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Black Sheep
Serial killer.
That’s not the first thing you’d think when you meet Bria Brooks.
She’s reserved. Polite. Charming, when she wants to be. But delve a little deeper. She’s cunning. Brilliant. Ruthless. Bria Brooks is not just a black sheep. She’s a wolf. And she has her heart set on a very elusive prize.
Caron Berger.
Trouble is, she’s not the only one.
Dr. Elijah Kaplan is also on the hunt for the enigmatic leader of the Legio Agni cult. Caron Berger is a phantom, and Eli is keen on catching the ghost. What he doesn’t need is a beautiful and brutal doctoral student haunting his steps. Especially not one who seems so breakable, or who tempts him to bend every rule until it snaps, or who calls to each of his darkest desires. No. He does not need that. At all.
When the pursuit of their elusive prey pulls these two hunters together, they find that their demons might not be so different after all. But just like bodies in a bog, secrets have a way of surfacing, and the ones that Bria and Eli keep are the deadliest kind.
As they draw closer to capturing their prize, can Bria and Eli harness their beasts before they destroy one another? Or will they learn that it’s not what you’ll do to win that matters, it’s what you’re willing to leave behind?
TWs: physical and emotional abuse, graphic violence, torture, swearing; explicit sexual content (consensual), BDSM, breath play.
That’s not the first thing you’d think when you meet Bria Brooks.
She’s reserved. Polite. Charming, when she wants to be. But delve a little deeper. She’s cunning. Brilliant. Ruthless. Bria Brooks is not just a black sheep. She’s a wolf. And she has her heart set on a very elusive prize.
Caron Berger.
Trouble is, she’s not the only one.
Dr. Elijah Kaplan is also on the hunt for the enigmatic leader of the Legio Agni cult. Caron Berger is a phantom, and Eli is keen on catching the ghost. What he doesn’t need is a beautiful and brutal doctoral student haunting his steps. Especially not one who seems so breakable, or who tempts him to bend every rule until it snaps, or who calls to each of his darkest desires. No. He does not need that. At all.
When the pursuit of their elusive prey pulls these two hunters together, they find that their demons might not be so different after all. But just like bodies in a bog, secrets have a way of surfacing, and the ones that Bria and Eli keep are the deadliest kind.
As they draw closer to capturing their prize, can Bria and Eli harness their beasts before they destroy one another? Or will they learn that it’s not what you’ll do to win that matters, it’s what you’re willing to leave behind?
TWs: physical and emotional abuse, graphic violence, torture, swearing; explicit sexual content (consensual), BDSM, breath play.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2022
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December 20, 2022
4.5*
This book. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊!
“𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣. 𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽, 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.”
Wow. Just wow. I loved it. It was amazing. The setting, the characters, the whole plot was amazing.
𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 was such a badass bitch that took no prisoners. The way her brain works is one part hilarious and one part impressive. I’d find myself looking forward to her scenes and learning what she would do next.
𝗘𝗹𝗶 𝗞𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻. Just him. Damn. This man was OBSESSED with her as soon as he saw her. The way he’d describe her was so damn cute and gahhh.
(I will say that some of his inner monologue was a little ott lmao)
ALSO EXCUSE ME I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE AMOUNT OF SPICE. This wasn’t spice, it was all out smut and damnnn I was shocked time and time again. 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍.
You could see the clear distinction between their povs. Like it showed that they had lives of their own AND their own brains. Their entire thought processes were really intricate. 𝗠𝗪𝗔𝗛. I loved it.
Every time there was a possibility for a conflict I was like oh here we go… 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐃𝐈𝐃𝐍’𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍! The opposite happened Every. Single. Time. And I lapped it up bc I don’t take that shit for granted.
Also this was insta-lusty and was NOT a slow burn but I had no problem with it bc the book was amazing. I was so invested in the plot and this hardly happens.
A very toxic epilogue to an insane book. Love that.
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
This reminded me of the tv series “𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐡𝐢𝐨” don’t ask me why. It just does.
𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀: 🎧
Killing butterflies - Lewis blissett
Conviction - Jessia
Sanctify - Years & Years
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
“𝗜𝗳 𝗜 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸,” 𝐈 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫.
𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥. “𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳?”
“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚. 𝙄’𝙢 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙞𝙗𝙨.”
~he’s so obsessed I’m loving it
“𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪?” 𝐈 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐥.
~gets me every time
“𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐬.”
~he knows his place
“𝐈 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤. “
~I love that he’s taking advantage of his dimples haha
“𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩, 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮.”
~I AM SHOCKED I DID NOT EXPECT THIS ENTIRE CHAPTER
“𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗽?”
“𝗪𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀,” 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐲, 𝐚 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤. “𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙪𝙥 𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧, 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙖𝙠𝙚.”
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀:
Haunting Adeline- HD Carlton
Wretched - Emily McIntire
Sinners duet - Sophie Lark
This book. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊!
“𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣. 𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽, 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.”
Wow. Just wow. I loved it. It was amazing. The setting, the characters, the whole plot was amazing.
𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 was such a badass bitch that took no prisoners. The way her brain works is one part hilarious and one part impressive. I’d find myself looking forward to her scenes and learning what she would do next.
𝗘𝗹𝗶 𝗞𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻. Just him. Damn. This man was OBSESSED with her as soon as he saw her. The way he’d describe her was so damn cute and gahhh.
(I will say that some of his inner monologue was a little ott lmao)
ALSO EXCUSE ME I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE AMOUNT OF SPICE. This wasn’t spice, it was all out smut and damnnn I was shocked time and time again. 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍.
You could see the clear distinction between their povs. Like it showed that they had lives of their own AND their own brains. Their entire thought processes were really intricate. 𝗠𝗪𝗔𝗛. I loved it.
Every time there was a possibility for a conflict I was like oh here we go… 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐃𝐈𝐃𝐍’𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍! The opposite happened Every. Single. Time. And I lapped it up bc I don’t take that shit for granted.
Also this was insta-lusty and was NOT a slow burn but I had no problem with it bc the book was amazing. I was so invested in the plot and this hardly happens.
A very toxic epilogue to an insane book. Love that.
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
This reminded me of the tv series “𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐡𝐢𝐨” don’t ask me why. It just does.
𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀: 🎧
Killing butterflies - Lewis blissett
Conviction - Jessia
Sanctify - Years & Years
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
“𝗜𝗳 𝗜 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸,” 𝐈 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫.
𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥. “𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳?”
“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚. 𝙄’𝙢 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙞𝙗𝙨.”
~he’s so obsessed I’m loving it
“𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪?” 𝐈 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐥.
~gets me every time
“𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐬.”
~he knows his place
“𝐈 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤. “
~I love that he’s taking advantage of his dimples haha
“𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩, 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮.”
~I AM SHOCKED I DID NOT EXPECT THIS ENTIRE CHAPTER
“𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗜 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗽?”
“𝗪𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀,” 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐲, 𝐚 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤. “𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙪𝙥 𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧, 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙖𝙠𝙚.”
