Phobos's bookshelf: all en-US Wed, 26 Mar 2025 18:47:52 -0700 60 Phobos's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included)]]> 61327482 From board-certified psychiatrist and women's mental health specialist Pooja Lakshmin, MD, comes a long-overdue reckoning with the contradictions of the wellness industry and hands-on strategies for practicing real and lasting self-care

You may have noticed that it's nearly impossible to go even a couple days without coming across the term self-care. A word that encompasses any number of lifestyle choices and products--from juice cleanses to yoga workshops to luxury bamboo sheets--self-care has exploded in our collective consciousness as a panacea for practically all of women's problems.

Dr. Pooja Lakshmin finds this cultural embrace of self-care incomplete at best and manipulative at worst. Self-care dogma says that to fix your troubles is as simple as buying a new day planner or signing up for a meditation class. But the game is rigged. The self-care fixes that our culture prescribes keep us looking outward--comparing ourselves with others or striving for a certain type of perfection. Real self-care, in contrast, is not as simple as a fancy spa retreat or a journaling app; it's an internal process that involves hard work and making difficult decisions.

Real Self-Care shows readers the difference between the two, lifting the veil on faux self-care and reconceptualizing our understanding of what a real practice of caring for yourself could--and should--look like. Using case studies, clinical research, and compassion, Lakshmin provides actionable strategies for real and sustainable change and solace, helping readers set boundaries and move past guilt, treat themselves with compassion, get closer to themselves, and assert their power.]]> 288 Pooja Lakshmin 0593489721 Phobos 0 3.93 2023 Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included)
author: Pooja Lakshmin
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: audiobook, author-nbpoc, non-fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Kiss That Totally Rocked (First Dates After Forty Book 1)]]> 218566996
Six months ago they reconnected. Now the brightest spots in Delia’s life are daily texts from Iris, tandem movie-watching dates, and staying up way too late talking on the phone.

Tonight, Delia is going to see Iris for the first time in over three decades. Possibly hug her. Possibly something else, too? If that’s what this is.

Okay, yeah, Delia has no idea what this is.

This evening is going to be interesting.

THE KISS THAT TOTALLY ROCKED is a kisses-only sapphic first date short story with middle-aged main characters, a retro rock show with a twist, and an HEA for a slightly clueless bi gal and the lesbian cosmetologist of her dreams.

Content warnings are available in the story's front matter and on the author's website.]]> 53 Skye Kilaen Phobos 0 currently-reading 4.50 2024 The Kiss That Totally Rocked (First Dates After Forty Book 1)
author: Skye Kilaen
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tell Me It's Real (At First Sight, #1)]]> 52403393 A GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION

Black & white interior illustrations with a color paperback cover.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Paul Auster doesn't. Paul doesn't believe in much at all. He’s thirty, slightly overweight, and his best features are his acerbic wit and the color commentary he provides as life passes him by. He works a dead-end job in a soul-sucking cubicle, and his closest friends are a quasibipolar drag queen named Helena Handbasket and a two-legged dog named Wheels. 

Enter Vince Taylor.

Vince is everything Paul isn’t: hot, sexy, and confident. And for some reason, Vince pursues Paul relentlessly. Vince must be messing with him, because there is no way Vince could want someone like Paul.

But when Paul hits Vince with his car—in a completely unintentional if-he-died-it'd-only-be-manslaughter kind of way—he's forced to see Vince in a whole new light. The only thing stopping Paul from believing in Vince is himself—and that is one obstacle Paul can’t quite seem to overcome. But when tragedy strikes Vince's family, Paul must put aside any notions he has about himself and stand next to the man who thinks he's perfect the way he is.]]> 494 T.J. Klune 1644054086 Phobos 3 4.07 Tell Me It's Real (At First Sight, #1)
author: T.J. Klune
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.07
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/08
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves: adult, graphic-novel, queer, queer-achillean, romance, owned-physical-copy, rep-fat-mc
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 1 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #1)]]> 10862575
This new edition of Sailor Moon will feature:

- An entirely new, incredibly accurate translation!
- Japanese-style, right-to-left reading!
- New cover art never before seen in the U.S.!
- The original Japanese character names!
- Detailed translation notes!

This version of Sailor Moon will be completely true to original. Join us as Sailor Moon returns to the U.S. for the first time in years!]]> 240 Naoko Takeuchi 1935429744 Phobos 0 owned-physical-copy, manga 4.29 2003 Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 1 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #1)
author: Naoko Takeuchi
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at: 2012/05/01
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: owned-physical-copy, manga
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Book of Life (All Souls, #3)]]> 16054217 The #1 New York Times bestselling series finale and sequel to A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night

Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present—facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency.]]> 561 Deborah Harkness 0670025593 Phobos 0 owned-ebook, unread-owned 4.15 2014 The Book of Life (All Souls, #3)
author: Deborah Harkness
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: owned-ebook, unread-owned
review:

]]> Mexican Gothic 54547507
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.]]> 314 Silvia Moreno-Garcia 1529402670 Phobos 0 3.68 2020 Mexican Gothic
author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: wtr-poc-author, owned-physical-copy, unread-owned
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Truth and Measure (Carlisle, #1)]]> 60147284 What happens when the world’s fiercest fashion editor learns she’s pregnant—and her distracting assistant is the only one she can turn to? This wildly popular age-gap lesbian romance mixes humor and chaos with self-discovery.

Jules Moretti is newly single, an aspiring writer, and the hyper-competent assistant to the most powerful woman in fashion. It’s a tough job, but her ice queen boss won’t settle for less than perfection.

Vivian Carlisle helms the internationally revered fashion publication Du Jour. She might be smack in the middle of a messy divorce, but you have to make sacrifices to be the best. That’s what she tells herself, anyway.

When the unthinkable happens, Vivian’s regimented world is turned upside-down. Her life is about power, success, and dominance—not a baby!

This single, shocking moment throws boss and assistant together into an intimacy neither could have imagined. With their lives in chaos, every day brings a new challenge bigger than the last. But everything will work out…just so long as they don’t do anything totally ridiculous.

Like fall in love.

Truth and Measure is the first part of a two-book series. This slow-burn office romance is a steamy story of fashion, passion, and the power of the unexpected.

Tags: age gap romance, ice queen
120,000 words]]> 396 Roslyn Sinclair 3963246464 Phobos 0 currently-reading 4.32 2022 Truth and Measure (Carlisle, #1)
author: Roslyn Sinclair
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/06
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Anything You Want 60071420 Phil and Jason must both have the courage to be honest with each other about disabilities, identities, bodies, and desires.
This is a sweet age-play romance with an adorable transgender little and a Daddy who has to learn how to take care of himself so he can give his baby boy anything he wants.

This books is part of the "Fall-ing in Love with Daddy" one-week giveaway on ProlificWorks.]]> 50 Reese Morrison Phobos 4 4.19 2020 Anything You Want
author: Reese Morrison
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/05
date added: 2024/12/05
shelves: adult, author-trans, contemporary, from-kindle-unlimited, pov-3rd, queer, queer-achillean, rep-disabled-mc, rep-trans-mc, romance, spicy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Head Over Tail (Silver Ridge Pack #2)]]> 35667909 I have no interest in starting family of my own.

Since returning to his pack, Giles� health has deteriorated. He’s weak, can’t put on any weight, and his wolf form isn’t doing any better. So when the clinic refuses to refill his birth control in hopes of helping him heal, Giles fights back. No one in their right mind will be able to resist his heat, and without his own wolf to fend them off, Giles is as good as dead.

I can’t keep hiding from the truth. Something has to change.

Andrew hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep in months. Ever since he and his brothers rescued Giles and the other omegas from auction, he’s done whatever he can to deny his feelings for a wolf who’d rather be on the pill than start a family of his own. But when a call comes in regarding Giles� poor health, Andrew rushes to his side.

What he finds is an omega too weak to stand with a heat so strong, it’s impossible for them to ignore.

Can this alpha and omega keep their paws to themselves long enough to see what’s in front of them? Or will Giles� reluctance in starting a family push Andrew away, possibly for good?]]> 208 Ashlyn Hunter Phobos 0
Struggled until I gave up. The shift change (pun intended) between the beginning� and the books summary —to right after they fuck is jarring, and honestly boring I expected the summary I was interested in to be relevant for more than 22% of the book.

Dual first-person POV.]]> 3.66 2017 Head Over Tail (Silver Ridge Pack #2)
author: Ashlyn Hunter
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/30
shelves: dnf, adult, from-kindle-unlimited, pov-1st, pov-1st-multiple, queer, queer-achillean, romance, spicy, supernatural, reviewed
review:
Dropped at 43%.

Struggled until I gave up. The shift change (pun intended) between the beginning� and the books summary —to right after they fuck is jarring, and honestly boring I expected the summary I was interested in to be relevant for more than 22% of the book.

Dual first-person POV.
]]> He Mele A Hilo (A Hilo Song) 21894948
On one beautiful island, we discover that loving other people in spite of their flaws might just begin with being true to our own selves.]]> 310 Ryka Aoki 1489520414 Phobos 0 to-read 4.31 2014 He Mele A Hilo (A Hilo Song)
author: Ryka Aoki
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin, #1)]]> 16128152 Alternate cover edition of ISBN-10: 0988564106 (ISBN13: 9780988564107)

Some things should stay buried.

Repressed scholar Percival Endicott Whyborne has two skills: reading dead languages and hiding in his office at the Ladysmith Museum. After the tragic death of the friend he secretly loved, he’s ruthlessly suppressed any desire for another man.

So when handsome ex-Pinkerton Griffin Flaherty approaches him to translate a mysterious book, Whyborne wants to finish the job and get rid of the detective as quickly as possible. Griffin left the Pinkertons following the death of his partner, hoping to start a new life. But the powerful cult which murdered Glenn has taken root in Widdershins, and only the spells in the book can stop them. Spells the intellectual Whyborne doesn’t believe are real.

As the investigation draws the two men closer, Griffin’s rakish charm threatens to shatter Whyborne’s iron control. When the cult resurrects an evil sorcerer who commands terrifying monsters, can Whyborne overcome his fear and learn to trust? Will Griffin let go of his past and risk falling in love? Or will Griffin’s secrets cost Whyborne both his heart and his life?]]> 236 Jordan L. Hawk Phobos 0 to-read 4.08 2012 Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin, #1)
author: Jordan L. Hawk
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate, #1)]]> 33099588 The Black Tides of Heaven is one of a pair of standalone introductions to Neon Yang's Tensorate Series. For more of the story you can read its twin novella The Red Threads of Fortune

Mokoya and Akeha, the twin children of the Protector, were sold to the Grand Monastery as children. While Mokoya developed her strange prophetic gift, Akeha was always the one who could see the strings that moved adults to action. While his sister received visions of what would be, Akeha realized what could be. What's more, he saw the sickness at the heart of his mother's Protectorate.

A rebellion is growing. The Machinists discover new levers to move the world every day, while the Tensors fight to put them down and preserve the power of the state. Unwilling to continue to play a pawn in his mother's twisted schemes, Akeha leaves the Tensorate behind and falls in with the rebels. But every step Akeha takes towards the Machinists is a step away from his sister Mokoya. Can Akeha find peace without shattering the bond he shares with his twin sister?]]> 236 Neon Yang 076539541X Phobos 0 to-read 3.70 2017 The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate, #1)
author: Neon Yang
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Of Knights and Books and Falling in Love]]> 174740206 232 Rita A. Rubin 0645092878 Phobos 0 to-read 3.77 2023 Of Knights and Books and Falling in Love
author: Rita A. Rubin
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokpokki]]> 49228706
PSYCHIATRIST: So how can I help you?

ME: I don't know, I'm � what's the word � depressed? Do I have to go into detail?

Baek Sehee is a successful young social media director at a publishing house when she begins seeing a psychiatrist about her - what to call it? - depression? She feels persistently low, anxious, endlessly self-doubting, but also highly judgmental of others. She hides her feelings well at work and with friends, performing the calmness her lifestyle demands. The effort is exhausting, overwhelming, and keeps her from forming deep relationships. This can't be normal. But if she's so hopeless, why can she always summon a yen for her favorite street food: the hot, spicy rice cake, tteokbokki? Is this just what life is like?

Recording her dialogues with her psychiatrist over a twelve-week period, and expanding on each session with her own reflective micro-essays, Baek begins to disentangle the feedback loops, knee-jerk reactions, and harmful behaviors that keep her locked in a cycle of self-abuse. Part memoir, part self-help book, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki is a book to keep close and to reach for in times of darkness. It will appeal to anyone who has ever felt alone or unjustified in their everyday despair.


—ĔĔĔĔ�


Aku: Bagaimana caranya agar bisa mengubah pikiran bahwa saya ini standar dan biasa saja?

Psikiater: Memangnya hal itu merupakan masalah yang harus diperbaiki?

Aku: Iya, karena saya ingin mencintai diri saya sendiri.

-----

I Want To Die But I Want To Eat Tteokpokki adalah esai yang berisi tentang pertanyaan, penilaian, saran, nasihat, dan evaluasi diri yang bertujuan agar pembaca bisa menerima dan mencintai dirinya.

Buku self improvement ini mendapatkan sambutan baik karena pembaca meraskan hal yang sama dengan kisah Baek Se Hee sehingga buku ini mendapatkan predikat bestseller di Korea Selatan.]]> 232 Baek Se-hee 6237351035 Phobos 0 to-read 3.26 2018 I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokpokki
author: Baek Se-hee
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop]]> 133938826 should feel successful—but all she feels is drained. Haunted by an abandoned dream, she takes a leap of faith and leaves her old life behind. Quitting her job and divorcing her husband, Yeongju moves to a quiet residential neighborhood outside the city and opens the Hyunam-dong Bookshop.

The transition isn’t easy. For months, all Yeongju can do is cry. But as the long hours in the shop stretch on, she begins to reflect on what makes a good bookseller and a meaningful store. She throws herself into reading voraciously, hosting author events, and crafting her own philosophy on bookselling. Gradually, Yeongju finds her footing in her new surroundings.

