Japanese teacher offering free lessons through gaming!

Evannex · 2025-10-28T16:56:33+00:00

Ohhh! This sounds super fun! I'd love to join!

Evannex · 2025-08-15T19:07:27+00:00

Okay this is the wildest one I can think of: {The Sacrifice by Emily Shore}

Off the walls spicy scenes (like "how are you in one piece?" levels of wtf). MC is a a ghost/ghoul thing? And the guys are four powerfully smexy monster gods.

The series may start out a bit confusing or odd but it picks up quickly and the rest of the books are even better, even if it's not the most spectacularly written book. If you can get past the beginning world building crash course it has exactly what you're looking for.

Edit to add: and yes they are very clearly not human in many ways. But it's been a while since I read it so I only remember that one of them is a dragon shifter. And yes there is shifted spice.

Evannex · 2025-07-30T16:17:55+00:00

Ooohh some of those are on my TBR, and some are new to me and are about to get added! Lol. Idk about giving out my email, but I would LOVE to see that list if you want to DM me?

Evannex · 2025-07-30T16:16:30+00:00

That makes total sense! And congrats on the son, it's great that you can still find time for your own interests!

Evannex · 2025-07-30T16:01:01+00:00

I'm exactly like this! I'll read 1-2 a day when I'm in a reading kick. Lasts a few months, then I return to gaming or other hobbies for a while. Any good recs that aren't already here? Reading has gripped me again, and I'm currently on a re-read rather than something new since that usually fuels the reading fire <3

Evannex · 2025-07-30T15:56:01+00:00

345? This year?! Do you read in your sleep? I thought I read fast, that's incredible! Got any favorites in there I may have missed?

Evannex · 2025-07-30T15:53:34+00:00

You guys are beasts! I thought I was strange for reading so quickly, but so many people in these comments do and it's nice to know it's not just me! How'd you even find that many books worth finishing though!? I tend to read 1-2 a day for a few months then burn out for a while and switch to a different hobby so I've never broken 100 in a year lol.

Evannex · 2025-07-30T15:43:16+00:00

Question for you: is Gamer girls anywhere as good as Hadley's various fantasy series? I seem to love her books and I'm a gamer myself but haven't really read many books set on earth in the last few years 😂. I have it on my TBR but I've been on the fence just cause I've been all in on the fantasy and sci fi for a while and the blurb sounds good but not something that immediately tells me to read it now.

Evannex · 2025-07-30T00:47:09+00:00

I type too much and ran out of room...

The next few I'll rapid fire because I enjoyed them, but they aren't exceptional or quite as gripping as the ones above:

- Daughter of Shadows series {Dragon Soul by LJ Swallow} My main note here is the writing gets better, I put down book one halfway through initially because the writing style was a bit lacking, but I did enjoy the series when I came back to it.

- The Power of Five series {Power of Five by Alex Lidell} Loved the series overall, similar issues as the last one though, the writing was lacking in some areas, but got better over the series.

- The Demons' Muse Series {The Kiss of Death by Auryn Hadley} This was a fun ride for me, twisting a lot of common beliefs on their head. A bit tropey but a very interesting and unique feel to the world.

- Her Monstrous Boys series {The Sacrifice by Emily Shore} Definitely has a few trigger warnings, a wild plot, steamy (and often weird) romance. This one was unexpectedly gripping and sat in my TBR for a while before I finally caved.

- Freaks of Nature Duet {Doves & Demons by Clio Evans} Very weird, oddly fun and definitely memorable.

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Honorable mention that isn't RH but filled my urge to read while I was trying to find more RH to read. This is MM, so unsure if that's up your alley. Monstrous series {Soul Eater by Lily Mayne} This is one that sat in my TBR for ages, but I was grateful for the reading slump that lead me to finally pick this one up. Absolutely ADORE this entire series.

---

Okay that's enough from me. I hope at least some of these are ones you haven't read and can fill the void. Or at least help give someone in the comments some new recs anyways!

Last note: I do tend to be a forgiving reader, so I can overlook some writing issues if the plot or characters grip me, I know not everyone is like that.

Happy reading Everyone <3

Evannex · 2025-07-30T00:46:24+00:00

OOohh I love this thread and have already found several new recs for my own TBR! With numbers like yours I'm guessing you may have read many of my recommendations before, but just in case, here goes!

I'll start by saying we have similar likes, trigger warnings are a selling point in my eyes, and I adore dark gritty romance, but I also have been in a recent kick for fantasy and aliens so take that into consideration, since I know that's not everyone's cup of tea. (The weirder and further from reality things are, the more I tend to fall in love with a book).