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀:
Haunting Adeline- HD Carlton
Wretched - Emily McIntire
Sinners duet - Sophie Lark
March 28, 2023
If Bria Brooks is the devil, I will gladly burn in hell.
i see serial killer heroine. i read the book. simple.
but i wasn’t really emotionally invested in this, unfortunately.
i mean... it was fine.
but when you’re reading a book with a serial killer heroine, you expect something intense and gut-wrenching, something that has you questioning your morality and your sanity.
this was lukewarm at best. i don’t have strong feelings either way.
now the sexual chemistry between Bria and Eli was intense. it was sooooo good. the tension and their witty back and forth had me all flustered, fr.
but the romantic chemistry? meh. i didn’t find myself rooting for the characters all that much as a couple. everything was just based on sex and sexual attraction. there was just too much smut. after a while i got bored of it and started skimming.
when Eli tells Bria he loves her i was just
because i truly didn’t feel it. i didn’t see it nor understand it. they had sexual chemistry in spades. there’s no denying it, but love? a bit far-fetched, if you ask me. i just wasn’t convinced of them as a romantic pairing all that much.
and once Bria and Eli started fucking, Bria’s entire serial killer identity just vanished. and in her place was this wannabe sultry, femme fatale college girl cliche who was fucking her professor.
maybe it’s just me, but once she was with Eli, Bria kinda lost her spark. the sharp, biting edge to her. she became a basic bitch that could have been anybody. she lost all semblance of uniqueness. it was such a shame because when we first meet her in the opening of the book, she’s such a riveting character. i mean the book opens with her fucking the guy she subsequently kills. it was cool as shit.
her entire mission as a killer seems to be put on the back burner once she gets involved with Eli. it was boring too since their interactions were very repetitive and they’re low-key obsessed with one another from the moment they meet, so the romantic suspense and anticipation was sorely lacking too. their obsession with one another, despite the tension, felt a bit empty? surface-level, maybe? Eli is drawn to Bria’s otherworldly beauty, right, but also the “darkness” in her that he feels is a kindred spirit to his own.
respectfully, Eli... where?😭 you like to be pegged and you punched a guy for calling Bria a cunt. that’s it. so what darkness are you talking about, bby girl?
i thought there was gonna be some plot twist revealing all of his dark deeds and how corrupt he is deep inside too, but we get nothing. he’s just a kinky motherfucker and that’s cool, but trying to push this “like calls to like” mentality when Bria is an actual serial killer while he has a few chains and whips alongside a collection of dildos... it ain’t even in the same ballpark.
idk, i just needed something to sink my teeth into. the plot was set up to be phenomenal and gripping, but the authors didn’t utilise what was right in front of them. instead favouring the smutty scenes. which were god-tier, by the way. no complaints there.
just, the story could have been so much more than it was. it only really scratched the surface, tbh. the book just didn’t have much direction and i think that’s where it fell short. it had the bones and set up to be a great story, but didn’t seem to know what to do with itself? like it didn’t have the balls to truly go all the way.
the last 20% brought some good plot twists though, if a little rushed and not fully fleshed out. but at this point, beggars can’t be choosers.
a random qualm i had is a tad spoilery but also not since nothing came of it— in the beginning of the book, Bria is snooping around Eli’s house and finds a file on his computer full of videos of him fucking a woman. Bria watches the whole thing in visceral detail. and i thought this would mean something? i thought the woman would be a character at some point, to cause conflict or drama... just something. the way the whole scene is framed was setup like it was important and that the woman was a vital piece in the book’s game.
but she’s not.
the video is never mentioned again. Bria doesn’t mention she watched it to Eli. the woman is never brought up. does Eli even delete the videos of his own volition now he’s with Bria? does he keep them?💀 does Bria tell him (off-page) to delete them? idk why i was so fixated on this detail... but it bugged me we didn’t get any explanation or resolution.
generally, i dislike stuff like this in books, where we’re presented a situation or event that’s set up or implied to mean something... then it’s completely discarded and it ends up having zero impact on the plot. what’s the point? so many aspects of the book left me unsatisfied. eurghhh.
and Eli was a sexy af academic professor, you’d think he could come up with a more creative or panty-melting nickname than pancake. it made me cringe every time he said it. i know it started off as a joke and then became all cutesy between them but i still hated it💀
Lana Myers still remains undefeated<3
February 5, 2023
Is it me? Am I the problem?? FUCK THIS SLUMP FR
I was so excited to read this bcs a serial killer heroine?? YES PLS IM A WHORE FOR THAT and Bria was hot ngl
If someone asks what I didnt like in this book- there wouldn't be much (except for the insta lust idk when it became such a huge turn off for me but a guy just hearing a girl's voice and going all needtofuckbemineneedtofuckshessodifferentneedtofuck just doesnt work for me anymore) but the thing is- I liked this book.
Bria was a badass (tho i do wish we'd have gotten more of that aspect of her personality)
Eli was a dumbass (tho i loved him by the end)
I would've liked it more had it had more plot but its alr.
Despite mostly liking this book, I just didn't connect to it really. And I can't say anything about the spice bcs I didn't read it (i just cannot read smut between characters im not invested in 🤷🏻♀️)
I was so excited to read this bcs a serial killer heroine?? YES PLS IM A WHORE FOR THAT and Bria was hot ngl
If someone asks what I didnt like in this book- there wouldn't be much (except for the insta lust idk when it became such a huge turn off for me but a guy just hearing a girl's voice and going all needtofuckbemineneedtofuckshessodifferentneedtofuck just doesnt work for me anymore) but the thing is- I liked this book.
Bria was a badass (tho i do wish we'd have gotten more of that aspect of her personality)
Eli was a dumbass (tho i loved him by the end)
I would've liked it more had it had more plot but its alr.
Despite mostly liking this book, I just didn't connect to it really. And I can't say anything about the spice bcs I didn't read it (i just cannot read smut between characters im not invested in 🤷🏻♀️)
June 7, 2023
this felt like the walmart version of the mindfuck series, especially the plot wanted to be as interesting and thrilling, but it turned out mediocre at its best. bria's backstory was massively underdeveloped and then came the totally predictable anticlimactic ending. the whole female serial killer revenge story line actually had so much potential but was not well done at all which is really disappointing.
now the characters, both individually and as a couple, were really great. the tension and chemistry between them was absolutely delectable. all the damn scenes when they were together were so hot and cute. but the problem is that the authors decided to make their non-existent romance the main focus. so the whole revenge thing took a backseat for what? just their insta lust bec i didn't feel any love between them at all. also the character development sucked and bria's character just lost its charm as the book progressed which was totally not it for me. tbh she deserved a way better story.
now the characters, both individually and as a couple, were really great. the tension and chemistry between them was absolutely delectable. all the damn scenes when they were together were so hot and cute. but the problem is that the authors decided to make their non-existent romance the main focus. so the whole revenge thing took a backseat for what? just their insta lust bec i didn't feel any love between them at all. also the character development sucked and bria's character just lost its charm as the book progressed which was totally not it for me. tbh she deserved a way better story.
