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The Ink Run: A Novel Vigilante
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- THE MUST HAVE BOOK OF THE YEAR. If you want a book that you just can’t put down. Govesy media designer.
- DESTINED TO BECOME A CULT CLASSIC. Amazon fan review.
- JUSTIFIABLE VIOLENCE? I used to love plays on the ‘wireless’ they triggered your imagination into giving form to the characters, dress them and paint in the background. THE INK RUN had me chiming in with Dale Brendan Hyde’s narrative in a similar fashion. I was gripped from the opening bleak realism (thankfully something I myself had been spared) I soon shared the author’s hate. I was impressed by his long, quiet, considered, trip to revenge himself. It is a disturbing ‘novel’. The realism is too convincing to be fictional. A very powerful, well written tome. Glenmore Trenear-Harvey. British intelligence analyst.
- The Ink Run is an extensive & fascinating novel which stays in your head long after finishing it. Bitsaboutbooks.
- AN ACCOMPLISHED DEBUT.A lyrical and often poetic tome with an assured pace, and boldness in its own patois and turns of phrase. Hyde’s almost gothic flair redolent of the Victorian canon, is a plucky and driving presence. A strong grip on his characters and voice lends an equally jostling energy against the evocative and personal prose. I see THE INK finding a loyal and returning fan base. Mr Paul Van Carter, Award winning producer and writer of Churchill, Gascoigne, The Guv'nor, my name is Lenny.
IT ONLY INTENSIFIES WITH EACH NEW PAGE TURNED. Amazon fan review.
Book Description
OTISS is an abused child, physically & mentally tortured for years in the home by his sadistic parents. His Father STAN plots an elaborate alibi enabling him to set up the boy for the murder of his own Mother.
A trial of sorts, hanging on the basis of a defense of automatism( murder when sleepwalking) sees a detainment to the FABERON institution for the criminal insane.
In this cloudy pond, where the staff are every bit as dangerous & disturbed as the patients.
Young OTISS is placed on a wing funded as a trial by the Government which uses olden day methods from centuries past to cure madness.
Eventually released a decade later as an even more tortured soul, he sets up THE VILLAGE EYE pub as a front to his real nocturnal activities of being a VIGILANTE.
Warning beatings on the scum of the village soon becomes tiresome as he reaches new limits of retribution.
Still traumatized from youth, will he find the courage to finally confront STAN?
You can't truly escape your blood lines DNA as fatal mistakes see a familiar face from the INSTITUTION reveal that our main protagonist has not been the only one keeping the VIGIL & upping the ANTE.
- THE MUST HAVE BOOK OF THE YEAR. If you want a book that you just can’t put down. Govesy media designer.
- DESTINED TO BECOME A CULT CLASSIC. Amazon fan review.
- JUSTIFIABLE VIOLENCE? I used to love plays on the ‘wireless’ they triggered your imagination into giving form to the characters, dress them and paint in the background. THE INK RUN had me chiming in with Dale Brendan Hyde’s narrative in a similar fashion. I was gripped from the opening bleak realism (thankfully something I myself had been spared) I soon shared the author’s hate. I was impressed by his long, quiet, considered, trip to revenge himself. It is a disturbing ‘novel’. The realism is too convincing to be fictional. A very powerful, well written tome. Glenmore Trenear-Harvey. British intelligence analyst.
- The Ink Run is an extensive & fascinating novel which stays in your head long after finishing it. Bitsaboutbooks.
- AN ACCOMPLISHED DEBUT.A lyrical and often poetic tome with an assured pace, and boldness in its own patois and turns of phrase. Hyde’s almost gothic flair redolent of the Victorian canon, is a plucky and driving presence. A strong grip on his characters and voice lends an equally jostling energy against the evocative and personal prose. I see THE INK finding a loyal and returning fan base. Mr Paul Van Carter, Award winning producer and writer of Churchill, Gascoigne, The Guv'nor, my name is Lenny.
IT ONLY INTENSIFIES WITH EACH NEW PAGE TURNED. Amazon fan review.
Book Description
OTISS is an abused child, physically & mentally tortured for years in the home by his sadistic parents. His Father STAN plots an elaborate alibi enabling him to set up the boy for the murder of his own Mother.
