#author: c.m. stunich

[joysofescapism]

The Havoc Boys Series by C.M. Stunich: This is Ridiculous! I love it.

This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I sure enjoyed myself reading the whole series. Read my full review under the cut.

And if you want to know my thoughts on each book just click: (1) Havoc at Prescott High (2) Chaos at Prescott High (3) Mayhem at Prescott High (4) Anarchy at Prescott High (5) Victory at Prescott High

I will start this review by saying: I hate bully “romance”. And since these tropes were huge in young adult-high school settings, I don't read those anymore.

But The Havoc Boys was an exception. C.M. Stunich’s storytelling was able to chain my ass on a chair allowing me to finish the whole thing. Not only that, the story didn’t focus much on the bullying and only gave you flashbacks of it.

I didn’t think it will make much of a difference if the bullying element wasn’t included in the plot development since she already had an awful life throughout her teenage years. It felt like it was just thrown out there. The H’s bullying her into "leaving town" didn't hold any merit since we didn't see the consequences of that (i.e. h was still obsessed with these boys who did an overkill on her while she was going through all the abuse). But, it wasn't my story, so.

I think you should proceed with an open mind and low expectations. There were a lot of things in the series that weren’t something to give a comprehensive explanation of. This was for a specific kind of audience and I also consider this a self-indulgent read if you’re looking for something specific, as well as my guilty pleasure.

The Book Cover

The book covers played a huge part in convincing me to read this series. I wasn’t entirely sure about the premise at first seeing that the characters were barely legal and all. And yet, the cover art did an amazing job of pulling me in.

It was your typical shirtless guys, but the focus wasn’t entirely on them. It was elegantly made despite the story environment. It also gave an accurate depiction of the H’s characteristics and their relationship with the heroine.

Havoc at Prescott High was my favorite. While Anarchy at Prescott High was a close second.

Characters

Let me talk about the main characters first, starting with the heroine.

Bernadette Blackbird. I have a love-hate relationship with her. I understand that she was an aspiring writer, however, her monologues... weren’t impressive. She was edgy to the point of being cringe. I don't love her. But I don't hate her either, at least most of the time. How was she able to lust after the guys who made her life a living hell for years? I have no idea. But then again, this is why I hate bully romance.

One of the reasons why I was able to get through the story was because the bullying didn’t happen on the current timeline. I didn’t know if what she went through would be considered “bullying" or just downright assault and abuse. At least you were able to see some form of maturity in her character later on. But, she still embodies that teenager who thinks she already knows everything there is to know.

Next up, the harem. The HAVOC Boys. I won’t be commenting about their physical aspects like how the author did them. I don’t care much about those things. I’m more on how they were written: if they were fleshed out well or if they were only words on the paper with no personality at all. Considering that, we have 5 Hs in this series that fulfilled the usual tropes.

I will say this, these guys don’t act their age at all. Thinking about it now, I could give this series a higher rating if the characters were older. Anyway, more of those later below. Let’s get back to the characters at hand:

You have the over-the-top intense leader/boss, Victor Channing. He was an asshole. But hey, he has to be. He was a gang leader after all. If you are into bad boys (read: assholes) that are obsessed with you and only care about you—and maybe his bros—you'll probably like this dude. Is he a great character? No. But do I at least like him? Maybe. Again, if you like the domineering types, you’ll probably bark at Victor Channing.

Then you have the trying-to-be-the-hero-ex-boyfriend, Aaron Fadler. I hated him at first because his past actions didn't show his supposed loyalty to Bernie at all (don't worry it's not an OW drama). But goddamn me because I like guys who are amazing with kids (and with the elderly). Yes, he was Bernie's ex. And yes, he was there during the bullying (abuse) which happened after they broke up. Among the guys, I believe he was the closest you can get to being "normal." He tried to be a good person but considering everything he had already done, I didn’t think that would be possible. The only way for him to grow was to accept his darkness. Good thing it did happen.

Of course, there’s always going to be the manwhore. Hael Harbin. But he was that type of manwhore who at least respects women. Yes, I know it's the bare minimum but you get the point. He also plays the role of balancing the dynamic of the group. Oh also, he loves vintage cars. He's a mechanic with soft hands, according to Bernie. Among the boys (Yes, boys. They’re minors despite what the author tries to say), Hael was the most chill. He can give pull off a bad romance kind of relationship. The one that's so bad but oh so great. He also falls into that category of being the manwhore who will drop his whore-ish ways when they find the right one.

Next on the list. The gang needs to have a brain and that was Oscar Montauk. While Victor makes all the decisions, Oscar was the one who weighs those decisions. He was also the hater but was actually obsessed with the heroine. He was not great with feelings and he also has a lot of trauma. I think the most awful one as well. Among the characters though, Oscar got the most character development though we could only witness the process, I think it was a good thing. He was also that character who you’ll probably get scared of but also be interested in. He could either go full serial killer or just be a weird dude with dark thoughts. Though to be fair, this was a gang story so all of the Hs are murderers by default.

Last but not least, the most mysterious one and possibly also the most dangerous, Callum Park. He gives off quiet-killer vibe and lurks about most of the time. He was the silent one. The one who prefers to be by the sidelines, just observing. But everybody knows he was dangerous and he could go off like a bomb if anything happened to the object of his fascination. He was the resident pretty boy as well, since he was supposed to be a primo ballerino but because of things that happened in the past he couldn't anymore.