June 27, 2022
Slumps are the worst, amiright?! But when you come across a book that slaps you right out of it... I can't even explain how happy I am right now.
He's the man who follows all of the rules.
She's the woman who loves to break them...
The End.
There was obviously more to this story. Bria had survived something horrific and had made it her life's work to carefully construct mayhem, whittling down evil one person at a time. She was cool and calculating. Loyal and lethal. Girl was sexy AF.
Eli happened to be on her path to wreaking devastation and they connected in ways beyond anything I could have expected. And they were so sexy together. I'm talking combustible, scorching hot!
This book had me quickly turning the pages, enjoying the heck out of its darkness.
➼ pseudo-revenge theme
➼ entertaining and engaging plot
➼ incredibly hot sex
➼ great chemistry between the characters
➼ I had no idea how it was going to end and I loved the surprise of it
Seriously... what more do you need to pick this one up?!
Find more https://www.nbiblioholic.com/2022/06/review-black-sheep-by-alexa-harlowe.html
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 5 out of 5 / several explicit scenes / BDSM elements
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
He's the man who follows all of the rules.
She's the woman who loves to break them...
The End.
There was obviously more to this story. Bria had survived something horrific and had made it her life's work to carefully construct mayhem, whittling down evil one person at a time. She was cool and calculating. Loyal and lethal. Girl was sexy AF.
There is strength in her beauty with her defined yet feminine jaw and her high cheekbones and her sharp stare that follows movement outside as though she might break through the glass to take her prey down.
Eli happened to be on her path to wreaking devastation and they connected in ways beyond anything I could have expected. And they were so sexy together. I'm talking combustible, scorching hot!
I've never been so feverishly consumed. I've never devoured like this in return, molding my lips to his, pressing my body to his, desperate to be closer. Desperate to burn.
This book had me quickly turning the pages, enjoying the heck out of its darkness.
➼ pseudo-revenge theme
➼ entertaining and engaging plot
➼ incredibly hot sex
➼ great chemistry between the characters
➼ I had no idea how it was going to end and I loved the surprise of it
Seriously... what more do you need to pick this one up?!
Find more https://www.nbiblioholic.com/2022/06/review-black-sheep-by-alexa-harlowe.html
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 5 out of 5 / several explicit scenes / BDSM elements
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
June 20, 2022
Thank you to Brynne Weaver for sending me an 𝐀𝐑𝐂. All thoughts and opinions are my own. There are many many 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗! So if you hate them and don't want to know anything about this book, i suggest you don't to go any further. 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝.
“Eli stands motionless in stunned silence, a dark hunger rising to the surface in his eyes. “Who are you?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Dr. Kaplan? You may think you have a demon in you…” I say as I step toward him. I place my hands on his chest and rise up on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “But I’m the devil he worships in the night.”
Now that is how you start a story, with murder. From the 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐍 sentence I knew this book was gonna be a worthwhile, crazy ride and i was right. This is my third book from Brynne Weaver and i am still completely in love with her writing style and Characters. Plus you combined it with new author Alexa Harlowe and 𝐖𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝, 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐲, 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬.
The authors did a remarkable job giving us the perfect balance between the characters, their backstory, plot and world building. Everything about this story was fascinating, entertaining and intriguing with great secondary characters. This book had a lot of dark and sentimental moments that had me feel a lot of emotion, 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐲, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐎𝐩𝐮𝐬 #𝟏𝟑𝟗.
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
Bria, Oh where do i even start with this woman. The way i was totally nodding my head and agreeing with 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐌𝐂 and low key- pfft who am i kidding, more like full on turned on by her should've frighten me. And i did had a moment where i stopped and asked myself “What Is Wrong With Me?” I concede it was a very short moment that was gone in a blink of an eye but a moment nonetheless.
You know like i acknowledged that my priorities and morals are really off the rails and so far down the rabbit hole of darkness, that i don't see the world in Black and White anymore but in Greys. 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐘.
Now i think i can safely assume that we all love a character with 𝐀 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐀 𝐒𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐲 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 (without them trying to hard and being Borderline cringy) and this woman was my dream character. She was perfectly imperfect with equal flaws and qualities that made her into such a complex and loveable character. Everything about her was human and relatable- well as much as 𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐅𝐮#𝐤𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐧 in a regular basis can be. But you know if you look at in a serial killing way she was totally amazing and very much down to earth.
“I clear all those thoughts from my mind as I meditate. It’s sometimes the only chance I have to look at my trophies, and I just collected a new one for my memory palace. It’s the image of Tristan’s jugular vein surging against the wire of my garrote, his pulse growing weaker and weaker until it stopped. I place this image in a frame where it plays on a loop and lay it on the middle shelf on my trophy cabinet, marveling at this collection that lives only in my mind.
I pick up my favourite trophy so far, the voice of a man named Nick Hutchinson who I killed last year. I’ve stored it in a pink conch shell. I raise the shell to my ear and listen.
“Please… please no, I’ll give you anything… anything you want, it’s yours…” and then the gurgling rush of blood as I sliced his throat. I enjoy the sound of his begging.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
Bria had a very dark and traumatic past that has shaped her into the woman she is today. She is extremely smart, organized and is always five moves ahead of her targets. But what I loved most was her memory palace, not the concept (which i do love btw) but her palace. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.
And you gotta love a woman with a Lair. Honestly she robbed me from forming any rational or logical thoughts. Bria was made to destroy all of my defenses, she was literally my Kryptonite and Achilles Heel combined. My poor Bisexual heart did not have a chance against her and i'm not mad about it. 𝐈 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐢 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥. 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐚𝐫.
She knows exactly who and what she is and does not shy away from it. She is unapologetic and i simply adored how she embraced everything that she was, the good and the bad. Because despite herself there was good even though she's not happy about it. But no matter the number of masks she wears and hide behind, 𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞.
“I grip his hair and pull his mouth to mine. He frames my face with heated palms and kisses me like he’s searching for the soul he’ll never find. Searching with his plundering tongue. With a bite that draws blood. With his heart pounding against my chest, begging for secrets from mine. I’ve never been so feverishly consumed. I’ve never devoured like this in return, mollding my lips to his, pressing my body to his, desperate to be closer. Desperate to burn.”
[...] “His body burns with mine, the scent of spices and mint and rum and bergamot warming with his heat, invading my senses. He kisses and bites and thrusts and this need, this magnetic need, it consumes, turning thought to ash. Turning me to flame.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
And then we have Samuel, God did i loved their relationship and dynamic, the speaking in codes about their killings and 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝. Bria was wild and feral with a thirst for revenge when they met, and he took all of those raged fuelled edges and sharpened them into a deadly weapon and an impenetrable armor. Samuel saved her life, not by not killing her, but by giving her a purpose, discipline, guidance and taught her the art of killing. 𝐇𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝. And i can honestly say this bond will stay with me for a long while. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭.
