What do you think?
Rate this book
Soul Taker #1
Heart of the Reaper
How much can one go through before life breaks them?
The only thing that keeps me together, keeps me sane, is my monster.
Did I plan to fall in love with my monster, the grim reaper? No.
But it happened anyway.
And all he does is push me away.
You know what?
He needs to be careful what he asks for because he just might get it.
Please visit the author's website for the author's darkness rating.
**Current suggested reading order
Heart of the Reaper
The Hunger of Thieves
Heart of the Tales from the Underworld
Soul of the Reaper
Fate of the Reaper
Bury Me Alive
The only thing that keeps me together, keeps me sane, is my monster.
Did I plan to fall in love with my monster, the grim reaper? No.
But it happened anyway.
And all he does is push me away.
You know what?
He needs to be careful what he asks for because he just might get it.
Please visit the author's website for the author's darkness rating.
**Current suggested reading order
Heart of the Reaper
The Hunger of Thieves
Heart of the Tales from the Underworld
Soul of the Reaper
Fate of the Reaper
Bury Me Alive
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2023
187 people are currently reading
992 people want to read
About the author
Y.D. La Mar
93 books679 followersI'm a reader, first and foremost. Just like everyone else.
I love books that are just out there. From fluffy to pitch-black darkness. Monsters and aliens to the men who haunt your dreams painting the walls in red.
My love for reading and writing reviews has led me down the road of becoming a writer myself, thanks to the encouragement of others!
I'm not sure where this journey will lead me, but I hope I can breathe life into words the way so many others have done for me when I needed an escape.
Stalk me! https://ydlamar.carrd.co
www.ydlamar.com
I love books that are just out there. From fluffy to pitch-black darkness. Monsters and aliens to the men who haunt your dreams painting the walls in red.
My love for reading and writing reviews has led me down the road of becoming a writer myself, thanks to the encouragement of others!
I'm not sure where this journey will lead me, but I hope I can breathe life into words the way so many others have done for me when I needed an escape.
Stalk me! https://ydlamar.carrd.co
www.ydlamar.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
January 18, 2023
This book was gross.
I honestly found nothing sexy, charming, hot, or romantic.
Even moving past the CW, because the author did warn me. This was gross to me.
Just yuck.
2 stars
3.5 on the spice scale
CW: rape, murder, child abuse, rape by parent, gore, assault, I could go on
I honestly found nothing sexy, charming, hot, or romantic.
Even moving past the CW, because the author did warn me. This was gross to me.
Just yuck.
2 stars
3.5 on the spice scale
CW: rape, murder, child abuse, rape by parent, gore, assault, I could go on
May 7, 2023
AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you are expecting the hero of this book to think or act human, you will be sorely disappointed. The hero of this book is unapologetically a reaper of souls. He does NOT turn into a "hot" guy.
How can a skeletal reaper do the watoosy? well...you'll have to read it to find out ;)
__________________
fun fact: I did a small writing prompt in a writer's group that wanted you to use the word dental floss and tub (or something of the sort). This entire book grew around that specific prompt.
here you go!
__________________
REESE
It’s been a damn long day at work. I didn’t let Isaac walk me to my door this time. That last kiss is still seared into my brain and I just can’t put it together with Isaac’s face, I just can’t. I just want to wash away the memory of that kiss. Scrub it out of my mind with fucking steel wool.
The moment I get home and lock the door behind me, I’m already stripping off my clothes as I walk towards the adjoining restroom to my bedroom.
The sound of the water rushing into the tub sends my mind and body into an instant calm, the way white noise on the TV used to send my mother into calm when I would fall asleep on the floor after my cartoons would be done. I can’t wait to get in this bubble bath. It’s been a long time since I had one, something I need to remedy. My mind has been tumultuous lately.
Turning off the water, I slowly step into the tub, letting the warmth cocoon me. Losing track of time, I find myself drifting off when a strange sound in the distance startles me. What was that? Mama always told me that being a single, independent woman would put a target on my head. It still didn’t stop me from doing just that. That was before she threw me away like yesterday’s trash after finding out what Daddy’s been up to behind her back. I lost my mother in more ways than one that day.
Getting out of the tub, the sound of water sloshing off my body makes me inwardly cringe. If someone broke into my house, they would have definitely heard that. Leaning my hand onto the sink counter to grab my towel, my hand slips a bit, inadvertently knocking the dental floss that has partially found some of the string under my palm. The box of floss slides across the sink and down to the ground, extending the string of floss way beyond what I would have used in a week. Dammit. Can I be any noisier? I wonder if it’s Quasi? I haven’t seen him in a while. Shit, I wonder if he’s alright and if someone’s taking care of him wherever he is. He should be here with me.
Wrapping myself in a towel, I try to tiptoe slowly towards the bedroom. I thought I was being slick when a large dark form blocks the doorway. My heart stops as I halt my movements to look up - and up - at who broke into my apartment. The figure is shrouded in a cloak, and I can’t see his face. It looks like a male because of how broad his shoulders are. He’s huge and towering. There is a cool chill that emanates off his body as well, and it makes my wet body shiver.
When his hand shoots out towards me, I stumble back and fall on my ass. The pain brings me quickly back to the moment, reminding me that my hand hit something on the way down. When I look, I see the floss that dropped earlier. With a split-second decision, I grab it and hide it behind me.
