Reading the Paranormal

RtP's Week in Review (11/15/26)

2026-11-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

Bunny by Layla Fae [Review] - Monster love!
Thick Beef by Layla Fae [Review] - More monster love!
Wednesday by Adrian Blue [Review] - Even MORE monster love!
A Very Knotty Halloween by Candy Marie [Review] - Halloween Omegaverse love!
Hallows Fright by Dakota Wilde [Review] - EVEN MOAR monster love!
Ghoul by Layla Fae [Review] - A darker sort of romance!

Bookish Delights

Books added to the pile

None!

Currently reading

Masked Brother's Best Friend by Holly Harper

Ghoul by Layla Fae [Review]

2026-11-14T03:00:00.000-08:00

Ghoul (Dark and Twisted #1) by Layla Fae
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 27, 2025

Dark and Twisted
1. Ghoul - Paperback | Kindle

Layla Fae
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The hunt has begun and I am the prey.

The newspapers call him Ghoul. He is a serial killer responsible for murdering countless female victims.
They say he eats human flesh. Bites off chunks of bloody tissue with his inhumanly sharp teeth, his eyes flashing white in the dark. They call him a monster, a demon, a beast.
Some claim he isn’t human.
So when I walk in on Ghoul standing over another victim and licking her blood off his knife, I don’t stop to think. I run.
And Ghoul gives chase.

Thoughts on Ghoul: This book is a little darker than LF usually writes and...I liked it? Yes, I liked it. Sure, it wasn't the fluffy, food-adjacent bodily fluids fun I was used to, but it worked for me.

So. Ghoul is...well, he's a serial killer. He kills people. And Holly is a lady teetering on the edge. She's existing more than living and her stepfather has her in a bad place (this isn't any sort of step-romance, btw, he's physically and emotionally abusive and she can't escape him even though her mother is no longer around. Which is a whole other story, honestly). When Holly stumbles over Ghoul's latest kill, she should have been just another statistic. Instead, he's intrigued.

She's also intrigued. Their interactions are bloody and a little brutal, but she can't stop thinking about this man who maybe isn't entirely a man at all. And she REALLY can't stop thinking about how he made her feel alive. So she pushes outside her comfort zone and lets him lead her into his world.

It's dark, dangerous, and deadly. Ghoul/Adam could turn on her at any time. She has to learn his rules so she doesn't break them. She has to push herself past her breaking point and the more time she spends in his world, the more she knows it's the place she wants to be. Darker than I normally read, but I liked it.

Hallows Fright by Dakota Wilde [Review]

2026-11-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hallows Fright (Nightmare Acres #1) by Dakota Wilde
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 22, 2025

Nightmare Acres
1. Hallows Fright - Paperback | Kindle
2. Nightmare Acres

Dakota Wilde
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Nightmare Acres is for the dark, the depraved, and the lost.

Vampires, demons, ghosts, and witches...

All the frights of the night stalk the grounds at Nightmare acres, hiding their true identities from the humans who’ve come to their cursed playground.

Single mom, Olivia, finds herself reluctantly amongst the crowd when she’s separated from her friends and lands in the arms of a handsome stranger, only there’s more to him and the others working there than meets the eye.

Thoughts on Hallows Fright: After her douche-canoe ex crashes her Halloween plans with her littles, Olivia caves to her friend's pressure and decides to experience the Nightmare Acres haunt. She's not sure she wants to be scared, but it's better than sitting home alone waiting for her girls to be dropped off and her friend is persuasive.

Turns out, this might just be a huge turning point in her life. Not only does Olivia meet three hot (and slightly terrifying) dudes, but she also finds out some truths that needed to be revealed. For both her and her children's mental and physical well-being.

So. A vampire, a ghost, and a demon. A hyper-realistic haunt that is more real than most of the visitors realize. Olivia catches the attention of Phantom, which brings her to the attention of Talon. These two are smokin' hot and more than a little scary, but Olivia is into them, so she rolls with it. Then Matchbox joins them and now she has three supernatural men showing her the best night of her life.

On the downside, some of her friends don't have her best interests at heart and Nightmare Acres lives up to its name when it allows Olivia to settle the score. Hot men, a little (okay, a lot) revenge, and a night Olivia will never forget. *thumbs up*

A Very Knotty Halloween by Candy Marie [Review]

2026-11-12T03:00:00.000-08:00

A Very Knotty Halloween (Knotty Holiday #1) by Candy Marie
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 13, 2025

Knotty Holiday
1. A Very Knotty Halloween - Kindle
2. A Holly Knotty Christmas
3. Their Knotty Valentine

Candy Marie
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

One hunt. One night. Three alphas she never saw coming.

When Marnie's best friend drags her to a special Halloween Hunt - one night of emotion-free hookups for both alphas and omegas alike - she knows she has to step out of her comfort zone to make the most of it. What she doesn't expect is to come face-to-face with an alpha she thought she'd never see again and the two other handsome alphas at his side.

Cas. Her stepbrother. The one she hasn't seen since their parents' wedding years ago. He's grown, his scent is irresistible... and he's come to claim what's his.

Her.

At his side are Jack and Damien, two alphas that are all-in on her the moment they meet her. Together, the three alphas will give chase, and then they'll have her all to themselves until dawn. They'll bring every fantasy to life and make her feel things she's never felt before.

