Review: Skeleton King by Charity B.

 

Skeleton King by Charity B.

Series: The Dirty Heroes Collection #9

Publication date: June 8th, 2020

Pages: 366

Synopsis:

In this town, I'm free from shame

A place where everyone knows my name

Glamorizing corpses to feed a need

That's why they call me Skeleton King

They all worship me, but they don't know the real me

All they see is my painted face

Truth is, I'm terrified, all the hope inside me died

Death and cold will forever be my morbid fate

Then she showed me something more

Somehow stealing deaths allure

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Review:

I heard about this book on BookTok. A few readers were referencing the book as the most hardcore of the smut categories which intrigued me. I mean, how far could it really go? Far. That's the answer. It can go very, very, VERY far. If you enjoy the movie/story of the Nightmare Before Christmas, you may want to skip this book. It's not a happy Disney tale.

Skeleton King is a man who haunts the local graveyard digging up corpses for his own carnal needs. With his trusty, dog Nothing by his side he brings home his new play things in hopes of pretending to have the relationship he can't manage to have with women who can speak and judge. He feels that its a victimless crime and while his desire for Sarah is obvious, he can't bring himself to believe he'll ever know the touch of a living girl's hand. He's destined for cold and temporary.

Sarah has wanted to be with John since she first laid eyes on him but due to his predelections and her inability to leave her captor, she doesn't have any faith in it happening. Sarah is a broken ragdoll of stitched together flesh and scars that even her sweet John wouldn't find becoming. Or so she thinks. 

Can Sarah and John find a way to be together in the end?

I have so much to say about this book and no idea how to say it. It was absolutely grotesque in all its aspects. The love connection was creepy, the instances of rape, torture, gore, and death were nauseating and the acceptable of sexual perversion was terrible. The only thing I was intrigued by was finding the similarities between this story and its inspiration it was driven from. If you have any aversion or triggers, do not read this book. It is not for the faint of heart and if BookTok hadn't mentioned it I would have been better for it. 

Book Blitz with Excerpt + Teasers + Giveaway: Rycks by Marteeka Karland @marteekakarland @XpressoTours

Rycks by Marteeka Karland

Series: Black Reign MC #1

Publication date: June 11th, 2021

Synopsis:

Lyric: I'm in so much trouble. My orders are to find the highest ranking member of Salvation's Bane or Black Reign MCs and sleep with them. Worm my way into their bed for longer than one night so I can take back information to Kiss of Death. Little did I know I'd find the one man I could never forget. The man who broke my heart six years ago and left me to fend for myself against a ruthless club who would break me the first chance they got.

Rycks: The second I saw her I wanted to punish her. Lyric ran out on me six years ago. Not that I'd given her any reason to stay. Now, she waltzes back into my life with an agenda I can't figure out. When I do, I can't decide what to do. The truth is as scary as it is infuriating. Lyric is my torment. She's sent to me as bait in a bigger plan I can't fathom. Mainly because I'm too distracted by what she reveals. Now I'm questioning my loyalties to both her and my mentor, El Diablo. She pulls at my need to protect at the same time she might just prove herself to be a traitor.

WARNING: Contains scenes of violence, explicit language, and adult situations. Rycks is the first book in the Black Reign series. While you can read it as a stand alone book, you may better understand the characters and situations if you read books in the Bones MC and Salvation's Bane MC series.

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Excerpt

"Look. I can't stay here past tonight. But if I go back with something that looks important, you could control the information I'm giving them." Was it my imagination or did he look disappointed?

"I don't like it. I'd have to discuss it with Thorn, and he'd have to decide what you tell them, but it's not something I want to risk."

"It's the only option I have."

"Why?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Why do you have to go back, Lyric? You're here with me now. You're safe."

"All you need to know is that I have to go back. I want to go back." If the look on his face was any indication, I'd just thoroughly pissed Rycks off.

"You're staying. End of discussion. You want to go back, you tell me why."

"It's personal. That's all I'm saying so don't ask again."

Rycks sighed and reached for me to pull me onto his lap, straddling his hips. He stood up and turned to sit in the same chair he'd plucked me out of. Those strong hands held me still. Like I'd dare move.

"Are you telling me you want to go back to that lot? They'll use you until there's nothing left. I'm surprised they haven't already. You'll die in that place if you go back. you have to know that."

"No. I don't know that. Dangling information from someone high in rank at Black Reign would keep them off of me. Plus, they need me working at my job in the city. It's the only way they're able to get their information."

I tried to ignore how good it felt to be in his arms again. Rycks was my first lover. He'd made me feel special despite his refusal to keep me. Even that had been because he'd thought any danger I faced wasn't anything like what I'd face with him. I had no idea if he'd been right, but I knew where I was now was as deadly dangerous.

"You're a damned fool," he snapped. Then he did something unexpected. He slid his hand into the hair at the back of my head and pulled me to him. "Girl, I'm surprised they let you leave at all. Surprised they haven't already made you a whore in the most violent way possible. It would be Rat Man who'd start with you. You know that, right?"

I shivered. Rat Man. Even saying his name gave me the creeps. The man knew no depravity he didn't indulge in. If there was a repugnant sex act out there, chances are he'd done it.

"Yes. I can see you do know. I can also see you're afraid." He sighed, loosening his grip on my hair, but not letting me pull away from him. "I suppose that's something." With a sigh, he pulled me to him until my head rested on his shoulder. "You're going to be a problem, I can see. Not sure the word brat even covers you."

