Author: megs14malloy

Review: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw

~ megs14malloy

Long Live the Pumpkin QueenLong Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After Sally marries Jack…wait, you know who I am talking about, right? Only the most perfect couple to ever couple; Jack and Sally Skellington.

You know them. They were simply meant to be.

So, yeah, back to what I was saying…after Sally marries Jack, she is officially the Pumpkin Queen, a title she wasn’t prepared for.

I mean, she was aware that Jack was the Pumpkin King, but that’s not why Sally wanted to be with him. She wanted to be with him because she loves him with her whole being; for the way he makes her feel.

Sally isn’t sure she is cut out to be a Queen though. Nothing about her feels Queenly, yet she’s been thrust into this position of power she feels completely unqualified for.

With all of her doubts swirling around her, Sally tries to do the best she can just adjusting to her new life. As all this is going on, Sally and Zero end up discovering a doorway to an ancient realm called Dream Town.

What Sally inadvertently unleashes from there threatens all she has come to love.

Now thrust into a position where she must act in order to save her town, Sally must search deep within herself to find the strength and will to move forward. She can’t be meek in the face of this danger.

This is her moment to prove to herself, and everyone else, that she has what it takes to be a Queen.

This was so cute. It’s a short book and probably won’t live in my memory forever, but for what it is, it absolutely filled my heart. I’m so glad I read it.

Ernshaw’s dark, beautiful writing is perfect for this setting and these characters. If you are a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, you must pick this up. Take a journey to Halloween Town and beyond as you learn more about one of the most lovable characters in animated herstory!

I cannot stress enough how perfect Ernshaw was as the author for Sally’s story. Her writing is perfectly equipped to bring this setting, with all it’s spooky quirks and features to the page.

I also definitely recommend the audiobook. The narration was fantastic!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. My world has been made a brighter place because of this story!

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Review: Where I Left Her by Amber Garza

~ megs14malloy

Where I Left HerWhere I Left Her by Amber Garza
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Whitney’s teenage daughter, Amelia, is at an especially difficult phase. She’s moody and secretive. Whitney hardly recognizes her sometimes.

Whitney tries her best to remain patient. Things have been challenging for them both since the divorce, since Amelia’s Dad moved to Europe with his new wife.

Recently, Amelia has stopped hanging out with her old friends in favor of a new friend, Lauren.

When Amelia asks if she can spend the night at Lauren’s house on the weekend, Whitney is definitely hesitant. She doesn’t know this girl’s parents and has always had a rule that she must know the family before sleepovers.

At this point though, Whitney is at wit’s end. She gives in. Amelia can stay at Lauren’s on one condition, that Whitney can drive her there and drop her off.

So, that’s what they do. Whitney really wants to walk Amelia to the front door, but Amelia is adamant that is not going to happen. Once they arrive at Lauren’s home, Whitney watches as her daughter walks up the front steps, is greeted by Lauren at the door and disappears inside.

The next day, after being unable to reach Amelia on her cell for several hours, Whitney returns to the home for pick-up.

She’s surprised when an elderly couple answers the door, claiming there are no teenage girls there. She must have the wrong house.

Initially, she’s embarrassed. She could have sworn this was the house, the one with the rose bushes out front, but truth be told, all the houses do sort of look the same.

Whitney leaves, drives around the neighborhood looking for anything familiar and ends up right back there. She knows this is the house. Something is very wrong.

She calls her best friend, she calls the police, she calls her ex-husband. They need to find Amelia.

From there, the Reader gets a front row seat to the drama as Whitney desperately searches for her missing daughter. All will be revealed, but we’ve got a long, bumpy road ahead.

After my experience with Garza’s 2020-novel, When I Was You, I was super stoked for this next release. Where I Left Her is an over-the-top, ridiculously far-fetched drama.

We love it. Okay, maybe not ‘we’, but I LOVE IT!!

I really vibe with Garza’s writing and this one totally sucked me in. It was crazy fun.

Once I started, I was completely invested 100%. Honestly, both Whitney and Amelia made me angry. They aren’t making the wisest choices, but no one makes the best choices all the time…

I had a lot of fun learning about Whitney’s past and how it may have come back to haunt her. It was quite intriguing the way Garza pieced it all together.

I would definitely recommend this, particularly if you’ve enjoyed Garza’s writing before.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Mira Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had fun with this and will definitely pick up anything else Garza releases!

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Review: And I Darken (Conquerer’s Saga #1) by Kiersten White

~ megs14malloy

And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga, #1)And I Darken by Kiersten White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

And I Darken is the perfect example of why you should never neglect your backlist!

Listen, I know it’s tough with new releases being shoved down your throat week after week; it can be extremely distracting. Trust, I get that.

With this being said, there are some real gems out there just lurking on your bookshelves. I hauled this beautiful baby in March of 2018. 2018!!!

I’m so glad I finally picked this up. I’m currently obsessed with the world White created within these pages and picked up the second book immediately upon finishing this one.

For those unaware, which I assume is practically everyone, this is the first book in my TBR-Haul Project.

Basically, I have a problem with buying a bunch of books that I never get around to reading. I’m sure many of you can relate. I finally decided enough was enough. It’s time to start putting a dent in that ever-growing stack.

In my Reading Journal, I have a page dedicated to each month’s hauled books. I am starting at the beginning, in March 2018, and selecting one book from each month until I get all the way to July 2022.

In total, if I cycle through once, there will be at least 52-books included in this project. That’s my goal. If it is successful, we’ll see if I want to continue with it.

Out of the unread books that I hauled in that first month of my recorded hauls, March of 2018, And I Darken still held the most interest for me. I’ve heard a lot about this series and it seems that many Readers with taste similar to my own have really enjoyed it.

I’m so glad I decided to start with this one. I feel like with it, I have set myself up for success with this project.

In this story we meet brother and sister pair, Lada and Radu, when they are just small children. From there we get insight into some formative moments of their lives as they move towards their teenage years.

Lada is the older of the two and has a fierce personality. I absolutely adore her determination and unstoppable desire for independence.

Radu, the baby of the family, is soft and sweet, but he’s extremely smart and is frequently underestimated by strangers. In a society that awards strength, quick violence and skill on the battlefield, Radu doesn’t quite fit in with his contemporaries.

When they were young, their father moved them from their homeland of Wallachia into the heart of the Ottoman Empire, eventually abandoning them there.

Lada’s heart has always, will always, belong to Wallachia however, and she dreams of returning and claiming her birthright of power. She despises the Ottomans and all they have subjected her people to.

For Radu’s part, he feels like he’s found a home in the Empire. A place where he feels safe. He converts to Islam and makes friends.

Chief among their special friends is Mehmed, the lonely son of the sultan. In him, Radu feels like he has finally found acceptance, and Lada is intrigued enough by him to not hate him. That’s saying something for Lada.

Together the three form a very complicated web amongst them. There are secret desires, pining and plotting happening from all sides. It’s intriguing as heck.

I loved all of the political maneuvering in this and the backdrop of the Ottoman Empire was refreshing, exciting and beautifully done.

I also grew very attached to the characters. Lada, I admire and cherish for her dynamism and strong-will. Radu, I love and appreciate for his kind soul and sweet, quiet strength.

While the two had the same upbringing, it’s clear that the two are now set on different paths. Even though they love one another so much, their desires may never mesh. It seems one will always have to sacrifice what they want in order to keep peace between them.

This left off in such an interesting place. You can tell it is building towards an epic showdown. As I mentioned above, I have already started the second book in the series, Now I Rise, and enjoying it just as much.

Overall, I think you can tell that I am living for this story right now. I’m so excited to see what other backlist titles I will love just as much.

If you have been putting this one off for years, like I had, and love YA Political Fantasy stories with complicated familial relationships and lush historical settings, you should absolutely pick this one up and give it a go!

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Review: Padawan (Star Wars Canon) by Kiersten White

~ megs14malloy

PadawanPadawan by Kiersten White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Padawan is a YA Star Wars novel by beloved author, Kiersten White. Yes, it is canon and to put it in timeline order, this falls after Dooku: Jedi Lost and prior to Master and Apprentice.

I have really been looking forward to this release and for one main reason: MORE OBI-WAN!!!

At the time this story begins, Obi-Wan and his new master, Qui-Gon Jinn, are residing in Coruscant, the home of the Jedi Temple and the Galactic Senate.

Obi-Wan is becoming increasing frustrated with his position. He longs to be a great Padawan to Qui-Gon, but Qui-Gon is so distracted, he’s not making it easy for young Obi-Wan to feel confident in his training.

Most frustrating to Obi-Wan is how powerless he feels. While his contemporaries are all out on missions throughout the galaxy with their Masters, gaining experience and first-hand knowledge, he is stuck in the capital endlessly studying and meditating.

Something has to give. He wants so much more than this. What is the point otherwise?

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon weren’t paired up in the usual way. They were actually brought together by Master Yoda. Perhaps it was a mistake.

After Qui-Gon’s own Master, Dooku, leaves the Jedi Order rumors begin to fly that Qui-Gon may be considering the same move himself.

This obviously causes great concern for Obi-Wan. What will happen to him if his Master leaves the Order?

In spite of all of the concerns, Obi-Wan is still desperate to make it work with his Master and he eventually gets Qui-Gon to agree to go on a mission to a remote planet.

On the morning they are set to depart, however, Qui-Gon doesn’t show. Obi-Wan, young, impulsive and fed-up, decides to go on the mission solo. He is getting out of Coruscant one way or the other.

Along with a droid, A6, Obi-Wan sets out to find the distant planet once explored by Orla Jareni. Yep, you read that right, we are now getting connections to the High Republic-era.

I really enjoyed this story. Getting to spend this much time deep-diving into the growth and development of one of my all-time favorite characters was an absolute treat.

This is definitely a coming-of-age story and I thought it was really well done. Obi-Wan is questioning everything about his commitment to the Jedi, his connection to the Force and the workings of the galaxy in general.

The experience he gains on this mission is crucial to his development as a Jedi. Obi-Wan questioned himself a lot and having the freedom to explore by himself really helped to build future success for his character. He couldn’t have become who he does without this experience.

I’m really glad that we had the opportunity to get this additional content involving Obi-Wan’s development and his relationship with Qui-Gon.

White did a great job with this one. A must read for fans of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon!

Thank you so much to the publishers, Disney LucasFilms Press and Disney Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I did listen to the audiobook for this one and as always, Star Wars audiobooks are listening gold. There are so many great sound effects and narration. Highly recommend!!

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Review: Heat Wave (The Extraordinaries #3) by T.J. Klune

~ megs14malloy

Heat Wave (The Extraordinaries, #3)Heat Wave by T.J. Klune
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This hurts me, so I’m not going to beat around the bush. I am just going to say it. This was not it for me. I feel let down after anticipating this release for so long.

When I read the first book in this series, The Extraordinaries, in 2020, I was blown away. It was my first time reading from this author and I loved how rapid-fire and intelligent the writing was.

It was such a fun story and concept, with a great friendship group at the middle.

The second book in the series, Flash Fire, which I read in 2021, wasn’t quite all the stars for me like the first book, but I still really, really enjoyed it.

While it started out a little slow, by about 40% we started getting some startling new revelations that really helped to build the intensity. Additionally, I was having a lot of fun just being back with the characters I had grown to love.

There was a cliffhanger ending to the second book that left me with hives and my jaw on the floor. It was so shocking and exciting. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. I needed answers!!

I picked Heat Wave up on July 2nd and finished it this morning. Taking over 20-days to finish a book in this genre is pretty unusual for me. The beginning was so slow. I just couldn’t get into it and also, I was confused.

All I could think about was that amazing cliffhanger from book two. I wanted to know what happened from there. It didn’t seem to be touched upon at all.

I started to think maybe I was misremembering the end of the second book. Had I somehow imagined it all? Did I make it all up in own head?

Eventually it was revealed why it wasn’t making any sense to me and I was so disappointed. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. I was just like, nooooo, that can’t be it.

After that disappointment, I switched to the audiobook in the hopes of being able to get through it more quickly. I was just about ready to give up.

Thankfully the audiobook narrator was freaking fantastic and breathed new life into the story for me. Also, the action definitely picked up in the later portions of the story.

So yeah, at the end of the day, I’m sad about this one. The ending was cute, but this isn’t how I wanted this experience to go. I still love Nick, Seth, Gibby, Jazz and the Dads. I just wish we could have had a better time together.

Overall, I still would definitely recommend this series as a whole. I know I am going to be in the minority opinion on this one and that’s okay. Different stories work for different people and at different times.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Teen, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate it very much and look forward to reading more from Klune.

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Review: Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

~ megs14malloy

Just Like HomeJust Like Home by Sarah Gailey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Coming back to her childhood home is a very difficult decision for Vera Crowder. There’s a lot of hurdles mentally to overcome. As she stands before it, ready to enter for the first time in 12-years, she’s filled with doubts.

Her mother, Daphne, is extremely ill and in her final days she seems to want Vera by her side; odd considering she never showed interest in Vera before.

In fact, their relationship has been hostile for years, not your typical mother-daughter relationship, but Vera’s whole family history is complicated. That can happen when your father is an infamous serial killer.

Making matters worse is the fact that Vera’s mother has a tenant living on the property, some sort of artist whose interest in the house makes Vera very uncomfortable.

Regardless of his annoying presence, being back in the home definitely stirs up a lot of unresolved issues for Vera. She feels things in the house, it’s unsettling. She’s remembering things she had forgotten.

Through past and present perspectives the Reader is filled in on the truth behind the Crowder house, Vera’s family and unconventional upbringing.

Just Like Home was a highly anticipated release for me. I knew with Sarah Gailey’s impressive writing skills and imagination this would be a memorable story.

It absolutely was. I was drawn in from the very first paragraph. It feels morose, Vera is not necessarily a happy camper. There’s not a lot to be happy about in this situation, but it was absolutely captivating in its quiet intensity.

The way Gailey weaved this story together was so good. There’s a lot of balls in the air, as the Reader you are learning so much in every moment. There are no chapters wasted.

I loved being in Vera’s head as she reflected on her life and the past timeline was so gripping to watch play out. In some ways it felt like a simple story, like the way it unfolded, but when you take the time to think about it, there are so many layers.

Most interesting to me was the relationship that Vera had with her father. An assumption may be that because he was a killer, he would be a harsh and dominating force in her life, but that’s not quite the case.

Additionally, to see the tension between her and her mother, it almost seemed upside-down from what you would expect. And then there was the whole dynamic between the mother and father, which was equally as interesting.

One of the most important aspects for me in any story is atmosphere. I need a strong atmosphere to truly be swept up into a story. I want to feel it, smell it, taste it and generally, be unsettled by it.

Gailey nailed the atmosphere here. This house, oh my word, make no mistake, the house has soul, the house has energy. I always love when the sense of place is this thick in a story. A great example would be The Overlook Hotel in The Shining; where the place is as impactful as any of the characters.

I really had to think about this one after I finished it in order to decide on a rating. Initially, I was thinking it started too slow, but looking back, I feel it was appropriately done.

It is a bit of a slow burn, but the payoff is so over-the-top, vivid and immersive, that it just makes sense this way. Gailey crushed this. It was so freaking weird and creative in such an incredible way.

Thank you so very much to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I will remember this one for a long time to come!

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Review: Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier

~ megs14malloy

Things We Do in the DarkThings We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Paris Peralta is in trouble. After being discovered in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor, with a straight razor in her hand, her celebrity-husband, Jimmy, dead in the bathtub behind her, she’s promptly arrested for his murder.

Not a great way to start a day, following a night she can hardly remember. It appears Paris suffered a head injury at some point during the night. This must be why she can’t remember what happened.

A flurry of media activity immediately flocks to the action. Jimmy Peralta was a well-loved comedic actor, who had recently made a giant comeback. His death is big news.

Paris is devastated and swears that she is innocent. In spite of everything happening around her, Paris actually has bigger worries.

When Paris and Jimmy met, she was a yoga instructor and he attended her classes. He was smitten fairly quickly and she was as well, but she was never truly honest with Jimmy.

She never told him about her past. A past she has been hiding from for years.

Twenty-five years ago, Ruby Reyes, dubbed the ‘Ice Queen’ by the media, was convicted for the murder of a man in Canada. It was a very high profile case, with people still discussing it to this day.

Ruby feels like she knows who Paris really is and she spends the final days of her prison stay writing Paris threatening letters. Apparently, blackmail is a hobby you can participate in from anywhere.

Drew Malcolm is an investigative journalist turned podcaster. His specialty happens to be my favorite: true crime. When he hears that Ruby Reyes is going to be released from prison, he can hardly believe it.

Drew grew up in the same area where Ruby lived and committed her infamous crime. He feels personally connected to the case and decides to make it the next hot topic for his podcast.

Using alternating perspectives, as well as both past and present timelines, the Reader gets taken on a real journey in Things We Do in the Dark.

I didn’t pay much attention to the synopsis before I started this, Jennifer Hillier’s name on the cover was enough to get me to read it, and I’m happy I went into this pretty much blind. I was so surprised each time the direction and perspective of this story shifted.

Unsurprisingly, Hillier’s writing drew me in from the very start. I loved Paris as a character and her relationship with Jimmy. I found it completely fascinating.

For me, Jimmy was that quintessential stand-up comedian turned actor, who suffers from depression and substance abuse issues. He found this beautiful young lady who truly seemed to make him happy and he started to turn his life around. I loved that aspect.

I felt like I knew him, even though he really didn’t play a role in this story.

As far as Paris was concerned, I just got her. I liked her. Learning about her past, I truly felt for all she had been through in her life, all she had overcome and achieved in spite of it.

Additionally, Drew was a fantastic character. I liked how much his investigative journalist background contributed to the story. This man was on a mission.

I had so much fun with the reveals in this, as the three threads begin to weave together. I felt this was expertly-plotted and a great way to escape the world for a while.

I did listen to the audiobook and felt that is was super well done. I was enchanted by the narration. Once I started, it was really hard to put it down for anything.

Dinner, that can wait. Sleep, who needs it? Work, it will be there tomorrow.

In short, I loved this. Fast-paced, compelling and with so many elements that I tend to enjoy, Hillier won big for me with this one!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. It’s clear I am a huge fan of Hillier’s work and this one is no exception.

I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!!

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Review: Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi

~ megs14malloy

Black MouthBlack Mouth by Ronald Malfi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jamie Warren left Sutton’s Quay, West Virginia, as soon as he was old enough, unfortunately leaving his disabled brother, Dennis, behind.

Jamie was running from a lot of things, but no matter where he goes or how much time passes, the memories of his traumatic childhood continue to haunt him.

When he receives a call that his Mother has passed, he has mixed feelings. In spite of Jamie’s complicated relationship with his Mom, he knows he has to go back.

The property will need to be dealt with. Dennis can’t do it himself, so Black Mouth here he comes.

Upon returning to the family farmhouse, Jamie is shocked by the state of it. He can’t believe that his brother and mother had been living in these conditions.

Additionally, his brother has been picked up by the police. Dennis had been walking along the highway, clearly distressed. Sadly, that’s how they’re reunited.

While all this is happening, states away, Jamie’s best friends from childhood, Mia and Clay, are also experiencing things that are drawing their attention back to Black Mouth; the name of the area on the outskirts of Sutton’s Quay where they all grew up.

The trio are pulled back into each other’s lives like moths to a flame, and like many close friends, once they’re back together it’s like no time has passed at all.

Together with Dennis, the three begin to investigate a mysterious man who had a huge impact on their lives all those years ago.

A man who lived in the woods and showed them magical and disturbing things.

Through past and present perspectives you’re drawn into an exceptionally twisted story with horrors great and small. Everything about this was mesmerizing to me. The writing is lush, the imagery is distinct and the atmosphere is intense.

Black Mouth took me for a ride and ultimately left me with tears in my eyes, wondering how long it would be before I read it again. It’s that good.

I’m so glad I preordered a copy of this because I need it gracing my shelves. The story is incredibly detailed and I’m sure there are little things that I missed as I rushed towards the conclusion. It will be an absolute joy to revisit.

There are so many aspects that I loved about this book, but first and foremost would be the phenomenal quality of the storytelling. It’s delicious.

As a King Constant Reader, I couldn’t help but notice things that reminded me of some of my favorite King works. I don’t know anything about Ronald Malfi, but just for me, I liked having all these little reminders of King’s work.

I honestly don’t know if any of it was intentional, like if it was a doffing of the cap, but I sort of hope it was. All the elements brought together was magic for my mind.

Without saying too much, it was in the details, like Dennis reminding me of Duddits, Mia’s name, the carnival vibe, a group of outcast kids fighting evil, even some of the supernatural aspects reminding me of the Bill Hodges trilogy.

Please note, I am not saying this in a negative way. I hope I am explaining myself appropriately. I don’t intend any shade toward Malfi by making these comparisons. I was beyond impressed by Come with Me, my favorite book of 2021, and over the moon excited about this one.

I highly, highly, highly recommend this story for fans of coming of age horror novels. This is absolutely exceptional.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Titan Books and Tantor Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This could potentially end up as my favorite book of 2022. It’s certainly in the lead for now!

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Review: Upgrade by Blake Crouch

~ megs14malloy

UpgradeUpgrade by Blake Crouch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

After an incident on the job where Logan Ramsey is exposed to possible contaminants, he begins to notice slightly alarming changes happening within himself.

He’s better able to concentrate, requires less sleep, his bones are becoming stronger and more dense. What is going on? It reads almost like he is becoming a superhero.

It’s the near future and the U.S. government has formed a Gene Protection Agency and Logan is one of their field agents. The agency was developed because gene editing has become a serious threat to the planet.

Logan has a lot of experience with gene editing, as his mother was one of the most influential scholars in the field. Unfortunately, not all of her projects ended well, leaving the family name tarnished.

Logan has worked hard to build his reputation back and he is known as a solid agent. That’s why the incident on the job hit him so hard.

He’s taken out of commission, but there’s so much more involved. His genome has been hacked. Was he selected for the upgrade, or was it just coincidence he ended up on that site that day?

We then follow Logan on the various stages of his upgrade, as he investigates who could be behind it and why. Ghosts from his past arise and a true cat-and-mouse game ensues with the fate of humanity at stake.

Blake Crouch is the ultimate SF-Thriller writer. He’s just so damn good. This story was a ton of fun to read. I loved contemplating the science behind it.

Additionally, the gripping plot, intelligent writing and non-stop action made me a very happy girl.

Honesty, I think nothing truly scares me more than certain advances in AI, technology and genetic manipulation. Thinking about how our future could be transformed by these advances, and in my mind it is always in a sinister way, is just fascinating to me.

I do feel this one would be super accessible as far as his titles go. Recursion sort of blew my mind and I can see how some Readers could be intimated by it. Also, Dark Matter got a bit trippy, although I loved it.

I think if you have never read Crouch before, this could be a great place to start to get a sense of his style. I definitely recommend it!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I truly appreciate the opportunity to dive into a little early.

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Review: All the Dirty Secrets by Aggie Blum Thompson

~ megs14malloy

All the Dirty SecretsAll the Dirty Secrets by Aggie Blum Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

25-years ago, Liza and her best friends, Nikki, Shelby and Whitney, took part in a traditional celebration in their area known as Beach Week.

The girls attended a posh private school, Washington Prep, in D.C. and Beach Week is essentially their way of celebrating their graduation, all without adult supervision, with lots of substances and the use of their parent’s beach houses.

Things are known to get pretty wild, but even the locals seem to disregard what’s happening. These privileged kids get away with everything.

Unfortunately, this time, one of them doesn’t come out unscathed. Nikki never made it back from their midnight swim and her death has haunted Liza all these years.

Now Liza has her own daughter, Zoe, at Washington Prep and while her Mom is away on a Girls Weekend at the beach, Zoe takes advantage and slips off to the beach herself for her own Beach Week celebration.

Even though Zoe is an underclassman, she gets invited along to Beach Week as a guest of an older girl named, Emery, who graduated from Washington Prep last year.

Liza only discovers that Zoe has sneaked away to the beach when she receives a call from the local police.

Zoe is at the station extremely distressed after discovering Emery’s dead body on the beach. She says Emery had gone off to meet up with someone, but she doesn’t know who. The police assert it’s just another Beach Week drowning.

Liza is completely floored by this news. She can’t believe Zoe would lie and take off on her own like this. More disturbing though is another mysterious death of a young girl from Washington Prep. Is it just a horrific coincidence, or is there something more at play?

In All the Dirty Secrets, Aggie Blum Thompson successfully weaves together a wicked tale of privilege, lies, deception and murder.

This is one twisted tale and frankly, I love to see that. The more twisted the better. In this case, the narrative started out quite slow for me. It took me a while to become engaged.

Initially, I found some of the characters to be quite annoying, particularly how Zoe talked to her Mom and I wasn’t sure if I could push through.

Fortunately, I was listening to the audiobook and the narrators did a great job keeping me engaged enough to proceed and I’m so glad for that.

About the time that Liza heads into the police station to collect Miss Sassy-Mouth Zoe, I became truly captivated. From there, I couldn’t put it down.

I really enjoyed how Blum Thompson formatted this story. I always enjoy dual timelines and POVs. In this narrative we follow Liza’s group during their high school Beach Week and the events surround Nikki’s death, as well as Liza’s present perspective and Zoe’s present perspective.

This allowed the reveals to hit one after another, helping the story to get rolling. Just when I thought I knew it all, something would be exposed that would have my jaw on the floor. I couldn’t believe the dirt I was digging through by the end; my goodness.

There were some bad actors in this story, that’s for sure!

Overall, I had fun with this. It’s a great Summer Thriller. I would definitely recommend it and look forward to picking up more from this author in the future.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Forge Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I really appreciate it!

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