Review: The Ancient Nine by Ian K. Smith

~ megs14malloy

The Ancient NineThe Ancient Nine by Ian K. Smith
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars**

IT IS DONE!

This book was so long. Entirely too long in my opinion.

Following Spenser Collins, a boy from the Southside of Chicago through the hallowed halls of Harvard, as he gets punched for the Delphic, one of the most exclusive of Harvard’s famous final clubs.

Along with his friend, Dalton Winthrop, a Harvard legacy, they set out to unravel the Delphic’s secrets and some mysteries surrounding the club, including the disappearance of a wealthy young man, that remain lore on campus.

Yes, that sounds interesting doesn’t it? Who doesn’t love secret clubs and long-buried secrets and mysteries?

I was excited to receive this as an ARC many moons ago but then never got around to reading it. When I picked it up last month, I had no idea it would be such an undertaking.

What could have been a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat mystery, was instead a tedious and detail-ladened account of the most droll nature, with pages and pages of things such as: a boring romance, that had no bearing on the overall storyline, detailed accounts of basketball practices, including the drills that they went through each day, and unimportant geographical details of each scene.

At one point, I threatened to DNF this but was simply astounded by it all. I had to continue.

The author had a good idea here, the makings of a solid story but who let him go to print with so many inconsequential details dragging the entire book into Bore Town!?

It’s really a shame and that’s all I am going to say on that.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read an review. I appreciate it, as always.

I am sorry I did not enjoy this more but honestly, the story and the author would have best been served if it had undergone another serious round of editing.

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Review: Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

~ megs14malloy

Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove, #1)Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Louise Le Blanc is a young witch who knows a few things about the world. Witches are good and the Chasseurs are bad. Good versus evil. There’s no in between.

But when her own mother tries to kill her, she is forced to flee her coven and the world suddenly seems a very different place.

Reid Diggory has lived a very different life, abiding by the creed ‘Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.’ Working for the church as a Chasseur, literally a witch hunter, he has been raised to see the same black and white world that Lou has.

When Reid and Lou are hastily forced into a marriage, he isn’t aware that she is a witch but she’s definitely not his type.

What could possibly go wrong?
Short answer: pretty much everything.

Guys, I was so pumped to read this book based on early reviews but admittedly, in the beginning, I wasn’t sold. The pacing was super off for me and it took me until the halfway point to really become engaged with the story.

This book is over 500-pages so that means I spent 250-pages trudging along just hoping it would get better.

Luckily, for me, in the end, it did come around and I turned out enjoying the last half quite a bit. The final group of characters who joined together to battle the baddies was fun and I look forward to reading more of them together in the second book.

That’s right, I will definitely be continuing on with this series!! In short, I wish I could give this a higher rating but personally, I felt the beginning portion could have done with some more editing.

Again, however, the second half was strong and I am intrigued enough to return to this world and see what happens with Lou and Reid!

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Review: Murder, She Wrote: A Time for Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land

~ megs14malloy

A Time for Murder (Murder She Wrote #50)A Time for Murder by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

When a young woman seeks Jessica out to question her about the first murder case she ever solved, under the guise of being for her high school newspaper, plenty of memories are drawn to the surface from that time 25-years previously.

Jessica was a young woman herself then, working at a high school in Abbott, Maine, living with her loving husband, Frank, and their nephew, Grady. The Principal at her school ended up being murder and Jessica helped to nab the culprit, or did she?

Once that same inquiring young lady ends up dead, Jessica discovers she wasn’t who she was purporting to be. She wasn’t a high school student at all.

It turns out she may be related to that same Principal who was murdered all those years ago. But why was she choosing now to ask about the case? And are the two cases related?

The plot thickens…

Racing to the conclusion, we follow both past and present timelines, as the cases converge into a wild finish.

It was such a joy to be back with one of my idols, Jessica Fletcher, for this, the 50th installment to the beloved Murder, She Wrote mystery series. As many fans of the series know, the long time author for this series, Donald Bain, sadly passed away in 2017.

The series has since been taken over by Jon Land, a veteran Thriller writer. This is the third book published since he has taken the reins and my first that I have read since the transition.

With this being said, I can definitely tell a difference in tone since the change and although it is different, I do not dislike it. I will continue to read the series as long as they are being published.

If you are looking for a fun, quick and cozy mystery series with no shortage of volumes to pick up, I highly recommend this one!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, for providing me with a copy to read and review! It really was such a pleasure. Keep them coming!

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December Reading Plans

~ megs14malloy

The last month of the year is upon us! My theme for the month is…

DIVERSE BOOKS!!!

