2021 releases

Review: Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

~ megs14malloy

Razorblade TearsRazorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When Ike Randolph’s son, Isiah, is brutally murdered, Ike isn’t just heart-broken. He’s also filled with regrets.

When Isiah came out to him, Ike handled it poorly and never ended up fully accepting Isiah’s relationship with his husband, Derek.

Derek’s father, Buddy Lee, struggled with his son’s sexuality also and knows all too well the regrets Ike is experiencing.

Although Ike and Buddy Lee have never really associated, Buddy Lee seeks Ike out after their son’s murders. He wants to get to the bottom of it and thinks that Ike will be able to help him.

Besides their son’s relationship and subsequent deaths, Ike and Buddy Lee have something else in common. They’re both ex-cons. A fact that put additional strain on their relationships with their boys.

Initially, Ike is offended that Buddy Lee has come to him in such a way. He feels like Buddy Lee wants to use him on his mission of revenge, but then something happens that Ike can’t ignore. He won’t see his son’s memory scandalized in such a way.

After that, the two men pair up and an investigation of epic proportions ensues.

Ike and Buddy Lee are like the lovable odd couple in every buddy cop movie, except that they’re ex-cons. Which personally, I just think added to their depth of character and likability.

Neither one of them is perfect. They’ve both made a lot of mistakes and done many things they aren’t proud of. They’re open about that though and I appreciated that about them.

The conversations between the two men, as they got to know one another, were quite moving to read. They had frank discussions involving race and sexuality that really packed a punch, but in a natural way. It never felt overdone, or in your face.

I feel like Cosby did an incredible job of incorporating such social commentary seamlessly into the narrative.

I grew so attached to these characters over the course of the story; not just Ike and Buddy Lee, but side characters such as Ike’s wife and a woman named, Tangerine.

As I raced towards the conclusion, I knew this one would break my heart and it did, but in a good way. That doesn’t really make sense, does it?

I think if you read this, it will become clear. At it’s heart a story of revenge, this is also a story of hope, personal growth, change and possibly even redemption.

I grew to love these two men, flawed though they were. Cosby’s writing is captivating from the very start. This was expertly-crafted for maximum impact. If you don’t have this on your TBR yet…

I had the pleasure of Buddy Reading this one with my fabulous niece, Alyssa. We had some great discussions throughout.

I would definitely recommend this one for Book Club, Buddy Reads, or even a solo venture. In summation:

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Review: The Bone Cay by Eliza Nellums

~ megs14malloy

The Bone CayThe Bone Cay by Eliza Nellums
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Magda Trudell is the caretaker of Whimbrell Estate in Key West, Florida. The stately property was once home to a famous American poet, Isobel Reyes, who committed suicide on the property in 1918.

Magda, a botanist and historian, has dedicated her most recent years to restoring Whimbrell Estate to its former glory; something Isobel could be proud of.

Magda’s hope is for Whimbrell to be recognized as a national historic site. It’s important to her that Isobel’s legacy be passed down for future generations to enjoy.

Some might say she is a little obsessed with it actually.

When a fierce hurricane is reported to be headed straight for the Keys, local authorities call a mandatory evacuation.

Magda isn’t hearing it. There is no way she is fleeing and leaving her life’s work at risk to Mother Nature. She must stay and protect the property, whatever the cost.

Once the storm hits, it proves to be just as dangerous as the experts predicted. Go figure.

Now with her supplies wiped out and the house barely livable, Magda has company arrive. A teenage girl and her father, seeking shelter from the storm.

Without many resources to spare, Magda nonetheless takes them in. It’s the three of them against the storm. Will they be able to survive?

In amongst all of this, Magda discovers some hidden artifacts that she believes may be tied to Isobel’s death. You know she will never leave those artifacts behind. This is her chance to leave her imprint on Isobel’s story.

The Bone Cay is a good book. I had never read anything by Eliza Nellums and I’m glad that I had a chance to.