“After all, I am not just his protégé. I owe my life to Samuel. I am his one moment of mercy. In 172 killings, I am the only person he ever saved. The gurney squeaks behind me. I twist around to watch the EMTs rolling out a body covered with a sheet. I turn back to Samuel and he smiles. One hundred and seventy-three”
[...] “There is no overkill, his voice reminds me, drifting around my mind like a desert wind. There is only kill, or die. Death need not be your heart stopping. It can be the loss of music. Or memory. Or freedom. Whatever you fear most, that is death. So kill, Bria. Kill every risk that would kill you first. Only then can you enjoy the death that is suffered by your hand.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
Eli is a cinnamon roll, there are no other words for me to use to describe him. He also had a golden retriever vibe to him that i completely adored. But do not let this fool you, 𝐄𝐥𝐢 𝐊𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬. There are some things i did not see coming and was not prepared for but dear lord was i 100% extatique about them. We all have darkness inside of us and Eli is no different. He has a beast caged inside of him holding on to it so tight not wanting to let it go. But when he finally unleashed it, what a sight to behold.
I don't know what it was about this scene that stayed with me the way it did, since this is not my first smutty read. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞. Alot. It was like breathing your first breath of fresh air after drowning.
“There was a humming current in the air between us, a vibration. Desire. But something darker, too. It felt like another predator was there in my midst, but one with a different kind of hunger to sate.”
[...] “It feels almost like a sin. Not to kill the man, but to take the essence of something darker that sleeps beneath the surface. When I watched that video, I saw a creature not all that different from me. I bring the needle a little closer. Aside from Samuel, I’ve never met anyone even remotely like me. Kaplan’s darkness is different, yet it feels familiar. He has a cache of shadows too. They beg to be let out. I can almost hear them”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
I don't believe anyone could have described Bria better than Eli. 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬.
I truly believe that we each have at least one person that gets us and complement us. Whether it is a lover, best friend or mentor, we all do and we spend our entire lives looking for them. And there is no doubt in my mind that these two were made for each other. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐥𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫.
I also enjoyed the way Bria toyed with Eli. A simple a look, an arched brow, a tilt of the head or her smug smile, and everytime it happened he would wonder, 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭? 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐢 𝐝𝐨? 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢? She had him completely wrapped around her finger and i absolutely loved every minute of it.
“There’s some kind of energy to her that pulls it all together. A gravity. A planet’s worth of mysteries behind those piercing eyes.” [...] “Her eyes latch onto mine and do not let go. They’re dark in color and intensity. There’s a hidden world behind them, and that place looks full of secrets and shadows.”
[...] “The look in her eyes grows colder by the minute.The temperature of the room feels like an inferno except for where her eyes meet mine. It’s like she’s frozen her gaze onto mine and crystals of ice are splintering into my soul. Just an eerie void that draws me in.”
“Eli stands motionless in stunned silence, a dark hunger rising to the surface in his eyes. “Who are you?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Dr. Kaplan? You may think you have a demon in you…” I say as I step toward him. I place my hands on his chest and rise up on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “But I’m the devil he worships in the night.”
Now that is how you start a story, with murder. From the 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐍 sentence I knew this book was gonna be a worthwhile, crazy ride and i was right. This is my third book from Brynne Weaver and i am still completely in love with her writing style and Characters. Plus you combined it with new author Alexa Harlowe and 𝐖𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝, 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐲, 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬.
The authors did a remarkable job giving us the perfect balance between the characters, their backstory, plot and world building. Everything about this story was fascinating, entertaining and intriguing with great secondary characters. This book had a lot of dark and sentimental moments that had me feel a lot of emotion, 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐲, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐎𝐩𝐮𝐬 #𝟏𝟑𝟗.
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
Bria, Oh where do i even start with this woman. The way i was totally nodding my head and agreeing with 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐌𝐂 and low key- pfft who am i kidding, more like full on turned on by her should've frighten me. And i did had a moment where i stopped and asked myself “What Is Wrong With Me?” I concede it was a very short moment that was gone in a blink of an eye but a moment nonetheless.
You know like i acknowledged that my priorities and morals are really off the rails and so far down the rabbit hole of darkness, that i don't see the world in Black and White anymore but in Greys. 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐘.
Now i think i can safely assume that we all love a character with 𝐀 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐀 𝐒𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐲 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 (without them trying to hard and being Borderline cringy) and this woman was my dream character. She was perfectly imperfect with equal flaws and qualities that made her into such a complex and loveable character. Everything about her was human and relatable- well as much as 𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐅𝐮#𝐤𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐧 in a regular basis can be. But you know if you look at in a serial killing way she was totally amazing and very much down to earth.
“I clear all those thoughts from my mind as I meditate. It’s sometimes the only chance I have to look at my trophies, and I just collected a new one for my memory palace. It’s the image of Tristan’s jugular vein surging against the wire of my garrote, his pulse growing weaker and weaker until it stopped. I place this image in a frame where it plays on a loop and lay it on the middle shelf on my trophy cabinet, marveling at this collection that lives only in my mind.
I pick up my favourite trophy so far, the voice of a man named Nick Hutchinson who I killed last year. I’ve stored it in a pink conch shell. I raise the shell to my ear and listen.
“Please… please no, I’ll give you anything… anything you want, it’s yours…” and then the gurgling rush of blood as I sliced his throat. I enjoy the sound of his begging.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
Bria had a very dark and traumatic past that has shaped her into the woman she is today. She is extremely smart, organized and is always five moves ahead of her targets. But what I loved most was her memory palace, not the concept (which i do love btw) but her palace. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬.
And you gotta love a woman with a Lair. Honestly she robbed me from forming any rational or logical thoughts. Bria was made to destroy all of my defenses, she was literally my Kryptonite and Achilles Heel combined. My poor Bisexual heart did not have a chance against her and i'm not mad about it. 𝐈 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐢 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥. 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐚𝐫.
She knows exactly who and what she is and does not shy away from it. She is unapologetic and i simply adored how she embraced everything that she was, the good and the bad. Because despite herself there was good even though she's not happy about it. But no matter the number of masks she wears and hide behind, 𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞.
“I grip his hair and pull his mouth to mine. He frames my face with heated palms and kisses me like he’s searching for the soul he’ll never find. Searching with his plundering tongue. With a bite that draws blood. With his heart pounding against my chest, begging for secrets from mine. I’ve never been so feverishly consumed. I’ve never devoured like this in return, mollding my lips to his, pressing my body to his, desperate to be closer. Desperate to burn.”
[...] “His body burns with mine, the scent of spices and mint and rum and bergamot warming with his heat, invading my senses. He kisses and bites and thrusts and this need, this magnetic need, it consumes, turning thought to ash. Turning me to flame.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
And then we have Samuel, God did i loved their relationship and dynamic, the speaking in codes about their killings and 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝. Bria was wild and feral with a thirst for revenge when they met, and he took all of those raged fuelled edges and sharpened them into a deadly weapon and an impenetrable armor. Samuel saved her life, not by not killing her, but by giving her a purpose, discipline, guidance and taught her the art of killing. 𝐇𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝. And i can honestly say this bond will stay with me for a long while. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭.
