2024 releases

Review: A Marriage of Lies by Amanda McKinney

~ megs14malloy

A Marriage of LiesA Marriage of Lies by Amanda McKinney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

A Marriage of Lies is a tense Psychological Thriller from Amanda McKinney. I was seeing a lot of early buzz for this release and needed to find out what it was all about.

After reading it, in a day (!!!), I am so happy that I took a chance on a new-to-me author and have officially joined the Hype Train. I was left with whiplash after finishing this twisted tale of love, devious deception and lies.

I don’t want to say anything about the plot. I knew nothing going in and that’s what I would recommend.

I will say that I loved one of the main characters, Rowan, and her trusty companion, Banjo. Rowan is a Detective and I was pleasantly surprised to have an MC with that career leading the show here.

This also went pretty dark, as far as the crimes are concerned, and I definitely wasn’t expecting that either!

As mentioned above, this is the first time I have read from Amanda McKinney, but I’m absolutely ready to pick up some more of her Thrillers. If they’re anything like this, I know I’m in for a good time.

While I did find some aspects slightly predictable, particularly towards the end, that didn’t diminish my enjoyment. Overall, I found it to be extremely engaging, as well as highly-readable and incredibly entertaining!

Thank you to the publisher, Storm Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This was a delightful surprise!

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Review: Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes

~ megs14malloy

Ghost StationGhost Station by S.A. Barnes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ophelia Bray is a psychologist specializing in the study and prevention of ERS, a space-based condition, similar to PTSD, that can lead to mental deterioration and violence.

Dr. Bray is assigned to join a small exploration crew as they journey to an ancient, abandoned planet. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take Ophelia long to realize that the new crew isn’t exactly excited to have her aboard.

They’ve never needed a Head Doc before, why now?

Ophelia is confident in her purpose though, so she just tries to do her best to fit in and help them to understand the reasons for her attendance. She knows better than most just how imperative her skills may become.

The rest of the crew have worked together before and feel more like a family than a team. Ophelia, as the only outsider, has a long way to go to endear herself to the group.

As they begin to establish themselves on the abandoned planet, they start discovering disturbing signs left behind by the previous colonizers, who apparently departed with haste.

It presents a real mystery for the crew. They have no idea what happened to the previous inhabitants, but signs are pointing to the fact that they didn’t live happily ever after.

The longer Ophelia and the crew remain on the planet, the more unnerving things become, until Ophelia’s worst nightmare starts to come to life.

Ghost Station is the latest from S.A. Barnes, author of Dead Silence, which I read and really enjoyed. I’ve been anxiously anticipating more from Barnes ever since. I loved the SF Horror vibes she delivered in Dead Silence and definitely believe she succeeded on that front here as well.

For me, Ghost Station is way more of a slow burn than Dead Silence, but the content and MC, Ophelia, are so interesting, I didn’t mind that one bit. I enjoyed getting to know Ophelia and learning of her past and motivations, while watching her try to find a place within this new crew.

I also feel like you can see a maturation of Barnes writing in this one, which is lovely to see. We love to watch an author progress over the course of their career.

I really enjoyed the dangerous feel of the atmosphere that was created on the planet they were exploring. There was a sense of foreboding over every page that kept it compelling and also kept my pulse slightly elevated.

The audiobook for this was fantastically narrated by Zura Johnson. I highly recommend that as a format choice if you have the option available to you. The narration style was very soothing to me, in spite of this being an intense story. I really felt myself relaxing into it.

I was extremely satisfied with how Barnes wrapped this up. The conclusion surprised me in the direction it ultimately took. I wasn’t expecting it and I was happy with that.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys SF Horror, or darker SF in general. As far as Science Fiction goes, I would consider this light, with concepts that are easily understandable to a wide audience. You aren’t going to get bogged down in scientific jargon in this one, if maybe that is a concern for you.

This is an easily understandable, compelling story, with chills and thrills, as well as great characters throughout. Additionally, I think this could translate really well to film.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

As mentioned above, I was anxiously awaiting this one and it didn’t disappoint. I look forward to seeing what Barnes comes up with next!

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Review: It Watches in the Dark (Eek! #1) by Jeff Strand

~ megs14malloy

It Watches in the Dark (Eek!)It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃🖤🎃

It Watches in the Dark is a fantastically-tense Spooky Middle Grade story, and the first book in the all-new Eek! series by veteran Horror author, Jeff Strand.

I was immediately drawn to this book because of the cover. How devilishly-divine is that scarecrow!? It’s giving me all the Autumnal vibes that I cherish in my every day life.

Jumping into this one, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I ended up enjoying it so much. The writing is fluid and engaging, with eerie Horror imagery throughout. I loved how quickly it kicked off, and never let up.

In this story, we follow twins, Trisha and Oliver. At the start of our tale they are on a canoe trip with their Dad, which is something they do often. On this particular trip through, they hit a series of unexpected rapids and their Dad is injured, knocked unconscious.

Not knowing exactly what to do, the kids tie up to the first dock they find and go ashore in search of help.

They end up coming across a tiny town in the woods, Escrow, population 999. Everything about the place seems a little odd, but beggars can’t be choosers, right? The twins seriously need to find their Dad help.

They meet a few townspeople, who though strange, seem to be willing enough to help, and they’re adults, they have to know what they’re doing.

Their Dad is retrieved and taken to the local medical center, but from there the kids are kept away from him. Germs and all that. Oliver and Trisha are left to their own devices and the more time they spend in Escrow, the more their senses tell them to beat feet out of there.

Perhaps it’s the enormous creepy scarecrow sitting sentinel in the town square that’s giving them that feeling. It seems to be watching them and the townspeople are obsessed with it, talking about it like it’s a living being.

As dark approaches, the kids are feeling panicked. They want to leave. They do not want to spend the night in Escrow, but they can’t move their Dad on their own.

The townspeople become more threatening and it suddenly feels imperative to escape. Will the kids be able to figure out a way to rescue their Dad and flee Escrow together, or will this be the end of the road for one, or all, of them?

It Watches in the Dark is a super solid Spooky Middle Grade read. I would definitely recommend this to any Reader who enjoys Middle Grade Horror.

It does have a sort of Goosebumps charm to it, but was creepier than that, really. Especially the initial chapters. I appreciate how Strand set-up this spooky town. It was definitely getting under my skin.

The more the kids interacted with the residents of Escrow, the more tense and stressed out I felt. I just wanted them to run away, but they couldn’t after their Dad was taken to the medical center. They didn’t want to abandon him, of course, and they were still wanting to trust these adults so much.

Oliver and Trisha were great too. I liked that they worked together and appreciated each others strengths, instead of just fighting all the time, as siblings tend to do in fiction.

Overall, I found this extremely entertaining. I think Strand did a great job of making this punchy, with plenty of action and spookiness on every page. I already have an early copy of the next book in the series, Nightmare in the Backyard and I’m excited to get to it!

Thank you to the publisher, SOURCEBOOKS Kids, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was such a fun read; very well done!

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Review: Swamp Kings: The Murdaugh Family of South Carolina and a Century of Backwoods Power

~ megs14malloy

Swamp Kings: The Murdaugh Family of South Carolina and a Century of Backwoods PowerSwamp Kings: The Murdaugh Family of South Carolina and a Century of Backwoods Power by Jason Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Swamp Kings: The Murdaugh Family of South Carolina and a Century of Backwoods Power is a nonfiction book that explores the history of the Murdaugh family of Hampton County, South Carolina.

Many may be familiar with the Murdaugh name following Alex Murdaugh’s trial and conviction for the killing of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, in June of 2021. Several documentaries, podcasts and other media have been created examining this case and crimes.