The figure’s cloak starts to dissipate before my very eyes, and in front of me is a vision from my childhood nightmares. He crawls towards me in such a slow motion that my mind plays tricks on me. His skin, what skin he does have, is stretched into strings across his skeletal body at sporadic parts, and the glow behind his eye sockets reminds me of the nights I woke up in tears for my loss. I feel my anger rising and I kick out towards his chest to get him away from me, but the quick bastard grabs my foot with his hand before it can make contact. He tsks as he continues his crawl towards me. My towel has unraveled itself and fallen open, presenting my naked body to him like a damn war prize. I can feel the cooled droplets of water trace down between my breasts, the lingering steam in the room and his very presence making it almost hard to breathe.
When my mind catches up, I become furious and throw the dental floss at his face when it just flies right through him like he’s made of air. My tears are welling up in my eyes as my mind is brought back to each night he’s made me feel this way.
When the weight of his body covers mine, the chill that seeps into my very marrows makes me want to curl into myself. Goosebumps crawl along my skin everywhere his body makes contact with mine. I hate him, and I’m fucking pissed. His skeletal hand caresses my face and forces me to look at him when I really don’t want to, not again. Not like this. He feels too real and my heart aches. It aches like the first time all over again.
Turning my head away so he doesn’t get a front-row seat to my show of weakness, I feel his breath at the crook of my neck. A hot tongue brands me there as he continues his path towards the shell of my ear.
“I’ve missed you, Reese.”
My tears are burning now and with my eyes clamped shut, I start to pummel into his chest with my fists. Didn’t that stupid box of floss go right through him? I can’t fucking understand it, but right now I really could not care less because the feeling of my fists hitting his chest is somewhat satisfying and driving me to continue my assault. How dare he? After all this time? After being alone when I needed him the most? When my world was crumbling all around me and I thought to take my own life?
“You fucking missed me? That’s what you have to say to me, you bastard?! I needed you! I’m so fucking mad at you! You left me…” He’s already grabbed my hands and pinned them above me during my tirade. My tears are flowing down like rivers in a sob at the memory of the nightmare I had to face alone… without him.
His hot tongue licks my trail of tears as he nuzzles his face against my cheek, making my heart hurt even more, opening like a chasm.
“I would burn worlds for you, Reese. It took more blood, flesh, and souls than I realized to return to you, to be able to touch you like this and not be trapped in dreams and alternate realms.” What the hell is he talking about? “Human life is so fleeting. I had to battle with the amount of flesh I had to consume with how soon I could return to you. Blasted hellfires. I’m here now, and there’s nothing you can do to get rid of me. I’ve killed for you, Reese, and I would gladly kill more to keep you by my side.” His hot tongue enters my mouth in a strange devouring kiss and my heart stutters at his audacity. His lack of lips does nothing to stop the hunger burning inside of me for what he’s giving me.
Where was he when I needed him to kill my father? My heart hurts, breaking for the lost girl caught in that moment in the past, for the scarred woman I've grown to be. The walls I’ve erected around myself to protect my heart can be heard crumbling the longer I’m in his arms like this, lost in the heat of his tongue dancing with mine. The heat of my anger cools with his cold touch on my skin as he presses his body onto me even harder, trapping me on the cool bathroom floor.
I hate that I missed him. I hate that he’s breaking down the cold heart I’ve created. I hate that I still need him and love him the way I do.
How can a skeletal reaper do the watoosy? well...you'll have to read it to find out ;)
__________________
fun fact: I did a small writing prompt in a writer's group that wanted you to use the word dental floss and tub (or something of the sort). This entire book grew around that specific prompt.
here you go!
__________________
REESE
It’s been a damn long day at work. I didn’t let Isaac walk me to my door this time. That last kiss is still seared into my brain and I just can’t put it together with Isaac’s face, I just can’t. I just want to wash away the memory of that kiss. Scrub it out of my mind with fucking steel wool.
The moment I get home and lock the door behind me, I’m already stripping off my clothes as I walk towards the adjoining restroom to my bedroom.
The sound of the water rushing into the tub sends my mind and body into an instant calm, the way white noise on the TV used to send my mother into calm when I would fall asleep on the floor after my cartoons would be done. I can’t wait to get in this bubble bath. It’s been a long time since I had one, something I need to remedy. My mind has been tumultuous lately.
Turning off the water, I slowly step into the tub, letting the warmth cocoon me. Losing track of time, I find myself drifting off when a strange sound in the distance startles me. What was that? Mama always told me that being a single, independent woman would put a target on my head. It still didn’t stop me from doing just that. That was before she threw me away like yesterday’s trash after finding out what Daddy’s been up to behind her back. I lost my mother in more ways than one that day.
Getting out of the tub, the sound of water sloshing off my body makes me inwardly cringe. If someone broke into my house, they would have definitely heard that. Leaning my hand onto the sink counter to grab my towel, my hand slips a bit, inadvertently knocking the dental floss that has partially found some of the string under my palm. The box of floss slides across the sink and down to the ground, extending the string of floss way beyond what I would have used in a week. Dammit. Can I be any noisier? I wonder if it’s Quasi? I haven’t seen him in a while. Shit, I wonder if he’s alright and if someone’s taking care of him wherever he is. He should be here with me.
Wrapping myself in a towel, I try to tiptoe slowly towards the bedroom. I thought I was being slick when a large dark form blocks the doorway. My heart stops as I halt my movements to look up - and up - at who broke into my apartment. The figure is shrouded in a cloak, and I can’t see his face. It looks like a male because of how broad his shoulders are. He’s huge and towering. There is a cool chill that emanates off his body as well, and it makes my wet body shiver.
