Buzzwordathon Round 4 TBR

~ megs14malloy

Beginning tomorrow, June 12th, I am going to be participating in the 4th round of BooksandLala’s Buzzwordathon. This is a readathon where the host, Kayla, selects a ‘buzzword’ based on trends she is noticing in book titles. Watch her announcement video here for more details:

Buzzwordathon Round 4 Annoucement

The Buzzword for this round is ‘You’ which is definitely showing up in a lot of titles as of late. I actually have three ARCs (advanced readers copy) that I can fit into this. The titles can have ‘you’ in any form, for example, your, you’re, yours, etc. The readathon ends on June 18th.

Without further ado, let’s get into the books I am hoping to get to during the week. If you wish to know more about any of these titles, simply click on the cover below for more information:

Listen to Your Heart by Kasie West — This YA Contemporary was recommended to me by a friend on Goodreads who knew that I liked books that contained mixed media elements such as podcasts, newspaper articles and journal entries. This is a story following a girl who ends up becoming the host of a high school podcast. Kasie West is a beloved YA Contemporary Romance author. I have never read any of her books and looking forward to giving this one a shot. I will be listening to this in audiobook format.

Call It What Your Want by Brigid Kemmerer — This is a YA Contemporary that releases on June 25th. I actually requested a copy of this ARC directly from the publisher, Bloomsbury YA, as Brigid Kemmerer is one of my favorite authors. This story follows two teens, Maegan and Rob, who are both going through a lot when they get paired together for a calculus project. I am sure a friendship or romance of some sort will develop between them as they try to help each other with their problems. Kemmerer’s writing is beautiful and she examines difficult topics with such care. Rob’s father in this is a white collar criminal so I am also interested to see how that plays out.

If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kahn — I received this ARC through a Goodreads giveaway from the publisher, Swoon Reads. I was so happy to hear I would be getting an advanced copy of this but as with life, I didn’t actually get to it before release day. This came out on June 4th so you can pick it up now! This YA Contemporary follows Winnie, a high schooler who works at her Grandmother’s Southern diner. She has big dreams but needs money in order to make them happen. Her solution is to compete in a cooking competition for prize money. This just sounds like a fun summer read and I am really looking forward to picking this one up!

While You Sleep by Stephanie Merritt — This chilling psychological thriller follows Zoe Adams, who fresh from America, moves into the McBride house on a remote Scottish island. The house has a mysterious and disturbing past and it doesn’t take long before Zoe begins to suspect something is seriously wrong there. This has the hints of a ‘things that go bump in the night’ kind of story and I am so down for that. I received an ARC copy of this from the publisher, Pegasus Books, but unfortunately, again, did not get to it before its March 8, 2019, release date. I am most excited for the location of this one and am hoping for a super spooky atmospheric tale.

Those are the four I would really like to get to. If in some totally bizarre string of events, I am able to finish all four of these and still have time remaining, I do have a few alternates picked out.

Are you participating in Buzzwordathon? What are you planning to read for it, if you are? Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts? I want to know! Let me know in the comments here or reach out to me through any of my social media links.

Cheers & Happy Reading!

Review: Little Darlings by Melanie Golding

~ megs14malloy

Little DarlingsLittle Darlings by Melanie Golding
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A delightfully creepy story!

Lauren Tranter has just become a first-time mother of twin boys, Riley and Morgan. While still in hospital she begins to struggle with new motherhood. A terrible hemorrhage post-birth provides an additional trauma. She now finds herself in pain, alone and questioning her ability to be able to handle all of this.

Making matters worse, one night an intruder in her room, a very scary, ragged woman, tries to take her babies; trys to take them and exchange them with her own evil little monsters. Luckily, Lauren is able to fight her off. Hiding in the bathroom of her hospital room, she calls for help.

Unfortunately, no one believes her. No hospital staff report seeing anyone. How could an intruder have gotten past the surveillance cameras without being seen? Lauren must be hallucinating, suffering from some sort of postpartum psychosis.

Detective Jo Harper isn’t convinced that Lauren was imagining the incident however and she begins to investigate further, contrary to her superiors wishes.

Once back home with the boys, Lauren’s struggles continue. Her asshole husband, Patrick…

…is about as supportive as a dead jellyfish, so without any relief, she really begins to sink toward rock bottom. She never leaves the house, doesn’t socialize and lives in constant fear that the would-be kidnapper from the hospital will return.