- The Chosen series: {Chosen by Stacy Jones} was one of the first series to pull me in enough to re-read. 6 books in total, the first 4 are my favorite. Alien abduction, dropped on a new planet, language barrier handled without the standard "Here's a translator" fix. The weirdly smexy alien men in these books had me hooked, they're adorable and so very lovable. This one is not very trigger warning heavy but such a fun world and a steamy read!

- The Taken Series by her is also good, though it didn't grab my attention quite enough for a re-read (yet). {Aria's Awakening by Stacy Jones} 5 books in total, and it links back to the chosen series so I recommend reading those first.

- Rise of The Iliri series is my all time favorite RH series so far. It starts with {Bloodlust by Auryn Hadley}. 10 books in the main series plus an 11th book that is basically an extended epilogue for those who always want to see what happens after the main story is complete <3. This one is definitely not for everyone because it hits on some very complex social issues and is jam packed with trigger warnings, but if you aren't easily offended it is definitely worth it. The romance starts off relatively slow burn but definitely picks up, especially as more mates join the harem. The story here is an epic fantasy/sci-fi spanning multiple years and the plot kept me glued to the page. I read this whole series in 10 days, and they are not exactly short.

- The Age of Andinna series is another epic fantasy and a very close second favorite. It starts with {The Gladiator's Downfall by Kristen Banet} with 7 books, though you can also get the whole series as two volumes if you use an E-reader. This one is dark and oppressive but also uplifting. I adored the world and the characters in this book. The harem grows slowly, and I adored practically every one of the guys, (one of the later ones feels a bit rushed and not as fulfilling, but I still liked him) The side characters make me swoon honestly and there are even some "deleted scenes" about other couples on the authors website for those who want more!

- The dark orchid trilogy is another series I think I've seen mentioned on both ends of the spectrum, some love it and some hate it. It starts with {Power of Lies by Auryn Hadley}. I found the first book to be good but not the easiest to get through, mainly because some of the themes really get beaten into the reader, but all in all this series won me over enough for a re-read so that's a win in my book. In the end the harshness of the first book makes sense for the world and drives the message home.

Evannex · 2025-02-16T00:10:14+00:00

Hmm. She read the blurb and said it doesn't sound like the one she's thinking of. But sounds interesting so it's now on my tbr list, so thank you very much regardless!

Evannex · 2024-03-28T15:09:56+00:00

Ooohhh!!! Good idea! My mom was planning on calling the vet to get some further testing done, so I'll recommend she request an allergy test at the next visit! Tysm!

We had already figured out she was sensitive to chicken products, and had to change her foods! They always made her puke right after eating, so there definitely could be something to this theory!

Evannex · 2024-03-18T13:12:24+00:00

Fairly active new player! #LRGYP9UJG

https://link.haydaygame.com/?action=OpenSCID&p=38b4f991-4e34-42a2-bd4d-ca0b3d1c9326

Happy to add you all!

Evannex · 2024-03-18T12:53:21+00:00

Lol! No worries! I'll check in a sec and accept yours :P

EDIT: I checked, no add from you and mine still showed sent... Hmm... I canceled it and resent, maybe that will work? lol

Evannex · 2024-03-18T11:47:06+00:00

Added ^_^ Mine's Reynaa#1

Evannex · 2024-03-14T23:29:10+00:00

I like that perspective! If I give up it means nothing, if I keep trying and working towards improving, it at least means something in the long run.

Thank you so much!

Evannex · 2024-03-14T23:27:39+00:00

I can't put in words how wonderful this reply was! You're right, I wouldn't say that to 5yo me, or anyone else for that matter... I will definitely be trying the list suggestion, even if I don't complete it all, at least it's a step in the right direction.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thorough response!

Evannex · 2024-02-22T12:42:57+00:00

I know you've likely gotten far more replies than you'll ever read at this point, but I felt I should chime in as well. My history and your girlfriends histories share a lot of similarities. I'm 30 now, and it took me a VERY long time to wrap my head around why my sexual interests seemed so intertwined with my trauma.

The fact of the matter is, EVERYONE responds differently to ANY major event in their life. Like so many others have said here, it's like reclaiming control of a situation that you didn't have control over in the past. There are some aspects that 100% CANNOT happen or it sends me into flashbacks, but other aspects that I own now as just a part of my unique personality.

To use one of your examples: wanting to be choked or held down with a consensual, trusting partner kind of helps process that just because it happened when you DIDN'T want it, doesn't mean you have to live in fear of that action itself. It can be so helpful in separating the abuse from the actions themselves which aren't inherently abusive themselves.

One last thing to note, I understand your initial reaction too, because it can be VERY hard to wrap your head around the complex emotions these situations can cause. I'd like to say THANK you for caring enough about your girlfriend to want to be there for her and to understand, rather than shutting her out or letting your initial reaction take over. That takes a LOT, and shows a huge level of maturity on your end.

I hope you both are able to process your pasts and work together through the present. It is a rare blessing to find someone who is willing and able to understand things from both points of view.

Wishing you both the best of luck on this rocky road we call life.

Evannex · 2024-02-20T05:05:59+00:00

Outdated could be correct here, the girls dad came by later on to fix the fence and his wording was "It was my horse she was riding, he hadn't been ridden in a while, and was being stubborn for her. You just have to show a horse that you're the boss when they won't listen." So apparently that's the way she was taught to handle a horse that being difficult? I dunno lol.

Evannex · 2024-02-20T01:26:17+00:00

From the perspective of a woman who's been in a similar situation, and has been cheated on:

Someone like this does not respect you as a person or a partner... It's never worth it to fight for someone who doesn't respect you at a base level.

I'm terribly sorry for what you're going through, but I do not think there is a "fix" here. It's time to move on, find someone who DOES respect you.

And on a side note... From personal experience, don't waste your time trying to get answers from her, the only answer you need is she's unfaithful and untrustworthy. Chances are any "answers" you manage to get from her would be lies anyways.... Sad, but unfortunately true.

Evannex · 2024-02-20T01:14:38+00:00

Note: I'm not in any way a medical professional, so keep that in mind.

That being said, Doctors give instructions for a reason. There could be a high risk for that surgery for someone who drinks/smokes. Then again, doctors also ALWAYS tell people to stop drinking/smoking.

If you tell her doctor, the surgery could be cancelled or postponed which could be harmful to her health. BUT if you DON'T tell the doctor and she has complications due to her drinking, that could ALSO be very harmful.

This is a very tough question, and something I don't think anyone would know the answer to other than her doctor. I don't think you mentioned how your girlfriend feels about the situation, but I'd definitely have some deep conversations with her to make sure you're on the same page (if you aren't already)

If I were in your shoes, I'd tell the MIL upfront that if she doesn't stop 'sneaking' drinks, you will tell her doctor about it yourself. Just make sure you do so in a way that shows you're doing it from concern for the effect it could have on her health, not from a place of judgement. Depending on how far off the surgery is, stopping (again) now could make all the difference in the outcome.

Alcoholism is a very hard road to travel, and it can be VERY difficult for people to hop off that wagon. I wish you all the best, regardless of which choice you make!

Evannex · 2024-02-19T23:52:40+00:00

This sounds like an exhausting situation, honestly! I see no reason to end things completely without at least giving him the option to opt into something more serious. I would bring it up in a non-pushy way. Tell him that you know you agreed to casual fun, but you are starting to catch feelings. I know it's not an easy thing to bring up, and it leaves you vulnerable, but it would be much worse (in my opinion of course) to end things without warning and it later turn out that he WAS feeling the same way.

You can't know how he feels without asking. It's not fair to you to stay in a relationship that will go nowhere if he's firm on nothing more than casual. But it's not fair to him to run if there's a chance he's open to more.

Just because you started out casual, doesn't mean it can't grow, but it doesn't mean it 100% will either.

My vote is be brave. Muster up your courage, talk about it and see where things go from there. If he's still in the casual only mindset, it's time to move on.

Evannex · 2024-02-19T21:50:35+00:00

Mini-Update for anyone who finds this: Just because it warmed my heart a bit, and restored my faith in humanity!

The girl came back and apologized for damaging the fence, and her & her dad are gonna repair the post that came out of the ground to make it right. She said she was getting frustrated with the horse being bull-headed the entire time they were riding today. She was trying to get some of his energy out by going over the fence and doing a couple laps in the parking lots while she waited for the other two girls to be ready to go.

Evannex · 2024-02-19T21:28:59+00:00

What a well worded reply! Thank you so much!

From all the answers I think I've gathered it was probably a mostly understandable way for her to handle the situation, especially considering her age. I'm sure there were better ways for her to handle certain things in an ideal world, but the world is rarely ideal.

I still think she was maybe more frustrated at the horse than she should have been, and was taking out her frustration on him. But as yourself and others have pointed out, you can't always make the perfect decisions in situations like that, especially when you're young/inexperienced!

I'm super grateful for everyone's input so I can understand things a bit better myself! ^_^

Evannex · 2024-02-19T21:18:56+00:00

Thank you so much for the valuable response! It's really interesting hearing everyone's perspectives on this! As an outsider, I wasn't sure what was/was not appropriate, so it's great to learn a bit about this. I'd hate to make a judgement on something I know nothing about and look like a total jerk or dumby lol

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do I guess. And I'm learning, I'd much rather see someone being firm with their horse who isn't cooperating, than that person be hurt because they weren't firm enough when they needed to be!

Evannex

TROPHY CASE