Review: Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage

~ megs14malloy

Dear HannaDear Hanna by Zoje Stage
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dear Hanna is the unexpected follow-up to Zoje Stage’s 2018-debut Horror novel, Baby Teeth, which I adored.

It leaned into the creepy kid trope, which I’m always here for, and it did it in such a toe-curling way.

I never expected we would get more of this story and though I don’t feel it was necessary, it was interesting. I went on a journey with this. We had our ups-and-downs, but I’m glad I stuck with it for the satisfying conclusion.

It’s important to note that you don’t really need to read Baby Teeth before you read this. In fact, there could be a solid argument for reading this one first, learning about adult Hanna, and then going back and visiting her childhood, so you can see where all this came from.

Hanna is a foul human. Let me just get that out there. She’s a true sociopath from the moment we first meet her. Stage is so convincing with her characterization of Hanna, that there were times when it was making me angry; her thoughts.

I would have to set it down and walk away for a moment. Then I would remind myself, it’s just Hanna being Hanna. I will admit though, there were times when it wasn’t enjoyable to read, particularly through the middle bits and the parts involving Hanna’s step-daughter.

I also didn’t like Hanna’s husband, Jacob, at all, so any scene with him had the strong possibility of annoying me.

It’s funny, as I write this, the more I think about it and process it, the more impressed I am with just how convincing this story was. It left a bad taste in my mouth, it certainly did, but I think that was the intention, so I definitely need to give Stage props for that.

I feel like it’s important to go into this one in the right headspace though, and perhaps, I wasn’t quite in the right space when I picked this up. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more at another time.

Unfortunately, we’ll never know. I walk away happy I made it through, but knowing I’ll never pick it up again. Although, Baby Teeth I would def be interested in revisiting now.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Zoje Stage has such creative and compelling ideas. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!

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Review: Blood Heir (Blood Heir Trilogy #1) by Amelie Wen Zhao

~ megs14malloy

Blood Heir (Blood Heir Trilogy #1)Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first time I laid eyes on a copy of Blood Heir, many moons ago, my first reaction was, I kind of want the girl on this cover to kidnap me and hold me hostage…

Instead, I bought the book and it remained hostage on my shelves since 2019, which seems like cruel and unusual punishment for this poor book.

Recently, I’ve had some flops for reads and I needed a change of pace. I decided it was finally time to give this beauty a go, and I’m so happy I did. This could turn into a full-series binge for me.

In this story we meet Ana and Ramson. Ana, full name Anastacya Mikhailov, is the crown princess of the Cyrilian Empire. She’s also an Affinite, individuals who have the ability to control the world around them. Ana’s special ability is that she’s able to control people’s blood.

Her ability has always been kept a secret, but after her father is murdered, she’s the main suspect. She needs to find her father’s actual killer in order to clear her name, and more importantly, save her life.

The world is grossly corrupt though, and Ana’s gonna need some help. She cannot succeed navigating her way outside the kingdom walls on her own.

That’s where Ramson comes in, a cunning crime lord with an agenda of his own. He may have met his match in Ana, and we all know where that leads…

This was such a nice change of pace for me. I haven’t read a Fantasy story in a while and I found this one very easy to engage with. I loved learning about the main characters and the way they came together, having an important mission, was a delightful set-up.

Every time I would put this down, to go to work, or you know, do other adult life things, I was always excited to come back to it. That’s a sign of a great book.

It was adorbs watching Ana and Ramson catching feelings. Him especially, because he was such a tough guy and I think his attachment to Ana came as a real surprise to him.

I liked Ana’s ambivalence to it a bit as well. She wasn’t swooning over this guy. She did have a job and she needed to get it done, but you could tell, even if she couldn’t right away, that the attachment was going in both directions.

I wouldn’t call it a Romance story though, so don’t get scared away if that’s not for you. I’m not crazy about a lot of romance in my Fantasy either. This is def more about the magic system and politics. At least it felt that way to me.

Speaking of, the magic is so interesting. The idea of the Affinites and all the various powers they wielded, it was a cool concept. I thought the author executed it well. It was easy to understand and opened up a lot of potential powers.