It's just one night. Right?

Thoughts on A Very Knotty Halloween: Marnie only goes to the Halloween Hunt because her friend brow beat her into it. To say she's reluctant might be a small understatement. She's nervous and anxious and all sorts of other things. She absolutely doesn't expect to see her stepbrother there. Or to be so attracted to the two alphas who approached her at the pre-hunt party.

But she does and she is and now she's running through a maze trying to keep a step ahead of the pack following her.

A pack which has Cas at its head. And it turns out Cas didn't stay away all those years because he hated her. Although he tries to convince himself otherwise, he's VERY into Marnie and he thinks she'll be the perfect omega for his pack. Seeing as Jack and Damien agree, now they just have to convince Marnie (a) to give them a chance to worship her and (b) that this is WAY more than a hook-up. In fact, the three alphas very much want to make things permanent.

Which throws Marnie a little. But the guys are persistent and thorough and it isn't long before Marnie starts believing that maybe they could be a pack and she could have the three delicious alphas forever. GOOD STUFF!

Wednesday by Adrian Blue [Review]

2026-11-11T03:00:00.000-08:00

Wednesday (The Days of the Week #3) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 6, 2025

The Days of the Week
1. Monday
2. Tuesday
3. Wednesday - Kindle

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

When Carmen takes a night security job at Oakwood Cemetery, she's desperate enough to overlook the warnings about previous guards who left without notice. The position comes with housing—a small cottage on the grounds—and after weeks of living in her car, she can't afford to be picky. But on her first patrol, she discovers the cemetery harbors something ancient and hungry, something that feeds on the dead. Now Carmen faces an impossible choice: flee and return to homelessness, or accept a dark bargain that will change her forever.

Thoughts on Wednesday: When I picked up this book I didn't expect a sexy ghoul, but here we are. Morrow is kinda sexy. In a super intense, feeding on the dead sort of way. Which fits with the whole monster thing I've been reading lately and I'm here for it.

So. Carmen is desperate and takes a job as night security at a cemetery. Mostly because it comes with housing and, as mentioned, she's desperate and sick of living out of her car. Sure, she's a little leery of how the previous guards leaving unexpectedly, but she needs the house and she needs the job and she'll do whatever she has to do to keep from being homeless again.

As it turns out, she has to come to terms with Morrow using the cemetery as his feeding ground. Morrow is terrifying and captivating and she's drawn to him despite how her head keeps telling her she should probably run in the opposite direction. One meeting turns into two and two turn into a nightly thing. She is fascinated by him and helps him in his hunt for food and he shares some of perks feeding on the dead gives him. And she is HOOKED.

It isn't long before Carmen is all in and Morrow has realized he might have found a living human who he wouldn't mind spending eternity with. Like I said, I wasn't expecting a sexy ghoul, but HERE WE ARE!

Thick Beef by Layla Fae [Review]

2026-11-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

Thick Beef (Monster Ever After #9) by Layla Fae
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 5, 2025

Monster Ever After
1. Jack
2. Grim
3. Satan
4. Orc
5. Crow
6. Full Sack
7. Mr. Jingle
8. Bunny
9. Thick Beef - Paperback | Kindle
10. Jack 2

Layla Fae
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I entered the minotaur run by mistake and got caught. Let’s hope my new mate’s massive sausage won’t tear me in half…

Loan sharks are on my heels. They want to cut out my kidney to pay off my debts, and I run for my life, ending up in a labyrinth somewhere inside a creepy warehouse. There are other women running—and monsters giving chase.
One catches me and proclaims I belong to him. I tell him he’s funny and kick him in the groin.
See, I’d rather get caught by the loan sharks, because they will take just a kidney. This bull-headed, horned monster with a ring in his nose wants all of me. And judging by the size of the thick cut of beef between his legs, I might not survive his advances.

Thoughts on Thick Beef: Minotaurs, amirite?!?! As one of my friends like to say "There's nothing mini about them." For realsies.

So. Jude is in an unfortunate situation. One where mafioso loan sharks (details were a little sketchy on them, but that's what I got out of it) are expecting her to pay off her father's debts any way she can. And it that means slicing and dicing her up to sell her organs on the black market, they're willing to do it.

Jude is not down with this scenario and she escapes (barely) by running and hiding in a warehouse. This warehouse happens to be a maze used for a minotaur run and one minotaur is VERY taken with Jude when he catches his first whiff of her. So he does what any self respecting minotaur would do: he beats up her would-be attackers and whisks Jude away to his swank mansion (which isn't a mansion according to him) where he plans to woo her with everything he has.

Frankly, he has a lot. Jude is a little wary (understandable) and doesn't see how a hunky of a minotaur like Lysander would want to keep her around long term. Let's just say Lysander has his work cut out for him convincing his little human mate that she's the one for him.

A whole lot of beef, a whole lot of sexy times, a minotaur who is determined to treat his special lady like a queen, and a lady whose head might be wary, but her body is absolutely on board. Minotaurs, man. GOOD STUFF!