Surrounded by friends, writers, and the books that bind them, Yeongju begins to write a new chapter in her life. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop evolves into a warm, welcoming haven for lost souls—a place to rest, heal, and remember that it’s never too late to scrap the plot and start over.]]> 307 Hwang Bo-Reum Phobos 0 to-read 3.94 2022 Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop
author: Hwang Bo-Reum
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> We Used to Live Here 199798006
As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets them in.

As soon as the strangers enter their home, inexplicable things start happening, including the family’s youngest child going missing and a ghostly presence materializing in the basement. Even more weird, the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?

This unputdownable and spine-tingling novel “is like quicksand: the further you delve into its pages, the more immobilized you become by a spiral of terror. We Used to Live Here will haunt you even after you have finished it� (Agustina Bazterrica, author of Tender Is the Flesh).]]> 312 Marcus Kliewer 1982198788 Phobos 0 to-read 3.66 2024 We Used to Live Here
author: Marcus Kliewer
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Bury Your Gays 195790870 From Chuck Tingle, author of the USA Today bestselling Camp Damascus, comes a new heart-pounding story about what it takes to succeed in a world that wants you dead.

Misha is a jaded scriptwriter who has been working in Hollywood for years, and has just been nominated for his first Oscar. But when he's pressured by his producers to kill off a gay character in the upcoming season finale�"for the algorithm"―Misha discovers that it's not that simple.

As he is haunted by his past, and past mistakes, Misha must risk everything to find a way to do what's right―before it's too late.]]> 295 Chuck Tingle 1250874653 Phobos 0 to-read 4.13 2024 Bury Your Gays
author: Chuck Tingle
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Annie Bot 156023123
She’s learning, too.

Doug says he loves that Annie’s artificial intelligence makes her seem more like a real woman, but the more human Annie becomes, the less perfectly she behaves. As Annie's relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder whether Doug truly desires what he says he does. In such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?]]> 231 Sierra Greer 0063312697 Phobos 0 to-read 3.81 2024 Annie Bot
author: Sierra Greer
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Stardust Grail 195791479 Save one world. Doom her own.

From the acclaimed author of The Deep Sky comes a thrilling anti-colonial space heist to save an alien civilization.

Maya Hoshimoto was once the best art thief in the galaxy. For ten years, she returned stolen artifacts to alien civilizations—until a disastrous job forced her into hiding. Now she just wants to enjoy a quiet life as a graduate student of anthropology, but she’s haunted by persistent and disturbing visions of the future.

Then an old friend comes to her with a job she can’t refuse: find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction. Except no one has seen it in living memory, and they aren’t the only ones hunting for it.

Maya sets out on a breakneck quest through a universe teeming with strange life and ancient ruins. But the farther she goes, the more her visions cast a dark shadow over her team of friends new and old. Someone will betray her along the way. Worse yet, in choosing to save one species, she may condemn humanity and Earth itself.

--

Content warnings are available at the author's website (see author bio).]]> 312 Yume Kitasei 1250875374 Phobos 0 to-read 3.63 2024 The Stardust Grail
author: Yume Kitasei
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Family Experiment 197108968 From the acclaimed author of The One and The Marriage Act, The Family Experiment is a dark and brilliant speculative thriller about families: real and virtual.

Some families are virtually perfect�

The world's population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, the breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families, let alone raise them.

But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality TV show called The Substitute. It will follow ten couples as they raise a Virtual Child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child, or risk it all for the chance of a real baby�

Set in the same universe as John Marrs's bestselling novel The One and The Marriage Act, The Family Experiment is a dark and twisted thriller about the ultimate Tamagotchi—a virtual baby.]]> 384 John Marrs 1335000364 Phobos 0 to-read 4.00 2024 The Family Experiment
author: John Marrs
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[His Mate By Resistance (Lunetti Pack, #2)]]> 216929170 His boy deserved better. He deserved to be the centre of someone’s world.

Luca stumbled on something he shouldn't have and now someone's trying to kill him. If only he knew what and who. He hates that he has to use his hacking skills against his own pack as he hunts down the traitor. He hates it even more when his Alpha sends him away for his safety. Hex-Rated—the hottest gay nightclub in New Trinity—is the last place he expected to be hiding out. The water witch who owns it better keep his damn hands to himself.

Cal has no time for the three crime families that run the city. He's worked hard to keep his club on the right side of the law. That's all put at risk when a favour for a friend has him faking a relationship with a Mafia wolf shifter. Luca's a criminal and there's no way Cal would go there for real. Even if the shifter brings out every protective instinct in him. Even if Luca is so good for him despite himself.

His Mate By Resistance is an enemies to lovers MM Paranormal Romance. It's book two in the Lunetti Pack series, but can be read as a standalone. It features forced proximity, a fake relationship, knotting, a water witch Daddy, and magic sensory play. There is no mpreg in this world. ]]> 260 Mel Aitchess 1067022724 Phobos 2
Despite not really liking the first book in the series, I read the second because I quite like queer supernatural romance featuring shifters, witches, and vampires. I also liked the idea of the three factions operating as different crime families.

The writing is just so damn basic. It’s dull, and lacks any sort of depth, flavor, or nuance. It just is. I know some people enjoy straightforward storytelling, but I decidedly don’t.

The story itself is fine; exactly what one would come to expect from this genre, but that’s okay. At times it felt like a trope checklist: enemies to lovers, insta-lust and then love like 2 seconds later because we’re fated mates but that can’t be because a wolf would *never* want a witch, fake relationship, possessive MCs (both of ‘em), forced proximity. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you there’s daddy kink in this unless you’d be satisfied by someone saying � please daddy� once per sex scene and then never again.

The characters are one-dimensional tropes where you know everything about them based on like two sentences if you’ve spent any time in this genre. This is fine.

Overall, I found the read to be just south of OK. It’s a little not good, but if you like a really simple read and don’t mind shallow characters and tropes, and predictable story beats, this is for you! I know lots of folks find comfort in this. It just wasn’t for me.

Honestly, I would have really enjoyed this book with richer, more compelling prose. I read so much in this genre that almost nothing feels novel anymore, but I love it anyway. I don’t require complexity in my stories, but I prefer the writing to not feed everything to me.]]> 4.45 His Mate By Resistance (Lunetti Pack, #2)
author: Mel Aitchess
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.45
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2024/11/29
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: adult, from-kindle-unlimited, pov-3rd, queer, queer-achillean, rep-mental-illness, reviewed, romance, spicy, supernatural, urban-fantasy
review:
Dual third person POV.

Despite not really liking the first book in the series, I read the second because I quite like queer supernatural romance featuring shifters, witches, and vampires. I also liked the idea of the three factions operating as different crime families.

The writing is just so damn basic. It’s dull, and lacks any sort of depth, flavor, or nuance. It just is. I know some people enjoy straightforward storytelling, but I decidedly don’t.

The story itself is fine; exactly what one would come to expect from this genre, but that’s okay. At times it felt like a trope checklist: enemies to lovers, insta-lust and then love like 2 seconds later because we’re fated mates but that can’t be because a wolf would *never* want a witch, fake relationship, possessive MCs (both of ‘em), forced proximity. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you there’s daddy kink in this unless you’d be satisfied by someone saying � please daddy� once per sex scene and then never again.

The characters are one-dimensional tropes where you know everything about them based on like two sentences if you’ve spent any time in this genre. This is fine.

Overall, I found the read to be just south of OK. It’s a little not good, but if you like a really simple read and don’t mind shallow characters and tropes, and predictable story beats, this is for you! I know lots of folks find comfort in this. It just wasn’t for me.

Honestly, I would have really enjoyed this book with richer, more compelling prose. I read so much in this genre that almost nothing feels novel anymore, but I love it anyway. I don’t require complexity in my stories, but I prefer the writing to not feed everything to me.
]]> The Eyes Are the Best Part 195703882 Crying in H-Mart meets My Sister, the Serial Killer in this feminist psychological horror about the making of a female serial killer from a Korean-American perspective.

Ji-won’s life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her appa’s extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying� yet enticing.

In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George’s, who is Umma’s obnoxious new boyfriend. George has already overstayed his welcome in her family’s claustrophobic apartment. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescending toward Ji-won and her sister as if he deserves all of Umma’s fawning adoration. No, George doesn’t deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.

For no matter how many victims accumulate around her campus or how many people she must deceive and manipulate, Ji-won’s hunger and her rage deserve to be sated.

A brilliantly inventive, subversive novel about a young woman unraveling, Monika Kim’s The Eyes Are the Best Part is a story of a family falling apart and trying to find their way back to each other, marking a bold new voice in horror that will leave readers mesmerized and craving more.]]> 278 Monika Kim 1645661237 Phobos 0 to-read 3.81 2024 The Eyes Are the Best Part
author: Monika Kim
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Principle of Moments (Order of Legends #1)]]> 57385927 A century-spanning space fantasy novel that will take you on a whirlwind adventure, from a Regency Era love affair between a time-traveller and the prince waiting for him in the past, to a rescue mission in the 60th century, where a girl desperately races against time as she searches for the sister the emperor stole.

6066: In Emperor Thracin’s brave new galaxy, humans are not citizens. Instead, they are indentured labourers, working to repay the debt they unwittingly incurred when they settled on Gahraan - a desert planet already owned by the emperor himself. Asha Akindele knows she’s just another voiceless cog working the assembly lines that fuel his vast imperial war machine. Her only rebellion: studying stolen aeronautics manuals in the dead of night. But then a cloaked stranger arrives to deliver an impossible message, and her life changes in an instant.

1812: Obi Amadi is done with time-travelling. Never mind the fact he doesn’t know how to cure himself of the temporal sickness he caught whilst anchoring his soul to Regency London, the one that unmakes him further with every jump. Or if the prince he loves will ever love him back. Or why his father disappeared. He is done. Until he hears about the ghost of a girl in the British Museum. A girl from another time.

When Obi’s path tangles with Asha’s and a prophecy awakens in the cold darkness of space, they must voyage through the stars, racing against time, tyranny, and the legacy of three heroes from an ancient religion who may be awakening, reincarnated in ways beyond comprehension.]]> 432 Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson 1473234220 Phobos 0 to-read 3.64 2024 The Principle of Moments (Order of Legends #1)
author: Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1)]]> 150247395
Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears--quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.]]> 410 Robert Jackson Bennett 1984820702 Phobos 0 to-read 4.29 2024 The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan, #1)
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Voyage of the Damned 135802269
Aboard are the heirs of the twelve provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.

Except one: Ganymedes Piscero - class clown, slacker, and all-round disappointment.

When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people without a Blessing to protect him, odds of survival are slim.

But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia?

Or will the empire as he knows it fall?]]> 496 Frances White 0241640075 Phobos 0 to-read 4.03 2024 Voyage of the Damned
author: Frances White
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Running Close to the Wind 122993674
To find a buyer with deep enough pockets, Avra must ask for help from his on-again, off-again ex, the pirate Captain Teveri az-Haffar. They are far from happy to see him, but together, they hatch a plan: take the information to the isolated pirate republic of the Isles of Lost Souls, fence it, profit. The only things in their way? A calculating new Arasti ambassador to the Isles of Lost Souls who's got his eyes on Avra's every move; Brother Julian, a beautiful, mysterious new member of the crew with secrets of his own and a frankly inconvenient vow of celibacy; the fact that they're sailing straight into sea serpent breeding season and almost certain doom.

But if they can find a way to survive and sell the secret on the black market, they’ll all be as wealthy as kings―and, more importantly, they'll be legends.]]> 436 Alexandra Rowland 1529099706 Phobos 0 to-read 3.96 2024 Running Close to the Wind
author: Alexandra Rowland
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Faebound (Faebound, #1) 123268671
When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven lands, they are both forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. There they encounter the the fae court.

The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world � torn between their loyalty to each other, their elven homeland, and their hearts. . .]]> 400 Saara El-Arifi Phobos 0 to-read 3.69 2024 Faebound (Faebound, #1)
author: Saara El-Arifi
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[We'll Prescribe You a Cat (We'll Prescribe You a Cat, #1)]]> 209891170 A cat a day keeps the doctor away�.

Discover this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats in the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation.

Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take� their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.

Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.]]> 297 Syou Ishida 0593818741 Phobos 0 to-read 3.78 2023 We'll Prescribe You a Cat (We'll Prescribe You a Cat, #1)
author: Syou Ishida
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[His Mate By Vengeance (Lunetti Pack, #1)]]> 214822040 I have lived for centuries. I have used and been used. Had countless lovers. And I have never wanted more. Not once. Not until today. Not until you.
Angelo is a protector�head of the Lunetti Pack's security. He walks a delicate line avoiding the darker side of his mafia shifter pack's business, but there's no grey area in his hatred of vampires. Not after what they did to his family. When his Alpha orders him to keep one safe, it takes everything in him to obey. So, why is his wolf so intoxicated by the sassy vampire assassin's scent permeating the safe house? And did there have to be only one damn bed?
Vin doesn't know who's trying to frame him for the bombing targeting the head of the local vampire coven, but he's got the skills and ruthlessness to figure it out. When he called in a favour for somewhere to lay low, he hadn't intended it to come equipped with a wolf shifter bodyguard, but he isn't complaining. Angelo is as easy on the eyes as he is to rile up. Seduction is a game and Vin's always loved a challenge. Until Angelo does something no one ever has before. He cares.
Now, all bets are off. Angelo is his.
His Mate By Vengeance is a steamy enemies to lovers, fated mates, MM paranormal romance between a grumpy wolf shifter and a murder sunshine vampire assassin. It features forced proximity, only one bed, and knotting. There is no mpreg in this world.]]> 156 Mel Aitchess 1067022708 Phobos 2 4.02 His Mate By Vengeance (Lunetti Pack, #1)
author: Mel Aitchess
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2024/11/29
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Taste of Gold and Iron (Mahisti Dynasty, #1)]]> 58724599 The Goblin Emperor meets "Magnificent Century" in Alexandra Rowland's A Taste of Gold and Iron, where a queer central romance unfolds in a fantasy world reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.

Kadou, the shy prince of Arasht, finds himself at odds with one of the most powerful ambassadors at court—the body-father of the queen's new child—in an altercation which results in his humiliation.