A trial of sorts, hanging on the basis of a defense of automatism( murder when sleepwalking) sees a detainment to the FABERON institution for the criminal insane.
In this cloudy pond, where the staff are every bit as dangerous & disturbed as the patients.
Young OTISS is placed on a wing funded as a trial by the Government which uses olden day methods from centuries past to cure madness.
Eventually released a decade later as an even more tortured soul, he sets up THE VILLAGE EYE pub as a front to his real nocturnal activities of being a VIGILANTE.
Warning beatings on the scum of the village soon becomes tiresome as he reaches new limits of retribution.
Still traumatized from youth, will he find the courage to finally confront STAN?
You can't truly escape your blood lines DNA as fatal mistakes see a familiar face from the INSTITUTION reveal that our main protagonist has not been the only one keeping the VIGIL & upping the ANTE.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 13, 2017
25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 20, 2019
Admittedly I wasn't sure this book would be for me - it tackles difficult themes and doesn't pull any punches - but I was drawn in by the writing and the sense of it and in the end it was a proper page turner for me.
The subject of abuse and how it can define a personality is at the heart of this - Dale Brendan Hyde tackles it by keeping it real, including the violence of it, thereby making you really think about what you are reading.
The characters are well formed, jumping between sympathetic and almost horrific. As events unfold you are drawn deeper and deeper into the world in which Otis lives.
A very good read especially on the emotional levels.
Recommended.
The subject of abuse and how it can define a personality is at the heart of this - Dale Brendan Hyde tackles it by keeping it real, including the violence of it, thereby making you really think about what you are reading.
The characters are well formed, jumping between sympathetic and almost horrific. As events unfold you are drawn deeper and deeper into the world in which Otis lives.
A very good read especially on the emotional levels.
Recommended.
March 26, 2019
There was never a doubt that this story was going to be violent just from the cover, which is perfection for what is inside. If you find the cover disturbing then don’t go any further but if you are like me I just had to open this book and once I did I simply lost myself for a couple of days into some of the darkest places that I didn’t know could exist. This is a story of a life time of abuse from being a child to a man and Dale Hyde made me feel every physical and mental torture that Otiss experienced, as I felt the utter despair and his self worth being ripped apart in Ottis’s mind. It was like Ground Hogg day, an endless loop he couldn’t escape from. My heart shattered for this little boy who could find neither love or comfort at home or school. The only people who really cared for him was his grand-dad and a friend at school, who swore not to tell of Ottis’s beatings but let him talk to him of the terrible life he had.
Stan has to be the most evil character that I have read about, a man who Ottis never had the right answer for. The beatings he had, which often left him unconscious were a daily occurence while his mother accepted his fate for him in order to not face her own. Stan had plans for them both. Stan seemed to have a hold over so many people who turned a blind eye or twisted the truth.
Ottis, as a teenager is sent to Faberon, an institute for the criminally insane where I thought things can’t get any worse but how wrong I was. It real doesn’t leave a lot to the imagination as to who the real demented people are. Oh boy the experiments are like something from the middle ages, with deaths easily explained away for the authorities. I mean who gave a damn about these people anyway? No-one would ever believe them.
The last part of the story is of Ottis as a man in his mid twenties and back out and in his ill prepared home town. Ottis has learnt a lot and it is time to share his skills with the people of his past.
I was total engrossed with this story and Ottis which was based in a town where I use to live many years ago. This always gives me a buzz. Dale Hyde built Ottis up perfectly from a young boy, especially his heart breaking thoughts and excuses for his mum for a little boy desperate to be loved by someone. His innocence lost and adjusting to survive through his years in the institution to how he wanted to save the world, just one more time and again. It was still Ottis, still recognisable, a brilliant job by the author. Even the way Ottis spoke perfect how he would sound in my mind.
It may have taken 8 long years to write but worth every word and every day.
Stan has to be the most evil character that I have read about, a man who Ottis never had the right answer for. The beatings he had, which often left him unconscious were a daily occurence while his mother accepted his fate for him in order to not face her own. Stan had plans for them both. Stan seemed to have a hold over so many people who turned a blind eye or twisted the truth.