This book differs in that it’s not solely focused on the recent murders, nor the boating accident in February of 2019 that resulted in the tragic death of Mallory Beach.

In Swamp Kings, the author, Jason Ryan, digs much deeper into the roots of the Murdaugh family’s power and legacy in Hampton County. I enjoyed learning about the family and their deep hold in the area. It also had a bit of history of the Lowcountry, which I found enlightening.

I think if you go into this just expecting a True Crime novel focused on the murders of Maggie and Paul, you may be disappointed, but if you are here more for the history and a better understanding of this family’s position within the community, you should be satisfied.

I hesitate to say enjoy, because of the content, but you should walk away having learned some new things in regards to the family.

I come away with what I believe to be a better understanding of the events and environment that shaped Alex, and even Paul, into the men they became. It certainly doesn’t solve anything, or explain anything, but perhaps puts a little more context to these brutal crimes.

I feel the author did a solid job researching and pulling together all this information in a fast-paced and engaging way. I certainly was never bored while listening to the audio. In fact, it kept me wanting to go back to it.

My one critique would be that I wasn’t crazy about the way the book was constructed, or laid out. I’m not sure how to explain it. The order in which the information was presented, I guess, would be fair to say.

For example, it’s going over things that happened in Paul’s life, Alex’s life, Alex’s father’s life and Alex’s father’s father’s life. The men’s names are all very similar and it would jump around in time, often feeling muddled.

Like we’d be at the boating accident, and then without any preamble, or title head, jump back to the 1960s, but there would be a Buster here and a Buster there. I always had to pay attention to dates mentioned to figure out exactly who we were talking about.

I think I would have preferred a more linear layout, maybe with it broken into Parts, starting with the great-grandfather of Paul and then moving forward through time to the present day.

With this being said though, that’s purely personal taste and I support the author’s freedom to choose how he thinks best to present his research. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in the case, or maybe to people who want to know more about the Murdaugh family in general, or the history of the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Thank you, Spotify Audiobooks, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m glad that I picked this up.

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Review: The Angel of Indian Lake (The Indian Lake Trilogy #3) by Stephen Graham Jones

~ megs14malloy

The Angel of Indian Lake (The Indian Lake Trilogy #3)The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Angel of Indian Lake is the final book in the Indian Lake Trilogy. It’s also my most anticipated release of 2024.

I finished this a week ago and have been sitting with my thoughts ever since. I find myself thinking of the story at random times during the day, and trying to decide how I would explain my overall experience with this trilogy.

I really haven’t come up with anything that I think serves it justice. At this point, I’ve come to terms with the fact that this is just one of those 5-star reads that I may never end up writing a full, thoughtful, and analytical review for.

It simply is what it is. I love this series with my whole heart. It’s special to me, because in a way, I feel like this series validates my passion for the crazily nuanced genre of Horror.

Stephen Graham Jones is such a talented storyteller. His nostalgic, yet edgy-style, brings a distinct voice to his stories, while also bringing heart and emotion. We swoon.

While I recognize this trilogy won’t be for everyone, for the people it is for, for the people it resonates with, it’s truly a gift. My heart hurts that it’s over. Is this really the last time I’m going to spend with these characters I love?

I know I can read it again and again, as I do with my favorite King books, but still, I’m going to miss them nevertheless. SGJ is clearly a life-long Horror lover, a student of the genre, and someone that can tell one hell of a story.

I’d love to hang out with him around a campfire…

I highly recommend this series to Horror Readers. Particularly to Horror Readers who have been turning to the genre their whole life for comfort and to face fears. Perhaps you’ll see a little of yourself in here too.

Also, coincidentally, I did happen to rewatch Scream III while reading this and loved coming upon Randy’s rules for Slasher Trilogies, which definitely could be applied here. It was great to hear those again from him whilst reading this.

So perfect. We love making beautiful Horror connections!!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I already can’t wait to read this one again!

