2021 releases

Review: A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers #3) by Brigid Kemmerer

~ megs14malloy

A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers, #3)A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Vow So Bold and Deadly is the final installment to Brigid Kemmerer’s popular YA-Fantasy Cursebreakers trilogy.

I have an issue closing out trilogies and series. Mainly, I put it off because I don’t want my experience with them to end. I definitely feel that’s why it took me so long to read this.

Honestly, now that I’ve completed it, I am really sad.

Why did I do this to myself? I’m not ready to say goodbye to Emberfall, Harper, Rhen, Grey, and even Lia Mara. I’ll sleep fitfully tonight.

All jokes aside, is this the last time I am going to see these characters? I know Forging Silver into Stars is related, but how related? If you know, comment below!!

Since this is the 3rd-book in the series, I’ll try to avoid revealing too much about the plot. I sort of feel like I’m the last person to read it, but you never know what other procrastinators could be lurking around.

Firstly, I was giddy with happiness about returning to this world. It felt so good to be reuniting with the characters I had grown to love over the previous two novels.

I enjoyed how Kemmerer formatted this series, with Rhen and Harper being the focus of book 1, Grey and Lia Mara, book 2, and everyone getting equal play in this one. I felt like that was a clever choice and a great way to get the Reader to attach to everyone equally.

At this point in the story, you do have characters on opposing sides and that was difficult to read. I wanted everyone to be back together and happy.

Grey was definitely pulling my attention in this one. He was being his best badass, alpha male self and I was absolutely, 100%, here for it.

There was still so much drama involving Rhen, but I did really feel for him and his circumstance. It felt so hopeless at times. I feel like Kemmerer captured the desperate nature of his feelings so well. It tore at my heart.

I loved how this felt, as we were moving back and forth between the various perspectives, you could tell you were building up to a big showdown. It was super enjoyable as the tension continually increased.

When everything came to a head, I was reading so quickly. I had to know the ultimate outcome. I did love the conclusion as well. It wasn’t stars and rainbows and fairy tale happily ever afters, but it did make sense, and I think it was as satisfying as could be wished for many of these characters.

As sad as I am that this journey through Emberfall is finally over for me, I’m definitely looking forward to picking up more of Kemmerer’s Fantasy work!!

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Review: Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes #1) by Elizabeth Lim

~ megs14malloy

Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes, #1)Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Six Crimson Cranes, like many books before her, is one that I fell in love with upon first sight.

The cover, the synopsis, the author…

I promptly preordered it and she’s been sitting on my bookshelf, gathering dust, since July of 2021.

Recently, when a book friend mentioned she wanted to read it soon, I jumped on board. Yeah, it’s about time that I got to this and unsurprisingly, I had another 5-star read just waiting to be discovered right in my very own stacks.

Elizabeth Lim is such a phenomenal writer. I knew that going in, but I was still a bit intimidated by this one. I sort of always feel that way going into a new fantasy world. I’m always concerned it will go over my head, or that I won’t be able to track all that is happening.

I shouldn’t have been worried. This was so smooth and easy to get into. The characters were charming and fun. The world, robust and well-developed, and the plot was exciting and so addictive that I finished it in 2-days.

Shiori, our main character, is the princess of Kiata, and she’s hiding the fact that she has forbidden magical powers. Shiori is one of seven children, all of her other siblings being brothers. As the only girl, Shiori certainly holds a special place amongst her family.

On the morning of Shiori’s betrothal ceremony, something she is completely against, her emotions get the best of her and she loses control of herself. In her ceremonial garb, she plunges into a lake and almost dies. The bright-side being, she did avoid the ceremony.

Shiori’s powers though have caught the attention of her stepmother, Raikama, who has a dark magic of her own.

Raikama banishes Shiori and turns all six of her brothers into cranes. Raikama warns Shiori that she must not speak of the curse to anyone. For every word that she utters, one of her brothers will die.

On her own and without a voice, Shiori must find her brothers and do whatever she can to reverse the curse. In order to do so though, she ends up having to put her trust in the very same boy she fought so hard not to marry. She also must learn to embrace her inner magic and courage.

I became fully invested in this story very, very quickly. By 15% into the audiobook, I was already shouting my love for it from the proverbial rooftops.

There were so many intriguing characters and elements to this story. The magic and the lore behind the entire creation was just stunning. Lim truly created a magical tale within these pages.

I would definitely recommend the audiobook to people who enjoy that medium. The narration by Emily Woo Zeller succeeded in bringing this story to life. I could not stop once I started. It’s truly that compelling.

I also felt like the way that Lim continued to build the tension and up the stakes throughout was exceptional. It just had such an easy way about it. A classic build to a huge climax. The ending brought me to ugly tears.

I feel like I went full on journey with Shiori. I became so attached to her. Watching her grow and find her strength and courage was so satisfying, but it doesn’t end here. Shiori has big challenges ahead in the sequel, The Dragon’s Promise, which I plan to start on Monday.

If you’re like me and have had this book sitting on your shelf unread for years, stop the madness now. Pick this up. Give it a read. She deserves it!!!

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Review: The Watchers by A.M. Shine

~ megs14malloy

The WatchersThe Watchers by A.M. Shine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A.M. Shine’s The Watchers kicks off quickly, with the opening section following a husband and wife, who seeking an adventure, go for a drive through the wickedly-enchanting lands of Connemara, in the West of Ireland.

The events of that drive set the tone, and also the stage, for the rest of the story. Needless to say, I was hooked.

We then meet our MC, Mina, who along with an unusual copilot, a beautiful Golden Conure, also goes traveling through those same wild lands.

Mina’s trying to make a quick buck. It should be easy, delivering the parrot safely to its new owner. When her car breaks down on the abandoned road though, her task suddenly becomes anything but easy. Mina exits her car, bringing the bird with her, as she searches for help.

The woodlands are eerie enough, but the screams make it all so much worse…

With no cell phone reception, or clue as to where she is, Mina has to keep going. There’s no telling how long it could take another car to come along this way.

Eventually she comes across a woman, shouting at her and waving for her to enter a concrete bunker. Scared out of her wits by the woods, Mina does as she’s told and enters the shelter. From there, she becomes captive to that seemingly safe space. A hostage of what’s lurking in the woods.

If you’re expecting answers quickly, don’t be. Part of the success of this story is the way that Shine builds that sense of uncertainty and unease. My thoughts were swirling as Mina entered the shelter.

What the heck was going on? The other residents of the shelter, Madeline, Daniel and Ciara, all seem like they’ve been there for a while, but just how long is unclear? And what is watching them? What are they afraid of?

I will say, about a third of the way through, it did start to slow down for me. We focus more on the characters at that point, and their forced interactions in the tiny shelter.

Part of me feels like that may have been intentional by the author. Perhaps as a way to lull the Reader into a bit of complacency, because just as you forget how much danger these characters are in, it rears its ugly head again and that fear and suspense is back.

Even with this pace change though, I was still intrigued and invested in finding out what the truth was.

This ultimately went in a direction I wasn’t expecting and there were a few reveals, as the conclusion approached, that I found to be so clever and disturbing.

I was definitely impressed with the atmosphere and horror concepts that Shine delivered here. This type of unsettling Folk Horror is something I tend to enjoy and this one will now live rent-free in my brain for a long time.

I recommend this to any Horror Reader, particularly if you enjoy unsettling atmospherea and Folk Horror that can get under your skin and stay there. I would also recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Pines by Blake Crouch, or Bird Box by Josh Malerman.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. The Watchers is a very solid story of Irish Folk Horror. I found it disturbing in the best ways. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!

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Review: Lakesedge (World at the Lake’s Edge #1) by Lyndall Clipstone

~ megs14malloy

Lakesedge (World at the Lake's Edge, #1)Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Lakesedge, the first book in Lyndall Clipstone’s YA-Gothic Fantasy Romance duology, World at the Lake’s Edge, delivered the exact vibes I was hoping for.

Dripping with angst, ’tis the season for this kind of story.

This novel released in 2021 and has been sitting on my shelves, glaring at me accusingly ever since. Last year, her sequel joined her on the shelf, and the judgement doubled.

Unable to handle their harassment anymore, and in the mood for a Dark Fantasy Romance that was going to serve Gothic Feels, I decided it was finally time to give it a go.

In this story, we follow 17-year old, Violeta, and her younger brother, Arien, 13. Violeta and Arien were orphaned when they were very young. They fled their original home after the deaths of their parents and were eventually found on a road beside the mysterious Vair Woods.

The woman who found them decided to take them in. Initially, all was well, but when Arien started exhibiting certain dark powers, the woman began to punish him, trying to rid him of these disturbing behaviors.

Leta, trying to protect her brother, would frequently be harmed and punished as well.

Her treatment of them continues getting worse. The night before a tithe day, things come to a head. They’re not sure how much more they can take and discuss running away.

On tithe day, a mysterious young man takes notice of Arien’s powers when they bubble up unexpectedly. The Monster of Lakesedge, Rowan, offers Arien the chance to come live at his estate, to learn how to control his peculiar powers.

It’s an intriguing offer, one the boy can’t and doesn’t want to refuse. Through some prodding, it is agreed that Leta will go along to Lakesedge as well.

Thus, Leta and Arien are able to escape their terrible home life, but what will their fate be now? It seems equally as dangerous. Can they truly trust Rowan?

They’ve heard terrible rumors about him and the estate is dripping with gothic dangers. Will they be better off than they were before, or will they become the next victims of the Monster of Lakesedge?

I thought this was a lot of fun. It definitely delivered me the vibes, drama and romantic angst that I was hoping for.

A dark tone is set within the first pages and just from that alone, I was hooked. It’s a compelling read and I flew through it. It had a great, dark Fairy Tale feel, and I was picking up slight Beauty and the Beast vibes, which I wasn’t expecting; a delightful surprise.

The sexual tension between Leta and Rowan was so dramatic and well written. I loved watching them learn about each other. They were drawn together like moths to a flame and I was here for every minute of it.

I also enjoyed the Elemental Magic system, which involved drawing sigils on the users body to control the elements and channel the spell. There were a couple of other women, Florance and Clover, who lived at the estate with Rowan, sort of like domestic help, and Clover, in particular, helped teach Arien and Leta about magic.

We love supportive teacher/student vibes.

The main drama focuses on a sort of curse that Lakesedge has on it, called the Corruption. It has poisoned the grounds and lake. Rowan has been searching for a way to clear the Corruption and he believes Arien can help.

Both Arien and Leta begin to fall in love with their life there. They begin to feel like they’ve finally found a home and they’re committed to helping Rowan any way they can. I loved that for them; how attached and comfortable they began to feel at the estate.

The concluding events were intense. There’s a dark spirit involved, the Lord Under, who seems particularly drawn to Leta. Through negotiations with him, Leta may be able to break the curse, but what will it cost her?

This wasn’t perfect. There were some aspects I felt could have been more clear, particularly towards the end, or some repetitive things in the middle section, that could have been taken out, but overall, I feel like this was a solid story.

It does end after a fairly large, life-changing event for Leta. While I wouldn’t necessarily call it a cliffhanger, it definitely leaves you wanting to know more; where the story will go from here.

Luckily, as mentioned above, I have the sequel at the ready and plan to be starting it very soon.

I would recommend this to YA-Fantasy Romance Readers, particularly if you enjoy a Gothic atmosphere, an engaging magic system and angsty romance.

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Review: Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood edited by Kwame Mbalia

~ megs14malloy

Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black BoyhoodBlack Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood by Kwame Mbalia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely adored every moment I spent with this collection. I highly recommend the audiobook format, as the narration is so fun. Each story was unique and well-written.

Mbalia pulled together an incredible group of authors to contribute to this important and heart-warming Middle Grade anthology. I could feel the intention, integrity and passion each and every one of these author’s poured into these works.

This should be in every public school and local library in the United States. There’s so much here to celebrate. 10-out-of-10 recommend to Middle Grade Readers!!

Original:

I respect Kwame Mbalia and his work so much. I’ve been meaning to get to this collection since it was released, and honestly, I feel like now is the perfect time for it.

I need something uplifting and joyful!!

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Review: Reprieve by James Han Mattson

~ megs14malloy

ReprieveReprieve by James Han Mattson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this. I don’t read a lot of stories that feature this sort of Literary Fiction mixed with strong Social Horror.

I felt like this author did a great job constructing this one. I feel like with the people it’s going to hit with, it will really hit. Reprieve has the power to stay on your mind.

I listened to the audiobook and found it immersive. The tone of J.D. Jackson’s narration was, despite the content, soothing and very easy to get swept up in.

This story is set in 1997 and is constructed via a few different style elements. The idea is that there has been a murder at a full-contact, horror-inspired escape room called Quigley House, and we learn about the individuals involved, as well as the aftermath of the crime.

You get a few different character perspectives leading up to their involvement with the fateful night at Quigley House. You also follow along with the group of four contestants making their way through the different levels of the escape room process. Finally, you get court transcripts from the trial following the murder.

An aspect I think some Readers may dislike are the fairly large sections from the different perspectives in the before portions, that are pure character development. They provide context for the various characters ending up at the escape room, but they’re not particularly exciting, or thrilling, if I’m being honest.

With this being said though, I actually really enjoyed the author’s choices in constructing it that way. There were little hints provided throughout these sections that gave you insight into how they were all ultimately going to be connected. I liked watching it all come together.

Additionally, I enjoyed that sort of slow build-up of the eventual relationships and connections. I felt James Han Mattson gave real care to the creation of these characters and it gave it a certain level of authenticity that I appreciated.

The Social Horror was strong, particularly involving race and social status. Those themes branched throughout all of the different sections of the story and I feel like the author did a great job with it, bringing a slightly different perspective than I have read before. Jaidee’s experience as a foreign student coming to the U.S. was eye-opening.

Even though I had a great experience with this one, I do understand why some Readers aren’t connecting with this like they wanted. I think if you go into it expecting a fast-paced and exciting Horror-Thriller set in a escape room, you may be let down by the slow-build and focus on non-escape room content, of which there’s a lot.

I think if you enter this one with the right mindset though, and allow yourself to just settle into the character’s personal journeys, you could end up enjoying this as much as I did. Hopefully, this review will help you decide whether it will be for you or not.

I will definitely be picking up whatever James Han Mattson chooses to write next!

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Rereading My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

~ megs14malloy

My Heart Is a Chainsaw (The Lake Witch Trilogy, #1)My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My heart is full. I’m so glad I took the time to reread this one before diving into Don’t Fear the Reaper. This time around, I am switching my rating to a full 5-stars.

I feel like I got to know Jade’s character more this time. The first time, I was so focused on the Slasher references, some of the texture of the story was lost on me. Not this time. I see you, Jade, and I hear you loud and clear.

I think my biggest take-away this time through was actually Jade’s relationship with Slashers. I have a better understanding now of what drew her to that genre, what compelled her to learn all she could and what keeps her mind constantly cycling through all she knows as life gets tough, or uncertain, around her.

In a way, it is a self-soothing act for her and that makes my heart ache for her character even more than it did before. Jade has not had an easy life.

With the precariousness of her life, her living situation and future, Jade is searching for something solid and true. She craves a structure that won’t let her down.

She finds all she is looking for in Slashers. Any student of the genre knows that to be true. It does follow a certain pattern and Jade draws from that to relate to events that are going on around her. It’s a coping mechanism in a way.

I feel like the first time I read this, I was so invested in all Jade had to say about the genre that I failed to focus as much on why she was saying it.

Reading this again allowed me to focus more on the substance behind all that in-your-face Slasher goodness.

I am so excited to move forward with the next book. Don’t Fear the Reaper is releasing this coming Tuesday, February, 7th!! You’ve got just enough time to read this one before that release, if you haven’t already. Time to get cracking!

Original:

**4.5-stars rounded up**

My Heart Is a Chainsaw is Stephen Graham Jones most recent and brilliant, love letter to the Slasher genre. It’s also one of my most anticipated books of the year. Happily, it did not disappoint.

I actually finished this on September 2nd. Subsequently, I wrote a full review, which if I do say so myself, was pretty darn good.

Then due to major stupidity on my part, my laptop got inadvertently shutdown and all of my efforts were erased.

Normally, I would try to find another person within striking distance to blame, but unfortunately, it was just me, my dog and a potentially haunted ceiling fan.

But I digress…let’s try it again:

Jade Daniels is a social outcast in her small, lakeside town of Proofrock, Idaho. A half-Indian girl, forced to live with her abusive father, Jade changes her hair color often and views the world through a prism of her vast knowledge of the Horror genre.

As her high school career comes to a close, there’s not much on the horizon for Jade. She works as a janitor for the local public school system, and it seems she may be doing so well into the future.

That in and of itself is fine. If she could just stay away from her Dad and his pervy friend, it would all be okay.

When mysterious events around town start mirroring the plot structure of her favorite genre, however, Jade knows it’s finally happening. Oddly, she’s excited by the prospect.

Proofrock has a real-life Slasher on their hands!

Therefore, she does what any logical Horror Aficionado would do and tracks down the most obvious choice for Final Girl, in this case, new girl, Letha Mondragon, so she may teach her the fine art of defeating a Slasher.

Sure, there’s likely to be a high body count, that’s a given. After all, it’s almost time for the annual 4th of July celebration and we all know Slashers cannot resist events like that, but the final girl should still be able to stop him. Eventually.

I’m always amazed by how much Jones can pack into a story. Each page feels like a Master Class in the Horror genre; full of references and the rules that make my heart soar.

In addition to that though, he always doses us full of hard-hitting real world issues as well. There are many layers here, as there are in other novels of his that I have read.

This story was so much fun to read. It’s intricate, gritty, bloody, gory, smart, sarcastic, biting and fierce. The writing is top-notch and it’s going to remain in my mind for a long time to come.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am sure there are a lot of things I am forgetting to mention about this, but what can I say?

I’m silenced by greatness!

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Review: The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious #4) by Maureen Johnson

~ megs14malloy

The Box in the Woods (Truly Devious #4)The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s finally Summer and for True Crime enthusiast, Stevie Bell, that means returning home from Ellingham Academy. After solving a real-life murder case at school, working at the deli counter of a local grocery store is going to be a real Snooze Fest. Yawn, indeed.

Stevie has just about come to grips with her new Summer status when she receives some correspondence that grabs her attention. Maybe the next couple of months won’t be so boring after all.

The message is from the new owner of a kid’s summer camp, Shady Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls. Stevie is intrigued because she knows this camp.

In 1978, Camp Wonder Falls, and the neighboring town of Barlow Corners, suffered a terrible tragedy. Four local teens, all counselors at the camp, were killed in the woods one night, having snuck away for some private fun.

The case was never solved. Carson, the new owner, invites Stevie to become a counselor, while also working with him developing a podcast focusing on the murders.

You may be wondering why an adult would seek Stevie out and offer her this position, but keep in mind, at this point, Stevie and her crime solving antics have gained her some notoriety. Particularly in True Crime circuits. Carson believes Stevie may be able to crack the decades old case.

The kicker is, Stevie gets to bring some friends along. That sweetens the deal and she’s in, along with Nate and Janelle.

But this town is as enmeshed in these murders as the camp itself, and someone doesn’t want the case to be solved, putting Stevie and her friends in danger. Will they be able to figure it, or become victims themselves?

The Box in the Woods was nostalgic and fun. I enjoyed the shake-up, as far as the setting goes, in this one. I love Ellingham Academy, don’t get me wrong, but this made for a nice change of pace.

I always enjoy a scary summer camp vibe and this definitely had that. It was campy, mysterious and cleverly-plotted. A fantastic set-up.

As with the earlier books in this series, you do get the past perspective played out for you as well. I enjoyed the sections from the past a lot.

You’re there as the vicious crime is discovered and then taken back to learn of events leading up to it. The murders themselves were chilling, the descriptions and discovery, just imagining being in the camp when something like that happened. It was creepy.

Amateur sleuths are one of my absolute favorite tropes in a mystery and Stevie is one of the best. I love how her mind works and watching her go about her research and putting the pieces together is just so satisfying.

I also was impressed with how Johnson wrote this one so that it could actually be read as a standalone. I have read every book in this series and would definitely recommend that, but I can see how someone could actually read this on its own.

Then, once they fall in the love with the characters, they could actually go back and read the previous books.

Oh, also, before I forget, for David fans, he is in this one too and I gotta say, I enjoyed him here. I’ve never been a huge David-stan, but for some reason in this one, he really grew on me.

I’m not sure if it is because of everything he has been through over the course of the last two books, but he is really maturing and nicely. I’m super stoked for the next book, because I’m interested to see where their relationship goes.

For those interested, the fifth book, Nine Liars, is releasing at the end of this month, on Tuesday, December 27th.

I love these characters and the compelling mysteries Johnson brings to the page. The alternating timelines and steady progressions of the plots have never failed to keep me fully engaged.

I will continue to read this series for as long as they continue to release books. Stevie fan for life!!

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Review: The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club #2) by Richard Osman

~ megs14malloy

The Man Who Died Twice (Thursday Murder Club, #2)The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

❤️💙🖤❤️💙🖤❤️💙🖤❤️💙🖤❤️💙🖤❤️💙🖤❤️

After reading The Thursday Murder Club last month, I knew I needed to continue with this series right away.

I fell in love with the characters, the retirement community setting and the compelling mystery that played out.

The Man Who Died Twice is the second book of the series and dare I say, I enjoyed it even more than the first, which I loved. It seems the more time I spend with these characters, the more invested I become.

In this story we are reunited with Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, shortly after the events of Book 1. The impetus to this adventure is Elizabeth receiving a letter from an old colleague/flame, who finds himself in a bit of a bind and is hoping for her assistance.

There’s $20,000,000 in diamonds and mobsters involved, of course, because what fun would it be otherwise?

We meet Douglas, the old flame, along with his partner Poppy. Ibrahim has a scary run in outside of Cooper’s Chase that makes him reevaluate everything. Donna and Chris are actively trying to nab a local drug lord.

There’s a lot going on, but all of the varying plot-lines blended together perfectly. Osman made it comfortable to read and engaging throughout.

I never had times were I was in one perspective wishing to get back to another, which can happen with stories that switch perspectives frequently.

Elizabeth, Joyce and their friendship were again the stars of the show for me, although I do really love everyone.

Additionally, I feel like we got to know Donna and Chris, the local detectives who have befriended the Murder Club, a bit more. I really enjoy both of their characters. Donna is struggling a bit with her place in life and Chris’s new relationship with Donna’s mother, Patrice.

I actually felt it was important for us to hear her struggles. I liked to see that vulnerability from her. It made her relationships with the people in the Murder Club seem that much more important now. I get it, Donna. I see you.

It was also so fun having more Bogdan. Bogdan, a Polish man of many useful talents, helps around Cooper’s Chase and in this one, is particularly helpful to Elizabeth. Their relationship is so special.

I guess you can probably spot the theme here. Even though this is a super fun mystery, at it’s heart this is a story of people making their way in the world and the special bonds they’ve formed with one another.

It has filled my heart reading both of these books and I’m so looking forward to picking up the third!

I definitely recommend this series and highly recommend the audiobooks. The narration is fabulously done and overall, it’s just a super engaging listening experience!!

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Review: Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

~ megs14malloy

Cinderella Is DeadCinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cinderella Is Dead is set in a stark-Fantasy world, 200-years after the legendary Cinderella’s happily ever after with Prince Charming.

We follow 16-year old, Sophia, who on the eve of her first Ball, can think only of how she wants to be with her girlfriend, Erin, forever after, not with some man, or boy, she doesn’t even know.

Even though it’s risky, Sophia pleads with Erin to run away with her. Erin refuses. In their society it is treacherous to be different; to want something different for their lives. Erin is scared to be caught, to put herself and her family at risk.

Within the kingdom, all young ladies of a certain age are required to attend the King’s Annual Ball, where they are paraded around in the hopes of being selected to be a man’s wife. They are given a limited number of chances. If not selected, it’s sort of unclear what becomes of them, but many forfeited girls are never heard from again.

The girls are chosen for completely superficial reasons, so it’s important to look your best; to be seen, but not heard.

On the night of their Ball, one of Sophia and Erin’s friends isn’t as prepared as she should be. The King reacts harshly and the poor girl’s fate is sealed.

After witnessing the King’s cruelty, and the citizens impotence in the face of such evil, Sophia can’t stand it anymore. She makes up her mind that she needs to get away. Feeling she has no other option, refusing to bow to these ridiculous traditions, Sophia runs.

Now a wanted criminal, on her own for the first time, outside the grip of the kingdom, Sophia begins to learn more about the kingdom’s history and finds that the lore the society is based upon is nothing but a bag of lies.

Together with her new friend, Constance, Sophia vows to return to the kingdom and dismantle the hurtful, unfair and savage system. It may not be easy though, as the King’s power stems for a formidable and unusual place.

While this started strong for me, with an intriguing premise and set-up, the further I got into the story, the more it lost my interest.

By the end, I was ready to move on. I still think this is a solid idea and build-up, however the final execution just didn’t match my tastes.

As the story opens, I was intrigued by the system and I still find that interesting. I also like how Bayron framed the society around the legend of Cinderella. It was a clever plot device for setting the stage for some serious examination of a patriarchal society.

I also really enjoyed and appreciated how well the dystopian tone blended with the fantastical backdrop. That was nicely done.

I think where this started to lose me was the melodramatic interactions between Sophia and Constance. I didn’t like Constance at all. I was disturbed at how quickly Sophia shoved aside her once-proclaimed super powerful feelings for Erin the second she met Constance.

That didn’t feel genuine. It kind of turned me off to both characters. I also didn’t vibe with how quickly and easily the girls seemed to be able to overpower, or influence, others. This was especially evident in the final scenes, although I don’t want to say too much here because, spoilers.

Overall, I think this was creative and had a very solid set-up. The ideas explored were interesting and I loved the use of the actual fairy tale to set up the basis for the functioning of this system.

Even though the execution of this didn’t quite blow me away, I am still definitely looking forward to reading more from this author!!

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