The end of March already?? Sigh. Another month gone, and another month that I feel like I’m behind on everything, from my TBR list to daily chores around the house. But seeing the new growth and flowers beginning to bloom in my garden help me refocus, even if just momentarily.
Not my garden, but I still can’t stop looking at these beautiful daffodils. 🙂
The Week in Books
These Women by Ivy Pochoda — 4/4.5 out of 5 stars
The lives of five very different women intertwine in this haunting and suspenseful novel. Their lives are affected by a series of unsolved murders, and one of them may be the key to solving the brutal killings. Part thriller/mystery and part women’s studies, focusing on the lack of interest in solving the murders of prostitutes. I finished this book a few days ago and it is still haunting me. Highly recommend.
Girl Like a Bomb by Autumn Christian — 4 out of 5 stars
The best way to describe this book without giving away any spoilers is to call it a bizarro chick lit erotica with fairy tale vibes. At age fifteen, Beverly discovers that having sex can drastically change a person…and not in any ordinary way! The story follows her for the next fifteen years and through a variety of weird encounters (a couple of which I’ll admit were pretty eye-rolling). This isn’t something I normally read, but I’m a big fan of Clash Books and their truly unique publications so I just knew I would read this at some point. I don’t know who I could recommend this to, but if you want to read something different this might be for you.
The Cruel Stars of the Night by Kjell Eriksson — 3 out of 5 stars
One of my March selections. The description was promising, with Inspector Ann Lindell on the search for a serial killer targeting older men, but I thought the narrative felt flat and lifeless. It wasn’t until the last 40 or so pages that I began to really get into the story, only to have it end abruptly and without any satisfying conclusion. I’ll probably try the next book in the series, if only to see if any justice is served, but not anytime in the near future.
Novellas, Short Stories, and Anthologies
A Puppet Scorned by Jamie Kort — 4 out of 5 stars
I never thought I would use the phrase “sock puppet erotica meets horror,” yet here we are. Yes, you read that correctly. This little tale is the story of Camille and Brad, two sock puppets living in a dusty attic. Camille loves Brad, but after a baby sock enters the picture, Brad quickly pushes Camille and baby into a box and moves on with an “80 percent polyester whore”(my favorite phrase ever! At least it’s right up there, haha!). What happens when Camille and the baby try to get Brad back is dark, disturbing, and fucking funnier than hell!
Stay safe and Happy Reading!