"Why would you call me a brat?" Maybe I was, but it was only because, for some reason, I felt safe to let that side of myself out when I was with him. Sure, he tried to come across gruff and dangerous -- and I was sure he was under the right circumstances -- but I knew in my heart he wasn't like anyone at Kiss of Death. He was a protector first. A killer only when someone he was responsible for was threatened.

"Because you're testing me when you should be following orders."

"Never been much good at following orders."

"I can see that. Also," he said, taking a deep breath, "you've got to tell me why your family went missing from Ismay. And why you're the only one of them even to turn back up."

Romance author by night, emergency room tech/clerk by day, Marteeka Karland works really hard to drive everyone in her life completely and totally nuts. She has been creating stories from her warped imagination since she was in the third grade. Her love of writing blossomed throughout her teenage years until it developed into the totally unorthodox and irreverent style her English teachers tried so hard to rid her of. Now, she breathes life into faeries, space hunters, werewolves, vampires, shapeshifters, and a few just plane ole ordinary people. She loves to see the awkward, self-conscious band geek get the captain of the football team and make him beg for it.

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Review: Tormented Girl by Lexie Winston

 

Tormented Girl by Lexie Winston

Series: Neighpalm Industries Collective #3

Publication date: March 29th, 2021

Page: 428

Synopsis:

Property destruction, aggressive threats and an injured family member is what Harlow and the Summers family are having to deal with.

Who is responsible or why this is happening is anybody's guess?

But amidst all the drama, Harlow is trying to forget the hurts of the past and establish a new relationship with her adopted siblings, even if what she feels for them isn't overly familial.

A trip to Hawaii with Jaxon and Kai is just what she needs to forget about her worries for a while.

Or is it?

Will trouble follow them to the tropical paradise or will they get to relax and unwind and see where the holiday takes them.

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Review:

Alright, Lexie, you've gotten my attention with another gasp-worthy cliffhanger. You are an evil, evil genius, aren't you? I'm invested. You've sucked me in. I'm yours to shatter with the next list of tragedies you choose to unleash on me. Do your worst.

Harlow and the Summers siblings are finding themselves unusual allies as they start having to deal with more and more scary stalker antics. The stalker is starting to escalate to actually harming individuals. When one of Harlow's brothers is shot while they are out riding horses, the guilt of her involvement in the family causing them pain is making her itchy to run to spare them. But her siblings are not about to let her go off on her own and make herself an easier target for the malicious stalker. They circle the wagons and even Jacinta is willing to put her animosity for Harlow aside to protect her. 

Harlow, knowing she will not so easily be able to sacrifice herself, starts venturing further from the estate with the accompaniment of a brother or two to protect her. Her time away with Declan on a horse delivery excursion and her trip with Jaxon and Kai to Hawaii make her breathe a little easier thinking her stalker can't reach her at these distances. Little does she know that her stalker will not be dissuaded even with distance.

I liked that Harlow is getting more and more alone time with each of the boys, and she finally finds her way into one of their beds. I am not going to lie, I suspected it would be that brother out of all of them that she first got carnal with. I wasn't disappointed. The heat is definitely starting to scorch the pages of this series and I am absolutely here for it.

Tormented Girl is the third installment of what is quickly starting to become one of my favorite series. The angst, mystery, and sultry undertones will make you fan your face and clutch your pearls. I cannot wait for the next book!

Review: Broken Girl by Lexie Winston

 

Broken Girl by Lexie Winston

Series: Neighpalm Industries Collective #2

Publication date: January 14th, 2021

Pages: 420

Synopsis:

Never in her life has Harlow felt as low as she does now. Even a beating from her mother was easier to take than the humiliation she just suffered at the hands of the Summer's siblings.

Unable to return home due to a promise made to her foster father, she has to stay on until her commitments have concluded. With her new friends Alex and Shane trying to convince her to stay and her grandparents and father of the same mind, Harlow's heart is torn in two.

But a mysterious phone call and a possible job opportunity may just swing the pendulum to one side.

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Review:

With the aftermath of the first book and the confusion I felt over it, it was the cliffhanger that made me read on into the second book. Never underestimate the power of a good cliffhanger even with a book that was a bit lackluster. I was slightly more impressed with the second book than the first. I had the chance to get over the unusual nature of the relationships being built within it's pages and started finding there was the foundation for a good story.

The second book opens after the humiliation of Harlow being labeled her father's new gold-digging whore for all of New York to view upon a fashion billboard. When Harlow is spirited away by her new besties, Alex and Shane, she struggles to find the desire to remain within the confines of her father's estate. It is only her duty to her foster father's horses that gives her pause or she might have already found her way back to her previous home with tail between her legs. 

The greatest betrayal was that of Oliver who she had thought she was starting to win over. But when he neglected to tell her of Jacinta's humiliation tactics she felt she was no further in their good graces than she had been to begin with. Even though Harlow desperately wanted a relationship with her father, she didn't know if she could stomach any more of the pain that would come her way from her scorned siblings. 

But the plot thickens when suddenly Harlow has a stalker and that stalker's motives are unclear. Do they love her? Hate her? Want her to leave? Want her to stay? Instructions unclear. I have my suspicions as to who this mysterious stalker is but could it be that obvious? Hmm.

I did like this book better than the first as I stated before. The reverse harem aspect was referenced a few more times but not nearly as often as it was previously. It was also used to further the plot than just a bit of useless foreshadowing. I think that the author may have had the curse of the first book shakes and now is starting to iron out the plot to make it something the reader can sink into.

Broken Girl introduces a new antagonist that makes the Summer siblings almost amenable and gives the reader a new reason to carry on reading.