Man, it seems like May flew by in the blink of an eye! I didn’t realize how close to June it was and almost missed this month’s reading challenge update.

I read 9 (!) books in May. Here they are with my rating and a brief review.

Stillhouse Lake (Rachel Caine)

Rating: 4/5

As someone who really enjoyed the Morganville Vampires series, I knew I had to give more of Rachel Caine’s books a try. I stumbled across this one, recommended to me by Amazon, and I thought it sounded interesting so I added it to my TBR pile. I was not disappointed. Stillhouse Lake follows the story of Gina Royal after her life is utterly destroyed by the revelation that her husband is a serial killer. I will forever love Caine’s writing style, her strong characters, and how real everything seems. There is the occasional moment where it seems her own beliefs/opinions/stereotypes become part of her characters’ make up, but at least most of their ideas and decisions follow a logical route. At no point did I find myself wondering why Gina (Gwen, once she’d gone into hiding) and those around her made the choices they did, and I can’t tell you how refreshing that is after some of the books I’ve read.

Tastes Like Candy 2: Sugarless (Ivy Tholen)

Rating: 4/5

I did not enjoy this as much as Tastes Like Candy; however, it was a wild, fun ride that I devoured in a matter of days (mostly reading it during my lunch breaks at work). The motive behind the copycat killer’s actions was lackluster at best, but I was really sucked in by the return of two original characters. There was gore, though less than last time, and more creative murders – and murder attempts. Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read that almost did justice to its predecessor. A must-read if you liked the first one.

The Housemaid (Freida McFadden)

Rating: 3/5

This was my first Freida McFadden. A friend of mine recommended a few of her books, but I chose this one because it helped me earn an achievement on Kindle. Lame, I know. Still, it led me to The Housemaid, so I’m not mad. Haha.

While I was not head-over-heels for this book, I did like it. The relationship between Nina and Andrew was just…extreme, I couldn’t make myself buy into how fast Andrew and Millie fell in “love,” and none of the characters were that great. However, if you want a mystery/thriller that doesn’t require much thinking, this is it. On the bright side, the twist is fairly solid.

The Mermaid’s Sister (Carrie Anne Noble)

Rating: 4.5/5

I love mermaids. The whole concept has captivated me since I was a kid and watched The Little Mermaid literally every day. Make no mistake: I also enjoy the darker versions of mermaid lore. I spend so much time wishing they would make a horror movie based on the original The Little Mermaid. But I digress…

The Mermaid’s Sister employs the lighter aspects of being a mermaid, including the idea that she doesn’t change until she reaches her teen years. The story follows the desperation of Clara to save her sister Maren, who is transforming and will fade to nothing if not returned to the sea. There is action, adventure, a little romance, and a sprinkle of sadness, all woven into a fantasy tale that will touch your inner child.

Killman Creek (Rachel Caine)

Rating: 4/5

Killman Creek is the sequel to Stillhouse Lake. Tired of living in constant fear after her serial killer ex-husband escapes from prison, Gina/Gwen goes hunting with the help of the brother of one of his victims.

What I really loved about this book was Caine’s ability to put her characters in such a dark, unimaginable scenario without ever losing that touch of humanity that makes them so…real. Gina/Gwen is a certified badass, don’t get me wrong. But that softer underbelly that fears for and wants to protect her loved ones? That’s what made me cheer her on up to and through her climactic face-to-face with her ex.

Eat, Drink, and Be Scary (Olivia Jaymes)

Rating: 4/5

Okay, so it’s not the Great American Novel, but come on – y’all know I love cozy mysteries, and Eat, Drink, and Be Scary is a paranormal cozy mystery! These books (because yes, I have started the second in the series) are really cute. The characters are funny, and our main protagonist, Tedi, is sassy and witty and I kinda love her. Also, she isn’t some super genius crime solver, which is the trap a lot of cozy mystery authors fall into, so that’s a point in Olivia Jaymes’ favor.

Don’t Wake Up (Liz Lawler)

Rating: 3/5

There are things I liked about Don’t Wake Up and there are things I hated. Without giving too much away, because I try not to include spoilers, this story kept getting more and more ridiculous. Yes, there was a very real – human – reason for all that happened to our main character, Alex Taylor, but the motive was…really just a woman being stupid over a man. And I know it happens, but I can’t stand how often even female authors make their female characters act out because they fell for the wrong guy. Lol.

One by One (Freida McFadden)

Rating: 2.5/3

All I can say is, One by One was readable, but the motive behind what was done was soooo bad.

The Mermaid (Christina Henry)

Rating: 3/5

Oh, look. Another book about a mermaid! So I did enjoy this story on the surface, but man, oh man, did Henry slip as many stereotypes as possible into this novel, mostly about men. I don’t mind when something like that is applied to a character in order to add to the story and make him/her multi-faceted. I do, however, find it annoying when an author throws out blanket statements/descriptions that are only promoting their opinions and are not entirely relevant to the story itself.

***

I am currently reading Fantastic Land (Mike Bockoven), Ghoul You Be My Valentine? (Olivia Jaymes), and Circus of the Dead (Kimberly Loth).

Progress: 36/50