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Jacked Up: A Bloodthirsty Dark Paranormal Romance

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Some people kill for fame and fortune. I'm killing for the chance to bang my Jack-in-the-box.

Yes, I mean that literally—but hear me

My life blows worse than my ex. The only family member I like just died, my Mom's married to a POS perv, and if you look up 'slum lord' in the dictionary, there's a picture of my property managers.

Three steps away from needing a short vacation in a grippy-sock house, I find the antique Jack-in-the-box that used to terrify me as a kid. Sure, it scared me back then, but now… It’s always there for me. I start talking to it like it's actually alive—

—And then he invades my dreams.

There, he's real—a surprisingly sexy, lanky, sad little clown man called Claus with a spring where his legs should be. But that doesn’t stop him from using that painted smile of his to bring me more pleasure than I’ve ever known.

Then he tells me he can join me in the real world—just one he needs a human sacrifice.

…I'm seriously considering it, if it means I can bounce on more than just his coil.

This is a sentient object dark romance featuring a possessed Jack in the box, an incredibly unlucky FMC, bucket of violence, extremely jacked up sex scenes, manipulation, and a content warning list long enough you oughta check it out just in case.

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 24, 2023

About the author

Latrexa Nova

60 books125 followers
A California native, Latrexa has always seen the weird in the world and seeks to share their outright lust for the strange and unusual. Their hobbies include sculpting unnatural horrors and running from their inner demons. Latrexa writes for the weirdos, heavily featuring darkness and off-beat humor.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
Profile Image for Celia {Hiatus until August}.
750 reviews131 followers
January 27, 2024
description

•| ⊱✿⊰ |• 4,9 Stars •| ⊱✿⊰ |•

Melody inherits Jack-in-the-box from her grandmother.
The box gives her the creeps.

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She left her mother's house due to her stepfather, Rick is always looking at her in a funny way.
Melody hates when he goes into her house.

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Melody gets obsessed with the box, and takes it everywhere, even to work.
Start to have strange dreams.

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The box is asking to be open, and as Melody will find out, there's a demon trapped inside.
And to be free, needs human sacrifice.

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This has a lot of triggers, graphic descriptions, gore, read with careful.
There's nothing good in this story.

description

This is not a love story, but the evil spirit ends up, falling in love with Malory, and Malory falls for him, and makes the true sacrifice.

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Profile Image for ♥Milica♥.
1,358 reviews551 followers
December 14, 2023
I had no idea I needed a Jack-in-the-box romance in my life until now. And trust me, you need it too. It's so good, I might have to get a physical copy.

I was so easily sucked into this world and its characters, I didn't want the story to end. Jack was crazy, but in the best way, I loved watching him transform bit by bit into his true form. He progressively got darker, but still had his sweet moments with Melody.

Melody meanwhile, was a character I crave often, kind of goes with the flow of the weird, doesn't question it too much, and why should she when she has Jack? Exactly.

There were some really funny moments, and I also loved how they just didn't give a damn about anyone walking in while they did the deed after their sacrifices. It was like the whole world had to stop until they were sated. As it should, honestly.

I need a spinoff please and thank you. I'd like to know what happens to them after the way things ended.

P. S. If you've ever been curious about a springy cord type of dingaling, Latrexa Nova's got you covered.
Profile Image for Jess | jadecanread.
851 reviews155 followers
December 2, 2023
I stray further and further from the light with every sentient object romance I read.

and that's okay.

This was bonkers in the best way!

FMC inherits a jack-in-the-box from her late grandma, but lo and behold, a demon is actually trapped in it. There's a ton of manipulations, dream orgasms turned real life orgasms, murder, weird peens, and great dark humor. It's gorey, wild, and so out of left field that I never want to be right.

Highlight: when he first gets a human body, his dick is a coil lmao. Then after a few more sacrifices, it becomes this red, minty ridged phallus with a knot. Obviously a fun time.

I honestly cannot wait to read more by this author.
Profile Image for Poppy || Monster Lover.
1,263 reviews243 followers
June 21, 2024
Alrighty, well this was quite the stabby lil novella full of lies, comeuppances, and murder. Melody was stuck in a terrible situation, living her morally gray life in a shabby apartment while being harassed by pretty much everyone. She was depressed AF and honestly kinda the perfect sort of character for a sentient object romance because she was so isolated and looking for any kind of connection. Jack, Mr in-the-box himself, was a terrible influence on her. I’m talking turning a little morally gray woman into a vigilante-esque serial killer. If you’re a fan of feminine rage, then this is probably the book for you. But if you have any triggers (not including cheating, cuz that doesn’t happen here), steer clear because it’s dark AF.

