Review: The Seventh Sister by Dawn Kurtagich

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The Seventh SisterThe Seventh Sister by Dawn Kurtagich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Seventh Sister is a Folk Horror novel from Dawn Kurtagich that’s written like a dark fable. This story follows seven sisters, hence the title, who after the tragic death of their parents, are sent to live with their Grandmother on the remote island of Beltane.

As the girls start to put the pieces of their lives back together, the island twists their experiences in a way that’s difficult to suss out fact from fiction.

We get snippets of their time as children navigating the dark depths of the island, but we also get their perspectives many years later, after all of them but one has tried to break themselves free of the island’s pull.

Ummm, this was a mixed bag for me. I don’t really know what was going on. I mean I do, but in the most general sense, and I don’t feel comfortable trying to summarize it.

For me, this was a case of the writing overshadowing the plot. I’ll be honest, I’m giving it 3-stars, but my experience was more of a 2-star kind of thing. Kurtagich’s writing is soooo good, but this story just did nothing for me.

As far as the content, I couldn’t have cared less. The sisters all blended together for me, and the whole Daudir thing, yeah, just not for me. I did enjoy the island setting though, so that was a good atmosphere. And that’s it. That’s all I have to say. I’m pretty ambivalent about it actually.

Thank you to the publisher, Brilliance Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I do love Kurtagich, so this isn’t going to stop me from picking her other works. I feel like this is more just a miss for my personal tastes.

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Review: Ten Years Gone by Wendy Walker

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Ten Years GoneTen Years Gone by Wendy Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ten Years Gone is the story of Clare and Griffin.

When they were teens they fell madly in love with one another. It’s the classic boy meets girl story, where the boy is from the wrong side of the tracks.

They risk a lot to be with one another, but the relationship doesn’t last as long as they would’ve hoped. Unfortunately, it ends abruptly with Griffin being incarcerated for murder.

After he’s locked up, Griffin refuses to remain in contact with Clare. It’s not that he doesn’t still care for her, he just doesn’t want her wasting her life on him. She’s hurt, but she’s also young and resilient. She does move on, but you never forget your first love. We all know that.

Ten years later, Griffin is finally being released. He doesn’t know what to expect from life on the outside and he could never have expected what happens to him. Newly released, he’s abducted, and he barely escapes with his life.

He finds himself on the run, hiding from who, he doesn’t know, but he needs to figure out the truth about the past if he has any chance of surviving for the future.

Clare is startled when she hears the news of Griffin’s release. She days away from her own wedding, but she’s never forgotten Griffin. When she starts getting cryptic text messages bringing up the past, she decides it’s time to figure out the truth of that night.

Alternating between the past and present, Walker did an amazing job weaving together this tense and exciting Thriller. I had so much fun with it. It’s definitely a Popcorn Thriller, juicy and enticing, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the Reader engaged.

There were so many times that I thought I knew the answer to it all, and while I was picking up on little things, it was much more complex than I originally anticipated. Walker was bringing the layers and I was sat.

I liked the sort of star crossed lovers aspect that Walker created here as well. Boy from the wrong side of the tracks, rich good girl dating outside her parents’ comfort zone, and the night that changed it all.

It was almost a bit too romantic for me, in regards to the way the characters thought about one another, but I think a lot of Readers will eat that aspect up.

Walker is such a great writer. There’s a fantastic flow and pace in all of her books, and this one is no exception. They’re just highly readable and so gripping. Once I started this, it was all I could think about. I just wanted to keep going.

It wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t need it to be. It was fun. It was entertaining and I had a blast learning the truth at the heart of Clare and Griffin’s story.

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced and drama-filled Popcorn Thriller. Bonus points if you enjoy a little romance with your thrills!

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This book doesn’t release until 2027, but I couldn’t wait.

I love Wendy Walker!

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Review: We’re All Going to Die Tonight! by Veronica Bane

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We're All Going to Die Tonight!We’re All Going to Die Tonight! by Veronica Bane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We’re All Going to Die Tonight! is a fun and engaging YA Thriller, with a classic set-up and plenty of twists. We follow a debate team, traveling home from an unsuccessful meet. Since it’s a long journey, they’ve booked an Airbnb for the night, courtesy of one of their wealthier teammates.

