mel_c_bell's reviews
661 reviews

Alright, I’m hooked, but seriously, let’s talk about Oli’s Bonds. Most of them are absolute trash (except Atlas, who’s the only one with a shred of decency). And Nox? I don’t even have words—he’s on a whole other level of awful. After what he pulled, I have no idea how they’re supposed to fix this. It’s beyond messy—basically hate bullying, and let’s not forget the quasi-cheating. Honestly, Oli should just grab Atlas and run for the hills.

Meanwhile, she’s keeping her powers under wraps, dealing with this chaotic group of Bonds, dodging the Resistance, and fighting her own body. It’s a trainwreck, but I can’t look away. I’m going to keep rage reading, though, because somehow I’m still invested in all this madness.

If you’re in the mood for some light, bloody fun with a side of vampire smut, Venomous Vampire might be exactly what you’re looking for. This one doesn’t take itself too seriously, and honestly, that’s what makes it so enjoyable. Holly, our sweet and innocent virgin, stumbles upon Alexander, a naughty vampire who’s been chilling in a tomb since, you know, the 1850s. Naturally, she wakes him up, and things escalate… fast.

You’ve got some fated-mates chemistry, plenty of vampy steam, and let’s just say Holly’s first time is far from vanilla. Don’t expect any moody, brooding vampires here—this story is more about the heat and having fun with all the undead romance.

If you’re after a quick, spicy read that doesn’t dive too deep into dark angst, this hits the spot. It’s a fun mix of humor, action, and just the right amount of smut to keep things interesting. Perfect for when you’re in the mood for something light and hot.

Alright, let's get into this. If you’re looking for a book that’s basically the literary equivalent of rubbernecking a car crash – where you really want to look away but just can’t – this is the one. We're talking two serial killers, blood, guts, and... poetic prose? Yeah, you heard me. Somehow, amidst the gruesome body count and cannibalistic vibes, the writing is gorgeous. Like, disturbingly beautiful. You’ll be asking yourself, “Am I actually rooting for these guys right now? Is something wrong with me?” (Spoiler alert: the answer might be yes, but who cares?)

Poppy Z. Brite is an absolute master of language, painting horrifying scenes with the kind of eloquence that almost makes you forget you’re reading about necrophiles. And don’t even get me started on how this book weaves in the trauma of the AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s. It’s not just shock and gore for the sake of it – there’s depth here. The way Brite handles the intersection of love, sex, death, and fear during this time is raw, brutal, and will leave you staring into the void when you finish.

But let me be real with you – this book is not for the faint of heart. Seriously, if you’re squeamish, do yourself a favor and check out the trigger warnings. All of them. And while we’re at it, expect very few female characters in the mix – this is a story centering around gay men in New Orleans, with lives that collide in violently messy ways. The plot? Yeah, I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say that every twist and turn drags you deeper into the muck.

This book? It’s gonna sit on my shelf forever. Because no matter how sick and twisted it gets, it’s the kind of story that sticks with you. If you’re up for a challenging read that will make you feel both horrified and weirdly in awe, then dive in. Just... maybe keep some mind bleach handy.

I am way too emotionally invested in these books. It's a dark Bratva (Mafia) romance that is hella fluffy. These guys are the epitome of "men written by women" and are now the standard I've set for any romances I read in the future.

Each book is just better than the last, and I actually hesitated to move on to the next book after each read because I was like "There is no way this can top the last one because it was perfection and I'd rather just end on a high not." Well, clearly I didn't do that because here I am on book 4. I will admit that I am hella nervous to dive into book 5 because it's the last, we are closing out why the guys came to America in the first place, and we know it's gonna tear out our hearts. 

More to come...

The narrator and audiobook production are chef's kiss and they actually sing the songs with a guitar! 

If you enjoyed Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman this story gives very similar vibes, just set in 19th century Kansas. A band of misfit characters join each other on an epic quest (yes, epic, in Kansas) to carry out a bounty on an alleged  witch. Along the way they pick up every side quest, play cat & mouse with a body hopping toad demon, navigate a town of cannibals, and team up with an unlikely paranormal assassin. 

I loved every moment of this book. The characters and dialogue are absolute perfection. 

First, the narrator is annoying, and I'm unsure if it's the narrator's voice or the narrator telling the story in the book (the character). So, there's that.

Additionally, I hated the flow of this book, which is like an anthology told through the narrator's different patient files. I couldn't make sense of its relevance. 

Finally, we're supposed to say, "Wow, oh, what a twist." It just didn't cut it for me, but I will say I found it fairly amusing, so I'll give it points for that.

Henry and his wife have drifted apart due to his obsession over a recent project but with the birth of their child not far off he will do anything to win her back. Unfortunately, William has different plans. Trapped in a high tech super panic room house Henry and Lily are fighting for their lives against something science and faith can’t seem to define exclusively.

I enjoyed this story a lot, it’s fast paced and gaslighting you the entire read. For anyone who hates the cheating trope just beware this entire story has a gray cheating veil thrown over it BUT I promise you it’ll be fine. Additionally, there are some grin worthy jump scares throughout.

My only meh with the story is that I called the ‘twist’ pretty early, like really early. I won’t say it’s predictable because, again, tons of gaslighting so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to doubt yourself. Ultimately, in a perfect horror world, Lily would’ve/should’ve got a bit more in the end, but maybe that’s just me.

The beginning felt promising and then it quickly became background noise.

Hmmm…………

I didn’t hate this book, however, I didn’t love it either. Unlikeable characters don’t bother me but there’s something about this couple that made smile a lil when bad things happened to them. I’m not sure that was the intent of the author, though. 🤷🏻‍♀️

The premise is top tier and has a ton of potential to be a truly interesting story—just didn’t hit the mark.

Anyways, I’ll be recommending this book because dark and bleak are some readers’ vibe and they”ll definitely get their fill.

Ever wonder what would happen if a Hallmark romance movie crashed into a Russian crime drama? This, you'd get this. 

Gina, 19, is obsessed with Dmitri, 37—go ahead and clutch your prude pearls, then pick a different book. Also, why are you even reading these reviews if that makes you cringe? The title literally says Forbidden Age Gap Romance 🤨.

Anyways, now that the killjoys are gone, Gina is hardcore simping over Dimitri, a grumpy, muscled, undefeated underground boxer with a dark secret. Her bestie is like, "Girl, I'm taking you to see him fight b/c I'm boning one of his minions." Gina is like, "Bet." Fast forward a couple of pages and insert any convenient plot point that guarantees Gina and Dmitri end up alone in a room together. And since this book is barely a full-length novel, Gina amps up her stalker to 100% and says, "If he doesn't want me, I'll just climb through his window and sleep under his bed." We all laugh that off in the next chapter and dive into the steamy, forbidden age-gap romance.

Gina, even though she does some things that will make you look up and make sure everyone is reading the same sh*t, she kinda does exactly what you'd expect from a 19-year-old with no life experience.
Dmitri is a Russian Alpha, and if that doesn't make sense to you, I suggest you start with a different book.

Listen, this book is ridiculous but in the fluffiest way. Once you get past the "how do we get these two in the same room?" setup, there's nothing to complain about.