Ottis, as a teenager is sent to Faberon, an institute for the criminally insane where I thought things can’t get any worse but how wrong I was. It real doesn’t leave a lot to the imagination as to who the real demented people are. Oh boy the experiments are like something from the middle ages, with deaths easily explained away for the authorities. I mean who gave a damn about these people anyway? No-one would ever believe them.
The last part of the story is of Ottis as a man in his mid twenties and back out and in his ill prepared home town. Ottis has learnt a lot and it is time to share his skills with the people of his past.
I was total engrossed with this story and Ottis which was based in a town where I use to live many years ago. This always gives me a buzz. Dale Hyde built Ottis up perfectly from a young boy, especially his heart breaking thoughts and excuses for his mum for a little boy desperate to be loved by someone. His innocence lost and adjusting to survive through his years in the institution to how he wanted to save the world, just one more time and again. It was still Ottis, still recognisable, a brilliant job by the author. Even the way Ottis spoke perfect how he would sound in my mind.
It may have taken 8 long years to write but worth every word and every day.
June 22, 2017
I found this novel advertised by the author in a local history group on Facebook. It definitely piqued my interest straight away as I'm always curious to read local talent, subsequently, I dropped my current to-read least and pushed this to the front of the queue. The novel is also set locally. From what I understand, this is the author's first novel which took him 8 years to write.
This novel follows the story of the life of a boy named Otiss. Otiss is abused by his father for many years with no hope of escape. As time passes, the abuse escalates and his father frames him for the murder of his mother. This is a gritty tale of oppression, injustice and vengeance.
I'll start by saying, I really liked the author's writing style. It is almost poetic. He manages to create an incredibly realistic picture of life in an abusive home. I especially liked how well he made the characters come to life. The felt real. I could feel the anguish of Otiss and his need for respite in the earlier parts of the novel. I could feel his sheer determination to be prepared for his release later on. I could vividly picture the rage and general pure evil from Stan.
I also found the novel to be very thought provoking. Later on in the novel I often found myself asking, why would Otiss do the things he did upon his release, especially in such an extreme manner. Why would he potentially risk his freedom after being caged his in one way or another for all that time? It just goes to show the effect that 25 years of torture and mistreatment can have on a man.
I felt that the story really did sort of slow down in parts but the final quarter of the novel is so fast paced and gripping that this really isn't much of an issue. I guess I'd liken it to the calm before the storm. I should also add, without giving anything away, I really liked the little twist in the last few chapters.
My only qualm with this novel was the mis-spelled words. I had to go and read previous reviews to learn it is in fact intentional. Even though it is intentional I still wasn't really a fan. Just to clarify, I had no issue with the slang, I felt the slang added character.
In conclusion, I did enjoy this novel. It is dark, gritty and raw. A great first novel by Dale Brendan Hyde and I certainly look forward to reading more of his work.
This novel follows the story of the life of a boy named Otiss. Otiss is abused by his father for many years with no hope of escape. As time passes, the abuse escalates and his father frames him for the murder of his mother. This is a gritty tale of oppression, injustice and vengeance.
I'll start by saying, I really liked the author's writing style. It is almost poetic. He manages to create an incredibly realistic picture of life in an abusive home. I especially liked how well he made the characters come to life. The felt real. I could feel the anguish of Otiss and his need for respite in the earlier parts of the novel. I could feel his sheer determination to be prepared for his release later on. I could vividly picture the rage and general pure evil from Stan.
I also found the novel to be very thought provoking. Later on in the novel I often found myself asking, why would Otiss do the things he did upon his release, especially in such an extreme manner. Why would he potentially risk his freedom after being caged his in one way or another for all that time? It just goes to show the effect that 25 years of torture and mistreatment can have on a man.
I felt that the story really did sort of slow down in parts but the final quarter of the novel is so fast paced and gripping that this really isn't much of an issue. I guess I'd liken it to the calm before the storm. I should also add, without giving anything away, I really liked the little twist in the last few chapters.
My only qualm with this novel was the mis-spelled words. I had to go and read previous reviews to learn it is in fact intentional. Even though it is intentional I still wasn't really a fan. Just to clarify, I had no issue with the slang, I felt the slang added character.
In conclusion, I did enjoy this novel. It is dark, gritty and raw. A great first novel by Dale Brendan Hyde and I certainly look forward to reading more of his work.