When his hand shoots out towards me, I stumble back and fall on my ass. The pain brings me quickly back to the moment, reminding me that my hand hit something on the way down. When I look, I see the floss that dropped earlier. With a split-second decision, I grab it and hide it behind me.
The figure’s cloak starts to dissipate before my very eyes, and in front of me is a vision from my childhood nightmares. He crawls towards me in such a slow motion that my mind plays tricks on me. His skin, what skin he does have, is stretched into strings across his skeletal body at sporadic parts, and the glow behind his eye sockets reminds me of the nights I woke up in tears for my loss. I feel my anger rising and I kick out towards his chest to get him away from me, but the quick bastard grabs my foot with his hand before it can make contact. He tsks as he continues his crawl towards me. My towel has unraveled itself and fallen open, presenting my naked body to him like a damn war prize. I can feel the cooled droplets of water trace down between my breasts, the lingering steam in the room and his very presence making it almost hard to breathe.
When my mind catches up, I become furious and throw the dental floss at his face when it just flies right through him like he’s made of air. My tears are welling up in my eyes as my mind is brought back to each night he’s made me feel this way.
When the weight of his body covers mine, the chill that seeps into my very marrows makes me want to curl into myself. Goosebumps crawl along my skin everywhere his body makes contact with mine. I hate him, and I’m fucking pissed. His skeletal hand caresses my face and forces me to look at him when I really don’t want to, not again. Not like this. He feels too real and my heart aches. It aches like the first time all over again.
Turning my head away so he doesn’t get a front-row seat to my show of weakness, I feel his breath at the crook of my neck. A hot tongue brands me there as he continues his path towards the shell of my ear.
“I’ve missed you, Reese.”
My tears are burning now and with my eyes clamped shut, I start to pummel into his chest with my fists. Didn’t that stupid box of floss go right through him? I can’t fucking understand it, but right now I really could not care less because the feeling of my fists hitting his chest is somewhat satisfying and driving me to continue my assault. How dare he? After all this time? After being alone when I needed him the most? When my world was crumbling all around me and I thought to take my own life?
“You fucking missed me? That’s what you have to say to me, you bastard?! I needed you! I’m so fucking mad at you! You left me…” He’s already grabbed my hands and pinned them above me during my tirade. My tears are flowing down like rivers in a sob at the memory of the nightmare I had to face alone… without him.
His hot tongue licks my trail of tears as he nuzzles his face against my cheek, making my heart hurt even more, opening like a chasm.
“I would burn worlds for you, Reese. It took more blood, flesh, and souls than I realized to return to you, to be able to touch you like this and not be trapped in dreams and alternate realms.” What the hell is he talking about? “Human life is so fleeting. I had to battle with the amount of flesh I had to consume with how soon I could return to you. Blasted hellfires. I’m here now, and there’s nothing you can do to get rid of me. I’ve killed for you, Reese, and I would gladly kill more to keep you by my side.” His hot tongue enters my mouth in a strange devouring kiss and my heart stutters at his audacity. His lack of lips does nothing to stop the hunger burning inside of me for what he’s giving me.
Where was he when I needed him to kill my father? My heart hurts, breaking for the lost girl caught in that moment in the past, for the scarred woman I've grown to be. The walls I’ve erected around myself to protect my heart can be heard crumbling the longer I’m in his arms like this, lost in the heat of his tongue dancing with mine. The heat of my anger cools with his cold touch on my skin as he presses his body onto me even harder, trapping me on the cool bathroom floor.
I hate that I missed him. I hate that he’s breaking down the cold heart I’ve created. I hate that I still need him and love him the way I do.
September 16, 2022
?? Did other people read this book and seriously think "yeah, that's some good writing"??
April 24, 2023
The "dark content" or whatever was fine, but the grievous crimes against spelling, grammar, punctuation, dialogue, and writing in general that were committed in this were truly unforgivable.
July 4, 2021
Although I appreciated the trigger warning and the rec to start at chapter 8, that means I read a prologue that takes up about 25% of the book and didn’t add much to the overall story. The rest of the story just happens in a rambling sort of way. It wasn’t for me.
October 29, 2024
This had both positives and negatives for me and some things here I liked whilst others I wasn't quite feeling. I loved the initial premise and the fact that Beheraa was an actual monster with very inhuman characteristics. He doesn’t react how you’d expect the hero to act in fact he is the very opposite of that which I did like. I wasn’t a fan of all of the darkness that Reese went through initially it was very descriptive more so than it had to be I could have gotten the gist of Reese’s earlier experiences without so much elaboration. It also went on for a while when I just wanted to just get to the main event.
I then couldn’t compute past Bear with current Bear he’s gone from allowing Reese to be treated abysmally to annihilating all those who even look at her. I get he has evolved during the course of this but it was two polar extremities. I also couldn’t correlate how blasé Reese is in regard to Isaac and Clyde I mean yes I get she loves her Reaper but she didn’t even blip not even slightly to me it didn’t make sense and made her appear somewhat shallow.
I did like Reese and Bear's eventual dynamic just not how long it took to get there and I didn’t think they ever really got to know each other beyond the superficial at least during her adulthood. I felt so much preparation had gone into setting up the backstory and setting the romance in motion that the romance the ending and then the resolution just felt rushed. I mean they spend the majority of this book apart With little conversation. The intimate scenes are definitely hot but the relationship side of this story just felt simplistic and slightly lacking I never felt I got a real sense of Bear rather than the obvious described traits.
