Sidetracked (Mindf*ck, #2) (2025)

fucking hell. this just keeps on getting better and better

the real mvp here are those last sentence cliffhangers, single-handedly dragging me through this series by the toes

this book is really making me wanna become an FBI profiler huh?

you know, ever since freshman year of high school, my dream job was to actually be an FBI profiler after i binge-watched criminal minds for a whole month.

but y'all know why that won't work? well, first of all i'm not American and second, FBI agents exercise and... i... Do. Not. and when i discovered all this well-

truly a sad day for me.

anyways. this book barely had any romance but i ain't complaining because it focused more on the plot and said plot is addicting as hell because i'm on the edge of my seat the whole book. the whole Boogeyman (another serial killer) plot, Lana and what she did to Hadley's (another FBI agent from Logan's team) pedophile step-dad, Laurel and Lindy, etc.

i truly just wanted to exclaim, and possibly worried (but not really), that i get all giggly and excited when our girl lana is about torture and murder someone <3 i support women's rights AND wrongs.

Mindf*ck Series
#1: the risk ↠ 4.25 stars
#2: sidetracked ↠ 3.75 stars
#3: scarlet angel ↠ 4.75 stars
#4: all the lies ↠ 4.5 stars
#5: paint it all red ↠ 4.75 stars for the whole series

╰┈➤ 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓯*𝓬𝓴 𝓼𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓽𝔀𝓸
4.25/5 ★’s

⁀➷ his arms stay around me, and for once in ten years, i feel safe. i feel treasured. i feel something other than empty.

brb, SOBBING😭

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

𝓼𝓹𝓸𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀

he pulls out of me, and i clench my thighs together, already feeling the loss. and the mess. the mess i haven’t felt since…
i wait for the nausea to wash over me.
i wait for the panic to seize me.
i wait for the buried memories to resurface and steal this moment away, but it doesn’t happen.
he’s just healed another small piece of me.

⤷lana, babygirl😭pls, she’s so strong🥺just had to share this moment<3

i just know all the ratings for each individual book will be 4 stars or higher. this series is IT. definitely gonna be one of my favorite reads of 2024 and a series i will always recommend, but please search up trigger warnings!

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

❥ 𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈:
i would’ve given this one 5 stars, but there was a part or two during this book that slightly bored me.

❥ 𝓅𝓁𝑜𝓉:
this book kinda focuses more on logan and what he does for a living. don’t get me wrong, i love it and i think it’s so interesting, but at times it kinda bored me a bit. let me just be real and say i just wanna read about lana. lana, in this book, is more distracted with other things and isn’t able to focus on her main goals which was totally fine because she slays with everything she does💅🏼the ENDING. the ending. that cliffhanger😭the plot will be thickening and i’m here for it.

❥ 𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈:
my main issue. i don’t really like any of them except for lana’s friend, jake. everyone that logan works with…they all irritate me in their own ways lmaooooo, i hope it’s not just me😭but come on…with a main character like lana, who’s even paying attention to the side characters anyways😌

⁀➷ i really don’t like her. can i cut her? just a little?

literally lana talking about a side character😂see, i’m not the only one who doesn’t like them.

⁀➷ ❝now kindly fuck off.❞

lana directly talking to a different side character lmaoooo crying, i love her sm. she’s such an icon.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

❥ 𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒶 𝓂𝓎𝑒𝓇𝓈

⁀➷ i just want to feel more like the carefree, happy girl i was before they stole it all. before they ruined me.

this fucked me up. killed me. i’m dead now.

❥ 𝓁𝑜𝑔𝒶𝓃 𝒷𝑒𝓃𝓃𝑒𝓉𝓉

⁀➷ ❝you’re my priority.❞

okay this brought me back to life🦋the little emphasis on my…that’ll get me every time🥹

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

but with logan, it’s as though i’ve never been hurt. i trust him. it’s insane to trust someone so freely after being hurt so irrevocably in the past, but i do. i trust him completely, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’d ever intentionally hurt me.
i can feel it in the way he kisses me. i can see it in his eyes when he bares his soul. i can taste it in the way he breathes. and i sense his honesty like a predator can sense its prey’s fear.

these two better be endgame or i’ll scream. riot. throw this series away

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

❥ 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓆𝓊𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈:
➛ ❝you. you’re just so…i guess you’re sick of hearing perfect. but it’s true.❞
➛ you don’t know this about me, but i’m a survivor. <3
➛ he doesn’t even know how saying things like that does weird things to my soul, adding back the lost pieces i thought were forever gone.
➛ i don’t bleed for the world anymore.

