Stalk by Hedley Hallow [Review]

Stalk (Horrific Holiday #1) by Hedley Hallow
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 30, 2025

Horrific Holiday
1. Stalk - Paperback | Kindle

Hedley Hallow
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Rory thought a night of thrills in a haunted corn maze would be a fun escape with her friends. But when the scare actors begin to feel too real, she soon realizes that something far more dangerous is lurking among the shadows. A scarecrow begins to focus his chilling attention on her, his unsettling presence turning her night of fun into a twisted nightmare. What begins as fear evolves into something far darker as Rory becomes inexplicably drawn to him.

As her friends begin to disappear one by one, Rory is forced into a deadly game of predator and prey, her every move watched by the man behind the mask. But beneath the burlap and paint, he's more than just a scare actor. He’s a predator in every sense, and Rory is about to discover that she has a darkness inside her just as deep and twisted as his.

Trapped in the maze, her desire to survive collides with her growing obsession. Will Rory escape with her life, or will she surrender completely to the darkness within—and to the man who embodies it?

Thoughts on Stalk: Straight up, this book was a little darker than I like my chase-y chase Halloween books. I mean, I liked the corn maze. I liked the masked man (who was nicely creepy). The stalking through the maze was very nicely done. However, I wasn't enamored of what the masked man was capable of? Or what Rory did? Once he unlocked the darker side of her? (Sorry, I'm mentally working my way through this as I type.)

I guess it comes down to me liking a slightly lighter masked men book. The books itself was good (although a little repetitive with both Rory and Scarecrow really driving home how she'd crossed and line and was his) and there were elements I liked, but I'm not a huge fan of the more horror-esque portions. (And if you ever want a good laugh, watch me watch a horror movie through my fingers. It's a thing. I own it.)

To each their own, though. So if this is what you like, enjoy!

Pounded in the Patch by Dana LeeAnn [Review]

Pounded in the Patch (Dark Nights #1) by Dana LeeAnn
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 25, 2025

Dark Nights
1. Pounded in the Patch - Paperback | Kindle
2. Taken in the Tree Farm
3. Valentines in the Vineyard

Dana LeeAnn
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I whispered my darkest fantasy. He made it my reality.

A moonlit pumpkin patch deep in the forest, where jack-o'-lanterns glow and fog clouds my vision. It's exactly the kind of place I’ve always dreamed of being hunted, chased by a masked man until I have nothing left to give.

Tonight, my fantasy is my reality.

As I run barefoot through the maze of orange lanterns, my heart pounding with terror, I realize my pursuer isn't just playing a game—he's staking a claim. Every step deeper into the patch brings me closer to surrender, further from any desire to escape.

The line between what’s real and not blurs.

And when the fog clears and the mask comes off, I’ll discover that some men don't just fulfill fantasies... they own them.

This Halloween, surrender isn't just part of the game. It's forever.

Thoughts on Pounded in the Patch: I'm having a hard time figuring out what to say in this review because this book went from being a creepy chasey-chase book to something sweet and it's confusing my brain. Seraphina is being hunted through a massive pumpkin patch by someone who is very determined to make her his. The place is a maze designed to confuse and trap her and she's kinda into it. Because sometimes ladies are into being chased.

On Luke's end, he's into being the hunter, the stalker, the thing that goes bump in the night. He chases her, he corners her, he has his wicked way with her and makes sure she enjoys every moment of it. Did I mention he's VERY into the enjoyment part? Because he is. Everything he does is designed to give her what she wants.

And it's sweet. It starts out possibly not sweet and ends up a bucket full of Halloween candy sweet and I think I might like that.

So, a little lady-napping, a little chasing, a creative use of pumpkin vines (I'm not convinced they'd be comfortable, but to each their own), a man who is determined to give his lady everything she wants, and a lady who enjoys the chase as much as being caught. *thumbs up*

RtP's Week in Review (10/18/26)

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

• Hold Your Breath by Jaye Pratt [Review] - Masked men love!
• Run for Us by Jaye Pratt [Review] - More masked men love!
• Dark Warren by Adrian Blue [Review] - Monster love!
• Dirty Cowboys by Jaye Pratt [Review] - Even MORE masked men love!
• Claimed by Her Monsters by Lexi Davis [Review] - More monster love!
• Fright Night by M.L. Philpitt [Review] - Stalker love!

Bookish Delights

• Books added to the pile
• None!
• Currently reading
• Nothing at the moment!

