Grief and Death were the brothers no one warned us about. Death comes first, and Grief follows… but in my case, Grief didn’t only follow. He devoured me, hollowed me out until he almost took me too.
One last goodbye, one last visit, twisted into something dark, wrong, depraved, and utterly unholy. Into a place desires smelt like sin and salvation tasted like torment.
Trapped with a ghost who wanted more than to haunt me, saved by a man who wanted more than to save me, I found life again… she was Death’s lover. And she whispered promises in halls paved with pleasure and hunger, with trembling breath and forbidden moans, with a will to live built on complete ruin.
This book was surprisingly good! I had not read this author before, and at first wasn’t sure what to think. It very much from the initial description sounded like my jam, and it was!
The Author did an excellent job of conveying the nuance of the situation throughout the book. The expressions of putting on the I’m fine mask, being who everyone else but you expects and wants you to be was done so well!
This story also centers heavily around grief, which is definitely a funny thing. That really never goes away, but you can make peace with it.
The way the spice was written was great!!! I tend to read mostly things that have less, but I really enjoyed the way it worked within this story. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good horror, erotic, story centered around grief, trauma , ultimately healing, and finding a happy place you never thought you would.
It is a fast read at under 300 pages, and I would have devoured it in one sitting if I had not been so exhausted when I started. Definitely worth it.
Side note please take time to read the content warnings. It’s okay to skip them if you don’t care, but it’s also okay to check to make sure it’s something you can handle. Take care of yourself!
I received this as an ARC... and i really did not like it. I love a good Dark Romance, paranormal dark romance is my go to, but this? Not for me at all and I struggled trying to finish it after chapter 4, and DNF on page 58...
Before I dive into the emotional elements of this story, I have to address the heat, because if you’re a paranormal romance lover, this is a must-read. I loved the author’s creative depictions of the spicy scenes with the ghost and she doesn’t wait long to turn the heat up. The temperature spikes chapter 3 where it takes a dark and delicious turn. The ghost’s dirty talk is so filthy and wicked. To give you a taste of the intensity (NSFW) “Fuck, this cunt of yours, so wet, so tight…so fucking mine.” “I can feel your squirt building, my brave girl. Prove to me just how fucking dirty you are,” And my personal favorite: “Beg for death’s dick, Elena… beg to have me shove it up inside this perfect cunt,” he groaned in my ear, like a chilling sadistic breath of smoke. For a book that is only 135 pages, this one packs a punch. From start to finish, you are given all the pertinent information for Elena and Damian’s story, making it feel complete. The way the author weaves the spice into a well written narrative really made the whole experience feel "too good." I’m a sucker for a well written dedication and this author didn't disappoint: “To us who’ve held grief like a lifeline, I hope we get fucked, make love, and let ghosts lead us back to life… and a man like Damian. Let’s be brave… let’s surrender.” This is a story about choosing life and allowing others in, even when we are at our most broken. Elena is at a point where she just wants everything to end, but a call from her estranged brother, Max, turns her life upside down. She never thought she'd find herself back at her parents' old house. With the promise of reuniting with her brother she braves the old house alone. Her first night there she encounters a ghost who makes her scream in all the best ways. Wanting answers, she reaches out to Damian, a man known for removing ghosts. Things go sideways when he arrives and the ghostly encounter turns into an evening of depraved debauchery. This encounter irrevocably changes both their lives. While the spice is delicious, the thing I loved about this book was the imagery. Here are a few of my favorite quotes: “The kiss was everything: heartbreak, love, guilt, childhood memories, the shadow of forbidden longing, the weight of every missed call, every lost year.” “He was holding together the last unbroken parts of himself, our grief merging, folding, twisting into something neither of us had words for.” “I kissed him, loving the man who had walked with death, and the man who had chosen to stay with me as I lived.” You’ll find yourself invested in the characters as the book pulls you in. I found the grief and loss portrayed to be tragically beautiful. It's something that will definitely stick with me. There is a major plot twist that had me reeling, it was so good. This is a 5/5 star read for me, and honestly, I’d give it more if I could.
THIS BOOK DID NOT JUST RUIN ME. IT ATE ME AND SAID “THANK YOU.” Midnight Possessions by Lillith Reigns is not a book. It’s an experience. A curse. A dark little whisper at 2 a.m. saying “one more chapter” while your life actively crumbles 🕯️📖💀. I wasn’t reading this. I was DESCENDING. The plot grabs you like “come here bestie” and then drags you feet‑first into a supernatural nightmare where curiosity is lethal, desire is dangerous, and safety is a concept not a goal. Every chapter tightens the spiral. Every revelation makes you go oh that’s bad but also keep going. The main character? Straight‑up feral energy 🐺🩶 Fully aware this is a trap ✔️ Sees the red flags ✔️ Touches them anyway ✔️ I was STANDING. BEHIND. HER. With pom‑poms, GO BESTIE DESTROY YOURSELF ARTISTICALLY. THE LOVE INTEREST????