Spice: 4/5

Triggers: *Depression*, the pressure of living in a capitalist hellscape, horrifically bad landlords, sewage leaks, child abuse/CSA/pedo references in as little detail as possible, on page sexual assault, narcissistic parents, a parent with ALS, a dead dad, recently deceased grandmother, outright murder, lots of jester and clown imagery/ references/culture, a haunted toy, the occult, demons, possession, body betrayal/puppetry, vengeance, lies, gaslighting/manipulation from the MMC, body worship, dream oral & handies, a bottomless body, a cursed springy peen, confetti cum, breeding (no preg), blood play, fucking in a puddle of blood and in the middle of multiple recent murder scenes, and some dubcon.
Profile Image for Monica.
292 reviews37 followers
December 4, 2023
I love a good sentient object romance. While my tastes in books lean heavily toward horror, I can’t resist spicy unhinged romance. So when the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Jacked Up, a book about a demon trapped in a jack in the box, popped up, I happily indulged myself. Latrexa Nova is a new to me author and I’m always on the prowl for new names to add to my TBR.

While you will find this one in the weirder parts of Amazon, it does check off a lot of boxes for me. Sentient object romance? Check. Murder and mayhem (horror)? Check. Non-human character with interesting equipment that can only be fixed with massive amounts of murder and blood (bizarro horror/dark monster romance)? Check. This is the story of a woman with the worst luck and an unhealthy attachment to an old jack in the box toy she inherited from her grandmother. Melody talks to it like it’s alive and that’s the possessed toy’s cue to start talking to her in her dreams. He tells her he was trapped there by a demon and needs her help to come back to the real world. At this point she’s developed a sexy connection with him in her dreams and she does not take his revelation lightly. She finds a way to make the human sacrifice that he needs to escape. It didn’t take much convincing to get her to kill for him. I guess when you have the kind of luck that Melody has, you figure life can’t get much worse and you may as well start murdering folks for some good dick. What neither of them realize is that it’s going to take a lot more blood to get Claus back to his normal state. Until then, we get to enjoy plenty of spicy scenes describing springy appendages, confetti, and cotton candy flavored stuff. And because it wouldn’t be a proper monster romance without a focus on the inhuman anatomy, we get front row seats to all of Claus’ physical changes as he absorbs more blood. Does he ever regain his true form? Does Melody ever uncover the truth about her life of bad luck? You’ll have to read it to find out.

This book is absolutely absurd in the best way. Claus’ inner voice chastising himself for catching feelings cracked me up. Melody’s whole I don’t care if your dick’s weird is a vibe. The way she always interrupts his I’m a big bad guy inner dialog with silly sweet things like forehead kisses, completely disarming him, made me laugh. Some of the imagery had me rolling. This was a fun read. I feel like it could have been expanded into a full length novel, but it is great as it is. If you like the kind of weird shit I do, check it out.

Big thanks to Latrexa Nova for sharing an ARC with me. Opinions expressed are my own. I’ll definitely be reading more Latrexa Nova.
Profile Image for Marcie.
1,079 reviews52 followers
July 14, 2024
Came for the demon clown stayed for the glitter confetti love juice!

Latrexa is a new to me author and I couldn’t resist diving into this unique paranormal spicy romance. Needless to say - came for the demon clown, stayed for the glitter confetti love juice.

Melody has had a rough go in life, but this little spitfire doesn’t give up. She keeps pushing on no more how much life may suck and I adore that about her. Things seem to take a turn when she inherits a creepy jack in the box from her grandmother though.

Jack is a demon who has been trapped in the confines of a musical box for centuries, but when the beautiful Melody sets him free..all Hell breaks loose as he manipulates her to help him regain his power and former self. This demon was something else, but in all his badness he still managed to have the ability to fall in love.

