Makeouts and Murder

Teague’s Breeder

Hi Friends! This week I’m diving into a book I stumbled across in a romantasy thread on Reddit called Teague’s Breeder by Leona Page.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

Okay listen… this one is wild in the best kind of way and a little tricky to review without spoiling too much. It’s an MMF breeder romance packed with all kinds of drama and twists, and when I say the second M in MMF was a shocker… whew. I thought I had it figured out but nope. Plot twist around the 20 to 25 percent mark had me blinking like 👀.

The story follows Mina, an 18-year-old high school she-wolf juggling two jobs, caring for her little siblings, and dealing with an alcoholic mom after her dad’s passing. On top of all that? Her true mate, Blu, can’t stand her and made sure everyone knows it. Big oof

Enter Teague, the beta of the pack and bestie to Alpha Xander. Teague was born mateless which, in this world, means his wolf could eventually go feral and have to be… eliminated. So Xander steps in with a solution straight out of left field: a breeding contract between Teague and Mina to save his friend’s life.

What I Liked:

There were genuine surprises in this one. I seriously didn’t see the second MMC coming and the dynamic between him and Teague? Unexpected but absolutely spicy
Speaking of spice… this book brought the heat. I mean I was sweating. The scenes were steamy but not overly drawn out. Just the right amount of sizzle to let your imagination go wild.

What I Could Have Lived Without:

So many subplots! Murder? Sex trafficking? Jealous ex-mates? Alpha challenges? It was a lot to juggle and by the end, some threads just didn’t get tied up neatly. I had questions… and not the fun kind

So now I’m curious…
What’s your favorite shifter romance? Sound off in the comments and give me all your wild and spicy recs

With love, screams and everything in between

-Makeouts & Murder

Hey friends! Grab your popcorn and turn down the lights because today I’m diving into Opus, starring the ever-talented John Malkovich Ayo Edebiri and the always stunning Ayo Edebiri.

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The film follows a rising music journalist (Edebiri) who scores a once-in-a-lifetime invite to an exclusive listening party for the elusive and legendary musician Moretti, played by Malkovich. But surprise surprise, what starts as a career-making weekend turns into a full-blown horror show filled with murder, madness, and plenty of “wait what just happened” moments 

Since this was an A24 thriller, I had high hopes. I’m talking sit-on-the-edge-of-my-seat and sleep-with-the-lights-on expectations. Sadly… Opus did not quite hit the high notes.

The concept? Super promising. The execution? Meh. The plot played out like a horror movie on autopilot. Predictable jump scares, light gore, and twists that you could see coming faster than a TikTok trend. The biggest standout was Malkovich, who gave an iconic performance as the eccentric cult leader. He made Moretti feel hauntingly charismatic. I’m not a cult girly, but I kinda got it.

The biggest issue? The plot was basically translucent. I could see the “big twist” before I even finished my popcorn. It had major Midsommar vibes but with none of the grit or shock. Honestly, it felt more like a spooky background noise kind of movie than something that grabs you by the spine and won’t let go.

If you’re looking for a truly chilling horror film, this isn’t it. But if you want something mildly creepy to throw on while folding laundry, Opus might be your vibe.

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Overall rating:

 Scare factor: 👻 (barely boo-worthy)
Gore factor: 🔪🔪 (light splatter, no splurge)

I’m on the hunt for my next horror fix, so drop your fave scary movies in the comments! What should I watch next?With love, screams, and everything in between
– Makeouts & Murder

The Moon & His Tides by Giana Darling

Okay. Real talk. I have no idea why I waited so long to read The Moon & His Tides by Giana Darling. I already love about 90% of her books. I’ve devoured all the Lombardi sibling stories (except Giselle’s because, let’s be honest… unforgivable family betrayal 🚨). So I should’ve known Sebastian Lombardi’s book would absolutely hit. And oh, it did.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶🌶🌶🌶 (4 tamales, baby)

This one’s a steamy MMF Hollywood romance featuring our main man, Sebastian Lombardi. He’s a drop-dead gorgeous Italian guy who grew up poor in Naples with his mom and three sisters, including his twin Cosima. The whole Lombardi clan is basically genetically blessed, but Cosima and Sebastian? Actual models. Possibly gods. Definitely not normal people.

