I know this is late! May was absolutely bananas over here. Like one of the busiest months I've had in a while and I'm still trying to recover. I have a May hangover, if you will. And I had to pull out all my tricks just to get through my reading this month, including changing up my original lineup! I never do that! Once I settle on my books, I follow through and I couldn't do it this month. Something had to give and it ended up being my final lineup. That being said, I still put away some good books this month, so let's chat about it.
"Dope" by Sara Gran
Josephine has been sober for almost two years when she gets commissioned to find a girl caught in the dope world. At first it seems like an easy enough job, but once Jo starts looking for this girl she starts to wonder if she even wants to be found. And if she's sacrificing her hard work at staying sober just to score some extra cash.
This is my second Sara Gran novel and it will probably be my last. I struggled through this whole book and I considered not finishing it multiple times. After I finished it I learned that it's considered a noir novel and I can honestly say I'll be avoiding that sub-genre from here on out. I think if you like that genre you should consider reading this book, but it really wasn't for me. It lacked a lot of grab and I just couldn't get invested in the main character or what she was doing.
"My Heart is a Chainsaw" by Stephen Graham Jones
Jade is seventeen and ready to be done with her small town, but has no way of leaving. She's never really fit in here and with the new McMansions going up across Indian Lake, she fits in even less. When some bodies start surfacing around Proofrock, Jade's sure there's a slasher responsible. And Jade, being the slasher expert she is, is ready to warn everyone. But no one's really willing to listen. Can Jade figure out what's happening to her small town while managing to only stay on the outskirts of the action, or will she have to dive in and help save the town she hates?
This is my second Stephen Graham Jones book and, if it's possible, I love this one more than the last! This was just packed to the gills with slasher nostalgia that I absolutely loved! And, of course, SGJ can't help but stuff it full of gore, horror and indigenous folklore to boot. He really outdid himself with this novel! I really loved Jade as a character and Jones was able to lace in some really nice cultural issues, mental health awareness, and even some gentrification themes. I ended up doing this on audio book and the narrator was astounding. I highly recommend it!
"Iced Out" by C.E. Ricci
Oakley and Quinton have hated each other for a long time. Since high school. But when their college hockey team starts winning after a crappy start to the season, Oakley and Quinton are willing to lean into the superstition that may have caused them the win. Even if the superstition means getting involved with each other.
This was an enemies to lovers, m/m, erotic sports romance novel and it really blew me away! I mean, first off, the spice was very good and I enjoyed it very much! I wish this had been a little more plot/porn balanced, but it was still really good. I just wanted a little more depth into Oakley and Quinton and for the big moment in the book to hit a little harder. Otherwise, this was a great little spicy novel.
That's what I read in May! I hope everyone is settling into summer and enjoying the warmer weather, I know I am! I'm so excited for my lineup this month and can't wait to share it with you. If you want weekly updates on book recs and reviews, head over to YouTube and check out my channel (alyxnwonderland). Happy reading book nerds!
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