This was trip to read and I devoured it in one sitting. It’s like nothing else I have read and I was here for it all. Jacked Up is twisted and dark with just the right amount of crazy humor and toe curling spice - I never thought I would say I want more of paranormal clown demon dark romance, but this talented queen made me write that on my list. This definitely won’t be the last I read by this author.
Profile Image for Ive.
477 reviews30 followers
February 3, 2024
3.4⭐️ a very unique entertaining story. For me it was more funny than sexy, idk if that was the intention. The end came a bit abruptly and some will find it disappointing, but it suited the plot. I liked that „Clause“ acted like what he was - a demon. Melody was boring.
If your are looking for a really HEA, then this is not for you even though it ends with both being together. The idea behind had a lot potential.
Profile Image for Niamhyyy12.
122 reviews5 followers
September 9, 2024
1/1.5 ⭐️

Was it shit- yes / did I stop reading- nope

This was all over the place, the characters were cringy, ending was rubbish and the writing was flat

I skimmed through after 40% because I needed to know what was happening and honestly I should’ve deleted it from my kindle
Profile Image for Courtney Lee.
127 reviews3 followers
January 26, 2024
bloodthirsty

I can’t even explain what I just read! But it was gripping, gory and just wild. The ending had me laughing too hard after all that!
Profile Image for s.shadereads .
382 reviews75 followers
August 12, 2024
Yeah, this book had me at springy peen and cumfettie... what can I say? A girls curiosity knows no bounds. I had to know...and yes, it was flavored.. you know, in case you were wondering. 😂🍆🎉

I don't read a lot of paranormal romances, but this one was just the palate cleanser I needed to shake things up and get me out of a major bookish rut. It was a lot of fun, a whole lot dark, and even wilder than I imagined.

To compare... Melody was just an unappreciated Bonnie, who just wanted to be loved and treated right. And Jack, a demon clown Clyde who manipulated and enjoyed every moment of madness along the way. They left death and destruction along their journey to restore Jack back to his original form. Poor Melody learned that love will make you do the craziest things. But don't worry... she enjoyed herself along the way too. 😉
Profile Image for DEE.
63 reviews4 followers
March 14, 2024
Do not read this lol. Plot had soooo much potential but was just not good
Profile Image for Unfortunate Reads.
Author 6 books147 followers
November 29, 2023
This novella has a content warning list the length of my arm so please be advised. That being said I absolutely LOVED this book from Latrexa. This is their first standalone I think, and one of their longest as well. Yes it’s dark but it’s also funny and the writing is great. Also he’s got confetti 💦 so you know I’m down.

——————
BELOW IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE RECAP ON UNFORTUNATE READS. SPOILERS AHEAD ⚓️
——————

Melody is at home in her shitty apartment (literally, her plumbing burst) when her horrible step father comes over with a boxs of things that were her grandmothers.

Inside is a very creepy jack in the box that Melody remembers from her childhood. She starts feeling a weird attachment to the box, taking it to work with her and putting it on her nightstand to sleep. Finally she start dreaming about the man inside it.

First her dreams are sweet…until they get steamy. He may not have legs but somehow he still makes her *arrive* so hard she wakes up.

Claus has convinced her that a demon trapped him inside millennia ago and the only way to free him is to kill one person.

Claus is a VERY good actor because HE is the demon who is trapped. Melody makes her first kill when a plumber who came to fix her pipes assaults her, and Claus is freed. They have victory sex in the blood.

Claus is horrified to find his eggplant is still a spiral coil and his spooge is glitter confetti that tastes like cotton candy. He’s like, yeahhhh we need to kill more people so my dick goes back to normal. (Typical)

They embark on a journey of murder, sex, blood, and depravity killing evil landlords, animal abusers, and her pedophile stepdad along the way while Claus absorbs more power.

Claus tells himself this whole time that he is using Melody as his thrall, but in reality he’s falling in love with her.

There is a lot happening in this book, clowns, fortune tellers, circus acts, witches, demon hunters, outrageous sex, flavored jizz, knotting, and a fun little ending where Claus and Melody do end up together…forever.

I’m not going to give you the whole story because if you want something different, but so much darker than your typical sentient object romance (yes even darker than a pillow who sucks the life from people to gain human form) then you should definitely read it. I really, REALLY enjoyed it.

But please for the love of confetti jizz, check the content warnings before you do. Read at your own risk!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Wyn Marucci.
4 reviews
June 20, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Darkness Scale: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Review:

📘 Plot Overview
FMC inherits a jack-in-the-box from her grandmother, she gets obsessed with the box and starts bringing it everywhere, then starts having strange dreams.

👩‍🔬 Character/s
Melody the Female Main Character
Jack the demon in the box

📖 Why Read It?
I'm very interested in books that TikTok deemed as 'disturbing', I am also interested in dark romance and this book happened to fit my taste.

📚 Tropes Galore
all i see is smut, blood play, demon, dark romance

📣 Series?
Jacked Up is a standalone

🌟 Final Thoughts
This was a very interesting read, very dark but entertaining. I love how the st0ry progressed, may find myself rereading this in the future.

⚠️ Warning
not everyone may like the books that I read (I just started book reviews this year so the books I've read are not that many)
Profile Image for andrea ♡.
656 reviews
January 21, 2024
2⭐️ um something was off that didn’t make me completely enjoy this but I don’t know what it is.

maybe it’s Melody’s acceptance of the whole demon paranormal shit or the fact that she didn’t question murder for him like idk.

also, the ending. are you so frl?!🤨
133 reviews1 follower
December 23, 2023
Didn't really do it for me. Getting toward the end of the book it just felt lazy. The writing just became lazy and i didnt find the spice that hot. So just very meh 😐 overall.
Profile Image for Danielle Graves.
874 reviews21 followers
November 25, 2023
There's a line in this book that says 'a sensation that's simultaneously immensely erotic and violating' and I think that line perfectly describes Jacked Up by Latrexa Nova. This is the first piece of writing by Latrexa that I've read, and wow, what a place to start. This book conveyed so many thoughts and feelings from me; it's one of those that you can't really find the words to accurately describe the journey that reading it takes you on. Both the book and the main character play mind games, and as it combines demons, murder, and lots of spice, I found I loved it.
The story revolves around Melody, a young girl down on her luck, and for very good reason; her grandmother, a luck witch, had gambled it away to a demon before she was even born. That demon, Jack, or Claus, as he is also known, is trapped in a Jack in the Box, which is one of the few possessions Melody has. Melody is unaware of Jack's demon status, and they initially communicate via dreams, with him telling her he was cursed into the box hundreds of years ago before he convinces her to release him—by killing people.
It's a far-fetched story, but it had me hooked. I loved the similarity between both Jack and Melody's lives, with both of them being trapped, and Melody was openly susceptible to Jack due to her loneliness and the fact he was her only confidante, even as an inanimate children's toy at the beginning. They were drawn together, and as Melody basked in Jack's darkness, we also see him show some moments of softness as he realises she is different from his other thralls, although he fights those feelings.
There was a perfect balance of darkness with murder and throes of passion as they enjoyed some exceptionally spicy and hot moments together, as well as humorous moments such as Jack's spring-like penis that sprays candy floss-flavoured confetti. It was really cleverly written, and I genuinely loved every moment of it. As much as the things within the book, like demons and Jack in the Boxes coming to life, shouldn't make sense, the story did. The actions of Melody were believable, and their relationship, although born from lies and manipulation, was the perfect combination of love and lust. It was everything, and I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to reading more by the author.
Profile Image for Miriam.
621 reviews10 followers
March 5, 2024
It's more a 3.5 stars for me than 4 stars. But as we know, I can't give half stars, and it's kind of on the better side of the 3.5, so that I round it up.

Generally, I found it interesting to read, and it is, due to the content and events, a dark story. I mean, after all, 'Claus' is a true demon. And demons, in the general description, aren't known for good deeds or having morals.

And I loved the little story time in it. Not to forget the little bits and pieces of past events.

So, yeah, it's a gory story. Characterwise, I did appreciate that Claus wasn't a 'good' demon. Which often happens with stories to make it more redeemable or anything. I don't know. The same way, why the victims are typically bad persons, so that we as readers don't feel that bad about it. Though, I get that part. I wouldn't want to see a good person offed for nothing. But if the story would be more real — it can strike anyone. Good or bad.

So, Melody is our unlucky FMC. I didn't like her that much? I mean, I know she wasn't a bad person and all. And I liked that she thought of justice. But on the other hand, she was weak in many ways and seems to be 'bland' for me. Her reasoning and all was not always authentic. And it is a more 180 degree change. I didn't like that. But in the end, I'm glad she found one thing that was true.

And that brings us to 'Claus', who isn't actually Claus but a Jack. And a demon, who initially tricked Melody into doing his bidding. So, that he could be free again and gain his power back. Along the way, unknown to him at first, he fell in love with Melody. But, of course, his love is a twisted little thing. Which, again, is fitting for a demon.

He is not meant to be sane or having any morals. But he truly loved her. And that's what counts.

And while dark, it had a lot of humor in it. Furthermore, confetti. 😁

So, the story has a lot of merit to me. But I really didn't like the ending. It is some sort of HEA, since they both are together. But I didn't like the solution in any way. That could have been done better.
Profile Image for Ames ♡.
57 reviews
July 9, 2024
“You’re perfect as you are, no matter what form that takes”

This is a MF, Jack-in-the-box, sentient object paranormal romance. As usual, check trigger warnings before reading.

What the hell did I just read… and why did I like it so much?

This was my first sentient object romance and now I feel like I should have given them a chance sooner. Was this a literary masterpiece? No, but I was thoroughly entertained with the story and its characters. In my opinion, this is a perfect book if you are in a reading slump, or if you want a palate cleanser without leaving the dark romance genre.

Oddly enough, I ended up feeling sorry/ caring for Jack and how his relationship evolved with Melody. What threw me for a loop was the ending! I wouldn’t change it though, I ended up finding it sweet in a sad way, if that makes sense.

I’m thinking of buying a physical copy of this book for my shelf because I’m still convinced that this was a weird fever dream of mine. I enjoyed this book, and I think you will too!

Favorite Quotes:

“She is beauty. She is divine. Everything around me is so bright after centuries of darkness.”

“Everything in me has died, and what rises up will be new and eternally his.”

“If this is all I get of him, I’ll take it.”

“If I was trapped in a box with her, I would be happy.”

“She is my blood. My eternity. My fate. My luck.

“I know my luck is working, I’m here with you.”



*Review is based on my opinion and how I liked the book*
Profile Image for miyu.
45 reviews
March 5, 2024
Obsessed. Literally 'enthralled' by this - whatever it is.

This book kinda took some form of virginity from me since this is the first romance I've read where exchanging the words 'I love you' verbally is never mentioned once, so it gave me a shock in some way...???

Like, I know how DARK dark romances could be IN THEORY, but actually reading it was kinda like, "Wait, not even an 'I love you'?" I mean, yes, it was implied that he was a possessive creature but only in terms of 'owning' her vessel, not 'possessing' her affections in a way. It felt weirdly wrong since I've read vanilla or hardcore 'lemon' that always has vanilla undertones, but not so much a bad first experience.

I'm conflicted about whether I want a sequel or spinoff in this same universe or if I should just be happy with the ending I got...

But what I do know is that, despite the warning that "There are NO good people in this book,"
My dumb ass disagrees since Melody at least got a better life compared to what we were introduced with - a shitty life with shitty parents, shitty bosses, shitty landlords, living in LITERAL shit, in exchange for a blissful eternity with a demon who practically wants to ravage you, AND ONLY YOU, for days on end?

MAN, SIGN ME THE FUCK UP, I WANT THAT TOO.

♡♡ xx, Monster Lover Miyu ♡♡
Profile Image for Monica Weathers.
13 reviews
May 10, 2024
HOLY HELL WHEN I SAY YOU NEED TO GO READ THIS NOW IF YOURE A DEMENTED JESTER-CLOWN LOVING READER LIKE MYSELF

I AM SO HAPPY I FOUND LATREXA NOVA!!! 🥹

Jacked Up is a fun, dark paranormal romance that reminds you how fucked up capitalism is and how hot being owned, body and soul, by a demonic jack in the box can be 😻 Melody’s life was going anywhere but uphill, and to top it all off, she inherits a jack in the box toy from her grandmother. She begins to see him in her dreams and it’s the happiest she’s ever been… and when murder is the only thing keeping her and Jack apart, Melody murders a gross pig of a maintenance man! 🫡 and there’s nothing they won’t do to be with each other forever…

I absolutely LOVED Melody’s POV in this book because I truly felt like I had stepped into my own mind but in a fantasy novel! Like when you are working the cash register and a vile customer screams at you and all you can think is how good their head might look on a stake… maybe that’s just me and Melody LMFAO. 😂

The lore in this book is also just SO MUCH FUN Y’ALL like I don’t want to spoil any of it for you!! Such a creative and easy read, you love blood and killing and spicy times after murder, this fun read will not disappoint!! 💋 Latrexa’s blend of demented, sexy, and humorous is perfect!!

Now I’m waiting for an update or A SEQUEL THANK YOU 👀
Profile Image for Ali Lussier.
148 reviews3 followers
July 10, 2024
You know, I have no idea what even possessed me to read this. I read some pretty dark, dirty, and twisted things but, this was definitely a first for me.

I absolutely HATE clowns mind you, so yet another reason I have no idea why I was like "a sentient jack in the box romance? sign me up". But, I didn't hate it. It was actually quite a fun little book.

It's super short, a quick burn, fast paced packs a punch. There were quite a bit of funny moments, especially when he first becomes human. Weird peen action happening, smex in blood, and our Jack in the box is very manipulative. He's not a good guy but, he does fall in love with Melody anyways.

Our girl's grandmother passes and she gets a small box with some of her things. One being an antique jack in the box that she remembers her grandmother talking to as a child and she was scared of it. She feels some sort of draw to it and decides to keep it with her. Then she starts having dreams about a man stuck in the box and he tells her he was trapped there centuries ago by a demon and if she unalives someone for him - he can come back to life. Needless to say he is keeping secrets and is extremely morally grey..probably more black if we're being honest and the ending was..unexpected. Did not like that but, it's fine.

But boy the spice was SPICING. What a filthy jack in the box.
Profile Image for Summer R Jones.
169 reviews6 followers
November 22, 2023
Thank you to the author and the publisher or publishers for all your hard work! I'm leaving this review voluntarily and happily! Thank you for the ARC!

Where do I even begin with this? There is so much going on that it's so much and not enough at the same time! A jack in the box that's not truly a jack in the box but so much more. The main characters life is just full of bad luck and seems to constantly go in a downward spiral until she gets this from a box left by her creepy stepfather. The more she's with the jack, she thinks she's going crazy wanting to do horrible things... and her dreams, oh boy. What are you willing to do to get the man of your dreams?

I finished this in one sitting and was so sad when it ended. I wish there was more. I do know this. I hope to read more from this author and enjoy their work. This definitely earned all its stars. If I could give it more, I definitely would.

Not only are there sexual scenes in this book, but there is blood, death, and definitely violence. Also mentions of pedophilia of a stepfather. Mostly, it's death and sexual in nature, with some hysterical parts mixed in to make it light and easy. But don't let that fool you. The sex scenes are very spicy.~
Profile Image for Michelle Lebron.
169 reviews10 followers
November 27, 2023


🤡Jacked Up 🤡
By Latrexa Nova

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

OMG! That was intense, I'm still figuring out all this story in my head so kinky but at the same time intriguing filled with lots of intense spice. I never thought Jack in a Box would capture me after reading this book, I couldn't stop reading it, I finished it in less than 3 hours wanting to know how it all ended.

A really dark romance but at the same time, romantic at the end twisted in many ways but hard to forget. Oh Jack, you have become one of my favorite psychopathic characters, the way he wanted Melody for himself but wouldn't admit it, Melody is so sweet but so lethal at the same time. The way Latrexa Nova goes from gore to spice, captures us on every page of this story. It's not just a dark romance, it's a story well done in every way with excellent world-building and characters that steal your breath away on every page.

If a demon is afraid of clowns I'm not one to argue with him, I always thought they were scary. The part that cum confetti and tasted like cotton candy, keeps adding to my list of male characters with different flavors and strange shapes.

I received this ARC for a voluntary review.
Profile Image for Tayler.
459 reviews7 followers
March 27, 2024
Well... I decided to read this one just after I was recovering from the flu and it took me for a wild ride.

If you like dark, erotic, thriller type books (think Audrey Rush) but also want some kind of sentient being thing - this is for you.

Claus was a clockmaker, who Melody believes is trapped in this Jack-in-the-box she received from her grandmother's estate/inheritance/hoarder home, and is slowly creeping in to her dreams... but is he real?

Melody has been dealt a poor hand in life and all she wants is to catch one gd break, okay? Is Claus her break? Is this Jack-in-the-box more than it seems?

Through murder and mystery, she might just find her answer.

What you'll find:
-Sentient Object, obviously
-Demons
-Witches (a little bit)
-Murder
-Mayhem
-Mystery
-Clowns/Circus, even if he hates it
-Finding love when you least expect it
-child abuse and other experiences referenced
-content warnings are very necessary, read them



Profile Image for Poetry Drive.
398 reviews2 followers
November 22, 2023
I’m dead. This story… I just loved it so much, I can barely form complete thoughts. My heart still races when I think of this book. I was blessed enough to be able to Beta read this and I DEVOURED it. It was hard to offer feedback because I just wanted to know what happens next!! I was enthralled from the first paragraph— nay, the first sentence.

This was darky and f*cked up but somehow hot AF, romantic and sweet. The FMC isn’t dumb or dick-matized (ok, maybe a little), but all her actions and choices made sense. It was real and practical— any one of us could be Melody. I should only be so lucky (pun intended) 🥲

Please please check your TW but if you’re good with them, give this a go. It is amazing, and maybe it’s just me, but I had NO FREAKING CLUE the whole time what the hell would happen next. It was never boring and didn’t let up for a single sentence.

*I received a free copy of the book and am leaving a voluntary review.*
Profile Image for Imara219.
463 reviews16 followers
June 21, 2024
Jacked Up 4Eva

This was the wildest but in a fun way

Read if you..
🤡 like it when demented humanoid Jack in the Box lick your tears
🤡 like a spring coiled D!ck to smex you down
🤡 wonder how to give coiled D!ck 🐝Jobs
🤡 like smex in blood
🤡 Jack in the Box clown smex sounds good
🤡 puppet master strings making you get 🗡 us enticing
🤡 think a knotting p33n is top notch
🤡 want to see how a Jack in the Box use br33ding k!nk
🤡 an older FMC

"Because life has reached a level of absurdity I don't even know how to quantify anymore"

Oh and it was actually a fun read and the author did a great job with the novella. It had a full character arc, menace, violence, 🩸, and a what was that ending. Having Claus's perspective for half the book was a genius move. We got a lot of subtle character growth. The FMC being 35 was a nice surprise and again added so much depth. Only reason I gave a 4 instead of 5 stars is because I didn't jive with the ending.
Profile Image for Ariana Martin.
269 reviews
November 24, 2023
This is exactly as it’s described. A dark sentient romance. And as the title states… it is jacked up. In the best way.

Melody has the worst luck and in a turn of events she is given a Jack in the Box from her grandmother after her death. She is initially creeped out but over time she feels a deep bond with the box.

Then Jack, in the box, starts reaching out to her in his dreams. And their relationship continues to develop. In a scary situation Melody follows through with the sacrifice needed to release Jack from his box.

Once out of his box their story continues. And it’s a pretty dark and sensual tale. Lots of violence and trigger warnings to be aware of. I was a little unsure at the beginning. But the story develops pretty well and the plot line is entertaining to read.

I was lucky to receive this ARC for free. And I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Profile Image for Jodi_xo✨.
35 reviews
June 22, 2024
4 ⭐️ This book wasn’t at all what I expected. I picked it up in a stuff your kindle romance book event, and at first thoughts I honestly thought this was going to be about some weird fetish or something, but the story was so good.

I had low expectations for it but it most definitely surpassed any expectations. It’s a wonderful short read and has helped me get out of my reading slump.

It is truly unlike any book I have read so far, I like the character twists that it has. Not the best book ever but still a good little read. I’m glad I decided to read this book.

It’s definitely a unique and good little dark romance book. A girl who has the worst luck and her lover that she frees from his box, but he isn’t all that he seems.

Definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes dark romance books, especially if you are looking for something that isn’t the norm.
Profile Image for Selena 📚.
144 reviews9 followers
July 13, 2024
Please check trigger warnings before reading!

For what it’s worth, I’m sure that this isn’t the worst sentient object book that’s out there. At least this one kind of makes sense… as much as it can for what it is 😅😂.

We follow Melody who has had a pretty unlucky life and she has this Jack-in-the-Box she acquired from her grandmother before she passed.

She starts talking to the Jack-in-the-Box because she doesn’t have anyone else to talk to and she feels like the box is there for her. Well, soon after that the Jack-in-the-Box starts to infiltrate her dreams and it just gets absolutely wild from.

Here are some notable things:
*Coiled Peen
*Confetti c*m
*Cotton candy flavoured

This was my first sentient read and it wasn’t completely terrible and I’ll probably check out others just to peek my curiosity. Overall, this was a decent read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
75 reviews7 followers
January 27, 2024
I don't know how to explain to you why I was attracted to the idea of reading about someone a Jack in the Box. But alas, here we are. So, if you know me, no you don't 😂.

But I read this in a day and I don't know what this says about me.



It would have been a 5 star read if the ending was different because that just killed it for me. How in the world would this be the ending with the powers they have/had. Perhaps it was meant to be strangely poetic but I didn't like it.

Anyway, maybe others did. The rest of the story was, strangely because of what the mmc is, really good.
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