Oooooh how I loved this! This was so fast paced. There was action, there was spice, and there’s a plot! All wrapped up in this novella! I cannot wait for the next one!

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the eARC!

This novella is wildly inventive and deliciously unhinged in all the best ways. The premise alone—a librarian cursed by a dark goddess, who now experiences explosive orgasms every time she ends a life—sets the tone. It’s bizarre, darkly humorous, and totally captivating .

Vera, the protagonist, is unexpectedly magnetic. Her “feisty attitude” and the way she handles conversations with the entity she unknowingly invited in had readers giggling out loud . Meanwhile, Nikolai—the morally ambiguous immortal drawn to her—is exactly the kind of brooding, obsessive counterpart that makes dark romance sizzle .

From early impressions on NetGalley, the main character is described as "gloriously unhinged"—a blast to read—and readers are already eager for the next installment . And one Goodreads review nails it: the writing is “lyrical, haunting, and emotionally rich,” with themes of grief, legacy, and artistic responsibility that linger long after reading .

That said, as a novella, it's compact and makes no pretense at subtlety. It’s explicit, darkly erotic, and carries weighty triggers (graphic violence, blood kink, stalking)—so it’s not for every reader .


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Final Verdict

If you’re craving a dark fantasy romance that’s as wild as it is poetic, with a heroine who’s both vulnerable and utterly fearless—you’ve found it. Ink, Blood, and Other Afflictions is unapologetically bold and emotionally sharp. It’s the kind of twisted fantasy that grabs you fast and refuses to let go.

Perfect for fans of morally gray characters, unconventional romance, and stories that indulge in quirky, dangerous magic.

This novella is chaotic, horny, and completely self-aware—and I mean that as a compliment.

Vera is a cursed librarian whose body responds very enthusiastically to killing, thanks to a divine affliction. Nikolai, the obsessive immortal with unsettlingly good cleaning skills, enters like a storm, and their connection is pure dark romance gold. It’s unhinged, spicy, and unexpectedly funny.

The world is urban fantasy with a super simple magic system, but that’s where I wanted more. There’s potential for real depth—gods, curses, blood magic—but those parts were left vague. I hope future episodes explore how it all works because there are definitely questions worth answering.

A very short story, this is a part of a series. This kinda reminds me of Dexter and Butcher & Blackbird. I would recommend this if you like those murder podcasts episodes, that how I felt reading this. Has some spicy scenes with a sci-fi element to it. Not much romance since the big reveal was rushed.

I devoured this novella in one sitting. I enjoyed the concept of a librarian making a deal with a Goddess. She in turn has to do really bad things to enjoy "pleasure" 😉. She meets someone who can help her achieve these "tasks". There was some great funny banter and really funny moments that had me giggle. This novella does end in a cliffhanger and I am so excited for episode 2.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Ink, Blood, and Other Afflictions has wholely captured my attention and my heart. This deadly world takes shape without noise or warning around you from page 1. There is no warning and certainly no quarter from what stalks in the shadows. It's full steam ahead, and I was completely along for the ride.

Two strangers meet in the night sort of, but the one has left a life altering impression on the other. They are like two magnets desperate to come together. Unsure of the consequences and yet helpless to stop it from happening, they are truly compelled to fall into the other's or it until nothing is left untouched.

What entails is a truly messy and eye-opening journey that few will believe and even fewer might embrace. However, this is their truth, and they can't deny it or walk away from it.

Kristen Coar has written an intriguing yet intoxicating story of how anyone's world can be turned upside down at any given moment. The question then becomes what will we do with what Fate drops in our lap. Will we hold on right or push it away out of fear?

Novellas can be tricky, but this was absolutely perfect. I was hooked. It felt like reading a TV episode. Perfect blend of dark romance with humor elements. Of course, we get that cliffhanger, but you will definitely want to read episode two.

This was so silly and unhinged and I loved it :3

What a concept… woman who gets off on killing and man who gets off on being killed… unhinged yet so fun to read!

I am excited to read the next episodes like who exactly is this goddess and what the hell is up with David (he has to be the serial killer right?)… I will be tuning in!

This was so unhinged 😂 but I do love a good unhinged novella and ate it up!!

Honestly, even though it was a quick novella, I loved the little twists in the story that made it funny and totally unhinged. I absolutely love an insta-lust especially in a novella. I also loved the cover and the art that is at the end!

Thank you Netgalley for the early copy in exchange for a review!

A cute little novella. Easy to read and no big danger…. Yet!!!
But obviously there is a ton we don’t know and I have a sneaky suspicion that Mr. Good Guy, is actually a big bad!
We’ll see!!!!!

It's an interesting character idea and I wanted to see how the story around it would develop, and guess what?
More interesting characters.
It's short, bloody and sexy. I'll probably read the next chapters because I want to see what's happening to the characters next.

*Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for access to the ebook against an honest review.*

✨ 5 STARS ✨

This book is UNHINGED in the absolute best way and I am HERE for it 🔥 You read this for the vibes 🔥

From page one, I was just screaming: You go girl, you’re a psycho and I love you. 😂 If you’re looking for soul-searching, redemption arcs, or deep life lessons, nop turn around. This is not that kind of story. But if you’re in the mood for a chaotic, spicy, sharp-tongued little novella that feels like your favorite trashy show came to life on page (I say this with love), then this is the one.

It’s short. It’s dark. It’s wildly entertaining. There’s no time wasted on slow burns or sweet talk, just clever writing, solid pacing, and a twisted main characters.

Honestly, the dedication alone had me cackling. Kristen Coar knows what she’s doing and she does it in under 80 pages.

I didn’t think I needed this kind of read until I read it. And now I need Episode Two yesterday 👀🩸💀

I absolutely loved this spicy little novella. What a unique and fun concept, a librarian accidentally makes a deal with a goddess, and now she must do some rather questionable things in order to experience pleasure. And yes, it’s just as wild and entertaining as it sounds.

She meets her perfect match, and from there, things really take off. The chemistry was great, the premise felt fresh, and the pacing was spot-on. I also really enjoyed the main character, she’s charming, relatable, and someone you genuinely root for.

There’s a mystery element woven in as well, which added an extra layer to the story and has me so excited for Episode 2. I need to know what happens next.

Big thanks to the author for the ARC. This was such a fun, fast read and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next

Please check trigger warnings!

While this novella isn't "dark romance" dark, it is pretty much a dark romantic comedy. The FMC and MMC are two sides of the same coin, finding each other by what they think is coincidence. There is no back story yet to either of them and for a novella, it had me wanting more right away. There are questions that need to be answered about both of them but of course, you don't get them right away.

I'm excited to read the next one!

Triggers:
Bodily harm done to others (by FMC)
Lots of 🔪🔪 and what comes with that kind of thing (🩸)

If you’re looking for a super quick and unhinged dark romance where both the MC’s lack remorse, look no further!
Ink, blood and other afflictions is the first episode of the immortal desire and deadly consequences series that left me wanting more when I was done.

It tells the tale of a librarian who reads from the wrong book and gets possessed by a dark goddess who..gets off, like REALLY gets off from ending people. And our MMC Nikolai is an immortal being who’s just begging to be her next victim.

I can’t wait for the next episode!

I love a good stalker romance and this one was definitely it. It did leave me wanting more and I cannot wait for the next one. This was if lights out took place in a library with much different characters. The comical aspect is what i mean in comparison. I highly recommend

The concept of this book was new and fun. They really have the makings of a great relationship. I love a morally ’dark grey’ couple. They aren’t trying to hold each other back or make one another better. They are matching each other’s freak. I wish we had a little back story on the MMC, because I’m confused. Also just a paragraph or two to explain why the villian is how he is. As it reads he’s obsessed with the MFC no discernible reason. Also the cover is misleading. I and 3 people I asked thought that was a Black woman on the cover. The hair looks like blonde locs, not curls.

3.5 stars. Normally rate novellas 3-4 stars so this was a middle of the road one. Intrigued to see where this goes. Liked the world, and the characters. Gave hints to where the rest of the story was going to go and I want more.

Thanks to Kristen Coar and NetGalley for the ARC

This was short and sweet, I enjoyed the story line. I for sure thought David was gonna get himself caught on a knife can’t wait to read the rest

Thank you NetGalley and Victoria Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC

3.75 ⭐️rounded up to 4.

This spicy little novella follows a shy librarian who accidentally gets possessed by a goddess and now needs to kill to, well… get off. Enter a mysterious guy who can only get off by dying.

It’s short, steamy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously, which made it a fun read. That said, I was definitely left wanting more worldbuilding and character development. Luckily, this is just part one, so I’m excited to see where the story goes next!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.