The isolated mansion is perched atop a high hill and is said to be an exact replica of the Vandamm House from Hitchcock’s North by Northwest.

Before they can quite reach the house though, their van gets a flat tire, stranding them in the middle of nowhere in a heavy storm. They’re close though, so they decide to walk through the woods to the house.

Once they arrive, they’re drenched and tired, and honestly, pretty sick of one another. With 7 teammates, and 3 chaperones, even this mansion feels too small.

The storm increases and ends up knocking out the power, because of course it does. As the teens stumble around in the dark, trying to figure out what’s going on, they discover a severed landland, one of their friends unconscious after an attack, and a dead body outside.

The night has spiraled out of control, and with no idea who the killer might be, tension reaches an all time high. They have no idea who they can trust? Is the killer one of them, or is there a stranger lurking somewhere on this property?

This was a quick and entertaining read. I loved the set-up and the setting of the secluded mansion. I did find the outcome a little predictable, but still had fun, nevertheless.

The group of characters is super messy. There’s so much drama amongst them all, not just with the kids, but with the chaperones as well. I was sitting back with my popcorn just taking it all in.

I did feel like Bane maybe showed her hand a little too early, as far as who was behind it all, but maybe that’s just me coming at it with a lot of years of Horror experience.

It is for a YA audience, and perhaps some of the clues may not seem as obvious to someone just getting into the genre, or with a bit less insight into how these scenarios tend to play out. Maybe I’m just that good. ((LOL))

I didn’t need to be surprised by the outcome to enjoy it though. It was still a thrilling ride, and I loved the complicated, OTT-character dynamics. There was plenty of motivations for murder flowing around this group.

I’ve never read anything from this author before, but she’s definitely been added to my list of YA Thriller authors that I keep on my radar. I’ll never get too old for YA Thrillers, or Horror. I love the captivating stories that can be found within these genres in this age group. They’re generallly a bit less serious than novels in the Adult space, but no less enjoyable, IMO.

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would definitely recommend this to other YA Thriller fans. It’s a great time!

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Review: They Say a Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough

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They Say a Girl Died HereThey Say a Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

They Say a Girl Died Here is set in Harper’s Creek, a small farming community known for the murders of two young women, killed exactly three years apart. The presumed murderer was killed by the police as they tried to apprehend him. In local lore, he’s now known simply as the Farmhand.

Anna is new to town, moving there with her Mom and younger sister. They’re caring for her ailing Grandma, but even though Anna’s new, she’s heard all about the murders and the Farmhand.

As the three-year anniversary of the last murder approaches, Anna’s little sister is scared that the Farmhand could return, and because of a game she played with her new friends, she’s afraid she could be his next victim.

Anna, lacking in patience for anyone around her, insists to her sister that that’s ridiculous and she has nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, though, Anna does wonder if the police actually got their man.

Anna’s Grandma, who is starting to lose herself to dementia, has mentioned dead girls on a couple of different occasions in reference to their own home. These comments, though potentially meaningless, do help to further fuel Anna’s interest in the murders.

We follow Anna as she starts digging for the truth, both in the surrounding town and within their house. Anna’s not exactly a likable, or truly reliable narrator, so I wasn’t sure what the ultimate conclusion was going to be, but I did enjoy going along for the ride.

There are some great aspects to this book. I enjoyed the overriding mystery and the small town setting quite a bit.

Sadly, there were also things I didn’t like as much however, including Anna’s attitude. I did think she showed growth over the course of the story, but the 1st-half with her was pretty brutal. I don’t need to like characters, but I just found her personality so grating. It was almost unpleasant.

She was super negative and bit disrespectful to everyone around her, including her family, which tends to rub me the wrong way.

As mentioned above, I did like the overall vibes and mystery. The Farmhand had become an urban legend around Harper’s Creek, with the local kids using the story to scare one another. I thought that was fun and realistic to how a small town would be in the aftermath of something like that.

