one of heartbreak. Sometimes it is one of intricacy. It has no bounds. It has no rules. There are standard ideas of what we expect love to be, but it is different for everyone who feels it."

1. Sundial by Catriona Ward

All Rob wanted was a normal life. She almost got it, too: a husband, two kids, a nice house in the suburbs. But Rob fears for her oldest daughter, Callie, who collects tiny bones and whispers to imaginary friends. Rob sees a darkness in Callie, one that reminds her too much of the family she left behind. She decides to take Callie back to her childhood home, to Sundial, deep in the Mojave Desert. And there she will have to make a terrible choice. Callie is worried about her mother. Rob has begun to look at her strangely and speaks of past secrets. And Callie fears that only one of them will leave Sundial alive. The mother and daughter embark on a dark, desert journey to the past in the hopes of redeeming their future.

This may or may not be a surprise but Sundial is my favorite book of 2022. I was initially hooked by the cover (I mean, how could you not be, it's stunning) and the synopsis definitely had me interested. And then I read it. And I struggled. And by the time I finished, I was in tears because I knew I had just read something special. I don't experience the feeling that I had once I finished reading Sundial very often, so I knew that this was the book that would end up being not only my favorite read of the year but a new all-time favorite. What's crazy is I initially gave this a 4-star rating because I struggled at the start. This is easily a 5-star read, if only because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I read the final word. The writing was some of the most beautiful and effective writing that I've read in quite some time, and some of my favorite quotes I've ever read have come out of this book. Sundial is not for the faint of heart as it deals with some intense topics such as animal abuse/torture/death, loss of pregnancy, and abuse, but it's also an incredibly beautiful book. As soon as I finished, I told my mom that she had to read it when it came out because, beneath the carefully built layers that make up this book, this is a story about a mother reconnecting with her daughter. It's brutal, horrifying, and bloody at times. But it's also heartbreaking, memorable, and strangely hopeful.

"I don't know what it's like for other people but love and nausea are often indistinguishable to me."

"Living is enough. It is so intense and painful."

"It's cold inside the MRI machine. Narrow, cold and full of noise like ghosts knocking on your coffin."

"It's possible to feel the horror of something and to accept it all at the same time. How else could we cope with being alive?"

" Everyone has one story that explains them completely. I thought I knew what mine was. I was wrong- I am in it, here and now. This will be the choice that defines me. The decision tree unfolds before my eyes, the terrible fruit at the end of each branch."

"Everything comes around the dial in the end."
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And that's it for my top 10 books of 2022! I know this post is a little late, but I'm really happy to finally get to share these with you. Having read almost 100 books in 2022 was such a wonderful experience and narrowing it down to only 10 was definitely a challenge, but these books are some of my all-time favorites now and I feel so lucky to have been able to experience them. I'd love to know what some of your top books of 2022 were so leave me a comment below and share a few! Did you read any on this list and if so, what did you think of them?

Before I go, I just wanted to thank you once again. Doing this for nine years has been such a treat and I am so grateful for any and all support that I've had from the amazing book community. I hope to be able to continue doing this for ten more years and I can't wait to see what 2023 has in store.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you in the next chapter!

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Blogtober 2022 Day 16: Spicy Spooky Book Recommendations

blogtober 8:00:00 AM

Hi hello ghouls and goblins and welcome to Blogtober day 16! Today, I'll be recommending some short and spooky spicy romance books that are perfect to read during the Halloween season. As a note, the first two books haven't been released yet but I wanted to put them on the list because they're two books that are set during spooky season! With all of these books, please remember to look up trigger/content warnings and don't read anything outside of your comfort zone (or age range). With that being said, let's get spicy and spooky!
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Title: All Hallows Haunt

Author: Kenna Bellrae

Pages:

Genre:

Release Date:

From Goodreads: "Sienna: My favorite time of year meets my favorite thrill. Amusement rides and haunted houses. Only, there’s a jester following me through each attraction. An unexpected overshot leads to broken rules and midnight promises.

Asher: A new job with a strict code. Don’t touch the attendants. But, they didn’t say I couldn’t keep an eye on her. A fortunate miscalculation has me ready to risk it all."

Title: He Who Haunts Me

Author: Kenna Bellrae

Pages: 318

Genre: NA Romantic Thriller

Release Date: November 2022

From Goodreads: "Bexley Laughtery lives a very unassuming life in Old Oaks, where secrets fast become dangerous. Unease grows as women are found murdered. Trails run cold for Detective Bishop as he is cuffed with bureaucracy trying to piece the city back together. While some believe they know the party responsible, every new answer leads to further questions. Bexley and other students keep a watchful eye as they participate in fraternity games and social politics. When she finds herself in the camera’s flash, Bexley soon discovers everything comes at a price when the monster they're looking for lurks closer than she could ever imagine. The game is survival. Things get complicated when romance, friendship, and loyalty get involved – and they aren’t playing fair."