The characters are heavily influenced by the overused western media tropes and archetypes. You know the usual stuff about high school TV shows. They’re cringe, and dramatic, everyone has trauma, the adults were practically useless, and everyone wasn’t acting like their age. Perhaps a little ridiculousness from time to time could be good for your mind.

But, since I do like my stories with vivid storytelling, it surprisingly worked well for me. I also don’t find that much character development with the characters, except with Oscar. Also maybe with Aaron and Victor as well. Hael and Callum’s character growth aren’t that significant but I don’t think they have to since they weren’t presented with something to work on.

Plot

The plot was able to immerse me into the H.A.V.O.C. world and Stunich deserves her roses for a skill like that. One reason why I pushed through was: the action didn’t occur that much around the school setting. This might be your typical high school bully who runs a gang, but the storytelling was what sets it apart from the rest. This trope was highly overused in the reverse harem contemporary romance genre, so the only way for a series to be different is all up to the author’s prowess.

It was a simple revenge plot but the action made it all interesting. There's nothing much special to it but again, this is for self-indulgent purposes. If you can get past the Riverdale cringe, you will enjoy this one.

The pacing was a little fast, and a lot of things are happening all at once. But it was executed well and everything worked perfectly. Despite all that is happening, I loved the feeling of suspense that went through with it. Putting aside all of the things that didn’t work well for me, the plot was well-developed to keep you interested.

If you don’t want to be spoiled, I suggest you do not read the ending section of this review.

Ending

The ending of a well-developed series is always going to be a deal breaker, just look at Game of Thrones and Supernatural. I will say this though, the ending of Havoc Boys may not be the best ending there could be, but considering all that led up to that particular moment, it was perfect.

Stunich used the False Death plot device and was executed well enough that I actually thought the character died. This was the part I cried about and the reason why I still considered this one good for my taste. I think an author who can make you cry just by reading the journey of their characters is a phenomenal author.

In the actual end, we got our HEA. Yay!

Rating

The average rating of this 5-book series was 3.5. I rounded it down to 3 out of 5 stars.

This whole thing was a damn roller coaster ride.

Despite the initial apprehension and almost not finishing the first book, I finished all five with no breaks in between. There might have been elements that didn’t work for me, but the storytelling alone made up for all of it.

A huge suspension of disbelief is needed to enjoy this series. Sure, you won’t be able to gain much but, to be honest, this is not for that. The Havoc Boys series is highly self-indulgent and smut is top-tier. Not too graphic to the point of boring me to death, but just enough. Frequent, yet still enough.

Final Thoughts

Do I want a sequel for this series? I don't think so. Let's leave the ending at that. The characters are lovable enough throughout the five books, but not enough for me to get curious and look at what they could be doing in the future.

Do I recommend this to others? If you want to indulge in a guilty pleasure without needing to think too much and give reasons for everything, this could be a good read. I don't think you should be picking up this book just to find all that is wrong with it. Or if you are not ready to try and experience something out of your comfort zone.

Was this a heavy read? There are mentions of past extreme bullying, sexual assault (on minor characters), attempted sexual assaults, pedophilia, sexual relations between teenage characters, and the usuals when it comes to crime fiction (drugs, violence, murder, etc.). So if you are new to this kind of genre, this might be uncomfortable for you. But if you're not, this is mild. Again, all you have to do is enjoy the ride. Some things might not work for you, and some might, it all depends on personal preferences.

Will I read this again? I re-read the whole series: twice on my own accord just to feel some emotions it brought me the first time I stumbled upon it; another one to relive and remember the plot to pull out this review. It being a part of my “I could read it again” shelf says something.

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[lilibetbombshell]

[auspicioustidings]

Now I am only useful for reverse harems, but here are Mhairi's RH recs listed by genre! As a note all of them are happy endings, if they have non-con I've put it in big, read letters but as with any book check the TWs noted by the author before reading :) There are about 2 million more I'll be forgetting about, I have read hundreds of RH romances.

Mafia

Brutal Winter series by Quirah Casey - this is the darkest of the mafia recs, non-con present. The series is unfinished with the final book due out I believe this year. Black protagonist written by a black author and I think she does a good job of the character being black, it being apparent she's black, but it doesn't ever go to raceplay and the struggles that come with being black and unrelated to the romance element at play.

Mafia Wars series by multiple authors - Some dub-con in some books, but mostly pretty tame. I think my favourite was Gunmetal Lily because I enjoyed the chill vibes, the others are more high stakes but I did enjoy all of them.

The Harlequin Crew series by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti - if I recall there is maybe arguable dub-con but mostly pretty standard hate fucking to in love fucking. Childhood friends to enemies to lovers, bit of a slow burn.

Their Obsession duet by Bea Paige - kidnapping non-con with a very angry FMC, I liked the concept of this menagerie of pets the male leads keep.

Omegaverse

Sweet Heart by Marie MacKay - no dubcon here, just classic omega pretending to be a beta and a pack that is mean until they need to grovel about it. I like most of MacKay's PoisonVerse stuff!

Heat Clinic by Alexis B. Osborne - no dubcon, just a fun little low stakes romp.

Stolen by Wolves by Lyx Robinson (Viking omegaverse) - No dub-con, part of a series where alphas get added over time, very fun given the blend of genres here.