The writing had some definite promise and the ideas were imaginative this just didn’t grab me despite me wanting it to. This one wasn’t quite my bag so I won’t be continuing with this series any further do be aware this has some deep triggers in the first quarter and it does get quite dark in tone before it gets better.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/63435390
July 29, 2021
What do you get when you take an avid dark romance reader, phenomenal reviewer and recommender of said books and let her write her own books?
You end up with the brilliant book babies by YD La Mar.
Reese, her abuse started at a young age. Her parents were worthless and should not have procreated. Through this abuse Reese finds an escape. This escape leads her to Beheraa or her bear.
Beherra, he's the reaper. He doesn't care about anything but taking people's souls. Until one day a hurt little girls stumbles upon him and steals his non existent heart.
This was definitely something different. Y.D's storytelling ability leaves you with emotion and angst and her details let the book play as a movie in your head.
Recommended for the naughty Dark Romance readers.
Read Responsibly.
You end up with the brilliant book babies by YD La Mar.
Reese, her abuse started at a young age. Her parents were worthless and should not have procreated. Through this abuse Reese finds an escape. This escape leads her to Beheraa or her bear.
Beherra, he's the reaper. He doesn't care about anything but taking people's souls. Until one day a hurt little girls stumbles upon him and steals his non existent heart.
This was definitely something different. Y.D's storytelling ability leaves you with emotion and angst and her details let the book play as a movie in your head.
Recommended for the naughty Dark Romance readers.
Read Responsibly.
May 16, 2021
I'm always on the look out for a Reaper love story and Y.D. La Mar gave me everything I needed and more with Heart Of The Reaper.
Beheraa (Bear) has kept tabs on Reese since she was a child. He finds himself fascinated by her and he doesn't know why.
Reese has been dealt a shitty hand with her oblivious mother and abusive father. If you cannot handle reading about detailed sexual abuse skip the first 8 chapters like the trigger warning in the beginning of the book recommends. If you can get through it , it is worth it because there is important parts where Reese finds Bear that shows the beginning of her feelings for him.
To me Bear is perfect, just absolutely swoon worthy. He has never had interest in other woman and/or demons and does not understand human feelings sexual or otherwise. He is not your typical "male model" hero. He's the Grim Reaper so he looks like what I would assume the Reaper would look like.
For those of you who love a good dark/horror romance with a possesive anti-hero, and a "I do what I want"heroine I would recommend this ten times over!
Beheraa (Bear) has kept tabs on Reese since she was a child. He finds himself fascinated by her and he doesn't know why.
Reese has been dealt a shitty hand with her oblivious mother and abusive father. If you cannot handle reading about detailed sexual abuse skip the first 8 chapters like the trigger warning in the beginning of the book recommends. If you can get through it , it is worth it because there is important parts where Reese finds Bear that shows the beginning of her feelings for him.
To me Bear is perfect, just absolutely swoon worthy. He has never had interest in other woman and/or demons and does not understand human feelings sexual or otherwise. He is not your typical "male model" hero. He's the Grim Reaper so he looks like what I would assume the Reaper would look like.
For those of you who love a good dark/horror romance with a possesive anti-hero, and a "I do what I want"heroine I would recommend this ten times over!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2021
Just kinda boring? Wayyyyyy too much inner monologue for me.
August 12, 2021
The grim reaper finds his soul mate.
This book is a trip. The first third is disturbingly dark content. Yet it’s not seeped in angsty emotions, so the vileness of Reese’s experiences are read with a bit of distance. Thank goodness.
As the book progresses it becomes much more quirky and this story that was so disconsolate suddenly has me chuckling.
There were a few things I wish had been better tied up, like Isaac and Mr. Clyde: I really hope they ended up either not in hell, or in hell but having fun and not tortured. They were nice! They don’t deserve an eternity of torture.
Overall, 3.5 stars for an interesting and quirky read. If you’re on the fence about reading it, I say go for it.
This book is a trip. The first third is disturbingly dark content. Yet it’s not seeped in angsty emotions, so the vileness of Reese’s experiences are read with a bit of distance. Thank goodness.
As the book progresses it becomes much more quirky and this story that was so disconsolate suddenly has me chuckling.
There were a few things I wish had been better tied up, like Isaac and Mr. Clyde: I really hope they ended up either not in hell, or in hell but having fun and not tortured. They were nice! They don’t deserve an eternity of torture.
Overall, 3.5 stars for an interesting and quirky read. If you’re on the fence about reading it, I say go for it.
January 5, 2023
DNF. DNF. DNF.
I have no problem with any of the “triggers” the problem I have is the story takes forever to get anywhere and honestly the amount of years that keep passing make me wonder how the FMC is staying young lol. Also why she has never gotten therapy is beyond me. She sees things and that’s apparently totes normal.
It was ridiculous in the sense that I absolutely hated the main character. The story was beyond a slow burn. I have gotten to 52% and nothing really has happened between the MCs .
I am so so so SO glad it was free.
I have no problem with any of the “triggers” the problem I have is the story takes forever to get anywhere and honestly the amount of years that keep passing make me wonder how the FMC is staying young lol. Also why she has never gotten therapy is beyond me. She sees things and that’s apparently totes normal.
It was ridiculous in the sense that I absolutely hated the main character. The story was beyond a slow burn. I have gotten to 52% and nothing really has happened between the MCs .
I am so so so SO glad it was free.