The book follows young Sebastian as he hustles in London, working as a chauffeur by day and chasing his dreams of acting and screenwriting by night. That’s when he crosses paths with Hollywood royalty and literal It-Couple Savannah and Adam Meyers. Cue the sparkles ✨ the tension 😳 and the steam 🥵. Because when three stupidly attractive people start spending time together, you know things are bound to get wild.

Heads up: The Moon & His Tides is book one in a trilogy, so yes, there’s a cliffhanger. Book two (The Sun & Her Burn) just dropped and judging by the blurb, there are some spicy shake-ups on the horizon… including a twist I did not see coming 😱.

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What I Loved:

The chemistry between the trio was chef’s kiss perfection. Their connection felt intense, sexy, and surprisingly sweet. Giana really nails the individual relationships between the three characters while still keeping the group dynamic front and center.

The spice? Next level. I’m talking cold-shower, blushing-in-public level.

The drama and angst? Immaculate. I live for a love story that hurts a little, and the last few chapters had me grabbing the tissues.

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Favorite Quotes:

“In another universe,” he pulled back just enough to whisper, the movement of his lips still pressed to mine as if he wanted to feed me the words. “We’d be together. I’d love you here in the shadows but also in the light. I’d walk down the beach holding your hand, and it would be the rightest thing in the world. I’d tell people la luna è la mia amante, the moon is my lover, and I’d be so proud.”

“If I am stuck living in my own head for the entirety of my life, it only makes sense to be kind to myself.”

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What I Could’ve Used Less Of:

The word wet. Yep, I started counting. By chapter 14, I hit 40. FORTY. I gave up after that. 😂 Like… we get it.

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All in all, I loved this book and I’m diving into the next one as soon as humanly possible. Fingers crossed it ends without me crying in the club. Again. 🥲

What’s your favorite Giana Darling read? Drop it in the comments. Let’s obsess together.

With love, screams, and everything in between

– Makeouts & Murder

As a lifelong horror superfan, the past five years have been a dream. The genre has been killing it (pun fully intended) with bold, inventive, and downright chilling films and 2025 is keeping the momentum going. Over the next few months, we’re being served a buffet of terrifyingly good cinema, and I already have my popcorn ready. Here are just a few upcoming horror films I’m basically waiting at the door for.

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 Weapons 

Anticipated Scaries: 👻👻👻👻
Anticipated Gore Factor: 🔪🔪🔪

Zach Cregger’s latest project is about the eerie disappearance of all but one child from a single elementary school classroom. The trailer absolutely nails the balance. It sets up the story without giving everything away. I mean, how often do trailers these days just spoil the entire plot? This one left me with a ton of deliciously creepy questions:

• Why is Ms. Gandy the focus?
  
• What’s with the missing kids doing the Naruto run?
  
• Are we talking possession, witchcraft, or full-blown abduction by something we don’t understand?
  

The mystery is chef’s kiss. I’ll be at the theater the second it drops on August 8. With the director of Barbarian (2022) behind the wheel, I’m expecting wild twists, disturbing imagery, and at least one scene that will live rent-free in my nightmares.

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 Him 

Anticipated Scaries: 👻👻👻
Anticipated Gore Factor: 🔪🔪🔪

Let’s start with the obvious, if Jordan Peele’s name is anywhere near a horror film, I’m watching it. Him is no exception. Dropping September 19, this one dives into the dark, culty corners of professional sports as we follow a college football superstar climbing toward the big leagues.

The tagline “Greatness demands sacrifice” is giving serious Faustian vibes. Judging by the trailer, there’s a secret society twist, maybe even full-on Illuminati energy, and I’m here for all of it. With Peele producing, I’m bracing for social commentary, psychological thrills, and a good dose of stylish supernatural horror. Think Get Out meets Eyes Wide Shut, but with helmets and touchdowns.

