The Girl Who Cried Poetry

Hello, muchachos!

This Blog post is way due and forgive me, but there is no October Wrap Up this time. This little miss had a pretty rough October and decided not to rush up her blog posts because she doesn’t want to be limited by dates and deadlines and it sounds reasonable, right?

Great. Now, we’re going to do something different this time.

When I officially started reading the Dark Romance genre, I was just like every other curious, horny sweetheart who delved into the world of Wattpad and found gold. Plenty of gold. The mafia, the werewolf, vampire and whatnot.

And everyone knows the best part of dark romance is actually the drop dead gorgeous, growls every time of the day, morally grey to the point that he will kill any man, but never cheat on his woman, will burn the world for you fictional man. Yes, yes, you don’t have to hide behind corners. I know that the “If any man touches you, it will be his funeral” “You’re such a good slut for me” thing turns you on, and yes, maybe it does that to me, but get in line! This is for you.

Now, you’ll ask, If you find dark romance appealing, why are you writing a blog post mentioning reasons you don’t like it?

It’s a good question. See, I can’t help what it does to my insides, this genre literally gave me a whole ass seat on the BDSM spectrum, but at the same time, I hate to break it to you, but it sucks when it comes to other things.

I love a good Dark Romance book, but the following is where I draw the line:


The Dark Romance Genre has themes of sexism and often shows prejudice against women:

You’ll try to say that “It’s Dark Romance for a reason, it’s not supposed to be sugary sweet to women” and I’ll tell you it’s not even supposed to be gender-favouring in the first place. See, this is subjective and I am a feminist and sometimes, when I read some of these books where women are treated as sex slaves and nothing more than to be lusted after and objectified, it sickens me to my stomach. Like, are we really doing this? Anytime I see a book with these themes, I just switch up and leave it there. It’s worse when our alpha male has the same mentality, because why? Are you not supposed to empower the female main character?
I also realise that this degrading of women in books and subjecting them to nothing but sex slaves might come off as a kink to some. We don’t kink shame in this corner, but really?

The Dark Romance Genre makes Rape and Stalking looks glamorous:

You know I’ve hooked you with this one, haven’t I? This is where I bring in the most sought after book in the Dark Romance genre: Haunting Adeline. Anytime I mention I don’t like this book, they want to come for my neck. Why? Because they know it’s true that it’s so wrong reading it, but it feels so right. This isn’t the blog post where I properly deal with this book, but give me time.

Now, in the trigger warnings, it’s obvious that “non consensual sex” and “Stalking” is mentioned, but it only made some readers clench with pleasure. In this book, we see Zade stalking Adeline which is pretty horrible and even damaging to her feeling safe, but it’s a book, it’s a handsome morally grey character who also works underground to fight bad, bad men, so why should we feel odd about it?

It is also clear that Zade raped her, but sure, her body loved it and she even orgasmed, but what about those times she laid in bed feeling guilty and defiled? We’re going to overlook that? Sure, but I just wanted to point out that some of these books make things we would normally abhor in real life look enticing. It’s a shame.

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While I wouldn’t want to ruin the fun that comes with Dark Romance, I would like to say that as a reader, the aforementioned is where I personally draw the line when I want to enjoy a dark romance novel. I can read Dark Romance novels that will make you want to douse yourself in holy water, but when I see misogyny and rape, I take my leave. This is to tell Vanilla readers who would love to explore dark romance novels to pay close attention to the trigger warnings before they read and see what they can tolerate and what they can’t.

If you’re like me and you have red flags in the Dark Romance genre, leave a comment and tell me all about it. I’ll be too happy to engage you.

Expect a blog post on why I love the Dark Romance genre! Also, I’m leaving a book recommendation and review after weeks of gatekeeping, because who am I if not benevolent? You’re welcome.

DEATH’s OBSESSION by Avina St. Graves

Synopsis:

He’s coming for you.

Death is meant to come on a chariot of broken dreams or in the dark trenches of a storm, not in love letters and gifts.

He did not take my soul when I was meant to die. He did not want it all the other times that I’ve offered it to him on a silver platter. Yet, time and time again, he reminds me that I am his: His night monster, his dark love, his perfect other.

Death was the only thing keeping me alive. He watches me from his corner, taunts me with sweet messages, marks my body with his touch as I sleep.

He took the people that I love away from me. Still, no one believed me when I said that I saw the faceless man on the night of the accident.

No one can escape death.

Me? I’m chasing it.

I found this book when I was scrolling through Instagram reels and a quote drew me in. I can’t seem to remember it, but I know I just had to read the book when I saw it.

If I was to find out a poet wrote this novella, oddly, I wouldn’t be surprised, because the words drew me in and frankly, I am in awe.

I love paranormal and fantasy dark romance novels and really, a book about the grim reaper and a human? Sign me up.

*squeals in Death Is My BFF*

It doesn’t have much of a plot and it’s one of those books you’ll wonder if the author got the idea from a 3am thought and wrote, but sometimes, we just have to read about love and how strange it is even when it involves the grim reaper, his shadow and the bride, Lilith.

The author even wrote a pretty dedication to “The girls who think the grim reaper will fuck like a god” and see, I got the vibe straight up from there.

Here are my absolute favourite quotes:

“You cannot run from me, because I will catch you. You cannot hide from me, because I will find you. I have smelt your scent, let it linger on my skin, you are imprinted in my memory. You are mine, Lilith. There is nothing you can do to escape me.””

“Just as a ship comes to harbor, our meeting is inevitable, my darling Lilith. At the corner of the earth, I will wait for the ship to come. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but I will be there to greet you and all the souls that will come after.””

“Ask who Lilith is, and you will receive a different answer: A she-demon, a spirit that brings death, a creature of the night, the deadly sin of lust, a night monster. But if you ask me of my Lilith? I will tell you that she is everything. Every gust of wind, every fallen leaf, each drop of rain.”

“Her soul sings to me like a summer’s breeze: fresh and decadent. I have not been able to get enough of her since the beyond called for her. The afterlife wanted her in its grasp, but I wanted her in mine. “

“Even at the risk of losing it all, I would fall for her. For if I were Icarus and she were the sun, I would still fly to her with my waxen wings. Her beauty would be worth the pain that I would feel just to reach her. “

“Lilith may be my greatest weakness, but her tears will be what kills Death itself. “

“You, my love, are like a storm, drowning the land with sorrow, shattering ships with your broken waves. Still, you look into the eye of the storm and see nothing but beauty.” “

“Today I watched the most otherworldly soul smile as she gazed upon a flower. Though my heart is greedy because I only want her to smile for me.”

Death comes in the darkness and light, but for him, I will come in a storm.

This is what happens when the grim reaper has a heart to heart talk with Franz Kafka, Edgar Allen Poe, Marmoud Darwish, Shakespeare, Emily Bronte and any other literary legend you can think of.

I absolutely recommend reading it!

Also, before I go, last week, Grace and Books uploaded a blog post where I had an interview with Grace talking about my bookish interests and all of that. To read, click here and while at it, I recommend you check out the blog.

Until next time!

Your loyal book bestie,

Mercy.