Fright Night by M.L. Philpitt [Review]

Fright Night (Twisted Holidays #3) by M.L. Philpitt
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 24, 2025

Twisted Holidays
1. Silent Night
2. Egg Hunt
3. Fright Night - Paperback | Kindle
4. Be Mine
5. Wicked Heat
6. Midnight Kiss
7. Lucky Clover

M.L. Philpitt
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

People pretend to be scared of things that go bump in the night, but they’re lying to themselves. Fear is thrilling. The racing heart, prickling sensation, and unsteady breaths are signs of excitement and fear. Coincidence? I certainly don’t think so.

Which is the first point I’ll make to her. After two years of being kept away, I’m back to collect what I’ve been without.

My past. My future. My Trickster.

The one who got me arrested. My stepsister.

This Halloween, when everyone is shouting “trick or treat” to their neighbours, I’ll be hiding in the dark, making her heart race in both terror and pleasure.

Scream for me, Trickster.

Thoughts on Fright Night: Knox is heading home after a two year stint doing community service thanks to a prank gone awry and he has a plan. To start with, he's going to make sure Oakley knows exactly what part she'll play in his homecoming. It'll end when she's his and he can protect her in every way he can.

Oakley is not completely enthused about Knox's return. Not because she doesn't want him there, but because she feels like she didn't do enough to stop his father from sending him away two years ago. But since Knox doesn't pull any punches when he returns home, Oakley is drawn into his scheme. Which is to say, she's an unwitting participant. At first. It doesn't take long before she's anticipating the way he creeps up on her. The way he sneaks into her house. The way he leaves her wanting him close even though her head tells her she should be trying to stay away.

On Knox's end, he's obsessed. He's also determined to get Oakley out from under his father's thumb. If that means butting heads with the old man over brunch, he's more than willing to do just that. And if it means stalking her through a Halloween maze and making sure she enjoys every minute of it? Well, he's willing to do that, too.

A little B&E, a video Oakley watches more than once, a maze, a mask, a man who knows who and what he wants, and a lady who needs to delve deep and come to terms with her attraction so she can be the person she's supposed to be. *thumbs up*

Claimed by Her Monsters by Lexi Davis [Review]

Claimed by Her Monsters (Clover Witch #1) by Lexi Davis
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 30, 2025

Clover Witch
1. Claimed by Her Monsters - Paperback | Kindle

Lexi Davis
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

On Halloween night, the storm comes for me…and so do three dangerous men who swear I’m theirs.

At nineteen I’ve taken my knocks, parents gone, extended foster care, and one bad night at my group home that lands me with a court-appointed, distant “relative.” He’s a beautiful stranger in a black suit; I’m a disaster in borrowed shoes. Neither of us wants this. Still, he brings me to a mansion that breathes. The halls listen. The portraits watch. Outside, the thunder speaks my name.

He tells me to stay in my room.

I don't.
Downstairs I meet his friends:

• Mick, the big one who growls.
• Caspian, the quiet one who can’t stop staring.
• Alister, the grump who brought me here.

A storm rages outside. The house whispers. The lights die.

They tell me I’m the key to whatever’s waking inside these walls…and inside me. I have to complete a ritual before midnight or the thing under my skin will tear me and this town apart. They say it’s simple.

Fight and die.

Yield to it, and to all of them, and live.

But in this house, nothing is what it seems, least of all me, and when the clock strikes twelve, I’ll have to decide whether to resist the monsters at my door or admit they already own my heart.

Thoughts on Claimed by Her Monsters: Madison is the troubled (really, she was only defending herself, so what if she maybe went a little overboard in doing so) young woman who's faced with either going to jail or putting herself in the hands of a man she doesn't know. That's sounds bad, but he's (reportedly) a distant relative and her options are limited. Honestly, she doesn't have much say in the matter. Her case worker appeals to Alister, Alister reluctantly agrees to let her join him, Maddie is just along for the ride.

So now she's staying at a massive, swank house and her guardian (look, the relationship is sort of murky, so I'm not sure how related they actually are) and his two house guests (roommates? Maybe?) are a pretty big study in contrasts. Alister is grouchy and doesn't much seem to want to interact with her, Mick is an exuberant sweetheart, and Caspian is sweetly shy. As the night wears on (did I mention it's her 19th birthday AND Halloween?), Maddie gets to know them over board games (well, a board game) and conversation.