“After all, I am not just his protégé. I owe my life to Samuel. I am his one moment of mercy. In 172 killings, I am the only person he ever saved. The gurney squeaks behind me. I twist around to watch the EMTs rolling out a body covered with a sheet. I turn back to Samuel and he smiles. One hundred and seventy-three”
[...] “There is no overkill, his voice reminds me, drifting around my mind like a desert wind. There is only kill, or die. Death need not be your heart stopping. It can be the loss of music. Or memory. Or freedom. Whatever you fear most, that is death. So kill, Bria. Kill every risk that would kill you first. Only then can you enjoy the death that is suffered by your hand.”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
Eli is a cinnamon roll, there are no other words for me to use to describe him. He also had a golden retriever vibe to him that i completely adored. But do not let this fool you, 𝐄𝐥𝐢 𝐊𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬. There are some things i did not see coming and was not prepared for but dear lord was i 100% extatique about them. We all have darkness inside of us and Eli is no different. He has a beast caged inside of him holding on to it so tight not wanting to let it go. But when he finally unleashed it, what a sight to behold.
I don't know what it was about this scene that stayed with me the way it did, since this is not my first smutty read. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞. Alot. It was like breathing your first breath of fresh air after drowning.
“There was a humming current in the air between us, a vibration. Desire. But something darker, too. It felt like another predator was there in my midst, but one with a different kind of hunger to sate.”
[...] “It feels almost like a sin. Not to kill the man, but to take the essence of something darker that sleeps beneath the surface. When I watched that video, I saw a creature not all that different from me. I bring the needle a little closer. Aside from Samuel, I’ve never met anyone even remotely like me. Kaplan’s darkness is different, yet it feels familiar. He has a cache of shadows too. They beg to be let out. I can almost hear them”
⋘•⋙---------•⪼⪻•---------⋘•⋙
I don't believe anyone could have described Bria better than Eli. 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬.
I truly believe that we each have at least one person that gets us and complement us. Whether it is a lover, best friend or mentor, we all do and we spend our entire lives looking for them. And there is no doubt in my mind that these two were made for each other. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐥𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫.
I also enjoyed the way Bria toyed with Eli. A simple a look, an arched brow, a tilt of the head or her smug smile, and everytime it happened he would wonder, 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭? 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐢 𝐝𝐨? 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢? She had him completely wrapped around her finger and i absolutely loved every minute of it.
“There’s some kind of energy to her that pulls it all together. A gravity. A planet’s worth of mysteries behind those piercing eyes.” [...] “Her eyes latch onto mine and do not let go. They’re dark in color and intensity. There’s a hidden world behind them, and that place looks full of secrets and shadows.”
[...] “The look in her eyes grows colder by the minute.The temperature of the room feels like an inferno except for where her eyes meet mine. It’s like she’s frozen her gaze onto mine and crystals of ice are splintering into my soul. Just an eerie void that draws me in.”
November 11, 2022
nothing will ever top mindfuck series when it comes to revenge arc or serial killer fmc character.
the only thing I liked about this book has to be the H eli (who I did like more than logan) but Bria was legit nowhere near lana Myers. This book was lacking in plot and I wish there were more action scenes. The spice was very well done ngl but it didn’t save the book for me.
anyways.. gonna go rewatch reels abt queen lana myers 😌
the only thing I liked about this book has to be the H eli (who I did like more than logan) but Bria was legit nowhere near lana Myers. This book was lacking in plot and I wish there were more action scenes. The spice was very well done ngl but it didn’t save the book for me.
anyways.. gonna go rewatch reels abt queen lana myers 😌
November 1, 2022
"Most of the files are still shots of a woman in black lingerie on Kaplan’s bed. In some, she’s chained by cuffs on her wrists and ankles, in others she’s free. She’s beautiful and sexy with hunger or pleasure or power or even desperation in her eyes. A few of the files are videos. I click on the first one."
on any other occasion, I would read this and just dnf and not rate it but I'm pissed bc I was really invested and this scene completely ruined it. It continues on to a very descriptive scene of him fucking another woman on video. Im sick to my stomach. It was so unnecessary too like...
on any other occasion, I would read this and just dnf and not rate it but I'm pissed bc I was really invested and this scene completely ruined it. It continues on to a very descriptive scene of him fucking another woman on video. Im sick to my stomach. It was so unnecessary too like...
September 12, 2022
4✨
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Dr. Kaplan? You may think you have a demon in you…But I’m the devil he worships in the night.”
I ate this book up. Black Sheep follows Bria, a bad ass serial killer who hunts down cults while also working on her doctorate. After a chance meeting at a coffee shop, Dr. Eli Kaplan to fall to his knees for this woman.
Bria is, by definition, a strong fmc. She’s sassy, psychopathic, and such a fun character to read.
Eli is everything. It’s dramatic, but true. A tweed-wearing professor who also wears leather jackets, has a proclivity for bondage, races in illegal motorcycle rings, and accepts Bria for all her psychopathic tendencies.
The characters really made this story for me because plot is a little lacking. While there’s definitely action—romantic and violent—throughout, the ending was a little tame in my opinion. The twist was great and I didn’t see it coming, but the actual climax was a little underwhelming.
Read this if you miss The Mindf*ck series, loved Wretched by Emily McIntire, and like a bit of forbidden love with student/teacher academia vibes.
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Dr. Kaplan? You may think you have a demon in you…But I’m the devil he worships in the night.”
I ate this book up. Black Sheep follows Bria, a bad ass serial killer who hunts down cults while also working on her doctorate. After a chance meeting at a coffee shop, Dr. Eli Kaplan to fall to his knees for this woman.
Bria is, by definition, a strong fmc. She’s sassy, psychopathic, and such a fun character to read.
Eli is everything. It’s dramatic, but true. A tweed-wearing professor who also wears leather jackets, has a proclivity for bondage, races in illegal motorcycle rings, and accepts Bria for all her psychopathic tendencies.
The characters really made this story for me because plot is a little lacking. While there’s definitely action—romantic and violent—throughout, the ending was a little tame in my opinion. The twist was great and I didn’t see it coming, but the actual climax was a little underwhelming.
Read this if you miss The Mindf*ck series, loved Wretched by Emily McIntire, and like a bit of forbidden love with student/teacher academia vibes.
March 7, 2023
Head empty. No thoughts. Just Bria and Eli.
July 16, 2024
“We belong to one another. We just need time. With every touch, with every secret spoken or truth shared, we’ll grow and bind together. And that’s what we do.“
I am literally obsessed with fmc who are serial killers I believe🤭. Anyways Eli and Bria were so cuteee. The way Eli was already obsessed with Bria was ahhhhhh🥰🙂↕️. Being able to dive into Bria past and understand the way she acts and watching her fall in love with Eli was beautiful🥹. But also seeing Eli accept Bria darkness and still showing her she is worth of love made my heart melt🥺. Brynne weaver is definitely one of my favorite dark romance authors for sure😁.
