2024 releases

Review: Murder, She Wrote: A Killer Christmas (Murder, She Wrote #59) by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran

~ megs14malloy

A Killer ChristmasA Killer Christmas by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

I’m rounding up for nostalgia, but either way, this was still an enjoyable Cozy Mystery. It’s set in Cabot Cove in the festive days leading up to Christmas.

While A Killer Christmas didn’t contain the most compelling mystery for me, taking over half the book to get to our murder, I still had fun sitting front row to all the town drama. You know I’m always down for that!

This is the 59th-installment of my all-time favorite Cozy Mystery series. I cherish my time with Jessica Fletcher; always have, always will. If I’m counting correctly, this is the 48th-book that I have read in this series.

In case you are new to the Murder, She Wrote books, these can be read in any order and can really be divided into two types: the Cabot Cove mysteries, which are set in Jessica’s hometown and involve a recurring cast of local characters, and the ones that are set around the world during the course of Jessica’s travels as a best-selling mystery author.

It would be difficult for me to select my favorite type. I think I prefer the travel ones, because I like to go along with Jess to the various places, however, there is something to be said about the comfort of returning to Cabot Cove.

In this one, as Christmas approaches, the entire town is getting into the holiday spirit. In fact, for the first time, the town is competing in a state-sponsored competition to be voted the Christmas Town of Maine.

With cash for the town’s non-profits and local businesses on the line, the locals are ready to put on the most festive holiday events that the town has ever seen.

In the midst of all this, local realtor and friend of Jessica, Eve Simpson has a marlin on the line, by way of Boston-based businessman, John Bragdon, who is hoping to buy the old Jarvis homestead. Eve is in a tizzy trying to impress Bragdon and see the sale through.

Eve organizes a dinner where Bragdon and his wife will be able to rub elbows with the who’s-who of Cabot Cove. Of course, as one of the most successful authors currently in the Mystery biz, Jessica secures an invite.

Although she’s not crazy about the idea, Jessica does agree to help Eve. A few of her other friends will be there too, so it can’t be all bad.

Dinner is going well, when the party is suddenly interrupted by the long-missing, and assumed dead, Kenny Jarvis. He heard his sister was putting their family home on the market and has returned to stake his claim. He announces that the Bradgons will never live in his house.

When Rose Marie Bragdon, John’s wife, dies unexpectedly days later, Kenny is quickly the number one suspect.

He was witnessed by many threatening her, but Jessica isn’t so sure it’s as simple as all of that. Doing what she does best, Jessica digs in, determined to find out the truth about what happened to Rose Marie.

As mentioned above, this mystery wasn’t super compelling for me, but everything else going on in the town certainly made up for it, IMO.

The realtor, Eve, a recurring character, always drives me a little batty. She’s abrasive, frequently steam-rolling over those around her. It’s just her personality. Jessica puts up with her in good grace, and I always feel schooled in the patience department.

Why she is even friends with this woman, I will never know.

Eve needed this sale. She reeked of desperation and was willing to do anything to get the Jarvis property sold. Bless Jessica and the others for being willing to help her out.

More than the sale though, the Christmas competition was providing quite a bit of tension in town as well. People were divided on where the winnings should go, if they were actually to win, and the planning of the events themselves got stressful.

Overall though, I did love the holiday vibes pouring from the pages. And all this stuff that I’m talking about, the stress, the tension, it did succeed in pulling me in. It made me invested. I love these characters and this town. I mean, at this point, even I feel like a local, so I was into it. It made me ready to start my own Christmas planning.

Terrie Farley Moran has done a great job with her contributions to this series. This is her 6th, I believe. I’ve read them all and I have really enjoyed them all.

I love how she has kept the original tone of the series, and she for sure has Jessica’s character and mannerisms down. I love this series with my whole heart. I will never, ever stop reading them. If you are looking for a Cozy Mystery series, a true Cozy, I can’t recommend this one highly enough.

I know for me there is a level of nostalgia that others may not have, but even without that nostalgia, I think these are still highly enjoyable mysteries.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I always look forward to the latest Murder, She Wrote. Please keep them coming!

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Review: We Kept Her In the Cellar by W.R. Gorman

~ megs14malloy

We Kept Her In the CellarWe Kept Her In the Cellar by W.R. Gorman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

**4.5-stars**

We Kept Her In the Cellar is a wildly-imaginative and uber-dark Cinderella reimagining. As it turns out, it’s also the Dark Fairy Tale of my slightly-disturbed dreams.

