Mini-Reviews for the Month of May

I was able to do a bit of catching up on my #sixtybooks reading goal these last few weeks.  I'm still not on schedule but I am at least a bit more on track.  These were my books of May:

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens:
I really enjoyed Melissa Marr's Graveminder book and was looking for something similar.  While this book wasn't quite as good, I still really enjoyed it.  It is the first book in the Graveyard Queen series but it also wrapped up nicely as a standalone if you aren't looking to start a new series at this time.  I loved the setting and the history of what it means to be a cemetery restorer.  It was all very interesting and I would have loved even more details into that aspect of the story.  The murder mystery was engaging, not easily predictable, and the pacing of the story kept me reading.  I finished it in just a few sittings.  The only thing that I felt could have been handled better was the relationship between the two main characters.  I would have liked that to go better.  It was a bit odd and the few moments they had together left a lot of questions.  Great story and I would definitely call it a page-turner.

Ozland by Wendy Spinale:
While I enjoyed the first two books in the series, I just didn't feel like this one was up to par with the others. The story was interesting but I missed the POVs from Everland and Umberland. I just wasn't as invested in Doc and Gail compared to Alyssa, Maddox, Pete, and Gwen from the previous books. I wanted more of their stories and instead, they were only minor characters in Ozland. I was a bit disappointed. This doesn't mean others reading the series won't enjoy it or that it isn't well written. It is just my personal opinion.

Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter:

This was a YA adventure I picked up while at the bookstore with my daughter.  I really enjoyed this one.  It was a quick read because it is fast-paced and the little edge of your seat moments are constant.  The main characters are the president's son and the daughter of the president's bodyguard.  They start out with some backstory when the kids are young and then move quickly to the teenage versions and the danger they are in.  I highly recommend this one for anyone 12 and up.  My daughter has a hard time finding books she likes and even she is enjoying this one.  A lot of fun.