The politics and world are really built out in the second half, when we end up learning a lot more about Ana and her family. There were some jaw-dropping developments.

I would say this succeeded in creating a solid foundation as the 1st-book. There’s still a lot of room to grow, particularly in the world/politics, so I’m super excited to start the 2nd-book, Red Tigress and follow along with all that.

Overall, I felt this was really strong. My favorite element was the magic system, but I can’t deny how attached I’ve become to both Ana and Ramson.

This book has proven again why it’s so important to never ignore your backlist. There’s a lot of books lurking on the shelves that are real winners. Don’t neglect them. Have a peek. You may just find one like I did!

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Review: Glass Houses by Madeline Ashby

~ megs14malloy

Glass HousesGlass Houses by Madeline Ashby
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars rounded up**

I’m not having the best reading luck lately. I’m feeling let down a lot. Am I being punished for something?

I need this trend to turn around soon, because it’s seriously putting me in a mood.

I’ve been putting off reviewing this for a while. I needed to cool my jets a bit before I tore off on some salty rant review, going up one side of this and down the other. That helps no one. So, let’s take a deep breath, and get into it.

The synopsis for Glass Houses had me anticipating a gripping, freaky, intense, near-future Mystery-Thriller involving a palatial house on a deserted island.

Instead what I got was a slow-moving character study of messed up people. Sure, a small portion is set on an island, but that certainly didn’t feel like the focus.

The very start was giving the first scene from the first season of Lost. I thought to myself, this is exciting, this is intriguing. Then as it began to play out further, I thought, wait a minute is…

I won’t fill in that blank, but that happened by page 19, and I was correct. There was another thing later ‘revealed’ that I knew early on as well. I wasn’t trying to figure anything out. I never do that, but these things were just so glaringly obvious, I wonder were they supposed to feel like reveals?

Then in other ways, where I wish it could have been expanded upon, we were kept in the dark. We did get little tidbits of the greater world here and there, but it was never clear enough to understand, or provide a sense of place.

I feel like a nice mixed media element scattered throughout, that could’ve let us know how the world got to this point would’ve been fun. I mean obviously it’s the near future, but why is everything soooo different?

By the middle, it had really slowed down. We weren’t seeing as much of everyone running around like chickens with their heads cut off, which I guess could’ve been entertaining if we didn’t have these huge sections from the past taking us right out of that present feeling of chaos.

At the end of the day, NGL, I didn’t enjoy this. Some of the concepts involving future tech and AI were interesting, but I hated the way the story was told.

There was too much focus on the backstory of Kristin and not enough on the present setting of the deserted island. I feel like I was sold something that I didn’t end up getting.

I wasn’t given suspense, nor intrigue, AND was barely given any time on the deserted island that I was promised. I am rounding up to 3-stars to be nice.

With this being said, just because this didn’t work for me, does not mean it won’t work for you. I wouldn’t really go by the synopsis though to judge whether or not you would enjoy it, as personally, I feel it’s a bit mismarketed.

I think this would work best for Literary Fiction fans, who enjoy dark stories with light SF-elements. Character-driven Readers may also have success with this.

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

I’m not sure if I will read from this author again, probably not, but I’m glad I gave this one a shot, even if it wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea.

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Review: A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

~ megs14malloy

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive BakingA Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

T. Kingfisher is one of my favorite authors and one of my favorite things about her work is her versatility. Her ability to write stories for people of all ages is unsurpassed.

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, which follows 14-year old Mona, won prizes in both the Young Adult and Children’s Literature categories. I honestly couldn’t tell you which age group this would be more fitting for, as I truly feel it can be enjoyed by Readers of all ages.

I have had this delightful little novel quietly lurking on my TBR for years, but recently was urged to pick it up when it was selected as the monthly read for a Book Club I participate in. I’m so glad it was chosen.

Our discussion was on a Saturday afternoon and I had no problem getting through the audiobook that morning just prior. It read so quickly, and kept me fully-engaged while doing my Saturday deep house clean.

I loved meeting Mona and, surprising me not for a moment, her narrative voice was quirky, witty and fun. I also enjoyed the journey her character went on over the course of the story, as she goes from mere baker’s aid to the magical girl with the power to save a kingdom.