May 7, 2023
Wth
DNF 76%
As twisted as this book was, the pain and suffering Reese went through, I would think compassion for others would follow her into adulthood even when she had none for herself. She has none for no one and yes this is a byproduct because of her experience as a child, but I couldn't finish. Maybe this novel would be better for someone who absolutely love the dark. I like my dark with a little light.
DNF 76%
As twisted as this book was, the pain and suffering Reese went through, I would think compassion for others would follow her into adulthood even when she had none for herself. She has none for no one and yes this is a byproduct because of her experience as a child, but I couldn't finish. Maybe this novel would be better for someone who absolutely love the dark. I like my dark with a little light.
June 3, 2021
I devoured this book in two and a half days. My rating is 4.5 but I rounded up for the goodreads rating to 5. This was so fun and so captivating I found it difficult to put it down! Excited to read more from this author.
March 16, 2025
It’s a no from me, dawg.
January 30, 2024
I am a big lover of dark romance and bdsm books but this one….made me feel gross and awkward afterwards. Especially the first 10 chapters which have a LOT of triggers so please don’t read if you cannot handle non-con, knife play, violence etc. WARNING this contains incest or as states in warnings “unrequited family love” and is highly disturbing.
The storyline was confusing. The grammar was horrible and overall it was just non-stop fucking with no other reason than to write sex scenes. If that’s what you like, fair enough but I want a plot to my books so I can’t recommend this.
The storyline was confusing. The grammar was horrible and overall it was just non-stop fucking with no other reason than to write sex scenes. If that’s what you like, fair enough but I want a plot to my books so I can’t recommend this.
February 11, 2024
Welp, this book proves that my ADHD medication is working because this would have been a DNF for real. This book is interesting because it was a droning nothing burger. The author did not give descriptions of anything so the characters were more of a choose your own adventure, which can sometimes be cool because you can make it your own. This time, it didn’t work. She didn’t create a real world and the character development was honestly trash. I knew what I was getting into with the TW, and even with that, I felt it dragged on way too long and felt more like CP. It would have made more sense for it to be condensed so it would have a stronger impact and not feel superficial. And the way that it contributed to the storyline later sometimes made it relevant and then other times it just felt like trauma porn and nothing more. The characters across the board are just that FLAT and underdeveloped. And yes, it feels weird to basically say that it was worth it for the character to go through the horrors of CSA because it prepped her for her future love. Get outta here with that one. I tried to see where the author was taking this story and it left me right here. I vote NOPE. I’m good.
May 6, 2024
"Blasted Hellfires"
If I could give this book and this author more stars, I would do it so quickly.
YD La Mar is not the author for everyone, but she has rapidly become one of my absolute favorite authors and I will read anything she creates. She writes stories that comfort those who are too afraid to share their demons and helps tend to the darkness of their thoughts.
This book isn't for everyone, but it was perfect for me. I found comfort in her dark imagery and themes. The main characters are strange, weird and unique, so of course I loved them even more. I found myself rereading parts because I kept getting lost in my thoughts. The banter and some of the word choices were on point!
If I could give this book and this author more stars, I would do it so quickly.
YD La Mar is not the author for everyone, but she has rapidly become one of my absolute favorite authors and I will read anything she creates. She writes stories that comfort those who are too afraid to share their demons and helps tend to the darkness of their thoughts.
This book isn't for everyone, but it was perfect for me. I found comfort in her dark imagery and themes. The main characters are strange, weird and unique, so of course I loved them even more. I found myself rereading parts because I kept getting lost in my thoughts. The banter and some of the word choices were on point!
September 6, 2024
Well, this is a first for me. I don't know that I've rated a book one star before, or at least not a full-length novel that I couldn't even make myself finish. I normally don't count unfinished books as read, but I made it to 50% of this book, and it was such an unfun time that I think I'm owed some compensation in the form of counting this towards my reading challenge.
I want to start by saying that I don't have a problem with any of the content in this book in the sense of, I don't find any of it triggering, and I recognize fiction is fiction. What I have a problem with is lack of accurate content warnings, as other reviews have pointed out, and the fact that the trauma we're witnessing as readers is handled so flatly by the FMC that it just feels egregious. There are hints of complexity every now and then, but it felt like the author had no real interest in exploring that complexity. She just wanted readers to be shocked and appalled at what Reece is going through, without actually doing anything with it in terms of showing us Reece's psyche as it's happening and after. If you're going to write long-term parental CSA, then actually do something with it so it matters that this specific form of trauma occurred. If you needed Reece to be vulnerable and cut off from other people, there are certainly other ways you could have gotten her to that mindset without the first third of the book featuring repeated father-daughter (and other people/Reece) rape scenes. And if you wanted the consequence of Reece's childhood to be that she's cold and uncaring as an adult, do a better job of getting us there.
I have a few passages highlighted and visible if anyone wants some examples of what I'm talking about in terms of Reece being a blasé person in the face of disaster who doesn't really seem touched by anything, but suffice to say I just don't think this book was written well enough or deftly enough or did anything interesting or valuable enough with its characters or story to justify featuring the amount of assault and violence that it does. No fucking thanks.
