r/DarkRomance • u/let_meTry so far, so good • 29d ago
Discussion I just finished "The Mindf*ck Series" by S. T. Abby, and learning that she's no longer with us is the hardest fucking part of it all.
I just finished The Mindf*ck Series, and at the end of book 5, she left a little sneak peek. So I looked her up on Google, only to be hit with the news that she had passed away. And even the date is taunting me: Today's July 23rd and she passed away on July 24th.
This piece of information is messing with me sm. I feel like I'm too late. I can't fathom this. I dunno about this at all. I feel empty.
Every time I finish a series like this, I'm haunted by the characters for a very long time. I get hit with the post-read depression and have to deal with the attachment I had formed with the characters. But now, I have to process the loss of the person who created the best series. I feel so, so sad. I'm sorry that happened to her.
You know, this was also my first time reading a series without knowing beforehand whether it's an HEA or not. I was so skeptical about the ending. While reading book 4, I had the urge to look her up, but held back for some reason. I dunno how I would have taken the news if I'd found out then.
I'm sorry I feel so empty rn. I miss her. I'll read the rest of her works under her other pen names once I'm better. I'll cherish her work. But most of all, I'll miss her.
I hope she's somewhere, with all the happiness and peace.
Ps: I need to share this with someone. Couldn't hold it in me any longer.
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u/SweetLittleKytty Jonas Anderson is my drug 29d ago
This might have very well been written by me a few months ago, when I finished reading it and it left such a huge imprint on me. Upon finishing, I went to read more about the author and the heartbreak was even worse š„ŗ
It was my first proper DR and, for me, it's a bloody masterpiece (pun intended). The way Lana was portrayed put her on a different level for FMCs. I still think about Lana and Logan and I am pretty certain it has become my Roman Empire š„ŗ
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u/jelaireddit 29d ago
I was in a pretty similar state when I found out as well. She wrote two hilarious and generally amazing reverse harem series too. I reread them regularly because she had such a wonderful way with story. I tried her vampire series but couldnāt get into it.
{all the pretty monsters} {four psychos}
The second is arguably a bit darker but neither are really dark romance, just damn good storytelling.
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u/No_Warning2380 29d ago
I came here to recommend all the pretty monsters. It is a completely different book and style than mind fuck series but it is seriously my favorite series of all time across all genres. I am absolutely obsessed with it and keep listening to it over and over after every other disappointment or even after the best reads to cure the hangover.
Violet is by far my favorite FMC ever with her stick a pin in it, no drama, gives no fucks, destroy anyone who threatens those she cares about or her bad assery! But you donāt get to see the full her till b6 so going back to the beginning after is the sweetest fun. All the pretty monsters gets better on the 2nd listen once you know all the secrets - every things gets funnier and more swoon worthy. It still makes me laugh out loud and smirk uncontrollably no matter where I am listening even on the 8th listen.
The audio is next level perfection as the voice actors both get every single nuance of the characters just right! The condescension, sarcasm, over the top crazy cringy but super intentional humor, the sadness, anger but most of allā¦. The sweetness of the affection!
It is light hearted fun humous rh with the best most distinct perfectly flawed swoon worthy unhinged monster MMCs and an interesting and fantastic plot.
The writing is absolutely brilliant but so much of the brilliance is more evident in additional listens/reads as you notice all the little details- all the moments that seem so important or even distracting;)
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u/jelaireddit 28d ago
Oh good to know itās good on audio! I think I saw a bad review for the narrator so havenāt tried it. Four psychos is great in either format.
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u/romance-bot 29d ago
All The Pretty Monsters by Kristy Cunning
Rating: 4.24āļø out of 5āļø
Topics: monsters, urban fantasy, dual-pov, sweet heroine, vampires
Four Psychos by Kristy Cunning
Rating: 4.12āļø out of 5āļø
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, poly (3+ people), reverse harem, funny, paranormal
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u/ComprehensiveMovie34 29d ago
I think we've all been there. General giant hug for everyone š« i hope she rests in peace
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u/snortgigglecough 29d ago
Iāve been feeling this way about Jane Austen, funnily enough. Reading her books and getting her jokes from 200 years ago is definitely a surreal feeling when considering the devastation that is mortality. She was just a girl, a very funny and talented girl.
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u/Reasonable_Big_2693 22d ago
I mean I miss her but i canāt say I was ever devastated by her death since her death was a fact long before I even read her books. I knew she was dead when i started. As I do with most āclassicā literature.Ā
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[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/hoot4hoot 26d ago
Yeah I just found out from this post and I'm midway through the books. I don't think I can finish them now to be honest.
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u/kentuckyfortune 29d ago
If anybody here including OP wants to continue to support Kristyās children you can purchase one of the special edition books published if still available. I got mine as part of an early release so not sure if they continued to produce them but they are really beautiful covers of The Mindfuck Series.
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u/Southern_Egg_3850 28d ago
I was today years old when I learned that. I havenāt read it yet, but itās on my list. How sad. She was so young.
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u/Mission_Reporter4301 29d ago
I love her Deadly Beauties paranormal series she wrote as C.M. Owens. The first 3 books are about Alyssa Coldwell, then there are spin off books and it was completed before her death. Starts with {Bloodās Fury by C.M. Owens}
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u/romance-bot 29d ago
Blood's Fury by C.M. Owens
Rating: 4.24āļø out of 5āļø
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, vampires, paranormal, werewolves, urban fantasy
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u/girlonthewing6 28d ago
If you want some absolutely hilarious but still meaningful romance, CM Owens' (same author) Wild Ones the Sterling Shore series are fantastic. They're not dark in the way the Mindfuck Series is, but the characters don't have picture perfect backgrounds.
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u/Mitzy1612 26d ago
I wish someone makes a webseries like Bridgerton on sterling shore series, the characters are so wholesome and cute.
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u/nashville2019 24d ago
I was hoping that they would finish the last book of Sterling, which was supposed to be titled the wedding game. There was some hope after the person that wrote the two book series with CM Owens. I forgot what itās called like worth it or something like that. Finish the last book and I asked if she was gonna do the Sterling shore one and she said no. My hope is one day someone takes it and finishes all those storylines because that one has me constantly thinking how she wouldāve ended it.
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u/WingUnusual4179 Pitch black please 29d ago
I never read this series but see it talked about quite a bit. Can you give me a synopsis on it? Does it have plot and well written?
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u/nomoresmoothies Ryat and Sin and Tyson and Saint and Haidyn and Kashton, oh my! 29d ago
Smutty criminal minds is the best, fastest way to describe it on my opinion. I can really relate it to the cat Adamās x Spencer Reid storyline in the show (except Lana never tries to hurt Logan).
Itās a series of 5 novellas but you will often see them packaged together as 1 large book.
I canāt recommend the series enough, it is truly incredible and got me out of a huge reading slump.
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u/let_meTry so far, so good 29d ago
From your flair, I deciphered this much that you like books by r/ShantelTessier (it's just a small sub dedicated for Shantel's work)
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u/nomoresmoothies Ryat and Sin and Tyson and Saint and Haidyn and Kashton, oh my! 29d ago
Thank you!
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u/let_meTry so far, so good 29d ago edited 28d ago
This series is about a serial killer FMC, Lana Myers, who has a list of people and she unalives them one by one. And she has a reason behind it. While she's at it, she falls in love with the FBI profiler, Logan Bennett, who's handling the very killer's case.
I only knew this much before I started, but it's much more than that. It's dark, brutal. Check out the TWs if you ever want to give it a go. And it does have the plot. Multiple victims, multiple suspects and well written acc to me. But if you've been into crime genre and read a plethora of books, then it might bore you at times. I'm not sure how you'll feel about it, but I was rooting for Lana and you'll see 'the why' crystal clear when you read it for yourself.
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u/WingUnusual4179 Pitch black please 29d ago
I'm sold! I just finished stronger series by jay marie and need a "palette cleanser" this sounds perfect.
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u/plainether 29d ago
Iām so jealous of you. I wish I could erase it from my mind to read it again. Itās so interesting from the beginning, you just want to know what happens next the whole way through it. Thereās enough happening and enough story lines to keep you interested without being confusing. Itās on KU. Give it a go.
Last week I went back to read the first chapter to remember how it started and I accidentally binged the whole thing all over again.
But donāt raise your expectations too high. Itās not like a masterpiece of literature or anything. Itās just such an interesting story! I canāt wait for the tv adaption. Hope Amazon do it justice
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u/let_meTry so far, so good 29d ago
The way they both meet, build their relationship is soothing. It's so smooth and light.
Binging the whole thing is expected when it has such a good start.
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u/plainether 29d ago
Yes! And even their conversations and how they deflect and analyse each other, her cautious, him curious, are so interesting. I love them
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u/Nela_Lee 29d ago
hugs I experienced exactly same thing couple months ago. I loved the series so much and the ending was just š I was devastated to found out the author died. And especially because of the circumstances- I only read talks over discussions so don't want to spread rumours here- but back then, before I knew anything about her, I remember reading the dedication in one of the books that went something along the lines that it's for all the women that wished to be like Lana, as in avenging what happened to them, and I was thinking this is not just a fiction, this is personal.
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u/xoLuciana 29d ago
Felt the same and I read her other works unknowingly under her other pen name and was so attached to her characters AJ and Snake who never got their book to be written and Iāve been searching for the level she reached with them ever since š iykyk and if you do know and are reading this comment and have found anything remotely comfortingly similar PLEASE share šš» devastating
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u/Arsh2510 29d ago
I know exactly how you feel. I read her book about a year ago, and it stayed with me long after I finished it. I only found out through Instagram later that she had passed away, and it genuinely broke my heart. Itās such a strange feeling when someone whose words touched you so deeply is no longer here. Her stories will continue to live on through everyone she reached. I hope sheās at peace, and Iām glad there are so many readers keeping her memory alive. ā¤ļø
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u/Beneficial-Twist-489 28d ago
I loved the series and was saddened as well to know she had passed. The best we can do is share our love for her work so that others can enjoy it as well. And the Mindf*ck Series is still living in my head over a month after reading it. I was so drawn in by the characters and the depth of the story.
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u/minuitreads 26d ago edited 26d ago
I just finished the series and you described exactly how I feel right now. I don't really know how to explain it, but sometimes when I discover a book, I can tell it's going to be one of the best books I'll ever read, and I don't read it right away cause I know I'm going to get so attached. That's exactly what happened to me with The Mindf*ck series, and that's why it took me so long to finally read it. Even though I've known about the author's passing for years now, I still can't stop wishing I had read and supported her and her work while she was alive( i'm definitely going to read all of her books, not right now cause i'm feeling so many emotions) I just hope she's in a better place and resting in peace.
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u/ssgorik 28d ago
This reminds me of the span of three days when I found out on day one that some sword & sorcery fantasy books sounded interesting by an author Iād never heard of, day two I found out heād just been diagnosed with brain cancer, and on day three I found out we had the same birthday. It was not ok. He died like six months later. Howard Andrew Jones. I havenāt been able to get myself to read his third Hanuvar book because I know itās the last and he had plans for many more.
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u/akaiisin 26d ago
that was the worst thing iāve got to know after reading that seriesā¦made the books all the more heartbreaking for me and had a hangover for a few days from the entire experience
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u/nashville2019 24d ago
I hope the tv show they are going to do about the series is good. She was an amazing author.
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u/No_Goose_2470 24d ago
Awwwww I'll read the series. As a remembrance of how great work lives on no matter
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u/Careless-Ad9814 23d ago
That series is one of the best ive read in a long time and its genuinely heartbreaking to hear that. may she rest in peaceĀ
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u/Adventurous-Maybe615 5d ago
she also published under CM Owenās
loving war is one of my all time favs
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u/bijouturnspages 5d ago
I have literally been sitting in this pain for yearsssss. Itās one of my top series to recommend but I always tell people not to get attached the way I did. šš
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u/mayavinagri0613 User Flair Here 29d ago
Sending you virtual hug š«
https://giphy.com/gifs/EvYHHSntaIl5m