To prove his loyalty to the queen, his sister, Kadou takes responsibility for the investigation of a break-in at one of their guilds, with the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, the coldly handsome Evemer, who seems to tolerate him at best. In Arasht, where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers and myth runs side by side with history, counterfeiting is heresy, and the conspiracy they discover could cripple the kingdom’s financial standing and bring about its ruin.]]> 512 Alexandra Rowland 1250800382 Phobos 0 4.03 2022 A Taste of Gold and Iron (Mahisti Dynasty, #1)
author: Alexandra Rowland
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/22
shelves: wtr-2022-release, wtr-queer, owned-physical-copy, currently-reading, audiobook, from-scribd, pov-3rd, queer, queer-achillean
review:

]]> <![CDATA[10 Things That Never Happened (Material World, #1)]]> 83137176 Fake amnesia. Real feelings? Real problems.

Sam Becker loves―or, okay, likes―his job. Sure, managing a bed and bath retailer isn't exactly glamorous, but it's good work and he gets on well with the band of misfits who keep the store running. He could see himself being content here for the long haul. Too bad, then, that the owner is an infuriating git.

Jonathan Forest should never have hired Sam. It was a sentimental decision, and Jonathan didn't get where he is by following his heart. Determined to set things right, Jonathan orders Sam down to London for a difficult talk…only for a panicking Sam to trip, bump his head, and maybe accidentally imply he doesn't remember anything?

Faking amnesia seemed like a good idea when Sam was afraid he was getting sacked, but now he has to deal with the reality of Jonathan's guilt―as well as the unsettling fact that his surly boss might have a softer side to him. There's an unexpected freedom in getting a second shot at a first impression…but as Sam and Jonathan grow closer, can Sam really bring himself to tell the truth, or will their future be built entirely on one impulsive lie?]]> 432 Alexis Hall 1728245109 Phobos 3 3.87 2023 10 Things That Never Happened (Material World, #1)
author: Alexis Hall
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/22
date added: 2024/11/22
shelves: wtr-sequel, wtr-queer, wtr-2023-release, wtr-0-preorder-me
review:

]]> <![CDATA[His Alpha Unlocked (Shifters Sanctuary #1)]]> 211421746 It's knot funny, it's fate.

Former foster kid Beckett (Beck) Smith is 31 and has never had any reason to think that he’s anything other than human. But meeting Oliver (Ollie) Grayson in a club stirs something primal inside him, creating a desire that can’t be ignored. Learning that Ollie is an omega wolf shifter isn’t a deterrent, not when he can’t keep his hands off the young, vibrant, sexy man. And it’s all going great…until his body changes at the most unexpected and awkward moment. (It's really not funny, fate!)

Suddenly, Beck discovers that he’s not as human as he believed. Furthermore, it turns out he’s an alpha in a world where alphas are thought to be extinct. Then there’s also the fact that he’s somehow mystically bonded to Ollie. It’s a lot to process. Don’t get him Ollie’s a great guy. He’s gorgeous and smart, and his obsession with all things Christmas is stupidly endearing, but Beck hadn’t exactly planned to commit to the guy for life.

However, when Ollie’s pack threatens them, Beck will do anything to keep his mate safe…even if it means putting his own life on the line.

His Alpha Unlocked is a sweet, instant attraction (fated mates) romance. It IS an mpreg, and it does contain violence, threats, kidnapping, anxiety, controlling families, and some mild angst. This book contains elements suited to readers over the age of 18.]]> 306 Anna Sparrows Phobos 0 4.07 2024 His Alpha Unlocked (Shifters Sanctuary #1)
author: Anna Sparrows
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2024/11/19
date added: 2024/11/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[His Prodigal Alpha (Shifters Sanctuary #2)]]> 210954570 A Life They Did Knot Expect

Alphas do not exist. 25-year-old omega, Damon Richards, knows this; it’s why his old-school pack considers him all but useless. He certainly doesn’t expect this reality to be upended at a random bar in the middle of nowhere. But that’s what happens when he meets an irresistible stranger…and things just get more complicated from there.

In his forty-two years of life, Rex Murphy hasn’t had any reason to believe he isn’t human. Shifters are just something he learned about in school; a species snuffed out long ago. As far as he’s concerned, he’s just a normal guy � until his anatomy changes during an impromptu hook-up in a bar’s bathroom. At that point, he does what any rational person would he flees.

Wanting answers to his newfound alpha-ness, Rex seeks out Shifters Sanctuary, a pack recently founded by the only other known alpha in existence.

As fate would have it, once there, Rex gets the second biggest shock of his life. It seems he left a little something behind with Damon on the night he fled. A baby-shaped something.

Rex and Damon still have a lot to work out (not made any easier by the looming threat from a cult-like community of shifters with their own agenda) but they may just discover that a life in Shifter’s Sanctuary is worth fighting for...


His Prodigal Alpha is a sweet, instant attraction (fated mates) romance. It IS an mpreg with an unexpected pregnancy, and it does contain some violence, threats, kidnapping, anxiety, talk of infertility, and some angst, as well as some rope play/shibari and discussion about unsafe BDSM practices. This book contains elements suited to readers over the age of 18.]]> 246 Anna Sparrows Phobos 0 4.19 2024 His Prodigal Alpha (Shifters Sanctuary #2)
author: Anna Sparrows
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2024/11/21
date added: 2024/11/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Short Stories, Vol. 2 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #14)]]> 17456990 208 Naoko Takeuchi 1612620108 Phobos 0 owned-physical-copy, manga 4.22 2004 Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Short Stories, Vol. 2 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #14)
author: Naoko Takeuchi
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at: 2013/06/01
date added: 2024/11/18
shelves: owned-physical-copy, manga
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 12 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #12)]]> 16071860 277 Naoko Takeuchi 1612620086 Phobos 0 owned-physical-copy, manga 4.49 2004 Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 12 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #12)
author: Naoko Takeuchi
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at: 2013/06/01
date added: 2024/11/18
shelves: owned-physical-copy, manga
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Short Stories, Vol. 1 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #13)]]> 17262720 200 Naoko Takeuchi 1612624421 Phobos 0 owned-physical-copy, manga 3.99 2004 Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Short Stories, Vol. 1 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #13)
author: Naoko Takeuchi
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at: 2013/06/01
date added: 2024/11/17
shelves: owned-physical-copy, manga
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 11 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #11)]]> 16071859
This new edition of Sailor Moon features:
-An entirely new, incredibly accurate translation!
-Japanese-style, right-to-left reading!
-New cover art never before seen in the U.S.!
-The original Japanese character names!
-Detailed translation notes!]]> 238 Naoko Takeuchi 1612620078 Phobos 0 owned-physical-copy, manga 4.34 2004 Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 11 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #11)
author: Naoko Takeuchi
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at: 2013/05/01
date added: 2024/11/17
shelves: owned-physical-copy, manga
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Asher's Answer (Littles & Lace, #1)]]> 62456423
Homeless and close to a breakdown, Ash doesn't think things can get any worse...then his college campus Security calls the cops on him.

Meanwhile, Officer Charlie Walker is a Daddy convinced his unicorn Little is not out there. He can't keep a strict routine and wants to find a man who can be his equal as well as his little boy. Someone whose little side is fluid, who doesn't mind that Charlie's work schedule can be unpredictable, but who still likes someone to nurture and care for them.

What are the chances this anxious little who has just fallen into Charlie's lap fits that bill?

CW: While this is a low-angst, sweet & cute, instant-attraction romance, this book contains brief mentions of homophobia, domestic abuse, gun violence, anxiety and panic attacks. This book is an MM Age Play/Age Regression romance between consenting adults and does include ABDL and wetting. This book contains elements that are suitable for ages 18 and over.]]> 196 Anna Sparrows Phobos 0 4.03 2022 Asher's Answer (Littles & Lace, #1)
author: Anna Sparrows
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/16
shelves: adult, audiobook, pov-1st, pov-1st-multiple, queer, queer-achillean
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Prince in Disguise (Perilous Courts, #2)]]> 61213703 Rakos isn’t really a farmer. Bellamy definitely isn’t a minstrel.

Sheltered, sickly Prince Bellamy always longed for adventure—but not like this. Captured in enemy territory, Bellamy’s true identity will get him killed, or worse. When his smoking-hot fellow prisoner asks who he is, Bellamy claims to be a minstrel.

Even though he can’t carry a tune to save his life. He panicked, okay?

Rakos was the rising star of the Draskoran dragon riders until betrayal landed him in chains. He knows two things for certain: he can’t trust anyone, and he wants his dragon back. When a pretty, fragile minstrel asks who he is, Rakos claims he’s a farmer. When Bellamy begs for help reaching the border, Rakos refuses.

Until Bellamy reveals his magic is exactly what Rakos needs.

Stormy nights, pursuing soldiers, and deadly masquerades forge Rakos and Bellamy’s unlikely partnership into something more. Something exhilarating. Rakos treats Bellamy like a person, not a weak, untouchable prince, even as he protects him.

But Rakos’s enemies are circling in, and that very protection might be Bellamy’s undoing.

Prince in Disguise is a high fantasy gay romance, with secret identities, hurt/comfort, and huddling for warmth. The Perilous Courts series is best read in order, but each book follows a different prince and his Happily Ever After.]]> 298 Tavia Lark Phobos 0 currently-reading 4.13 2022 Prince in Disguise (Perilous Courts, #2)
author: Tavia Lark
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/12
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Worthy Man (The Men of Halfway House #5)]]> 35039417 A story of two men and the boundless love that forever changed them.


Vannguard Shaw has spent the last ten years serving a life sentence and adjusting to the ache of solitude. He accepts his fate, a sacrifice for the only man he ever loved and the one person who saw beyond his rough edges.

Drayton grew up with a trust fund and pre-planned future, but an unexpected encounter one night forces him to abandon everything and start from scratch. He is now a self-made man and developer of one of the most sought after electric exotic automobiles in the world with a fortune greater than that of his birthright. Yet, he’d surrender it all—again—for the only man who’s still ever-present in his heart.

After a decade and entirely too much distance between them, Vann is suddenly released back into a world that has been nothing but cruel. Drayton never lost hope they would once again reunite and pick up where they left off, but Vann’s stubborn nature and repeated encounters with a heartbreaking world prove to be a challenge.

Vann needs to tap into his fighting spirit’s reservoir of strength and hope life doesn’t punish him for taking a chance. Only then will he realize his own value and feel worthy enough to finally have Drayton’s heart. And their chance at forever.

----
Word count: 124,300
Although part of a series, this is a full-length stand-alone novel.]]> 427 Jaime Reese 0990778630 Phobos 4 4.60 2017 A Worthy Man (The Men of Halfway House #5)
author: Jaime Reese
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/05
date added: 2024/11/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Mended Man (The Men of Halfway House #4)]]> 30044842 A story of healing and confronting demons�

Detective Aidan Calloway is rock-solid strong. He's a man of justice—loyal to his friends, family, and job—even if it requires bending a law…or two. He shields himself behind an abrasive, fearless facade, until a phone call one night chips his armor and throws his perfectly planned, hollow life into a tailspin.

Jessie Vega is the epitome of optimism. His carefully crafted attitude of hope and positivity protects him from a past filled with too much pain. When a ghost from a dark time resurfaces and nearly breaks him, he must tap into his inner strength or risk losing everything he's worked so hard to build.

But Jessie can't do it alone. He must fight to break through Aidan's ironclad defenses to reveal the heart of the man hiding beneath the tough surface and mend his damaged spirit. Only then can they truly heal and become strong enough to battle the demons that haunt them and threaten their chance to finally be together.

----------

***This book contains scenes and subject matter some readers may find distressing. It is only intended for adult readers.***

Word count: 145K
Although part of a series and events from prior stories are referenced, this book can be read as a stand-alone.

----------
]]> 506 Jaime Reese 0990778606 Phobos 2 4.42 2016 A Mended Man (The Men of Halfway House #4)
author: Jaime Reese
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2024/11/04
date added: 2024/11/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Restored Man (The Men of Halfway House, #3)]]> 24951787 363 Jaime Reese 0991457099 Phobos 0 4.45 2015 A Restored Man (The Men of Halfway House, #3)
author: Jaime Reese
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at: 2024/10/31
date added: 2024/10/31
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Hunted Man (The Men of Halfway House, #2)]]> 22024097 379 Jaime Reese 0991457048 Phobos 3 4.29 2014 A Hunted Man (The Men of Halfway House, #2)
author: Jaime Reese
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/10/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Better Man (The Men of Halfway House #1)]]> 20561438
Julian Capeletti likes challenges. He is confident, brash, stubborn, and just what Matt needs. Desperate for work after a downturn of luck, he accepts the job to renovate Matt's crumbling building.

Over the course of a year, romance simmers between them as they restore the house. But there's a bigger renovation that must take place in their hearts. To become better men, they need to learn to trust each other even with secrets and painful memories they fear may rip them apart.

69,034 words. 2nd edition. Revised and expanded.]]> 245 Jaime Reese 0991457005 Phobos 4 4.21 2012 A Better Man (The Men of Halfway House #1)
author: Jaime Reese
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/19
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves:
review:

]]> Knot & Order 60879871
Michael knows that the world is unfair. As an alpha, he has all the advantages in his favor. He does pro-bono work for omega rights, covers up his scent so he doesn’t trigger an omega’s heat, and never goes after what his body craves the most: a male omega. All in all, he does his best to be good in a world where it’s too easy for an alpha to be bad.

But now David and Michael have a case, and the more time they spend together, the more the temptation to see what they’ve been missing grows. If they’re not careful, things could get out of order.

This is an MM ABO romance with a lot of slick, knotting and two men who were just waiting for Mr. Right. If that ain’t your thing, turn back now, because things are about to get wet.]]> 150 Zoe Kassel Phobos 0 3.79 2019 Knot & Order
author: Zoe Kassel
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2022/11/01
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Imposter Suite (Pup's Creek #3)]]> 51056852 Welcome to Pup’s Creek—where the skies are blue, the men are one of a kind, and dreams come true in the most unexpected ways.