Then they drop a bombshell that blows Maddie's mind. She's a witch and if she doesn't get initiated into her power, she could destroy them and everything around them. She's hesitant to believe them at first, but it doesn't take long for them to convince her that this thing happening to her is going to happen whether she's believes it or not. So she does what any self-respecting almost-witch would do and takes the three to bed. AS ONE DOES.

Power that might be a little out of control, a danger lurking in the past, three men with history, and the budding witch who completes them!

Dirty Cowboys by Jaye Pratt [Review]

Dirty Cowboys (Masked Men #7) by Jaye Pratt
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 30, 2025

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

Jaye Pratt
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Sometimes the universe gives you exactly what you ask for. Even when you’re too scared to say it out loud.

I came to Copper Creek to start over. What I didn’t expect was three masked cowboys to show up on horseback, turning my darkest, dirtiest fantasies into reality.
They chased me like I’d asked them to, tied me up like I’d begged for on my blog, and left me wanting more.

I didn’t know who they were, only that they saw the real me. They gave me what no one else could—every filthy blog post come to life.

Then a sudden storm rolled in, and everything changed. The masks came off, and I was staring into the eyes of the very men I’d wished for.

Was I brave enough to let them catch me and own me completely, even if it meant risking my heart?

Thoughts on Dirty Cowboys: This time around we have a content creator spending time in a small town so she can grab that "authentic" vibe for her subscribers. Indie's a city girl in the country, but she's willing to learn what it means to live in a small town surrounded by wide open spaces and hunky cowboys.

That said, Indie also has a secret blog where she records all her wildest wants. She doesn't expect anyone to read it, but it's out there and that alone gives her a bit of a thrill. That said, someone does read it. Three someones, to be exact. And her cowboys are more than willing to give her what she wants. As often as she wants it.

Duke, Nash, and Walker have their own loose relationship going, but Indie fits with them and they don't mind AT ALL playing out her fantasies. They're safe and make sure everything they do is consensual, but they also push all the boundaries Indie wants pushed. They also like having her around for more than just sexy times. She's smart and funny and she slots into their lives like she was meant to be there.

And when she's injured during a storm, they all realize they absolutely don't want to lose her.

A little chasing, a little rough stuff (but not too rough), a trio of men who make things work, and the lady who completes them. GOOD TIMES!

Dark Warren by Adrian Blue [Review]

Dark Warren (Spring Fever #4) b Adrian Blue
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 29, 2025

Spring Fever
1. Midnight Prey
2. Cocoon
3. Wildflowers
4. Dark Warren - Kindle
5. Night Bloom

Adrian Blue
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

When Ivy Chen inherits her estranged grandmother's isolated cottage, she expects to sell it quickly and return to her city life. Instead, she discovers her family's centuries-old pact with the local fertility deity and an ancient covenant that must be kept. As the spring equinox approaches, Ivy is torn between fear and an inexplicable attraction to this primal creature who claims her blood recognizes him. Facing a choice that will affect not just her future but the land's very survival, Ivy must decide if she'll flee like her mother did or surrender to the dark, forbidden communion that Warren demands. What begins as terror transforms into something far more intimate as Ivy discovers the true nature of her inheritance—and the fierce, primal pleasure of keeping the covenant.

Thoughts on Dark Warren: This was the book that had be itching to read this series (look, old magic and primal bunny-creatures are equal parts terrifying and interesting and I honestly don't know why anyone wouldn't feel the same) and in an act of unparalleled restraint I actually read the the others first before diving into this one. MAN what a ride.

So. Ivy has inherited a quaint cottage from the grandmother she never knew. She's planning on looking it over with an eye for selling, but fate or life or the magic in the land or something has other things in mind. Strange, terrifying creatures in her garden, cryptic warnings, and gifts that both intrigue and repulse her have her head spinning. It isn't long before she's trying to figure out what this mysterious covenant is that her grandmother was involved in. She's not exactly okay with what she's finding, but she's also curious enough to keep looking deeper.

No lie, she finds a lot. There's a primal being who puts the decision on the future of him and everyone around them in her hands. The fate of the land literally depends on what she decides to do. And she's...not disgusted. I mean, eventually she reaches that point. At first she's overwhelmed and scared, but Warren calls to her on a level she's kind of afraid to explore. But she's also never felt the sense of home and belonging that she's felt since she stepped into her grandmother's cottage.

Let's just say that Ivy weighs her choices, digs through as much research as she can find, and goes into everything with an open mind. And when she finally makes her choice? THINGS HAPPEN!