This story follows Eunice, who at the beginning of our tale is just 11-years old and her mother is about to be married to a man who has a daughter, Cinderella.

The blending of the families is rife with unsettling occurrences from the very start.

Eunice learns the rules for dealing with Cinderella, but it’s not an easy life. She basically takes on the role of caregiver, even when she herself is a child.

Cinderella has dark and terrifying powers. It’s almost impossible for her interact with the rest of the world. She needs to be handled at all times. Hence why the family keeps her mostly imprisoned in their cellar.

After Eunice, now 18, befriends charming Prince Credence, she begins to see the possibilities outside of their home. Why should she be shackled within like Cinderella? She’s done nothing wrong and wants a life.

Eunice even receives an invitation to the Prince’s Ball and is determined to go. This could be her chance to break free.

However, on the night she’s set to go, it’s actually Cinderella who breaks free with disastrous consequences. Using her vast eldritch powers, Cinderella ends up attending the Ball and enrapturing the Prince with her beauty and grace.

At midnight, she leaves behind a trail of destruction and a single green glass slipper. I think you know a bit of what happens from there, or do you?

I read the synopsis of this so long ago, that by the time I got around to picking it up, I had actually forgotten it was a Cinderella reimagining.

I was expecting Horror and I certainly got that, but I also got enough of my Dark Fairy Tale fix to last me a good long while. This one is going to stick in my brain, that’s for sure.

By 5% in, W.R. Gorman had my jaw on the floor. This story waits no time to take off. It’s 0-to-60 with this one.

I loved Eunice as a character and loved learning all about Cinderella along with her. To think, Eunice had a fairly normal life until her mother needed to remarry. That’s the choice that changed her life forever.

Eunice’s younger sister Hortense was only 5-years old when Cinderella arrived. Cinderella’s needs required a lot of Eunice’s time and I felt bad for poor Hortense, who didn’t really understand why her beloved older sister, Eunice, no longer had the time to play with her.

It really did a number on this family. I liked Cinderella’s father. I felt for him. It seemed like he was also doing the best he could, and he did really seem to care for Eunice, Hortense and their mother.

Cinderella was like nothing I had ever read before. She never ceased to surprise and amaze me with her powers and actions. When I say this, read it as, she’s terrifying.

This story was so engaging. It sucked me in. I loved the choices Gorman made as far the connections with the original Cinderella story and how twisted they are here. It’s incredibly clever and inspired.

The Body Horror is fantastic and there’s a lot of it, which we love to see. I’m talking super cringe, toe-curling moments on the regular. Also, I did listen to the audiobook which was fabulous. It is narrated by EJ Lavery, whose voice work definitely added to the dark whimsy of this tale.

My only complaint is I felt it was resolved a little too easily. After this gloriously-grotesque and dark build-up, I was a wee surprised at how quickly it wrapped up.

I did like the delightful little tid-bit we learned at the end though, regarding the aftermath, or lingering result of it all. In a way though, you could just look at this as a compliment. It just means I wanted more.

Honestly, I could read another entire volume following this cast of characters and set within this world. C’mon, Gorman, how about a sequel!?

Thank you so much to the publishers, Crooked Lane Books and HighBridge Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I would absolutely recommend this story to Horror Readers, and Dark Fairy Tale Readers, particularly if you love a lot of Body Horror. I can’t wait for more from this author!

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Review: The Debutantes by Olivia Worley

~ megs14malloy

The Debutantes: A NovelThe Debutantes: A Novel by Olivia Worley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the boisterous Southern city of New Orleans, Les Masques Ball is the highlight of the Mardi Gras season for the elite.

The morning after last year’s Ball, the reigning Queen, Margot, was found dead. Margot had a bit of a wild streak, so to some, it wasn’t a particularly shocking development. That sounds mean, but you know how people speculate.

Nevertheless, it was a tragedy and going into this year’s Ball, the new class of debutantes definitely hold Margot’s fate close to their minds and hearts.

Lily is to be this year’s Queen though and she’s absolutely perfect. There’s no way she would get into the type of circumstance that Margot must have found herself in last year. The event should go off without a hitch.

Unfortunately, the Ball gets crashed by a mysterious figure in a Jester costume, threatening those involved.

After the event disperses, Lily sends a message to the three other girls in her royal court, Vivian, Piper and April, asking if they could meet up the next day. But Lily never shows up.