As an unmated omega from a traditional family, Toby Martin’s life is all planned out for him—right down to the alpha that he’s expected to marry. Too bad no one’s stopped to ask what he wants.

When his great-uncle Roscoe is injured Toby is sent to the little town of Pup’s Creek to take care of him.

But what should have been another thankless job turns into a life-changing experience when Toby is thrust into close quarters with a dangerously sexy alpha who lives by his rules.

Ryan Homewood is like no one Toby has ever met before, and his touch and scent awakens a whole new world of sensation inside the sheltered omega. But when they can’t hide from the consequences of their forbidden relationship, the pair are forced to figure out if their relationship is nothing more than animal chemistry or something worth fighting for.

The Imposter Suite is the third book in the Pup’s Creek M/M ABO series that promises small town charm, happily ever afters, and a plenty of shenanigans. Featuring a sexually repressed omega, a dominant alpha with sizzling hot seductions skills, and a couple of old geezers who don’t know the meaning of personal boundaries.This book contains Mpreg, knotting, and just enough dungeon play to make things interesting. Consider yourself warned.

Mpreg Omegaverse Romance.]]> 140 Arden Blair Phobos 3 4.26 The Imposter Suite (Pup's Creek #3)
author: Arden Blair
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.26
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/18
date added: 2024/10/18
shelves: from-kindle-unlimited, pov-3rd, queer, queer-achillean, romance
review:

]]> For the Rest of Forever 217177291 No matter what mountains we face, we’ll climb them together.

Greg Westin’s thriving career as a landscape photographer is a passion he’s built and cultivated for decades. Although he’s now well into his mid-fifties, Greg is always looking forward, eager for the next mountain to climb, the next trail to hike, the next photo to capture. His love of nature and photography is second only to his love for his husband, Allen—a man with a heart of gold and more kindness and compassionate that anyone he’s ever known.

Allen Westin has worked hard to build a life he loves—a life that is not defined by the trauma he suffered in his childhood, but by the community and people he’s surrounded himself with. His career at the public library in the small town of North Bend, Washington has given him a sense of purpose and fulfillment, and his marriage to his best friend and husband, Greg, has filled his life with joy, love, and adventure.

But when an incident at the library sets off Allen’s deeply rooted anxiety and depression, he and Greg have to face a new challenge—one where the next mountain to be conquered isn’t out on the trail at all.

They must trust in the depth of their love to help them find their footing as they forge ahead into the next phase of their journey toward their forever, together.

For the Rest of Forever is an emotional, angsty MM contemporary romance that tells the unhurried story of two older men in a long-term, committed relationship and how their deep love helps them overcome some of life’s darkest moments. It features heavy mental health issues, hurt/comfort, past trauma, an established relationship (thirty-plus years), a silly but stubbornly protective terrier named Beans, and a sweet happily ever after.

Trigger references to past trauma, including parental neglect and physical/emotional abuse; instances of panic attacks and moderate to severe anxiety; brief instances of suicidal thoughts/ideation; brief mentions of homophobia; food aversion/eating disorder.]]> 266 Becca Neil 1964041058 Phobos 0 to-read 4.20 For the Rest of Forever
author: Becca Neil
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.20
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Cat's Got Your Heart 55478344

Adopting a cat doesn't sound hard. Then Jericho Adams meets Harinder Mangal, the surly pet store employee who loves animals and hates customers. Their first encounter inspires more than simple loathing-it puts the ball in motion for an absurd game of deceit that boasts a fluffy cat named Dumpling as the prize.




Harinder hates Jericho's attitude, especially when it comes to owning a pet. He attempts to chase the other man from his store and is shocked when Jericho overcomes every obstacle, no matter how bizarre. Not only that, but he generates some of his own wild inconveniences that leave Harinder seething in his ugly sweater and mom jeans.




Before either man can get the other to crack, Harinder finds himself unexpectedly homeless. Despite their mutual antagonism, Jericho invites Harinder to crash at his place. The increased proximity makes it difficult for Harinder and Jericho to maintain their respective ruses, not to mention stopping themselves from actually caring about their pet-parenting rival.]]> 333 Jem Zero 1648901026 Phobos 0 0.0 2020 Cat's Got Your Heart
author: Jem Zero
name: Phobos
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: wtr-queer, owned-physical-copy, pov-3rd, author-trans, on-hold
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Perfectionism Workbook: Proven Strategies to End Procrastination, Accept Yourself, and Achieve Your Goals]]> 40771960 Remove the pressure of perfectionism and start living a more satisfied life today

The desire to continuously improve can be a positive trait that fuels success. However, those same aspirations can also turn into perfectionism, which causes us to put unrealistic pressure on ourselves and set impossible standards that negatively influence how we think and act.

In his work as a clinical therapist, Taylor Newendorp has successfully used cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help countless patients who live with the immense pressure of perfectionism and other related issues such as OCD, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, or depression. In The Perfectionism Workbook, Taylor delivers practical, effective exercises to help you change the way you view yourself, set healthy goals, and find contentment in your daily life.

The Perfectionism Workbook is a hands-on guide especially designed to identify and resolve the root causes of perfectionism. It these pages you will

A perfectionism overview that will help you understand the illusion of perfectionism, why it doesn’t work, and what you can do to treat your perfectionism.The 5 tendencies of toxic Need for approval and pleasing others; Procrastination, inaction, and paralysis; Fear of making mistakes; Highly self-critical; Judgment of self and others.Practical strategies based on the principles of CBT, mindfulness, and acceptance that will help you quiet your critical inner voice, conquer procrastination, and develop true self-worth.Real-world examples of perfectionism that will provide meaningful opportunity for insight and reflection into your own perfectionism.

Perfectionism can have serious consequences, both mentally and physically. But there is a solution―and it can be found in the pages The Perfectionism Workbook.]]> 226 Taylor Newendorp 1641520566 Phobos 0 4.23 2018 The Perfectionism Workbook: Proven Strategies to End Procrastination, Accept Yourself, and Achieve Your Goals
author: Taylor Newendorp
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: from-kindle-unlimited, non-fiction, on-hold
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Cutie for Kinkmas (Naughty or Nice Season Three)]]> 64662181
Action superstar Ethan doesn’t dare show his face in a kink club or on a dating app, especially if there’s age play involved. His sexuality is an open secret in Hollywood, but if the industry and his fans found out he adores blankies, wearing his big boy pants, has a tendency to cry a lot, and needs to suck on something whenever he gets the chance—he can kiss his career goodbye.

Lyon is a lobster fisherman in Deer Isle, Maine and longs for an adorable, sweet boy. However, there isn’t the slightest chance he’ll find what he needs in his small, traditional fishing village. He utilizes the Cuffd app to get his age play fix, but not having the real thing is about to send him over the edge.

When Cuffd sponsors a charity Masquerade Christmas ball at Boston’s Club Sensation, Lyon takes the plunge and attends, hoping he can have at least one night with a boy in person. To his surprise, he meets the perfect man who wants to play. However, his mysterious date refuses to take off his mask, even when they’re alone.

Will Lyon ever discover who his Christmas angel is? And will Ethan take the biggest risk of his life and trust that Lyon will keep him safe?

Note: A Cutie for Kinkmas is part of the Naughty or Nice Season Three multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many Daddies and boys finding their happily ever afters, why not grab them all? This installment is a 27k novella with hurt/comfort, opposites attract, blue collar Daddy, Christmas romance, holiday magic and lots of sweetness and fluffy feels!]]> 96 Morticia Knight Phobos 2 3.80 2022 A Cutie for Kinkmas (Naughty or Nice Season Three)
author: Morticia Knight
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2024/09/23
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Garbage (The SPARK Files, #1) 181706128 Evan isn’t brave.

But when he hears a group of Human Firsters attacking a garbage collection bot, he has to step in. He rescues an undiscovered SPARK, a self-aware robot who’s never experienced life outside of his collection route and the miserable, gray trash depot he’s assigned to.

Evan wants to help. But he might have underestimated just how cute Quincy can be. Or just how difficult it would be living with a sexy robot who’s exactly his type. But if Evan couldn’t get his crappy exes to stick around, how could he ever capture Quincy’s interest?

Quincy loves flowers growing in sidewalk cracks. He loves making food in Evan’s kitchen, even though he can’t eat it. Oh, and jokes. Quincy loves jokes. He’s kind of even getting good at them.

But most of all, he loves Evan.

As Quincy settles into his new life, he can't escape from prejudice against SPARKs. Evan is everything he wants, if only he can stay off the Human Firsters� radar long enough to win his love.

Garbage is a hurt/comfort story with a cuddliest android you’ve ever met and a sweet, submissive man who wishes he were good enough to deserve him. It has sloth jokes, a kidnapping, an android trying to figure out humanity (and paperclips!), body positivity, and kinky fun with some extra robot appendages�

Note: Trigger warnings for hate speech, on-page assault, and body shaming (with plenty of support, humor, and acceptance, too.)]]> 208 Reese Morrison Phobos 0 to-read 4.23 2023 Garbage (The SPARK Files, #1)
author: Reese Morrison
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Love at First Sighting (Destination Daddies Season Two)]]> 61117630
Charlie is on the verge of burnout from working three jobs while taking care of his newborn daughter. The single father desperately needs some down time to let out his inner, adventure-loving little. Fortunately, Cuffed is there to save the day. The popular dating app is offering lucky winners a free, week-long vacation to the beautiful Smokey Mountains. A week with like-minded adults in a private bed and breakfast? A free vacation to search for forest gnomes, fairy rings, and the Appalachian Bigfoot? Charlie is all in. He doesn’t need love, but he sure needs a break.

Emerson loves living and working in the Smokey Mountains. His job as a park ranger keeps him surrounded by nature and isolated from the rest of the world. Except for the bane of his existence - tourists. Emerson can tell that one in particular is going to be trouble. How many dates can the mystery man realistically lose in the woods? How many times can the man sprain an ankle? And there are only so many situations where someone can mistake a bear for Bigfoot, right?

Love at First Sighting is part of the Destination Daddies Season Two multi-author series. It features a grumpy park ranger, an overly excited boy who loves adventures, and a guaranteed HEA. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many destinations and Daddies to discover, why not grab them all]]> 89 Chloe Gray Phobos 0 4.27 Love at First Sighting (Destination Daddies Season Two)
author: Chloe Gray
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.27
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2024/09/02
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Saving Mia (Queens) 143364860 To break free, she auctioned off the one thing she’s been saving...

Mia Brooks needs money, fast. Deep in debt to help pay her sister’s medical bills, her loan shark is coming to collect. Her solution? Auctioning off the one thing she’s been saving—herself.

The highest bidder is Cassandra Lee, self-made businesswoman and CEO. Her heart hardened by a past she keeps buried, Cassandra doesn’t want a relationship. What she wants is a woman who takes pleasure in serving her. And Mia is the perfect prize. She’s enthralled by Cassandra and the sweet surrender she commands. For the next 30 days, Mia is hers.

As the chemistry sizzling between them intensifies, so does their connection. But a figure from Cassandra’s past has returned, determined to destroy her no matter who gets hurt in the process. As the end of the month draws near and Cassandra’s dark secrets threaten to tear them apart, will Mia and Cassandra be able to put it all on the line, including their hearts?]]> 268 Anna Stone Phobos 0 dnf, queer, queer-sapphic 4.15 2023 Saving Mia (Queens)
author: Anna Stone
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: dnf, queer, queer-sapphic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Napkins and Other Distractions (Teachers in Love, #3)]]> 197861406 On paper, they’re a disaster. In the sheets, they’re a perfect match.

Kent Lester is proud of the joyful, thriving learning community he’s created as principal of Lear Elementary School. But seven years after his divorce, he’s ready to focus on his personal life and spread his bisexual wings. Things get off to a rocky start when Kent’s first date is an uptight control freak � although that doesn’t stop them tangling some sheets.

Vincent Manda never seems able to move past the friend zone, and besides, he’s not sure anyone can handle his OCD. But that night with the bearded, older Kent revealed a side of Vincent he’d never experienced before. And he’s equal parts scared of and desperate for a repeat.

When Lear’s test scores take a nosedive, Kent finds himself under the microscope. Forced to implement new software to monitor and collect school data, he’s horrified to discover that Vincent is heading up the project. With his last install ending less than ideally, Vincent’s job depends on this one succeeding � and butting heads with the principal won’t help.

Vincent and Kent need to view each other in a new light, but that could change their futures forever.]]> 298 M.A. Wardell Phobos 0 3.95 2024 Napkins and Other Distractions (Teachers in Love, #3)
author: M.A. Wardell
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves: dnf, pov-1st, pov-1st-multiple
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Jace's Secret: A Little Christmas]]> 199403317 94 Jamie Kassel Phobos 3 3.94 Jace's Secret: A Little Christmas
author: Jamie Kassel
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/14
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Second Chance Suite (Pup's Creek #2)]]> 44280034 Welcome to Pup’s Creek—where the skies are blue, the men are one of a kind, and dreams come true in the most unexpected ways.

Chase Moore never thought he’d see his first love again. Why would he? They’re very different people. Byron was a rough and tumble biker. Chase, on the other hand, is the straight-laced mayor of Pup’s Creek. Sure, he’s proud to be one of only a few omegas in politics. The only downside is his love life is nonexistent.

Byron Hardwick never stopped thinking about Chase. They may have had their problems, but sex was never one of them. But that doesn’t mean he’s happy when the first person he meets riding into town is the omega who broke his heart a decade ago…even if the sparks between them instantly reignite.

But Byron isn’t interested in pretending to be something he’s not. He wasn’t willing to do it ten years ago, and he isn’t willing now. Still, there’s just something about Chase that he can’t resist.

When fate keeps throwing them together, they begin to remember what they had, leaving them to wonder: is it possible to let go of the past and embrace a future together?

The Second Chance Suite is the second book in the Pup’s Creek M/M ABO series that promises small town charm, happily ever afters, and a plenty of shenanigans. Featuring two beautiful men who can’t keep their hands off each other, a dog that cant hold it in, and two old coots determined to spread gossip faster than the speed of sound.This book contains Mpreg, knotting, and all the other stuff that goes along with the genre. If this ain’t your thing, I cannot help you.