I want to start by saying that I don't have a problem with any of the content in this book in the sense of, I don't find any of it triggering, and I recognize fiction is fiction. What I have a problem with is lack of accurate content warnings, as other reviews have pointed out, and the fact that the trauma we're witnessing as readers is handled so flatly by the FMC that it just feels egregious. There are hints of complexity every now and then, but it felt like the author had no real interest in exploring that complexity. She just wanted readers to be shocked and appalled at what Reece is going through, without actually doing anything with it in terms of showing us Reece's psyche as it's happening and after. If you're going to write long-term parental CSA, then actually do something with it so it matters that this specific form of trauma occurred. If you needed Reece to be vulnerable and cut off from other people, there are certainly other ways you could have gotten her to that mindset without the first third of the book featuring repeated father-daughter (and other people/Reece) rape scenes. And if you wanted the consequence of Reece's childhood to be that she's cold and uncaring as an adult, do a better job of getting us there.
I have a few passages highlighted and visible if anyone wants some examples of what I'm talking about in terms of Reece being a blasé person in the face of disaster who doesn't really seem touched by anything, but suffice to say I just don't think this book was written well enough or deftly enough or did anything interesting or valuable enough with its characters or story to justify featuring the amount of assault and violence that it does. No fucking thanks.
May 24, 2021
PLEASE BE SURE TO READ ALL OF THE TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE STARTING THIS BOOK. This is not a story full of sunshine and rainbows.
"We are both betrothed to chaos and destruction, to disappointment and death."
From a young age, Reese suffered immensely by her extremely appalling, disgusting, abusive parents (NOTE: it is a really,really rough beginning with many, many triggers, you can skip to chapter 8) . Through the pain and suffering, she met Beheraa or Bear. He is the Grim Reaper that came to her in her dreams. He ended up being her reason to keep going. While he started out being her guardian, both of their feelings grew into something more. I loved the way he grew and discovered emotions and things he has never felt before.
I'm not going to lie, I'm so glad there was some comic relief in here. I was dying at "Jealous/Possessive" Bear
"She is excited for the hunt and she knows she will be my prey. I will gladly devour any male that stands in my way." and he meant that quite literally lol.
Also, grumpy Mister Clyde was a trip too.
Now, I'm all for the "hot guy" reapers, however,I think it was pretty awesome and a breath of fresh air that Bear was exactly what a reaper should look like, the classic skeletal figure, in robes, lingering in the darkness with a scythe type of reaper.
I must admit, this is my first pitch black story and by this author that I have ever read. Fantastic worldbuilding, definitely made me feel a wide range of emotions. Definitely, going to check out more of this author's books!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
"We are both betrothed to chaos and destruction, to disappointment and death."
From a young age, Reese suffered immensely by her extremely appalling, disgusting, abusive parents (NOTE: it is a really,really rough beginning with many, many triggers, you can skip to chapter 8) . Through the pain and suffering, she met Beheraa or Bear. He is the Grim Reaper that came to her in her dreams. He ended up being her reason to keep going. While he started out being her guardian, both of their feelings grew into something more. I loved the way he grew and discovered emotions and things he has never felt before.
I'm not going to lie, I'm so glad there was some comic relief in here. I was dying at "Jealous/Possessive" Bear
"She is excited for the hunt and she knows she will be my prey. I will gladly devour any male that stands in my way." and he meant that quite literally lol.
Also, grumpy Mister Clyde was a trip too.
Now, I'm all for the "hot guy" reapers, however,I think it was pretty awesome and a breath of fresh air that Bear was exactly what a reaper should look like, the classic skeletal figure, in robes, lingering in the darkness with a scythe type of reaper.
I must admit, this is my first pitch black story and by this author that I have ever read. Fantastic worldbuilding, definitely made me feel a wide range of emotions. Definitely, going to check out more of this author's books!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 25, 2021
Grim reaper and a human
This book was different and not totally in a bad way. Some of the writing threw me off but it’s a new author to me and so sometimes it’s just like that. All in all, I enjoyed this story. It’s about Bear- a grim reaper and Reese and girl that’s been dealt crappy hand after crappy hand and still she survives. She can see Bear as a child and seems to escape to him during her sleep. They grow into more as she grow. Bear doesn’t understand humans or the small child who keeps seeking him out. He reaps and devours and that’s what he knows. He doesn’t understand much of what he sees Reese deal With, and he doesn’t understand their interactions or how he feels. Over time you see it develop. And really Bear is just so sweet. He is JP which I love, he doesn’t want any male near her once he’s claimed her, and he will destroy .... or eat.... anything that dates to challenge his claim. Lol. I was laughing in parts and cringing in others.
Triggers of rape, molestation, and abuse.
This book was different and not totally in a bad way. Some of the writing threw me off but it’s a new author to me and so sometimes it’s just like that. All in all, I enjoyed this story. It’s about Bear- a grim reaper and Reese and girl that’s been dealt crappy hand after crappy hand and still she survives. She can see Bear as a child and seems to escape to him during her sleep. They grow into more as she grow. Bear doesn’t understand humans or the small child who keeps seeking him out. He reaps and devours and that’s what he knows. He doesn’t understand much of what he sees Reese deal With, and he doesn’t understand their interactions or how he feels. Over time you see it develop. And really Bear is just so sweet. He is JP which I love, he doesn’t want any male near her once he’s claimed her, and he will destroy .... or eat.... anything that dates to challenge his claim. Lol. I was laughing in parts and cringing in others.
Triggers of rape, molestation, and abuse.
May 30, 2023
If I could give this book all the stars I would!! It put me in a chokehold and wouldn't let go.