That’s right! It’s time for Diverse December. My goal, as in previous months, is to complete 10-books that can comfortably fit within this category. I am classifying any book as diverse if the main character of characters has an identity or lifestyle different than my own.

This can be race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health or disability representation, anything like that. Obviously, the books I could read to fit into this category are plentiful, therefore, I am confident I can meet my 10-book diversity goal!

I’m so happy with how my reading year has gone so far. Just today I completed my 171st book of the year!!! I cannot even believe that. Just a few years ago I was happy when I read 70-something. We’re in all new territory now!

What are your reading goals for the end of the year? I want to know! Leave a comment here or contact me through any of my social media links. Until next time, Cheers & Happy Reading!

Themed Reading: November Wrap-Up

~ megs14malloy

Seven days into December and I think I am finally ready to bring to you my November Wrap-Up!! My apologies for the delay, it’s been a crazy week recovering from Thanksgiving and all the travel that comes with it.

We did have a fabulous holiday and I hope all of my book friends in the U.S. did as well. Even with the holiday week at the end of the month, I was still able to complete 14-books!

My reading theme for November, as some of you may recall, was ‘New Releases’. For me, this meant that I could read any book published in the 2019 calendar year. My goal was to complete 10-books that fit this theme.

It turned out that all 14-books I completed in November fit this category! Without further ado, let’s get into the books I completed, the genre, when they released and my star rating for each:

  1. The Light At The Bottom Of The World by London Shah – YA science-fiction released in October, 4.5-stars.
  2. The Last Woman In The Forest by Diane Les Becquets – Adult Mystery/Thriller released in March, 4-stars.
  3. The Babysitters Coven by Kate Williams – YA Horror Comedy released in September, 4-stars.
  4. The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White – YA Fantasy Retelling released in November, 4-stars.
  5. The Long Call by Ann Cleeves – Adult Mystery released in September, 5-stars.
  6. The Deep by River Solomon – Adult Fantasy Novella released in November, 3.5-stars.
  7. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell – Adult Thriller released in November, 3-stars.
  8. Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon – YA Fantasy released in October, 4.5-stars.
  9. The Turn Of The Key by Ruth Ware – Adult Thriller released in August, 5-stars.
  10. Story & Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout – YA Fantasy released in June, 4.5-stars.
  11. A Violet Fire by Kelsey Quick – YA Vampire Dystopian released in December, 4-stars.
  12. When The Sky Fell On Splendor by Emily Henry – YA Contemporary Science Fiction released in March, 3.5-stars.
  13. Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix – Middle Grade Magical Realism, 3.5-stars.
  14. The Last Affair by Margot Hunt – Adult Domestic Thriller released in November, 4.5-stars.

So, as you can see, I had a pretty even split between YA and Adult books this month; with one Middle Grade. I also had a fairly strong month as far as ratings go, with my lowest rating being a 3, which is still a good book.

As far as my regular monthly TBR-challenges go, I only completed two out of the four. I completed a New Release from the current month by finishing The Guinevere Deception and a New Release from the next month by finishing A Violet Fire. I failed to read a New Release from 2018 or a Sequel.

But December is a new month and I am already doing well! Just a side note, this week I completed my 170th book of the year!!! I can hardly believe it.

How did your reading month go in November? Did you complete all your goals? I want to know! Leave a comment below and contact me through any of my social media links! Until next time, when I should be bringing you my December Reading Plans, cheers and happy reading!

Review: Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood

~ megs14malloy

Keeping LucyKeeping Lucy by T. Greenwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

When Ginny Richardson’s second child, a girl named Lucy, is born with Down Syndrome, the baby is quickly whisked away from her. Not just to be placed in the NICU or given special care, literally taken away from her.

Her husband, Ab’s, wealthy family decides immediately the child would be best dealt with by shipping it away to a ‘special school’ never to be thought of, or discussed, again.

Unfortunately, Ginny’s in such a drug-induced state at the hospital, she doesn’t even realize what is happening until it’s too late.

With her baby gone, Ginny is forced to try to go forth like nothing ever happened, like there never was a baby.

For the next two years she goes on this way. In a deep state of depression, she feels like she is in a fog, with no idea of what to do to make her situation better.

When her best friend brings some newspaper articles to her attention that feature the ‘school’ at which Lucy has been committed, she cannot believe what she is seeing.

According to the journalist responsible for the expose, Willowridge is not a good place. It is as bad as can be with serious issues of neglect and even abuse; basically a hell on Earth.

Along with her friend, Marcia, Ginny decides to go see Lucy, to take her out for a visit, to judge for herself.

Once she sees the conditions of the school first hand, she knows there is no way she can ever bring Lucy back there.