Now the three remaining girls need to try to figure out why Lily wanted to bring them all together and what happened to her. Also, is this connected with Margot’s death?

What is going on here?

The Debutantes is a dramatic and tense YA Thriller, with plenty to keep the Reader on their toes.

I loved the New Orleans setting and the immersion into Debutante culture. It was fascinating and steeped in mystery. I loved the vibes from start to finish.

At first, I’ll admit, it was a little difficult for me to differentiate among all the characters.

The author worked it out though. It’s tough having that many girls involved and keeping them straight. Once I did though, and started to really learn their various personalities and backgrounds, it was so compelling.

There were many entertaining twists, a couple of the jaw-dropping variety, that left me reeling. Additionally, I loved how Worley continued to build up the intensity and intrigue. This was a tough one to put down.

I also felt like the conclusion was very strong. That final chapter was the cherry on the sundae for me. It helped it all become a little more clear. Bravo on that.

This is the first that I have read from Olivia Worley, but from this, I can tell that I will definitely be picking up more of her work. This style of YA Thriller suits my tastes to a tee.

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would recommend this to any YA Thriller fan!

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Review: Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe

~ megs14malloy

Love and Other ConspiraciesLove and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hallie Barrett made the classic mistake of dating a co-worker. The guy was also a mega-jerk and after their split, it actually had a huge impact on Hallie’s position at her job.

She’s been pulled from the online series she was producing and needs to come up with something new to present the execs, and quickly. Inspiration strikes after watching a late-night docuseries where she sees the most handsome man discussing Bigfoot theories.

Hayden Hargrove has made a name for himself with his podcast. He’s an expert on cryptids and was a guest on the show that caught Hallie’s attention.

She reaches out to him and pitches her ideas. He can’t help but be intrigued by the captivating blue-haired producer who has offered him a great opportunity. To her surprise, he accepts her offer to work with her on her new show.

Unfortunately, Hayden is used to podcasting and his solo on-screen performance isn’t great. Trying to make him more comfortable, Hallie jumps on camera too and it’s then when the magic happens.

Their chemistry is great and Hayden seems much more capable of making his points with someone there to banter off from. Thus, their on-screen relationship is born, but what’s gonna happen when the camera stops rolling?

This was really cute. I definitely got invested in Hallie, Hayden and their relationship. I loved the initial set-up for how they came into each other’s orbits, and appreciated that the author didn’t rely too heavily on miscommunication to keep the story progressing.

In fact, there really wasn’t any miscommunication between the love interests, which IMO was SOOOO refreshing to see.

A lot of the drama really stemmed from Hallie’s job and ex, trying to pick up the pieces and get her life back on track. Hayden also had some personal issues, mostly related to his parents. I thought the author did a great job introducing all these topics and seeing them through to their conclusions.

Overall, Love and Other Conspiracies was sort of nerdy, hella sweet and succeeded in keeping me fully engaged throughout. I loved the banter between Hallie and Hayden, but also the more serious moments, how supportive they were of one another.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was such a solid Romance debut. I can’t wait for more from this author!

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Review: The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

~ megs14malloy

The Last One at the Wedding is the latest from Jason Rekulak, author of the well-received, 2022-release, [book:Hidden Pictures|58724923].

I really enjoyed the overall vibes of Hidden Pictures and was excited to see what Rekulak would deliver with this next release. I never even read the full synopsis, TBH, the author’s name alone was enough to sell it to me.

In this story we follow Frank Szatowski, a veteran UPS-driver from rural Pennsylvania. Frank is a widower who lives alone. Sadly, he’s been estranged from his daughter, Maggie, for the past three years.

Maggie left her hometown for college and never returned. She’s always been very driven and now has a successful career in tech and lives in Boston.

Frank is shocked when he receives a call from Maggie out of the blue, not just because of the fact that she’s calling, but because of her news. She’s getting married and she wants Frank to be there.

Determined to make things right with his only child, Frank readily agrees. He’s excited to meet his future son-in-law, Aidan Gardner, and get to know his family. Who is this man who seems to have swept his daughter off her feet?

The weekend-long event is set to take place at a lakeside estate in New Hampshire, owned by the Gardners. As it turns out, Aidan’s father is a titan in the tech industry and the family is ridiculously wealthy.

Even though that level of wealth tends to make Frank uncomfortable, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to reconnect with Maggie. Thus, he makes the long road trip, along with his sister, Tammy, and her foster child, Abigail, with good intentions.

