2023 releases

Review: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

~ megs14malloy

The Salt Grows HeavyThe Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Salt Grows Heavy is a good novella. The writing is gorgeously-dark, with a lot of solid body horror, but it was just a little too abstract for my tastes.

((^^^ Clearly kidding ^^^))

My opinion matters not at all. If this sounds intriguing to you, definitely give it a shot. In fact, I want to be clear, I did enjoy this. I liked it. It’s a solid novella. I just could not tell you the point, or really what happened at all.

I think it is a fresh, yet horrific, take on The Little Mermaid, but I’m only pulling that from the publisher’s synopsis. Honestly, I would never have guessed that while reading this story, if I hadn’t been prompted ahead of time.

I think Cassandra Khaw is an incredibly smart and creative human. Khaw is most likely too smart for me. I do really appreciate their horror imagery though. It’s always a bit body horror, always a bit wildly-detailed and it never fails to make my toes curl.

I am going to continue picking up Khaw’s stories. Every time I am impressed with the creation. Some aspects hit, some aspects miss, but it’s always intriguing.

This is a bit of a short review for me, but this novella is just over 100-pages and I really didn’t understand 98-of the pages, so not sure what else to say.

Writing = beautiful; concept = over my head.

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

As mentioned, I find Khaw’s stories captivating, if a bit confusing. I definitely look forward to seeing what they deliver next!

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Review: Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

~ megs14malloy

ThornhedgeThornhedge by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Thornhedge, T. Kingfisher brings her lush, humorous and whimsical storytelling to a quick and adorably-reimagined Sleeping Beauty origin story.

Kingfisher is one of my favorite authors. I have loved everything of hers that I have ever read and after reading this, it doesn’t appear that is going to change anytime soon.

I will try to write an unbiased review, but it will be difficult. I’m a fan girl, what can I say?

In this story we meet Toadling, who as an infant was stolen and transported to live in the world of the faeries. They treated her well, and her early life was undeniably warm and comfortable. She couldn’t lodge many complaints.

Once she came into adulthood though, the faeries asked a favor of her that ended up changing everything.

She is asked to return to the world of humans to bless a newborn child. A little girl. A bumbling, beautiful baby girl…

A century later, a knight approaches a wall of brambles, an impenetrable fortress of thorns. He’s heard legends of a cursed Princess high in a tower. He’s here to save her, as knights do.

Toadling, however, has different thoughts on this so-called curse and she’ll do anything to uphold it. You’ll have to read this enchanting story to find out why.

This was a super fun and quick read, which I did listen to on audio. It has a nice, cozy feel to it, that I definitely need every once in a while to break up my darker reads.

I enjoyed how Kingfisher gave us enough of the original tale that you could figure out what she was alluding to, yet she brought her own original twist that caused me to view the fairy tale in a while new light.

The twist itself was fascinating to me. Darker than I expected, but whimsical at the same time. I was really impressed with it.

I think it is a great example of Kingfisher’s skill as a writer. I also highly enjoyed the narration of the audiobook. This story is pure, engaging entertainment.

I would recommend it to any Reader who enjoys twists on classic tales, whimsical, cozy fantasies, or Kingfisher’s work in general. There is no way this story isn’t going to bring a smile to your face.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. T. Kingfisher is a gift. She has a gift and she is a gift!

I will continue picking up every single thing she writes.

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Review: Night Will Find You by Julia Heaberlin

~ megs14malloy

Night Will Find YouNight Will Find You by Julia Heaberlin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Night Will Find You introduces the Reader to Vivvy Bouchet, an astrophysicist with special gifts. Since she was 10-years old, and made a predication that saved a boy’s life, Vivvy has been navigating the voices in her head.

Her visions are completely at odds with the science she is trained in, but Vivvy can’t deny the validity of either.

The boy she saved all those years ago, Mike, is now a Fort Worth cop. He’s never forgotten Vivvy’s abilities. Therefore, as he struggles to solve a high-profile cold case of a missing young girl, he reaches out to Vivvy for help.