As usual, Kingfisher infused this story with her humor and heart. She has such a fantastic ability for creating lovable and memorable characters, including some of the best animal, and inanimate object, characters that I’ve ever read.

I feel like there is some great messages in here for younger readers as well. I can see how this could feel like an empowering story for them, where they’re shown they can do big things, and important things.

Mona’s baking magic was super cute and I liked watching her confidence grow throughout the story. Her differences, which once made her self-conscious, ended up being what qualified her to succeed where others couldn’t.

I laughed, stressed when characters were in danger and I fell in love with Mona and friends. Overall, this is a lovely read. Fast-paced, funny, wildly-entertaining, pure Kingfisher joy.

I’m so glad that I finally made time for this one. I definitely recommend it to anyone, of any age, who loves a fun and magical fairy tale-feeling romp!

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Review: A Mask of Flies by Matthew Lyons

~ megs14malloy

A Mask of FliesA Mask of Flies by Matthew Lyons
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars rounded up**

After a failed bank heist, Anne Hiller is forced to go on the run, along with her wounded partner, Jessup, and the policeman she has taken hostage.

Anne goes to the closest place she can think of where they can safely take refuge, her family’s abandoned cabin. This place should hold a lot of memories for Anne, but her entire childhood is hazy at best. She does remember that the cabin was the site of her mother’s untimely death though.

As she waits for help from other members of her crew, Anne ends up discovering some old relics of her mother’s. Could these items help her piece together the missing bits of her past. She’d love some closure.

Her mission to delve into the past is interrupted when the injured Jessup goes missing. They end up finding his dead body. They decide to bury him, thinking that’ll be the end, but when the dead man returns, knocking at the door in the night, they realize, this is only the beginning.

A Mask of Flies is the third book that I’ve read from Matthew Lyons. On paper, this should have worked really well for me. A Horror-Crime Thriller blend with people returning from the dead and a woman on the run for her life. What’s not to love about that?

Sadly, this didn’t end up being a good fit for me. I’ve enjoyed both of the other novels I’ve read from this author, but this ended up being a miss for me.

I never became fully invested. Anne was very meh, as were the characters surrounding her. The only person who ever really interested me was Dutch, just because of the circumstances he found himself in, but it still wasn’t enough for me to actually feel truly engaged with his plight.

With this being said, it’s not all negative. The writing is great and the ideas are solid. It just failed to capture my attention. That doesn’t mean it won’t work for others, however, including you, so please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

I did read this directly after reading Blood Like Mine, another new release Crime Horror novel that I absolutely loved. Perhaps reading them back-to-back was detrimental to my experience with this one. It disappointed in comparison.

I will also say, Lyons creates his landscapes really well. I’ve noticed this throughout his work that I’ve read. I can always picture these beautifully-stark landscapes the characters travel through.

This one, as with A Black and Endless Sky, gave me slight Desperation mixed with Revival vibes, which I even mentioned in my review for that previous novel. There’s something very Fundamentalist Religious group meets Tak about all this. IYKYK.

At the end of the day, even though this wasn’t the most fun experience for me, I still believe Matthew Lyons is one heck of a writer. He takes risks and is creative with his storylines. I’m definitely planning to pick up whatever he writes next.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

There’s a book for every Reader and a Reader for every book. Just because this wasn’t great for me personally, doesn’t mean it won’t be amazing for you.

Give it a shot. Check it out. Available now!!!

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Review: Blood Like Mine by Stuart Neville

~ megs14malloy

Blood Like MineBlood Like Mine by Stuart Neville
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Ooo, Blood Like Mine was so, so good.

A fabulous blending of Horror with Crime Fiction. It was gripping, fast-paced, included excellent character work and a bloody sensational ending!

After seeing a couple of trusted Book Friends write glowing reviews for this one, I started to experience my typical high-levels of FOMO. They were enjoying it, therefore, I wanted to be enjoying it. I couldn’t rest until I was.

I requested an audio copy and very luckily, my request was granted. I started right away and was so very happy that they brought this book, and this author, onto my radar.

In this story, we are following Rebecca and her daughter, Moonflower. It’s clear the two are on the run from a difficult past, but the full truth of that isn’t revealed right away.