Bunny by Layla Fae [Review]

2026-11-09T03:00:00.000-08:00

Bunny (Monster Ever After #8) by Layla Fae
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 4, 2025

Monster Ever After
1. Jack
2. Grim
3. Satan
4. Orc
5. Crow
6. Full Sack
7. Mr. Jingle
8. Bunny - Paperback | Kindle
9. Thick Beef
10. Jack 2

Layla Fae
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The Easter Bunny is shredded, adorably clueless… and bent on feeding me his honey.

When I see the buff stranger in my garden, I think he’s just a figment of my imagination. I am a divorcee so starved for romance, it’s possible I am seeing stuff – especially if stuff is heavenly buff and equipped with rabbit ears and a fluffy ball of a tail.

By the time I realize he’s real, it’s too late. Derek, who still believes in Santa and the Tooth Fairy, has seen him and is asking all kinds of questions about the Easter Bunny in our garden.

Questions which the stranger is happy enough to answer while bribing us with chocolate eggs and gifts. And when I’m finally alone with him, it turns out his visit was not a coincidence.

He has many more gifts for me, and his lack of experience won’t stop him from giving me everything I need. His masculine energy, insatiable curiosity, and intoxicating flavor soon have me hooked. But what will happen when Easter ends?

Thoughts on Bunny: For a thousand year plus entity, Bunny is adorably awkward as he tries to work through all the steps involved in wooing a human woman. You know, steps like introduce himself, assure her he's absolutely not there to hurt her, and offer her a handshake. Alice is understandably wary of all parts of this interaction and also kind of believes she might be hallucinating. So instead of going for that handshake, she cops a feel of his six pack. Because if someone's going to hallucinate a gloriously gorgeous bunny-man, the best way to determine if it's reality is to stroke his abs.

To be fair, Bunny wasn't really upset by this. I mean, he was a little shocked, maybe, but he's into Alice enough that he's willing to let her do anything she wants to him. Which mostly involves watching him warily and hovering when her high-energy son asks him to play video games with him. Yeah, Alice has some trust issues. And, you know, Bunny's a guy who is also a giant rabbit-dude and, yeah, the wariness is understandable.

Anyway. Things happen, Bunny saves her son from choking, Alice realizes she might as well grab the bull by the horns (or the bunny by the tail?) and live out a day of fantasies with this guy who's a little awkward (in the most adorable way), but treats her like she's an absolute goddess.

BUT...Bunny only gets one day on Earth every year, so they have to move fast, figure out if this is something they want to continue, and set some ground rules.

And when Bunny's day rolls around next year? Alice is ready for everything he has to give her.

RtP's Week in Review (11/08/26)

2026-11-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

Dark Migration by Adrian Blue [Review] - Monster love!
Primal Territory by Adrian Blue [Review] - More monster love!
Cold Surrender by Adrian Blue [Review] - Even more monster love!
Winter's Deep by Adrian Blue [Review] - EVEN MOAR monster love!
The Hungering Dark by Adrian Blue [Review] - So much monster love!
Chase Me, Daddy by Melanie Spicer [Review] - Age gap romance!

Bookish Delights

Books added to the pile

Garters, Ghosts and Wedding Toasts (Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries #15) by Angie Fox

Currently reading

Masked Stepbrother by Holly Harper

Chase Me, Daddy by Melanie Spicer [Review]

2026-11-07T13:12:00.000-08:00

Chase Me, Daddy (Spicy Age Gap Quickies #1) by Melanie Spicer
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 27, 2025

Spicy Age Gap Quickies
1. Chase Me, Daddy - Kindle

Melanie Spicer
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I snuck into a billionaire's Halloween party to forget about my ex.

Then a sexy silver fox in a mask growled, "Little Red's wandered far from the path."

When he promised to ruin me, I ran. He hunted me through the maze. Caught me in the woods. Bred me while I called him Daddy.

I thought I'd never see him again.

I didn't know he was my ex's father...

Thoughts on Chase Me, Daddy: This is definitely a quickie reading-wise, but while Carson and Sadie might cut to the chase pretty quickly, they manage to make the most of their time together. Quickly. But not so quickly that anyone was left unsatisfied.

Anywho. Sadie is crashing a rich person's Halloween party dressed as a very sex-ay Little Red Riding Hood. The man who wants to play with her is a sexy wolf. An older sexy wolf. He wants to hunt her through the maze (and woods). She's down with that. She runs. He chases. All is well.

BUT...Carson's not okay with leaving it at that. He wants Sadie for longer than one night and he doesn't care that she's his son's ex. In fact, he kind of thinks his son is a tool for letting someone as perfect as Sadie slip through his fingers. (And he is correct, his son is a tool.)

It isn't long before Carson has moved Sadie into his house and the two are doing all the things that fire them up. Such as chasing, breeding, and getting turned on by being called Daddy.

Fast and fun with an age gap that doesn't seem to bother anyone. Except maybe Carson's tool of a son. *thumbs up*

The Hungering Dark by Adrian Blue [Review]

2026-11-06T03:00:00.000-08:00

The Hungering Dark (Dark Season #5) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 6, 2025

Dark Season
1. Dark Migration
2. Primal Territory
3. Cold Surrender
4. Winter's Deep
5. The Hungering Dark - Kindle

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Travel vlogger Amelia Sinclair's dream expedition to Antarctica turns into her darkest nightmare when she falls into a crevasse and encounters something ancient and inhuman beneath the ice. Marked and claimed by a creature that defies explanation, she finds herself torn between revulsion and a forbidden desire that consumes her very soul. As the line between captive and willing participant blurs with each encounter, Amelia must confront unspeakable truths about herself and the hungers awakened within her. With the pristine white landscape hiding unimaginable horrors, she discovers that some bonds transcend understanding—and some marks can never be erased.