What happens next is a road trip adventure spanning from Western Massachusetts all the way to Florida, with her best friend, her young son and the daughter she doesn’t even know. At times touching, at times infuriating, this story dragged me in and wouldn’t let go.

Wonderfully told, this captivating historical fiction novel, will have you wanting justice for Baby Lucy. This was my first book by T. Greenwood and I was definitely impressed. I look forward to picking up more books from her.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I think this is an important story and I know a lot of readers will get so much from it. Well done.

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Review: Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix

~ megs14malloy

RemarkablesRemarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

When Marin moves to a new town, right before starting the 6th grade, she struggles with thoughts of not fitting in. Through flashbacks, you can tell that Marin may have been victimized by some bullies at her previous school and this has left a mark on her.

While wandering through the woods by her new house, she comes across a group of teens. They seem so alive, laughing and having fun together, then they mysteriously disappear.

She soon finds out, she’s not the only person that can see them. Her neighbor, Charley, a boy about her age, can see them as well. He has been watching them and named them ‘the remarkables’. But who are they and why can just Charley and Marin see them?

Together they come up with some theories, why this could be and what they should do about it. Not always agreeing but definitely both believing that it means something important.

This gripping Middle Grade story explores a lot of important topics: bullying, self confidence, guilt, grief and addiction. I appreciate the conversations had by many of the characters within the story, they were all age appropriate and overall, I enjoyed reading it.

In regards to the ‘bullying’ – I thought this was an interesting perspective on it. Usually in novels where bullying is explored as a topic, it is perpetuated by characters that would be assumed enemies of the character they are tormenting.

In this case, the characters tormenting Marin were actually very close friends of hers. She was scared to speak out against them and even to scared to let her parents know she didn’t want to be friends with them anymore. This topic was explored in its entirety and brought to a conclusion. I thought it was very well done!

It did get a little muddled for me towards the end but perhaps that was just where my head space was at while I was reading it. I think if the synopsis sounds interesting for you, you should definitely pick it up. It delivered more than I even expected.

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Guest Post: Author Chat with Kelsey Quick

~ megs14malloy ~ 16 Comments

On Tuesday, December 9, 2019, a great new addition to the vampire genre is set to be released. This fast-paced and inventive novel is a debut for author, Kelsey Quick.

I had the opportunity, thanks to, GODDESS FISH PROMOTIONS, to ask Kelsey a few questions about her work and what this release means to her.

Before we get into that however, for those of you who visit my blog regularly, you may remember that I just reviewed this novel last week, but for those of you who are new…

…and you can check out my full review by clicking HERE!!!

Without further ado, let’s get into my questions for Kelsey and her responses:

Meg: What advice would you give to other aspiring writers?

Kelsey: Aside from “never give up,” it would have to be: Understand that everyone in this industry gets rejected. That agent who rejected you? They get rejected all the time by editors. The editor that rejected you and your agent’s submission? Acquisitions rejected the last five of his/her/their proposals. If you have rejection issues (like me), this is not your industry unless you can see it for what it really is. It’s an unfortunate consequence of bad luck and, perhaps, a poor product—but that’s where persistence comes in. The more persistence you have, the less luck you need, especially if you keep trying to get better rather than to prove everyone wrong. The better you get, the better chances you have. It’s that simple, although it’s no guarantee. You have to really want it enough to overcome the perpetual sting of being told “no.”

Meg: What were your inspirations for this particular story?

Kelsey: Really, a lot of things! I found the basic framework of the story from reading Vampire Knight by Matsuri Hino back in 2007. It was such a chilling, yet romantic manga, especially in terms of artwork. It had a dark, yet shoujo-esque (female-audience intended) style that I’d never seen. My own style of manga was influenced heavily by it, in fact. Aside from the basic framework, I’d always wondered why there wasn’t a big novel featuring vampires ruling over a dystopia, where humans were at their beck and call as slaves. I know they exist and I’ve since heard of them (such as The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa), but at the time, I thought that idea was pretty original, so I stuck with it—and it stuck with me!

Funny enough, a couple of the characters have their own inspirations: Lord Anton Zein is a silver-haired, cruel war general—much like Sesshoumaru from Rumiko Takahashi’s Inuyasha. I’ve also heard that he’s like Prince Cardan from Holly Black’s, The Cruel Prince, as well as Sarah J. Maas’ Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses. Gemini is the candid, blonde vampire that is a blend of three very different characters: Hanabusa Aido from Vampire Knight, Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter, and Guildenstern from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Meg: With release date just a week away, how does it feel to be having your story released into the world?