July 10, 2023
The Ink Run is not a book for the faint-hearted. It deals with pretty dark and serious issues throughout. The cover and blurb had me so intrigued that I just had to read it! I have to say I started the boom and got so far into it, but life got in the way, and my head wasn't in the right place. So I put the book down until I knew I could give it the attention it deserved.
Otis is a child who had everything against him from the start. A monster for a father and a mother who did nothing to defend him as she knew what would happen if she did! Even at school, there was no reprieve with the bullies picking on him constantly. He has two people in the world, his grandad and his mate, Johnny.
One day, his dad makes him go to the doctors with him. He tells the doctor Otis is sleepwalking. What Otis doesn't realise is that this is the beginning of a new nightmare. One in which he finds himself locked away in an institute for the criminally insane. One in which he is a child amongst even more monsters!
Ten long years pass. Johnny is his constant through those years. When Otis is released, he is a different person to the one incarcerated, and he sets about his plan. One in which he will get his pound of flesh. Has he grown into his father? Or should he forgive and move on? These are questions that the reader discovers soon enough!
Dark, brutal storytelling that offers questions for the human psyche. Are monsters bred not born? This is a book that really hits the mark. I was fully immersed in Otis's world. One of fear and pain. My heart went out to this little boy as he suffered time after time.
Th Ink Run is a book that makes the reader question the right and wrongs. The moral dilemmas that a person who has never suffered will definitely come up against. By the time I picked this book back up, I was whisked back to Otis and his world. I could understand his thinking but had my own personal arguments in my head.
Dale Brendan Hyde has written a dark and hard-hitting book. One that makes no apologies or softens the blows that Otis receives through the years. His writing makes for an authentic read. With the slang and the abbreviations, some kids have too. It certainly put me in Otis's head almost! Bleak, painful, and horrific, this book will stay with me for a very long time.
Thanks to Dale Brendan Hyde for the gifted book to write my honest review.
Otis is a child who had everything against him from the start. A monster for a father and a mother who did nothing to defend him as she knew what would happen if she did! Even at school, there was no reprieve with the bullies picking on him constantly. He has two people in the world, his grandad and his mate, Johnny.
One day, his dad makes him go to the doctors with him. He tells the doctor Otis is sleepwalking. What Otis doesn't realise is that this is the beginning of a new nightmare. One in which he finds himself locked away in an institute for the criminally insane. One in which he is a child amongst even more monsters!
Ten long years pass. Johnny is his constant through those years. When Otis is released, he is a different person to the one incarcerated, and he sets about his plan. One in which he will get his pound of flesh. Has he grown into his father? Or should he forgive and move on? These are questions that the reader discovers soon enough!
Dark, brutal storytelling that offers questions for the human psyche. Are monsters bred not born? This is a book that really hits the mark. I was fully immersed in Otis's world. One of fear and pain. My heart went out to this little boy as he suffered time after time.
Th Ink Run is a book that makes the reader question the right and wrongs. The moral dilemmas that a person who has never suffered will definitely come up against. By the time I picked this book back up, I was whisked back to Otis and his world. I could understand his thinking but had my own personal arguments in my head.
Dale Brendan Hyde has written a dark and hard-hitting book. One that makes no apologies or softens the blows that Otis receives through the years. His writing makes for an authentic read. With the slang and the abbreviations, some kids have too. It certainly put me in Otis's head almost! Bleak, painful, and horrific, this book will stay with me for a very long time.
Thanks to Dale Brendan Hyde for the gifted book to write my honest review.
January 3, 2018
In my opinion one of the countries best up and coming crime writers
December 10, 2018
I have just finished this novel and it has left me with so much to think about, especially the main character’s relationship with his mother. The whole book is written from teenage boy, Otiss’s, point of view and it’s incredibly immersive. The intentional use of spelling errors and abbreviations added to the narrator’s authenticity. For example - ‘n’ replaces the word and.
I immediately felt for this abused young boy. It is a novel that isn’t easy to read but given that people really have been through this extent of abuse, the story should be told. The extent of abuse written about in the book doesn’t make comfortable reading and it isn’t meant to. I’m sure it’s meant to make the reader feel the protagonist’s pain and anger, and it succeeds totally.