I think for a lot of people, this will be a really great story. For me, it was good. It kept my attention and I’m glad that I read it. However, I wouldn’t say it will remain particularly memorable for me.

It’s a simply-told, linear story that makes a great escape from regular life. I enjoyed the setting of the Keys and Magda’s role as caretaker for the Estate.

Some aspects of the storm and the discovery of the new artifacts seemed a little strange to me, but in the context of the story, it did flow fairly well. As I mentioned above, I do think a lot of Readers will enjoy this.

I think it could work well for history buffs, particularly Florida history buffs, and people just getting into the Thriller genre.

Thank you so much to the publishers, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. I did listen to the audiobook and would recommend that as a medium for reading this story. It was quite well narrated.

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Review: If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich

~ megs14malloy

If This Gets OutIf This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

🤍💙🎶🎵🤍💙🎶🎵🤍💙🎶🎵🤍💙🎶🎵🤍💙🎶🎵🤍

Ruben, Zach, Angel and Jon are all members of the American boy band, Saturday.

This fabulous foursome is currently riding sky-high on the wings of their world-wide popularity, but their lives are not as carefree as they first appear.

The boys are fiercely controlled by their management company, pigeon-holing them into preordained personas that they are heavily pushed not to stray from.

Particularly struggling with this is Ruben, who is gay. He has been asking management to let him come out to their fans, but he is continually told that it isn’t the right time.

Ruben feels stifled, like he is unable to be his true self in any public way. This fact is beginning to weigh heavily on him.

On a European tour, Ruben and Zach begin to grow closer as Ruben confides to Zach how he has been feeling. Zach, for his part, discovers he is having feelings for Ruben that he has never experienced before; at least not that he has admitted to himself.

As their friendship evolves into romance, they decide that they want to be able to live openly, not just with their friends and family, but with everyone; particularly with their fans.

It becomes clear this will never be acceptable to their management. What are they to do? They can’t let down their best friends, Jon and Angel, sacrifices need to be made to be in a group, but how much is too much?

I really enjoyed my time reading If This Gets Out. I became so attached to these characters. The boys were all well-fleshed out and lovable in their own unique ways.

While this story is sticky sweet, it also explores a lot of challenging topics. I thought the authors beautifully blended the light-hearted aspects with the serious. It really is a well-rounded Contemporary.

I love stories featuring music, or musicians, so I had a feeling this one would work for me, but I was truly impressed with how deeply I came to care for these guys.

I will say, it did feel a little long to me, but in the end, that is a minor complaint compared to all the goodness I received within these pages.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I think this is a top-notch story and look forward to reading more from both of these authors. Also, if they could work together again, that would be so fantastic. Clearly, a great partnership!!!

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Review: All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

~ megs14malloy

All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains #1)All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once every generation, in the city of Ilvernath, seven families must choose a champion who will represent them in a tournament where the contestants fight to the death.

The prize is an inexhaustible supply of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world. The family whose champion wins, gains control over that magick for their family until the next tournament.

Obviously, this is extremely important and puts a whole load of pressure on the contestants.

With this tournament in particular, thanks to a recently released tell-all book, the contestants are thrust into the spotlight like never before.

Will the contestants be able to use this difference to their advantage, or will it distract them to the point of death? Can anything ever change the cycle of the Tournament? Does their world have to be this way?

All of Us Villains is basically The Hunger Games if it were fought exclusively by members of Slytherin House.

Well, Slytherin and maybe one Gryffindor.

If you read this statement and you’re thinking, why would I want to read that? I’ve read those stories. I want something new. I will just stress, this is something new!

Even though it channels those vibes. Particularly, the vibe of Knockturn Alley at night in the midst of a thunderstorm, this is its own thing.

I loved how the authors formatted this, with the Reader finding out who the champion of each house would be along with the rest of the citizens of Ilvernath.

