THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN by Dot Hutchison

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here's another book that I've had on my TBR pile for a while. Actually, I have the four books on my Paperwhite and wanted to get started on the series.

After a demented garden full of kidnapped girls is finally discovered, two FBI agents sit with one of the survivors. Maya appears to be the leader and slowly, she fills in the blanks at her own haunted pace...

Disturbing. Engrossing. Devastating.

Wow. What a heartbreaking story.

This is one seriously messed-up tale about a despicable wealthy man who abducts and collects young girls and keeps them trapped inside a glass prison. He tattoos wings on their backs, violates them, changes their names, and calls them his Butterflies. I won't say more about the other gruesome things that happen to the poor girls he keeps captive, but it's absolutely shocking.

The story unravels while Maya is interviewed by FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison. As Maya tells them the sad and terrifying tale of what the Gardener did to the girls, she also reveals how she ended up in such an awful situation.

Although the subject matter is distressing, this book is quite captivating. The writing style is lyrical and doesn't shy away from all the bleak details because the character is quite forward.

Trying to pin the exact genre of this novel is a little hard. While it can definitely be classified as a serial killer thriller or FBI procedural thriller, I think it's a lot more than that. It's equal parts dark mystery and even a horror mystery. Mainly it's about the disgusting things gross men do to young women.

Either way, it's a great book.


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DEATH OF A BOOKSELLER by Alice Slater

Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been curious about this book for a while, and was instantly hooked because it turned out to be nothing like I expected. In a good way.

Roach is a little antisocial, is obsessed with the violent part of true crime, and works in a bookstore. Laura is a poet, has lived with the loss of her mother who was killed by a serial killer, and loves working in bookstores. When Laura and Roach start working at the same place, a one-sided obsession begins...

Engrossing. Unpredictable. Dark.

So, this is one of those books that features characters who are hard to like and/or relate to, but still drew me deep into their story.

Roach is outwardly and internally gross in many ways: she doesn't care about her appearance, doesn't understand the concept of privacy, and can't stop thinking about murderers and their terrible crimes. She's also got some pretty ugly thoughts. Laura is the opposite because she makes sure the world sees her in a jovial way while hiding so much: she's constantly haunted by the fact that her mother was killed by a serial killer, she's got feelings for a guy who's in a relationship, and she's super judgy about anyone who even remotely likes true crime.

Both of these young women lead lonely lives and spend most of their time making harsh observations about everyone around them, including each other. Yet, at the same time, both exert a certain sense of vulnerability. One that Roach is quick to manipulate without Laura realising the danger closing in on her.

The story unfolds in the alternating POV of Roach and Laura. One is super cringe and very infuriating because she can't find her own identity and instead steals bits and pieces from others when she's not lying. The other has good intentions but is plenty annoying as well and she's a total mess. Yet, none of these qualities affected my reading because I was still absorbed in the story.

I really enjoyed this book and especially liked that creepy ending.


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A HOUSE BETWEEN SEA AND SKY by Beth Cato

A House Between Sea and Sky by Beth Cato
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've taken my time with this book—mainly because I started reading it before a long weekend, plus I'm addicted to Tomadochi Life: Living the Dream—but I really enjoyed it. A lot.

Fayette Wynne writes for Hollywood and after the death of her mother, she goes to stay in a cottage near the sea. She hopes to catch up on her work as well as overcome her grief, but instead gets involved with several people and winds up inside a very peculiar house...

Mysterious. Whimsical. Magical.

There's so much to love about this story! The sad but very determined heroine. The witty house perched on a cliff. Several storylines about people dealing with hardship and loss. The time period (1926), which is a time of upheaval, when the world is still reeling from the fallout of the Spanish Flu and the first World War. Add a sprinkle of intriguing Russian folklore, a cast of fantastic characters, and you have a wonderful, captivating tale.

Friendship is portrayed so well. Most of the people in this story are somehow damaged, but they all fit together in such an intriguing way. Especially Fayette and Rex, who share the most wholesome connection.

I was also fascinated by the sourdough starter called Mother. And absolutely adored the POV of the actual house.

Seriously, I loved everything about this story. The cozy vibes are strong with this one.


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GENUINE FRAUD by E. Lockhart

Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had this book on my TBR pile for a while and got stuck into it last night.

Imogen is staying in a resort in Mexico when someone catches up with her...

I have to admit that I'm a sucker for an unreliable, unlikeable narrator and Jule is a great example of why this kind of character is so intriguing. And when written as well as this book, it captivated me from the very beginning. Or should I say ending?