Otiss’s stay at the institution for the criminally insane is a tough read too. We see the boy become a man as he comes of age. We also see a change in him, one that will alter his life and future forever.
The final section of the book hits with a bang. It throws out the question, will this abused boy develop the same cruel streak that his father inflicted on him? Should a person try to overcome their past or should they attack it head on? Were his actions right or wrong? Again, all moral considerations that could be debated for ages.
Miscarriage of justice, Stockholm Syndrome, abuse of power, revenge and abuse are the heavy themes that are explored at length. The author doesn’t hide anything to ease the reader’s pain. It’s a painful and upsetting tale that will sit in your mind long after finishing it.
I immediately felt for this abused young boy. It is a novel that isn’t easy to read but given that people really have been through this extent of abuse, the story should be told. The extent of abuse written about in the book doesn’t make comfortable reading and it isn’t meant to. I’m sure it’s meant to make the reader feel the protagonist’s pain and anger, and it succeeds totally.
Otiss’s stay at the institution for the criminally insane is a tough read too. We see the boy become a man as he comes of age. We also see a change in him, one that will alter his life and future forever.
The final section of the book hits with a bang. It throws out the question, will this abused boy develop the same cruel streak that his father inflicted on him? Should a person try to overcome their past or should they attack it head on? Were his actions right or wrong? Again, all moral considerations that could be debated for ages.
Miscarriage of justice, Stockholm Syndrome, abuse of power, revenge and abuse are the heavy themes that are explored at length. The author doesn’t hide anything to ease the reader’s pain. It’s a painful and upsetting tale that will sit in your mind long after finishing it.
July 29, 2018
Disturbing ...Dark....and Terrifying..
Otis was a child who never stood a chance in life..His father Stan is a cruel, sadistic, evil ,manipulative monster..His mother Fish closing her eyes to her child's pain for fear of beatings by Stan.Otis is bullied at school...the only two people he has ever loved are his grandfather...and Johnny his only friend.Johnny the book lover who wishes otis's life was different..When one day his father drags him along to the doctor...claiming he is sleepwalking..It is just the beginning of a nightmare...that is to change Otis life forever...Otis is put away in an institution...A child living with the criminally insane...the dangerous ...the mad ..But here he is subjected to much worse from those that are supposed to protect him...Johnny is the only constant in his life for the next ten years...Inside he meets a vast array of people ...one called Character....will stay in his mind...Otis is changing....After ten long years...he is let out...arrangements have been made.He opens up a village pub....but Otis has a sideline...and Karma is about to show its face....The first part of this story...makes you want to scream at the world...how could this happen...The second part will lead you down the lane of Fear itself.....I could feel the Terror.....Glimpse the darkness......Absolutely Terrifying....
Otis was a child who never stood a chance in life..His father Stan is a cruel, sadistic, evil ,manipulative monster..His mother Fish closing her eyes to her child's pain for fear of beatings by Stan.Otis is bullied at school...the only two people he has ever loved are his grandfather...and Johnny his only friend.Johnny the book lover who wishes otis's life was different..When one day his father drags him along to the doctor...claiming he is sleepwalking..It is just the beginning of a nightmare...that is to change Otis life forever...Otis is put away in an institution...A child living with the criminally insane...the dangerous ...the mad ..But here he is subjected to much worse from those that are supposed to protect him...Johnny is the only constant in his life for the next ten years...Inside he meets a vast array of people ...one called Character....will stay in his mind...Otis is changing....After ten long years...he is let out...arrangements have been made.He opens up a village pub....but Otis has a sideline...and Karma is about to show its face....The first part of this story...makes you want to scream at the world...how could this happen...The second part will lead you down the lane of Fear itself.....I could feel the Terror.....Glimpse the darkness......Absolutely Terrifying....
November 19, 2021
Wow. I’m not sure where to start with this. This is the most compelling book I have read in a very long time. Trigger warning in that it contains graphic scenes of child and drug abuse, prison violence and murder in every shape and form. Definitely not for anyone of a sensitive nature. I’m not normally bothered by most things in books but I had to put this down more than once and make a concerted decision to pick it up again.