Following some of the contestants perspectives, we get to know each one of them and the challenges they face in pursuit of their goals. There’s plotting, scheming, strategizing and like a good season of Survivor, a lot of alliances.

The writing in this story is just beautiful. It’s exceptionally detailed, lush and dramatic.

I could definitely feel both Foody and Herman within these pages; the darkness, monsters, violence, despair, but also highly developed and likable characters, even in all their antihero-ness.

Honestly, these two authors working together is everything I have ever wanted. I feel like they have created something truly memorable here.

You may be wondering after all of my gushing, why I only gave this 4-stars, as opposed to 5. For me, I don’t think I ever truly understood the magic system.

I am not sure if it is because I was so distracted by the characters themselves, that perhaps I missed out on some details, but I feel like there was something missing.

With this being said, I still really enjoyed this story and would love to read it again actually. Most likely, before the next book is released, I will do so.

Basically, this book is the love child of Draco Malfoy and Katniss Everdeen. It’s amazing and feels like a dark fantasy reader’s dreams come true. Yep, that’s right.

Thank you so much to the publishers, Tor Teen and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint. I cannot wait for more collaborative efforts from these authors!!!

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Review: A Cornish Christmas Murder (Nosey Parker Mystery #4) by Fiona Leitch

~ megs14malloy

A Cornish Christmas Murder: A gripping and hilarious murder mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman (A Nosey Parker Cozy Mystery, Book 4)A Cornish Christmas Murder: A gripping and hilarious murder mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman by Fiona Leitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

When Jodie Parker’s old school chum, Lily, invites her to cater a charity event for children hosted by a notorious millionaire, she graciously accepts.

The event is set to be held just three days before Christmas at an old abbey on Bodmin Moor. The location is remote and the property is currently being transformed by Lily and her employer into a boutique hotel.

As Jodie arrives on the night of the event, with her mother, daughter, best friend and dog in tow, the snow begins to fall in earnest.

Over the course of the night, with all the festivities going on, Jodie is too busy to notice that it never really stops. By the time things are wrapped up and Jodie and friends have cleaned and packed, it’s too messy to leave.

Although communication with the outside world is spotty, they do receive word that the roads through the Moors are blocked. They have no choice but to stay the night.

There are plenty of rooms, heat and food to accommodate the group left over, which includes, in addition to the caterer and her staff, Lily, her employer, the millionaire, his son and assistant, a Santa impersonator, a small group of Japanese eco-tourists and a stranded couple trying to travel home from a dinner party.

Early the next morning, one of the guests is discovered dead in his room. From the looks of the scene, it wasn’t a natural death.

Luckily, Jodie Parker, isn’t your standard caterer. She’s recently resigned from the Metropolitan Police and this isn’t the first murder she’s investigated.

Able to briefly contact her DCI boyfriend, Nathan, Jodie explains the situation and has Nathan call help for them.

Now she just has to keep the scene under control until the police force is able to arrive. Easier said than done.

I had so much fun reading this. It has a classic set-up and likable, hilarious characters.

Further, it featured some of my favorite Mystery tropes. This Cornish Cozy gave me exactly the vibe I was hoping for rolling into the holiday season.

I know the more books that I read in this series, the more attached I am going to get to these characters. Rest assured, I will definitely be reading the other books in this series.

The investigation was a hoot. The dynamic between Jodie and her family had me giggling throughout. The narrative is wacky, wild and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Leitch has got quite a sense of humor.

Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I recommend picking this one up over the holiday season. Give yourself an escape for a bit. Sit back, put your feet up and have a laugh!

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Review: Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena

~ megs14malloy

Not a Happy FamilyNot a Happy Family by Shari Lapena
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What could be better than a holiday dinner with family?

Yoga class, walking the dog, your favorite pair of leggings, reading, online shopping, taking your bra off after a long day at work, sitting by a crackling fireplace, trying a new beverage at Starbucks, getting your period, going to the dentist…okay, apparently there are a lot of things that are more enjoyable to holiday dinners with your family.