Thoughts on The Hungering Dark: This collection has given us a nice range of monsters and this one might be the creeeeepiest of all. The combo of icy weather, slimy tentacles (like the moistness would cause even more cold and YIKES, bro. At least get the girl a blanket or something), and a serious disregard for personal space (so much disregard) just rachets up the creep factor.

This isn't about me and my cold weather hang-ups, though. It's about Amelia and her first visit to Antarctica. She went there to share the beauty of the continent with her followers. However, she got a little more up close and personal with the ancient thing living in the ice than she ever expected to. To be fair, she probably didn't expect to run into ANY ancient thing in the ice when she set out, so everything that happened was a shock.

A whole lot of ice, a shocking encounter, and a lady who doesn't want to be drawn to the thing out there, but just can't stop herself from responding when it calls. I'm just going to say there was some nicely done creepiness in this one and leave it at that.

Winter's Deep by Adrian Blue [Review]

2026-11-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

Winter's Deep (Dark Season #4) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 6, 2025

Dark Season
1. Dark Migration
2. Primal Territory
3. Cold Surrender
4. Winter's Deep - Kindle
5. The Hungering Dark

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Heartbroken and needing a change of scenery, Robin is captivated by the rugged beauty of Patagonia. But nature is as brutal as it is majestic. There is something dangerous lurking beneath the glassy water. Something hungry. When a monstrous creature emerges from the depths, she discovers a primal passion unlike anything she's ever experienced. In this remote wilderness where nature strips away all pretense, she surrenders to a forbidden desire that leaves her craving more.

Thoughts on Winter's Deep: To get her mind off her cheating ex, Robin and her friend have taken a vacation in a frigid, primal place. Robin is trying to forget her ex's betrayal, but she's having a hard time even surrounded by freezing air, stunning views, and dark water beneath the boat they're on.

Then something monstrous drags her overboard and now she's living the "in order to get over someone, get under someone" saying and that someone is most definitely not human. Not that it bothers her. He's feral and blazes with heat in the cold and he's showing her exactly what she'd been missing with her ex.

Yeah, she's okay with the whole thing and she's maybe contemplating planning another trip to this desolate place to experience it again. Which, right on! Live your life the way you want to and all that. *thumbs up*

Cold Surrender by Adrian Blue [Review]

2026-11-04T03:00:00.000-08:00

Cold Surrender (Dark Season #3) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 2, 2025

Dark Season
1. Dark Migration
2. Primal Territory
3. Cold Surrender - Kindle
4. Winter's Deep
5. The Hungering Dark

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Lost in a deadly blizzard, experienced hiker Emily Parker stumbles upon a mysterious cave and its even more mysterious inhabitant - a creature who radiates dangerous allure and raw, primal power. When he offers her shelter from the storm, there's only one price: her complete surrender.

As the howling wind rages outside, Emily finds herself drawn into a world of forbidden desire, where the line between fear and passion blurs with every heated touch. Brun may be more beast than man, but his gentle possession awakens needs Emily never knew she had.

What begins as a desperate bargain for survival becomes something far more consuming, leaving Emily to question whether she'll ever want to return to the human world at all. But in the depths of his mountain lair, she'll discover that some surrenders change you forever.

Thoughts on Cold Surrender: The next, err, adventure we're on is when hiker Emily gets separated from her hiking group during a blizzard. She's lost, cold, and probably won't last much longer given that her clothes are wet. Then she stumbles over (or into, I guess) a cave and suddenly there's a slight possibility her imminent death isn't on the horizon.

Except...the cave isn't exactly uninhabited. In fact, there's a massive, bear-like creature living in it who offers Emily a deal: He'll keep her warm, if she keeps him warm. Metaphorically. I mean, the dude's pumping off heat like a furnace. He doesn't actually need the warmth her puny human body generates. Anyway. He'll help her if she agrees to spend some quality time in his furs.

Given that she's not entirely repulsed by the idea of sexy times with the creature, Emily agrees to the bargain. AND BRUN SHOWS HER A VERY GOOD TIME. You know, good enough that Emily's mentally rearranging her life so she can head back out to that cave as soon as possible.

An unexpected blizzard, a cave of delights, a creature who is pretty gentlemanly (all things considered), and a lady who doesn't mind IN THE LEAST cuddling up to her furry companion. GOOD TIMES!

Primal Territory by Adrian Blue [Review]

2026-11-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

Primal Territory (Dark Season #2) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 1, 2025

Dark Season
1. Dark Migration
2. Primal Territory - Kindle
3. Cold Surrender
4. Winter's Deep
5. The Hungering Dark

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Lorna has tracked and studied wolves all over the world. But this trip is different. This time she is the one being tracked. The one being studied. Something massive and savage has claimed this territory, and tonight it will claim her.

Thoughts on Primal Territory: A wolf who is more than a wolf (not a werewolf, but definitely not a straight up wolf) and the lady who studies wolves. Lorna isn't necessarily unafraid when the creature approaches her, but she's curious enough to follow him when he leads her deeper into the forest.