It’s a bit of a last resort, but Mike really believes Vivvy could be able to lead them to the truth behind this girl’s disappearance. While Vivvy isn’t crazy about the idea, or the potential spotlight it could bring, she reluctantly agrees.

After Vivvy’s involvement in the case becomes known to a popular Texas podcaster, Bubba Guns ((read Alex Jones)), known for spewing inflammatory conspiracy theories, he begins talking about her on his show.

He holds nothing back, questioning Vivvy’s abilities, her career, her past, and the sanity of the police department for seeking her help in the first place. Bubba’s focus on Vivvy unfortunately brings her a lot of unwanted attention.

Unable to stomach the lies being spread about her, Vivvy decides to fight back. Of course this does nothing but get the snowball moving faster down the hill.

Vivvy needs to solve this case and quickly. Will she ever be able to get her normal life back?

This was a bit of mixed bag for me, but overall I did enjoy it. The audiobook is narrated by one of my favorites, Karissa Vacker, and I recommend that format. I think Vacker’s narration definitely contributed to my enjoyment and how quickly I was able to finish it.

The MC, Vivvy, in particular, was very interesting. I enjoyed learning about her past and her odd relationships with her family members. If there were more books with her as the main character, I would pick them up. It would be interesting to see where she goes from here.

I wasn’t necessarily into the podcaster, or conspiracy theory elements, in this context. I’ll admit, my eyes sometimes glazed over in those sections. I wish this could’ve just focused on the missing person case.

I recognize that is a personal taste issue, however, and many Readers may find that interesting. It just didn’t end up working for me.

With this being said, I did think the mystery was well plotted. That’s why I am thinking if this were a series, the next book could work even better for me, if it didn’t have the podcasting angle.

Overall, I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy stories where people with psychic abilities aid law enforcement with missing persons cases. The mystery itself was its strongest point, IMO.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Karissa Vacker’s narration, unsurprisingly, receives two thumbs up!

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Review: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

~ megs14malloy

None of This Is TrueNone of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lisa Jewell’s latest Psychological Thriller grabbed my attention from the start and held it all the way through. This was absolutely addictive!!

When I first heard about this, I could hardly believe it. A story that follows two women turning forty-five, and I am turning forty-five this year. It can’t be coincidence…

I just knew I was going to love it and per usual, I was right. Not only did I love it, I freaking loved it. This will definitely be on my Favorites of the Year list.

An added treat was Buddy Reading it with my beautiful niece, Lyss. I definitely recommend it for Buddy Reads or Book Clubs. There’s a lot to discuss.

This story follows two women, Alix Summers, a popular podcaster, and Josie Fair, an unassuming woman, whose profession is so inconsequential, I can’t recall it.

Alix and Josie bump into each other for the first time in the bathroom of a local pub, coincidentally on the day they were both turning 45. They were birthday twins!

Shortly after, they bump into each other again outside of the school that Alix’s children currently attend, and Josie’s attended years ago.

As they are chatting, Josie, who has listened to Alix’s podcast, pitches an idea to her. Alix should do a podcast focusing on Josie’s life.

Josie tells Alix that she is on the brink of making some very drastic changes and she’d like Alix to document the process.

Even though Alix finds Josie’s vibe unsettling, she admits there’s something fascinating about her. She is intrigued.

Unable to resist temptation to dig into Josie’s life, Alix accepts her offer and begins to record the podcast, inviting Josie to her home studio for interview sessions.

From that point on, the women’s lives become entangled. It doesn’t take long for Alix to suspect that Josie is so much more than she initially appeared. Josie is a smart woman, who happens to be hiding some very dark secrets.

Josie infiltrates Alix’s life so deeply, she eventually ends up living at her house. Alix hardly knows how any of this happened and then suddenly, Josie’s gone. That’s when Alix’s real nightmare begins.

I was completely swept up in the lives of these two women. I loved the back and forth, learning about their past and present circumstances. Their dynamic, as well, was fascinating.

Right off the bat, I was intrigued and I felt like I was being misdirected in some way. The path the story took, I was never quite sure who I could trust.

As the story progresses, it’s like a veil being pulled from your eyes, but I still couldn’t believe what I was reading. It was so twisted!

I absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys fast-paced and tense Psychological Thrillers. Bonus points if you have enjoyed Jewell’s work in the past, or love stories that incorporate a podcast, or true crime, element.

For the record, I thought Jewell nailed the podcast turned True Crime documentary angle. Additionally, her use of mixed media, with the sections from the Netflix series, was amazingly well done; round of applause.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was an absolute blast to read. I cannot wait to pick up more from this author!

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Review: Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

~ megs14malloy

WhalefallWhalefall by Daniel Kraus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Whalefall.

I will never forget the experience of reading this. I don’t think I’ve been this emotionally moved by a tale of this nature since Frankenstein and that’s saying something.

Then, at the conclusion, it happened. The book hangover.

Whalefall is Jay Gardiner’s story. Since his father’s death by suicide, Jay has been wracked with guilt. Their relationship was complicated and they were estranged at the time that his Dad took his life.

Jay has given himself the task of finding his father’s remains, which he believes lay somewhere in the waters off the coast of Monastery Beach. Taught serious diving skills by his Dad, Jay feels he is prepared for whatever he encounters.

Entering the water is like separating from the rest of the world. In complete silence, Jay enters the dark, cold waters of the ocean’s depths.

In that environment, Jay’s mind roams freely. The Reader is treated to many of his most personal memories, watching his complicated relationship with his family unfold.

In the midst of his quiet reflections, the unimaginable happens. First the giant squid, then the whale.

Jay has been swallowed by an 80-foot sperm whale. He passes all the way into the whale’s first of four stomachs. There he realizes that he is still alive, but may not be for long. With just an hour left on his oxygen tank, Jay needs to find a way to escape and fast.

This story felt so real and original. I love the choices Kraus made in telling Jay’s story. The back and forth between Jay’s present circumstance and his reflections on his past kept the story moving at a nice, steady clip.

I developed such compassion for Jay over the course of the story, but also compassion for this whale, who becomes such a beautiful character unto itself. When I mentioned Frankenstein earlier, it’s particularly this connection I meant.

The whale, who could be considered the monster, beast or baddie, of this story, was just a creature with a soul who incidentally had all of these circumstances thrust upon it.

As Jay fought for his life, while simultaneously grappling with his past, you could feel his will, his humanity, his feelings of hope and love, begin to grow, but would he be able to survive long enough to act on any of it?

This was an incredibly powerful read for me. I became so emotionally connected with the story. Not necessarily because I could relate to anything Jay was going through, but again, just because of the way that Kraus spun the tale.

I think if you let yourself just sink into this one, let the story wash over you and really feel it, this could be an equally powerful read for you.

In addition to all of the emotion though, this is also fairly gruesome and I thought the descriptions of what was going on with Jay’s body, and the whale’s, was so well done. Kraus definitely gets top marks for his Horror imagery.

If you decide to pick this one up, which you should, be sure you read the Author’s Note at the end, where Kraus discusses the level of detail he went into when researching for this book. It’s quite impressive. We love a well-researched story.

Thank you so much to the publisher, MTV Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is the first that I have read from this author, but it will not be the last!

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Review: House of Roots and Ruin (Sisters of the Salt #2) by Erin A. Craig

~ megs14malloy

House of Roots and Ruin (Sisters of the Salt, #2)House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

🥀🌾🥀🌾🥀🌾🥀🌾🥀🌾🥀🌾🥀🌾🥀🌾🥀

House of Roots and Ruin is the second book in Erin A. Craig’s tremendous YA-Fantasy series, Sisters of the Salt.

I looooooooved the first book, House of Salt and Sorrows, so much and I couldn’t wait to return to this beautifully-eerie world. It was one of my most anticipated YA-releases of 2023 and it did not disappoint.

This story takes place years after the conclusion of the first story. In this one, we’re following Verity, who I believe is the youngest of the remaining Thaumas sisters.

Verity is 17-years old and has spent her whole life living at the family estate, Highmoor, now run by her older sister, Camille. The rest of the remaining sisters are all all living in various places around Arcannia.

While Verity loves Camille and loves Highmoor, she’s beginning to feel stifled. She wants more.

Any time she broaches the subject of leaving the estate with Camille, however, her hopes are quickly dashed. It seems her sister wants to keep her trapped there, but why?

It’s as Verity is struggling with this issue that she receives word from her sister, Mercy, that the Duchess of Bloem is interested in hiring Verity to paint a portrait of of her son.

Verity is more than intrigued. This sounds like exactly the kind of opportunity she needs and the son, Alexander, is a young man just her age. This could be just what she needs, but how will she ever convince Camille to let her go?

As the sisters battle it out, the truth about why Camille wants to keep Verity at Highmoor is revealed, leaving Verity more confused than ever and more determined.

Verity decides she can’t wait any longer. Under the cover of darkness she flees, making her way to Bloem.

Once there, she’s entranced and impressed with her new surroundings. Bloem is stunning. The Duke is a celebrated botanist and the entire estate is replete with vibrant gardens and active greenhouses.

Additionally, Verity is smitten with Alexander. He’s handsome and charming. Their days together fill her with a sense of happiness she has never felt before.

Unfortunately, before long, Verity begins to be plagued by nightmares and dark feelings. Is her past catching up to her, or is something more going on in Bloem?

Reading House of Roots and Ruin was such a beautiful journey. It’s different than the first book, because of the setting. We’re now removed from the sea and thrust into a more botanical scene, but I still really enjoyed it.

In my opinion, Craig’s brand of gothically-infused horror imagery is unmatched in the YA genre. She brings such a rich atmosphere and the spooky imagery is A++.

The romance between Verity and Alexander was so pure and it was sweet watching it evolve. Verity has never had any sort of relationship like this, so she struggled a bit fitting her experiences with her expectations.

I thought that felt very real for a young woman and I enjoyed how Craig let her work through that versus just following a standard romance format.

I also enjoyed very much the complexity of the familial relationships, both Verity’s and Alexander’s. While the atmosphere was the highlight for me, I think the character work and the way the relationships played out deserve top marks as well.

We know a lot of Verity’s family history from the first book, and we do get a bit more here, but learning about Alex’s family, the Laurents, was so intriguing. Without giving too much away, I sort of feel like their last name should have been Moreau…

Craig did a great job of steadily building intensity. There is also an overriding mystery that kept me on my toes.

As the end approaches, everything begins to move at warp speed. I couldn’t put it down until I got to the end. I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out and there were some twists getting there that I definitely didn’t see coming.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a darker Fantasy story, particularly if you enjoyed House of Salt and Sorrows. While I could see people enjoying this as a standalone novel, I think it would be most impactful if you read the first book prior to this one.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m not sure if there are going to be more books in this world, but if there are, I will absolutely be picking them up!!

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Review: The Last One by Will Dean

~ megs14malloy

The Last OneThe Last One by Will Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Last One, the latest release from Will Dean, is the epitome of a book you want to go into blind. Trust me on this, the less you know about the story, the better.

I first heard of this book via my friend, Holly’s, review. Within her first two paragraphs, I learned this was set on a cruise ship and frankly, that was all I needed. I was sold.

Cruise Ship + Thriller = Something I’m Gonna Read.

I requested this one from the publisher and was so excited when they approved me for a copy. I started it pretty quickly after that, because it seemed like a perfect Summer Thriller.

Spoiler alert: I was right.

I was immediately intrigued and by the 8%-mark, my jaw was on the floor. What the heck had I gotten myself into?

Dean wastes no time getting the ball rolling. It went in a direction that I never in a million years would have expected. It was giving me eerie, Twilight Zone vibes and I was over the moon about it.

I read this so quickly. I couldn’t put it down once the suspense sets in. I had to know what was at the heart of this story and even after I found out, it didn’t answer everything. In fact, it got even more perplexing.

I just had a complete blast reading it. Fun, fast-paced, original and entertaining as heck. I also liked how, without giving too much away, it shined a light a bit on modern life; the way we function day-to-day as humans.