Kelsey: It is pretty surreal. I thought I’d never have the guts to self-publish if it came to that, but I clung to the hope of getting traditionally published for so long that I think it eventually wore away all the fears and inhibitions—so to speak. While those two years of querying took a lot out of me and completely killed my writing productivity, I think I needed them to realize that rejection by the publishing industry does not equate to rejection by the reading community. As they say, bestsellers are made, not written (to an extent). So, I decided to do the best with what I had, as my passion for A Violet Fire seems to have no bounds. It’s not perfect, but it is my heart book, and I take pride in how much work I put into it to make it shine well enough to be compared to other big names. At the end of the road, I’m going to be glad I did it this way even if the results are less-than stellar. It’s probably the
hardest I’ve ever worked for something… and the work is never-ending.

I want to thank, Kelsey, for being so kind as to answer my questions for her. I feel so blessed to have been provided with the opportunity to be included on this blog tour. Also, a huge thank you to Kelsey for providing me with an early copy of the book to read and review.

I really enjoyed this one and was so impressed by the fact that this is a debut novel. Kelsey has a wonderfully creative imagination and pleasing writing style, I look forward to the chance to continue on with this series!

Be sure to pick up your copy on release day, Tuesday, December 9th!!! Until then, click the link below to enter for your chance to win a $25 Amazon/BN gift card that the author will be giving away. The raffle is run via rafflecopter and one randomly drawn winner will win during the course of the blog tour. It could be you!!

$25 Gift Card Raffle

That’s all for now my lovely book friends! I hope you had a fabulous reading month in November and look for my wrap-up soon.

Cheers & Happy Reading!

Blog Tour Review: The Last Affair by Margot Hunt

~ megs14malloy

The Last AffairThe Last Affair by Margot Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

From the outside, suburbanite Mom, Gwen Landon, seems to have it all. With successful husband, Josh, two children and a Labrador, they are a living example of the picture perfect family. Until Gwen winds up dead, that is, bludgeoned to death in her own backyard with a driveway paving stone.

Nora Holliday also appears to be living in suburban bliss, although behind closed doors, things are a bit darker for Nora. Her husband, once an abusive alcoholic, now in recovery, is challenging to live with and the love and spark is definitely gone. Nora does what she can to try to keep it all together for their children but that type of life can be hard.

When Josh and Nora run into each other at an out of town hotel bar, they make a irrevocable and passionate decision that will alter all of their lives.

Full of the domestic drama we all love, glazed with a delightfully devious revenge plot, The Last Affair will keep you vigorously turning the pages until the very end. Once I started down this twisted road of secrets and lies, I could not put it down!

Jumping back and forth between multiple perspectives helped this one to never lose its pace. There were so many secrets, so little honest communication, it was frustrating and amazing all at the same time.

If you are looking for a fast-paced, cleverly plotted domestic drama to help get you through this holiday season, you should definitely consider picking this one up!

I am so happy that I had the opportunity to read this early. Thank you so much to the publisher, Harlequin — MIRA, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I had a lot of fun with this story and am definitely looking forward to Margot Hunt’s next novel. I think her writing has grown a lot for this book compared to For Better and Worse so I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

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Review: When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry

~ megs14malloy

When the Sky Fell on SplendorWhen the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

This is a tough one.

A sort of genre-mash of things I love but together seemed a little disjointed but still good…yeah…

A few years back the town of Splendor was wracked by an industrial accident. Pretty much everyone in the town was effected in some way.

The plant were the accident occurred literally employed about half the town. There was an explosion and a lot of people were killed.

As you can for imagine, for a small town, this had horrible ramifications. People had brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers and spouses stolen away from them in an instant.

In part, that is what this book is about. Even though it is around 5-years later, the aftermath continues to be challenging for those remaining residents of Splendor.

We follow a group of teens who have really come together since the accident. The adults in their lives are dealing with their own grief and sort of left the kids on their own to deal with theirs. This group of kids has come to rely on each other in both meaningful and beautiful ways.

As an exploration of grief, this is a touching, heart-wrenching story but there is also a science-fiction element that I found truly interesting.

You can tell that the author really enjoys science, as do I. There are detailed sections on black holes, time/space, fibonacci spirals and the idea of a cosmic consciousness.

I loved the friend group and how supportive they were of one another and I loved the science. However, there was something a little wonky about the way it was all strung together. It didn’t feel cohesive to me.

As always, this is 100% subjective and you may read this and think, ‘what the hell was Meg talking about?’ And that’s fine!

Just for me, it felt like the narrative was fighting over what kind of story it was trying to be. It didn’t feel like a seamless composition, if that makes sense.

Overall, I am really glad that I read this book. It is definitely a thoughtful exploration of a lot of interesting and important topics. I also think Emily Henry is a very talented woman and clearly a lot more intelligent than I am!

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