Arriving in New Hampshire, Frank has a couple of interactions with some locals that leave him unsettled. They seem downright hostile towards the Gardners, and rumors swirling around Aidan seem to be at the heart of it.

The property itself is a virtual fortress, complete with intimidating security personnel. Frank tries to relax and just be there for Maggie, but it’s not going well. She seems too busy for him. In fact, his presence seems merely perfunctory.

Frank tries not to let it all affect him, but he is highly suspicious of the Gardner family, and seems to get more suspicious with every forced interaction. What exactly is going on here, and is Maggie in over her head?

It was so easy to get engrossed in this story. I loved Frank from the start and hearing everything from his perspective. I listened to the audiobook and the narration by John Pirhalla truly brought Frank to life.

It’s unclear in the beginning what has gone on in the past between Frank and Maggie; you know of their estrangement, but not how it ended up at that point. I liked the way the author chose to play out that part of the narrative.

There’s also so much mystery surrounding the Gardner family and the depth of Maggie’s involvement in the family affairs. It felt dangerous, even without openly knowing why.

The mystery involving the locals though was really where my brain started to stand at full attention. There’s a missing local girl, who was allegedly dating Aidan, though he denies it.

Frank has communications with them that lead him to believe they’re telling the truth, but everyone in the Gardner family denies involvement of any kind. Scared for his daughter’s safety, Frank can’t let it go and continues to dig.

There are some crazy reveals and I loved getting caught up in all the suspense. There are some characters that are a lot of fun to hate as well. Rekulak created some strong villains here!

I had such a great time going on this journey with Frank. This is a completely different feel to Hidden Pictures, but I actually enjoyed this one even more. I loved the character work, the setting and the non-stop level of intrigue.

While subtle at times, and a bit of a slower burn, I think this is a very well developed story that a lot of Readers will enjoy. I definitely recommend the audiobook as well. It was very well done.

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

I’ve had a great relationship with Rekulak so far, and I cannot wait for more!!

Review: Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker

~ megs14malloy

Come Out, Come OutCome Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

This book has so much to offer, including great rep and an unsettling atmosphere. I really enjoyed meeting these characters and going along on this journey with them.

It was always easy, actually it mostly wasn’t easy, but I appreciated how Fern and Jaq both grew over the course of the story. There was some great messaging involved with both of their stories.

I also felt it was a nice balance between the Horror elements and the Contemporary elements. For me, certain issues, mainly the Horror bits, were wrapped up a little too easily, but overall, a strong Queer YA Horror novel!!

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Review: What We’ll Burn Last by Heather Chavez

~ megs14malloy

What We'll Burn LastWhat We’ll Burn Last by Heather Chavez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

I always look forward to new releases from Heather Chavez. After I finish one, I’m immediately on her author page, checking to see if there’s info on the next release.

What We’ll Burn Last is her 2024-release and it follows a few different perspectives. It’s set in California and is a Missing Persons-based Thriller. Our main perspectives are Leyna, Meredith and Olivia.

Leyna was my favorite. She had an older sister, Grace, who went missing years before. At the beginning of this story, she has an interaction with a young woman that stirs all sorts of memories about Grace.

Shortly thereafter, she sees the news that this young lady, Ellie, has disappeared. Not only did Ellie greatly resemble Grace at the time of her disappearance, but she also went missing from the same spot that Grace did. This cannot be a coincidence, can it?

Leyna has been active on true crime forums since Grace disappeared and she uses those platforms to begin to dig into Ellie’s case. This string of events eventually leads her back to the hometown she left years prior and back into the circle of people she’s been trying to avoid.

Her Mom, Meredith, is a hard perspective to follow. She wasn’t likable, but I never feel like I need to like a character in order to enjoy their perspective, but I will admit to finding Meredith’s POV to be a real slog.

We also follow a woman named Olivia. She is the Mom of Grace’s boyfriend, Adam. Boyfriend, as in, they were a couple at the time that Grace went missing. By-the-by, Adam went missing at the same time. The two families have been at odds ever since.

You follow along with these three perspectives as the truth about the past, about what happened to Grace and Adam, as well as the current mystery of Ellie, and the drama between the two families is all worked out.

Honestly, it was a lot to follow. I really enjoyed the first half. As mentioned above, I had a great time following Leyna’s perspective. The beginning was so intriguing, as she met Ellie and then learned of her disappearance.

This stemmed her investigation into Ellie, and it also rekindled her interest in what happened to her sister. This brought her back to her hometown. The trope of an MC returning to a hometown after a long period of time away, to look into some old mystery, is one of my favorites.

Unfortunately for me, the other perspectives brought this story down for me. They weren’t as interesting to me as Leyna and my mind began to wander during their sections.

By the 60%-point, my interest was down. Whereas one would think my interest would only increase as the story went along, that really wasn’t the case here.

I still feel like this is a solid story and that first half was def a 4-star read for me, but I had to drop my rating a bit, as went my level of interest, in the later half.

With this being said, even though this wasn’t my favorite of her books, I’m already chomping at the bit to see what Chavez is going to deliver us next.

In comparison to her earlier books, I didn’t find this one quite as pulse-pounding, but I still feel like it had a good plot and included strong character work.

I did like the setting and the initial build-up of the mystery as well. It did bring to mind the real-life tragedy of Gabby Petito, and that case was mentioned briefly within this story. I’m not sure if that case inspired Chavez to write this or not, but the relationship between Grace and Adam did have a similar vibe.

At the end of the day, this is a solid Missing Persons Thriller and I would encourage others to pick it up. I think if you’re able to connect in some way to all three perspectives, this could be a very intriguing read for you.

Thank you to the publisher, Mulholland Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Chavez is a gifted writer and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

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Review: Don’t Eat the Pie by Monique Asher

~ megs14malloy

Don't Eat the PieDon’t Eat the Pie by Monique Asher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don’t Eat the Pie is an intriguing Horror story following a mother-daughter duo, Sam and Emma.

This book features a mysterious atmosphere, creepy characters, and luckily, quite a few tropes I tend to enjoy.

I’ve read a few reviews of this novel and many mention comps to Rosemary’s Baby. I absolutely see that, but I would add that it’s Rosemary’s Baby mixed with The Skeleton Key.

Do y’all remember that movie? It released in 2005 and starred the beautiful, Kate Hudson; set in New Orleans and contained some great supernatural Folk Horror elements. This book was definitely giving me all that.

The Southern Gothic vibes, the protagonists being new to town, the locals behaving strangely, particularly on the home-front. It’s all very intriguing and definitely succeeded in pulling me in.

It’s set on Camillia Island and the island helped add to the mystery. I think it’s mentioned that like only around 40-people actually reside there, so it’s super small and feels very remote; not a lot of outside influence.

Sam and Emma move there after Sam marries Ben, and his mom, who lives on the island gets sick. Emma wasn’t thrilled about the move, but it’s padded a bit by one of her friends, as well as her Aunt and cousin, going along for a bit; at least for the Summer.

I liked the back and forth of the perspectives between Sam and Emma. It really helped to build out their relationship, as well as their current circumstances.

They were both experiencing different things on Camilia Island and it was the totality of their experiences that really created the suspense and mystery.

I felt the author did a great job of creating a sense of danger within this atmosphere. It felt unsettling, even when you weren’t sure what you were really being unsettled by and I love that sort of reading experience.

The audiobook does have dual narration, which is perfect for providing distinction between Emma and Sam. I liked that aspect as it made me feel like I was actually listening to the two women tell their story.

While some parts felt a little drawn out, and certain details towards the end got a little muddled, overall, I had a great time with this story. It kept me on my toes.

I’ve never read from this author before, but I would definitely be interested in picking up more of their work. Particularly, if they have this same dark Southern atmosphere. We love to see it.

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

This book deserves more buzz, and I hope it starts getting it soon. It’s a perfect Spooky Season read!!!

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Review: The Wedding Engagement by Zoe Allison

~ megs14malloy

The Wedding EngagementThe Wedding Engagement by Zoe Allison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

The Wedding Engagement is a Romance by Zoe Allison. This story follows MCs, Liv and Arran, and is set in Scotland.

Liv is a preschool teacher and Arran is an up-and-coming painter, as well as a single-Dad to a sweet little boy that Liv will soon have in her classroom.. Arran is Liv’s brother’s best friend, so the two have known each other for a long time.

They have a very tight knit group of friends, but when Arran occasionally needs help with his son, it’s Liv who really starts showing up for him.

Her excuse is that she doesn’t have much of a life otherwise and she doesn’t mind at all. The truth is more complex. She’s crushing hard on Arran, but yeah, also loves his son too. She wants to help him and definitely enjoys the extra time with her bro’s handsome-BFF.

Arran notices Liv showing up for him, and in truth, he’s been noticing a lot more than that. The sexual tension is boiling and their banter is just so cute.