I am literally obsessed with fmc who are serial killers I believe🤭. Anyways Eli and Bria were so cuteee. The way Eli was already obsessed with Bria was ahhhhhh🥰🙂↕️. Being able to dive into Bria past and understand the way she acts and watching her fall in love with Eli was beautiful🥹. But also seeing Eli accept Bria darkness and still showing her she is worth of love made my heart melt🥺. Brynne weaver is definitely one of my favorite dark romance authors for sure😁.
March 2, 2023
First of all I really liked this book, it was vibe Mindf**k series hot as fuck, with characters well connected and the dialogues were the best.
But I thought it was lacking something, I didn’t know what. However…
It’s a great reading.
It’s worth the reading.
But I thought it was lacking something, I didn’t know what. However…
It’s a great reading.
It’s worth the reading.
June 30, 2024
Honestly it wasn’t terrible but nearly every chapter was spice lol. 3 stars ✨
August 2, 2022
5✨
Not going to lie I can not remember the last book I’ve rated 5 stars, I’m a chronic 3 star reviewer.
also I’ve read like 260+ books this year which means if I rated it a 5 star, it’s worth adding to your TBR.
This book had it all, the female mc was perfect, the male mc didn’t annoy me, the storyline/plot was great and kept surprising me, and the smut was fabulously written.
I’m a hard person to surprise, probably bc I’ve read so many books there’s few things that can be done to surprise me at this point. However, there were multiple times in this book I read something and was like “didn’t see that coming” - also, twice those things pissed me off and I closed the book to regain my composure. (Pissed me off in the best way ofc, if you get an emotional reaction to a book that means it’s good)
This book was equal parts thriller, romance, smut, mystery, whatever. I’m not going to go too in depth about the plot though bc I hate when people type a summary of the book in reviews. Not trying to ruin surprises 🤠
One thing though, there’s bdsm / breath play so if that triggers you don’t read this. Also, there’s a lot of killing so that could be triggering too ig.
Not going to lie I can not remember the last book I’ve rated 5 stars, I’m a chronic 3 star reviewer.
also I’ve read like 260+ books this year which means if I rated it a 5 star, it’s worth adding to your TBR.
This book had it all, the female mc was perfect, the male mc didn’t annoy me, the storyline/plot was great and kept surprising me, and the smut was fabulously written.
I’m a hard person to surprise, probably bc I’ve read so many books there’s few things that can be done to surprise me at this point. However, there were multiple times in this book I read something and was like “didn’t see that coming” - also, twice those things pissed me off and I closed the book to regain my composure. (Pissed me off in the best way ofc, if you get an emotional reaction to a book that means it’s good)
This book was equal parts thriller, romance, smut, mystery, whatever. I’m not going to go too in depth about the plot though bc I hate when people type a summary of the book in reviews. Not trying to ruin surprises 🤠
One thing though, there’s bdsm / breath play so if that triggers you don’t read this. Also, there’s a lot of killing so that could be triggering too ig.
October 14, 2022
DNF
I'm having such a bad reading week😭 The books i have been reading are so boring for me, is this called a reading slump
I'm having such a bad reading week😭 The books i have been reading are so boring for me, is this called a reading slump
September 5, 2022
I seriously enjoyed this and read it in one sitting always the sight of a good book. I adored the premise of a female serial killer on a crusade of personal vengeance out to harm those who prey on the vulnerable. Brie has been shaped by her past growing up in a cult her life has been filled with unimaginable abuse. This treatment culminated in her being dumped badly beaten and near death in the desert. It was here she found an unlikely guardian and teacher Samuel.
Samuel took the young girl and moulded her in his image giving Brie the tools she would need and setting her on her path of healing. Her rise from the ashes sees her taking control of her destiny and forging her own path now Brie is the darkness one that wears a mask of civility and her victims never see coming until it’s too late.
Brie is lethal and unapologetic in her intentions she knows what she is and revels in her nature. She takes pride in the fact that she is different. When she encounters Eli one of the facility professors she senses in him a kindred soul but finds herself annoyed by his conformity. Initially, she can’t stand him this is despite being also insanely drawn to him. It’s a new sensation for her and one she’s not sure she’s entirely comfortable with.
From the instant, Eli spots Brie in the coffee shop he’s hooked. But then he manages to leave a disastrous first impression and every encounter only seems to make things worse. There’s also the issue that she’s a student finishing her thesis not that she’s Eli’s so technically it’s not against the rules. Still, he is drawn to Brie anyway her apparent darkness and unique attitude only intriguing him more she doesn’t wear her usual mask for him and he finds himself wanting to break free from his rigid box for her.
When these two then connect it’s insanely hot. These two have so much chemistry together. The intimate scenes between them were explicit and toe curling and definitely not vanilla. We have toys choking and rope and so much more included this is definitely high on the heat scale. I also adored the dynamic these two shared and Brie for the first time in her life is getting a taste of what it’s like to be cared for so intensely. It’s all so new for her and she finds herself slowly opening up and trusting someone besides her mentor Samual but she’s also scared that when Eli learns the truth it’s all going to come crumbling down around her.
This had action and danger and heat and a very interesting subject matter. It’s dual POV which is my favourite and the writing was top-notch. I especially liked how Eli eventually accepted Brie completely for herself not expecting her to change her nature for him I love it when this occurs. I enjoyed this one immensely and I definitely recommend reading this it’s certainly a stand-out example in its genre and deserves all the stars.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/63435390
August 10, 2022
I really loved this book! It was such a fun time and I couldn't stop reading. Brynne and Alexa's writing is so easy to get into and the twists and turns of this book will make you not wanna put it down, I'm sure. If you're a big fan of The Mindf*ck series but wanted more smut, definitely check out Black Sheep. It's everything you want in a serial killer dark romance book.
Bria Brooks is on the hunt. She's looking for a cult leader to kill. Her plan leads her to Dr. Eli Kaplan and their lives are forever changed. Eli is also looking to investigate the cult and its leader, Caron Berger. Both of them are working towards the same outcome, but they don't know it yet. Eli definitely doesn't know Bria is leaving a path of bodies behind her. But he's falling madly in love with her... What's going to happen when everything is revealed?
No, but this book IS HOT, STEAMY, SMUTTY! It's kinky as helllllll. Eli is a shy professor on the outside, trying to follow the rules... but on the inside? He's a beast ready to fill up his fantasies. He has toys, whips, chains, blindfolds, anything you can think of-- he has it. But I love that he has found his darkness with Bria. They are perfect for each other, really! He wants to worship the ground she walks on and he does it each and every time in the book tbh. He's so in love but so scared to show it, because he knows that Bria is going to get spooked. But maybe she'll surprise him as well.