Briefly, the story revolves around a boy, Ottis, who suffers serious physical abuse from his parents, is then charged and found guilty of a murder he did not commit. Sentenced to a psychiatric hospital he is then further abused by the officials. Eventually released after serving his time he sets himself up as a vigilante and seeks revenge on those he believes wronged him.
A physically and mentally demanding book to read and written, clearly deliberately, using spelling mistakes it portrays the sickening reality of a society where the word “ care” simply does not exist. There is only one person in the book that has any redeeming features which made the read at times extremely difficult. Did I enjoy it? I wouldn’t use that word but it was certainly gripping. Dark, disturbing and gritty. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Briefly, the story revolves around a boy, Ottis, who suffers serious physical abuse from his parents, is then charged and found guilty of a murder he did not commit. Sentenced to a psychiatric hospital he is then further abused by the officials. Eventually released after serving his time he sets himself up as a vigilante and seeks revenge on those he believes wronged him.
A physically and mentally demanding book to read and written, clearly deliberately, using spelling mistakes it portrays the sickening reality of a society where the word “ care” simply does not exist. There is only one person in the book that has any redeeming features which made the read at times extremely difficult. Did I enjoy it? I wouldn’t use that word but it was certainly gripping. Dark, disturbing and gritty. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 13, 2021
Blimey, where to even begin with this.
It follows the story of Otiss. A kid who never stood a chance in life. Born into a family with an abusive father who makes it clear that he wasn't wanted. The abuse he dishes out to his young son and wife is cruel, calculated and sadistic.
When Otiss' father starts accusing his son of sleepwalking, it sets in motion a series of events that will change all their lives.
Otiss ends up in an institution for the criminally insane, where you think surely the abuse will end, but nope, its as bad, or worse.
I am usually OK with reading almost anything, and as I don't have children I am not too affected by stories of child abuse. This however was that awful that I had to take breaks.
There were light moments, and a positivity from friendships and Nurse Silk.
The ending was somewhat satisfying, along with being brutal. Can you really blame Otiss for his actions? Does he go too far? I imagine everyone will have a different opinion on that.
The last line or two was a great little twist.
It follows the story of Otiss. A kid who never stood a chance in life. Born into a family with an abusive father who makes it clear that he wasn't wanted. The abuse he dishes out to his young son and wife is cruel, calculated and sadistic.
When Otiss' father starts accusing his son of sleepwalking, it sets in motion a series of events that will change all their lives.
Otiss ends up in an institution for the criminally insane, where you think surely the abuse will end, but nope, its as bad, or worse.
I am usually OK with reading almost anything, and as I don't have children I am not too affected by stories of child abuse. This however was that awful that I had to take breaks.
There were light moments, and a positivity from friendships and Nurse Silk.
The ending was somewhat satisfying, along with being brutal. Can you really blame Otiss for his actions? Does he go too far? I imagine everyone will have a different opinion on that.
The last line or two was a great little twist.
May 11, 2017
The Ink Run is one book that I have been deliberately delayed writing a review for. Not that the book was in any way bad, it's an utterly fantastic book. And, that's the problem. I just didn't know what to write. All I wanted was to tell you all that Dale Brendan Hyde has written a book that is so excruciating good that it's almost painful to finish it.
Dale writes in such a way that makes me slow down my reading, I don't want to hurry the story. This is not a book that I feel should be rushed. Hyde 's command of the languages is utterly perfect! There are few authors in my experience that can write like this, to utterly capture the reader's attention and keep it until the end.
May 11, 2017
Seriously heavy 700 page monster, but thats another issue, the story itself has to be destined for cult-classic status, I read many excerpts from this book during it's eight year development and the day of its completation couldnt have come sooner. Abuse, Murder, Miscarriage of Justice, Experimental Torture and calculated revenge, if it hadn't been so great a book of this proportion would have taken me a couple of months to finish.
July 27, 2019
From first to last page your immersed into a captivating storyline full of twists and turns. Following the plight of a young lad through some harrowing experiences.
It's narrated in a way I personally like only too well. I will happily read this again, it's a winner in my eyes.
I do hope there is a sequel.
It's narrated in a way I personally like only too well. I will happily read this again, it's a winner in my eyes.
I do hope there is a sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2020
Just wasn't my cup of tea
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews