Review: Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

~ megs14malloy

Anatomy: A Love StoryAnatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In 1817-Edinburgh, Hazel Sinnett’s desire to be a surgeon is far from the norm. Seriously, a woman being a surgeon?

It’s true. It was the times. Women of a certain standing were meant to look pretty, take on inconsequential hobbies, be quiet and care for a husband and household.

Hazel isn’t interested in all that, but unfortunately, she knows the realities of her circumstance. In order to protect her position within society, she will need to be married.

In a way, Hazel is lucky. She’s been betrothed to her cousin Bertrand since the two were children. They’ve known each other forever and get along quite well.

Hazel feels that Bertrand may even learn to understand her passion with anatomy and helping people. At least that is what she hopes.

Jack Currer is a resurrection man, digging up recently deceased bodies and selling them to doctors and anatomists within the city.

It’s a dangerous job, but when Jack’s main source of income, his position at a local theater, gets taken away due to circumstances outside of his control, he has no other choice. Jack doesn’t come from wealth and has no family nest to crawl back into.

When their mutual arts of dealing with the dead bring them into contact with one another, Jack and Hazel are each set on a new course that will change their lives.

Anatomy: A Love Story reminded me a lot of my time spent with Down Comes the Night last year. Not because of its content, but because of its darkly gothic vibe that pleasantly took me by surprise.

I really enjoyed this. It had just the right ‘romance to darker bits’ ratio for my taste.

There is mystery, intrigue and a very slow-burn romance. Jack and Hazel are from different worlds, but together they work. They support one another in a way that neither of them have ever experienced before.

It was so comfortable watching their relationship blossom. It seriously filled my heart.

Another strong comparison would be to Stalking Jack the Ripper. Again, not so much for the content, but for the overall vibe.

Hazel is compelling, she doesn’t back down to convention. I always love that. Jack has a good heart in spite of his chosen profession. We stan a bad boy with a heart of gold. They shouldn’t work, but you know you’re going to root for them.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I was really impressed with this and look forward to reading more from Dana Schwartz.

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Review: Seafire (Seafire #1) by Natalie C. Parker

~ megs14malloy

Seafire (Seafire, #1)Seafire by Natalie C. Parker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars heavily rounded up**

As Caledonia and her best friend, Pisces, are on an island searching for provisions, everyone aboard the ship they call home is slaughtered by the corrupt warlord, Aric Athair, and his army of soldiers, known as Bullets.

After the tragedy, Caledonia and Pisces are left to fend for themselves. It’s a devastating loss, the one silver lining being that they still have each other.

Years later, Caledonia finds herself Captain of her own ship, the Mors Navis, with Pisces operating as her First Mate.

The two women head a crew of girls, who have also lost loved ones at the brutal hands of Aric Athair and the Bullets.

Together these women are hellbent on stopping Aric’s murderous reign once and for all.

But after Pisces gets briefly taken captive and then freed by a Bullet looking to defect, Caledonia has to question all she thought she knew. Bullets are never to be trusted, right?

I’ve had Seafire on my shelves since it first released in 2018. As part of my effort to check off some of my backlist, I decided to pick it up in December 2021.

The Prologue was incredible and the first few chapters had me extremely interested, after that however, it completely went off the tracks for me.

I almost feel like I wish the beginning hadn’t been quite as strong because ultimately, I was let down.

The non-stop dramatic conversations between Caledonia and her crew just started wearing on me. I know you need drama in order to progress a plot and I’m the first to admit I love drama, but this seemed like Caledonia being stubborn and over-the-top for no reason.

Her character ruined this for me. I was becoming annoyed with everything she did. I barely even remember the second half because I just wanted her out of my life.

I can absolutely understand why some Readers may really enjoy this. It definitely had some great sea-faring vibes and I did enjoy the steampunk feel of the ships and technology they were using.

Who knows? Maybe I was just in a bitchy mood and I’m being dramatic and over-the-top about the whole thing.

I’m really glad that I gave it a shot. I would pick up more from Natalie C. Parker, as I believe she did a great job in creating the world for this story.

As far as this series is concerned, I am done for now and will be donating my copy of the first two books to my local public high school.

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Review: The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

~ megs14malloy

The Overnight GuestThe Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Overnight Guest is the second novel I have read from Heather Gudenkauf. The first was This Is How I Lied, which I really enjoyed when I read it in 2020, ultimately giving it 3.5-stars and rounding up.

In this one, I feel like Gudenkauf’s writing is elevated to a whole new level!

Wylie Lark is a True Crime writer. In the course of her work, she frequently travels to the locations where the crimes she is writing about have taken place.

She currently finds herself alone, staying at a remote farmhouse where a brutal double homicide once occurred, with a vicious snowstorm bearing down on her.

As horrifying as this may sound to some, Wylie isn’t concerned. She’s got a fireplace and enough supplies to last her until the storm passes.

When her dog alerts her to something he has found just outside the house, Wylie expects it to be some sort of animal, who wasn’t able to find shelter in time and succumbed to the elements. What she doesn’t expect is for it to be a child, half-frozen and unresponsive.

As the truth of the child’s sudden appearance begins to be revealed, Wylie realizes she may not be as alone as she once thought.

Will she be able to protect the child, and herself, from the dangers lurking outside long enough to be able to reach help?

Y’all, this novel is intensely-gripping. It follows both Wylie’s present timeline, as well as the perspective and timeline of a girl who lived in the house at the time of the gruesome murders.

But that’s not all! There’s a third perspective of a child that is quite disturbing.

The way Gudenkauf paced out the reveals of each perspective, drawing them together into one unsettling conclusion, was so well done. It kept me completely engrossed.

There was some really creepy moments in this. Reading on my kindle, in the dark, while home alone, on the night of a windstorm, I’ll admit to being scared. I had to read something else for a bit just in order to be able to sleep that night.

I loved the In Cold Blood vibes I got from this. It wasn’t overdone, but felt like a respectful nod to that work.

Overall, I had a ton of fun reading this. It featured some of my favorite tropes and was fast-paced and exciting to read. I would definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to the publisher, Park Row Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to reading more from Gudenkauf!

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Review: Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

~ megs14malloy

Sometimes I LieSometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Waking in a hospital bed, Amber Reynolds quickly realizes that she cannot move, she cannot speak, she cannot even open her eyes.

She can hear everything going on around her, but has no way to make her consciousness known.

She can let the Reader know three things, however: 1. Her name is Amber Reynolds, 2. Her husband doesn’t love her anymore, and 3. Sometimes she lies.

Somtimes I Lie is a taut Psychological Thriller that kept me entranced from beginning to end. This was Alice Feeney’s debut novel. Stunning.

First, I can’t believe it took me this long to pick it up. Second, I can definitely see why there has been buzz about Feeney from the very start. This was such a well-executed debut.

The narrative is broken into three perspectives: Amber’s thoughts whilst in her coma, her remembrances of the events leading up to the accident that put her in the hospital, and diary entries from 1992.

Along the way, you meet the various players in Amber’s life: her husband, sister, an ex-boyfriend, work colleagues, etc. No matter how many people I met, or how much information I seemed to be getting, it took a long time for the fog to begin to clear.

The portions where Amber is in her coma are genuinely terrifying. Just the thought of being in her shoes in those moments, it made me feel claustrophobic.

Additionally, her memories seem so muddled. I felt like I was squinting trying to see past the hazy details. It reminded me of watching a movie where the scenes are mostly dark and your just trying to see what’s there.

The pace continued to increase, as well as the intensity, as more and more about Amber’s past is revealed. There were some truly shocking moments.

I listened to this audiobook while traveling over Christmas holiday and honestly, I don’t think I could have chosen a better way to pass the time. It was fantastic.

I was so pleasantly surprised when I discovered that this story is actually set during Christmas time. That small detail just gave it a little something extra that I needed during my long and slightly stressful journey!

A little boost if you will.

I’m so glad I took the time to pick this one up. If you haven’t picked this up yet and have been enjoying Feeney’s newer releases, like I have, you should definitely give this one a shot.

Highly recommend, particularly the audiobook!

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Review: Tiger Honor (Thousand Worlds #2) by Yoon Ha Lee

~ megs14malloy

Tiger HonorTiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Tiger Honor is the second book in the Thousand Worlds series by veteran Sci-Fi writer, Yoon Ha Lee. This series is published through the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.

The first book, Dragon Pearl, was released in 2019 and was my favorite Middle Grade release of that year. At the time when I read it, I thought it was a standalone.

I was so happy when I heard the news that we would be getting more in this world; best described as a Space Opera inspired by Korean mythology.

In this installment we follow a young tiger spirit, Sebin, who dreams of joining the Thousand Worlds Space Forces just like their Uncle Hwan, who they greatly admire.

But on the day that Sebin’s acceptance letter arrives, another letter arrives as well and the news it brings is not good.

According to this letter, their Uncle Hwan abandoned his duty in search of the legendary Dragon Pearl and has thusly been branded a traitor. His current whereabouts are unknown.

As Sebin heads off to their orientation, they decide that no matter what, they’ll find the truth, hopefully clearing Uncle Hwan’s name and returning honor to their clan in the process.

As you may expect, however, things do not go as planned for sweet Sebin.

This story is full of action and a ton of heart. Sebin is such a cinnamon roll, who is easy to become attached to. The pace is super quick, and I’ll be honest, at times I found myself a little lost.

Even though that’s the case, it always came back around for me and I had a lot of fun reading it.

For me though, this wasn’t quite as enjoyable a story as the first book, in that it lacked a bit of the humor that I always felt when following, Min, the protagonist of Dragon Pearl.

Sebin, I would say, is more of an old soul, a bit more serious than Min was, and the narrative reflected that, making this story feel more mature than your average Middle Grade.

With this being said, Lee’s writing, as would be expected, is impressive. The complex mix of Sci-Fi with Mythological elements was so well done.

Additionally, the characters Lee develops are extremely likable. You root for them when you’re supposed to, you dislike them when you are supposed to and you certainly love them when you are supposed to. Chef’s kiss.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Audio and Rick Riordan Presents, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This one left off in a great place. This could be it, but I am really hoping for more in the Thousand Worlds. There are endless possibilities as to where this series could go!!

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Review: Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries #4) by Martha Wells

~ megs14malloy

Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries, #4)Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Exit Strategy is the fourth novella in Martha Wells’ beloved Sci-Fi series, The Murderbot Diaries.

I have really enjoyed my time with this series so far. It’s hard to believe how attached I have become to the unconventional protagonist, an antisocial SecUnit, Murderbot.

I have read all of the novellas in this series via audiobook. Part of the reason for that is because they’re narrated by Kevin R. Free, who is the absolute perfect narrator for this series. He is Murderbot in my mind.

In this installment, we reunite with Murderbot, who continues on their galaxy-wide quest to find answers regarding their past, all while gathering info on the mysterious and sinister GrayCris Corporation.

After Milu, Murderbot chooses to return to HaveRatton Station, which may turn out to be a big mistake. It hopes to meet with Dr. Mensah, but it looks like Dr. Mensah may be in a bit of trouble.

Experiencing something that could be defined as a feeling ((yuck, says Murderbot)), it decides it will do what it needs to in order to help save Dr. Mensah; pairing up with some old acquaintances in the process.

I was pleased with this novella, although I feel like it didn’t quite capture my attention in the same way that the previous three have. I think for me, it felt like it wasn’t quite as humorous as the earlier books.

Perhaps, that’s because Murderbot didn’t have the same lovable AI characters to exchange witty banter with. Yeah, that is probably it.

I am loving how Murderbot continues to evolve, as far as its relationships with humans go. I am particularly into whatever is happening with Mensah; it’s quite intriguing.

The next book in the series, Network Effect, is the first full-length novel in this series, coming in at 350-pages. I am super excited to get into that one!

I highly recommend this to Readers who enjoy action-packed, light-hearted, often hilarious Sci-Fi stories. Look no further, Murderbot is where it’s at.

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Review: In Every Generation by Kendare Blake

~ megs14malloy

In Every GenerationIn Every Generation by Kendare Blake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A new Slayer for a new generation…

I’ll admit, like a publisher’s dream, that tagline got me. As soon as I read it, I knew that I needed to pick up this book.

The Buffy television series premiered when I was in college and quickly became part of my weekly routine. My best friend and I absolutely loved the show and would always watch it together.

Therefore, the series holds a lot of nostalgia for us. Sarah Michelle Gellar was our Queen. Those were good times.

In Every Generation follows Willow’s daughter, Frankie, who is a Sophomore at New Sunnydale High School.

Willow has been slowly introducing Frankie to magic, as long as Frankie promises always to use it for good. Frankie, it seems, is all for that, being quite ecologically-minded.

Willow’s dark times still haunt her and she doesn’t want her daughter to have to go through the nightmarish things that she did as a young adult. We all want better for our kids, Witches or not.

When Vi’s younger sister Hailey shows up in Sunnydale, she comes bearing bad news. It appears the annual Slayer convention has been attacked and all the Slayers in attendance, including Buffy, Faith and Vi, may be dead.

This leaves a major Slayer vacancy and therefore a new Slayer must be called. Hello, Frankie.

Frankie would be the first ever Slayer-Witch, but first she needs to learn to control her powers in order to be effective.

Unfortunately for Frankie, she is a little pressed for time, what with the hellmouth threatening to be reopened.

Together with a whole new group of Scoobies, Frankie must try to figure out what happened to the old Slayers, as well as defeat the forces of evil before it is too late.

Y’all, I had so much fun listening to this audiobook. I’m not going to lie, I was laughing my foolish head off while listening to this.

The narrator has great comedic timing and I feel like Blake definitely nailed, or should I say staked, that classic Buffy-humor.

While I know this won’t be for every Reader, for me it held just the perfect blend of old with new. It doffed its cap at the original series without going into copycat territory.

Also, I feel like Blake did a great job creating new characters to care about and root for. This fulfilled my hopes for a nostalgic read, but still felt fresh and modern. I would love to read more adventures with this cast of characters.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney-Hyperion and Disney Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

In Every Generation releases on January 4th and would be a great way to kick off a new year of reading!!

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Review: Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

~ megs14malloy

Reckless GirlsReckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

🌺💛🌺💛🌺💛🌺💛🌺💛🌺💛🌺💛🌺💛🌺💛🌺💛

After Lux follows her new love, Nico, to Maui, things do not necessarily go as the couple had initially planned. Their dreams of sailing the world on Nico’s boat, The Susannah, get derailed after a minor accident damages the hull.

Without money to do the repairs quickly, Lux ends up at a dead end job cleaning luxury hotels, while Nico slowly works at getting Susannah sea-worthy again.

At the boat yard one day, Nico is approached by two college-aged women, Amma and Brittany, whose charter boat had fallen through. They want to go to the deserted island of Meroe for a two-week, off the grid adventure.

They offer Nico a huge sum of money to take them there and back. He agrees, but only if Lux can come along as well. The more the merrier they claim, so a plan is developed.

The girls are able to pay, which is half the battle, so Nico has no problems repairing what he needs to in order for them to embark on their journey.

Before they know it, they are reaching Meroe, an island with a very dark past. Unfortunately, they aren’t the only people who wanted to unwind there, as there is a very attractive, obviously wealthy couple already anchored in the harbor.

Eliza and Jake, the wealthy couple, welcome the newcomers with open arms, even throwing a first night party. Their yacht, the Azure Sky, is obviously fully stocked for weeks of entertainment.

As the days pass, the group spend all of their time together and quickly bond. What an experience, am I right?

But when a creepy stranger arrives, the island becomes too crowded and tensions rise.

With this new tension, the original six begin to crack. As their extreme isolation becomes more evident, and secrets start to be revealed, it becomes clear that their island oasis is not the paradise they thought it was.

Reckless Girls is a slow burn. One I would argue is 100% worth it. Reflecting back on the story as a whole, I actually think it is perfectly paced.

After our traveling group gets to Meroe, meets up with Jake and Eliza, and the six begin to get to know one another, you sort of get lulled into a sense of relaxation.

There wasn’t much tension, or drama, at that point. Around the 40% mark, I thought, where is this going? It just felt like vacation.

Once one element was changed though, an additional person showing up at Meroe, things rapidly escalated from that point.

The tension continued to build, until the island felt extremely claustrophobic. I could feel it closing in around me and on the characters I had unknowingly become attached to. Things get crazy.

The way people were acting, it was almost like the island itself was driving people to the brink of madness. They were so separated from the real world, it was like rules no longer existed.

This was a wild ride. Once it started cranking, I couldn’t put it down. The twists, betrayals and shocking revelations kept me glued to the pages. I never would have guessed the ultimate conclusion and I had a lot of fun with it.

I think this is the perfect book to read while you dream of a tropical getaway. After this one, you may realize, your life isn’t so bad after all.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a blast with this one.

I can’t stop thinking about it!!

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Review: The Red Palace by June Hur

~ megs14malloy

The Red PalaceThe Red Palace by June Hur
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In 1758, Joseon-era Korea, 18-year old, Hyeon works as a palace nurse, a position she has worked very hard to attain.

As the illegitimate daughter of a powerful man, Hyeon really didn’t have a lot of options. She enjoys her profession, however, and hopes that through it she may one day earn her father’s approval.

Hyeon keeps her head down, does her job and tries to avoid any conflicts that would reflect negatively on her, but when she and a fellow nurse are called to the bedside of the Crown Prince Jangheon late one night, Hyeon is thrust into a wicked web of palace intrigue that she cannot avoid.

That very same night, at the same time she is in the Prince’s chambers, a viscous attack occurs at the Hyeminseo that Hyeon used to attend. The attack leaves four women brutally murdered.

When Hyeon’s beloved mentor, Nurse Jeongsu, gets arrested for the crime, Hyeon knows there’s been a mistake. There is no way her caring teacher, a woman who has dedicated her life to helping others, could possibly be capable of the callous brutality of this massacre.

Hyeon’s desperate to save Jeongsu from the clutches of the police force, known for their brutal interrogations, and she doesn’t have much time. Therefore, Hyeon decides she needs to begin her own secret investigation into the murders.

Along the way she meets Eojin, a young police inspector, who teams up with her to uncover the truth behind the Hyeminseo Massacre, but will anything they find actually make a difference?

In the face of the dark secrets they begin to uncover involving every level of palace politics, Hyeon and Eojin seem so small, young and inconsequential. They’re both willing to take incredible risks in the pursuit of justice though and that should count for something.

The Red Palace grabbed me and never let go. This was such a surprising read for me, a little outside of my comfort zone, but such a delightful way to spend the weekend.

Hur 100% succeeded at sweeping me away to another time and place. I felt transported!

There are so many things to love about this book that I fear I may just begin swooning here. Let’s start with Hyeon. She had such incredible depth of character. I felt like I knew her. I had such empathy for her and her situation.

In spite of her challenging family life though, Hyeon showed such strength and dedication to task, even in the face of terrible danger. It was admirable.

Then there is Eojin, speaking of swooning. Calm, quiet, strong and respectful of Hyeon, he made a great partner for her during the investigation.

Eojin had his own complex backstory and motivation for wanting to get to the bottom of these crimes, which added to the general mystery. I enjoyed his steadfast nature and the evolution of their relationship was so satisfying.

Lastly, let’s talk about the atmosphere. I can’t even describe how great it was for me. The dark, dangerous streets. The secrets of the royal family hidden around every corner.

As I said earlier, I was transported. When I was reading this, I could picture it all playing out in my mind. Granted, I’m no cinematographer, but I think Hur did an incredible job leading me on my imaginative journey into the heart of this story.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Feiwel & Friends, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I enjoyed this so much and cannot wait to pick up Hur’s other two novels. Apparently, YA Historical Mysteries are now my thing!

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Review: You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus

~ megs14malloy

You'll Be the Death of MeYou’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

After high-strung teenager, Ivy, loses the student council election at Carlton High to the class clown, Boney Mahoney, she’s horrified. How could this happen?!

The following day, Boney is supposed to be giving a speech addressing the school, thanking them for his victory.

Ughhhh, Ivy can’t face that.

Luckily, that morning she runs into her two estranged best friends, Cal and Mateo, in the parking lot before class and the three decide to skip school together and head into Boston for the day.

In a way, they are hoping to recreate the ‘best day ever’, a day they skipped school together and went into the city that happened to coincide with a celebration parade after the Red Sox had won the World Series.

But in truth, they’re all just hoping for an escape. A way to avoid facing all the things that are bringing them down.

When they get into the city though, Ivy spies Boney! What is he doing skipping out on his speech?

She sees red and decides to follow him, with the hopes of an epic confrontation. However, what she gets instead is the honor of stumbling upon a crime scene with a newly murdered body.

From that point forward, their potential best day ever turns into the craziest day ever as the trio attempt to avoid the cops, the media, the killer and suspicion. Oh yeah, they’re also hoping to solve the crime.

Taking place over the course of a single-day, this is a fun story, but I gotta say, probably my least favorite out of all of McManus’ prior works.

I can’t really put my finger on what it was about this one that didn’t vibe with me. Perhaps I just built it up so much in my head, anticipating it for so long, that it was destined to disappoint.

If I had to point to any one thing, I think the mystery just wasn’t compelling for me. I didn’t feel invested in it at all.

I did enjoy Ivy, Mateo and Cal; learning about their friendship, what drove them apart and their current woes. I found them to be interesting, just not the crime itself.

Regardless, the ending did have McManus’ signature final twist, which I always appreciate and because of that, I was leaning toward rounding this up to 4-stars, but have decided that just wasn’t enough.

With all of this being said, this is still a fun book. I think it will work for a ton of Readers and would be a great introduction to the YA Mystery genre. If you’ve read all of McManus’ other books, however, this one could seem lackluster in comparison.

Overall, McManus is an autobuy author for me and I will continue to pick up everything she writes.

Even though this isn’t my favorite of hers, I will still proudly display it on my shelves!!!

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