Yeah, this story unravels in a very unique way. We start at the end, when it becomes obvious that Jule is running from something. Or someone. We get a glimpse at how sneaky and tough she is, but also not invincible.

I love how the events kept going back and back, dropping hints that click together every time we start a new chapter. It's quite clever.

This is a story about strong friendship. Or maybe it's the flimsiest excuse of a friendship. It's about selfish entitled people. But which is which? As Imogen's story is exposed, it becomes Jule's tale. Or is it the other way around?

My favourite aspect of this story is that even after everything I read, the ending still made me question all my assumptions.

Really enjoyed it. Such a twisty book about the darkest parts of human nature and how far someone is willing to go to get what they want.


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HUNGERSTONE by Kat Dunn

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu so I've been looking forward to reading this retelling.

Lenore has been married to Henry for ten years. Without a child, their union has become a little cold. When he drags her from London to Sheffield for the tradition of a hunt, he expects Lenore to oversee the repair and prepare the crumbling manor for the event, but Lenore becomes distracted by Carmilla...

I love a good and deliciously slow-burning gothic tale. One that's so atmospheric and intriguing that the vivid descriptions helped me visualise the location and the characters.

Lenore's story is an interesting one because she's an adult woman who always goes above and beyond to run the household and prove herself to a husband that doesn't care, but she still suffers from the traumatic events of her childhood. Losing her parents at a young age and living with a strict aunt oppressed her to the point where she's retreated into herself.

Enter Carmilla. A beautiful mysterious woman with a wild demeanour who speaks her mind and behaves however the hell she wants. She challenges everything Lenore has forced herself to endure and helps her see life in a very different way. Helps Lenore realise that wanting doesn't make you selfish or greedy, it simply means allowing yourself to live.

I really enjoyed this book because it's familiar but very unique in its own way. Lenore's loveless marriage and cruel husband adds a new slant that captivated me from start to finish. And I love that ending.

Awesome story! Although, now I'm going to have to read Christabel by Coleridge.


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YOU WITH THE SAD EYES: A Memoir by Christina Applegate

You with the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm part of the generation that grew up watching Christina Applegate on TV and at the movies, so of course I was interested in checking this out.

Christina Applegate is from Laurel Canyon, California and is best known for her role in Married... with Children, but she'd been acting for years by then. A lot has happened since, and this is the story we don't know. In her words...

It doesn't feel right to criticise someone else's life, especially after all the trauma, heartbreak, abuse, and pain she went through, but at the same time, I have to be honest and say that I found this memoir a little hollow. She skims so many relevant details and then goes into too much detail on other things that don't seem as important.

Several things bothered me about this book, but these are the main two: the absence of names when it mattered the most, and the timeline shuffle. While I understand that mentioning names can result in the author getting sued, why bother talking/writing about any of it, then? Just leave the incident/s out and the reader would never know.

I feel like she was an unreliable narrator at best. Or maybe she just remembers events in a scattered way. Who knows? Maybe that's on purpose, but this is supposed to be non-fiction so that bugged me.

So much of what Christina endured in private is terrible and I wish her the best.


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VOW OF ETERNAL NIGHT by Lily Crozier

Vow of Eternal Night by Lily Crozier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's no secret that I love vampires. I mean, I spent most of last year writing a whole world of vamp tales. So I'm always interested in checking out a good bloodthirsty story. And this one has such a pretty cover that I couldn't resist.

Clara blames Prince Raleigh of Rostenburg for the death of her mother. She also hates him for what he did to her village. So when he spirits her away so she'll become his bride, she's devastated and is willing to do whatever it takes to escape...

Beauty and the Beast meets Dracula with a twist of Howl's Moving Castle.

Well, I really enjoyed this awesome Romantasy with a vampiric twist. It hooked me instantly because Clara is such a determined heroine who isn't afraid to speak up, and certainly doesn't put up with crap. Unfortunately, she's surrounded by men who make her life harder, but I liked how she dealt with everything as the truth unravels.

Even after she's shipped to a palace with shifting corridors and a vampire prince who keeps too many secrets, Clara shines. Her thirst for knowledge, love of books, and intense loyalty make her such an interesting character. She might spend a lot of time being angry and sad, but it's very entertaining to see the many changes she goes through when she starts seeing what lies beneath the monstrous exterior of Prince Raleigh.

This is a highly imaginative story that weaves a lot of intricate layers into the plot that ultimately tie in together. It's also full of great characters. I especially liked Moira and Enrique.

Yeah, this book is a LOT of fun and I loved it!!!

PS. I have the paperback edition with printed edges and it's lovely.


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GAME ON by Navessa Allen

Game On by Navessa Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last week I read LIGHTS OUT and CAUGHT UP and loved them so much that I got stuck into the third installment as soon as I got it. 😊

Tyler is an egotistical douche who also happens to be a bookie with revenge on his mind, and anger issues. Stella is a tattoo artist with a troubled past and is part of a wealthy family. When her brother gets into trouble, Stella finds herself pretending to be Tyler's girlfriend to help him meet rich people...

Oh! Intriguing. Steamy. Infuriating. Sad.

Just like the previous two books, I was hooked as soon as I started. To be honest, I found that surprising because Tyler is such a frustrating asshole. Seriously, the man is OBNOXIOUS as fuck. I don't care how hot he's supposed to be, he sucks.

Okay, let's focus on Stella first because I really liked her. She's got an attitude, a traumatic past, and although her family is very wealthy, she's not a greedy snob. She actually wants to do good things for others, contributes to society, and no matter how long the hours are, she enjoys her job. So yeah, she's cool and I felt bad for her because she suffers every single day from a chronic condition.

Tyler, on the other hand, is a total dickhead. An insufferable snob for most of the book. I mean, I already knew he was from previous books, but he outshines himself in this one. His douchiness is off the charts, but being in his head kinda put things into perspective because the tool is so obsessed with making his father pay that he's in a constant frenzy to get blood. The anger and resentment shaped him into a bit of a monster.

Man, I thought Josh and Junior had Daddy issues, but Tyler outdoes both of them!

Told in the alternating POVs of Tyler (posing as Theo) and Stella, the narrative focuses on the uneasy situation between two people who can't stand each other. Yet can't deny their mutual attraction, which takes them to some raunchy and unexpected places. I have to admit that I didn't expect to find any of this story sad, but when everything came out, I actually did.

Also, for obvious reasons, I need to mention AJ. Yep.

Another thing that I love about this trilogy is all the adorable pets. We have two cats (Fred and Maud), a doggy (Walter), and in this one we have a hilarious parrot called Amos.

Loved this trilogy and the very interesting and colourful characters!


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VALENTINE'S SLAY by Navessa Allen

Valentine's Slay by Navessa Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tonight I felt like reading something but only had a few hours, so this turned out to be the perfect size.

Noah is a gravedigger and this Valentine’s night while working late in the cemetery, he hears someone screaming from inside a grave. Emma was recently buried but she's still alive...

Well, this is such a fun story! It's a cute second-chance romance. The setting is atmospheric, especially the scenes in the cemetery and Noah's lovely cabin. Noah is a very cool character, and I liked Emma too. Did I mention that it's super spicy? Yikes.

I had a blast reading this shortie.

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CAUGHT UP by Navessa Allen

Caught Up by Navessa Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading and enjoying the hell out of Lights Out, I had to read the next book. 😅

Junior is a serious man stuck in a family business he wants to escape, while still obsessing over his teenage crush. Lauren has a great life with her found family and a job she loves, as well as the club she frequents. When Junior decides to make a move on Lauren, their tumultuous past catches up with them and leads the couple into a whole lot of trouble...

Sexy. Inclusive. Interesting. Dark.

Like the first book, I was hooked from the very beginning. That's one hell of a scene to start with! Yikes.

By the way, I was a little worried about Junior being the main guy because he was quite the douche during Josh and Aly's story, but the more I read, the more I wanted to know about him. Adding Lauren to the mix was another reason why I enjoyed the latest installment so much.

Told in the alternating POVs of Junior and Lauren, the narrative focuses on his current obsession for her, and her past obsession for him. Delving into their separate lives helped understand what brings these two together even though the odds are stacked against them. Their connection is definitely spicy, and some of their raunchy locations are very, um... creative.

Ultimately, this is another great story that brings back some familiar faces but also introduces a whole new cast of intriguing and funny people. Did I mention that I laughed out loud several times? Well, I did. Love the dark humour in these books.

It was also great to catch up with Josh and Aly, and I especially enjoyed the engagement party.

In my review of the first book, I mentioned that animals make great stories even better because of the kitty, Fred. Well, in this one we have a doggy called Walter. Oh, and Fred makes several appearances with his new kitty sibling, Maud.

REALLY enjoying this trilogy!


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