4.5 stars! Loving this seriesssss

holy fuck it just gets better??? how is this possible???? I cant stop!!!!!!!! anyway, i can’t be sitting here WASTING TIME WRITING A REVIEW, I gotta go read the next book.

I’ll leave you w a quote:
“while they play poker, i’ll be playing dominoes”

'Sidetracked' is the second serial in S. T. Abby's 'Mindf*ck' series and it proves to be just as exciting as the first. To this point, there hasn't been a dull moment in this series. I could not read these quick enough. I devoured every twisted detail as Lana and Logan continue to court danger.

In spite of their hectic schedules and Lana's secrets, the couple continues to grow closer. They are quickly falling in love, even as Lana knows that she should distance herself from Logan. The man who is bringing her back to life is also the man who will cost her everything.

Logan is increasingly busy working two high-profile cases. Aside from his unknowing hunt for Lana, he is also trying to pin down a serial rapist and murder that is dubbed the "Boogeyman". As she continues to avoid detection, Lana provides some insight and assistance to Logan on his other case.

When things heat up with the Boogeyman, Logan's notoriety makes him a target for the killer. Only, the Boogeyman plans to get at Logan through the woman he loves. As a result, security for everyone on Logan's team and Lana is beefed up.

Needless to say, having a 24/7 law enforcement presence proves to be a challenge for a serial killer trying to fly under the radar. The fact that Logan does not truly know Lana is never more obvious. Despite the added scrutiny, Lana manages to continue her plans for revenge with a few modifications.

More and more, Logan tries to get Lana to open up about her past to no avail. Meanwhile, readers are given tidbits of information, but are still left largely in the dark with Logan. It is clear that Lana's survived an incredibly traumatic incident in the past, but the full extent of that trauma is yet to be revealed.

However, enough of Lana's story has been revealed to make her plight sympathetic to readers. I am still rooting for her. She has yet to kill anyone that I didn't think had it coming.

As expected, this second book ends with another huge cliffhanger. If I thought that the cliffhanger at the end of the last book was anxiety-inducing, I hadn't seen anything yet. I dived into the third installment of this series immediately.

I am completely and totally hooked on this series. It is dark, twisted and has everything that I love in a suspenseful story. I am dying to know how everything works out. I have no doubt that I won't stop until I've finished this entire series. I love it!

5+ Stars!

... Hands down mindf*cker #2.

Hero. Quintessential. Sensible. Logan Bennett.

Note: This is a dark, suspense romance.

No doubt. I need this book. I love this book. I want this book. The series gets better and intense as it progressed. The hero and heroine gets hotter. The story gets exciting. My life has been completely sidetracked. I can't wait for moreee!

•••

"Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes."

Do not judge a book by its cover. If you like a good revenge-suspense romance, give this one a chance! Lana Myers and Logan Bennett won't surely disappoint ya.

Mindf*ck Series:
Book 1: The Risk ➼ 4.5 Stars
Book 2: Sidetracked ➼ 5+ Stars
Book 3: Scarlet Angel ➼ 5 Stars
Book 4: All The Lies ➼ 5+ Stars
Book 5: Paint It All Red ➼ 5 Stars

Trigger Warnings: Vivid depiction of sexual assault and murder.

i saw someone saying that the author’s pen name S.T. Abby is for stabby.. am i the only dumb one who didn’t notice it? 🙃

and it was mentioned twice in this book:

"non-stabby girl"
"Feeling stabby."

Very well thought out and...executed. Pun intended. On to book three...

Spoiler-free review for entire series can be found HERE

OMFG, this is getting better and better....

A serial killer sharing a house with a homicide detective and her boyfriend, an FBI agent.

I dropped two bodies in one day, but I hardly feel like now is the time to brag about my awesome efficiency.

It’s sad that I want to hide my bodies now so that my boyfriend gets a break and can spend more time with me.

Thank God all the books are out. On to the next one!

《 4.5 ✰ 》

❝
There’s a certain high you get from fooling the world into thinking you’re the lamb instead of the rabid wolf.

This was even better than the first book. I am surprised how well written and jam-packed a 98 page novella can be! This one made me tear up. I hoped for more Hadley content and I got it. Her past is heartbreaking and disturbing. I have never wanted revenge more. Thankfully, our angel of death knows a thing or two about exacting revenge.

Lana had to make some tough choices in this book. Choices that may come back and bite her. Y’all I am so stressed! How is she going to keep hiding this from Logan (her FBI boyfriend)?? How is he going to react when he inevitably finds out? What is going to happen to Jake? And that ending! Are you kidding me?! Talk about cliffy! Also, that was sloppy, Lana. I need to hurry and start the next book to figure out how this is going to play out.

❝
And their windows are down. Have they never seen a horror movie? Windows down equal throats slashed.

Why is there a gun hidden in my bathroom? Have you ever seen a horror film? The girl always gets stabbed in the shower. Or she runs into the bathroom and locks the door, but has no way to defend herself when the psycho killer breaks in.

It’s sad that I want to hide my bodies now so that my boyfriend gets a break and can spend more time with me.

“I’ve been skipping all the important stuff, giving you the middle instead of the beginning in every way.”

All of my normalcies are usually an imitation.

Bop and half love this series ab to start book 3 wish me luck yall

“BUT SHE KILLS MEN” yes, and?

this series is so addictive but also very disturbing. definietly don't recommend reading this before bed like i did

4.25 Scarlett Slayer Stars

Thoughts:

This is my formal request for Lana’s hand in matrimony! I have found my new book wife!

Book two had no right to go as hard as book one (if not even harder). The story continues to be so captivating, and holds all of my attention. I had to pause the book at one point, and I was thinking about (for hours) how excited I was to come back as soon as possible.

Things I loved: The shocking moments, the cliffhanger ending, initial character perception switches, the jealousy, the protectiveness, and the sexiness! I am thriving!!!!!

*Taking a note out of my love, Lilyya’s, book (review) and going to have a full detailed review at the end of the series*

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”

“It’s sad that I want to hide my bodies now so that my boyfriend gets a break and can spend more time with me.”

“It’s often easier for someone to believe evil can’t exist inside someone they love, than to admit they’ve failed someone who should be more important. We see it too often. The blind eye effect is what we call it.”

“Have I told you today that you’re perfect?”

“Stop acting like you’re not enough”

Triggers:
Murder, Death, Rape, Torture, Violence, Sexual Assault & Harassment, Gore, Pedophilia, Grooming, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Injury, Stalking, Car Accident Mentions, Grief, Vomit, Swearing, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Gun violence, Misogyny, Mental illness, etc.

🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸

Continuing this criminally fun time with my loves, lilyya, mahek, and aliki 🤭🖤💗

🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸

Wow, this book was even better than the first.
I loved how this book prolonged the storyline and gave the reader more details about Lana’s last life and why she’s doing what she’s doing.

The entire side plot, hint the title, side tracked was great. I love how we have 2 main plots that both focus on Logan and Lana separately but have a connection in the middle that I think will be discovered in book 3.

Logan was cute and made me giggle in this book yet again. I love his romantic scenes with Lana and their relationship and feelings developed and deepened so much over the course of this second book.

Cannot wait to read the third one

╰┈➤ 4.5 stars ★

I haven't been that hooked in so long

It's no coincidence this serial has a 4.85 average rating which, for once, is not an exaggeration. Abby's writing is Effortless and riveting. Don't even get me started on the plot.

OH MY GODDDDD!!! What just happened 🤯

Are you literally kidding. Wow. This series is unreal.

4.5 stars

Holy fucking shit! This book was even better than the first one! I'm supposed to read another arc right now, but I have to fit book 3 in with it. There is no way I can go without finding out what happens next!

I have a thing for serial killers in romance (Yeah, I'm a little weird. Whatever.), but so far, they have always been male. This is the first book I've read where the serial killer is the female main character. Excited does not begin to describe what I felt when I got that bit of information. (Not a spoiler... in case you were wondering.) Couple that with a boyfriend in the FBI that's actively investigating the murders she commits, and you have a winner in my book!

Lana is a badass that I've fallen deeply in love with. I can't even be upset with her for murdering people, because her victims are the scum of the earth. They deserve every single thing they get. Does that sound harsh? Oh well! I don't feel sympathy for pedophiles and rapists.

If you are on the fence about starting this series, hop on over! It's everything I hoped it would be, and by the end, I'm sure it will be so much more! Now, please excuse me while I dive into the next installment and read while ignoring my body's basic need for sleep!

Buddy Read with Em, Part 2! 🙌

— 4 stars ✰

i have no words for how much i love this book. everything about it was perfect. i might be in love with lana. no, i am in love with lana

4.75⭐️ Go do yourself a favour and go read this book. Please it would make both me and you ever so happy 😌

Ever cheered for a serial killer? S.T. Abby's Sidetracked, the second book in the Mindf*ck series, might just put you in that position.

📍 Dark Romantic Thriller
📍 Revenge Plot
📍 Hidden Identity
📍 Romance with the Enemy
📍 Strong Female Lead

The Killer and The Cop
Lana, the protagonist, is a complex character seeking vengeance for her tragic past. Logan, the FBI profiler tasked with catching her, finds himself drawn to her.

Fast-Paced and Engaging
The book is a page-turner, with witty dialogue and insights into the characters' minds. It expands on the world introduced in the first book, introducing new characters and delving into the corruption that set Lana on her path.

Not Your Typical Romance
Sidetracked is not a conventional love story or a simple good vs. evil tale. It's a gritty, addictive read that will keep you hooked until the end.

This series is addictive! I immediately started this book after finishing the first one and will be picking up the next one as soon as I finish writing this review!

I am solidly Team Lana let me just put it out there! These books are so well plotted and the pacing is so good. These are short books so there is no wasting of time, or meandering, we get to the point and keep moving. I am loving it!

Starting next book now..... byyyeeeeee.

I’m getting addicted to this!

“There’s a certain high you get from fooling the world into thinking you’re the lamb instead of the rabid wolf.”

“It’s sad that I want to hide my bodies now so that my boyfriend gets a break and can spend more time with me.”

“Tell me, princess, are you afraid of the Boogeyman?”

My review of:
#1 The Risk
#3 Scarlet Angel
#4 All the Lies
#5 Paint It All Red

someone plz call netflix, hbo, showtime or really just any and every warnerbros television network under the sun. tell ‘em i smell a future record-breaking top streaming mini series in the making right over the fuck here 🔪

mindf*ck series spotify playlist

Another great book in this series and another cliffhanger...

This book picks up right where book one leads off, so I can't really tell more about the plot without spoiling book one. But I am eating these romances up and I love how tension is rising as Logan is still searching for the serial killer...who just so happens to be the woman he's dating. I also love how there's another case he's trying to solve and that puts Lana in danger, but she's someone who can definitely hold her own. It's funny how she has to hold back just how skilled and experienced she is and she has to act more naive and innocent when it comes to self-defense around Logan. I would have loved to see more of Lana's kills instead of skipping them and explaining briefly what she did, but that's just because I want to see that dark side of her instead of just hearing about it after the fact. But I am really loving this series and can't wait to continue on!!

5 'Are you afraid of the Boogeyman?' stars

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance. —Confucius

This series is like a magical cure for everything - bad mood, book slumps, boredom... It's a delight to read it.

It’s sad that I want to hide my bodies now so that my boyfriend gets a break and can spend more time with me.
How twisted can one person possibly get?

It’s a terrible pun, but I nailed that bastard’s balls to the wall.
Well, I actually nailed them to a chair while he cried for hours on end.

“He left you all alone finally. Tell me, princess, are you afraid of the Boogeyman?”