As we get to know Rebecca and Moonflower, the truth behind their past, current situation and close connection, is beautifully-exposed. I loved getting to know these two characters. They were both so real to me and fascinating.

We also meet a Special Agent with the FBI, Marc Donner. For the last two-years, he has been hunting a serial killer across the American West, a killer who drains their victim’s bodies of blood.

As the trail he is following leads him closer to Rebecca and Moonflower, the existence Rebecca has worked so hard to create for them is inexorably threatened. Donner isn’t giving up, he’s not turning back, and they’re all set on a crash course with disaster.

The synopsis describes this one as cat-and-mouse and I absolutely agree with that. I love those types of stories, so that played a huge role in my enjoyment.

It was intense. I grew to care for all of these characters, not just Rebecca and Moonflower, but also Agent Donner. The high stakes involved, you know it can’t end well for everyone though, which made it particularly gripping for me.

Who was going to end up on top?

I vibed so well with the way the author told this story. The level of intrigue is high from the get-go and for me, it really never let up. You can intuit what is going on with Moonflower and Rebecca, but there’s a certain level of uncertainty that did keep me guessing.

Until there’s not. Once it’s clear, I was loving this even more, because if anything it only upped the stakes of the game playing out on the page.

I would love to read more from this author. I think the genre-bending nature of this really took the cake for me. The Horror aspects blended perfectly with the Crime Fiction elements. It was seamless.

I would recommend this to Horror Readers who enjoy fast-paced, high-stakes Thriller-type reads. This is unique, fun and for me, memorable. I’m looking forward to seeing what more Readers think of this one.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Recorded Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. The audio narration was so well done and definitely helped to bring this story to life for me!

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Review: A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

~ megs14malloy

A Sorceress Comes to CallA Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

A Sorceress Comes to Call is an Adult Fantasy release from T. Kingfisher, one of my favorite authors. It’s a release I’ve personally been anticipating for almost a year.

This is a re-imagining of the Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl fairy tale, and while I’ve never read the original source material, I am familiar enough with it to appreciate the clever connections Kingfisher made here.

In this story, we meet our girl, Cordelia. She lives with her Mom and her Mom’s equine companion, Falada. Cordelia’s Mom is…let’s say, eccentric. Reading of their relationship is a bit painful at times, be forewarned.

Her Mom rules their house with an iron fist. Cordelia is made to bend to her will, always. One may wonder how Cordelia’s Mother is able to exude such authority and I guess, the answer is fairly simple, she’s a sorceress.

After a suspicious death in their small village, Cordelia is forced to flee town with her Mom and Falada. They end up at a remote country manor, where a wealthy bachelor, known as the Squire, lives with his unwed sister, Hester.

Cordelia’s Mom sets her sights on the Squire, hoping to lure him into a marriage arrangement. Cordelia sees her Mom’s intentions and fears for the well-meaning older gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester isn’t fooled though and has no desire to see her bro end up with such a conniving witch. It’s not just her brother she’s worried about though. She’s noticed Cordelia shrinks into herself anytime her mother approaches.

That can’t be a good sign.

What follows is an insanely humorous romp where good battles evil. There’s magic and intrigue, hijinks, betrayals and lies. Humor and love and kindness and wrath, all rolled into one. Witty banter and lovable characters like only Kingfisher can do.

Unsurprisingly, I fell in love with this story. It was so creative and well-crafted. I was transported while reading it. It felt all-consuming.

I’m sure some of you are wondering, if I loved it so much, why didn’t I give it 5-stars? I think upon reread, I probably will bump it up.

There’s a lot happening, bordering on chaotic, and I feel like I maybe missed some of the finer details. Now that I know where it’s all going, I feel like upon reread, I’ll be able to pick up, enjoy and retain more of those smaller details.

Let’s be clear though, a 4.5-star is still a super stellar rating from me, and I do absolutely plan on reading this one again; as I do with most of Kingfisher’s works.

The character development was fantastic. I felt so bad for Cordelia initially. She was such a timid thing, all at her mother’s hand. It def tugged at the heart-strings. The best thing that ever happened to her, IMO, was meeting Hester.

Hester was by far the star of the show for me. I loved her so much. Maybe because we have a lot of common. We’re both old maids, both way more witty than people give us credit for and both ready to kick some ass if necessary.

With Cordelia and her Mom staying at the Squire’s, Cordelia and Hester get the opportunity to spend time together and it was nice to watch their relationship blossom.

There was such a fun element too involving a house party, planned by Hester, and the horrific aftermath of that leads to a bit of a suspicious death investigation. I wasn’t expecting it to go in that direction, so was delighted when it did.

Our good characters band together to try to vanquish the evil which surrounds them. It was hilarious and wacky and wild and fun. Kingfisher’s writing is sure to make you forget everything else going on in your life.

This story becomes your life when you’re reading it. It was just as darkly magical and enchanting as I was anticipating.

This was an absolute delight to read. I can’t wait to get a hard copy for my shelves, although I would recommend the audiobook to anyone who has that available to them. The narration by Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens truly brought this story to life.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. Kingfisher is such a talent.

This is a perfect blend of humor with darker Fantasy elements! Recommended for all!

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Review: The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

~ megs14malloy

The PairingThe Pairing by Casey McQuiston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Kit and Theo were childhood best friends, whose relationship finally blossomed to more as young adults. They were in love, but that was 4-years ago.

After a vicious break-up, in the airport, of all places, Kit and Theo went their separate ways and have been estranged ever since. Until now. Things are about to shake up…

At the time of their break-up, they had a food and wine tour planned, which they subsequently canceled. They couldn’t get their money back, but the vouchers were good to use for another 48-months. Separately. Alone.

As the 4-year mark approaches though, it’s unsurprising that they’d both come up with the same idea. It’s time to cash in the vouchers, and take that tour.

Unfortunately, they don’t discover that still think very much alike until they are actually boarding the tour bus. Oh, hello.

Neither one of them has any intentions of giving up the tour though, so it looks like they’ll just have to play nice. And play they do, a little hook-up game to prove just how over one another they really are.

I’m sure you can imagine what that entails…

Sadly, The Pairing was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It’s a good story, but IMHO, it’s not at the level I am used to seeing from McQuiston. This hurts to say.

For me, it lacked the humor I’m used to from them. I wasn’t attached to either MC and I didn’t care if they ended up together or not. I actually preferred not.

Additionally, the side characters had no real development, and in the past, some of the SC have been my favorites. I know that sounds harsh, I’m not trying to be, but it is the overall feeling I walked away with.

To be fair though, I did like the beginning, I was pulled in fairly quickly, and then I really enjoyed like the last 10%. It was just the in-between bits where I felt bored and like I was struggling to finish.

Both Theo and Kit felt flat for me compared to characters that I have read from McQuiston in the past. I wasn’t crazy about the structure they chose either; as in, the way we were given the different perspectives. I would have preferred a more even back-and-forth.

The thing that caused their break-up, I felt like that was resolved around the 65% mark and for me, the whole thing felt wrapped-up at that point. What are we even doing here after that? It was just like a couple fighting versus anything I cared to tune for.

I didn’t feel any tension, or real angst after that. And frankly, I do semi-agree with Theo’s sister, they do seem to intentionally make their lives harder, especially when it came to Kit!

That’s all well and good though. I don’t need to agree with a character’s actions or decisions, but I don’t want to be bored while I’m trying to figure out where they are going with their choices. Theo was frustrating.

The sex competition was fun at first, but then it just started to feel repetitive as time went on. Nothing really beat the couple themselves hooking up though when it came to repetitive. It just felt like the same thing over and over, just in a different place. Stale.

Honestly, I was so ready for this to be over and felt more relieved than anything when it was done. Although, I will say, I did think it had a lovely ending.

At the end of the day, while McQuiston will continue to be a must-read author for me, I’m NGL, this was a little disappointing and definitely my least favorite of their work.

I’ve read other reviews though, and know that a lot of Readers are LOVING it. So, just because it didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. If it sounds interesting, give it a go.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m excited to see what McQuiston serves us next!

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Review: Only the Guilty Survive by Kate Robards

~ megs14malloy

Only the Guilty SurviveOnly the Guilty Survive by Kate Robards
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In Only the Guilty Survive, Claire, the only survivor of a cult known as The Flock, must re-examine the tragic events that happened a decade earlier, including the disappearance of her best friend, Laurel, when a podcaster arrives in town to investigate the case.

The Reader is treated to Claire’s perspective in the present, Laurel’s perspective in the past, and another perspective, which I’ll keep mum on for spoiler’s sake.

The back-and-forth between the women was a good way to tell the story. Claire, in the present, has very hazy recollections of her time within The Flock, so Laurel’s past perspective is really essential for building that aspect out.

This is a fine book. It does nothing wrong. It tells a story that I feel like a lot of Readers will have fun with. For me though, the mystery just wasn’t engaging enough to feel invested in. It didn’t pull me in.

The character work was fine and I did think that Laurel’s past perspective showcasing the lives of those within The Flock was fairly interesting. Overall though, it did nothing to make it memorable, or really stand out for me in this genre.

I think if you are looking for some light entertainment, or a story you can easily fit into your weekend schedule, this could be a good selection. I did feel the audiobook narration was strong and would suggest that format.

Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m glad I gave this one a shot!

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Review: Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop (Halloween Bookshop Mystery #1) by Emmeline Duncan

~ megs14malloy

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop (A Halloween Bookshop Mystery Book 1)Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop is a Cozy Mystery set in a Halloween-themed town, Elyan Hollow, Oregon.

Yes, you read that right, Halloween-themed town. We’re talking 365-Halloween. Sounds like my life, actually.

.

In this story we are following Bailey, the owner of Lazy Bones Bookshop, who has recently organized Elyan Hollow’s first ever Literary Festival. She’s anxious for it to be a hit and has a good line-up of authors at the ready, including a hometown boy, Rex, who is now a popular Horror author.

Coinciding with the Festival, the crew of a ghost-hunting television show, Gone Ghouls, has come to Elyan Hollow and they want to use her shop as one of their filming locations.

After which, chaos ensues…

Just as she thinks things couldn’t get more out of hand, Bailey and her best friend, Colby, discover a dead body in the local hay bale maze. They’re quiet moment of relaxation exploring the maze is over before it ever truly began.

It’s clear the individual died by nefarious means, and unfortunately, Bailey then finds herself as the main suspect.

Bailey, along with her friends, must then try to find out the truth if they want to clear Bailey’s name. She knows she had nothing to do with the murder, but that means the killer is still out there, on the streets of Elyan Hollow and no one will be safe until they’re caught.

I thought this was really cute. I loved the small town setting and how everything felt Halloween-inspired. The names of the businesses, the foods and drinks served, as well as the way the whole town leaned into that vibe, it was fantastic.

The mystery was a little slow to kick off, but I did enjoy getting to know Bailey and what her life was like in Elyan Hollow. Her fabulous canine companion, a Great Pyrenees named Jack, was the icing on the cake of this one for me.

We love a doggo playing a large role in a Cozy story!

Once the dead body appeared, I was hooked. I wanted to know what had happened. I could see some motives, but who would have had the will to do it? Everyone seemed so nice!

I did enjoy following along as Bailey tried to figure it all out. I could have used a bit more substance in that area, but overall, I do feel like it had a fun mystery and that this is a great start to a series.

I feel like this was such a comforting read as well. It def pandered to my tastes and I’ve already recommended it to a few friends. It’s like a love letter to those of us who carry Halloween in our hearts all year round.

In addition to the aspects mentioned above, there’s also a bit involving Bailey’s family and her position within it. That part of the story def tugged at my heartstrings.

Bailey’s relationship with her mother is basically non-existent, for which there are many different reasons. I did really feel for Bailey in the moments that explored that and I appreciated the author including that in the story.

I am hoping as the series continues that we do get to see that whole aspect expanded on some more. I guess this would be a good time to say, if there are more books, I will absolutely be picking them up. I truly hope there are.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Kensington Cozies, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Duncan delivered exactly what I anticipated with this one.

I would recommend this for any Reader who loves Cozy Mysteries, bookshop-based stories, knitting, adorable dogs, and/or Halloween!

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