Review: Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang

~ megs14malloy

Julie Chan Is DeadJulie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier struggling just to survive, is surprised when she gets a phone call from her estranged twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a mega-social influencer.

After their parents were killed when they were very young, Julie and Chloe were adopted into separate families and they rarely spoke. The phone call is cryptic, and Julie rushes to her sister’s apartment where she finds her deceased.

It’s in the moments after this incredible shock, as the emergency personnel arrive that Julie realizes something, she and Chloe are identical. No one can tell them apart. This is her chance to seize an amazing life, and she does.

Before she knows it, Julie is swept up into her role as Chloe and all the glitz and glam that comes with that. It’s a surprisingly easy transformation for her, but as Julie gets pulled deeper into the influence circle, she discovers not all may be as perfect as it seems.

Wow, what a surprising delight this story was. I can’t believe this a debut from Liann Zhang. I actually just looked at the rating for this for the first time and am surprised that it’s currently under 3.5-stars.

I loved how creative, fresh and unique this felt. The biting social commentary, and tone of Julie’s narrative voice were both huge wins for me.

The plot does get a little wild in the 2nd-half, which I can definitely understand some Readers not vibing with, but I feel like with this type of social satire, you need that. I feel like Zhang did such a great job mapping out the action and character trajectory.

I also appreciated how dark Zhang took some of her imagery. As a Horror girlie, I’m always wanting dark stuff, and some of the descriptions in this, do toe the line into Horror territory, at least in the images they put into your mind. There were some legit cringe-worthy moments.

Overall, I had a blast reading this. I couldn’t put it down once I started. Going in, I was a little worried about it being too Literary-feeling for me, but it absolutely was not.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Dark Social Thrillers, bonus points if you like to examine modern culture, including the reach and effects of social media.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Liann Zhang comes up with next!!!

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Review: Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R. Weaver

~ megs14malloy

Artificial WisdomArtificial Wisdom by Thomas R. Weaver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Artificial Wisdom is a near-future SciFi-Thriller set in the year 2050, a decade after millions of people in the Persian Gulf where killed by a unusual heatwave.

One of those killed on that terrible day was Marcus Tully’s wife, who was visiting family prior to giving birth to the couple’s first child. Back home in London, Tully, a well-known and successful investigative journalist, was devastated by her, and their unborn child’s, death.

Even all these years later, he is left with many unanswered questions and doubts. He seems one step closer to answers though after information he receives from a source indicates that the heatwave wasn’t actually a natural occurrence, but how is that possible?

With the world on the cusp of a ground-breaking election where they will elect a global leader for the first time, Tully finds himself swept along and up into all the political drama after someone he is closely-acquainted with is murdered.

Though it started out great, Artificial Wisdom was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It had moments where I was completely locked in; mostly those moments involving the murder mystery. Then other times I felt disconnected and wishing it would hurry up and get somewhere.

I did enjoy Weaver’s writing style, and found it easy to digest, however the plot moved too slowly for me and it was way too long.

With this being said, don’t take this as all doom and gloom. This did have a lot of positive aspects, and I know a lot of Readers are going to love it. The tech concepts and ideas for a potential future alone are worth picking it up for.

I would recommend it for SF-fans who enjoy a more literary type of story, set in a futuristic our world. There’s plenty of content here to sink your teeth into, and I actually think it could make a solid series. There’s definitely more to explore following where the author left off with this one.

At the end of the day, I felt this had great writing and strong SF-concepts, it just wasn’t a super good fit to my tastes.

Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would definitely be interested in checking out more work from this author.

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Review: Exiles by Mason Coile

~ megs14malloy

ExilesExiles by Mason Coile
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Exiles follows a trio of astronauts, Gold, Chief and Kang, on a mission to Mars. Their goal is to prepare the 1st-ever colony on Mars for eventual human habitation.

Previously, three robots had been sent to set up the base these astronauts will be staying at for their mission. When they arrive though, they find the new base half-destroyed and one of the robots missing.

The astronauts are forced to quickly try to get their bearings and figure out what happened to the base. On an uninhabited planet, their only source for knowledge is the robots, and the things they are told are highly unsettling.

The robots seem scared, relaying things about possible dangers lurking outside, and what may have caused the damage. But it’s more than that, the robots have named themselves and have taken on surprising behaviors and characteristics. The whole thing is just off.

The astronaut crew have been handed a mess, and they need to figure out what’s going on ASAP. In an environment as unforgiving as Mars, the absolute security of their base is a life or death situation. They need to learn what threats they’re facing, so they can tackle them head on.

Mason Coile, pseudonym for Andrew Pyper, may he rest in peace, has penned a brilliant SciFi-Horror with Exiles. It is so intense, and I appreciated how the story came full circle. Coile pulled off a lot in this one with very few pages.

This book, the concepts involved, is the stuff of my nightmares. This is the type of futuristic scenario that absolutely petrifies me. Just thinking about being in the shoes of Gold, Kang, or Chief, is enough to make me shiver.

It’s not just the deep space setting, and all the unknowns involved with that for me, it’s also the robots and AI technology. That’s like a double-edged sword. Anyway you turn it, it’s dangerous with the potential to kill.

This has a phenomenal set-up. It pulls the Reader in quickly, and then just hooks you. There’s no turning back. The intensity holds throughout the story and truly feels claustrophobic and dangerous.

Some of the action, and twists, they were diabolical and brutal. I was getting so stressed, but in the best way possible. In an entertaining way. I couldn’t put it down. I refused until the very end.

Clearly, I adored this. No notes. I highly recommend this to anyone who may be searching for a compelling Horror novella, bonus points if you love SciFi-Horror.

Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Andrew Pyper, writing here as Mason Coile, was such a talented, talented writer. I’m going to miss getting new stories from him, but he’s certainly left an impact.

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Review: House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama

~ megs14malloy

House of Monstrous WomenHouse of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

House of Monstrous Women is a slow burn Gothic Horror story set in the Philippines in 1986. We follow Josephine, who is living a fairly secluded life, seeing to her family’s property, del Rosario house.

Her parents were killed due to political strife within the country, and her older brother has since moved to Manila to try to make a name for himself. This leaves just Josephine to try to manage what’s left of their estate.

When she receives an invitation from her childhood best friend, Hiraya, to visit her, Josephine is surprised and excited. Of course she accepts. She’s missed Hiraya so much since Hiraya and her sister were forced to flee their village in the dead of night.

Hiraya’s family’s property is the infamous Ranoco house. There are many stories whispered about this island home, all of them involving Hiraya’s supposed family of witches.

Josephine has heard the stories, but she’s not afraid. She knows Hiraya too well to believe she would put her in danger. Josephine is anxious to reconnect with her, as well as her brother, Alejandro and his girlfriend, Gabriella, who Hiraya also invited to Ranoco.

Hiraya proposes they all play a game like they used to as kids. The winner of this game though, will be granted whatever their heart desires. Each person has something they deeply want, and they all agree it’s worth whatever risk to try to make those dreams reality, but how dangerous is this going to get?

With the house featuring as the ultimate playing board, the contestants settle in to try to seal their fates. As the rules are explained though, it soon becomes clear that they may have gotten in over their heads.

Will any of them be able to survive the game, let alone get what their heart truly desires, or is the house just going to seize them in their desperation?

‘Josephine felt stupid for thinking this place was like the del Rosario house at all. Its outer facade was just a mask of normalcy, hiding what lay within.’

As mentioned above, House of Monstrous Women is a slow burn, but one that I definitely feel paid off in the end. The beginning features a lot of character work, but also some genuinely spooky imagery. Once it gets to the game though, it really takes off.

I loved the setting. Ranoco house truly feels like a main character in this story. It was described so well, and even though it’s got some trippy vibes throughout, I still felt like I could picture everything vividly.

I would describe this story as being moody, gruesome, intense and jaw-dropping. There were moments in the beginning when I wondered if it was going to pick-up, and you might too, but trust me, just stick with it. It gets wild as it races toward the unpredictable conclusion.

I wasn’t prepared for the final scenes of this. It was just so good. I loved the themes Fama explored, and feel like she nailed the build-to-action ratio. It lulled me into a false sense of security, then ripped the rug out from under me and tried to smother me with it.

I would highly recommend this to Horror Readers of all varieties, but particularly to those who enjoy atmospheric, familial, or historical horror, with strong eco-elements, who don’t mind a slow burn.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was really impressed with this and cannot wait to read more from Daphne Fama!!

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Review: The Memory Ward by Jon Bassoff

~ megs14malloy

The Memory WardThe Memory Ward by Jon Bassoff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

The Memory Ward kicks off as we meet a postal worker named Hank, who lives in the idyllic town of Bethlam, Nevada. The way the town is described, it sounds like something from a postcard or Norman Rockwell painting.

As many of us know though, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is, but what does that mean for Hank, and the rest of the residents of Bethlam?

As a Reader, you can pick up a vibe very early that something is off. It feels sinister, but you can’t quite put your finger on why. Then Hank makes a discovery, the mail he is delivering, there’s nothing but blank paper inside.

Apparently at least one other resident is cued into the fact that something is wrong in Bethlam, as Hank receives a message to look behind the wallpaper in his room.

When he does, the floodgates open. He discovers dozens of sheets of paper, mapping out a story that is either the whole truth, or utter madness.

But which is it?

The Memory Ward definitely includes some interesting concepts to explore. I would recommend this for fans of Pines, or Paradise. It’s got that trippy sort of, what the hell is going on in this town feeling.

And while I did enjoy the vibe of the story, the feeling of having to question everything and doubting what I had learned, I also continuously felt disconnected from the story for some reason. There was something about it that just didn’t work for me, and it did end up depleting my enjoyment level a little.

I’ve thought a lot about it, and my best guess is that it was the way the various character’s perspectives were delivered. There was something flat about it, but in hindsight, perhaps that makes sense, IDK.

I do really enjoy Bassoff’s writing, I just think this concept was one that was really hard to pull off, and for me, it just fell a little flat. There was nothing to really stick in my mind longer term, or get me super invested in the story.

At the end of the day though, it was entertaining and had a strong build. I’m glad I picked it up and tried it.

Thank you to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Bassoff is definitely an author I want to explore more from.

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Review: For the Record by Emma Lord

~ megs14malloy

For the Record: A NovelFor the Record: A Novel by Emma Lord
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

For the Record is a 2nd-Chance Adult Romance from beloved author, Emma Lord, following a former Pop Princess, Mackenzie Waters, and Punk Rocker, Sam Blaze.

Their bands used to work together on some collaborative endeavors. Part of the schtick was that Mackenzie and Sam were opposites and rivals, but there was no denying the chemistry, both off and on-stage.

Just as things were starting to progress into new territory for them though, both of their bands fell apart and they went their separate ways. Now, 2-years later, both are dealing with fairly heavy real life issues that have kept them out of the music scene.

Mackenzie is dealing with some postoperative changes to her voice, trying to find a path for her new sound, and Sam is working through successfully coparenting his young son.

Needless to say, both of them have a lot on their plate, but when they run into each other in NYC, the old sparks, and also grievances, reignite and with them, opportunity.

A comeback is pitched. A potential joint album, but will they be able to put the past behind them and learn to work together, or will old insecurities and frustrations keep them from rising to the task?

For the most part, I really enjoyed my time with For the Record. I felt both MCs were very well developed and I enjoyed both of them and their personalities equally. I also appreciated that we did get both of their perspectives.

While I could have used a bit more drama, I do always enjoy stories featuring music and musicians, so this definitely worked for me in that regard.

A bit Tay Tay-inspired, mayhaps…

Emma Lord is one of my go-to Contemporary authors, both in the YA and Adult space. I love the way she writes budding relationships, and the banter is always so good.

Mackenzie and Sam were both super likable. Additionally, the issues they were going through made them sympathetic. They were easy to relate to and I did enjoy watching their 2nd-chance play out.

Though not my favorite from this author, and I’m not sure how memorable it will be for me long-term, it was still really cute and I’m glad that I picked it up. I would def recommend it to other Emma Lord fans, and to people who enjoy reading about musicians, or celebrities.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Griffin and Macmillan Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. I’ll read anything Emma Lord writes. I hope she never stops!

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Review: The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen

~ megs14malloy

The Locked WardThe Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Twins, separated at birth and adopted into different families, come back together in adulthood when one of them is accused of murder.

Will Mandy be able to find the truth of the crime and use it to help free Georgia, or is Georgia actually guilty?

Georgia, adopted by the wealthy and well-connected Cartwright family, grew up very differently from Mandy, who was adopted by a family of much more modest means.

Another difference is that the Cartwright’s were able to conceive a child naturally just after adopting Georgia. Thus, her little sister, Annabelle came into their lives. It’s rumored that Georgia was always viciously jealous of Annabelle.

When Annabelle is murdered, and Georgia is found with the body with blood all over herself, it seems like a clear-cut case, and Georgia gets sent to a psychiatric hospital. But is the case really as clear-cut as it seems?

When Mandy is contacted about the whole situation, she can hardly believe it. She didn’t even know she had a sister, let alone a twin. This seems absolutely crazy, yet she’s intrigued, and goes to see Georgia.

Seeing the situation her sister is in, Mandy is compelled to help. She begins to dig in, finding out more about her mysterious sister, her adoptive family, and where both Mandy and Georgia came from. She discovers things she could have never imagined, but will anyone believe her?

There’s many scandalous secrets and individuals who, for various reasons, would prefer the past stay well and truly buried. Will these twins be able to come out on top, or will the evil actors be able to silence them forever?

The Locked Ward is the latest from one of my go-to Thriller authors, Sarah Pekkanen. I always look forward to Pekkanen’s new releases. I love how readable her stories are, and I find her plots and characters compelling.

This story is no exception. I found the set-up so interesting. It easily pulled me in. Mandy finding out that she had a twin, and the horrific circumstances that twin was currently in; I couldn’t even imagine being in that position.

Georgia’s perspective however, is told in 2nd-person, and honestly, I wasn’t crazy about that choice. I’m not a fan of 2nd-person in general anyway, and I just felt like in this story, I would have preferred a more clear, 1st-person narrative style for Georgia.

That is but a tiny personal preference issue though, and I felt like the rest of the story was great. It’s quite a tangled web. I found it unpredictable and very entertaining.

In addition to recommending the book itself, I would also recommend the audiobook if you’re going to give this one a shot. The narration by January LaVoy, unsurprisingly, was excellent. It definitely helped me to fully immerse myself into this story.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review. As always, I look forward to whatever Sarah Pekkanen releases next!

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Review: This is My Body by Lindsay King-Miller

~ megs14malloy

This Is My BodyThis Is My Body by Lindsay King-Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is My Body is a dark and emotionally-fueled Horror novel following single-mom, Brigid, and her daughter, Dylan. When we first meet them, Dylan has gotten into an altercation at school, and it quickly becomes clear that her behavior has recently changed.

Brigid has noticed that her once fun-loving daughter has become more moody, secludes herself, and suddenly has a hair-trigger temper. Is it regular teenage rebellion though, or something more?

As the days pass and Dylan’s behavior gets more combative, Brigid can’t help but think about a circumstance that played out within her very Catholic household, featuring her zealot uncle, Father Angus.

Through past and present timelines, we learn of the situation in Brigid’s past that’s similar to the one she’s living now with Dylan. Even though she feels like she has moved on, truly escaped her past, will she be forced to return to the home she left behind in order to save Dylan?

At the start, I’ll admit, Brigid rubbed me the wrong way. I found myself asking, who is the child here? This didn’t keep me from getting sucked in though.

The more I learned about Brigid and her past, the more I started to understand her. She’s on such a journey throughout the story, and for her, the stakes, her daughter’s life, could not be higher. It gives the whole story an air of desperation that kept me flying through.

In fact, I read this entire book in one-sitting, which I haven’t done in quite some time. I found the religious and occult elements both intriguing and so well done.

Brigid also begins to explore a possible relationship with a woman from her past, Zandy, and I loved the inclusion of Zandy in the story. She was such a great side character, who provided the perfect balance to Brigid’s personality.

I would also say the past perspective, where we learn a lot about what went on in Brigid’s childhood, was just as compelling as the current perspective. I loved how the two ended up sort of merging as this raced towards the heart-pounding, stomach-dropping conclusion.

Overall, this was a great Possession story, including fantastic, absolutely toe-curling, Body Horror. Tongues, eyes, all the things, nothing was safe; just how I like it.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Possession stories, or Religious Horror, as well as anyone looking for a Horror story with a Queer representation. This is the first that I’ve read from this author, and I’m looking forward to reading more from them.

Thank you, Quirk Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was such a pleasant surprise!!

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Review: The Mist by Stephen King

~ megs14malloy

The MistThe Mist by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Mist is a terrifying, claustrophobia-inducing Horror story from the mind of my favorite author of all-time, Stephen King. This was my 3rd-time reading it, and I think I love it more than ever.