Caution: This book may incinerate upon reading.]]> 134 Arden Blair Phobos 3 4.29 The Second Chance Suite (Pup's Creek #2)
author: Arden Blair
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.29
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Honeymoon Suite (Pup's Creek #1)]]> 43707656 Welcome to Pup’s Creek, the world’s most romantic town. Where the skies are blue, the men are one of a kind, and dreams come true in the most unexpected ways.

At least, that was the image of Pup’s Creek that omega Levi Tate grew up with. It’s the town his father’s met and fell in love after throwing a coin into the legendary Wishing Mill Creek. Now Levi is headed there for a long weekend, looking for the same kind of magic with his workaholic alpha boyfriend.

But reality turns out different than the fantasy in his mind. The Wishing Mill Inn isn’t half as charming as the brochure makes it out, the owner is a total alpha-hole, and Levi’s boyfriend is walking out the door…leaving Levi all alone, reservation paid in full.

Of course, it could be worse. The inn’s owner—Drew—might be a dark and brooding loner, but he’s also captivatingly handsome, radiating an intensity that pulls Levi in from the moment he catches the alpha’s scent. He says he doesn’t need Levi’s help fixing up the inn, but that’s never stopped Levi before. 

As they work together to make the inn as charming as it once was, Levi can’t help but wonder if maybe his dreams of romance will finally come true after all.

The Honeymoon Suite is the first book in a brand new M/M ABO universe that promises happily ever after’s, steamy sex, a few laughs, and a lot of small town shenanigans.]]> 118 Arden Blair Phobos 3 3.95 2019 The Honeymoon Suite (Pup's Creek #1)
author: Arden Blair
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2024/10/17
shelves:
review:

]]> Knot Needed 58526686
His luck just ran out.

Meeting Sargeant Preston Grady, the alpha in charge of Designational Resources, jars him into his true omega self. But, Preston doesn’t just think Michael is an omega, he thinks he’s a submissive omega.

Which is a disaster.

This is a standalone gay omegaverse romance with a guaranteed happily ever after!]]> 208 Jamie Kassel Phobos 4 3.58 2021 Knot Needed
author: Jamie Kassel
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/16
date added: 2024/10/16
shelves:
review:

]]> A Little Christmas: Noah 63060969 Jensen Nichols is used to living alone in his large monochromatic apartment with a great view. A view that lets him look down at the people and world below without having to engage in it.
Noah changes all that, bringing life and color to his routine existence.
But that doesn't mean it's easy. Staying away from his master is difficult and the guilt of leaving sets in almost instantly. Scared and at risk to return to an abusive situation, Noah and Jensen come to a new agreement where Noah isn't a slave and doesn't have a master. He's a boy who needs a loving daddy to help him get his life back in order. He can lean on Jensen until he has the strength to support himself.

This is an MM daddy/little Christmas twist on The Little Princess Classic tale. Each age play romance Novella in this multi-author series can be read as a standalone.
It isn't meant to be permanent. It isn't meant to mean anything, and it definitely isn't supposed to be what the both of them want.
Also, it's just in time for Christmas.]]> 100 Jamie Kassel Phobos 4 3.97 A Little Christmas: Noah
author: Jamie Kassel
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/15
date added: 2024/10/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pros & Cons of Desire (Pros & Cons, #3)]]> 50539282 FIVE JOBS. FIVE CHANCES FOR REDEMPTION. 

One thing’s for sure: these men are no angels.

Two jobs down, three to go, and job #3 is mine. My name is Ridge Pfeiffer, I’m a dirt poor jewel thief from the wrong side of the tracks, and I don't play well with others.

Theoretically, the deal works like this. I do the job Charlie planned for me and Miranda erases my past, makes my biggest problems go away. Too bad my biggest problem is the one thing I don’t want to go away: Diplomatic Security Agent Davis Ethan.

When Davis caught me breaking into a safe during job #2, I should have ended up in jail. instead, I ended up in his bed. Rich, gorgeous, and privileged, the only thing we have in common is a love of beautiful lingerie and beautiful men. He’s everything I hate, everything I want, and he could destroy me with a word. 

There are a hundred red flags surrounding this job, I should walk away and take my chances, but I’m going to do it anyway. Anything to buy me one more night with Davis.

One more job, one more night, and then I’ll leave for good.

]]> 296 A.E. Wasp Phobos 2 2.5 stars

More ridiculous than the last, but that’s just fine with me. I’m beyond taken with this enjoyable series and its cast of characters. Despite that, this particular installment was just *okay*.

I’ve been looking forward to book 4 since the end of book 1 because Carson is my favorite of the bunch, and surely that's partially to blame for why Pros & Cons of Desire did not strictly spark joy. It was missing something as well, though. There's a bit of buildup in the customary Al perspective in the beginning of the book that is more or less an exaggeration. Ridge and Davis, the perspectives and main characters for Desire, have been foreshadowed since book one, if that's what you can call it when you already knew about a character before you even met them due to The Players' breakdown at the beginning of each book. No changes to that just yet, but we get to see that flushed out a little more. The overall plot and twist (is it a twist when you see it coming from a mile away? It's more like a twist for the characters than the reader) was easy to see coming. Other plot points become pretty obvious soon before they happen, so nothing here was novel or surprising.

In my opinion this installment was just a little bump to jump through so I could hurry up and get to Carson's book. A forgettable bit with very little Carson engagement, much to my dismay.]]> 4.15 Pros & Cons of Desire (Pros & Cons, #3)
author: A.E. Wasp
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2021/08/09
date added: 2024/10/13
shelves: spicy, romance, pov-1st, queer, from-kindle-unlimited, reviewed, queer-achillean
review:
2.5 stars

More ridiculous than the last, but that’s just fine with me. I’m beyond taken with this enjoyable series and its cast of characters. Despite that, this particular installment was just *okay*.

I’ve been looking forward to book 4 since the end of book 1 because Carson is my favorite of the bunch, and surely that's partially to blame for why Pros & Cons of Desire did not strictly spark joy. It was missing something as well, though. There's a bit of buildup in the customary Al perspective in the beginning of the book that is more or less an exaggeration. Ridge and Davis, the perspectives and main characters for Desire, have been foreshadowed since book one, if that's what you can call it when you already knew about a character before you even met them due to The Players' breakdown at the beginning of each book. No changes to that just yet, but we get to see that flushed out a little more. The overall plot and twist (is it a twist when you see it coming from a mile away? It's more like a twist for the characters than the reader) was easy to see coming. Other plot points become pretty obvious soon before they happen, so nothing here was novel or surprising.

In my opinion this installment was just a little bump to jump through so I could hurry up and get to Carson's book. A forgettable bit with very little Carson engagement, much to my dismay.
]]> <![CDATA[A Daddy for Kinkmas (Naughty or Nice Season Three #1)]]> 63284606
Naftali has tried depending on a Dom before, and it didn’t work. He’s too messy and irresponsible to be a full-time sub, so it’s much safer to stick to hook-ups and scenes.

Even if it’s never quite enough.

David doesn’t want to embarrass himself. He just wants to become a good Dom.

David has spent a lot of time denying what he wants. And now he’s ready� mostly. He just needs to learn all the skills and get it right. He’s too awkward and insecure to practice with just anyone, but when the compelling and submissive teacher of his first workshop appears in his life again, maybe he can finally test out being the Daddy Dom he was always meant to be.

A week-long ski trip with a Cuffd Kinkmas event seems like a dream come true for both of them. David slowly gets to try out everything he imagined. And Naftali gets the pampering and care he never knew he wanted.

But will that be enough to stay together when the vacation is over?

A Daddy for Kinkmas has two neurodivergent trans characters, a happy-go-lucky boy with hidden insecurities, a shy Daddy with a lot to offer, latkes, mistletoe kisses, and lots of heat! It's part of the Naughty or Nice Season Three multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but with so many Daddies and boys finding their happily-ever-afters, why not grab them all?]]> 492 Reese Morrison Phobos 4 4.41 2022 A Daddy for Kinkmas (Naughty or Nice Season Three #1)
author: Reese Morrison
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/12
date added: 2024/10/12
shelves:
review:

]]> Bleeding Mars 213725078 Welcome to Chryse City, where the young seek their fortunes and the wealthy never die...

Dezi doesn't own the clothes on his back or the blood in his veins. He's a college dropout working a dead-end job on the most backwater planet humanity has ever colonized. He'd always dreamed of traveling the system, but when he's framed for a facility malfunction, he's forced to flee to the capital of Mars—a city teeming with gangs and space-age aristocracy.

He manages to land a job at a luxury casino where a masked VIP selects him as his regular host. Umbra is a perennial, one of the few wealthy enough to extend their lives through a blood-based medical process, and he might be Dezi’s ticket to paying off the bounty hunters chasing him down, but the immortal is as eccentric as he is generous. He claims to be an authentic vampire, and his appetites have Dezi questioning whether he might just be telling the truth.

Dezi doesn’t have a clue what an immortal who has it all sees in him, but the connection growing between them is undeniable—even if flings between humans and perennials never end well. It all goes to hell when a storm ravages the city, forcing Dezi to choose between becoming the vampire’s new pet or finding his own way to survive this storm-torn planet.

With a vivid world, complex characters, and jaw-dropping twists, Bleeding Mars is a queer sci-fi that offers an ingenious new take on classic vampire tropes. Be one of the first to discover this stunning new release!]]> 403 Asher J. Quazar Phobos 0 to-read 3.86 Bleeding Mars
author: Asher J. Quazar
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.86
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Raven: Part One (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #5)]]> 199737076
Once a perfect jewel of the Pedigree, Sorin’s sparkle has been dulled. Taken from his cloister and sold regularly to the highest bidder, he has learned two vital truths.

The that dragons are monsters who will stop at nothing to get what they want.

And the second, most terrible truth of that egg madness is a lie—omegas are not saved from a lifetime of pain even when they are separated from their eggs.

When Sorin’s newest buyer mysteriously dies, Sorin sees it as his chance to escape from the hellish life he’s been forced to lead. The only obstacle? A handsome agent of the council who has been tasked with ending his life.

� and who has custody of his eggs.

Part One is a 100,000 word omegaverse mpreg-ish romance set prior to the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It contains action, adventure, heartbreak, laughter, and more than its fair share of steam. For maximum enjoyment, Part One is best read following the events of Clutch, Bond, Mate, Swallow, Magpie, Finch, and Peregrine.

Please use the Look Inside or Download Free Sample feature to read the Content Warning for possible triggers.]]> 365 Piper Scott Phobos 0 currently-reading 4.50 2023 Raven: Part One (Forbidden Desires Spin-off #5)
author: Piper Scott
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Peregrine (Forbidden Desires Spin-Off, #4)]]> 58091692 1508
Sebastian Drake, stoic protector of the Drake family, always gets what he wants—and there is nothing he wants more than the half-starved Pedigree omega named Peregrine he comes across on his travels. It doesn’t matter that Peregrine is a Disgrace. Sebastian will do whatever it takes to keep him� and somehow, as impossible as it might be, find a way to be his mate.

Present Day
For hundreds of years, Peregrine has enjoyed life as Sebastian’s mate. Sure, as one of the only bonded omegas in recent history he’s been kidnapped more times than he can count, but with Sebastian there to save him it’s little more than an inconvenience. And attacks from hostile clans? That’s just a typical Tuesday.

But there is one thing Peregrine fears, yet desperately wants.

One thing that has hurt him time and time again.

One thing Sebastian can’t save him from.

And now it’s happening again.

He’s pregnant.

Peregrine is an 85,000 word omegaverse mpreg romance set prior to as well as following the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It has answers to questions you’ve been dying to know and contains heartache, laughter, origin stories, meddling reptilian families with huge hearts, exotic locales, a dash of danger, and a love story five hundred years in the making. For maximum enjoyment, Peregrine is best read following the events of Clutch, Bond, Mate, Swallow, Magpie, and Finch.

Please use the Look Inside or Download Free Sample feature to read the Content Warning for possible triggers.]]> 347 Piper Scott Phobos 4 4.40 2021 Peregrine (Forbidden Desires Spin-Off, #4)
author: Piper Scott
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/06
date added: 2024/10/06
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Finch (Forbidden Desires Spin-off, #3)]]> 55421687 If only Finch were a Disgrace, but alas. Some things simply aren’t meant to be.

Sensible and straightforward Finch has served as Hugh Drake’s secretary for over a decade, and secretly loved him for just as long. Hugh is the light of his life, but he’s also entirely too gullible, which is why Finch refuses to believe his claim that Disgraces are dragons. They’re not. Finch would know, since he is one. But that little fact will have to stay a secret, because Finch would rather his love go unnoticed than be the one who breaks his dragon’s heart when he fails to produce a clutch.

Finch is an 80,000 word hilarious omegaverse mpreg-ish romance set following the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It contains an adorably clueless dragon, a faithful secretary whose heart is invested in more than just his job, the best Funfetti cake ever, “slippery� situations, and a single amethyst cufflink. For maximum enjoyment, Finch is best read following the events of Clutch, Bond, Mate, Swallow, and Magpie.]]> 286 Piper Scott Phobos 3 4.26 2020 Finch (Forbidden Desires Spin-off, #3)
author: Piper Scott
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/04
date added: 2024/10/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Magpie (Forbidden Desires Spin-Off, #2)]]> 52270477
Diamond Disgrace Misha Vasiliev has a secret. By day he learns what it takes to warm a dragon’s bed, but at night he’s Magpie, renowned hacker and dark web service provider who steals from dragons in his spare time. His favorite target? Reynard Drake, whom he's only ever seen in pictures, but whom Misha wants more than anyone else.

And now, with a faceless threat closing in on his cloister, quite possibly the only one capable of saving his life.

Magpie is a 64,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance set during the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It contains pretty things hidden where the sun don’t shine; a scandalous screenshot or two; plenty of laughs; its fair share of tense moments; and, of course, “Beagle!� For maximum enjoyment, Magpie is best read as a companion piece to the Forbidden Desires series.]]> 250 Piper Scott Phobos 3 4.09 2020 Magpie (Forbidden Desires Spin-Off, #2)
author: Piper Scott
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/02
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Swallow (Forbidden Desires Spin-off, #1)]]> 49537993 A Forbidden Desires Spin-Off Story.