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I’ve got a few more spine-tinglers on my watchlist, including Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, and I’ll be sharing my predictions on that one (and others) next month.

So tell me: what horror films are you dying to see in the second half of 2025? Drop your picks in the comments. Let’s geek out together.With love, screams, and everything in between,
–Makeouts & Murder

Ok. I confess…
I took a little detour this week. Instead of reading The Moon and His Tides, I got totally distracted by a colorful and quick read by Kristen Painter called The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride. I’m sorry, but the cover was bright pink and had vampires. How could I resist? 😂

Overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️ (just a little heat)

So, the title kind of gives away the whole plot: it’s about a vampire (Hugh Ellington) and his unexpected mail order human bride (Delaney James).
Spoiler alert — we find out pretty early that Hugh definitely did not sign up for a mail order bride, and Delaney? She wasn’t exactly supposed to show up either. Cue the comedy, hijinks, and a random mafia hit subplot.

The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride was a super quick read, light on the spice and light on the drama, but packed with humor, an adorably spoiled (and slightly overweight) Maine Coon cat, and one hilariously sassy manservant. Honestly, it was the perfect palate cleanser after all the intense mafia romance I’ve been binging lately.

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What I Loved

Stanhill the manservant, aka the Rook, was absolutely perfect. He always brought logic and laughs to the party. Total scene-stealer.

Both main characters were refreshingly rational. Hugh had a little ex drama and some commitment phobia, but for the most part, he acted like a grown-up. (As he should. I mean, the guy is over 300 years old.) If someone who lived through the plague, the Great Depression, and the Industrial Revolution acted like a manchild, I would have DNF’d immediately.

Delaney was super chill, open, and pretty relatable. Considering she was on the run and just casually strolled into a town full of supernaturals, she handled it all like a champ. 

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What I Wanted More Of

Heat! They kissed a couple of times on page, and we know things went further, but I like my vampire romances to be melt-the-page steamy. This one was more like a single birthday candle cute, but not nearly enough heat for me.

Relationship development — The romance was sweet, but I wish it had taken a little longer than a week for them to fall in love. It felt a little rushed. Then again, it’s a fantasy romance set in a town full of supernatural beings, so… logic? LOL.

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Overall, it was a fun, fast, and fluffy read with a pink cover and a bite of humor. 

Sound off below and share your favorite sweet reads!
I’m always looking for cute and cozy recs between the blood, drama, and smooching.

With love, screams, and everything in between,
— Makeouts & Murder 💋🩸

Hey friends! 👋 Every Tuesday, I’ll be sharing my current read and honest review. This week’s pick: His Pretty Little Burden by Nicci Harris. I’ve been deep in my mafia romance era lately (think: The Sopranos meets Fifty Shades) This one definitely brought a darker twist to the trope. I’ll do my best to avoid major spoilers, but I will be spilling the tea on what worked… and what flopped.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ (2 stars)
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (5 tamales)

Let’s talk trigger warnings. This book kicks off by announcing it’s the author’s “darkest novel yet,” and honestly? No lies detected. Some of the flashbacks, especially those revealing the FMC’s life before meeting the MMC, are brutal. We’re talking major trauma, violence, loss—the whole emotional rollercoaster. If you’re here for heartbreak, high-stakes drama, and lots (and lots) of sexy scenes, this book has it in spades.

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Brief Synopsis:

Our FMC is Fawn, a young woman who finds herself pregnant after a non-consensual encounter while under the influence (major content warning here). She’s an orphan, as her mother unalived herself, leaving Fawn to piece together her origins. Using clues left behind, she sets off to find her birth father, a made man she’s never met. Her search leads her straight to Clay, our MMC and the newly crowned Don—who got the title by killing the previous Don… who also happened to be his wife’s father.

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What I Liked:

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Unconventional family + mafia dynamics: Clay being both a politician and a mafia boss? Unexpected but interesting. That duality isn’t something I’ve seen much in the mafia romance space.

🇦🇺 Aussie vibes: The book is set in Australia, which adds a fresh twist to the genre. Think mafia, but with accents and a different backdrop than the usual NYC or Chicago scene.