Finally, that ending. Oh my word! That was great. I love a story that can leave me with a little sinister smile on my face at the end and this one absolutely did.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an out of the box Thriller, especially if you think a Cruise Ship setting sounds enticing.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This one was ever more fun than I expected.

I’m looking forward to picking up more from this author!

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Review: The Handyman Method by Nick Cutter and Andrew F. Sullivan

~ megs14malloy

The Handyman MethodThe Handyman Method by Nick Cutter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Handyman Method is a recently released Domestic Horror tale that left me scratching my head. Not necessarily because of the content, it never lost me, but because I don’t know how to express how I feel about it.

Even days later, I can’t put into words what about this didn’t appeal to me. It’s a good book, yeah, but in spite of its positives, I wasn’t feeling it at all.

This story follows a young family, husband, Trent, wife, Rita and son, Milo, who are moving into a new home. The home itself is in an unfinished subdivision and it seems they are the first to the neighborhood.

Their move-in day is a little odd. You can already tell something is potentially off with this family. The husband in particular is giving off a vibe that resembles Jack Torrance after weeks at The Overlook.

He seems unhinged is what I’m trying to tell you.

After Trent finds a flaw in the wall of his wife’s closet, he cannot rest until he fixes it. In order to do so he does what many of us do. He turns to YouTube.

He finds the channel of Handyman Hank, who is more than happy to guide Trent on his wall patch project, as well as many other things.

Meanwhile, Milo is having interesting experiences of his own at the new property. Some more traumatizing than others. Prepare yourself for some action with his pet turtle…

I don’t know what else to say about this without giving plot points away, so let’s just end the summary portion there. Now let’s get into the dirt.

First, I was struck by how similar the family dynamic resembled The Shining. Trent’s character especially seemed like he was Jack’s less likable cousin. Even down to him losing his job due to an incident at work, the truth of which unfolds for us over the course of the story.

Milo as well felt very Danny, but actually I have no clue how old Milo actually was. To me, he could have been anywhere from 5, all the way to like 13. Honestly, I have no clue.

The Mom, Rita, was odd, but she didn’t really impact me one way or another until the end.

I think I did this book a disservice actually by picking it up directly after I had read The Shining. It was literally the next book, so that was all front and center in my brain.

Therefore, I couldn’t help but see comparisons around every turn in this story, and not in a good way. If I’m being honest, that did impact my experience with this book.

As far as the rest of it goes, it didn’t do anything for me. It didn’t do anything wrong either, I just wasn’t feeling anything from the characters, or any atmosphere, or sense of place. It all felt very flat.

There was certainly plenty going on, as far as action and progression, but I just didn’t care. I know so many people are going to love this. I’ve read some of the reviews and their experiences with it sound incredible.

I wish the same could have happened for me.

I’m glad I gave this one a shot. It had an intriguing premise overall. I just wish I could have connected more with the characters and plot.

As I’ve said before though, just because this one didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. I definitely feel like I am in the minority opinion at this point, so please check out all the other great reviews for this book.

If the synopsis sounds interesting to you, it’s absolutely worth picking up. You could find a new favorite and then, feel free to come back and tell me how wrong I am!

Thank you to the publisher, Gallery / Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m sad this was a miss for me, but I look forward to picking up more from both of these authors in the future!!

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Review: Boys In the Valley by Philip Fracassi

~ megs14malloy

Boys In the ValleyBoys In the Valley by Philip Fracassi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Boys In the Valley is a classic Horror story; an absolutely delightful scarefest that gripped me from the start.

In the opening scene, we meet a young boy on the night that he loses both of his parents and his home in one bloody tragedy. The violence of this scene aptly sets the tone for the entire story, tense and atmospheric.

From there, we find ourselves at St. Vincent’s Orphanage for Boys, a self-contained parochial orphanage and school set in a remote valley in Pennsylvania.

It’s the early 1900s and being in such a location makes for a dire lifestyle. The boys at the orphanage, under the careful watch of several priests, grow their own food and only ever socialize with one another.