Bria is so intelligent; she has developed the method of loci which is a strategy of memory enhacement where the person has a mind palace. There, they visualize every single memory they have in order to recall them easily. I THINK THAT'S THE CORRECT DEFINITION BUT DO LET ME KNOW IF IM WRONG. I didn't understand it at first, but then you get to see Bria get to her mind palace a lot, so you kinda get the hang of it. She has everything organized in a specific way. When you've seen in books the phrase "I remember everything"... yeah BRIA LITERALLY CAN REMEMBER EVERYTHING. It's so smart and Bria is amazing!!!!!!
Bria Brooks is on the hunt. She's looking for a cult leader to kill. Her plan leads her to Dr. Eli Kaplan and their lives are forever changed. Eli is also looking to investigate the cult and its leader, Caron Berger. Both of them are working towards the same outcome, but they don't know it yet. Eli definitely doesn't know Bria is leaving a path of bodies behind her. But he's falling madly in love with her... What's going to happen when everything is revealed?
No, but this book IS HOT, STEAMY, SMUTTY! It's kinky as helllllll. Eli is a shy professor on the outside, trying to follow the rules... but on the inside? He's a beast ready to fill up his fantasies. He has toys, whips, chains, blindfolds, anything you can think of-- he has it. But I love that he has found his darkness with Bria. They are perfect for each other, really! He wants to worship the ground she walks on and he does it each and every time in the book tbh. He's so in love but so scared to show it, because he knows that Bria is going to get spooked. But maybe she'll surprise him as well.
Bria is so intelligent; she has developed the method of loci which is a strategy of memory enhacement where the person has a mind palace. There, they visualize every single memory they have in order to recall them easily. I THINK THAT'S THE CORRECT DEFINITION BUT DO LET ME KNOW IF IM WRONG. I didn't understand it at first, but then you get to see Bria get to her mind palace a lot, so you kinda get the hang of it. She has everything organized in a specific way. When you've seen in books the phrase "I remember everything"... yeah BRIA LITERALLY CAN REMEMBER EVERYTHING. It's so smart and Bria is amazing!!!!!!
April 8, 2023
Title: Black Sheep
Author: Brynne Weaver, Alexa Harlowe
Format read: Kindle, Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Triggers: Religious trauma, religious cult, parental neglect, PTSD, physical and emotional abuse, murder, torture, drug abuse, BDSM, breath play, rough sex, consensual non consent
i thoroughly enjoyed this book. it was a delight. came for the pegging, stayed for bria brooks. she was such a breath of fresh air. a badass heroine. an unhinged serial killer but justified. you can't help but feel for her. i loved samuel, he was such a good father figure to bria. eli kaplan, u sexy beast.
i rlly enjoyed how much emotional intimacy there was in this book inspite of being a dark romance. it had so much emotional depth as well. i loved seeing how they went from purely lusting after each other to confiding in each other. the progress of the relationship rlly kept me hooked. it wasn't all tell and that made it so much better. i think if you're looking for a solid read after the mindfuck series or the darkly, madly duet, this one is for you. 100% recommend to everyone who's favorite color is morally grey.
Author: Brynne Weaver, Alexa Harlowe
Format read: Kindle, Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Triggers: Religious trauma, religious cult, parental neglect, PTSD, physical and emotional abuse, murder, torture, drug abuse, BDSM, breath play, rough sex, consensual non consent
i thoroughly enjoyed this book. it was a delight. came for the pegging, stayed for bria brooks. she was such a breath of fresh air. a badass heroine. an unhinged serial killer but justified. you can't help but feel for her. i loved samuel, he was such a good father figure to bria. eli kaplan, u sexy beast.
i rlly enjoyed how much emotional intimacy there was in this book inspite of being a dark romance. it had so much emotional depth as well. i loved seeing how they went from purely lusting after each other to confiding in each other. the progress of the relationship rlly kept me hooked. it wasn't all tell and that made it so much better. i think if you're looking for a solid read after the mindfuck series or the darkly, madly duet, this one is for you. 100% recommend to everyone who's favorite color is morally grey.
April 26, 2023
For a pretty exciting plot, the story somehow wasn’t. I was bored throughout most of it. The characters were too clean cut and their connection was pretty mild. The last quarter of the book was better which probably saved it a little for me but I wish the rest of the book had that intensity.
September 24, 2022
• serial killer (h) x professor (H)
• slow burn
• protective leads
• morally grey? MC
• simping H
• HEA
I have been looking for a book that gave off Mindfck series vibes sonce I finished that book and Black Sheep did it for me. I loved this book. I’m buying a physical copy.
Our h is a serial killer out for revenge while also going to University to finish her doctorates. She runs into our H who seems so nerdy with his tweed jackets but is also hiding some secrets.
Highly recommend
• slow burn
• protective leads
• morally grey? MC
• simping H
• HEA
I have been looking for a book that gave off Mindfck series vibes sonce I finished that book and Black Sheep did it for me. I loved this book. I’m buying a physical copy.
Our h is a serial killer out for revenge while also going to University to finish her doctorates. She runs into our H who seems so nerdy with his tweed jackets but is also hiding some secrets.
Highly recommend
October 6, 2022
Well well well.. if you loved Mindfuxk, this book is for you.
If you like some good kinky spicy times.. this is also totally for you.
4.5 stars
5 on the spice scale. It's slow to start but then it's intense!
CW: murder, torture, cults, violence and gore. Bondage, toys, shibari, pegging, and a bit of primal play. 😝😏
If you like some good kinky spicy times.. this is also totally for you.
4.5 stars
5 on the spice scale. It's slow to start but then it's intense!
CW: murder, torture, cults, violence and gore. Bondage, toys, shibari, pegging, and a bit of primal play. 😝😏
October 11, 2023
dnf at 30% I am SO BORED???
I don’t even really understand what’s going on nor do I care
may revisit after I’ve read something else 🫠
also the insta-lust? Eli is so obsessed with this girl he’s said 3 sentences too cba
I don’t even really understand what’s going on nor do I care
may revisit after I’ve read something else 🫠
also the insta-lust? Eli is so obsessed with this girl he’s said 3 sentences too cba
December 7, 2023
Where do I even begin…
October 4, 2023
“I don’t always fuck a man before I kill him, but when I do, I find there’s one thing they all have in common. They’re disappointing.”
Okay but 4.5⭐️s EASILY. This is how you write a dark romance y’all. Even though there were a few chapters I felt were slow, I loved all of this. 🙌🏻🙌🏻
”I won’t hide you away because you’re my dirty secret. I’ll hide you away because I’m the only one who gets to see you on your knees, Bria.”
Mister Eli Kaplan though. 🔥🤤 Never thought I’d be into a mf in tweed but here we are. The spice was spicin’ and this man got a MOUTH ON HIM and I’m there for it. 👀💦
”Maybe Samuel was right," she says, her voice soft and unsteady. "I can't love anyone. But if I could, I would love you. I would have loved you forever."
Ugh 🥹 I cannot wait to read more by this author.