When the Reaper finds himself curious about a human, he doesn't understand why. He is beyond human emotions, thoughts, and actions. He's the Reaper of souls, human emotions are not needed. But when he comes across a little girl who doesn't fear him, he doesn't know what he's experiencing. The little girl has a rough and ugly start in life up to adulthood. With the Reaper as her only comfort, she discovers her feelings for him. She wants one thing for herself and it's him. But Reaper lacks all that makes him capable to feel the same... this story is mind dark, heart breaking, but with a few comedic breaks and sweet moments and book gripping spice, it'll have you embracing the dark side and begging for your own Reaper 😈
When the Reaper finds himself curious about a human, he doesn't understand why. He is beyond human emotions, thoughts, and actions. He's the Reaper of souls, human emotions are not needed. But when he comes across a little girl who doesn't fear him, he doesn't know what he's experiencing. The little girl has a rough and ugly start in life up to adulthood. With the Reaper as her only comfort, she discovers her feelings for him. She wants one thing for herself and it's him. But Reaper lacks all that makes him capable to feel the same... this story is mind dark, heart breaking, but with a few comedic breaks and sweet moments and book gripping spice, it'll have you embracing the dark side and begging for your own Reaper 😈
July 26, 2021
I loved so many things about this story! The character dynamic was unique, the plot was nothing I could have even predicted, and the genre was my all time favorite! It’s not every day, I find a story to match my black heart. I have never read this author before, but man! I won’t be forgetting this one anytime soon
June 28, 2021
The Reaper Bear, I love a Reaper romance the unfeeling dead. The author doesn't disappoint, a darker take. He's watched her all her life, he hates to want her. But he will burn down the world for her, trigger Heroine abused by family member.
March 23, 2022
Bear and his grumpy self has been a book boyfriend of mine for awhile. Reese is strong and gets back up everytime something knocks her down. Good if you want a uniqie darker read but still has heart.
Biggest Triggers to me: incestuous sexual abuse, noncon
Biggest Triggers to me: incestuous sexual abuse, noncon
November 27, 2022
This started out so dark. But the bizarre romance was so cute by the end. Even with all the monster stuff
Read
November 18, 2024DNF at 20%, although i am really interested in the plot, the wording is so awkward i can’t read this 🥲
May 16, 2022
2 stars DNF at 70% in
I’m struggling with how to rate this, there was things I liked and things I really didn’t.
To start, this is the second book I’ve read by this author and I think I’ve started to get the hang of her writing style and unfortunately it’s just not my cup of tea. There was SO MUCH inner monologue from the characters and barely any dialogue between the two which was the same for the previous book I read by her. I believe This book is a little over 280 pages and I stopped at page 180 and the main characters have maybe said a total of one page worth of words to eachother. With so little communication happening between the characters it left so much to Miscommunication as the characters never spoke to each other about their issues or things that upset them about the others actions or lack there of, they ended up just jumping to conclusions about what each other thought about different situations and even 70 percent of the way through they still hadn’t communicated or gotten over issues that had upset them about one and other. It was just very frustrating to read. I’m 70 percent in and the characters have yet to feel anything aside from anger and lust toward each other.
Another issue I had with this was the timing of the story line. It spanned over literal years of the heroines life and it was frustrating to read the disagreements the characters had with eachother because the hero would just vanish after an argument leaving the heroine fuming mad without solving it or even speaking about it and then would show back up in her life literal YEARS later, and this happened multiple times through out the novel, them coming together for a short sexual fling the heroine being pissed and then the hero disappearing for years on end it was extremely frustrating to read. Since the story spanned over the course of years of the heroines life from childhood to adulthood you’d think the story would be a slow burn right? No. That’s not the case if anything it was basically insta love as the heroine admitted within the first few chapters that she loved the hero and then a few pages later she had already become physical with him even tho he has yet to even speak to her not to mention the rape she was dealing with basically every night for years of her life you’d think that would make someone not want to be intimate again or atleast so quickly with the trauma she was still currently living and dealing with on a daily basis.
As for her childhood… her childhood was so sad to read and it broke my heart reading her inner monologue and how she dealt with the extreme abuse and sexual assault with that being said even though It broke my heart I didn’t mind reading it but what did rub me the wrong way was how the hero basically watched the heroine her entire childhood get beat, raped and mollested and did nothing to help her until her late teen years because he “didn’t understand human emotion” or feelings or even actions that people did, it was weird reading a hero who didn’t understand human beings even the slightest amount, she would literally yell at him or frown or smile and he always had no idea what was happening leading to the large amount of miscommunication since he never knew what anything meant he just constantly assumed and never cared to ask any questions about anything ever!
Another thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the hero “punishing” the heroine. I skipped forward a few pages and read a scene where the hero was whipping the heroine as a “punishment” the exact way that the heroines father used to do when he would RAPE her but this time was “different” she was enjoying it this time because it was the hero and not her father who was doing it to her. It just seemed so unrealistic that she was ok and TURNED ON reliving any sort of trauma that she dealt with for years from her own father.
Despite all of this negativity I did have a few things that I enjoyed about the book. For starters I thought the premise was very intriguing and definitely unique. I really liked the authors choice to leave the grim reaper more monster than actual human. I loved the the little sprites and thought they added just the perfect amount of comedic relief to an otherwise heart breaking story but unfortunately the bad out weighed the good for me on this one so I couldn’t give it more than a 2star rating. I don’t have any triggers going into books I even enjoy a little miscommunication in a book every once in a while if it adds a little spice and drama to the story but an entire novel of miscommunication and zero communication is a pass for me.