Grimbold Drake, influential patriarch of the Drake family, revels in his solitary life of order—a life which is thrown into chaos when his son pays him an unexpected visit, bringing with him a broken but gorgeous young man more than a millennium Grimbold’s junior. A man Grimbold instantly finds himself yearning to fix, to protect, and to claim.

Meek, subservient, and eager to please, Wally Brand doesn’t doubt the tales he’s been told of the cruel and deceitful Amethyst clan, so when he’s forcibly taken from his home and entrusted to Grimbold Drake—the most powerful Amethyst dragon of all—he knows he won’t be long for this world. Only there’s a gleam in Grimbold’s eyes when he looks Wally’s way and a tenderness to his touch that Wally can’t understand.

All he knows is one thing: whether Grimbold means him harm or not, if he can be good to his dragon captor, maybe, just maybe, he’ll get out of this mess alive.

Swallow is a 30,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance set following the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It contains a broken young man who badly needs love, a curmudgeonly dragon with a heart of gold, new nicknames, familiar faces, and the sweetest dog known to dragonkind. For maximum enjoyment, Swallow is best read as a companion piece to the Forbidden Desires series. ]]> 178 Piper Scott Phobos 3 4.03 2019 Swallow (Forbidden Desires Spin-off, #1)
author: Piper Scott
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/01
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves:
review:

]]> Mate (Forbidden Desires, #3) 44044028
Geoffrey Drake, proud and stuffy legal counsel for the Amethyst clan, has been charged with ruining his own life. His mission? Deliver a potential mate to the son of the Amethyst clan’s most despised enemy—and the man he’s loved in secret for the last hundred years—Topaz dragon Ian Brand. Refusal is impossible. Dragons don’t consort with dragons, and should Geoffrey decline, he risks exposing them both.

Ian Brand, charming black sheep of the Topaz clan, is trapped between his forbidden love for an Amethyst dragon centuries his senior and his duty to his family. Chosen by his unhinged father to be the Topaz candidate for the mating experiment, Ian is faced with a terrible choice: run away with the man he loves and face the deadly consequences, or accept his fate with a broken heart.

But dragon magic, as Matthieu, Geoffrey, and Ian soon discover, works in mysterious ways. When an unforeseeable circumstance draws them all together and puts their futures at risk, they have no choice but to set their differences aside and work together to prove a new, startling truth�

What the dragon world knows about mates has been wrong all along, and it will be up to the three of them to prove it.

Mate is a 103,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance that will leave you in stitches. It contains an experiment gone awry, five eccentric peacocks, an unusually large number of whelps, an ancient Viking Daddy dragon, and science! For maximum enjoyment, Mate is best read following the events of Clutch and Bond.]]> 380 Piper Scott Phobos 0 4.30 2019 Mate (Forbidden Desires, #3)
author: Piper Scott
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at: 2024/10/01
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Love Study (The Love Study #1)]]> 52739476 What happens when the search for the perfect date goes perfectly wrong?

Don’t miss this charming romantic comedy from critically acclaimed author Kris Ripper.

Declan has commitment issues. He’s been an office temp for literally years now, and his friends delight in telling people that he left his last boyfriend at the altar.

And that’s all true. But he’s starting to think it’s time to start working on his issues. Maybe.

When Declan meets Sidney—a popular nonbinary YouTuber with an advice show—an opportunity presents itself: as part of The Love Study, Declan will go on a series of dates arranged by Sidney and report back on how the date went in the next episode.

The dates are…sort of blah. It’s not Sidney’s fault; the folks participating are (mostly) great people, but there’s no chemistry there. Maybe Declan’s just broken.

Or maybe the problem is that the only person he’s feeling chemistry with is Sidney.]]> 336 Kris Ripper 1488076863 Phobos 5
The Love Study is a queer love story by a queer author for queer readers. It’s like gender euphoria in a work of fiction. TLS wasn’t about me specifically, but I’ve never felt more seen. The story wasn’t always happy but I felt so comfortable.

I seriously loved this. I couldn’t recommend anything more. The main cast is pretty diverse- trans characters, fat characters, pansexual characters. There was no explicit aro/ace representation in the main cast, but even without that it just felt so good to feel my community in writing like this.

Will I be reading the sequels? Absolutely, yes.
Will I read everything Kris Ripper has written? Also probably yes.

Merged review:

Not gay, but queer.

The Love Study is a queer love story by a queer author for queer readers. It’s like gender euphoria in a work of fiction. TLS wasn’t about me specifically, but I’ve never felt more seen. The story wasn’t always happy but I felt so comfortable.

I seriously loved this. I couldn’t recommend anything more. The main cast is pretty diverse- trans characters, fat characters, pansexual characters. There was no explicit aro/ace representation in the main cast, but even without that it just felt so good to feel my community in writing like this.

Will I be reading the sequels? Absolutely, yes.
Will I read everything Kris Ripper has written? Also probably yes.]]> 3.50 2020 The Love Study (The Love Study #1)
author: Kris Ripper
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/16
date added: 2024/09/30
shelves: audiobook, from-scribd, pov-1st, romance, 2021-favorites, rep-nonbinary-side-character, rep-mental-illness, author-trans, reviewed, favorites, adult, queer
review:
Not gay, but queer.

The Love Study is a queer love story by a queer author for queer readers. It’s like gender euphoria in a work of fiction. TLS wasn’t about me specifically, but I’ve never felt more seen. The story wasn’t always happy but I felt so comfortable.

I seriously loved this. I couldn’t recommend anything more. The main cast is pretty diverse- trans characters, fat characters, pansexual characters. There was no explicit aro/ace representation in the main cast, but even without that it just felt so good to feel my community in writing like this.

Will I be reading the sequels? Absolutely, yes.
Will I read everything Kris Ripper has written? Also probably yes.

Merged review:

Not gay, but queer.

The Love Study is a queer love story by a queer author for queer readers. It’s like gender euphoria in a work of fiction. TLS wasn’t about me specifically, but I’ve never felt more seen. The story wasn’t always happy but I felt so comfortable.

I seriously loved this. I couldn’t recommend anything more. The main cast is pretty diverse- trans characters, fat characters, pansexual characters. There was no explicit aro/ace representation in the main cast, but even without that it just felt so good to feel my community in writing like this.

Will I be reading the sequels? Absolutely, yes.
Will I read everything Kris Ripper has written? Also probably yes.
]]> An Offering of Plums 39719172 30 J. Emery 1386161187 Phobos 0 to-read, wtr-queer 4.17 2018 An Offering of Plums
author: J. Emery
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/30
shelves: to-read, wtr-queer
review:

]]> Bond (Forbidden Desires, #2) 42760781
Everard Drake, celebrated doctor of the tremendously wealthy Drake family, has one goal in mind when he arrives at the scene of his youngest brother’s latest disaster: incinerate Harrison Lessardi. Unfortunately for Everard, the moment he spots Harry, incineration becomes an impossibility—he must have the gorgeous beta as his own, even if it means holding him captive on his estate.

But something else lurks behind Everard’s interest in Harry—something that tugs at Everard’s soul in impossible ways, and that will send Everard and Harry down a rabbit hole of discovery that will change the world as they know it.

An alpha and a beta can’t share a bond.

Can they?

Bond is a 78,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance that will leave you in stitches. It contains an unexpectedly consensual kidnapping; giant magical lizards; an iguana with a full wardrobe named Steve; never-ending nicknames; and a HEA that may, or may not involve mosquito nets. For maximum enjoyment, Bond is best read following the events of Clutch.]]> 338 Piper Scott Phobos 0 4.27 2018 Bond (Forbidden Desires, #2)
author: Piper Scott
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Solve for i (Under My Skin #3)]]> 34228685 -
Gemma Rowe is a shy maths nerd from Sydney who, despite having an affinity for probability and logic, only just worked out at 28 that she's not actually straight. Not only is she not straight, but she’s developed feelings for her best friend Sarah.

Sarah and Gemma go way back—since they met at university, they've been completely inseparable. They've travelled together, got jobs at the same company, and shared each other's triumphs and sorrows. There was even that one memorable time when Sarah, completely drunk, told Gemma she couldn't live without her. A relationship seems like the perfect solution.

There's just one teensy little problem with this whole equation: Sarah is straight.

Gemma knows the logical thing to do is to get over Sarah. She wants to be in her own happy relationship and not caught up on her straight best friend. But how is she supposed to get over Sarah when, despite all those advanced problem-solving skills, she can’t even work out who she’s attracted to anymore?]]> 500 A.E. Dooland 099417795X Phobos 4 3.84 2017 Solve for i (Under My Skin #3)
author: A.E. Dooland
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/04
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: from-scribd, pov-1st, queer, rep-nonbinary-side-character, romance, queer-sapphic
review:

]]> Lakelore 60014903 In this young adult novel by award-winning author Anna-Marie McLemore, two non-binary teens are pulled into a magical world under a lake - but can they keep their worlds above water intact? Everyone who lives near the lake knows the stories about the world underneath it, an ethereal landscape rumored to be half-air, half-water. But Bastián Silvano and Lore Garcia are the only ones who’ve been there. Bastián grew up both above the lake and in the otherworldly space beneath it. Lore’s only seen the world under the lake once, but that one encounter changed their life and their fate.Then the lines between air and water begin to blur. The world under the lake drifts above the surface. If Bastián and Lore don’t want it bringing their secrets to the surface with it, they have to stop it, and to do that, they have to work together. There’s just one Bastián and Lore haven’t spoken in seven years, and working together means trusting each other with the very things they’re trying to hide.]]> 291 Anna-Marie McLemore 1250624150 Phobos 0 3.90 2022 Lakelore
author: Anna-Marie McLemore
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: arc, pov-1st, young-adult, author-trans, rep-trans-mc, rep-nonbinary-mc, queer, wtr-arc-pending, on-hold, queer-t4t
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Life Revamp (The Love Study #3)]]> 56382976 All Mason wants to do is fall in love, get married and live happily ever after.

The hunt is beginning to wear him down…until he meets (slightly) famous fashion designer Diego. Everything sparks between them—the banter, the sex, the fiery eye contact across a crowded room.

There's just one thing: Diego is already married and living his happily-ever-after, which luckily (or not) for Mason includes outside courtships. But not quite in the way he'd always imagined.

Mason thought he knew what would make him happy, but it turns out the traditional life he'd expected has some surprises in store.]]> 288 Kris Ripper 1488076995 Phobos 5 Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.

Full review to come.

Merged review:

Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.

Full review to come.]]> 3.68 2021 The Life Revamp (The Love Study #3)
author: Kris Ripper
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/12
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: from-libby, pov-1st, queer, rep-black-mc, 2021-favorites, romance, reviewed, adult, queer-achillean, review-to-come
review:
Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.

Full review to come.

Merged review:

Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, shit on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.

Full review to come.
]]> Openly Straight 17934215 A funny, honest novel about being out, being proud ... and being ready for something else.

Rafe is a normal teenager from Boulder, Colorado. He plays soccer. He's won skiing prizes. He likes to write.

And, oh yeah, he's gay. He's been out since 8th grade, and he isn't teased, and he goes to other high schools and talks about tolerance and stuff. And while that's important, all Rafe really wants is to just be a regular guy. Not that GAY guy. To have it be a part of who he is, but not the headline, every single time.

So when he transfers to an all-boys' boarding school in New England, he decides to keep his sexuality a secret -- not so much going back in the closet as starting over with a clean slate. But then he sees a classmate breaking down. He meets a teacher who challenges him to write his story. And most of all, he falls in love with Ben ... who doesn't even know that love is possible.

This witty, smart, coming-out-again story will appeal to gay and straight kids alike as they watch Rafe navigate being different, fitting in, and what it means to be himself]]> 339 Bill Konigsberg 0545509904 Phobos 3 4.02 2013 Openly Straight
author: Bill Konigsberg
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2021/06/04
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: audiobook, pov-1st, queer, young-adult, romance, from-hoopla, queer-achillean
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Clutch (Forbidden Desires, #1)]]> 42208487
Alistair Drake, black sheep of the tremendously wealthy Drake family, is more interested in adding another notch to his bedpost than another zero to his bank account. When a Grindr message brings him to Nate’s doorstep, then straight to his bed, he has no reason to believe that what they share will be more than a simple hookup, until, three months later, a tug on his soul informs him otherwise.

For the Drake family has a secret—one that will force Nate and Alistair together as much as it will demand that they be torn apart. One that Alistair and his brothers have carried all their lives� and one that Alistair and Nate’s future children will carry, too.

Bound to each other by the three precious impossibilities, Nate and Alistair have no choice—no matter the consequence, they will fight for their forbidden clutch.

Clutch is a 64,000 word steamy omegaverse mpreg-ish romance that will leave you in stitches. It contains a Grindr hook-up gone very wrong (or very right); giant magical lizards; a pig named Olive; a wank throne; and a HEA, right down to the white picket fence.]]> 242 Piper Scott Phobos 4 4.01 2018 Clutch (Forbidden Desires, #1)
author: Piper Scott
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/27
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Conspiracy of Dragons (Here Be Dragons, #4)]]> 61881051 There’s only one person I trust�

It’s no secret that I’m hard to handle. People get annoyed by me. Sometimes they’re amused, but not for long. It’s not easy to deal with a paranoid conspiracy theorist, and I stretch everyone’s patience.

Everyone except Wil. He was there at the beginning, when I left my old life behind, and he’s stuck with me since. He’s been my friend when no one else wanted to. Patiently taught me how to fit in. He’s the one person I know I can rely on.

He’s the only man I can see myself ever being with. The only man I would want to spend eternity with.

But when my past rears its ugly head and the stuff of my nightmares rises from the dead, the hope of a happy future rapidly fades. I need him more than ever, but I can’t risk him. I can’t let anyone use him against me.