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Review: Bad Like Us by Gabriella Lepore

~ megs14malloy

Bad Like UsBad Like Us by Gabriella Lepore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Bad Like Us is the most recently released YA Mystery from Gabriella Lepore. This fast-paced novel hit shelves in early March and I couldn’t wait to get to it.

After enjoying this author’s last two novels, I was expecting a certain vibe and it delivered exactly what I wanted.

In this story, we’re following a group of teens setting out together to spend Spring Break at a rustic lodge on the Oregon coast. The lodge is owned by one of the teen’s Uncles, making it free and all theirs for the week.

Unencumbered by adult supervision, the kids are looking to party, spend time together and just relax, shaking off recent stressors, of which there are many.

The group, in and of itself, has some complications. At the heart of most of the drama seems to be Piper. Her constant live streams and pot-stirring attitude have everyone on edge. Can’t she give it a break?

It’s not solely Piper though, there are definitely other tensions brimming just under the surface that make the environment, shall we say, touchy.

Our main perspectives are Eva and Colton. I enjoyed both of these characters and the audiobook did have dual narrators which was great for making their voices distinct.

After a night featuring a campfire on the beach, some adult bevys, and high levels of interpersonal drama, one of the teens is found dead the next morning. The police swoop in and a tense investigation into them all begins.

I enjoy the way Gabriella Lepore builds out teen friendship groups. This is a feature of all of the books that I have read from her and I always get pulled into their lives easily. I also feel like the mysteries are always solid and engaging.

I loved the setting of this one and the set-up of the teens being on Spring Break. A lot of secrets are being kept amongst the group and it ended up going much deeper than I initially anticipated, which I appreciated.

Overall, this was another fun one from Lepore. I’ll continue to pick up all of her releases. If you enjoy YA Mysteries, and haven’t read her work yet, you should give her a shot!

Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Lepore never fails to entertain me and I’m looking forward to picking up whatever she puts out next.

Bad Like Us is available now!!

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Review: Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne

~ megs14malloy

DiavolaDiavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first thing that attracted my attention to Diavola was this stunningly-disturbing cover. What does it even mean?

I had to know.

Then I read the synopsis, which completely sold me. A Gothic-feeling Travel Horror novel, set in Italy, full of family drama and haunted happenings. Yes, please.

I was lucky enough to receive an audio copy, and definitely recommend that format.

The narration style of Andi Arndt was absolutely perfect for this story, and as a representation of the MC, Anna’s, voice. I was transported into the Pace family vacation via this audio.

We follow Anna as she meets her family in Italy, where they have rented a gorgeous historic villa near the tiny town of Monteperso. As Anna tries to settle in, the atmosphere is tense. Her family is complicated.

Mom is always passively-aggressively nagging at Anna about her life choices. Dad seems distant, except when he would like to remind everyone of who paid for their vacation. Nicole, Anna’s sister, has their entire itinerary mapped out to the second, and god forbid anyone question it.

Nicole’s two daughters are also there, as well as her husband. They seem to be the only ones in the family Anna even remotely gets along with. Thank goodness for them.

Then there’s Anna’s twin brother, Benny, attending with his arrogant, asshat of a boyfriend, Christopher.

Anna and Benny’s relationship is the most difficult to figure out. As twins, their relationship has always been a special one, but it is definitely strained at this point. At times it seems good, at other times, not so much.

Honestly, that’s the best way to describe this vacation: strained. Unfortunately, it’s not just the family though. The villa itself, is strange and seems to be affecting everyone.

There’s a locked tower room, odd noises and an ominous atmosphere that’s downright oppressive. I would certainly need a vacation after this vacation.

I was impressed with how immersive this ended up being. When I was in it, I was really in it.

I went through a whole range of emotions and was astounded by the direction it ultimately went. I wasn’t expecting a lot of what occurred in the later half of the story. It fleshed out so many layers that were there all along that I feel like I missed initially.

I am already looking forward to reading it again. I would love to annotate it and really just spend some more time with it. It’s beautifully executed!

I can’t stress enough how gripping and haunting this is. My mind was left reeling, trying to interpret all of the events that went down. The atmosphere is top notch, but it never overshadowed the characters, or the emotions that were raging between them.

I would recommend this to any Horror fan, particularly if you enjoy Travel Horror, or Horror featuring complicated family dynamics. I feel like I know the Pace family inside and out. I’m practically one of them at this point.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review.

Diavola has been my greatest surprise of 2024 thus far. I cannot wait to read more from Jennifer Marie Thorne!

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Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties (Aunties #3) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

~ megs14malloy

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties (Aunties, #3)The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties is the third, and reportedly final book in the Aunties series by Jesse Q. Sutanto.

This is an Adult Contemporary Fiction series that leans heavily into the humor. I have enjoyed all of the books and actually feel really sad that it’s over.

In this third installment, we travel along with Meddy, her husband, Nathan, her Ma and three Aunties, as they travel to Jakarta to visit their extended family for Chinese New Year.

This is the second novel I have read from Sutanto this year that is set in Jakarta, and I love how she brings both the place and culture to the page. You can tell it’s a place near and dear to her heart, it feels special.

Meddy was nervous about the trip, as it was Nathan’s first time being there and meeting her large, high-energy family. She should’ve known he would take it like a champ.

I loved meeting Meddy’s extended family and learning about the traditions they have surrounding their Chinese New Year celebrations. It’s at one of these parties that the big blunder at the heart of this story occurs.

A old beau of Second Aunt arrives, bearing a bevy of gifts. Unfortunately, one of them was actually an important document he was intending to gift to a business rival to cement a new partnership. This packet gets mixed in amongst the other gifts and accidentally gets handed out.

Once the mistake is discovered, it seems simple, just track down the person who received the gift and they’ll give it back. But we all know Meddy and the Aunties could never be that lucky, or simple.

It seems the packet didn’t go to any one of the Chan family members. There was a teenage girl who stopped by to visit one of Meddy’s younger cousins, and she’s the one who ended up with it.

The business rival is not happy and serious repercussions are threatened if this document isn’t found and given to them. Now it’s a race against the clock to clear up this mess before one, or more, of them get hurt.

I thought this was so entertaining. I love the relationships in these books. It’s the family vibes. They get me. They drive each other crazy, but they love each other so much and would do anything for each other.

I also have enjoyed watching Meddy and Nathan’s relationship blossom. She’s truly found her person. He’s helped her to relax and feel comfortable being herself. He’s so patient with her family as well; huge plus.

Determined to get the document back, Meddy, Nathan and the Aunties end up interacting with some of the most powerful people in Jakarta.

Their scheming, plotting and overall efforts, OMG, they’re so funny. Only the Chans. And I actually think it humbled Big Aunt a little bit being around some folks more powerful than herself. It made me so happy.

As I was reading this, I actually didn’t know it was slated to be the last one and I was coming up with a bunch of great ideas for the fourth book: Abi and Second Aunt’s wedding, Meddy and Nathan starting a family, Big Aunt rekindling her singing career, etc.

Sadly, it seems like this is it. Regardless, whatever projects Sutanto is working on next, you know I will be reading them. She’s definitely become one of my go-to authors over the last few years. I love it all!

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m sorry to be parting with the Chans, but they’ll live on in my heart!

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Review: Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

~ megs14malloy

Where Sleeping Girls LieWhere Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Where Sleeping Girls Lie is a 2024-YA Mystery from Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, author of the successful 2021 YA Mystery, Ace of Spades, which I’ve heard incredible things about.

Even though it’s been sitting on my shelves since 2021, I haven’t yet picked it up, so when I received a surprise Audio ARC of this new book, I was beyond excited to finally be checking out Àbíké-Íyímídé’s work.

In this story, we follow Sade Hussein, who has recently been enrolled in Alfred Nobel Academy. ANA is a prestigious boarding school. Sade is in her third year of high school and ends up starting the school year a little late, following the death of her father.

The action kicks off on Sade’s very first day at the school, as she sees it for the first time and meets Administrators, some students and also her roommate, Elizabeth.

I have to say, I was drawn into this extremely quickly. I love a ‘new girl’ trope and this author nailed it. My favorite aspect of that is just learning about the setting and other characters right along with the new girl.

Previously, Sade has been home-schooled, so this type of environment is completely new to her. She’s a little anxious, still grief-ridden from her father’s passing, but all things considered, the transition seems to be going fairly smoothly.

That is until Elizabeth disappears. The school claims Elizabeth left, that she needed a break, but Elizabeth’s long-time best friend, Baz, isn’t buying it. Sade and Baz begin to bond and Sade agrees that Elizabeth’s sudden departure is suspicious, but why the lies?

Rumors are swirling, drama is occurring and Sade finds herself in the center of a lot of it. When another student is found dead, events are really kicked into high gear.

I thought it would take me a long time to read this book, because it’s a pretty good-sized Mystery, coming in at 416-pages. That wasn’t the case at all though. I flew through it.

It’s such a gripping story, with complex characters, intriguing mysteries, as well as great tone and atmosphere throughout. It’s an incredibly well-written story.

I loved and appreciated how Àbíké-Íyímídé took her time creating the setting and putting Sade’s arrival there in good context. Sade is a character you can really sink your teeth into; there are so many layers to her story.

I also found the mysteries both very intriguing. First, Elizabeth’s disappearance, from what you learned about her in the short time that she and Sade got to know one another, it seemed shady as heck. She wouldn’t just leave.

And the death of the other student, in the context of everything else going on, was shocking. There were definite jaw-drop moments throughout this one for me.

This story gave me everything I wanted. There was a sense of foreboding oozing from every page. I was scared, but in a way where I didn’t even know what I was scared of. I never knew what was going to be revealed next.

The entire story was so compelling. If you enjoy stories set at Private Schools, full of Drama, and wealthy character behaving badly, you have to pick this up.

Additionally, if you enjoy nuanced mysteries with dark shadows lurking around ever corner, you have to pick this up. Or if you just want to see if the hype is real, you have to pick this up. In short, pick it up!

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This was a delightful surprise and I can’t wait to read more from this author!!

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Review: Dead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis

~ megs14malloy

Dead Girls WalkingDead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Dead Girls Walking is a recent YA Horror release. One that I had been very anxious to pick up. The publisher’s synopsis, as well as the intriguing cover, had my full attention.

It looks like this is a debut novel for author, Sami Ellis, and while I can appreciate the author’s creativity and ambition, the story did not work for me, unfortunately.

I considered giving it 3-stars, but I have to be honest about my experience. For me, a 3-star book is something I liked, but that didn’t blow me away and may have minor issues. I just don’t think this one reached that status for me.

I’m not going to say anything about the plot. Please read the synopsis for more info. I barely understood what was happening and had to refer to the synopsis multiple times to try to get my bearings. Because of this, I feel I have nothing further to add in that regard.

And here we come to the heart of the issue for me. I found this narrative style confusing as heck. It felt like being dropped off at a movie halfway through, taking multiple bathroom breaks, and still being expected to understand what’s going on. Spoiler Alert: I didn’t.

It never succeeded in grabbing my attention. Additionally, the cast of characters, besides our MC, Temple, all blended together for me, and by the end, I just wanted it to be over.

With this being said, just because this one didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. I have seen some great reviews, I just feel like it was a miss for my tastes.

Thank you to the publisher, Amulet Books and RB Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I am interested it picking up more from this author in the future. I feel like maybe a different concept could help me engage more with their writing style.

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