Pinborough never fails to capture my attention, so I did enjoy my time with the story for the most part. I just feel like in comparison to her other works, this won’t stand out as a favorite for me. It’s fairly forgettable.

Nevertheless, it’s still a very solid story, especially in comparison with a lot of others on the market. I’m a huge Pinborough fan and love to pick up new stories from her and will continue to do so in the future.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. The audiobook is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, one of my faves, and she did a great job bringing the story to life.

I certainly felt like Maarleveld’s narration was a good fit for Anna’s character, and I would definitely recommend the audio format if you’re going to be picking this one up. It made the story even more engaging.

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Review: Turn Off the Light at Jacquie Walters

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Turn Off the Light: A NovelTurn Off the Light: A Novel by Jacquie Walters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Turn Off the Light is a Horror novel from Jacquie Walters that blends many different subgenres. It’s part Domestic, part Paranomal Mystery, part Historical, part Thiller and part Haunted House. That sounds like a lot, but I felt like Walters effortlessly put it all together.

This engrossing story is set on the Coast of Virginia, and features both a past and present perspective. I didn’t know what to expect going in, I’m not even sure I read the synopsis, but I ended up really, really enjoying it.

At the heart of the story is one of my favorite tropes, a character returning to their hometown after a long period away, and ending up embroiled in some sort of mystery.

We follow Claire, who is returning to her childhood home to assist her sister and bro-in-law with the care of their ailing father. The house itself has a lot of history, and something about it has Claire unsettled. She’s not sleeping well, hearing things and sensing things that may, or may not, be there.

Walters also brings us a past perspective, Edith, a healer with knowledge that isn’t necessarily encouraged, or appreciated, by her tight-knit, religious community.

Edith’s perspective, as a woman working with natural healing in the past, goes about as well as you would expect. She faces many discriminations against her, but she’s still driven to help all she can with her unique skills.

As a Reader, it’s clear that these two women, they’re going to be connected, but how is it even possible?

Walters succeeded in pulling me along, into both Claire and Edith’s lives, as we barrelled towards the answers held within the conclusion.

Walters did a great job of presenting both the current perspective and the historical perspective, and ultimately connecting them. I enjoyed Dearest, it was fine, but this one was definitely more to my taste as far as content.

I did feel a bit more intrigued by Claire’s perspective, but Edith’s was necessary in order to make the story work. This was reminiscent to me of things I have enjoyed from Jennifer McMahon and Simon St. James, so if you’re a fan of those authors, I would recommend checking this out.

There was quite a bit of mystery as well, and Walters did a great job at pacing the reveals. At no point did I feel like I knew all of the answers. I didn’t know what was happening until Walters was ready to show me, which was nice.

Thank you to the publisher, Little, Brown and Company, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m jazzed about my experience with this one.

I’m definitely looking forward to picking up more from Jacquie Walters. I’d love to see more from her in this lane.

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Review: Nightmare on Nightmare Street by R.L. Stine

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Nightmare on Nightmare StreetNightmare on Nightmare Street by R.L. Stine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

I found Nightmare on Nightmare Street to be such a joy to read. It’s like Stine took all of his favorite tropes from the Goosebumps series and mixed them all together into one Spooky story that’s perfect for a young audience.

Stine pulled every weapon out of his bag of tricks for this one, but instead of feeling like a big ole’ mess, it actually felt well-constructed, engaging and like a true nightmare come to life for these kid characters.

The audiobook had fabulous narration. It made the story extra engaging. Great work by Dan Bittner, and I enjoyed the Foreward by James Murray as well.

In the story, we follow two separate sibling duos, Joe and Sadie, and Sean and Addie. I had the most fun with Sean’s perspective. Some of the things he experienced, I could see how that would super freak you out as a kid.

Actually, even thinking about some of it as an Adult freaked me out a little bit, NGL.

There’s one school day in particular, that Sean had, each new event got more startling and honestly, by the time he reached home at the end of the day, I did actually have goosebumps. That was a super fun section.

Overall, this is a strong showing for Stine, IMO. It’s perfect for kids who love a bit of spookiness in their lives. I’d highly recommend this for the young readers in your life, or for yourself, if you’re like me and love staying young at heart through spooky-ooky reads!

Thank you to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was cute and fun. I’m glad I picked it up!

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Review: I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas

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I Am the Monster Under the BedI Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

I Am the Monster Under the Bed is an Adult Horror novel following an MC named Willa. When she was a child, she had an invisible entity living under her bed. She would talked to it and about it, saying a lot of creepy things that had her parents frazzled.

Through past perspective chapters, the Reader learns a bit about that time in Willa’s life, and how those experiences shaped the adult she would become.

Another formative experience for Willa occurred when she was a Senior in high school. She went into the woods with six other teens and was the only one to walk out. That’s right, the other six died in the woods that night.

This incident devastated their small town of Rapture, Maine, and Willa took the brunt of the blame, becoming a social pariah in an instant. She was always considered strange, but that night catapulted her to a new level of infamy.

The case went unsolved, with most locals thinking Willa was responsible for the deaths. They considered her a killer. Willa left town and started a career as an artist under a different name. She’s tried hard not to look back.

In the present perspective, Willa is now 32-years old. She’s been successful in her pursuits as an artist, though she lives a reclusive life. After an expose exposes her as the sole survivor of the Rapture Mystery Slayings, it seems Willa’s wall of privacy has been shattered.

In the midst of all this, she receives a call from an old classmate that her beloved art teacher has passed away. This is a woman who changed her life, and Willa feels compelled to return to Rapture to pay her respects.

With a great amount of trepidation, Willa returns to the small town she thought she’d never see again. The reception is mediocre, at best, and hostile at worst.

The narrative shifts back and forth between past and present, filling out the whole picture of Willa’s life and the truth of the goings on in Rapture. I did like this. It’s a good story, but I’ve been torn on how to rate it.

My experience with the novel could best be described as unbalanced. There were moments Zinnikas had me completely dialed in and then others when I was slightly rolling my eyes. I was also confused at times, which I attribute more to the way the story was put together than to the actual plot, or characters.

I feel the audiobook production could have done more to make the past/present perspectives more distinctive from each other. It was tough in the audio to really feel grounded within the story, but yeah, it was still good.

I’m so torn. My heart says round up to 4-stars, but my head is saying 3.5-stars is a more realistic rating based on my experience. The concluding bits also dipped a wee bit into eye-roll territory, which is never a good thing.

Overall, I did love the concept of this story, as well as the building of tension. I also really enjoyed Willa as a main character and thought that she had a compelling backstory.

What let me down was the execution of the past/present perspectives as a whole, and the concluding action scenes. I am pleased with the experience for the most part though, and will pick up any future works by Zinnikas.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This is a great read for the Spooky Season!

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Review: A Perfect Mother by Miranda Smith

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A Perfect MotherA Perfect Mother by Miranda Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

A Perfect Mother is a fast-paced Popcorn Thriller following a Momfluencer whose daughter gets kidnapped from a hotel whilst she’s speaking at an event. Her nanny, who was with her daughter at the time, was attacked in the hotel restroom and Stella, her daughter, disappeared from there.

We follow Megan as she desperately aids in the tense and desperate search for her daughter. We also get the kidnappers perspective, and deep dive into Megan’s past.

Even though she’s marketed herself as the perfect mother, it turns out, Megan hasn’t always been so perfect.

Since we get the kidnapper’s perspective as well, it does make it less mysterious, and a bit more like a cat and mouse game between Megan and the perpetrator. I actually enjoyed that. Especially since the two are connected, and the way Smith revealed that connection was intriguing to follow.

Overall, the story is entertaining and I did have fun with the various twists and developments. While it didn’t blow me away, it didn’t do anything wrong either. It’s just a good, solid read for anyone who needs something light and quick. It’s not super memorable, but I didn’t need it to be.

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, for providing me with a copy to read and review!

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Review: Traps and Specters: Stories by Philip Fracassi

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Traps and Specters: StoriesTraps and Specters: Stories by Philip Fracassi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Traps and Specters: Stories is a short story collection from the brilliant mind of Philip Fracassi. I don’t have much to say on this besides the fact that it’s great. The tales are varied and I feel like there’s something within for everyone.

Even though not every story blew me away, they all felt very Fracassi. By that I mean, they were all creative, well-written and with an overriding sense of dread threaded throughout. My favorite was The Haunted Treehouse. That was so fun. It just felt like a Classic Horror story.

I highly recommend the audiobook if you’re going to pick this up and have it available to you. There are two separate narrators, Sean Patrick Hopkins and Patricia Santomasso, each getting their turn to read separate stories.

I really enjoyed how it was done that way. It helped each story to feel distinct from the ones before or after. I also felt like the quality of the narration had a very classic Horror feel to it. They felt like true storytellers, bringing Fracassi’s ideas to life. Where’s the campfire?

For me, this collection was an absolute win. I love Fracassi’s writing. He has texture and strong atmosphere. Boys in the Valley is one of my favorite Horror novels of all time, and instantly assured my position as a big ole’ Fracassi stan.

Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Media and Shortwave, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would recommend this collection to any Horror Reader who enjoys short stories. This is a fun one!

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Review: We Are for the Dark by Gretchen McNeil

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We Are for the DarkWe Are for the Dark by Gretchen McNeil
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

We Are for the Dark is an Adult Religious Horror novel from Gretchen McNeil. I’ve never read and Adult novel from McNeil, and actually mistakenly went into this believing it was YA. You might ask, didn’t you read the synopsis?

And my answer to that would be, no, I did not. I’ve had enough success with McNeil in the past to jump on anything new she has releasing.

That assumption was quickly corrected based on the content and perspectives given at the start of the story, and I was excited to see how McNeil would deliver in this age group.

The story is set on a remote Newfoundland island and I was instantly drawn into that setting. I live on an island and love island set stories in general.

We follow two characters, Miriam Rideout, a Junior Constable from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and Father Shane Ryan, a FBI Agent turned Catholic Priest.

Father Ryan gets summoned to the island by His Eminence Cardinal Jacobs. Father Ryan is newly-ordained and he has no idea why this man of prominence would want to meet with him. It becomes clear that His Eminence is aware of Ryan’s past in the FBI, and he needs his help investigating the mysterious disappearance of a local priest.

Weeks prior, Constable Miriam Rideout fielded a call from the island, a frantic priest begging for help. During the call the line went dead, leaving Rideout very unsettled. No further reports or calls came in from the island and Rideout was left scratching her head.

She appeals to her higher-ups for permission to travel to the island and do a wellness check on the caller, but her appeal is denied. After which, Rideout decides to take some vacation time and books her travel to the island. She feels like something is wrong, and she’s not going let her boss deter her from helping someone in need.

Rideout and Ryan’s paths end up crossing once they’re on the island. The outsiders amongst a sea of locals. It’s clear to both that something is very off with the island, but what? And are Rideout and Ryan now in danger too?

Though they don’t trust each other at first, neither one of them is a dummy and they know their alliance is necessary. Something ancient lurks on this island, an entity to which the locals may be in service, and they have no intention of letting these newcomers leave.

This was good. I really enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere was great, but there were also aspects that I wasn’t as crazy about. Some of the action towards the end became a little muddled as the paced increased, but overall it’s a solid story.

I liked the working relationship between Rideout and Ryan, but even that went too far after a certain point. To me, it didn’t make sense, especially considering the circumstances they were facing, but what do I know. I’ve never been trapped on an island by crazy islanders before. I am in the crazy islander. ((kidding, kidding))

I would recommend this for Readers who enjoy Religious Horror, or Horror Thrillers in general. Particularly if you’ve enjoyed things like Harrow Lake and The Wicker Man. The atmosphere is where it’s at with this one, so Atmosphere Girlies, like myself, so definitely check it out.

Thank you to the publisher, Recorded Books and DAW, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m happy to see McNeil in the Adult space and am looking forward to further releases in this lane.

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