ROSES OF MAY by Dot Hutchison

Roses of May by Dot Hutchison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last month I read The Butterfly Garden and although it was sad and disturbing, I loved it. So I decided to check out the second book.

Four months have passed since the Butterflies escaped the Garden, and FBI agents Brandon Eddison, Victor Hanoverian, and Mercedes Ramirez are still deeply involved with the survivors. Not to mention that as winter ends, the odds of finding another teenager left dead inside a church are high. And this time, the sister of one of the killer's victims might end up being next...

Sad. Engrossing. Dark.

Well, this turned out to be another heartbreaking story. Several characters from the first book are in this one, while a new set are introduced. As well as a new mystery and another disgusting serial killer.

Priya Sravasti lost her beloved sister five years ago but still carries the loss with her in terrible ways. While her mother works in Colorado before transferring to France, Priya finds herself in the last dregs of the cold season doing homework and finding comfort in a nice group of veterans who like to play chess. But it's not all fun and games because there's someone stalking her.

The story unravels in Priya's POV as she deals with what's happening to her, and in Edison's POV as he tries to solve the case before anything happens to Priya. BTW, Priya is such a strong character and I love her relationship with her mother. It's also nice catching up with these cool FBI agents again.

Although the subject matter is as distressing as the first installment, I was once again hooked. I really like this author's writing style because it lends itself to some great characterisation.

The asshole killer is as despicable as the Gardener. He might not keep his victims locked inside glass walls, but he still steals their lives because some fucking men really think they can do whatever the fuck they want to women. It's so infuriating, and when the truth is revealed, it's even more pathetic.

I really enjoyed this, and especially liked how Priya's story ends. Not to mention that the found family element of this series is awesome.


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Cover Reveal: S.H. Cooper's Upcoming Short Story Collection!

Check it out:

Isn't it beautiful?

The cover artist is Adrian Medina from Fabled Beast Design. (@uglybyproxy.bsky.social on Bluesky)

Here's the blurb:

A young woman pulled from a bog. An office worker straying from routine. An author making deals in the dark.

Death comes for everyone, but never strikes the same way twice. In these ten tales, it wears many faces, turns homes into haunted places, and often, it is only the beginning.

Expected release: 4th quarter 2026

Can't wait to check it out!

MARGO'S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi Thorpe

Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After finding out that this book was made into a TV show, I decided to read the book first. I'm a weirdo like that. 😅

When Margo falls pregnant after having an affair with her English professor, she decides to keep the baby and her life is turned upside down. She knows she can't depend on her ex-pro wrestler father or her former Hooters waitress mother, so she sets up an OnlyFans account...

Entertaining. Laugh out loud funny. Sad. Packed with emotional turmoil. Awesome.

I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book, but I was instantly hooked. Not just because Margo's dysfunctional story drew me in, but also because I love the way the author toys with POV to tell her story. It goes from second to third and then to first, before switching between them.

It's a very clever writing technique and totally works.

Margo is a young woman without any real direction. One who keeps hearing about how she can do better and how she's smart enough to do what she wants. Yet doesn't know how to tap into any of these potential prospects. It's why having a baby turns out to be one of the hardest, but also the most rewarding thing she's ever done.

I really enjoyed meeting the electic group of characters in this story. Starting with her beauty-obsessed, self-involved gambling mother who wants nothing to do with Margo's baby, and her drug-addicted father who's always full of wrestling stories, and ending with the awful man she gets involved with. The OnlyFans girls were hilarious, her roommate Susie is adorable.

Also, I absolutely LOVE the wrestling talk woven into the narrative. It's very cool because being a wrestling fan, I recognised all the names and even the bizarre wrestling stories.

Although this book is a lot of fun, the anxiety levels that I felt throughout were really high. OMG. The trials and tribulations Margo goes through really take the reader on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

One last thing: I love Margo. She's such a great character!


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It May Be Time to Post...

Hey! How are you today? 

OMG, I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post. 😳 I mean, I didn't stop adding reviews but I haven't posted an actual update in a while. So, here I am. LOL.

Can you believe there was another cruise outbreak? Of course you can. Personally, I can't understand how people are still going on these things after what happened at the beginning of the pandemic. Humans, man. They never learn. Anyway, I hope the experts are right and the situation doesn't turn into anything bad.

During the last month I worked on a collaborative short story with the awesome Wayne Fenlon. It's one of the stories that will be featured in his upcoming collaborative anthology and I had a fun time writing our creepy tale together. Can't wait for everyone to check it out.

The anthology is called, WHERE THE MOOD LEADS, and the release date is June 22.

What else have I been doing? Well, this week I wrote a brand new short story that's been circling my brain for a few weeks. So when I sat down on Monday afternoon and wrote it on my laptop, the words spilled out pretty quickly. That's usually what happens when I let an idea/story simmer for a while. After I wrote the first draft I got so caught up in the story that I ended up completing the second and third drafts as well.

Actually, my awesome husband read it today and gave me some great feedback. He even came up with the title!! I'm so happy that he enjoyed my bleak tale. Now I plan to read it one last time on my Paperwhite. But that can wait until Monday.

The word count is currently: 3,630.

In between reading and short story writing, I've been playing a game that we received exactly a month ago. You might have heard of it, it's called TOMODACHI LIFE: LIVING THE DREAM and I'm hooked. HOOKED! It's a very addictive game because you make your own Miis and help them have a lovely life on the island. You also get to create a lot of other stuff. Being a creative person, I find the freedom very refreshing. It's exciting because I also love decorating the island. The coolest thing is that no one will ever have the same island design, or any of the characters.

It's a fantastic and very unique experience. It eats up many hours because there's so much to do, and I have over 40 Miis. 😁

I seriously LOVE this game and look forward to spending even more hours unlocking cool stuff. Did I mention that I have a bunch of married couples and some of these guys had kids? Yep. Six kids were born on the island and there'll probably be more. Yeah, I'm obsessed with the TOMODACHI LIFE.

Well, as you know it's autumn here in Oz. It's cold in the morning and at night and the days are a lot shorter, but at least the weather hasn't been too bad. That helps keep the seasonal blues at bay.

I guess that's about it for now. Just keeping busy and enjoying the things that bring me happiness. Spending time with my lovely husband, writing, going for walks, reading, buying books... All the good stuff.

Have a great weekend!

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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