You know what I’m talking about. You know.

Maybe you have too much to drink. Maybe everybody has too much to drink. Comparisons between you and your siblings come up. Maybe even the dreaded political discussion and the next thing you know, you’re throwing on your favorite wool peacoat and storming out into the night in a huff of thinly-veiled rage.

I mean, I guess it depends on the family.

The family in this story, the Mertons, although wealthy, are not a happy family. Their holiday dinners get very messy indeed.

When the family comes together for this particular Easter dinner, things get especially uncomfortable.

The patriarch of the Merton family, Fred, seems to take great pleasure in making his three adult children, Catherine, Dan and Jenna, miserable. It’s like he is actively trying to make their lives more difficult.

The night ends fairly early, with everyone leaving a little disgruntled. Ahhh, dinners with family, am I right?

The following morning, when Irena, the family’s long-time domestic help returns to clean-up, she finds the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Merton. They’ve been murdered.

Now everyone in the family is a suspect. They all had a motive. Most of them had an opportunity. Who done it?

Going into Not a Happy Family, I will admit to being apprehensive. I’ve had a hit or miss relationship with Lapena, so had no clue how this one would be for me.

My favorite aspect was how the story was formatted.

The short, alternating chapters, made it an incredibly fast read and I was fully engaged. After each perspective, I was sure I had it all figured out.

Alternating between everyone, you get a full picture of what being a part of the Merton family was actually like. It wasn’t pretty.

All of the children were treated poorly by their father and the mother never seemed to stick up for them. She certainly didn’t put a stop to it.

Also, there’s a large inheritance involved, so that always adds a layer to the motive cake.

With this being said, there were other players involved, so don’t narrow your focus too much. You never know who could be out to get jerks like this.

From the very first chapter I was hooked into this story. Lapena wastes no time jumping into the nitty-gritty and it kept me guessing until the very end.

The audiobook was quite good. I definitely recommend that as a format to take this story in.

This is my favorite Lapena thus far and I am looking forward to reading more of her work!

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Review: Seven Dirty Secrets by Natalie D. Richards

~ megs14malloy

Seven Dirty SecretsSeven Dirty Secrets by Natalie D. Richards
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars rounded up**

One caused the fall. One did nothing.
One saw it all. One didn’t care.
One used their head. One played the hero.
One was left for dead.

Reading the above at the beginning of the synopsis for Seven Dirty Secrets, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

I see something like that and automatically want to know all the scandalous details. In short, if someone has a secret, I want to know all about it.

Natalie D. Richards kicks this one off immediately. In the very first chapter you a diving into the drama. I really appreciated that.

We follow 18-year old, Cleo, who on her birthday receives a hella creepy invitation to participate in a scavenger hunt.

At first, although the initial placing of the first clue was scary for her, Cleo believes that perhaps her best friend, Hope, or her brother, Conner, are behind it.

However, when they both vehemently deny having anything to do with the hunt, she is forced to consider other culprits.

Cleo’s given a weekend to solve all the clues, or a deep dark secret of hers will be revealed. A secret that involves the drowning death of her boyfriend, Declan, the previous year on a rafting trip.

Cleo puts her head down and digs in, determined to solve this mystery, before it is too late for her and the rest of her friend group.

As mentioned above, Richards wastes no time getting into the nitty-gritty of this story. Cleo discovers the first clue within moments of the story beginning.

After that, it is non-stop action until the bitter end.

While the synopsis of this seems absolutely up my alley, I can’t say I thoroughly enjoyed this reading experience.

I listened to the audiobook on a road trip over Thanksgiving holiday and had to push myself to get through it. The narrator just did not work for me. Frankly, it was painful.

It felt so forced, with zero expression. The voices for the male characters, wow. I would have preferred she read their dialogue in her regular voice than the ones she was putting on.

Further, anytime there was any excitement in the narrative, where someone would be shouting, or freaking out, it felt like she was reading it out loud in her apartment and didn’t want her neighbors to hear what she was doing.

With this being said, I can’t really blame the narrative style completely. There were parts of this story that I found repetitive and I didn’t care for any of the characters.

While I don’t need to like characters in order to enjoy a story, I at least need to be invested in their outcome. I just don’t feel like I ever relaxed enough into this one in order to feel that for them. I think I was too distracted by everything else going on.

This is a solid premise and Richards does a great job of keeping the pace steady throughout. I wish I could have connected with it more, but just because I didn’t, doesn’t mean you won’t.

If this synopsis sounds intriguing to you, absolutely give it a shot. A hard copy could end up being one of your favorite books of the year!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide my honest opinions.

Even though this one didn’t hit like I wanted it to, I will absolutely continue to pick up Richards future work.

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Review: Nanny Needed by Georgina Cross

~ megs14malloy ~ 1 Comment

Nanny NeededNanny Needed by Georgina Cross
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

When Sarah Larsen finds a job posting in the lobby of her building from a wealthy family looking for a nanny, she thinks it may be just the break she needs to get out of debt.

Sure, it says, special conditions apply, which is a little suspicious, but she’s never going to make headway in her bills with just her waitressing gig.

Applying for the job, she can hardly believe it when she makes it through to the interview stage.

Even more unbelievable is the family home, a penthouse on the Upper West Side. This is exactly what she needs and she gets it!

The Bird family is extremely wealthy and cherish their privacy, therefore, Sarah is required to sign an NDA, which she doesn’t think too much about.

The pay, the work hours, the minimal job requirements, it all seems a little too good to be true. And y’all know, if it seems that way, it’s because it is!

It doesn’t take long on the new job before Sarah realizes something is very off with the Birds. Very, very off.

Although the other members of staff aren’t completely willing to talk with her about the family, the little she is able to pick up indicates there have been a few nannies before her, the last one departing suddenly.

What happened to them? What would make them leave such a seemingly prestigious placement?

Nanny Needed is one wild ride. Getting to meet the Bird family was quite the jaw dropping experience. Oh wow, the secrets we keep.

Sarah got into it deep. I can’t believe how long she stayed into it, but there we go. Throughout it all, I was hooked, I’ll admit it, like a moth to a flame.

Rich people drama is a trope I love. While this was a bit far-fetched, it still kept me entertained. Particularly the second-half, which I read it one sitting.

I think if you are looking for a fun, fast-paced, Lifetime movie-type read, this would be a good one to pick up. Even though it most likely won’t be super memorable for me, it kept me engaged the entire time I was reading and that’s a great thing!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I definitely look forward to picking up more from this author!

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Review: The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

~ megs14malloy

The Night She DisappearedThe Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

In 2019, 19-year old Tallulah heads out on a date with her live-in boyfriend, Zach. The young couple have a beautiful baby boy, Noah, so don’t get to spend a lot of time alone together.

Kim, Tallulah’s Mom, who the kids live with, is happy to sit Noah for the night. Tallulah works so hard going to college and being a Mom, she deserves a nice night out.

Later that night, Kim receives a text from Tallulah that she is heading to the home of one of her friend’s from college. Kim tells her to enjoy. She’s happy Tallulah is letting loose for once.

But as the sun rises the next day and Tallulah still isn’t home, Kim begins to worry. Not returning home, and not notifying Kim as to why, is far from typical behavior for rule-following Tallulah.

Calling Tallulah’s friends, Kim quickly discovers no one knows where she is. Now Kim knows for sure, she feels it in her gut, something has happened to Tallulah.

In 2018, Sophie moves with her boyfriend, Shaun, to the campus of a boarding school in Tallulah’s hometown, where he will be the new head teacher.

Sophie, a Murder Mystery writer by trade, learns early on of some local missing persons cases and becomes interested.