🚨 SIRENS. ALARMS. SANITY EVACUATED. 🚨
This man is a supernatural red flag dipped in danger and audacity Broody? YES. Powerful? YES. Possessive? ABSOLUTELY. Would ruin me emotionally? IMMEDIATELY. Would I still fold? WITH GRATITUDE. Every scene with him had me clutching my chest like this is not safe but it IS effective. THE CHEMISTRY??? NOT A SLOW BURN. A CONTROLLED DEMOLITION 💣🔥 Eye contact felt illegal. Silence felt violent. The tension could cut diamonds. Did I sleep? ❌ Did I eat? ❌ Did I forget my responsibilities? ✔️✔️✔️ Was I pacing my room whispering “this is insane” at a fictional book? YES. 🧍♀️📖🌙 Yes, there’s a slight lull in the middle but by then?? I was already spiritually compromised so who cared. The second half goes FULL CHAOS MODE and I was GONE. Vanished. No thoughts only possession 🖤🩸🔥.
FINAL VERDICT:
If you enjoy 🩸 Dark paranormal romance 🚩 Fictional red flags ONLY 😈 Obsession over logic 🔥 Emotional destruction 🖤 Being ruined but thankful
READ THIS BOOK.
I am not the same person I was before page one. Lillith Reigns owes me therapy AND my next read 😮💨📚🩸.
I went into this without any prior experience with this author, and I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect at the beginning. Still, the premise immediately caught my attention, and it absolutely delivered on that promise.
What stood out the most was how thoughtfully the author handled the emotional layers of the story. The portrayal of pretending everything is okay while internally struggling, and shaping yourself into what others expect rather than who you truly are, felt incredibly authentic and relatable.
Grief plays a major role throughout the book, and it’s explored in a way that feels honest. It shows how loss doesn’t simply disappear over time, but instead becomes something you learn to live alongside and eventually come to terms with.
I also really appreciated how the more intimate scenes were woven into the narrative. I don’t usually gravitate toward books with a strong focus on that element, but here it felt purposeful and added to the overall depth of the story rather than distracting from it.
This is a great pick for readers who enjoy darker stories that blend horror with emotional themes like trauma, healing, and finding peace when you least expect it. It’s a fairly quick read at under 300 pages, and if I hadn’t been so tired when I started, I probably would have finished it in one go.
One last thing—don’t skip the content warnings. Whether you choose to read them or not is completely up to you, but they’re there for a reason, and it’s always worth making sure you’re comfortable before diving in.
⭐️⭐️ (2 stars) Erotic horror vibes, but the story didn’t hold together for me (ARC)
I went into Midnight Possession by Lilith Reigns expecting to love i, this darker, erotic horror style is usually exactly my thing. The atmosphere and the themes of grief, death, and desire could have been so gripping. But for me, the book needed two things it didn’t deliver: a plot that made sense and a storyline with flow.
The biggest issue was that it felt like the focus was almost entirely on the erotic scenes, to the point that I found myself skimming a lot. I’m not against spice at all, when it’s woven into a story and supports the tension or character development, I’m fully on board. Here, it felt like the scenes were happening without enough structure or narrative build, so I didn’t feel pulled in emotionally or intellectually, just overwhelmed and annoyed by repetition.
I also struggled with the overall coherence. There were moments early on that introduced major elements and then seemed to drop them entirely, and a lot of transitions felt abrupt. I kept waiting for the plot threads to connect, but instead it felt like pieces were missing, leaving plot holes and a story that didn’t fully come together.
I can see how this could work for readers who mainly want intense erotic horror imagery and mood, but if you’re like me and need the story to actually carry the spice, this one may disappoint. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me.
I had the honor of beta reading "Midnight Possession" by Lilith Reigns, and besties… this novella may be short, but she hits like a full-blown nightmare you cannot wake up from. 😳
From page one, there’s this heavy, ominous energy that just clings to you. Elena’s grief is raw, suffocating, and so vividly written I felt like I was spiraling right along with her. And then enter Damian… and things go from eerie to sinfully unholy real quick.