✨
Okay but 4.5⭐️s EASILY. This is how you write a dark romance y’all. Even though there were a few chapters I felt were slow, I loved all of this. 🙌🏻🙌🏻
”I won’t hide you away because you’re my dirty secret. I’ll hide you away because I’m the only one who gets to see you on your knees, Bria.”
Mister Eli Kaplan though. 🔥🤤 Never thought I’d be into a mf in tweed but here we are. The spice was spicin’ and this man got a MOUTH ON HIM and I’m there for it. 👀💦
”Maybe Samuel was right," she says, her voice soft and unsteady. "I can't love anyone. But if I could, I would love you. I would have loved you forever."
Ugh 🥹 I cannot wait to read more by this author.
✨
October 16, 2022
if the mindf*ck series and the love hypothesis had a baby, it would literally be this book (graduate student x professor, serial killer x investigator… need i say more?)
honestly i didn’t plan on reading this anytime soon until i saw that the first line was literally “I don’t always fuck a man before I kill him, but when I do, I find there’s one thing they all have in common….They’re disappointing.” and then *bam* next thing you know i was already halfway done.
ngl it was pretty hard to keep up with all the specifics details involved in the case but did that stop me from reading? nope absolutely not i was having a blast being blissfully unaware of who the 353545 people bria murdered were 🙃
also logan bennett 🤝 eli kaplan when it comes to giving their wives men to murder as presents (i’m sorry i had to giggle like i got deja vu for a second there)
honestly i didn’t plan on reading this anytime soon until i saw that the first line was literally “I don’t always fuck a man before I kill him, but when I do, I find there’s one thing they all have in common….They’re disappointing.” and then *bam* next thing you know i was already halfway done.
ngl it was pretty hard to keep up with all the specifics details involved in the case but did that stop me from reading? nope absolutely not i was having a blast being blissfully unaware of who the 353545 people bria murdered were 🙃
also logan bennett 🤝 eli kaplan when it comes to giving their wives men to murder as presents (i’m sorry i had to giggle like i got deja vu for a second there)
August 10, 2022
*3.5*
think mindfuck series, but less plot and more smut ✨
think mindfuck series, but less plot and more smut ✨
December 5, 2022
I don't always fuck a man before I kill him, but when I do, I find there's one thing they all have in common.
They're disappointing.
Show me a book with a better opening line. I bet you can't.
I've been on a unhinged killer fmc kick having just read Mindf*ck Series and Wretched, so this completed the trifecta.
Bria is a doctoral student by day, serial killer by night. She's cunning, ruthless, and a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Eli, Dr. Kaplan if you will, is a professor and potential advisor for Bria. He's on the hunt for the same cult leader as Bria, just alongside the FBI. The two sense a similar darkness in one another and can't help the magnetism bringing them together.
The sexual tension was palpable and the smut in this had me screaming; that library scene!? And then Eli's office with the cherry lube?! Let's not forget about the pegging. Oh lordt, I love a man who openly uses toys.
While this book succeeds with its spice, I unfortunately found the plot and pacing to be lacking. A hefty chunk of this book focuses closely on Bria and Eli's burgeoning relationship but the plot was thrown to the backburner and felt like an afterthought. I wish the smut and the plot were interwoven a bit more so that both the relationship and the storyline progressed at an even rate to avoid the small lull I experienced while reading.
Overall, this is professor x doctoral student, serial killer x FBI informant, and an overall good time. I think if I didn't read this immediately after Mindf*ck, it'd hold up a lot better. This scratches an itch, but it's just one millimeter off mark.
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
They're disappointing.
Show me a book with a better opening line. I bet you can't.
I've been on a unhinged killer fmc kick having just read Mindf*ck Series and Wretched, so this completed the trifecta.
Bria is a doctoral student by day, serial killer by night. She's cunning, ruthless, and a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Eli, Dr. Kaplan if you will, is a professor and potential advisor for Bria. He's on the hunt for the same cult leader as Bria, just alongside the FBI. The two sense a similar darkness in one another and can't help the magnetism bringing them together.
The sexual tension was palpable and the smut in this had me screaming; that library scene!? And then Eli's office with the cherry lube?! Let's not forget about the pegging. Oh lordt, I love a man who openly uses toys.
While this book succeeds with its spice, I unfortunately found the plot and pacing to be lacking. A hefty chunk of this book focuses closely on Bria and Eli's burgeoning relationship but the plot was thrown to the backburner and felt like an afterthought. I wish the smut and the plot were interwoven a bit more so that both the relationship and the storyline progressed at an even rate to avoid the small lull I experienced while reading.
Overall, this is professor x doctoral student, serial killer x FBI informant, and an overall good time. I think if I didn't read this immediately after Mindf*ck, it'd hold up a lot better. This scratches an itch, but it's just one millimeter off mark.
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
Read
August 6, 2022She’s a serial killer and I love it
October 24, 2022
3 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Dr. Kaplan? You may think you have a demon in you…” I say as I step toward him. I place my hands on his chest and rise up on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “But I’m the devil he worships in the night.”
Murderous doctoral student FMC? Undercover kinky professor MMC? Mystery? Spice? Tension? Black Sheep had all of that yet I couldn't love the book.
I think it's mostly the pacing but also it felt to me that the amount of smut overshadowed the plot and action in a way.
If Bria Brooks is the devil, I will gladly burn in hell.
It started out really good but it lost me along the way.
Trigger Warnings: Religious trauma (references to cults in particular), including manipulation and degradation, references to drug abuse, parental neglect, physical and emotional abuse/manipulation (no sexual abuse), abuse suffered by a child from an authority figure (not a parent), references to an intended marriage between a minor and a young adult which is NOT consummated and no sexual contact occurs, physical violence, torture, and murder, claustrophobia, panic attacks and undiagnosed PTSD, explicit language, detailed sexual content.
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Dr. Kaplan? You may think you have a demon in you…” I say as I step toward him. I place my hands on his chest and rise up on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “But I’m the devil he worships in the night.”
Murderous doctoral student FMC? Undercover kinky professor MMC? Mystery? Spice? Tension? Black Sheep had all of that yet I couldn't love the book.
I think it's mostly the pacing but also it felt to me that the amount of smut overshadowed the plot and action in a way.
If Bria Brooks is the devil, I will gladly burn in hell.
It started out really good but it lost me along the way.
Trigger Warnings: Religious trauma (references to cults in particular), including manipulation and degradation, references to drug abuse, parental neglect, physical and emotional abuse/manipulation (no sexual abuse), abuse suffered by a child from an authority figure (not a parent), references to an intended marriage between a minor and a young adult which is NOT consummated and no sexual contact occurs, physical violence, torture, and murder, claustrophobia, panic attacks and undiagnosed PTSD, explicit language, detailed sexual content.
July 17, 2024
Ehh I see the vision but it needed more plot. The conflict didn’t feel as serious as it should have but I did enjoy Eli and Bria.
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