After she finds what appears to be a clue to one of those cold cases, she begins her own investigation. The case in question, that of Tallulah and Zach.

This intriguing mystery novel follows multiple perspectives as past and present begin to merge. I was gripped from the very first chapter. Jewell immediately pulled me in.

My fabulous niece, Alyssa, and I actually Buddy Read this one together. We had a great time discussing various theories and plot points along the way.

The way Jewell structured this was so clever. Getting Tallulah’s perspective, in addition to Kim’s and Sophie’s, it built-out the truth of Tallulah’s ill-fated night on the town in such an interesting way.

I loved Tallulah as a character. She seemed so real to me. What she was going through, feeling and experiencing in early motherhood and with her relationship with Zach, it was very compelling and I felt myself growing quite attached to her.

Getting to know her friend group and the various players involved in the disappearance was extremely addicting. There were some bad actors, that’s for sure.

Sophie’s investigation also drew me in. Y’all know, an amateur sleuth is one of my favorite tropes in a mystery. Sophie was believable in that role and I loved the fact that she was actually an author of Mystery books.

Additionally, this one kept me guessing until the very end, which is never a bad thing.

I would say, thus far, this is my favorite Jewell to date. There were a few parts where I felt the pace dragging just a little, hence why I couldn’t give it a full 5-stars, but overall, this is a sensationally fun Mystery!

I would definitely recommend all Mystery Lovers add this one to their TBR!!

💙💍💙💍💙💍💙💍💙💍💙💍💙💍💙

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Review: Gilded by Marissa Meyer

~ megs14malloy

GildedGilded by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gilded is the latest release from the ultimate Queen of Retellings, Marissa Meyer.

Pitched as a haunted retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, Gilded was one of my most anticipated 2021-releases. I preordered the heck out of this book and am so pleased that it now graces my shelves.

The narrative follows, Serilda, a miller’s daughter, who spends her days spinning tales for the children in her village. Her stories are wildly entertaining and full of untruths, even though to hear her tell them, you would think everything she says is possible.

Serilda is a truly gifted storyteller. Cursed years ago by the God of Lies, Serilda’s talent was bound to get her in over her head eventually.

When one of her stories draws the attention of the Erlking and his wild hunters, Serilda gets drawn beyond the veil into a world of ghouls, phantoms and other mythical creatures.

Based on her story, the Erlking demands that Serilda weave straw into gold for him, locking her in a tower, threatening her life if the task isn’t completed by morning.

After a mysterious boy appears in her tower room, Serilda discovers he has the exact magic she needs to save herself.

But who is he and what does he want with her? As the two get to know one another, their fates become intertwined in Serilda’s epic battle to free herself from the Erlking’s clutches.


As mentioned above, I had been really excited to get my hands on this book and it did not disappoint. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the audiobook from the publisher, Macmillan Audio. I decided to go with the audio version because of that and I am so glad that I did!

I previously listened to the entire Lunar Chronicles series on audio and had such a blast with it. To my sheer delight, I quickly discovered this audio is performed by the same fantastic narrator, Rebecca Soler!

She just has the perfect voice for Meyer’s stories. Whimsical and captivating, she breezes through Meyer’s whip-smart dialogue like she had written it herself.

In fact, that is one of my favorite aspects of Meyer’s writing; the dialogue. It is always so witty and fun, keeping me smiling even during the most intense scenes. Serilda’s perspective provided plenty of opportunity for Meyer to show off that comical style.

I actually read this entire story believing it to be a standalone novel. Surprise and elation, it is not!

This is actually the first in a duology, with the second book expected to be released next November. I cannot wait to find out the conclusion to Serilda’s story. I will definitely be rereading this one prior to that release.

If you have enjoyed previous works from Meyer, or just love a dark fairytale retelling, you absolutely need to pick this one up and give it a shot.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy of this to listen to and review. It’s an incredible story with some phenomenal narration to boot!

I cannot wait for the continuation of this story. 2022, here we come!!!

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