The suspense? Nerve-wracking. Like “don’t look behind you” levels of intense. And the ghostly spice? Whew… let’s just say it’s illegal levels of good: dark, twisted, and not for the faint of heart.🫣
That said, the final chapters left me with questions that needed closure. A few character connections and timelines felt a little blurred, and I needed an epilogue to tie it all together.
Still… this was haunting, addictive, and pure obsession fuel. If you love dark paranormal with a chilling edge and taboo tension... RUN, don’t walk. You need this read in your life! Seriously! 😉
My Ratings: ⭐ 4.5/5 ▪︎ 🥵 4/5
🥀 For my rating scale breakdown, head over to my Goodreads &/or Amazon profile! 🖤
I loved it, devoured it in one sitting, and that earns a 5 star rating from me 🥹
I enjoy reading short novellas like that occasionally, you know, to take a break between 500+ page books. But let me tell you something! I had no idea you could combine trauma and grief healing so excellent in a single book of 140 pages. Plus with so good spice to it 😏 Lilith pulled it off and did such a good job!
As someone who has struggled with grief and trauma healing myself, it resonated deeply with me. Of course, I feel that not everyone will rate it as highly as I did, since everyone has different preferences and heals from trauma in their own way. But this novella was great, and personally, one of the best in this category.
I would love to see more of Damian and Elena's story after everything that happened, and how they move forward with their relationship. I believe it would be a great continuation, and there would still be some issues to work through, but I'm sure they can handle it together ❤️
PS: I won’t be able to look at the jam in the same way as before. Lilith what have you done! 🤣
I want to take a moment to thank Epica Book PR for providing me with the opportunity to review this advanced reader copy (ARC).
This novella leans heavily into erotic horror, and it’s definitely an intense ride. Imagine a haunted house experience cranked up to the max—once you’re in, the story takes full control. At its core, there’s a mystery revolving around Elena’s recent tragedy, which makes her vulnerable to a relentless specter. While I found some moments with the specter entertaining, particularly his dirty talk, the overall experience just didn’t resonate with me.
The book is packed with a lot of spice, which, for me, overshadowed the plot. I found myself skimming through the pages, hoping to find a deeper narrative amidst all the provocative elements.
In terms of themes, be aware that there are aspects of loss and grief, as well as serious topics like suicidal ideation and disassociation. It touches on dark romance, taboo relationships, step-sibling dynamics, and stalking—so it might not be for everyone. Overall, while it has its moments, I think this one wasn’t quite my cup of tea.
First off thank you to the author for this advanced reader copy! 🥰
3.5-4 I would.
👻👻👻👻 4/5 ghosts for paranormal vibes.
With that being said this book was up and down for me. I did enjoy the twist at the end. I did predict who it was but I also wasn’t expecting the second twist. And I loved that.
Deliciously taboo moments.
The authors writing is very lyrical and made me read this very quickly. Their descriptions made me feel like I was feeling everything and visualizing it all. I will say the smut fell a little flat. Like the actions were good and the descriptions of those. The dirty talk and answers back felt fairly normal. And for paranormal I was expecting a little more. But all in all I enjoyed this book.
It’s a short one and I loved the heavy topics. I cannot wait for more from this author.
This book definitely kept me on my toes. When you start this book the FMC is in a state and the book leads you to believe a certain outcome is inevitable. A chance call changes the trajectory of everything and leads the reader down a path they didn’t see coming. This story reveals the depraved things people keep buried because they aren’t socially acceptable. The author does an amazing job revealing the multilayers of the characters. The author also does a phenomenal job of putting that ultimate plot twist in the story. This book is for those who love a bit of depravity with some paranormal elements. Thank you so much to Lilith for the copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own💜💜
This book started to pull me in straightaway with its dark, haunting themes. I felt the desperation and despair that had pulled Elena under and her tentative hope at the chance to reconnect with family. I really think all of that was so beautifully written and powerful emotionally.
Returning home upped the gothic vibe to a delightful degree, and I was delighted with the mystery surrounding her and the depraved entity that stalked her… the spice through this book? Mmm yup very good! Disturbing? Yes absolutely in the very best ways. Hot? Oh yeah!
I really enjoyed this, but the fact that it was a quick read meant it lost the opportunity to delve deeper into the characters, and expand on some of the mysteries to tie everything together.
Thank you for this arc read, I had a blast!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I really enjoyed this but it was also so confusing for me. I just didn’t understand what was going on most of the time and maybe that’s because I’ve never dealt with grief personally. I really liked the characters though. Elena was really interesting and she had such a huge emotional journey throughout the book. Damian was also intriguing and I thought the way Damian and Elena ended up being connected was really cool even if it was kind of tragic. There’s quite a few spicy scenes in this that I really liked (not the jam part though) and everything was well written even though I was confused. There’s a lot of vivid descriptions in the scenes so you can really picture what’s happening.
A spicy read! I received an advanced readers copy and I don’t know if it’s considered a novella or a short story but I think it was the perfect length for what it is. I really enjoyed this one. A young woman dealing with a deep seated grief, goes to the empty family estate in an attempt to reconnect with her estranged adopted brother. A sinister presence arrives before her brother, forcing her to feel things she never imagined. There’s a mystery and secrets that keep you guessing to the end and quite a few spicy scenes intermingled!
Whew, this a smutty dark ride. This dark novella is more erotic horror. It's haunted house on steroids and once you step in, you're at it's mercy. There's a bit of mystery at the heart of the story. Elena's recent tragedy and disturbing thoughts leave her a target and this specter is not willing to let her go. I very much enjoyed this spicy specter and his dirty talk.
Tropes and triggers: loss/grief, suicidal ideation, disassociation, dark romance, taboo, bdsm, step sibling, stalker.
I was given an advanced copy for an honest review.
This book was quite the little ride. Dark, horror elements, erotic. There are emotional layers to the story, the main emotion being grief. I was impressed with how the author included that into the story and how well it all molded together. Once you read it, hopefully you get what I mean. And the spice and Dirty talk? Phew had to fan myself a couple of times. While this is a good, quick read, Definitely pay attention to the trigger warnings. I’m glad I go to read this novella. I hope to read more from this author.
Keeping this short and sweet to avoid spoilers! Loved how this novella was jam-packed (no pun intended) with triggers, but it all worked!
There was grief! Ghost possession! Scary maze! Dual POV! I could go on, but I don't want to ruin anything.
I absolutely couldn't put this one down. I wish there was more to the ending with FMC/MMC, but it didn't take anything away from the story itself. Maybe Lilith can send a bonus chapter in her newsletter?🤞
Overall, highly recommend to fans of dark romances. Am looking forward to reading more from Lilith!
I am at a loss for words right now. I can’t even put into words on how I am feeling without spoiling it. This book took me in, wrapped me up and didn’t let me go. Now? I’m stunned. I’m beside myself. This psychological erotic horror was everything and then some. This was pure hotness and grief. Chaos and then relief. Pain with so much pleasure. This is an amazing book and I can’t wait to see what else the author has in store. Because f- meeeeeee😭
Okay this one really pulled me in. It’s dark, emotional, and has that kind of intensity that keeps you reading without stopping.
The vibe is pretty heavy, but in a way that works. There’s a mix of chaos and emotion that makes everything feel more impactful, and I liked how it balanced those moments.
What stood out most was the emotional side. It adds depth and makes the story feel more than just the surface level, which kept me invested the whole time.
For a shorter read, it honestly delivers a lot and doesn’t feel lacking at all.
I absolutely love this paranormal romance it is amazing. It brought the emotions, it brought the spice, everything was just absolutely wonderful. I thought the author did an amazing job with the character development and the interaction between them. They did an awesome job with the plot and the paranormal aspect of it. Overall, this was just an absolutely phenomenal book. I haven't read anything by this author before this is the very first time and it was just an amazing read.
This one surprised me. I was intrigued by the premise of it but didn’t expect it to be so emotionally layered. Pretending to be okay, battling grief are all emotions I can relate to so those themes struck a nerve in me that I appreciate. Add in the darker almost horror like elements and this one haunts you more than expect for such a quick read.
I really enjoyed this read. I’m rather surprised at how much was packed into this relatively short read. There was a heavy emotional element surrounding the grief in the story, mystery, horror in spots, depravity, spice, and overall it was very well put together. Usually I feel that quick reads compromise on something, but I don’t feel that here.
I was provided an ARC of this book - it was a quick read that definitely was depraved but also somewhat interesting. For me, the smut was the one thing that pretty much kept me hooked the entire time.
This was super emotional and heartbreaking at the same time. But it is such an amazing read! I really enjoyed this book and didn't want to put it down! It's one I HAD to know what would happen next! You must check it out!
little sweet treat 😋 If you like paranormal, witch vibe dark romance this one was awesome. It was a short spicy read that I devoured in a few hours. Check your trigger warnings ⚠️ especially if you are sensitive to descriptive suicidal thoughts and tendency. But overall it was fantastic and I would definitely recommend 🖤🖤💋
this was an amazing novella!!!!! I definitely loved this story and was sad when it ended up I enjoyed this amazing story. I can't wait to see what Lilith does next