The things pointed out in this review are my personal preferences and opinions, if you enjoy a book with very little dialog and are intrigued about a romance with a GRIM REAPER and don’t mind miscommunication definitely give this a go and be sure to check your trigger warnings!
Happy reading!!
I’m struggling with how to rate this, there was things I liked and things I really didn’t.
To start, this is the second book I’ve read by this author and I think I’ve started to get the hang of her writing style and unfortunately it’s just not my cup of tea. There was SO MUCH inner monologue from the characters and barely any dialogue between the two which was the same for the previous book I read by her. I believe This book is a little over 280 pages and I stopped at page 180 and the main characters have maybe said a total of one page worth of words to eachother. With so little communication happening between the characters it left so much to Miscommunication as the characters never spoke to each other about their issues or things that upset them about the others actions or lack there of, they ended up just jumping to conclusions about what each other thought about different situations and even 70 percent of the way through they still hadn’t communicated or gotten over issues that had upset them about one and other. It was just very frustrating to read. I’m 70 percent in and the characters have yet to feel anything aside from anger and lust toward each other.
Another issue I had with this was the timing of the story line. It spanned over literal years of the heroines life and it was frustrating to read the disagreements the characters had with eachother because the hero would just vanish after an argument leaving the heroine fuming mad without solving it or even speaking about it and then would show back up in her life literal YEARS later, and this happened multiple times through out the novel, them coming together for a short sexual fling the heroine being pissed and then the hero disappearing for years on end it was extremely frustrating to read. Since the story spanned over the course of years of the heroines life from childhood to adulthood you’d think the story would be a slow burn right? No. That’s not the case if anything it was basically insta love as the heroine admitted within the first few chapters that she loved the hero and then a few pages later she had already become physical with him even tho he has yet to even speak to her not to mention the rape she was dealing with basically every night for years of her life you’d think that would make someone not want to be intimate again or atleast so quickly with the trauma she was still currently living and dealing with on a daily basis.
As for her childhood… her childhood was so sad to read and it broke my heart reading her inner monologue and how she dealt with the extreme abuse and sexual assault with that being said even though It broke my heart I didn’t mind reading it but what did rub me the wrong way was how the hero basically watched the heroine her entire childhood get beat, raped and mollested and did nothing to help her until her late teen years because he “didn’t understand human emotion” or feelings or even actions that people did, it was weird reading a hero who didn’t understand human beings even the slightest amount, she would literally yell at him or frown or smile and he always had no idea what was happening leading to the large amount of miscommunication since he never knew what anything meant he just constantly assumed and never cared to ask any questions about anything ever!
Another thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the hero “punishing” the heroine. I skipped forward a few pages and read a scene where the hero was whipping the heroine as a “punishment” the exact way that the heroines father used to do when he would RAPE her but this time was “different” she was enjoying it this time because it was the hero and not her father who was doing it to her. It just seemed so unrealistic that she was ok and TURNED ON reliving any sort of trauma that she dealt with for years from her own father.
Despite all of this negativity I did have a few things that I enjoyed about the book. For starters I thought the premise was very intriguing and definitely unique. I really liked the authors choice to leave the grim reaper more monster than actual human. I loved the the little sprites and thought they added just the perfect amount of comedic relief to an otherwise heart breaking story but unfortunately the bad out weighed the good for me on this one so I couldn’t give it more than a 2star rating. I don’t have any triggers going into books I even enjoy a little miscommunication in a book every once in a while if it adds a little spice and drama to the story but an entire novel of miscommunication and zero communication is a pass for me.
The things pointed out in this review are my personal preferences and opinions, if you enjoy a book with very little dialog and are intrigued about a romance with a GRIM REAPER and don’t mind miscommunication definitely give this a go and be sure to check your trigger warnings!
Happy reading!!
May 22, 2021
Yesss! I loved this so much. Bear is my new favourite person.
This was my first romance in which the reaper actually looked like a reaper, complete with skeleton face and patches of skin and just overall creepy looking. It was amazing. What a grumpy sweetheart he is, learning to deal with feelings and humans 😂. He was so confused at times and I enjoyed his journey in discovering his feelings for a human woman.
Reese was a great character as well. She showed a really strong side of herself time and again, surviving in a world that was basically against her from day one. Her past didn't define her, and I loved how she wasn't a damsel in distress waiting for the knight to safe her. She did it all by her damn self.
This book is full of passion, crazy funny side characters and world-building.
Also, how beautiful is the cover?! 10/10 would recommend if you're into strong heroines and grumpy non-human heroes.
This was my first romance in which the reaper actually looked like a reaper, complete with skeleton face and patches of skin and just overall creepy looking. It was amazing. What a grumpy sweetheart he is, learning to deal with feelings and humans 😂. He was so confused at times and I enjoyed his journey in discovering his feelings for a human woman.
Reese was a great character as well. She showed a really strong side of herself time and again, surviving in a world that was basically against her from day one. Her past didn't define her, and I loved how she wasn't a damsel in distress waiting for the knight to safe her. She did it all by her damn self.
This book is full of passion, crazy funny side characters and world-building.
Also, how beautiful is the cover?! 10/10 would recommend if you're into strong heroines and grumpy non-human heroes.
January 29, 2022
3.5 stars
Interesting story. I liked many parts of it but there were a few areas that made me want to roll my eyes because of the cheesiness of it.
Interesting story. I liked many parts of it but there were a few areas that made me want to roll my eyes because of the cheesiness of it.
May 25, 2021
This book was very good, but the ending killed me I need more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews