Author: megs14malloy

Review: Five Little Pigs (Hercule Poirot #25) by Agatha Christie

~ megs14malloy

Five Little Pigs (Hercule Poirot, #25)Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Five Little Pigs is the 25th installment in Christie’s beloved Hercule Poirot series, but as you most likely know, these books can be read in any order.

In this one, Poirot is approached by a beautiful young lady, Carla Lemarchant, who when she was only 5-years old had her entire life upturned.

Her mother, Caroline Crale, was accused and subsequently found guilty of killing her husband, Carla’s father, Amyas, an up-and-coming artist with an eye for the ladies.

After her father was killed and her mother imprisoned, little Carla was whisked away to Canada to live with relations.

Growing up she had no real memory of her life before she set foot on Canadian soil, but recently, on her 21st-birthday, Carla received a letter written by her mother, now long deceased, proclaiming her innocence.

Carla returns to the U.K. and seeks out Poirot to implore him to look into the case. It’s been 16-years since the incident took place, but Poirot is intrigued.

Poirot assures Carla he will do his best, but it could be a tough nut to crack. Cold cases are so much more difficult. Nevertheless, Poirot sets to his task with great vigor, interviewing those involved and narrowing it down to five main suspects.

He’ll leave no stone unturned as he craftily pulls together the players from past and tries to reveal the truth behind the shocking death of Amyas Crale.

I loved this one and not just because I solved it!

I loved that everything included here was necessary to get to the bottom of the ‘whodunit’. There was absolutely no BS. Agatha developed a great little mystery within these pages.

It has a bit of an unconventional format, reading more like a case file than a novel. It’s like Christie was actually challenging Readers to solve it alongside Poirot.

I enjoyed that; how it didn’t necessarily follow her traditional format, although it did still have a lot of the classic features familiar to long-time Christie Readers.

Out of all the Christie’s I’ve read, I think this has got to be in my top 5. I enjoyed it that much.

If you haven’t read this one yet, but love the feel of a classic whodunit story, you really should check this out. Have your notebook, magnifying glass and pipe at the ready!

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Review: Seasick by Kristin Cast & Pintip Dunn

~ megs14malloy

SeasickSeasick by Kristin Cast
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

I’ll be honest, I think the trick with Seasick is going into it with the right mindset.

If you are expecting deep prose and super compelling character interactions, you may want to look elsewhere.

If however, you’re like me, and you’re just here for a good time, this could be a lot of fun for you.

To me, one of the things I appreciated about Seasick was that it didn’t seem to take itself too seriously. This is like B-Horror, which I am a huge fan of. It feels campy, and in spite of the mega-yacht setting, it feels low budget.

The plot and characters were outrageous, nevertheless, it was a wicked good time. I loved seeing that body count pile up, as I tried to figure out who was behind it.

This story follows a group of recent high school graduates, who after being inducted into a prestigious society in their small Oklahoma town, set out on a celebratory yacht trip to Bermuda. For some, a trip of a lifetime.

As the Reader, you’re clued in from the start that it’s going to end up being a total bloodbath, but it was fun watching that whole drama play out.

Estranged best friends, Yana and Naya, team up to figure out who the killer aboard is, before they fall victim themselves.

I mean, that’s it. It’s pretty simple, but it was a blast, NGL. This is like a made-for-tv movie with a ton of hot actors trying to survive a Slasher. It def gives those vibes.

The yacht setting was fun, because it feels claustrophobic. There’s literally no means of escape. These kids are trapped, and one way or another, they need to fight in order to survive, whether they like it or not.

I did enjoy a lot of the teen drama, but that’s sort of what I’m into. So, boys and girls behaving badly is like candy for me. I was eating it up.

Will this go down in history as one of my favorite YA Horror/Thrillers ever? No. However, can I walk away happy I read it and feeling like I had a really great time? Absolutely!

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Campy Teen Screams and books set on boats. This is filled with catty drama and ridiculously fun kills. There’s a whole bunch of Readers for this out there, and you know who you are!

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a wild voyage!

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Review: One House Left by Vincent Ralph

~ megs14malloy

One House LeftOne House Left by Vincent Ralph
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed One House Left. It deserves its comp to R.L. Stine, though this is better written…

I sort of totally kid. I love R.L. Stine and appreciate all of his work and his contribution to the Horror space. I still read his books today and will continue to do so, well, forever.

Anytime I see a new release compared to Stine’s stories, I am going to check it out. It’s the Publishers doing their work. They sold me. Sometimes it pays off, other times not so much. Happy to report it def paid off here.

This story follows 16-year old, Nate Campbell, who grew up on a cursed street, dubbed Murder Road, haunted by a vengeful spirit known only as The Hiding Boy.

Every few years a different house on the street is plagued by some sort of violent tragedy. Nate and his family, trying to outrun the curse, move to a new town at the start of this story and that is where we pick up with Nate.

We follow him as he navigates being the new kid, while also trying to outrun his past. Will he be able to do so? Is it even possible to escape from the clutches of Murder Road?

I was hooked into this one from the start. It was giving me total Fear Street vibes with the narration style and the way the MC, Nate, presented his story.

He was pulled into a clique of friends at his new school, led by the strong-willed, Max, who love learning about and exploring urban legends. Little did they know that Nate was actually living one.

Max seemed like such a cool girl to me. I loved her. Everything about the way she was described and the confidence with which she carried herself, she was def my fave in this one!

There’s all sorts of mystery throughout this story as well. I had so many questions. I didn’t really know what was going on half the time, purposefully on the author’s part, and it kept me hella intrigued.

People were acting strangely, Nate was receiving mysterious threatening messages, it wasn’t quite clear the circumstances under which Nate’s family left their old home; there was so much I wanted to know.

That’s one way to keep you furiously flipping pages!

There was a huge twist around the 70%-point, that legit left my jaw on the floor. I couldn’t believe what was happening and it totally changed my perspective on everything. I felt that was so well played by the author.

As far as reveals go, it was definitely one I did NOT expect!

I also loved the escalation of this story. It was like a snowball rolling down hill. The pacing was very well done.

There’s a lot that I appreciated about this story, but I won’t risk saying more because I don’t want to spoil anything. Just know, I was impressed.

Overall, I loved how the concept of Urban Legends was used by the author to tell this story. I found the characters so compelling, especially my girl, Max. As YA Horror novels go, this is at towards the top of the class!

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This is the 2nd-book I have read from Vincent Ralph and I’m definitely seeing a progression in his work.

I look forward to reading more from him!

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Review: Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

~ megs14malloy

Raiders of the Lost HeartRaiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Unfortunately, this Adult Romance was way more ewww than awww for me. As in, complete cringefest.

I am sooooo glad it’s over!!!

Let’s start with what I liked. The cover is adorable. It immediately made me what to pick this one up. I love the colors and how cute both of the characters look. It’s also giving strong adventure vibes.

I also enjoyed the very beginning of this story. I appreciated how quickly it kicked off. The author didn’t waste any time with filler stuff. We’re immediately swept away with Corrie as she’s pulled into an expedition in Mexico.

Also, I do tend to really enjoy the academic rivals-to-lovers trope and it seemed obvious that’s where this was going, which I was excited to see play out.

Very sadly, this is where my likes end. I won’t give you the full list of dislikes. I’m not here to be salty looking to turn anyone off from giving this book a shot, but I do like to keep it real with my personal reading experiences in my reviews.

After the successful set-up, nothing really happens. I was waiting for something to happen, something more than pointless bickering between our mains. Then they started hooking up and I WISHED WITH ALL MY HEART we could go back to nothing happening.

The steamy bits are soooo not to my tastes. I was legit yelling, ewwwwwww, at my audiobook and I’m not even joking. I wish I was. Descriptors like ‘lapping’ — just don’t and I def don’t want to hear about smooth, VEINY skin.

Before y’all come at me, it wasn’t just the steamy bits though, although that was huge part of it. I also hated both of the main characters.

Corrie was so annoying and I was beyond sick of hearing about how hot her body was and what horrible problems that caused for her. Her stunningly jaw-dropping double-Ds and taut ass had plagued her her whole life. Poor thing.

Ford was a jerk, who would fly off the handle over nothing and I detested the way they interacted with one another, both when they were fighting and then when they were all over each other. It was completely cringe. There’s honestly not a better way to describe it.

Uneventful, lackluster, boring, icky and disappointing. Clearly, not a new favorite, but alas, I am moving on and will wrap this up with the same thing I say every time I write a not so positive review:

Just because this didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. There’s a Reader for every book and book for every Reader. If this sounds good to you, check it out. If you love it, please come back and tell me how wrong I am!

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I never give up on an author after one try, so would consider picking up more from Segura.

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Review: Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon

~ megs14malloy

Only One SurvivesOnly One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Easily, McKinnon’s most twisty work yet. I’m absolutely delighted with this one and would even read it again. That’s says a lot for a Psychological Thriller.

There was something so Crime & Punishment in this character work. It was very well executed, IMO.

In Only One Survives, we follow Vienna and Madison, long-time friends who end up following their childhood dreams and successfully create their own all-female rock band.

Unfortunately, just as the band, The Bittersweet, is gaining traction in the music scene, the van they’re traveling in on their way to an event, loses its traction and careens off a mountain road during a blizzard.

After the vehicle settles, they discover one bandmate dead and another severely injured. Luckily, the girls are able to locate an abandoned cabin nearby and take shelter there from the storm.

What should have been a safe haven though, ultimately results in even more death. The final shock is Madison actually disappearing into the night, her outcome unknown.

The trauma of that horrific night has messed with Vienna’s memories. She can hardly decipher the reality from her nightmares. Unsurprisingly, the tragedy of The Bittersweet becomes a bit of a legend in pop culture.

The Reader alternates back and forth through time and characters. There’s some interesting mixed media elements, with online platforms discussing the mystery behind what actually happened to The Bittersweet.

There are a lot of theories, of course, as there often are after a tragedy such as this, but no one really knows. Only the survivors would know, or would they?

I absolutely loved my time reading this book. It felt like an experience. I did end up listening to the audiobook and felt the narration was perfect for the story.

These characters were super engaging. I was hooked into Vienna and Madison’s friendship. We got a lot of details from their earlier lives and really got to see their relationship blossom and their reasons behind their sort of codependency. It was fascinating.

Additionally, I do tend to love stories featuring music, or musicians, so this definitely played right into those tastes.

I know there are a ton of wonderfully-talented individuals writing in the Adult Thriller space, but IMHO, Hannah Mary McKinnon is thus far underrated.

One of the things I love most about her work is that she’s constantly improving. Each book, she’s just crushing it, taking risks and doing different things. This one is a journey, and she def got me with some of the reveals.

I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

Thank you to the publisher, MIRA, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I would recommend this one to all the Thriller Readers out there who love the use of mixed media elements, strong character development and jaw-dropping twists!

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Review: Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid

~ megs14malloy

Lady MacbethLady Macbeth by Ava Reid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

To round up, or to not round up? That is the question.

The first thing that sticks out in my mind about this book is that it took me 20-days to read, which it shouldn’t have. It’s fairly short, but every single time I picked it up, I would fall asleep after like 10-pages.

Reid’s writing is beautiful, but it failed to ever truly grip me. I was hoping for a more sinister plot, and a more overtly cunning representation of Lady Macbeth as well.

However, I did enjoy the level of inspiration from the original story, and felt the setting and atmosphere were very well done. I felt the cold and dark in my bones.

I’m getting a little ahead of myself though, so let’s start at the beginning. As you would expect, Lady Macbeth is Ava Reid’s reimagining of one of the best villains, IMHO, of all time, Lady Macbeth. We love her.

Lady Macbeth, as a character, has always fascinated me and I do tend to enjoy new fiction that reimagines her role, or persona. One of my favorites, for example, would be Foul Is Fair, which is indeed very modern, while this story is true to the original in time.

In fact, the setting and characters all feel fairly true to the original source material, and I think any fan of that work could enjoy checking this one out.

I did enjoying following Roscille, who becomes Lady Macbeth, as she first arrives at Macbeth’s castle and meets her husband-to-be for the first time, as well as her introduction to other inhabitants of the castle and their ways, which are all very mysterious to her.

I also did feel Roscille was cunning and smart. That she was strategizing all along the best ways to get by in her new life.

With this being said though, I was disappointed not to get more development in her relationship with her husband. I felt that was very surface level and I would have wanted much more to feel satisfied.

By this I don’t mean romantically. I wanted more strategizing between them, and honestly, I wanted to see more manipulation on her part. I know it was there, but it just felt weak compared to what I was hoping for.

I wanted her to be using Macbeth’s alleged brutish nature more to her advantage. It felt more like the reverse, that he was still in control. I know that’s not exactly true, especially by the end, but I wanted her power to be more unconcealed.

Personally, it felt too subtle for me. It was like those punching points I wanted were a bit bogged down by the beauty of the writing. Although there’s nothing wrong with pretty writing, it just wasn’t quite to my tastes.

The first half of the book was definitely more successful for me. At that point, there was still hope and the possibility that Lady Macbeth would live up to her full, sinister potential. Unfortunately, that just never really followed through to the extent that I wanted.

With this being said, I did still enjoy this. It is a good story and I’m so happy to have tried Ava Reid’s work for the very first time. I would be interested in reading more from Reid.

I would also recommend this to anyone who is interested in the character of Lady Macbeth. I think there are some great scenes in this that lots are Readers will enjoy. It’s also atmospheric and easy to follow: plus, plus.

Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me for a copy to read and review.

While I wanted a bit more blatancy to Roscille’s cunning and strategy, I still appreciate this for what it is and feel like the author did a great job reinterpreting this classic tale!

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Review: Red River Road by Anna Downes

~ megs14malloy

Red River RoadRed River Road by Anna Downes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Told via three different perspectives, as well as expertly-placed mixed media elements, Red River Road is a gripping and suspenseful Psychological Thriller that successfully kept me on my toes throughout.

I had the pleasure of Buddy Reading this one with a friend, and we were guessing and throwing out theories the entire time. I loved how Downes put this one together.

We learn about Phoebe, an up-and-coming Travel Influencer, whose solo vanlife trip along the coastal road of Western Australia was followed by people all over the world. That is until the day she goes quiet.

Phoebe has disappeared without a trace. We hear about these types of things all the time, but it was still shocking and sad for those who followed, knew Phoebe, or even loved her IRL.

Katy is on a solo van trip of her own. Following Phoebe’s social media posts, Katy is desperate to find her. It’s during this journey that her path jarringly crosses with Beth’s, a woman on the run, full of desperation of her own.

As the two get to know one another, Beth realizes who Katy is; Phoebe’s sister. Katy realizes that Beth’s knowledge may be the key she needs to reach her goals.

The two agree to work together and travel together, getting Beth farther away from her past, and Katy closer to finally finding Phoebe. At least that’s what they hope.

We also follow Wyatt, a boy who lives with his brother and father in the same remote area through which our two women are traveling. How is Wyatt connected to this story?

You’ll have to read it, because there’s no way I’m telling.

Full of Anna Downes’s signature twists and turns, Red River Road reads like a Road Trip Gone Wrong movie come to the page. It’s my fave from this author to date.

Once I started, it was nearly impossible to stop. I had to know what was happening. I had so many theories over the course of this, I even began to suspect myself…

Downes keeps her chapters short, and the inclusion of the mixed media made this story even more intriguing. It was like watching a giant puzzle come together.

Each consecutive chapter added one more piece to the bigger picture. I was reading this so fast. I had to get to the bottom of what was going on.

I loved meeting both Beth and Katy. They were so interesting, and while I was captivated by both of their stories, I didn’t trust either of them. I kept expecting betrayals and backstabs. I just did not know who to trust.

The conclusion was wild and IMO, readership will be divided on how this ends. For me, I really enjoyed it, although there were some details I got a little confused on towards the end.

I’m pretty sure it is just me though. As in, I missed something as I was rushing through, because I am left with a couple of lingering questions, or things that I think I understand, but am just not 100% sure on.

With this being said, this is one of those rare Thriller/Suspense stories that I would actually read again.

I know Thrillers tend to be best appreciated the first time round; like, once you know, you know. In this case though, I actually would like to reread this knowing the ultimate outcome from the start.

It’s a detailed story, with great character work and a lot of different layers. I think I would appreciate the skill it required for Downes to pull this off even more upon reread.

I had a fabulous time with this. The setting was exciting and the twists were off the charts. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced Travel Thriller. Also, I highly recommend the audiobook format!

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. I can’t wait to see what Anna Downes comes up with next!!!

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Review: Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman

~ megs14malloy

Worst Case ScenarioWorst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

T.J. Newman has picked a lane and she’s good at it. She delivers what I’m expecting every time. This was fun, but also heart-warming and heart-wrenching simultaneously.

In this latest action-packed thrill ride, she explores a situation in which a commercial airliner crashes into a nuclear power plant.

Following the catastrophe, we follow regular people thrust into the most extraordinary of circumstances, as they race to try to save not just their friends and loved ones, but their communities, and really the whole world.

This audiobook was great, channeling the tension of the story straight into my veins. I was racing through it, like how could this possibly end well? I needed to know.

This book is perfect for anyone who watches movies like Armageddon and becomes completely invested. That person is me, and if it’s also you, please check this one out. It is quite frankly a disaster-action movie brought to the page.

There’s not much else to say to hype you up for this. It’s best to just experience it for yourself. It’s gripping, exciting and actually horrifying if you think about it too much.

That’s honestly what I’m trying to avoid here…

So, yeah, in short, if you like terrifyingly-realistic Disaster Thrillers that read like a ticking time bomb about to go off on humanity, you have to pick this one up!!

Thank you to the publisher, Hachette Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m such a Newman fan and will definitely be back for more!!

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Stephen King Publication Project: Re-Reading Carrie

~ megs14malloy

CarrieCarrie by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5-MODERN CLASSIC STARS YET AGAIN!!!

Recently, I’ve started this thing. It’s not unique to me. Many people have attempted it, some have even succeeded, but I’m currently reading all of King’s books in publication order.

I’ve already read 52-books of King’s extensive list of works, many multiple times, but I’ve never read them in order. I think this will be a fun way to experience the trajectory of his career, as well as his different eras, if you will.

I’m also annotating this time through and recording my final thoughts in a King-designated Book Journal, courtesy of Clever Fox planners. I’m so stoked for this journey, you have no idea.

With this being said, I don’t plan on really updating any of my thoughts on this one. Please see my previous review below for full thoughts. I’m pretty proud of this one, and feel very much the same this time through, as far as the execution of this novel, its importance and my love for it.

I did notice a couple of fun little Easter Egg type things this time around though that I’ll mention real quick. King gave Carrie his birthday, although he would have been turning 16 on the day she was born. Also, her English teacher that she turned a noted poem into was named Mr. Edwin King, and Stephen’s middle name is Edwin — that was fun.

Also, I believe I found some foreshadowing to Christine, Firestarter, and if you think about it, maybe even The Institute.

Oh, and did anyone else notice that in one of the news reports of what happened in Chamberlain on that fateful night, the first casualty was reported to be a firefighter, his first name escapes me now, but middle initial, B, last name, Mears? I found that fun, since King’s protagonist in his 2nd-novel, a little known work called ‘Salem’s Lot, is Ben Mears.

Final thought, Margaret White is one of the most heinous villains King has ever created. Every scene with her makes me want to knock her head off a wall.

That’s talent.

Previously:

Carrie, Stephen King’s first published full-length novel was released in 1974 and at this point, I think it’s fair to say it’s a modern classic. This novel has been adapted to film four times, the most well-known being the original 1976-release starring Sissy Spacek as Carrie.

Incidentally, I did decide to listen to the audiobook for this reread, as I had only read the print copy before, and the audio was narrated by Spacek.

It was fantastic and I highly recommend that audio-version. Spacek clearly has an intimate connection with this story and with Carrie in particular. I felt like it made the audio experience extra special.

Assuming most people at least have a general idea of what this story is about, I will keep this short and simple. This story, through the incredible use of mixed media, tells the story of Carrie White, a bullied teen who lives in the small town of Chamberlain, Maine.

At the beginning, there’s an infamous scene taking place in the girls locker room at school, wherein Carrie experiences her first menstruation. Raised by a single-mother, a religious fanatic, who believes only women who sin grow breasts, Carrie has no idea what her period is.

She’s frightened at the sight of the blood and panics. Her peers, who have already been bullying her mercilessly for years, are brutal in their reaction to the event, pelting her with feminine products and screaming at her.

It’s awful. The girls are awful. Carrie gets sent home for the day and the young women involved in torturing her are given a light slap on the wrist.

It’s at that time, under distress, that the first public signs of Carrie’s powers appear. At least since that rock incident when she was a child…

The plot progresses from there, advancing Carrie’s story from that point forward, as well as filling in some of her backstory, including her gut-wrenching, abusive relationship with her mother.

When one of the girls involved, Sue Snell, starts to feel remorse for the locker room incident, she concocts a slightly hair-brained and uber-naive plot wherein her popular, jock boyfriend, Tommy Ross, will take Carrie to the Spring dance instead of her.

Tommy isn’t crazy about the idea. Not because he has anything against Carrie, he’s not that kind of guy, but because he doesn’t feel like Sue’s tepid attempt at ridding herself of guilt will make any real difference in Carrie’s life.

Nevertheless, he loves Sue and is willing to do anything she asks. If only he hadn’t…

I had such a blast listening to this. I haven’t read this story in over 20-years and it was so great to revisit one of King’s earliest hits. Imagine reading and reviewing this in 1974, like ‘this Stephen King guy is an author to watch.’

I was struck immediately by the creative use of mixed media. I have read from other authors who have mentioned how this novel influenced them with that format and I can see why. It is so incredibly well done here. IMO, definitely still one of the best displays of that format published to date.

I think it is important to keep in mind how unique that would have been at the time of publication.

There have been numerous novels in the past few years that have embraced that narrative style, particularly if you think of all the ones including podcasting elements. It seems now an obvious choice as a way to tell a story, but it’s really not traditionally.

I’ll be honest, it did make me sad reading this though. I was reminded why I have never reread it until now. There are certain King’s, mainly this and Cujo, that are so good, yet so painful to read, because of how much empathy I feel for the characters involved, that I sort of avoid them.

As a Horror story, one could categorize Carrie as the ‘baddie’, but you feel for her and I would assume that 99.9% of Readers will be on her side.

To me, it’s a bit like Frankenstein, another book I could only read once because I felt so damn bad for Frankenstein’s monster, and in a way, Carrie is the Frankenstein’s monster of modern times.

Carrie was created by the abuse of her mother and the constant harassment and ridicule of her peers. Sure, there’s an argument in the book that her powers are genetic and I get that, but having telekinetic powers doesn’t necessarily equate to killing hundreds of your peers and burning down your entire town.

I feel like there could have been other options for Carrie if she hadn’t been treated like complete trash her entire life.

I loved how this wrapped up too, how the speed that the mixed media jumped around in the aftermath of prom night increased the intensity of the conclusion. I just thought it was so well done and then that final little snippet, PERFECTION.

I’m so happy that I took the time to reread this one. Even though Carrie’s story is a painful one, it’s also powerful and absolutely one that will stick in your mind once you’re done.

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Review: Nightmare in the Backyard (Eek! #2) by Jeff Strand

~ megs14malloy

Nightmare in the Backyard (Eek!)Nightmare in the Backyard by Jeff Strand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was cute as heck. It had Lovecraftian-type creatures, perfect for a new generation of Horror Readers!

I loved the first book in this new Eek! series, It Watches in the Dark, by veteran Horror author, Jeff Strand, so I’ve been anticipating this release.

This has a classic set-up, with three girls, Chloe, Avery and Madison, doing a little backyard camping. It’s the best way to have a sleepover, IMO.

The girls are just settling in when the neighbor, Elijah, stops by to say hi. They just know he’ll be back later too, trying to prank them. Typical boy behavior.

Sure enough, they hear scratching on the outside of their tent later in the evening. Fully expecting to catch Elijah red-handed, they rush to open the tent flap and look out, but it appears there’s no one there.

A little creeped out, they retreat back into their tent, but not long after the scratching noises return.

Getting more freaked out by the second, the girls desperately want to figure out the source of the scratching, but the truth turns out to be much worse than the girls could’ve dreamed of, even in their worst nightmares.

Nightmare in the Backyard is a wildly-entertaining Middle Grade Horror story reminiscent of the Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark stories of the olden’ days.

I had the privilege of listening to the audiobook and feel that the narration is perfect for this age category. The narrator brought these characters and the insane circumstances they found themselves in to life. I def recommend that format.

I loved how fast-paced this story was and how the kids really worked well together trying to figure out exactly what was happening in the backyard. It was a lot. Wild, crazy and zany enough to keep Young Readers thoroughly entertained.

Also, I do want to note that these books can be read in any order. Just like the Goosebumps series, these books aren’t really related. It’s all new characters and circumstances.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Kids and Tantor Media, for providing me copies to read and review. I’m not sure how many installments are slated for this series, but I will be reading them all, I can assure you of that!

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