This novella could easily fall into the SciFi, Creature Feature, or Thriller, subgenres of Horror. It successfully builds dread and then pounds the Reader in the head with nightmarish situation after nightmarish situation. You’ll never see a fog bank approaching you the same way again…

We follow David, who lives on Long Lake in Bridgton, Maine, with his wife, Steff, and their son Billy. When we meet them, a terrible Summer storm hits their area, knocking down trees and taking out the power. They have a scary night, hunkered down in their basement.

After the storm passes, David and Steff, begin the clean-up of their property. Needing a few provisions, David agrees to run into town to the Federal Foods, taking with him Billy and their neighbor, Brent.

Just prior to leaving for town, David and Brent both note an abnormal fog bank approaching from the other side of the lake. David notices unusual properties about it, such as it’s sharp cutoff line and lack of condensation sparkle. It feels eerie, but is David’s mind just overly-sensitive due to the recent devastating weather?

It’s while they’re at the grocery store that the proverbial stuff really hits the fan, and they end up trapped within the market. As he’s investigating the generator in a back storage room, David, along with a few others, end up discovering the types of horror this fog has hidden within its depths.

I love David as a main character. From the way he’s crushing beers in his driveway at 10 a.m., post-storm, working with his chainsaw, to the way he takes charge and begins to lead within the market, he’s just the type of protagonist you can get behind.

I also loved all the true to life connections I found within this one. It really makes it a special reading experience. My best friend from high school lived on the Harrison-side of Long Lake, and she actually worked at the grocery store in Bridgton. Because of this, it was very easy for me to imagine this entire setting quite vividly.

In addition to this though, I also loved the way this story rolls out. The building up of suspense, as we try to figure out what lurks in the fog, to the reality of what it actually is and how do our characters survive that?

It’s also interesting, more from a sociological perspective, to watch the human interactions within the store develop as their situation goes from uncertain, to dire.

I would highly recommend this story. If you’ve seen any adaptations, just know this is different, very different depending on which adaptation you watched. Also, as always, the book is way better.

I absolutely recommend picking this up. Even if you’ve never read Stephen King before, and maybe want a sample of his style without committing to a 500+ page novel, this could be a great place to start. I adore this story. Impeccable.

Original:

Great, gorey, gripping story with a perfect ending!

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Review: Swept Away by Beth O’Leary

~ megs14malloy

Swept AwaySwept Away by Beth O’Leary
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Swept Away is the 2nd-novel that I’ve tried from beloved Contemporary author, Beth O’Leary. The 1st was The No-Show, which was a bit of a miss for me.

I sort of wrote O’Leary off after that. It just wasn’t really a great time for me. However, after seeing the cover of this, call me shallow, but I had to read it. And you know what, I’m really glad that I did.

In this story we’re following Lexi and Zeke, who after a one-night stand on a houseboat, end up lost at sea together. For a sea-loving girl like myself, this sounded like a sensational set-up, and that proved to be true.

As they discover what’s happened and the reality of the situation sets in, they have a lot of adjustments to make, and a lot of ‘getting to know each other’ to do. With provisions low, it quickly turns into a game of survival.

I did end up really enjoying this one. While it did take a while for me to feel truly invested, around 50%, I ultimately did come to care about these two characters and their journeys, both as a couple and separately.

I liked that there was an age gap, with her being the older of the two. I also liked getting both of their perspectives so we could see how they were both feeling about their circumstances, and interactions. They definitely had their ups-and-downs.

I would say, it was never really gripping for me though. The plot just sort of meandered along, taking it’s time to actually get anywhere and when it did, minus one situation, the stakes never felt high, or pressing.

With this being said though, I do feel like for me, the character work made up for that. I did like how well-fleshed out both Zeke and Lexi were, and that they both had family issues that they were trying to work through.

I also enjoyed their banter, and I feel like because of their dire circumstances on the boat, it was realistic for them to fall for each other as quickly as they did. Bonus points for rescuing an injured seagull that they named Eugene.

At the end of the day, this was an enjoyable read with a satisfying conclusion. I am certainly glad I picked it up, and would recommend it to other Adult Contemporary Readers.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would be interested in checking out more of O’Leary’s work now.

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