Packed in the Penalty Box by Melissa Huxley (hockey omegaverse) - again no dub-con, but fun blend of genres.

Omega's Virtue by Flora Quincy (historical omegaverse) - same as above.

Ironside Academy Series by Jane Washington - no dubcon, I like most of Washington's series. This one is a lot of fun and she does have a handy guide on her site because there are a lot of alphas to keep track of (ten of the bastards, but by the 4th book I think they are all pretty unique characters).

Fantasy and Historical

Ashes to Glass by Carmen Black & Glass by Evelyn Flood - I cannot remember fully but I think maybe light dubcon? Both Cinderella retellings.

The Widow and the Orcs by Finley Fenn - no dub-con. This is part of a large series following different protagonists but I haven't read any of the others. I like that the fmc was older.

Other

Devils Day Party by C.M. Stunich - no dub-con, fun little read about the fmc getting groundhog day'd and untangling her relationship with the boys she hates.

Literally any book by Grace McGinty - no dubcon in there, the ones I have liked have been Sticks and Stones, Pay-Per-Heart, The Daymakers, 8 Seconds the Fly and Tryst in the Dark.

Unbreak Me by Reese Rivers - no dubcon (although mentioned past noncon from the bad guy). A traumatised protagonist and her young daughter moving in with a bunch of beefcakes and their dog.

Wanna Play a Game by Alina May - non-con, serial killers pick the FMC as their next victim due to a misunderstanding.

Folks I’m finally ready to get back into the romance genre, hit me with your best recs (dubcon preferred but not TOO dark)

[a-whiskey-moon]

Oh! Hello Arsen, Colt, Weston, Mace and Hawke!

Again, I love it when authors sneak little Easter eggs in from their other books.

Quote from Groupie by C.M Stunich. Cameo of the boys from Altered by Fire, co written by C.M. Stunich and Tate James.

[bookishbratbabe]

Make yourselves forget that the plague is a bitch BOOK edition

Thank you to @thebookbud​ for tagging me! 

What’s the most recent book that you’ve read and absolutely fell in love with?

Groupie (or the whole Rock-Hard Beautiful series) by C.M. Stunich. On the surface, this may seem like a cheesy reverse harem romance novel - basically porn with plot. But it is so emotionally deep and moving. Each character has their own tragedy to overcome and they have to do it together. Plus I love found family stories. 

Do you keep track of how many books you’re reading every month?

I log everything through goodreads but other than that, I don’t keep track of what I read each month or anything like that. 

What’s your stance on the debate as to whether or not we should dissociate the artist from their art (artist = writer in this case)?

It’s definitely difficult when you like a book and then find out things the author has said or believes that you aren’t okay with. It puts a bad taste in your mouth and definitely changes how you read or interpret the work. That’s not to say that you can’t still enjoy that book but it definitely causes you to think more critically about what your reading. It makes you more conscious if those beliefs and opinions have found their way into this book you love. 

What do you do when you can’t focus on a book?

Sometimes reading out loud helps me to focus on what I’m reading. It could be a difficult section to read or maybe I’m just not as focused as I’d like to be, but even just quietly mumbling what I’m reading helps get through it. 

Do you pay attention to the gender/ethnicity/race/sexuality of the authors you’re reading, aka do you actively try to read books written by diverse writers?

I do consciously make an effort to keep diversity in the authors I’m reading especially when it comes to ethnicity, race, and sexuality. However, I do tend to gravitate to female authors. In my experience, women tend to write female characters in a much more realistic and/or relatable way than male authors. 

Paperback or hardcover? Why?

I honestly like both. Paperbacks are nice and convenient and usually are less expensive. But hardcovers are usually prettier and tend to be way more durable. 

Which language would you like to learn just to be able to read its untranslated literature?

Hmm... interesting. I’ve never really thought about it & honestly it kind of intimates me. In high school, I was able to read Le Petit Prince in it’s original French but don’t think I could do that now. I think I’d like to be able to re-learn French but I think Russian could be cool too.

Pick up the book that is closest to you. Convince me to read it in less than 10 sentences.

The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J Maas - I’m not even halfway through but I’ll try my best here...

There are hot, lady assassins and some pirates. There are some morally grey characters with a lot of sass. There is some implied romance and blossoming friendship. There is some vague reference to mysterious backstories, that I’m sure will be revealed in future books. I’ve read mentions of witches and magic and faeries.  

I always like talking about books! I’m not going to tag anyone but if you want to talk about books and reading, feel free to count this as your tag. 

[vickiesjournal]

Book Review: Devil’s Day Party by C.M. Stunich

RATING: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This book contains sexual content, extreme bullying

GENRE: adult fiction, magical realism, erotica

Think Groundhog Day, but erotica. Not too much substance in here, although it was easy to read. I did not like the bullying present, I think the author tried to "romanticise" bullying, and this book featured extreme bullying– not light. I don't have much to say about it at all, actually... except that this book is not recommended.

[booksandwords]

Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection

Read time: 102 Days (Intermittent) Rating: 4/5

Contains Stories By: C.M. Stunich, Elizabeth Briggs, Margo Bond Collins, Laura Greenwood & Arizona Tape, L.C. Hibbett & N.M. Howell, Lena Mae Hill, Eva Chase, Julia Clarke, Bea Paige & Skye MacKinnon, Amy Sumida, Chloe Adler, AJ Anders & Amanda Perry, Angelique Armae, Joely Sue Burkhart, Caia Daniels, May Dawson, LA Kirk & Lyn Forester, Jackie May, Cecilia Randell, Erin Bedford, Catherine Banks and A.E. Kirk

Overall It took me a while reading this to figure out what was frustrating about it, primarily the stories are first stories or prequels. I would have preferred more stand-alone stories. It is not impossible to create a world in this shorter space but it seems that authors have used it to provide fanservice and some background they wanted but had not written previously. I really hope most of these get published as individually, especially the 1st stories. This is a reasonable collection if you like reverse harem and want something to break up your other reading, none of the stories are taxing. And there is something for all tastes.

See No Devils by C.M. Stunich Disclosure: See No Devils is why I bought Realms and Rebels. I have written a full review which I will post when and if C.M Stunich publishes the story individually. I'm glad I bought it See No Devils is a fast-paced fun ride with brilliant characters that engaged me and made me theorise the significance of characters, of situations. Any story that can do that in 10 chapters is impressive. I loved the characters and the writing, both are amusing and intelligent. This is definitely a series I will be keeping an eye out for. 4.5 stars.

Light the Fire by Elizabeth Briggs Light the Fire is a prequel in the Her Elemental Dragons series (1st book Stroke the Flame). It's not a series I have read but this does make me want to read it, as any entry in an anthology should. The lore is brilliant, there are reverse harems woven into the world, the mythology and I like the fate angle that was used. What really struck me reading Light the Fire is the feeling of fan service, Calla and her men appear in Her Elemental Dragons as supporting characters this feels like something that fans wanted, had asked Ms Briggs for. (Full review is available here.) 4 stars.

Her Big Bad Wolves by Margo Bond Collins Another story with editing issues. Days and names were wrong sometimes. Liam was originally Seth I think and there is one instance where that wasn't changed. And there are continuity issues in the timeline. It is a helluva into a world with decent lore. I would love to spend some time getting to know, James, the pack historian. He is the brains trust and after the alpha the best person to introduce a reader to the world. Has the feel of a prequel if or when the series continues I don't think this will be a necessary read just a pleasant addition. But it did it the nail on the head to a degree S's options are a complete, balanced man. This is common in a reverse harem. (Full review is available here.) 3 stars (.5 loss due to bad editing)

Fifth Soul by Laura Greenwood & Arizona Tape Fifth Soul feels like a lost opportunity. The harem is 3 men and 1 woman centring on a bisexual protagonist. It is a situation I had thought of but never seen in a stand-alone. Given the authors have a series for this universe (Dragon Soul, Torn Soul protagonist Holly makes an appearance) it could have been published left on its own and done very well because that is a situation that is a fantasy for some. It is lost in here this anthology. It's also odd, the lore isn't explained well, the writing isn't consistent and there is too much focus on a single relationship. It's rushed and disappointing because of that. I can't even make this 2 stars. 1.75 stars

A Nightmarish Mystery by L.C. Hibbett & N.M. Howell I have never read any of the Cats, Ghosts and Avocado Toast series, that put me at a distinct disadvantage reading A Nightmarish Mystery. This story fits between A Vet Vanishes (book #2) and A Devilish Disappearance (book #3) and is admitted fan service, though not the kind of fluff one expects from fan service, this is heavy and dark. It can be read as a stand-alone though that is not its intention. I give props to the authors for creating a situation that allowed for fans to get what they wanted but didn't mess with the continuity of the series. I know from the authors note that A Nightmarish Mystery is different to the series but reading this first does not endear me to the series, does not make me curious to read it. Might that defeat at least part of the purpose of the story? 2 stars.

Twisted: A Fairy Tale Mash-up by Lena Mae Hill Another 1st book in a new series unlike the others though this one is explicitly aimed at the YA market. From the time I read it's intended audience I questioned its place in this anthology, Realms and Rebels seems to be aiming at a more mature audience. But Twisted had more sexual intimacy than a few of the others and some seriously dicey consent. Twisted has a well-executed setup Little Red Riding Hood meets Three Little Pigs. Having the leading man be not particularly likeable was a good thing in the scheme of things but Cayenne frustrated me a combination of her Red Riding Hood nature and her attempted modernity, it rubbed me the wrong way. My biggest issue was the questionable consent she sort of assented to their actions but not strongly enough for my conscience. (My full review of Twisted) 3 stars.

Raven’s Fall by Eva Chase Raven's Fall plays with Odin's raven Muninn, the raven of memory and the idea of shapeshifting. When Muninn transforms she appears as standard with a gorgeous black dress. What I really like is the use of the phrase "what in Hel's name" this is possibly the origins of the curse used now, Hel guardian of Helheim the Norse equivalent of the underworld. The language in Raven's Fall is fantastic, it is beautifully descriptive. The raven, the rogue, the healer and the charmer. They are an intoxicating combination. Muninn's innocence/ naivety is endearing because it is understood, she isn't human she is an immortal who has never experienced humanity's joys. Her men share easily, but their stories broke my heart. Mythology is always a whole lot of fun, make it Norse and it becomes even more bloody and vindictive. Reading Raven's Fall certainly made me interested in reading more of the Their Dark Valkyrie series.

Charms of Attraction by Julia Clarke Fantastic characters. Charms of Attraction focuses on the relationships the protagonist has with not only the men in her life but her sister. The portrayal of the sibling relationship between protagonist Katerina and sister Ana is particularly good. I really liked one date in particular. There is potential in the series, as with so many in the anthology though polyandry in the norm in the society. I will say though this story does really need a warning for those sensitive to domestic or psychological violence situations, violence plays a major role in Katerina's past and is discussed in some detail. 3.5 stars

Hell’s Calling by Bea Paige & Skye MacKinnon The first book in the Infernal Descent series re-imagining Dante's Inferno. I enjoyed the characters and the plot definitely looking forward to reading more. This story establishes the word, the characters, some of the internal relationships but stops short of anything drastic physically. Hell's Calling does for me what an entry in an anthology needs to do It makes me want to read more in the series. I want to know what happens to Ciera, Maro, (Cer)Beres, Plutus & Tris. 4.5 stars

Twisted by Amy Sumida What a brilliant take on the Wizard of Oz. It just works for me, nothing feels out of place. The origins are obvious and the twists are so clean and logical. My full review of twisted

Inconceivable Origin by Chloe Adler I read two chapters and stopped. I found the protagonist insufferable, she rubbed me completely the wrong way. Also, I have major issues with rape, I'm sure that there the author finds a way to write her way out of it (we are talking about magic here) but I can't do it.

On The Edge Of Forever by AJ Anders & Amanda Perry WTH just happened? So much promise, so much build. It was so rushed at the end I got head spin. Actually, the story felt incomplete, there is nothing confirming the status of the story as a first or a prequel, it just ends. I was so happy reading the start of this. It has an interesting lore that the authors did their best to explain as briefly as possible. The men having a pre-existing relationship helped for succinct writing as they could talk among themselves rather than just to her. The protagonist is badass and her familial relationships are brilliant. but their end is disconcerting. It's still a 3.5/4 star story.

Eclipse by Angelique Armae Bastet is a fave deity. I had to attempt to put aside some of my own issues to read this, I try to stay away from titles with any BDSM elements, even light ones. Spanking is part of the makeup of Eclipse. So this is an alright read if you don't mind your mythology being butchered. I liked the characters, to a degree I liked the lore but I cringed at the use of Egyptian mythology it just wasn't working for me. The truly appealing aspect of this story was the relationships, the reader meets the immortal daughter of Egyptian Goddess Bastet, Marcus the Lion, Lucius the Tiger and Horatio the Panther in present-day Manhattan but their relationship has existed since 30 B.C. It is an established, happy relationship. There are intimate moments with two of the three men but not the 3rd that was disappointing. 2.5

Queen Takes Jaguars by Joely Sue Burkhart Absolutely gorgeous. So much sex-positivity. I really loved the confidence and the owning of womanhood. I definitely made want to read more of the series (despite it having a different perspective). There is a whole scene in a hotel which is both hot as hell and emotionally devastating. I really liked the characters and the lore. (Full review is available here.) 4 stars.

Sovereign of Soul by Caia Daniels 3 chapters in I gave up. it didn't grab me and had done an awful job of explaining the lore and wtf was going on. Essentially it felt like a combination prequel and fanservice piece, despite only being a prequel. The series does have an interesting basis for the harem creation though.

Ugly Magic by May Dawson This is one of the stories I skipped for no real valid reason. I stopped 4 chapters in one day and didn't pick it up for about 5 weeks. By which point I was completely lost and it just made more sense to skip it.

At Water’s Edge by LA Kirk & Lyn Forester To me At Water's Edge is more a journey of self-discovery than a typical reverse harem, it feels like it's more about her than her relationship with them. The ending is just gorgeous. The story is quite self-contained. There is a lack of explanation that didn't detract from the enjoyability, I get the feeling there is some serious lore in play. I really like the portrayal of the neriads is perfect, they are quite bratty, teenage girl. 4 stars

My Soul To Keep by Jackie May A nicely written, pleasant story with lovable characters in an interesting setting. The protagonist is window-able, she is quite easy for you to see yourself in. Fairy-tale but in the best possible way. A shared trait to Her Big Bad Wolves by Margo Bond Collins with day by day dating to try and choose a man. 4 stars

Blinded Beauty by Cecilia Randell Odd, not bad just odd, it wasn't gripping for me. Blinded Beauty makes decent use of fantasy themes. it doesn't get bogged down in the lore it just gives you tid bits. Polyandry relationship is a non-issue is just happens, which works well. I quite like the characters though. 3 stars

Indebted to the Vampires by Erin Bedford I skipped this one. I just couldn't. it's short the synopsis just didn't appeal. I can see a way to make it not dangerous but it would be difficult.

Moon Academy by Catherine Banks Again the skipped because the premise really didn't appeal. It is possible it might have worked but by the time I got to Moon Academy I was done. I might come back to the 4 (?) I missed but I don't know.

Demon In Distress by A. E Kirk Demon in Distress is a definite book one, or possibly the working base for a book one. It just comes to a dead stop. After reading it I felt like it shouldn't be in here, I really hope they publish it stand alone. It is a dissatisfying end to the collection. It isn't awful but it does just stop with a clear indication of the future direction. I didn't enjoy it, I did enjoy See No Evil which faces the same issues. 2 stars.

[romancereadingdiva]

Bully Me Anthology Live Now!

Bully Me, an all new anthology featuring stories from eight bestselling authors is NOW AVAILABLE! All proceeds will go toward helping to support victims of bullying through one of the largest anti-bullying organizations in the world @ditchthelabel​

Blurb:

Loving your tormentor isn’t easy, especially when they collect broken hearts and parade them around like trophies. They’re the bad boys, the alpha a**holes, and the thorns in our sides. They push us past our limits, turn us on, and break us.

They’re our bullies.

They’re the class of 2020.

Eight bestselling authors are teaming up to bring you eight unique stories about the guys we love to hate.

This anthology benefits one of the largest anti-bullying organizations in the world, and all proceeds will go toward helping to support victims of bullying.

Shantel Tessier

Callie Hart

CoraLee June

Siobhan Davis

Kaydence Snow

K Webster

C.M. Stunich

Sam Mariano

AVAILABLE NOW!

ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO DITCH THE LABEL!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2pkwz2k

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B081GDNG75

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/351zdsU

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2ResJ60

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2NSkKtL

Nook: https://bit.ly/375r4Wx

Kobo: https://bit.ly/379qGGj

Add to your Goodreads TBR:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48775725-bully-me

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[myromancebooksworld]

This my July wrap up.  I read 27 books last month mostly because of #thebookjunkietrials.

Like you can see I almost reach my goal that I fixed for this year (read 200 books like last year) … but apparently I will for sure read more than that until the end of the year … which just the though of that drives me crazy!  Me who never read more than like what 10 books or less in 30 years or so, then read 200 books in one year last year while this year I can not only read more than 20 books in a month but I can also read more than 200 books in a year … MINDBLOWING for sure!!! I’m proud of me!

Last month I also put another personal challenge on me for my next monthly TBR: I will read each month at least 2 thrillers.

Since I’m a little girl I was always attracted by the thriller world.  I always watched TV thrillers series from “Starsky & Hutch” to “Monk” (to name a few).  I even wanted to work in this world first as detective (like all those characters of course) and then when I started to study in a law school, I was very excited to study criminlogy.  Unfortunately university was never my forte and I ended up being graduated in P.R. but the passion is still there … just like my passion for psychology who was also a subject that I wanted to study at the university … I also like to whatch documentary about criminal cases to understand the mind of those monsters.

That is why I thought that my “fear” for reading a thriller book was silly of me since it’s a world that intrigued me since I’m a little girl … and so far so good!  I loved the 2 thrillers that I read in July, I already planned the 2 thrillers for this month (August) and bought some new ones!

Anyway let’s back to my July wrap up:

- For the #bookjunkietrials, I not only did the first 5 challenges for my team (#Scribes) but also read a book for the challenges of each team:

1. Dwarf Mount: “Fumbled Hearts” by Meagan Brandy: 4 stars

2. Apothecary Towers: “Bad Saint” by Monica James: 4 stars

3. The Great Library: “Finley” by Ella Frank: 4 stars (more a 3.5)

4. The Drowning Deep: “A Thousand Pieces Of You” by Claudia Gray: 4 stars

5. The Bookie Grail: “Stardust” by Neil Gaiman: 3 stars

6. Orc Grove “Captive In The Dark” by C.J. Roberts: 4 stars

7. Ol’ Pirate Cove: “Bane” by L.J. Shen: 4.5 stars

8. Glimmer: “One Little Lie” by Whitney Barbetti: 3.5 stars

9. Draconic Isle: “Obsidian” by Kimberly Loth: 3 stars

10. The Eleven Guard: “Off Base” by Annabeth Albert: 4 stars

11. On The Hallow Isle: “Scavengers” by Yolanda Olson: 4 stars

12. Empty Barrel Inn: “The Bourbon Kings” by J.R. Ward: 4 stars

13. Giant Squid: “Requiem & Reverie” by Keri Lake : 5 stars (more a 4.5)

14. Crimson Peaks: “Devil’s Kiss” by Ella Frank: 5 stars

15. Queendom Stone: “Cheeky Royal” by Nana Malone: 4 stars

16. The Forgotten Forests: “#Player” by Cambria Hebert: 4 stars

17. The Weeping Falls: “Until You” by Penelope Douglas”: 5 stars

In July I also read for my last library and last #romanceopoly challenge: “Enthralled” by Giana Darling.  I was not a huge fan of her book “Lessons In Corruption” but I gave another try with “Enthralled” … and I fell in love with it!  I gave it 5 stars and I’m so impatient to read the second book!

I also read those books:

- “Sinfully Mine” by Nicky James: 4 stars Yes it’s a very tabboo romance but the author make a really good job to explain how and why these 2 young men, these 2 brothers started to have more deep feelings toward each others.  This romance is much more complex than it seems to be but I can understand that for some us, this romance is waaaaayyy more than tabboo and forbidden ...

- “Filty Rich Boys” by C.M. Stunich: 4 stars

- “Two Can Keep A Secret” by Karen McManus: 4 stars

- “Boy Shattered” by Eli Easton: 4 stars

- “Say You’re Sorry” by Melinda Leigh: 4 stars

- “Cruel Intentions” by Siobhan Davis: 4 stars

- “Bad, Bad Blue Blood” by C.M. Stunich: 3.5 stars

- “#Selfie” by Cambria Hebert: 5 stars

- “Breaking Beth” by Jennifer Bene: 3 stars

[reverseharembooks12]

Top 3 Must-Read Reverse Harem Books for 2022

The romance, action, and thriller books keep coming up every now and then. These are interesting to read, but one genre that has caught out attention lately is the reverse harem. Have you ever watched a series with one female protagonist chasing multiple guys/girls at a time? That’s what the reverse harem genre is all about. While the main storyline is centred around the fantasy world, each story has unique elements and characters that will capture your attention from the start. Reverse Harem Books

The female character has multiple love interests. Some stories are downright terrible because of the boring plots; others are way too exciting to be missed. In this post, we’ve listed 3 such reverse haram romance series every fantasy genre fan will love to watch. Let’s take a look:

Stolen Crush by C.M. Stunich

Diverse characters and an intriguing storyline never fail to draw the reader’s attraction. Stolen Crush does exactly the same. C.M Stunich is the favorite author of fantasy book lovers, and it is not hard to see why. A quick heads up—the book contains explicit sex between minors. So, if you feel offended by such scenes, Stolen Crush is not for you. For those who are interested in love stories and fantasies developing in teenagers and adults, this movie has got a lot to offer. The book is for high-school readers. Drama, fun, fantasies, and romance are a few things that every adult dreams of. This story is all about that. Find Reverse Harem books

Gild by Raven Kennedy

Gild walks you through the beautiful tale of the life of King Midas. You will feel a connection with each character as you read the first few episodes. It shows you the life of a girl made of gold. Everything about her represents gold. The floor, her wardrobe, furniture, house, and nearly all the elements in the book are made of gold. The book ends when things start getting intriguing, which is quite obvious since the author wants readers to pick up the next book. Raven Kennedy has done an excellent job, hands down. You couldn’t have pictured the suspense, drama, and fun in the Gild.

Demon Pack by Jaymin Eve

Jaymin Eve never disappoints fantasy genre lovers. Once again, the author has surprised us with a storyline that we couldn’t have imagined in our wildest dream. The supernatural powers, fantasies, and sexy paranormal romance can’t disappoint you anytime. Jaymin Eve is one of the bestselling reverse harem book authors. Her sci-fi novels are filled with exciting stories, adventures, and dark romance. You will surely get a good laugh every time you read her novels. Demon pack is different in that it will have you obsessed with the storyline. Read it now to find out what happens to the four demon wolves and the two friends of the protagonist. Read Reverse Harem books

These were the best fantasy-based reverse harem books you should try. Each story will take you through the life of interesting characters and a lovely plot.

[the-laughing-corpse-reads]

Havoc at Prescott High (The Havoc Boys #1 of 5)

C.M. Stunich

HAVOC. Hael, Aaron, Victor, Oscar, Callum. The rulers of their school. A gang of sorts but mainly a family. They have an unspoken rule where anyone can call 'HAVOC' and ask them to do something for a price of their choosing.

The story focuses on Bernadette Blackbird, a 17 year old who has watched and wanted these boys from the first moment she sets eyes on them. Now after all the shit she has been through, including having someone sic Havoc on her, she needs to call Havoc. She has her own list of people that she wants revenge on. And she cant get that revenge alone and she's willing to pay whatever price Havoc sets.

Soo, I have just finished the last book in the series. As soon as I started reading, I was hooked and could not put the book down. I finished all 5 within a week. There is lots of violence and tonnes of suspense. Plenty of things keep happening to keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you turning the pages. The characters are amazing, and super sexy. Then there is the spicy parts. DAMN. C.M. Stunich has now become one of my favourite authors. Her writing is amazing and so descriptive and emotional, i even forgot at times that I was actually reading. I felt like I was in the world that I was reading about and I felt everything they felt.

Definitely recommend this series if you love a great book full of action, romance, murder, thrills and lots of steamy scenes.

EXCELLENT SERIES.

Contains explicit sexual situations, violence, sensitive subjects, offensive language and very mature topics.

[joysofescapism]

Book Review: Victory at Prescott High by C.M. Stunich

There's one heart you can’t break at Prescott High, not unless you’re one of them. The Havoc Boys. They’re my family, my redemption, and my future.

Victory at Prescott High has always meant escape. Once upon a time, that meant graduation and a one-way ticket out of town. But everything is different now.

This year, my life changed in irrevocable ways. The Havoc Boys have a Havoc Girl; they have a queen who wears her crown with pride. I’ll need every ounce of strength I possess to dig us out of an early grave.

One last chance; one more fight. If there really are happy endings for people from my side of the tracks, then we’ll find one. Or else we’ll go down together in a hail of gunfire.

Blood in, blood out. Always.

This is the last book of The Havoc Boys Series. You can check my quick review below.

Fuck.

Alright, that was a ride.

A round of applause for Victory at Prescott High. It was done and beautifully so.

Out of all the books, this has my favorite sex scenes. I also love seeing character development! Better late than never.

The aftermath of the shooting at Prescott High was insane. Lots of deaths. A favorite side character included. If the previous book had tons of action, this maintained the momentum. There was just one incident that I felt was just thrown there to tug at our emotions but still, god fucking damn it, it worked!

The ending?

Fuck. Okay, it was easy to make me cry while reading, and this one got me. I can’t believe Stunich really did me like that. But again! It worked! And I think that was all that mattered.

Victory at Prescott High is getting a 4.5 from me.

When a book leaves me screaming, furious, and crying, it deserves a near-perfect score at least. The conclusion of this series didn’t disappoint and gave me a sense of completeness from all the emotions I had to go through.

Check The H.A.V.O.C. Boys Series review for my final thoughts.

GoodReads | Storygraph | Substack | Instagram

[bookwhoreunleashed]

#Live ❤😈 . 📚 Blurb: Loving your tormentor isn’t easy, especially when they collect broken hearts and parade them around like trophies. They’re the bad boys, the alpha a**holes, and the thorns in our sides. They push us past our limits, turn us on, and break us. They’re our bullies. They’re the class of 2020. Eight bestselling authors are teaming up to bring you eight unique brand-new stories about the guys we love to hate. This anthology benefits one of the largest anti-bullying organizations in the world, and all proceeds will go toward helping to support victims of bullying. Shantel Tessier Callie Hart CoraLee June Siobhan Davis Kaydence Snow K Webster C.M. Stunich Sam Mariano . . #books #romance #readingchallenge #goodreads #amazon #kindle #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #authorsofinstagram #love #stories #bookwhore #anthology #bully https://www.instagram.com/p/B-HjCn4AlcF/?igshid=pmbi4mr9kv7p

[tastywordgasms]

Both Lita T & I enjoyed reading The Original Bullet by Coralee June. Loving your tormentor isn’t easy, especially when they collect broken hearts and parade them around like trophies. They’re the bad boys, the alpha a**holes, and the thorns in our sides. They push us past our limits, turn us on, and break us. They’re our bullies. They’re the class of 2020. Eight bestselling authors are teaming up to bring you eight unique brand-new stories about the guys we love to hate. Shantel Tessier Callie Hart CoraLee June Siobhan Davis Kaydence Snow K Webster C.M. Stunich Sam Mariano This anthology benefits one of the largest anti-bullying organizations in the world, and all proceeds will go toward helping to support victims of bullying. Each week, thousands of people benefit from Ditch the Label's resources and digital one-to-one support. Their team of mentors are trained to help young people also navigate through issues related to bullying; such as improving mental health, body image, coming out and building confidence and self-esteem. START READING TODAY! AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2pkwz2k APPLE: https://apple.co/2NSkKtL B&N: https://bit.ly/375r4Wx KOBO: https://bit.ly/379qGGj BULLY ME GROUP LINK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/668659676973946/ FOLLOW DITCH THE LABEL: https://m.facebook.com/319928901007 GOODREADS: https://bit.ly/2Qo3DBU https://www.instagram.com/p/B-II7sDgvaE/?igshid=ok0tmfztgutp

[booklovershangoutlove]

🔥🔥 NEW RELEASE 🔥🔥 Loving your tormentor isn’t easy, especially when they collect broken hearts and parade them around like trophies. They’re the bad boys, the alpha a**holes, and the thorns in our sides. They push us past our limits, turn us on, and break us. They’re our bullies. They’re the class of 2020. Eight bestselling authors are teaming up to bring you eight unique brand-new stories about the guys we love to hate. Shantel Tessier Callie Hart CoraLee June Siobhan Davis Kaydence Snow K Webster C.M. Stunich Sam Mariano This anthology benefits one of the largest anti-bullying organizations in the world, and all proceeds will go toward helping to support victims of bullying. Each week, thousands of people benefit from Ditch the Label's resources and digital one-to-one support. Their team of mentors are trained to help young people also navigate through issues related to bullying; such as improving mental health, body image, coming out and building confidence and self-esteem. START READING TODAY! AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2pkwz2k APPLE: https://apple.co/2NSkKtL B&N: https://bit.ly/375r4Wx KOBO: https://bit.ly/379qGGj BULLY ME GROUP LINK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/668659676973946/ FOLLOW DITCH THE LABEL: https://m.facebook.com/319928901007 GOODREADS: https://bit.ly/2Qo3DBU #needtoreaditnow #booknerdigan #bookpassion #bookster #readyourheartout #needtoreadit #ditchthelabel #bullyingawareness #reading #wildfiremarketingsolutions https://www.instagram.com/p/B-H6ml-gm8f/?igshid=1368glpgadvh3

[sandythereadingcafe]

NEW RELEASE

BULLY ME  (Class of 2020) by multiple authors

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QGa7LJ AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2RfPMxl Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Bully2020sd Nook: http://bit.ly/2KpSnRB Kobo: http://bit.ly/2upgKK8

Loving your tormentor isn't easy, especially when they collect broken hearts and parade them around like trophies.

Bully Me: Class of 2020, an all-new anthology featuring eight new and unique stories from bestselling authors, is available now!

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QGa7LJ AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2RfPMxl Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Bully2020sd Nook: http://bit.ly/2KpSnRB Kobo: http://bit.ly/2upgKK8

They're the bad boys, the alpha a**holes, and the thorns in our sides. They push us past our limits, turn us on, and break us.

They're our bullies. They're the class of 2020.

Eight bestselling authors are teaming up to bring you eight unique brand-new stories about the guys we love to hate.

This anthology benefits one of the largest anti-bullying organizations in the world, and all proceeds will go toward helping to support victims of bullying.

Shantel Tessier Callie Hart CoraLee June Siobhan Davis Kaydence Snow K Webster C.M. Stunich Sam Mariano