In fact, one evening, she sees the woman outside the house, staring in at her. As Patrick begrudgingly goes to investigate, Lauren decides to call the sympathetic officer who spoke to her while she was in the hospital, Detective Harper.

This book has an absolutely wicked, ominous feel throughout. I don’t think I have ever read a thriller that bordered on the supernaturally horrific as much as this one did.

The idea of changelings is closely examined in this work and I loved how many chapters began with little excerpts from various fairy tales focused on that topic. Lauren is truly terrified for the majority of this book and that really got under my skin. The writing was so strong, I was definitely swept up in her thoughts and equally as much into Detective Harper’s investigation.

I loved so much about this book. There is a lot of the plot I am not even going to mention here as it is best to be taken off guard by it.

Immediately after finishing I was thinking I would give it a 4.5-star rating. There were a couple of plot points that I wished had been expanded on or moved around in the context of the story, but upon further reflection, to hell with that. This is a great freaking book. I loved it and would definitely recommend it to any reader who likes dark, slightly scary, content!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with an ARC copy to read and review. I will most likely read it again someday as I enjoyed it that much. Until then I will be loaning out my copy to all friends and family who will take it. I genuinely cannot wait to see what is next for this author!

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June Releases — My ARCs!!!

~ megs14malloy

Happy June book world!

There are a lot of great releases coming out this month. Whether you are going on vacation or just living your regular day-to-day life, you will certainly have plenty of new books to choose from to pass the hours.

I thought now would be a great time to go over the June ARCs (Advanced Reader’s Copy) that I am planning to get to this month. A sincere thank you to all of the publishers who have provided me with these copies to read and review. I always appreciate the opportunity and have a ton to get to this month!!! If you would like more info on any of these books, just click on the cover photo!

Without further ado, let’s get into it:

Releasing on Tuesday, June 4th, is Your Life Is Mine by Nathan Ripley, We Were Killers Once (Brigid Quinn, #4) by Becky Masterman, Wild and Crooked by Leah Thomas, The Chosen by Taran Matharu and Just One Bite by Jack Heath.

 

Of these, I have already completed Your Life Is Mine, which I reviewed yesterday and ended up giving 3-stars. While I didn’t enjoy it as much as Ripley’s 2018 debut, Find You In the Dark, it was still a good read and I am lookingforward to more from him in the future.

I am currently reading Just One Bite, the follow-up to Jack Heath’s Hangman that released in 2018, and Wild and Crooked, which is a stand-alone YA Contemporary. I am really enjoying both of them!

Releasing on Tuesday, June 11th , Storm & Fury (The Harbinger #1), a YA Fantasy, by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Those People, and Adult Domestic Thriller, by Louise Candlish and The First Mistake, another Adult Domestic Thriller, by Sandie Jones which I received unsolicited from the publisher.

Releasing on Tuesday, June 18th, is Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa, the follow up to Shadow of the Fox. I am currently reading this and it is truly giving me life! It’s so good! Also, The Girl in Red by Christin Henry, which I believe is some sort of post-apocalyptic retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. It sounds dark and glorious.

Finally, releasing on Tuesday, June 25th, is Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer. This is a standalone YA Contemporary novel. I am a big fan of Kemmerer so am very excited to have an early copy of this. I am actually planning to read it next week for Buzzword-A-Thon which I will talk about in a later post.

Phew. I am exhausted just looking at all of these but obviously so excited as well! What June releases are you looking most forward to? I would love to know! Comment below or contact me through any of my social media links.

Cheers & Happy Reading~

Review: Your Life is Mine by Nathan Ripley

~ megs14malloy

Your Life Is MineYour Life Is Mine by Nathan Ripley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One of my most anticipated thrillers of the year!

Blanche Potter (nee Varner) is a documentary filmmaker with one true friend, a surrogate mother and a horrifying past. Her long-dead father, Chuck Varner, is an infamous spree killer who also was the leader of a death cult. Preaching a philosophy he termed, Your Life Is Mine, Chuck raised his daughter like she would someday become the cult’s leader.

Blanche distanced herself as much as she could from that life but as we all know, the past never stays buried.

When she hears that her estranged mother has been shot, she believes there is more to the story than the cops are presenting to her. She believes Chuck Varner’s cult members are making a resurgence and the death of her biological mother is just step one in a plan that will ultimately end in another mass killing.

Traveling back to her hometown, Blanche begins an investigation of her own which leads her to some startling conclusions!

Nathan Ripley (aka. Naben Ruthnum) is a talented writer. There is an edginess to his writing that is visceral. He does not shy away from dark subject matter and it is on page. He doesn’t keep you in the shadows or sugarcoat anything for his readers.

I was so impressed with his debut, Find You in the Dark, last year. It was such a gripping read for me. I was glued to the pages and flew through it and immediately knew I would read whatever he had coming out next!

While I felt Your Life Is Mine had the same tone and grittiness, I was not sold on the subject matter. The cult philosophy was disjointed and I never really understood what the point of it was. Blanche, as a character, was sort of like a dead fish. I felt nothing from her and nothing for her.

Part of the fun of Find You In The Dark, at least for me, was the perfectly crafted game of cat and mouse between the protagonist, Martin Reese, and police detective, Sandra Whittal. They were perfectly matched and I found myself rooting for both of them.

In this story, no one was likable and honestly, I didn’t care one way or another who killed Blanche’s mother or why. The second half of the book did pick up the pace a bit but I wouldn’t necessarily say it was either thrilling or mysterious. Overall, it was a good book but it didn’t live up to the quality and excitement of his debut.

Thank you, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. As always, I appreciate the opportunity and I will continue to read anything that Ripley writes. As I mentioned, I love his writing, I definitely think this was more of a content issue than a writing issue for me.

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Review: Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

~ megs14malloy

MiddlegameMiddlegame by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mind Melt Alert!!

What is Middlegame?
Admittedly, I stared at the wall for a good 20-minutes once I had finished.

I don’t even think I can begin to attempt a synopsis.
Can I just say, what an achievement for Seanan McGuire?!

A tour de force of science fiction. Expertly crafted from start to finish in order to make you feel like the secrets of the universe are being exposed to you.

There are so many intriguing concepts in here and the narrative is so vast, following our two main characters, Roger and Dodger, from the time they are children up through adulthood.

I can’t lie. It’s a challenging read but so worth the effort. You shouldn’t be multi-tasking whilst reading this. It needs deserves your full attention.

This gave me Dark Tower vibes a bit, a huge positive for me, in how prodigious and all-consuming the narrative was. I absolutely adore McGuire’s writing. Each and every word seems to have been carefully selected and placed where it would be most effective.

I am really excited for more people to read this. I am so interested to see what others think. I know it will not be for everyone but I know a lot of people are going to be just as impressed as I was.

At this point, I will read anything, ANYTHING, that Seanan McGuire writes. She is a gift.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor, for providing me with an early copy to read and review. I certainly feel blessed to have received it. I appreciate the opportunity and know it will be a huge success!

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Review: The Lost Coast by Amy Rose Capetta

~ megs14malloy

The Lost CoastThe Lost Coast by Amy Rose Capetta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Danny and her mom move to Tempest, California after Danny picks it out on a map. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the choice but what is drawing her there?

The Grays, a group of high school girls, who happen to be queer witches, also live in Tempest. One of their group, Imogen, has recently turned up without her personality and with sea glass eyes. What happened to her?

Then she wanders into the woods and doesn’t come back out. She’s their Regina George, so obviously this is upsetting to the rest of the Grays.

They basically recruit Danny into their group and discover she has a power for ‘finding’ things. They begin a quest to get Imogen back. All of her; mind, body and spirit.

I love this cover.
I love the representation.
I am intrigued by the premise.

The format did not work for me.
I was as lost as Imogen most of the time.
I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I had to start a chapter over because my mind was wandering and I had no idea what was going on. There were so many perspective jumps and time jumps. I normally do not mind that at all but this just was all over the place.

The writing is pretty but is it possible to be too pretty?

In my opinion, the substance of the plot got buried under all the whimsy. I am sure there will be many readers who will absolutely adore this story. I just unfortunately was not one of them.

If it weren’t for the great rep and lush atmosphere, I most likely would have given this two stars. It hurts my heart to write this as I have been greatly anticipating this release. Alas, there is a reader for every book and I am just not the reader for this one.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Candlewick Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I always appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion on new releases.

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Review: On The Come Up by Angie Thomas

~ megs14malloy

On the Come UpOn the Come Up by Angie Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

ANGIE THOMAS!!!

I am so in love with your words.
Damn, she’s good.

This story follows, Bri Jackson, who also lives in Garden Heights like Starr from THUG. But that is pretty much where the similarities end.

Bri lives with her mother and her older brother. Her father, a once successful rapper, was gunned down in the streets, a victim of gang violence. Bri’s mother is a recovering addict who is doing her best to be able to provide for her children alone.

Bri has plans to follow in her father’s footsteps but she definitely wants to do it her own way and struggles to find her identity apart from him.

She is a super talented rapper and spends most of her time thinking of rhymes and putting together lyrics. She is singularly focused on finding success in order to better the living conditions of herself and her family. To make them ‘good’.

Bri is a great kid but she does have a short fuse. She puts a lot of pressure on herself and I enjoyed getting some insight into her thought process and how she sees the world around her. There is always something that seems to be going wrong in her world. It’s tough. Troubles at school, troubles with bills, being behind in rent and she feels compelled to do something to make it different.

I loved this story. The incorporation of Bri’s lyrics gave the story such depth. I loved that angle, seeing her try to make it and channel her talents for good. Learning to stand her ground and be true to herself. I love stories with music or musicians and this one utilized that trope so well.

I have read some reviews where readers commented on not enjoying this story as much as THUG. That doesn’t surprise me at all but for me, I sort of feel the opposite. I think I actually enjoyed this one more. While Bri, as a character, may seem contentious, to me, she was perfect.

As a 16-year old, many aspects of your life can be extremely frustrating. You can feel like you aren’t being heard, like your desires are pushed aside or seen as not important, and that may cause you to act out in socially unacceptable ways. I get that. Bri was struggling with some heavy shit and she let it get the best of her sometimes but that happens when you are a kid.

I liked how this book focused on a variety of hard-hitting issues that can often be brushed over or ignored. The reality of living in poverty is something that millions of Americans, and people around the world, deal with on a daily basis, and while it isn’t pretty, it is important to shine light on and discuss.

Examples: the fact that Bri’s mom was a recovering addict. The fact of the limits that places on her options to provide for her family. The way Bri, and other black and brown kids, were treated at her school. The lifestyle Bri’s aunt lives and how that affects her entire family. Bri’s brother’s options for a job after college.

All of these things are tough issues. I appreciated how much substance Thomas put into this. This was far from a one issue story. This was the whole cake and I was eating every bite!

I can see why this format may not sit well with everyone. It punches the whole way through but it is an exceptionally told story.

Thomas is a true wordsmith. Her writing leaps off the page with realness…is that a word? Realness?

You know what I’m saying.

As you can tell, I loved this. I want everyone to read it and seriously, I am on the EDGE of my seat until Angie Thomas puts out another book. I am really hoping for another story set in Garden Heights!!!

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Review: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

~ megs14malloy

Red, White & Royal BlueRed, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alex Claremont-Diaz is the FSOTUS (First Son of the United States). His Mom, the first female president of the United States, is a hard-fighting Texas woman who knows how to get things done.

Alex is making his way through college and planning to sky rocket into politics straight out of school. He already has years of experience working on various campaigns and it is truly where he sees his life going.

We all know I love politics and political strategy in books, so right off the bat, I’m all like…

But Alex still has some growing up to do. As he should, he’s in his early-20s y’all! Give the boy a break. So he still parties a bit to hard and feuds with foreign dignitaries…

Oh yes, Prince Henry. Prince Henry is all sorts of swoony but Alex sees him as a bore and his #1 enemy. When an incident occurs at the Prince’s brother’s wedding, toppling over the super expensive wedding cake, the boys are forced to pretend to be friends in order to save face.

Alex would rather do pretty much anything else. Unfortunately, his wants are fairly inconsequential at this point, and so begins the relationship that is: Alex + Henry.

If you are reading this, I am sure you already know what this book entails. It is getting so much hype right now and for good reason. A mainstream title that is humorous and steamy New Adult romance, featuring a male/male, enemies-to-lovers relationship? What’s not to love?!

I personally was swept away from the very first pages. It is so fun. Pure fun on the page but also thoughtful in its presentation. I truly feel this is ground-breaking and we will all be talking about it for years to come.

McQuiston did such a great job of making this so contemporary without feeling forced in any way. The dialogue was super believable and the storyline provided a lot of food for thought.

I have heard a few people mention that it is too optimistic?? To me, I didn’t really think so. It is a happy story overall but our characters have struggles just like real people. As Alex and Henry both grapple with their sexuality and what that means in terms of their lives, what their family’s response will be, what the world’s response will be…they really struggled with that. They had hard decisions to make, just like in real life.

I applaud Casey for writing this. I think this will mean a heck of a lot to a lot of people and McQuiston is definitely on my list of autobuy authors after this spectacular debut! Bravo!

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I always appreciate the opportunity. I think this will be making a lot of reader’s ‘Best of 2019’ lists!

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Review: Artemis by Andy Weir

~ megs14malloy

ArtemisArtemis by Andy Weir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jazz Bashara lives on Artemis, a moon colony with its own social structure and commerce. Jazz, estranged from her father, has been making ends meet by functioning as a smuggler for the black market economy.

Mostly hustling smaller items, one day a very rich man makes Jazz an offer she can’t refuse.

What follows is a story of girl trying to make up for past mistakes and trying to survive the best she can, with a little corporate sabotage sprinkled in.

I really enjoyed this book. The world that Weir created. When you are reading about Artemis, it’s hard to remember that it doesn’t exist. It seemed real and the science is feasible, so A++. The details were described so well. ((applause))

Additionally, the characters all really worked for me. I loved Jazz. She’s super flawed but seriously trying her best and every once in a while, you just have to throw caution to the wind and say, f* it. I liked her attitude and I think she really came full circle over the course of the story.

I guess it is important to note that I have not read The Martian yet and frankly, I’m glad. I know a lot of folks read that first and then didn’t enjoy this as much. Now I think when I finally do get around to The Martian it will impress me even more, and trust me, that is still on the TBR.

I would definitely recommend this to any scifi fans out there who haven’t read it yet.

Who are we kidding though?
I am probably the only one left on planet Earth who hadn’t gotten to it yet!

I am happy to be crossing it off my backlist and thank my TBR Jar for making me read it!

P.S. This could translate into a fantastic, fast-paced movie! Please do, Hollywood. Please do.

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Review: The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

~ megs14malloy

The Lovely and the LostThe Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cady Bennett found Kira in the forest when she was just a little girl. That’s what Cady does. As a Search and Rescue (SAR) professional she has found countless lost peoples.

When she came across Kira, it was clear she had been on her own in the woods for weeks. Dirty, scared and practically feral, Cady took her in and raised her as her own.

Now in her late teens, Kira has been in training, along with her brother Jude and closest friend, Free, to be a SAR professional herself. Although she still has a hard time trusting others and has a fuse as short as a fingernail, when it comes to tracking lost things, she’s a natural.

When a call comes in about a missing girl back in Cady’s hometown, the whole family, including their trained SAR canine companions, load up and head out to help. They end up staying at the house Cady grew up in, along with her estranged father, Bales, and his companion, Ness.

Cady has not spoken to her father for years and tensions are running high. That paired with the pressure of the search for missing girl, Bella, makes for a ticking time bomb.

The kids begin to discover some long held family secrets and what unfolds answers questions about all of their pasts, including Kira’s which has remained locked in her mind since the day she was found.

I really enjoyed this book. The mystery, the tension, the drama, the high stakes search and rescue, the DOGSSSSSSS!!!!!

The human characters were super enjoyable as well. I loved the themes of found families and loyalty woven throughout. Cady’s son, Jude, is such a precious popsicle, his witty banter made me giggle pretty much nonstop. I also enjoyed Kira so much. The way she connected with the dogs and her strong-willed spirit had me rooting for her the whole way.

In my opinion, this is a great YA mystery/thriller, that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. It was completely unique, I have never read anything quite like it, and I was really impressed with Jennifer Lynn Barnes writing. She drew me in and had me needing to know what the heck was going on.

I would definitely recommend this book and plan to pick up more of her books. I would also be totally stoked if there was a continuation to this; whether a companion novel, a prequel or a direct sequel. I am so not ready to be done with these characters.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Book Group, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I truly enjoyed it and appreciate the opportunity!

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