She's also pretty on board as soon as the wolf makes his intentions clear (which is a nice change from the last book since that monster didn't really do any asking, just dove on in and made things happen). While her night in his den could be written off as a woman indulging her curiosity, when he shows up at her cabin the next night, Lorna knows letting him in will change everything for her.

Guess what? That doesn't stop her in the slightest. *thumbs up* to curious women and the beasts who worship them!

Dark Migration by Adrian Blue [Review]

2026-11-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

Dark Migration (Dark Season #1) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 31, 2025

Dark Season
1. Dark Migration - Kindle
2. Primal Territory
3. Cold Surrender
4. Winter's Deep
5. The Hungering Dark

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Sarah has always loved the quiet and solitude of ice fishing. Miles from the nearest neighbor, her family's frozen lake has always been a peaceful sanctuary. Until today. Something cold and twisted has chosen her, something with a monstrous hunger. Alone on the frozen lake, she will learn that nature's appetites run darker and deeper than she ever imagined.

Thoughts on Dark Migration: I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I mean, it jumped right into the...honestly, I don't even want to call it sexy times because it was a little, erm, rougher (let's say) than I like my fictional sexy times. But I can also absolutely appreciate the idea that something monstrous and primal isn't going to really care about making sure their partner is all in. Or whether they're fully enjoying themselves, I guess. Although Sarah did (maybe?) enjoy it. Enough, you know, to think about whether the beast will swing by her isolated lake again next year during its migration.

On a slightly unrelated note, how does one even explain the complete destruction of the fishing shack to their family? Like "Hey, a giant bird monster busted in and we bonked. Sorry about the shack." That's just a weirdly awkward conversation waiting to happen.

RtP's Week in Review (11/01/26)

2026-11-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

Monster in the Mist by Honey Phillips [Review] - Alien love!
Creep by L. Taylor [Review] - Step-love!
Falling for a Villainous Vampire by Charlotte Stein [Review] - Witchy/Vampire love!
Run Baby Run by D. Sabia [Review] - Chase-y chase!
Monday by Adrian Blue [Review] - Monster love!
Tuesday by Adrian Blue [Review] - More monster love!
Jack 2 by Layla Fae [Review] - Even MORE monster love!

Bookish Delights

Books added to the pile

Roses & Stone (Silver & Blood #2) by Jessie Mihalik - For review!

Currently reading

Knot Mine by Iris Aster

Jack 2 by Layla Fae [Review]

2026-10-31T03:00:00.000-07:00

Jack 2 (Monster Ever After #10) by Layla Fae
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 26, 2025

Monster Ever After
1. Jack
2. Grim
3. Satan
4. Orc
5. Crow
6. Full Sack
7. Mr. Jingle
8. Bunny
9. Thick Beef
10. Jack 2 - Paperback | Kindle

Layla Fae
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

It’s Halloween and Jack is back to claim what’s his.

Ava hasn’t seen her ex for a year. She trembles at the very thought of him as she saw him last: a monster, his powerful body sleek with sweat, his head a flaming jack-o’-lantern. Even though she ran away as soon as he revealed his true form, the image is burned into her mind.

It haunts her in hot, sweaty dreams from which she wakes with a moan on her lips, the sheets tangled between her legs. But those dark, sensuous dreams are not enough to push her back into Jack’s monstrous embrace. Ava avoids him at all costs.

And Jack won’t have it. It’s Halloween, the night when he is the most powerful, and he will have Ava back, even if he has to hold her captive in his Halloween mansion. It lies in the Halloween Realm, a magical place where everything is hotter, spicier, and more orange.

Ava will be at the mercy of the pumpkin-headed demon whose heart and body hunger for her and her only. She’s in for a Halloween night full of filthy, monstrous wonders.

Some of them may taste like pumpkin spice.

Thoughts on Jack 2: This is Jack's son, Jack, and he's ABSOLUTELY ready to find a way to convince his special someone that he's not the monster she thinks he is. He goes about this by taking her to his Halloween mansion (which is in another realm) and showing her all the unearthly delights that are hers for the taking if she's willing to give him a chance.

On Ava's end, she's...conflicted. When jack revealed his true form to her, she panicked and reacted badly. Which is understandable. She's still holding on to some of her anger over his deception, but she also hasn't forgotten him. At all. So when he shows up on Halloween and asks her to give him a chance, she agrees.

Now she's in a house that is everything she could ever dream of with the hunk she hasn't forgotten and she's starting to realize that some things are worth fighting (and forgiving) for.

A little Halloween sexiness, a whole lot of pumpkin spice, and a lady who has to let go of her hurt if she wants to have a chance with the guy who is utterly devoted to her. *thumbs up*

Tuesday by Adrian Blue [Review]

2026-10-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

Tuesday (The Days of the Week #2) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 2, 2025

The Days of the Week
1. Monday
2. Tuesday - Kindle
3. Wednesday

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Tuesday's Child is Full of Grace

Dr. Christina Blackwood moved to a small town for a slower pace of life. But when a child goes missing, it throws the community into a panic. All eyes immediately turn to Ashcroft Estate, whose reclusive and mysterious owner is known for fiercely protecting his privacy. But the estate is protecting far more than that. William Ashcroft has a secret. And it is about to swallow Christina whole.

Thoughts on Tuesday: A missing child, a spooky estate, and a lady who's determined to do her part in helping find him thanks to some past trauma and a driving desire to help everyone in need. Okay, maybe that last part was a bit of a stretch, but Christina is a doctor so she does the helping thing so maybe it's not that much of a stretch.

Anywho. Christina has heard the hushed rumors about the Ashcroft Estate and she doesn't want peoples' emotions to get the best of them (I think she was envisioning pitchforks and torches, idk) so she volunteers to go up to the big house and request they be allowed to search the grounds for the missing child. William Ashcroft is...not enthused by this request. He allows Christina to conduct a search, but doesn't want anyone else from the town on his land. Which might be a red flag or two, but Christina is determined and she accepts his terms.

Turns out William is hiding a little something. Well, it's a not-so-little something, really. A beast that prowls the halls of the manor and grounds. It has its sights set on the good doctor and she's not nearly as terrified of it as she probably should be.

A creepy manor, a beast who knows what it wants, a man who is caught between wanting to protect and claim, and a lady who is willing to embrace the terrifying once she understands what's at stake. *thumbs up*

Monday by Adrian Blue [Review]

2026-10-29T03:00:00.000-07:00

Monday (The Days of the Week #1) by Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 1, 2025

The Days of the Week
1. Monday - Kindle
2. Tuesday
3. Wednesday

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Monday's Child is Fair of Face

Cara Martinez's life at Helix Tech has been an endless procession of days. For six years, she's endured the monotony of her basement office job—until one blood-soaked Monday shatters her world. Stalked through fluorescent-lit corridors by a shapeshifting creature of otherworldly beauty and dark horror, Cara is thrust into a deadly game where she's both prey and unwitting player.

As she fights for her life, she uncovers sinister secrets lurking beneath Helix Tech's polished facade. But with each narrow escape and pulse-pounding encounter, she senses an undercurrent of desire beneath the monster's savage pursuit. As the line between fear and attraction blurs, Cara must confront the truth about herself and the company she thought she knew.

Thoughts on Monday: Walking into a soul-sucking job to find the halls drenched in blood and bodies strewn around is ... a little jarring. Having something monstrous stalk you as you attempt to escape? Maybe even more jarring.

Yeah, Cara has a bit of a rough morning. She's not thrilled to be returning to her monotonous cubicle job and stepping off the elevator to find blood, bodies, and something OTHER on her floor is just the cherry on the Monday Sundae. Unfortunately for her, the monster who caused all this carnage is playing a game of cat and mouse with her. It wants her to run so it can chase.

Except...while it likes the chase, it turns out there's a lot more to what's going on than Cara knows. The monster doesn't want to hurt her and her employers might be involved in things that she knew nothing about. Dangerous things. Things involving the monster chasing her.

A little danger, some corporate evilness, a monster who knows what he wants, and a lady who has her eyes opened to a whole new world. *thumbs up*

Run Baby Run by D. Sabia [Review]

2026-10-28T03:00:00.000-07:00

Run Baby Run by D. Sabia
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 1, 2025

Purchase Links: Paperback | Kindle

D. Sabia
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Alec
Forgive me, father, for I am about to sin.
She’s, my addiction. My drug of choice. Mine.
But she doesn’t know that. Yet…
But come Halloween night, she will be mine.
Even if I need to hunt her down, Hayden Macey will be mine.
Run baby run.

Hayden
Everywhere I turn, I feel like someone’s there, watching me.
Watching every move I make.
And just to make things worse, I have to work the night of Halloween at our town’s haunted carnival.
No matter where I run, where I hide, the feeling is always there.
But now I’m not so sure it’s a feeling anymore…

Thoughts on Run Baby Run: This wasn't my favorite of the chase-y chase Halloween books I've been reading lately and I think it comes down to I just like my masked stalkers a little lighter? Idk, I do like the masked men books, but, like, stalking-lite preferred, I guess.

Anywho. Alec has a thing for Hayden. He's watching her. He has plans for her. She doesn't know any of this. I mean, she's been getting the feeling she's being watched, but she has no idea it's the hot preacher's son she met at church camp. So it REALLY throws her for a loop when he chases her through a corn maze and corners her in his father's church.

Then he does all the things he's been fantasizing about.

Not terrible, but (as I said) I think I like my masked men a little on the lighter side.

Falling for a Villainous Vampire by Charlotte Stein [Review]

2026-10-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

Falling for a Villainous Vampire (The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures #3) by Charlotte Stein
Format: ebook
Source: provided through NetGalley
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: September 11, 2026

The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures
1. How to Help a Hungry Werewolf
2. Dealing with a Desperate Demon
3. Falling for a Villainous Vampire - Paperback | Kindle

Charlotte Stein
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Marley Maples is sure she's finally evaded her vampire mortal enemy. Halsten has stalked her across oceans of time, and many, many lives. But now she's arrived at the age of thirty in Hollow Brook, with no sign of him. So she’s devastated when he suddenly shows and yet again tries to make her life hell. Until her two witchy best friends suggest a spell to make him forget all about her.

There’s just one issue: he forgets his whole existence with it. All Halsten now remembers is being a big, hot, vampire Viking. And all he sees when he looks at Marley is his beloved little witch, his saviour, the light of his life. He goes from being a horror that haunts her nightmares, to a man who loves her and will protect her at all costs. And as much as she’s skeptical, she can’t help finding his fish-out-of-water, warrior ways and his desire to defend her endearing.

Maybe even a little sexy. In fact, it’s starting feel very sexy indeed.

And if she’s not careful, she’s going to lose herself to a man she swore to hate. A man who might return to her eternal enemy, at any moment…

Thoughts on Falling for a Villainous Vampire: Look. I don't know what is it about the supernatural men who end up in Hollow Brook, but they are so delightfully soft. In a good way. They're just sweet and kind and full of this joyful awe over finding someone who sees them and wants to spend time with them (among other things) and I AM HERE FOR IT.

That said, Halsten doesn't appear to be either sweet or soft or joyfully awed when we first meet him. Look, it's complicated, okay? Marley sees him a certain way and her memories of their past encounters are just muddled enough that she fully believes he's a vampire who has his hate on for her. She doesn't know why. She doesn't know how to stop him. She's just stuck in this never-ending cycle of having him show up and her life implodes.

Then she and her friends cast a spell to make him forget her (so they can both get on with their lives) and suddenly she has this joyful, incredibly sweet vampire giving her heart eyes. And she REALLY doesn't know what to do about that. Her body is kind of onboard doing things, but he's her ENEMY, right? And she shouldn't be feeling all these soft emotions for her ENEMY. But he's also beautiful and kind and she likes pretty much everything about him.

A whole lot of baggage (because past lives give you that when you remember them), a very unfriendly man, more than a few close calls, witchy friends who are DELIGHTED to have Marley finally admit she's one of them, a vampire with the soul of a poet, and a witch who finally gets a chance to see what's been chasing her across time. OH MY HEART.

Creep by L. Taylor [Review]

2026-10-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Creep (Cape Could: Spicy Holiday #1) by L. Taylor
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 24, 2025

Cape Cloud: Spicy Holiday
1. Creep - Paperback | Kindle
2. Tinsel

L. Taylor
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I thought I put the past behind me. The bullies of high school, the awkward shyness that kept me close to home up until graduation. Things have been great for my junior year of college, especially now that my step-brother doesn't live at home.

Chase. The antagonist of my life since our parents had gotten married eight years ago. My step-brother has gone out of his way to make sure I never felt welcome after me and my mom had moved into his house. Always watching me with those cold, expressionless eyes of his.

I'd expected the same when he arrived today for his annual visit home from med school for Halloween, but no.

Instead he gives me an ultimatum. One night in the woods---me, him, and his best friend.

Say no, and we go back to how things have always been between us. Tense, unbearably so.

Or...say yes. Agree to one night in their hands, and let them ruin me for good.

Thoughts on Creep: Leigh has a bit of a complicated relationship with her step-brother. He's intense and unnerving, he puts her on edge just by being near and she's sure he doesn't like her. This, as it turns out is the opposite of true. In fact, Chase might be a little obsessed with his sweet step-sis.

Now he, his best friend, and Leigh are home alone during a fall break and Chase is trying his hardest to keep his obsession under control. Then he and Danny read Leigh's naughty stories and suddenly all bets are off. He's willing to give her all the things she fantasizes about and let his obsession break free.

Chase and Danny are intense and a little unhinged, but they make sure they give Leigh everything she needs. Which means a chase or two, a whole lot of pleasure, and two men who are all in with both her and each other.

I must admit I wasn't expecting to like this scenario as much as I did, but way to go Leigh. You found two someones willing to go to some extreme lengths to give you what you crave. *thumbs up*

Monster in the Mist by Honey Phillips [Review]

2026-10-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

Monster in the Mist (Alien Abduction Standalone) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: free through author's newsletter
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 1, 2025

Alien Abduction Standalone
1. Monster in the Mist - Kindle

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Alien Abduction
1. Anna and the Alien

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis:

Kim can’t catch a break. First she’s abducted by aliens, then her desperate attempt to escape ends when she crash lands on a mysterious alien planet.

Every night the mists come, and every night they become more frightening. The most terrifying part is her response to the seductive voice that calls to her from within the mist.

Exiled to the jungle many years ago, Tiva feels his mind slipping away. But then a strange, beautiful female appears - her presence a beacon in the darkness - and their connection calls him back.

Kim doesn’t think she needs help. Tiva doesn’t think he needs rescuing. They’re both wrong!

A sweet and spicy standalone romance set in the Alien Abduction universe!

Thoughts on Monster in the Mist: As one of the (multitudes of) abducted Earth women, Kim is in a tough spot. Maybe not quite as tough as she would have been if she hadn't fought her new owner (and won when he bashed his head on a console), but she's in a broken ship on a dangerous planet and she has only herself to rely on.

Except, that might not be exactly correct. There's another being on this planet, so she's not entirely alone. Tiva is kind of a mess, though. He's trapped in his own prison and he's not sure the female he dreams about is real or a product of his fracturing mind. Unfortunately, the distance between them and the dangerous mist that creeps in every night means they can only meet in their dreams. To be fair, they had to both accept that the other WAS real before they could explore this connection, but eventually they started getting to know one another during their late night talks. And those talks turned into something more, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE!

That something more makes Tiva think he's put Kim's life in danger and he pulls away. Now Kim is faced with staying safe in a shuttle that she can't repair and will (probably) eventually die on her or trying to reach the male who makes her feel all sorts of things. Guess what? She chooses Tiva and his prison over being alone and YESSSS!

I enjoyed all the installments in the AA series and am thrilled to have a sweet (and spicy) snippet of another human woman finding her special someone as she works to survive. *thumbs up*

RtP's Week in Review (10/25/26)

2026-10-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

Pounded in the Patch by Dana LeeAnn [Review] - Twisty love!
Stalk by Hedley Hallow [Review] - Chase-y chase masked men!
Nightbloom by Adrian Blue [Review] - Monstrous love!
On Your Knees by Jaye Pratt [Review] - Masked men love!
Savage Stalkers by Jaye Pratt [Review] - More masked men love!
Run and Hide by A. Rayne [Review] - Chase-y Chase romance!

Bookish Delights

Books added to the pile

None!

Currently reading

The Retired Assassin's Guide to Amateur Theatrics by Naomi Kuttner

Run and Hide by A. Rayne [Review]

2026-10-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

Run and Hide by A. Rayne
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 31, 2025

Purchase Links: Paperback | Kindle

A. Rayne
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The last thing I wanted was to walk through a creepy corn maze with my best friend on Halloween night.

But the second we walk through the entrance, we get separated. Leaving me to face my fears alone.

Only to be found by two masked men who have no intention of letting me go.

Thoughts on Run and Hide: Straight up, I didn't dislike this book, but I also didn't understand how Mia went from being terrified of even ENTERING the corn maze to being all in with the two guys who cornered her in it. Especially when one of them got off on terrifying her. To each their own, I guess.

Anywho. Mia is being forced to try out the local corn maze by her best friend. She doesn't want to. She's super not into it. Yet, she's a good enough friend to do it. Which puts her higher on the friend scale than her BFF who basically shamed/bullied her into going even though it was pretty clear Mia isn't into the scare factor. While procrastinating actually going into the maze, Mia bumps into Kian and Cyrus and, well, they might get a little obsessed with her.

You know, to the point of warning off the other scare actors so I they can have her all to themselves.

Like I said, I didn't dislike this book, I just couldn't make the connection between her utter terror at the idea of being scared vs how she was okay with Cy scaring her with a chainsaw during sexy times.

Savage Stalkers by Jaye Pratt [Review]

2026-10-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

Savage Stalkers (Masked Men #9) by Jaye Pratt
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 1, 2025

Masked Men
1. Don't Get Caught
2. Nowhere to Hide
3. Are You Scared?
4. You're Ours Now
5. Hold Your Breath
6. Run For Us
7. Dirty Cowboys
8. On Your Knees
9. Savage Stalkers - Paperback | Kindle
10. Filthy Puckers
11. Brutal Bodyguards
12. Puck Me Dead

Jaye Pratt
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I’ve always wanted to be stalked. Turns out, I already am.

Signing that contract was supposed to give me control, masked strangers, the illusion of danger, and a fantasy I could walk away from. Except the men who answered weren’t strangers at all.

They chased me through cemeteries, cornered me in libraries, and left notes on my pillow while I slept.

I thought it was a game I controlled.

Then the masks came off.

They intercepted my contract. Hacked the website and manipulated everything to make me theirs. One of them has been watching me for months before I ever signed anything.

I should run, scream, or at the very least feel violated.

Instead, I feel alive.

Because while the rest of the world wants me polished and perfect, they want me to be theirs just how I am.

And the most terrifying part? I want them too.

Thoughts on Savage Stalkers: Next up in the masked men brouhaha I've been devouring is Skye and her men. Skye who thinks she's getting a safe, (moderately) sanitized chance to live out her fantasies of being chased and stalked. Except...no. I mean, it's safe for the most part because Silas would straight up slip into feral beast mode if anything happened to her, but it's very real and raw and she has no idea the men chasing her aren't part of the request she signed a contract for. (To be fair, she signed a contract WITH the men since they hacked her request, so I guess she's getting exactly what she signed the contract for.)

So. Skye. She feels smothered and trapped in the life her mother is pushing her toward, but she doesn't see a way to break free. Signing up to have her fantasies come to life (even if it's just one time she gets to let go) is her chance to do something for herself that doesn't come with high society expectations. She did NOT expect Silas, Kain, and Zay. Silas is full-on obsessed with her and has to hold himself back from doing things that might cross a line he can't come back from. He's also the one who puts things in motion when he sees her request for a little chasing.

Zay and Kain are Silas's touchstone. They keep him grounded. They keep him from spiraling too hard. They keep his obsession with Skye from getting out of hand. And once they join Silas in giving Skye what she wants, they all start to share in that obsession. Because Skye? She fits with them. Perfectly. TO BE FAIR, it takes Kain a while to admit that. He has to see how her mother treats her before he realizes she's not the spoiled little rich girl he initially thought she was.

A little hacking, a little chasing, a little naughty library time, a trio who didn't know they were looking for a fourth until she slid into their orbit, and a lady who finds her place with the three men who rock her world in the best way. GOOD STUFF!