🍼 Daddy Dom Realness:
This book goes there. I have been reading smut for over a decade and some of the scenes made me blush. The power dynamic between innocent, inexperienced Fawn and the uber-dominant Clay is central to the plot. The spice is graphic and detailed. Clay is in full-control mode from start to finish, in and out of the bedroom.

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What I Could’ve Lived Without:

📖 More filler than a med spa:
Some chapters felt like fluff, with dragged-out scenes that didn’t move the plot or build character. It made parts of the book feel more exhausting than exciting. By the last third of the book, I found myself wondering when it was going to end.

🧀 Cringe city, population: these phrases:
Let me just quote a few:

• “Fatty flaccid shaft” (barf)
• “I can still see his godly physical potential bursting from his powerful physique.” (what does that even mean?)
  Also, WHY is every MMC growling these days? Is this a mafia romance or werewolf fanfic?

🤷‍♀️ Plot whiplash:
There’s a lot going on. Sudden betrayal in the organization. Clay’s drama with his mom. A wild ex causing chaos. A whole subplot about Fawn’s dad that’s left totally unresolved. It felt like the book was juggling too many arcs without really sticking the landing. Then you realize there’s a sequel. But after this unhinged ride, I find myself wanting to get off at the next stop.

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Would I Recommend It?

Depends on your vibe. If you’re just here for the smut and don’t mind a messy plot, then yep this might scratch that itch. But if you’re a plot girly like me, maybe skip this one and keep it pushing.

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That’s it for this week’s review! Want to stay in the loop on future reads? Hit that subscribe button or follow me on Instagram at @makeoutsandmurder.

Next up: The Moon and His Tides by Giana Darling. I’m a big fan of hers, so fingers crossed for a wild and fun ride.

With love, screams, and everything in between—see ya!

– Makeouts & Murder

Some kids were into sports. Others were into music and dance. For me, it was always books and movies. There was something about being transported into an imaginary world that captured me from an early age. I knew that I loved fiction before I understood the concept of love. It was an obsession. I remember staying up for 24 hours straight as a kid to finish a book, only taking bathroom breaks and the occasional sip of water. It was that deep for me.

Romantic Beginnings

While the first book I ever read wasn’t exactly hearts and flowers — all the love to Goodnight Moon — I found myself drawn to love stories, both beautiful and dark, early on. The first romantic story that caught my attention was the classic Romeo & Juliet by Shakespeare. My mother had a gigantic book covering Shakespeare’s entire works, and it was there that I discovered a love for intense human emotion, happy endings, and deep tragedies. I didn’t quite know or understand different tropes and sub-genres of romance then — I just knew I wanted to read more. There was something about the drama, the angst, the tension that drew me in and never let go.

Dark Endings

As I traversed my childhood as a voracious reader, I found myself intrigued by the dark and eerie nature of horror. It started with horror book series for kids — Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It blossomed into a love of classic horror films like Jaws and Rosemary’s Baby. The moody lighting, the distinct music, and the edge-of-your-seat moments made my heart race. By age nine, I was a horror film stan, seeking out any available film that could give me the perfect trifecta of gore, suspense, and thrills.

Why Both?

Why not? Half of the heroines in the books I read don’t have to choose, so why should I? 😂 Love and horror seem like complete opposite sides of the spectrum, but to me they’re both about vulnerability, excitement, drama, and tension. They ask the question, “What happens if?”

What to Expect

If you’re here, you’re just like me. You either love a well-written love interest, an artfully shot fictional murder scene, or both. Either way, all are welcome here. Here’s what you’ll find at Makeouts & Murder:

💀 Probably a few hot takes on why the villain was the moment

📚 Romance book reviews with spice-level breakdowns

🎥 Horror movie deep dives with content warnings and scream ratings

✨ Rec lists and chaotic commentary

Share your hot takes, fictional crushes, and spooky recs with me. You can follow me over on Instagram @makeoutsandmurder for more book recs, horror faves, and general chit-chat.

With love, screams, and everything in between — see ya on the next post!

— Makeouts & Murder