There are occasional supply runs to a distant farm, but only one of the priests, Father Andrew, and one of the older boys, Peter, ever go. For the rest of the boys, the grounds and the orphanage make up their entire world.

On a dark and dreary night, as all the boys lie in their bunks in the dorm, they hear a disturbance below. Someone has come seeking help from the priests.

It’s a group of men, one of whom is badly injured. The injured man is raving, dangerous, he has occult symbols carved all over his body. As the priests attempt to aid him, he dies suddenly, releasing an ancient evil with his last breath.

The boys upstairs aren’t privy to these events, but as the doors to their dorm room suddenly burst open and the cross hanging sentry above their door falls to the ground, many can feel a shift in atmosphere.

Soon a few of the boys begin acting strangely. They’re suspicious and mean, bullying in ways they never attempted before. They begin forming groups and taking sides.

Peter, the oldest and golden boy of the orphanage, an aspiring priest, becomes the unofficial leader of one side, as another boy, Bartholomew, leads the dark side.

As the tension rises, so does the danger and before the innocents can even wrap their minds around it, all hell breaks loose at St. Vincent’s. It’s chaos.

Fracassi transported me with this story. I loved the historical feel and the remote setting was so well done. I felt like I was there in the dark and the cold. I literally felt cold and I read this during one of the hottest weeks of the years.

That’s a damn good story.

It scared me. There were scenes, particularly in the beginning as it begins unfolding, that got my pulse-racing. I was simultaneously horrified and delighted.

This felt like a treat to read. There are no tricks, or gimmicks. It’s just a well-told, well-plotted, well-developed, atmospheric, engaging and creepy tale. A story that could be told just as easily around a campfire, as read in the silence of your own room at night.

It’s got that epic good-versus-evil feel, but stripped down to a fluid Lord of the Flies meets The Exorcist combination.

I would absolutely recommend this to any Horror fan, particularly if you are creeped out by things like religion and kids. If you are, this will play right into your sweet spots.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m really excited to pick up more from this author!

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Review: Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

~ megs14malloy

Looking Glass SoundLooking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Looking Glass Sound is the latest release from one of my favorite voices in the Horror space, Catriona Ward. I respect her work so much and feel she brings her own unique brand to my favorite genre.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023 and damn, was it impressive.

I went into this novel without knowing too much about it and I’m glad that was the case. It was exciting watching it unfold without having many preconceived notions.

I knew it was set in Maine, my home state, and involved a writer, but that was about it. I recommend you go into it not knowing much more than that.

I’m not sure I can adequately describe my time with this story, it’s just something you need to experience yourself. It’s definitely a bit of a mindf*ck; pardon the expression.

I can’t wait to read it again someday. I think upon reread, I could end up enjoying it even more. Ward is too smart and honesty, I’m in awe of her brain. I’m probably going to dream about this one for a while…

This delivered such beautiful Coming of Age Horror story vibes initially, it hooked me from the start. Eventually, it evolves into something a little more. It’s Coming of Age Plus.

Honestly, there are so many different elements contained within this story that are cause to celebrate.

For me, one of the highlights was the different types of relationships explored and the characters were all so well done. I did listen to the audiobook and recommend that format as the narration style fit the characters fantastically.

I don’t want to say too much more about the actual story, I think you can tell from my reaction that I really enjoyed it. You may be wondering though, with all the accolades, why I didn’t give it a full 5-star rating.

I guess I would just say that in the second half, I did find some of the perspective jumps and overall narrative shifts a little hard to track. There were moments I felt I should have been having an a-ha revelation and I was having more of a head-scratching marathon trying to connect the dots.

I would absolutely read it again though, as mentioned above. I think I would pick up more the second time through and may end up enjoying it even more. There’s definitely a lot of details I would like to revisit knowing what I know now; aka. having read the end.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys, well, a literary mindf*ck, featuring great atmosphere and nuanced characters.

Also, this is a must for Coming of Age Horror lovers, or Readers who enjoy a book-within-a-book.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m very excited to see what other people think of this one!

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