Torture doesn’t have to be physical to hurt. And I’m not going to let myself be hurt again.]]> 233 Louisa Masters Phobos 0 4.44 2022 Conspiracy of Dragons (Here Be Dragons, #4)
author: Louisa Masters
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2024/09/26
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Dragon Experiment (Here Be Dragons #3)]]> 59655480 Who knew sleeping around could save the entire species?

I’m a simple dragon. Give me knowledge, give me research, give me rings for my hoard, and give me athletic men who want to get sweaty between the sheets� or anywhere else. Those things make me happy. Other things� well, who cares about those?

Turns out, I should have cared. Or at least paid attention. Because I somehow signed up for a scientific study run by a shy, nerdy sorcerer with the body of a god. And the study just happens to be about my favorite form of exercise.

It doesn’t take long for me to know I want to do more than science with Rhys. I’ve never been the kind of dragon to mix feelings with fun, but Rhys could be the one person who meets all my needs, even if he won’t wear a ring on every finger.

But when his research becomes more important than any of us could have imagined, our relationship enters a new phase. Now it’s up to me to show Rhys how much he’s worth� both to me and to the future of his species.]]> 256 Louisa Masters Phobos 0 4.27 2022 The Dragon Experiment (Here Be Dragons #3)
author: Louisa Masters
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2024/09/26
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves:
review:

]]> Escaping Exodus 43243549 The Prey of Gods and Temper returns with a dazzling stand-alone novel, set in deep space, in which the fate of humanity rests on the slender shoulders of an idealistic and untested young woman—a blend of science fiction, dark humor, and magical realism that will appeal to fans of Lauren Beukes, Ian McDonald, and Nnedi Okorafor.

Earth is a distant memory. Habitable extrasolar planets are still out of reach. For generations, humanity has been clinging to survival by establishing colonies within enormous vacuum-breathing space beasts and mining their resources to the point of depletion.

Rash, dreamy, and unconventional, Seske Kaleigh should be preparing for her future role as clan leader, but her people have just culled their latest beast, and she’s eager to find the cause of the violent tremors plaguing their new home. Defying social barriers, Seske teams up with her best friend, a beast worker, and ventures into restricted areas for answers to end the mounting fear and rumors. Instead, they discover grim truths about the price of life in the void.

Then, Seske is unexpectedly thrust into the role of clan matriarch, responsible for thousands of lives in a harsh universe where a single mistake can be fatal. Her claim to the throne is challenged by a rival determined to overthrow her and take control—her intelligent, cunning, and confident sister.

Seske may not be a born leader like her sister, yet her unorthodox outlook and incorruptible idealism may be what the clan needs to save themselves and their world.]]> 336 Nicky Drayden 0062867741 Phobos 4 3.83 2019 Escaping Exodus
author: Nicky Drayden
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/02/24
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves: author-black, queer, pov-1st, science-fiction, from-hoopla, rep-black-mc
review:

]]> A Beauty for Kinkmas 63341451
After being scarred in a fire as a teen, Lance ran away from the ghosts of his tiny town. He finds acceptance and a calling as a Firefighter in San Francisco, but is he willing to admit he needs more?

Danny Williams saw himself in Lance, the fastest runner on his track team, and suspected the boy was closeted like him. He worried when Lance disappeared but never believed the town’s gossip: they said Lance had set the fire that killed his father�

When a Kinkmas masquerade ball brings the former coach and a scarred young man back together, sparks fly. Can they admit their feelings and deepest kinky desires, or will they end up spending another holiday season alone?

A Beauty for Kinkmas is a MM Daddy/little novella and part of the Naughty or Nice Season Three multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many Daddies and boys finding their happily ever afters, why not grab them all?

CW: This book contains consensual acts of adult fun, but also descriptions of an abusive childhood and burn scars.]]> 149 R.A. Frick Phobos 3 4.00 A Beauty for Kinkmas
author: R.A. Frick
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/24
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Professor's Dragon (Here Be Dragons, #2)]]> 58675732
For two years, I’ve been pining over Professor Sarris. I knew the moment I saw him that we were meant for each other, but it’s not to be. For one thing, I was his student, and he’s the most ethical man I know. For another, he has no idea I’m actually a four-thousand-year-old dragon from another dimension.

When my people fled to Earth to avoid extinction, I vowed to clean up my life and stop acting like a fledgling. It’s bad enough that nobody takes me seriously� sure, maybe I used to be flighty and irresponsible and caused a few interspecies incidents, but that’s all in the past. I have big plans for the future, and this college gig is the first step in proving myself. I’m not endangering this fresh start for anyone.

But then my professor and I wind up at the same party, and suddenly it seems he’s not completely out of reach. Except I’m still the adorable flirt nobody wants to rely on, and convincing him we should be together while proving I’m a changed dragon is a monumental task.

Good thing I’m up for the challenge.]]> 260 Louisa Masters Phobos 2 4.16 2021 The Professor's Dragon (Here Be Dragons, #2)
author: Louisa Masters
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2024/09/24
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Kitten for Kinkmas (Naughty or Nice Season Three)]]> 63285134
Somehow when he booked the tickets, cheeky American tourist Luca never realized he'd be spending Christmas in Australia. Between the sun, the surf, and the shorts-wearing Santas, he's culturally shocked. But not as shocked as he is when his first glimpse of the perfect Daddy hits him like a bolt of lightning from a blue summer sky. Christmas just got a whole lot hotter.

The only problem is that this sexy older man is kinky as hell, and Luca's about as sweetly vanilla as vanilla-bean ice cream. Isn't he?

Zoltan has been in the kink scene long enough to know what he wants—someone who already knows who they are. So when a cute American boy falls into his lap at a Cuffd Kinkmas event, he tells himself he's not interested in breaking in a newbie. The temptation is strong, though, and Zoltan finds himself captivated by this young man's first discovery of what really turns him on. One pair of kitten ears later, and Zoltan can't deny that he wants this boy, even if it's just for one night.

But one night isn't enough, and soon he's grappling with the gap of age and experience that lies between them. Because despite everything in the way, Zoltan can't help feeling like this kinky kitten could be the One.

A KITTEN FOR KINKMAS is a gift-wrapped treat of sizzling age gap Daddy romance, with a HEA and lashings of cute kitten play. This book is part of the Naughty or Nice Season Three multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many Daddies and boys finding their happily ever afters, why not grab them all?]]> 206 R.J. Moray Phobos 3 4.18 2022 A Kitten for Kinkmas (Naughty or Nice Season Three)
author: R.J. Moray
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/24
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves:
review:

]]> The Women Could Fly 55851367
Josephine Thomas has heard every conceivable theory about her mother's disappearance. That she was kidnapped. Murdered. That she took on a new identity to start a new family. That she was a witch. This is the most worrying charge because in a world where witches are real, peculiar behavior raises suspicions and a woman—especially a Black woman—can find herself on trial for witchcraft.

But fourteen years have passed since her mother’s disappearance, and now Jo is finally ready to let go of the past. Yet her future is in doubt. The State mandates that all women marry by the age of 30—or enroll in a registry that allows them to be monitored, effectively forfeiting their autonomy. At 28, Jo is ambivalent about marriage. With her ability to control her life on the line, she feels as if she has her never understood her mother more. When she’s offered the opportunity to honor one last request from her mother's will, Jo leaves her regular life to feel connected to her one last time.

In this powerful and timely novel, Megan Giddings explores the limits women face—and the powers they have to transgress and transcend them.]]> 288 Megan Giddings 0063117029 Phobos 0 3.76 2022 The Women Could Fly
author: Megan Giddings
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: to-read, wtr-2022-release, wtr-black-author, wtr-queer
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle]]> 60745443
Three months before his sixty-fifth birthday, Albert receives a letter from the Royal Mail thanking him for decades of service and stating that he is being forced into retirement. At once, Albert’s simple life unravels. Without the work that fills his days, what will he do? He has no friends, family, or hobbies—just a past he never speaks of, and a lost love that fills him with regret. And so, rather than continue his lonely existence, Albert forms a brave plan to start truly living, to be honest about who he is . . . and to find George, the man with whom he spent one perfect spring and summer long ago.

One painful yet exhilarating step at a time, Albert begins searching for George and revealing his story to those around him. As he does, something extraordinary happens. Albert finds unlikely allies, new friends, and the courage to help others—even as he seeks the happiness he’s always denied himself.

Beautifully written, funny, and wise, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle is a book to fall in love with and to be inspired by, one that proves it is never too late to live, to hope, and to love.]]> 410 Matt Cain 1496737768 Phobos 5 Content Warning: alcohol use, death (animal, child, and parent), past emotional abuse, outing. Minor Content Warnings: miscarriage, terminal illness

This is what you’d call a comfort read.

Written in third-person with charming prose, the book follows a lonely, lovely, and relatable soon-to-be retiree who truly pulled on my heartstrings. It starts out bleak as the author establishes Albert as a shy, closeted man who hid away from everyone under the influence of his dreadful parents. His only solace is dancing to quiet music in his living room after work, and that’s something he only allows himself once in a while. Once Albert learns that he’s losing his postman job, and with it the only thing he was doing with his life, he decides that things need to change. He decides that maybe, just maybe, he should try to do more than just live.

It doesn’t take long to find yourself rooting desperately for Albert. We follow him on the adventure of a lifetime where he must embrace himself to track down his lost love, the person who brought about the happiest time of his life.

Some of you, like a friend of mine, might be tempted to skip this book because of the animal death content warning. If that’s truly a trigger for you, absolutely take care of yourself, but if it isn’t and that’s just something you try to avoid, know that this isn’t a story about losing your pet. Unfortunately, it’s just a step in Albert’s moving journey.

This is so much more than a love story. It’s the most inspiring piece of fiction I’ve read in ages. Not only is it never too late to change your life, but maybe the real treasure was the friends we made along the way.

Check out this review on Instagram.]]> 4.13 2021 The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle
author: Matt Cain
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2022/02/14
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: arc, 2022-favorites, contemporary, literary-fiction, pov-3rd, queer, adult, favorites, reviewed, owned-physical-copy
review:
Content Warning: alcohol use, death (animal, child, and parent), past emotional abuse, outing. Minor Content Warnings: miscarriage, terminal illness

This is what you’d call a comfort read.

Written in third-person with charming prose, the book follows a lonely, lovely, and relatable soon-to-be retiree who truly pulled on my heartstrings. It starts out bleak as the author establishes Albert as a shy, closeted man who hid away from everyone under the influence of his dreadful parents. His only solace is dancing to quiet music in his living room after work, and that’s something he only allows himself once in a while. Once Albert learns that he’s losing his postman job, and with it the only thing he was doing with his life, he decides that things need to change. He decides that maybe, just maybe, he should try to do more than just live.

It doesn’t take long to find yourself rooting desperately for Albert. We follow him on the adventure of a lifetime where he must embrace himself to track down his lost love, the person who brought about the happiest time of his life.

Some of you, like a friend of mine, might be tempted to skip this book because of the animal death content warning. If that’s truly a trigger for you, absolutely take care of yourself, but if it isn’t and that’s just something you try to avoid, know that this isn’t a story about losing your pet. Unfortunately, it’s just a step in Albert’s moving journey.

This is so much more than a love story. It’s the most inspiring piece of fiction I’ve read in ages. Not only is it never too late to change your life, but maybe the real treasure was the friends we made along the way.

Check out this review on Instagram.
]]> <![CDATA[The Vicar and the Rake (Society of Beasts, #1)]]> 53053949 Debut author Annabelle Greene brings us the brilliant first book in her Society of Beasts series, in which a quiet country vicar is unwillingly reunited with the duke who left him long ago�

As a young man, Sir Gabriel Winters left behind his status as a gentleman, turning his back on his secret desires and taking a self-imposed vow of celibacy. Now he’s a chaste, hardworking vicar, and his reputation is beyond reproach. But, try as he might, he’s never forgotten the man he once desired or the pain of being abandoned by his first love.

Edward Stanhope, the Duke of Caddonfell, is a notorious rake, delighting in scandal no matter the consequence. With a price on his head, he flees to the countryside, forced to keep his presence a secret or risk assassination. When Edward finds Gabriel on his estate, burning with fever, he cannot leave him to die, but taking him in puts them both in jeopardy.

With the help of a notorious blackmailer, a society of rich and famous gentlemen who prefer gentlemen, and a kitten named Buttons, they might just manage to save Edward’s life—but the greatest threat may be to their hearts.
]]> 274 Annabelle Greene 0369700074 Phobos 3 3.56 2020 The Vicar and the Rake (Society of Beasts, #1)
author: Annabelle Greene
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/06/21
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: audiobook, pov-3rd, queer, romance, from-hoopla, queer-achillean
review:

]]> A Sub for Christmas 50606657
But Tig isn't one of them. He's always the last to be picked, never someone's first choice. Tig has just about given up on ever finding a kinky Dom who not only gets him but *wants* him, when he's rescued from a disastrous encounter by Adam, the hottest dungeon monitor he's ever seen. Adam's everything he's been looking for, funny, considerate, and downright sinful, but there's just one problem. A six foot tall, leather-clad problem. Adam already has Max, who could snap Tig in half with his bare hands.

Tig knows better than to play with fire, but when Adam and Max invite him to stay with them for Christmas, he can't help but say yes. Now all he has to do is keep his hands to himself, right? No matter how tempting it would be. He can't mess this up, even if watching them together is breaking his heart.

This short story is a spin off from the serial His Boy Next Door, but can be read separately.

PLEASE NOTE: A Sub for Christmas is not a complete romance, and does not end with a Happily Ever After. The romance will be concluded in the book A Sub For Keeps.]]> 92 R.J. Moray Phobos 0 4.27 2020 A Sub for Christmas
author: R.J. Moray
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2024/09/23
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kings Rising (Captive Prince, #3)]]> 17158532 Damianos of Akielos has returned.

His identity now revealed, Damen must face his master Prince Laurent as Damianos of Akielos, the man Laurent has sworn to kill.

On the brink of a momentous battle, the future of both their countries hangs in the balance. In the south, Kastor's forces are massing. In the north, the Regent's armies are mobilising for war. Damen's only hope of reclaiming his throne is to fight together with Laurent against their usurpers.

Forced into an uneasy alliance the two princes journey deep into Akielos, where they face their most dangerous opposition yet. But even if the fragile trust they have built survives the revelation of Damen's identity � can it stand against the Regents final, deadly play for the throne?

]]> 385 C.S. Pacat 174348495X Phobos 0 4.42 2016 Kings Rising (Captive Prince, #3)
author: C.S. Pacat
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: to-read, owned-ebook, wtr-queer, wtr-sequel
review:

]]> Eating Animals 6991083 Part memoir and part investigative report, Eating Animals is the groundbreaking moral examination of vegetarianism, farming, and the food we eat every day that inspired the documentary of the same name. Bestselling author Jonathan Safran Foer spent much of his life oscillating between enthusiastic carnivore and occasional vegetarian. For years he was content to live with uncertainty about his own dietary choices but once he started a family, the moral dimensions of food became increasingly important. Faced with the prospect of being unable to explain why we eat some animals and not others, Foer set out to explore the origins of many eating traditions and the fictions involved with creating them. Traveling to the darkest corners of our dining habits, Foer raises the unspoken question behind every fish we eat, every chicken we fry, and every burger we grill. Part memoir and part investigative report, Eating Animals is a book that, in the words of the Los Angeles Times, places Jonathan Safran Foer "at the table with our greatest philosophers" -and a must-read for anyone who cares about building a more humane and healthy world.]]> 341 Jonathan Safran Foer 0316086649 Phobos 3 4.03 2009 Eating Animals
author: Jonathan Safran Foer
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2020/11/19
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves: audiobook, non-fiction, philosophy
review:

]]> Five Star Review (MateHub) 217310331 an alternative cover edition can be found here

Gravity, love, and other inevitable falls.

Aiden Lucas is used to a steady stream of discreet packages arriving on his doorstep. It's part and parcel of living with one of the internet's most popular adult toy reviewers, but nothing could have prepared him for the next toy his roommate receives—something that hits a little too close to a secret Aiden has longed to confess for years.

Zayn Parvin has never found a toy worthy of five stars until an anonymous viewer sends him something downright magical—a mysterious model called the Richard Knotz that's not listed anywhere on the internet. The moment he gets his hands, and other parts of his anatomy, on this particular product, he can't stop raving about its special features.

But Zayn is human and shouldn't have been sent merchandise meant exclusively for the supernatural community. His review threatens to expose significantly more than what he usually shows in his videos, and it forces Aiden to make a choice: confess to Zayn, or let a mage wipe Zayn's memory of all things supernatural� including Aiden.

Five Star Review is a 25k steamy best friends to lovers, roommates to mates novella featuring two geeky astronomy majors, some very realistic merchandise, years of pining, a lot of astrophysics homework, and knotting. This stand-alone M/M paranormal romance is set in the Elemental Bonds/MateHub universe and guarantees a HEA for its main couple. It does not contain mpreg.]]> 126 Marie Reynard Phobos 3 3.83 2024 Five Star Review (MateHub)
author: Marie Reynard
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/20
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[My Government Means to Kill Me]]> 61916989 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2022 by The New York Times, Bustle, ŷ, The Boston Globe, LitHub, and more!

The debut novel from television WRITER/PRODUCER OF THE CHI, NARCOS, and BEL-AIR tells a fierce and riveting queer coming-of-age story following the personal and political awakening of a young, gay, Black man in 1980s New York City.

"This book is a truly unique queer coming-of-age novel." � Buzzfeed

“Full of joy and righteous anger, sex and straight talk, brilliant storytelling and humor... A spectacularly researched Dickensian tale with vibrant characters and dozens of famous cameos, it is precisely the book we’ve needed for a long time.� —Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less

Earl "Trey" Singleton III arrives in New York City with only a few dollars in his pocket. Born into a wealthy Black Indianapolis family, at 17, he is ready to leave his overbearing parents and their expectations behind.

In the city, Trey meets up with a cast of characters that changes his life forever. He volunteers at a renegade home hospice for AIDS patients, and after being put to the test by gay rights activists, becomes a member of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP). Along the way Trey attempts to navigate past traumas and searches for ways to maintain familial relationships—all while seeking the meaning of life amid so much death.

Vibrant, humorous, and fraught with entanglements, Rasheed Newson’s My Government Means to Kill Me is an exhilarating, fast-paced coming-of-age story that lends itself to a larger discussion about what it means for a young gay Black man in the mid-1980s to come to terms with his role in the midst of a political and social reckoning.]]> 338 Rasheed Newson 1250833531 Phobos 0 4.34 2022 My Government Means to Kill Me
author: Rasheed Newson
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves: author-black, adult, audiobook, from-scribd, queer, rep-black-mc, historical-fiction, to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Designation: Null (The Designation Series #2)]]> 202966268
Then he's sent on a mission to rescue Sergeant Robert Hanson, a kidnapped Dominant who isn't like the others. First of all, he isn't a jerk. Plus, he's nice. And kind.

Worst of all, he's gorgeous.

Being around Robert makes Logan want to submit. Not that he knows how. He'd be terrible at it. In fact, it would ruin his entire life if he gave in to the burgeoning desire he feels for the Dominant.

So he won't.

It's that easy…right?

This is a full-length novel set in a world similar to our own except that soldiers have been modified by he government to have either Dominant or submissive needs that require them to engage in kinky sex to survive. (Yes, really.)

While this book is a stand-alone, Robert is introduced in Submissive, the first book in the series.

Heat-level fuego. Consume at your own risk.]]> 231 Jamie Kassel Phobos 4 4.07 Designation: Null (The Designation Series #2)
author: Jamie Kassel
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.07
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/16
date added: 2024/09/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Designation: Submissive (The Designation Series, #1)]]> 202458448 A possessive and demanding Dominant. A submissive needing to surrender�.

As the world becomes more technologically advanced and dangerous, governments rush to keep their militaries at the forefront of change. Soldiers undergo genetic modifications that make them stronger, faster, smarter, and deadlier.

The downside is a genetic quirk that cannot be a need to dominate or submit in order to stay alive.

For Corporal Craig Richards, this means having a Dominant help him through his Release Cycle, a period of time when he requires sex and dominance to purge his body of toxic hormone buildup.

Commander Samuel Flak is a Dominant able to put a submissive’s needs first. That’s why he’s always in high demand for submissives entering their first cycle. But it’s getting harder not to have a submissive of his own.

A submissive who needs to submit hard outside his cycle.

As soon as he meets Craig—strong, angry, and needy as hell—Sam knows he’s found his match.

This is a full length, high heat romance featuring lots of kinky, sexy times between two powerful men who need sex to survive. Welcome to the steamy world of biological kink. HEA guaranteed!]]> 212 Jamie Kassel Phobos 4 3.77 2023 Designation: Submissive (The Designation Series, #1)
author: Jamie Kassel
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/15
date added: 2024/09/15
shelves:
review:

]]> Coffee Boy 32146161
Soon, the only upside to the job is that Seth has a painful crush on their painfully straight boss, and Kieran has a front row seat to the drama. But when Seth proves to be as respectful and supportive as he is prickly, Kieran develops an awkward crush of his own—one which Seth is far too prim and proper to ever reciprocate.]]> 61 Austin Chant 1945952075 Phobos 4 3.75 2016 Coffee Boy
author: Austin Chant
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/26
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves: from-scribd, novella, queer, rep-trans-mc, romance, pov-3rd, spicy, queer-achillean
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive]]> 33313780
Kristen J. Sollee is instructor at The New School and founding editrix of Slutist, an award-winning sex positive feminist website.]]> 178 Kristen J. Sollee 0996485287 Phobos 0 to-read, wtr-nonfiction 3.82 2017 Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive
author: Kristen J. Sollee
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves: to-read, wtr-nonfiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Love Lessons (Love Language #2)]]> 57033312 “Come here,� Dustin repeated, his dark eyes serious.
Landon put his hands on his hips and stood his ground. “Make me.�
He knew he was acting like a petulant teenager, but this was Dustin. And with Dustin, he felt safe.
Please, he thought, please, please make me.

Landon doesn’t need anyone. So he’s confident that when he offers to train a nervous, sexy Dom, nothing will come of it.
But Dustin has some things to teach him, too. Because Dustin uses sign language and asks him questions that no one else bothers to ask. Because Dustin wants him, no matter how he presents his gender. Because when Landon rebels, Dustin’s there to keep him in line. And when Dustin makes him obey, it feels real.
Real enough to call Dustin his Daddy.
But these are just lessons, right?


Love Lessons has a nervous new Dom, a confident and genderfluid sub who offers to train him, age play with a middle, a bit of angst, and plenty of sign language. This is book 2 in the Love Language series celebrating Deaf characters and Deaf culture. Love Lessons and Love Limits share intertwined characters and timelines, and should be read together.

This expanded edition features a new cover and over 15,000 new words including multiple new and enhanced scenes throughout the book.]]> 314 Reese Morrison Phobos 3 4.33 2020 Love Lessons (Love Language #2)
author: Reese Morrison
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/10
date added: 2024/09/10
shelves:
review:

]]> Office Appropriate 56250389
Nikhil isn’t ready for a new Domme. The kind of humiliation that he craves is too dangerously close to the damage from his past relationship.

There’s only one person that he trusts. One person who he’s been pining after for the past four years.

It’s too bad that Christy works for him.

But when the policies change, Christy steps in to claim him. He just needs the courage to accept both the dirty fantasies and the care that she offers.

This is a femdom hurt/comfort short story with humiliation kink and a HEA. It can be found for free on ProlificWorks.]]> Reese Morrison Phobos 0 3.90 2020 Office Appropriate
author: Reese Morrison
name: Phobos
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2024/09/05
date added: 2024/09/04
shelves: adult, contemporary, pov-3rd, rep-nbpoc-mc, romance, spicy
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dear Daddy, Please Want Me (Naughty or Nice #4)]]> 55878011 It’s hard to be a Jew on Christmas. Nobody brings me presents, like sexy Daddies or Peppermint Mocha Frappes (because, let’s be honest, I can totally sell-out if it gets me peppermint in my caffeinated sugar).
But do you know what I really want for Christmas? I want to know what’s wrong with the app so I don’t have to work on the weekend.
So maybe you can work on that, Santa, for the Jewiest Jew Boy ever?
Love and kisses, Levi

Saul shouldn’t be attracted to his funny and adorable employee, Levi. He shouldn’t be excited about debugging an error in the kinky dating together. And he definitely shouldn’t bring him peppermint mocha frappes just to see him smile.
Saul has enough to do with running a company and figuring out his gender transition on the job. But he can’t help wondering what it would be like to hear Levi call him Daddy.

Dear Daddy, Please Want Me is an office romance about an exuberant boy, a reluctant Daddy, and the age-old Jewish tradition of Chinese food and movies on Christmas day. It has plenty of kink and a happily ever after.

This book is part of the Naughty or Nice multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many boys hoping that holiday magic will bring them their perfect Daddy, why not grab them all?]]> 244 Reese Morrison Phobos 4 4.06 2020 Dear Daddy, Please Want Me (Naughty or Nice #4)
author: Reese Morrison
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/04
date added: 2024/09/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pretty 'n Peak (Destination Daddies Season Two)]]> 61181055
When he meets Mateo, a younger man who’s exploring his desires for the first time, it’s only natural to mentor him—to support the thrill of excitement that Austin can hardly remember feeling. Perhaps he can nurture the new boy in realizing just how attractive his thick, cuddly body is, and how stunning he would be in the satin and lace he’s been too frightened to dream of.

Just to help out, of course.

Pretty ‘n Peak has a blind Daddy who’s finding himself again, a chubby boy who wants to be beautiful, impact play, lingerie, and a HEA. (And no, it’s not a retelling of a movie with a similar title�) Pretty ‘n Peak is part of the Destination Daddies Season Two multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many destinations and Daddies to discover, why not grab them all?]]> 459 Reese Morrison Phobos 4 4.44 2022 Pretty 'n Peak (Destination Daddies Season Two)
author: Reese Morrison
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/04
date added: 2024/09/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tentacle Wonderland (Tinsel and Tentacles)]]> 204427364
Reggie knows he's nothing special. Forgettable, really. Just another mediocre college athlete who tries to get good grades, block some passes, and maybe bring others a little joy in their lives. No one ever has to know that he waits breathlessly each day for encounters with his snarky, enigmatic housemate, Dante—who barely seems to remember he exists. Now he just has to work up the courage to ask him out. Or, you know, have a real conversation.

But when they're the only housemates without holiday plans over winter break, and Dante invites Reggie to share his heat,Reggie discovers a whole new side of himself. The side that likes being on his knees and wants Dante's commands more than his own pleasure. With all of Reggie's fantasies coming true, now he just needs to convince the elusive progenitrix to spend Christmas with him... and make it into something more.

Tentacle Wonderland is set in The Change world along with Rut. It is also part of the Tinsel and Tentacles multi-author collaboration and a complete standalone. Expect to find a scrappy progenetrix (like an omega) who likes being in charge, a hopeful viratrix (like an alpha) who’s hopelessly in love with him, an unusual Christmas tree, and an HEA. Want more tantalizingly tentacular winter holiday romances? Grab the whole series!]]> 249 Reese Morrison Phobos 4 4.34 Tentacle Wonderland (Tinsel and Tentacles)
author: Reese Morrison
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.34
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/02
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves:
review:

]]> Rut (The Change) 199369572 Which means he's supposed to be big, strong, and in control. He's two of those things... but being in control is the last thing he wants. Especially when his colleague goes into heat, sending him and his best friend, Jordie--another viratrix who just happens to be his research assistant--into rut.
But it'll be fine. He just won't look at Jordie's muscular arms and alluring green tentacles. And he definitely won't let Jordie get close enough to find out his secret desires...
Welcome to the post-apocalyptic world of The Change. Alpha/omega dynamics... with tentacles.
Note that this book is an expansion of a short story, with an additional 20K words added.]]> 186 Reese Morrison Phobos 4 4.11 2022 Rut (The Change)
author: Reese Morrison
name: Phobos
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/02
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves:
review:

]]>