A review by maryelizabethreads
Snapdragons by January Rayne

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What do you get when you mix a crocodile, jellyfish, vampire, gargoyle, and ghost? His name is Rhett, and he's January Rayne's newest monster stalker. Since I was so obsessed with book one, 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴, I couldn’t wait to dive into 𝘚𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘴, and it did not disappoint.

Rhett used to be a regular, blue-collar guy, but after being abducted and experimented on, not much of his humanity is left. Although he’s the second experiment introduced in the series, it turns out he’s actually patient zero. He was the first monster DNA experiment but was deemed a failure because of his ability to fully shift into each form instead of being a single blend of the different monster DNA. After a vision of his mate, he escapes his captors and sets off to find her.

Meanwhile, it’s been months since Mickey escaped her abusive ex, whom she believes she killed, and along with her two siblings, has started a new life elsewhere. They all work at Demi's Diner (yes, that Demi), where Mickey has earned enough to buy a rundown lake house – her plan is to rebuild the house and hopefully herself in the process. It just so happens her new house comes with some quirks. There’s a lifesize gargoyle statue that keeps disappearing and reappearing in different spots. A friendly crocodile that lives in her lake and acts more like a lovesick puppy around her. And let’s not forget the ghostly presence that has her questioning whether she’s haunted or insane.

Rhett and Mickey both have suffered and survived trauma, but I think that’s part of why they're fated for each other. Monster smut aside, this was a beautiful story of healing and self-acceptance. And the revenge Mickey gets on her piece of shit ex was oh-so-satisfying. This wasn’t horror, but Mickey is definitely a badass final girl.

𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴 took my monster stalker v-card, so Creed will always hold a special place in my heart and be hard to top. In comparison to Rhett, I think Creed is the more unhinged and deranged monster stalker, but that's mostly because Creed racked up a significantly higher body count. Still, 𝘚𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘴 has plenty of unhinged moments, like parasomnia, birth control tampering, and adding special "scents" to bath and body products.

Speaking of Creed… for those hoping to see more of the original monster stalker couple, Creed and Demi are featured in this book. They add some much-needed comedic relief to contrast the darker elements of Rhett and Mickey's story. My favorite scene of theirs is the backyard cookout at the end. IYKYK.