Title: The Dame & The Devil

Author: Dalia Davies

Pages: 78

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Romance

Release Date: 16 October 2022

From Goodreads: "For the last twelve years, I’ve spent All Hallows Eve hunting the Devil on a dance floor suspended over the pit of hell. Those of us considered saints dress in our funereal best and are transported into the hands of sinners disguised as devils. We are their only hope for absolution. One kiss can seal two fates, for a saint’s lips will save the sinner. But the Devil lurks among the dancers, and his kiss will damn even the most innocent. This year, I plan to make him mine."

Title: Riding the Headless Horseman

Author: Molly Likovich

Pages:

Genre: Halloween Romance

Release Date: 22 September 2022

From Goodreads: "Arletta Harrington doesn't believe in Death. It's Halloween in Sleepy Hollow and Arletta is spending the night selling tarot readings to her fellow townsfolk—the ones who don't see her witchcraft as the work of the Devil that is. The people of Sleepy Hollow believe in many magical things but the one Arletta firmly doesn't believe in is Death. The deadly rider of The Hollow. The Headless Horseman. All of that changes when she encounters him on her late-night walk. He senses how powerful her magic is and knows he has to have her. He whisks her away to his realm and tells her of his plans to make her his forever. Though she may be resistant at first after a passionate night spent with the messenger of Death, she isn't so sure being his sounds like such a bad idea after all. But Halloween can't last forever...can it?"

Title: The Demon's Bargain

Author: Katee Robert

Pages: 130

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Romance

Release Date: 25 September 2022

From Goodreads: "Lenora made a mistake. She trusted the wrong man, and in a moment of weakness, he stole a family heirloom from her. Her only chance to get it back will be during Samhain, when the Shadow Market opens and magical folk gather for three days to celebrate, and unfortunately, she can’t do it alone. She needs a demon. Ramanu’s entire existence is making bargains. They’re a bargainer demon, after all. They’ve had their eye on Lenora for some time now, so they’re pleased when she summons them to help with her little thief problem…especially because it means spending time in close proximity with her. Lenora thought she could get away with a bargain that didn’t require seven years of service, but when Ramanu informs her those are the terms, she decides to go it alone…even though the demon wants to tag along to the market. But as the clock ticks down and all Lenora’s attempts to reclaim her amulet fail, making a deal with Ramanu might be the only option she has. And they might take her heart right along with her soul."

Title: Jack

Author: Layla Fae

Pages: 49

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: 14 October 2021

From Goodreads: "Jack is a monster full of tricks… with one very special treat in his pants. Suzy is feeling lonely on Halloween. She performs a love spell, hoping to summon a nice, perfectly safe Mr. Hunky to keep her entertained… but she fails. The creature that answers her summons is neither nice nor safe, but oh boy, is he hunky! Jack-o’-lantern is a devious ancient monster who once tricked the devil himself into granting him immortality. Now, Jack is here, a grinning pumpkin in the place of his head and a thing out of this world in his very bulging pants. The monster will have Suzy in every way he pleases, filling her close to bursting with his fertile seed… and nothing can hold him back."

Title: Scream For Us

Author: Molly Doyle

Pages: 124

Genre: Dark Romance

Release Date: 12 October 2021

From Goodreads: "After wandering into an alluring Halloween party that is said to go down in history, Quinn finds herself captivated by three masked men. As she immerses herself in a night of both pleasure and pain, she finally has the perfect opportunity to bring her darkest fantasies to life. Or death."

Title: Love, Laugh, Lich

Author: Kate Prior

Pages: 87

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: 22 October 2021

From Goodreads: "Some people have monsters for a boss, but not everyone has an undead Necromancer Lord at the office. Lily has been the Lich's secretary ever since his evilness took over the company. She loves her job, but she's got some questions about her boss. Like what's under that cloak of ever-billowing. Her wondering intensifies when one day the Lich needs something from her that isn't just scheduling appointments-- but a shiver. He needs it for a spell, but it feels like it crosses a line from their usual workplace banter. After her contributions to his dark rituals become more than OSHA-compliant, sex-magic-and-triple-cocks-oh-my, she starts to contemplate whether the Lich Lord returns her feelings, or still only sees her as his secretary. Lily may have given him her body, but he never asked for her heart."

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And that does it for some spicy spooky book recommendations! I just discovered the final novella and I am so excited to pick it up. I'm always on the lookout for more spicy reads so leave me a comment with some of your favorite spicy books that you've picked up recently. Bonus points if it's spooky and/or set around Halloween time! I hope you guys found some awesome recommendations with this list and that you'll be picking one up to read on Halloween night. Tomorrow is day 17 and I'll be doing The Autumn Tag, so be sure to come back by and check it out. Thanks for stopping by and I'll scare ya later!

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Blogtober 2022 Day 13: Friday the 13th Book Tag!

a dowry of blood 12:00:00 PM

Hi hello ghouls and goblins and welcome to day 13 of Blogtober 2022! Today, I'll be doing the Friday the 13th Book Tag that was originally created by Paperback Junky. I will admit that I haven't seen the entire Friday the 13th series, but I definitely enjoy Jason Voorhees as a classic slasher, so I was really excited to come across this book tag. There are 13 prompts which means 13 books to talk about! Let’s get spooky!

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PART 1: A book where the mother is the villain.

Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth. This book definitely was not for me, unfortunately, but I think it’s a good answer for this prompt! I didn’t see this book as a horror novel, but the mothers that were talked about were definitely villains. Neither of them were good people (one was downright abusive if I remember correctly) and I really felt bad for Abby because all she really wanted was a mother figure in her life that really cared about her. Instead, she got…whatever these two were. But I saw a lot of my own experiences with my own mother-in-law mirrored in this book, which probably isn’t something to be happy about, it just added to my reading experience. While this may not have been the book for me, I can absolutely see there being an audience for it and I’ve seen a lot of others enjoying it!

PART 2: A book in the backwoods.

Gone to See the River Man by Kristopher Triana. Woo boy did I have a rough time with this one for some weird reason. I couldn’t seem to stay focused on it but I did enjoy my time with it! The atmosphere was super eerie and there were some genuinely disgusting things that happened throughout the book. The ending was pretty cool, too. Overall, the book didn’t blow me away and make me fall in love with it, but I am glad that I read it.

PART 3: A book with a masked character.

If I know anything about KB, then All Hallows’ Haunt will absolutely have a masked character. And I know that He Who Haunts Me will have one! I’ve been following KB on TikTok for a while and when I learned that she was writing not one but two books that would fulfill my love for masked characters, I most definitely lost my marbles. I’m so excited for both of her projects to come to life and you know I’ll be raving about them here so keep an eye out if these books sound up your alley!

PART 4: A book with the best final chapter

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston. This book is one of my favorite books of 2022! It’s so cute and I absolutely loved Florence and Ben and their banter and literally everything about them. I don’t remember the last time I actually cried over a book and this one made me ugly cry over how cute it was. That’s supposed to be a glowing recommendation, just in case it didn’t sound like one.

PART 5: A series book that changes its protagonist from the first book.

All the Feels by Olivia Dade follows Alex and Lauren, two characters that you learn of in book one, Spoiler Alert. As much as I adored Spoiler Alert with Marcus and April, something about the sequel just made me love it a little bit more. I was not expecting to ever even read romance books like this but I’m so glad I took a chance and just dove in because I love this series!

PART 6: A book with someone or something resurrected from death.

I couldn’t think of a book with a resurrected character, so I just picked one with a ghost character! Besides, gives me more of a reason to talk about this book which I’m so okay with. The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston and I'm not even sorry that I'm talking about this book two times in one book tag. It's just so fantastic and I loved it so much!

PART 7: A book with a character with telekinesis.

Carrie by Stephen King is a classic horror book that involves a girl with telekinesis. I read this back in 2013, well after seeing the original 1976 film and either just before or after seeing the 2013 remake. It’s a great book and definitely one I’d recommend if you’re new to King’s books as it’s much shorter than a lot of his other stuff.

PART 8: A book that takes place in New York.

And here is my obligatory and completely unexpected The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab answer! I know it’s almost impossible to get through a book tag without me mentioning this book, but what can I say except it’s amazing I love it so much please read it.

PART 9: A book that takes place in Hell or has something to do with the occult.

Damned by Chuck Palahniuk! Okay it’s been a long time since I read this and honestly, it kinda traumatized me when I did read it, but this book takes place in hell so I had to pick it, obviously. It’s not a bad book by any means, and I highly recommend it! The main character is incredibly sassy and hilarious and it’s a Chuck Palahniuk book so it’s definitely going to be a good read.

PART X: A book that takes place in space.

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes is the best and only answer I will accept. I loved this book with a burning passion and I want everyone to read it so I can talk about it more. If you like horror books set in space, this is a book you don’t want to miss out on. I have a review if you’re interested in reading my more in-depth thoughts, but just know it’s a lot of gushing about how much I loved my reading experience.

PART 11: A book that has characters from different franchises/mash up.

The Wicked Villains series by Katee Robert is Disney villains but make it spicy! Learn My Lesson is probably my favorite out of the series. It follows Meg, Hades, and Hercules and they are in a poly relationship which I was so excited to see how that would work out. It's a fantastic story and I just loved seeing how the three of them worked through their different problems and came together to make an absolutely adorable throuple! Highly recommend it if you love Disney villains.

PART 12: A book that is a retelling

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson is a retelling of Dracula's brides but queer. Do I really need to say more? I haven't read this yet but it's absolutely on my spooky TBR because I've heard such fantastic things about it! I love vampires but queer vampires? Obsessed.

PART 13: A book that you found in a thrift or antique shop.

The Regulators by Richard Bachman is one of my favorite thrift store finds! I loved this book and I'm still absolutely obsessed with the cover. I haven't read it in a very long time but I still remember that it was a creepy experience because I was quite young! I think it's definitely time for a re-read soon.
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And that does it for the Friday the 13th book tag! This tag definitely reminded me of a few books I'd like to read again, and made me want to actually watch all of the Friday the 13th films that I haven't seen yet. I'd love to know what your favorite entry in the Friday the 13th series is and why it's Jason X. All jokes aside, let me know in the comments! Tomorrow is day 14 and I have a special tribute to the Halloween series that I'm so excited to share. Thanks for stopping by and I'll scare ya later!