When the two end up set-up together on a blind date, they have the opportunity to finally express what they’ve been feeling, but they both fail. Big time.

Even though it felt frustrating in the beginning, because miscommunication, this cast of characters did really grow on me. Arran was such a sweetheart and I empathized with Liv and her very real struggles and self-doubts.

I loved Arran and Liv’s banter, and more importantly, just the way they were with each other; how they considered each other’s feelings so much.

My favorite thing though was the friend group. I loved how supportive and open they all were with one another, both the men and the women.

A lot of the plot of this revolves around Liv’s brother, Sam, and his engagement and upcoming marriage to one of her best friends. Arran and Liv are both involved in the wedding planning and the stag and hen do.

I did enjoy that as well. Those types of set-ups are always fun to read about, IMO, and it helped to bring about a lot of necessary time for Arran and Liv to spend together.

Additionally, I appreciate the real-life issues that Allison explored with these MCs. For Liv, there was a lot of back story having to do with her bio-Dad and him basically being a shitbag. For Arran, there was a lot of drama involving his ex-fiance, Jess.

Granted, I don’t read a ton of Romance, but the Romance I do read and enjoy tends to tackle some heavier topics for the MCs. I need more than just sex and attraction. I want them working through things together, as a team and providing both emotional support and protection for one another.

I felt like Allison did a great job of channeling that into this story. This budding relationship had substance. I could walk away feeling like it wasn’t going to fizzle out in 8-10 years when the sexual attraction may have started to take more of a backseat in comparison with other issues.

Overall, while I’m not sure how memorable this story will be for me in the long-run, I still really enjoyed it and the journey that I went on with these characters.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is the first that I have read from this author, but I’m definitely looking forward to more.

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Review: So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

~ megs14malloy

So ThirstySo Thirsty by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars heavily rounded up**

I feel so bad. My head hurts. I have many mixed feelings on So Thirsty. I love Rachel Harrison, and her quirky Cozy Horror style, but this wasn’t great for me.

Unfortunately, I was mainly bored. It took me close to a month to finish. I just felt no sense of urgency, or compulsion to pick it up again once I had set it down.

This is the 6th-book I have read of Harrison’s, most of which I have adored, but this one is down there on the list. If not the bottom, it is close.

However, even Harrison’s slowest story for me is better than many others, so there’s that.

In this story we follow Sloane, who at the start of the tale is gifted a Girls Trip from her husband for her birthday. She, along with her best friend, Naomi, will be staying in a cozy rental cottage for the weekend.

Sloane wasn’t looking forward to her birthday, but reconnecting with Naomi, somewhere away from home does sound like a relief. Sloane and her husband have been having some issues and it’s been weighing heavily on her.

Naomi lives a completely different lifestyle, traveling the world with her rock star boyfriend, and she’s always good for a distraction.

Once there though, Sloane still doesn’t feel into it. Naomi literally has to drag the smiles out of her. It’s a struggle and their relationship seems to be feeling the strain.

The second night there, Naomi has something a little irregular in the cards for them. A house party with an attractive group of mysterious strangers.

That’s the night that will change their lives forever.

Generally with Rachel Harrison’s books, I become attached and invested in the main character. Usually, I find them highly relatable and more often than not, feel like they think, or see the world, very similarly to me.

But I just couldn’t connect with Sloane. I didn’t care for her, she felt like a rain cloud. Sadly, I couldn’t stand Naomi either. I found them both insufferable. Sloane seemed like such a Debbie Downer and Naomi was a selfish, self-centered twat the majority of the time.

I did enjoy the Horror concepts and how a lot of the action played out, I just wish it would have been with a different cast of characters.

The 4-stars are for the vampire bits and the scenes involving body horror and dangerous circumstances. I actually feel like I am being quite generous as I now sit here reflecting upon this reading experience.

Nevertheless, you can’t fault Harrison’s writing style, or her ability to create nuanced characters, whether or not I personally enjoy them. I know so many Readers have loved this one, so I feel like a lot of it will depend on how much you’re able to connect with Sloane and Naomi’s story.

I will say the first half did work more for me than the second. Around the halfway point, it started to drag, even though, one would think because of the timeline of events, the second half should have been more exciting.

I think perhaps I was just over Sloane and Naomi by then.

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

Regardless of how salty I sound, I do absolutely adore this author and am looking forward to reading whatever she chooses to deliver us next!

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