2025 releases

Review: Overgrowth by Mira Grant

~ megs14malloy

OvergrowthOvergrowth by Mira Grant
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

When she was just 3-years old, Anastasia Miller, wandered into the woods to locate a beautifully-smelling flowering plant. It was then that she disappeared.

A massive missing person search ensued, only to have Anastasia come back home, visibly unharmed days later. It was at that point that her story truly began.

She’d been abducted by aliens. Her purpose now was to prepare, or warn, the humans about the coming invasion.

She told everybody she could, her whole life, even into adulthood. People came to assume it was a quirky character trait stemming from the trauma she must have suffered during the period of time she went missing, but no one seems to really believe she’s an alien.

When an alien signal broadcast around the world starts to get picked up, it’s validity undeniable, it seems maybe people should have taken Anastasia’s warnings seriously.

The invasion is coming. Stasia’s bio-family is finally on their way and their intent could put all of humanity at risk. They were warned. It’s too bad they didn’t listen.

This novel had such a great start. The first 25%, I was so intrigued. The audiobook narration was fabulous, and perfect for Anastasia’s perspective.

The pace was very solid in the first half. I enjoyed the side characters a lot. Stasia’s boyfriend, Graham, and her roommates, they all played huge roles in this story, and I liked the found family feel of their group.

The tone reminded me quite a bit of the Alchemical Journeys series by Seanan McGuire. In fact, I had to remind myself a couple of times that this wasn’t just another installment to that series; even the cuckoos were mentioned.

Unfortunately, this started to lose me in the second-half. The intrigue completely flew out of the stratosphere for me when the aliens flew in. There was just something about the way that was done and presented, the direction it ultimately went, that didn’t work for me.

I was hoping for a vastly different outcome regarding the conclusion, however, there’s no denying the quality of Grant’s writing and character development.

She’s a master of intentional writing. There are no wasted words and everything has meaning and depth. It’s not just entertainment. There’s a lot more going on within her stories, which I do appreciate so much.

So, while this one was a bit of a mixed bag for me, I’m still a huge fan of Mira Grant and will continue to pick up anything she writes in the future.

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

If you’re looking for a Alien Invasion story, this is def worth checking out. I know many Readers are going to love this!

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Review: Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger

~ megs14malloy

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 features a extreme version of Hide-n-Seek, played by various daring Adults, and streamed online to countless fans.

Maverick Dillan is a wildly-popular creator and influencer in the Adventure space. This game is his baby, and even though it has been played before with disastrous consequences that still haunt him, he’s up to host another round.

This round of the game is set to be played on the remote Falcao Island. In addition to Maverick and his people, we follow single-Mom, Adele, whose children get her to sign up for the game.

After her husband left them, Adele has had to wear a lot of different hats in their family, including resident badass. When her kids show how enthusiastic they are for the game, and how much they believe in her, she would be hard pressed to say no.

Plus, the $1,000,000 prize could change everything for them.

This story is very social media based, so it’s not surprising we get snippets in a mixed media format to introduce the Reader to the game and the players.

While I loved the set-up and the premise behind the game, as well as all the players involved, the social media aspects did feel a bit over-exaggerated. It felt a little, and this is just my opinion, that maybe the author was perhaps pandering a bit to the BookTok crowd.

That’s a very minor point though. I thought the set-up and basic premise of this story were both very well developed. I love how pulled into Adele’s life I felt, and how much I was rooting for her as a contestant.

The game itself did remind of Hide by Kiersten White, but honestly, I feel like it was executed better here. No offense to anyone who loves Hide. I get it, but that one definitely fell flat for me with the gaming element.

This one gave me more of the fast-paced energy and drama that I wanted. I would recommend it to Readers who enjoy books with a gaming trope. It’s worth the read.

This does give a lot of insight into Maverick and his partners in their dealings behind the scenes of the show. That was a good element to add, although personally, I did feel like that took over a bit.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time with Close Your Eyes and Count to 10. I loved the idea of the game having a bit of a survival element, and the setting on a remote island was great. Also, Unger added in inclement weather, which I always appreciate.

Unfortunately, the further it went along, the more it started to lose me. I wanted more time with the contestants and what they were going through, and instead I felt that aspect was sort of overshadowed by the drama going on amongst the game’s hosts, as mentioned above.

It was still an entertaining read, however, even with these minor complaints. I just wish I could have felt as connected and intrigued with it at the end, as I did at the beginning.

I would recommend the audiobook format. It was engaging and kept me flying through. I found the narrator very believable, particularly in Adele’s perspective.

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I haven’t read a lot from this author, but I do want to pick up more of her work.

Even though this wasn’t perfect for me, you cannot deny the fluidity and captivating nature of her writing.

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Review: Another Fine Mess (Bless Your Heart #2) by Lindy Ryan

~ megs14malloy

Another Fine Mess (Bless Your Heart, #2)Another Fine Mess by Lindy Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another Fine Mess is the 2nd-book in Lindy Ryan’s Cozy Horror-Mystery series, Bless Your Heart. This adorable, yet slightly graphic series, is set in small town-Texas in the 90s.

It’s a series my Horror-loving, Cozy Mystery-obsessed heart didn’t know it needed, but now adores with wild abandon.

I can’t say too much about the plot without potentially giving away important aspects of the 1st-book, Bless Your Heart, so I’m going to keep this short and simple.

Basically, these books follow the women in the Evans family, who own and operate a Funeral Home. This is a very important job, because in their small town, the dead sometimes rise and they’re not happy. It’s the Evans job to make sure they stay dead and buried.

While the 1st-book was more of a vampire-esque story, this one has the town believing that some sort of hybrid-wolf is on a rampage, killing townsfolk and possibly stealing pieces of their bodies. It’s a bloody mess.

We follow the Evans women, and a few of their allies, as they try to determine what’s actually going on, and stop it before more innocent lives are lost.

The deeper they dig however, the more it seems this killer may be somehow connected to them, but how?

I thought this was so entertaining. I listened to the audiobook again and love Stephanie Nemeth-Parker’s narration. It’s such a great fit for this series. I highly recommend the audio format.

To me these books have the perfect mix of Horror, heart and Mystery. The Horror aspects are mainly contained within the kill scenes and the supernatural elements. Other than that, it is all Cozy Mystery.

I think Ryan does a great job of blending those two worlds together, and I know a lot of Readers, myself included, absolutely adore both genres. Having them together like this is just such a delight.

Even though I don’t find the mysteries to be particularly memorable, I still love reading them. It’s not something that’s going to stick with me until the end of time, but I don’t really need it to.

I read for entertainment and to escape from real life for a while, and Ryan definitely provides me that escape with these stories. I walk away a happy girl!

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m really hoping this series continues.

I would love to spend more time with the Evans women. I feel closer to them now than ever!

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Review: How to Seal Your Own Fate (Castle Knoll Files #2) by Kristen Perrin

~ megs14malloy

How to Seal Your Own Fate (Castle Knoll Files #2)How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

How to Seal Your Own Fate is the 2nd-installment in Kristen Perrin’s Castle Knoll Files. These books follow Annie Adams, who has recently moved to the tiny village of Castle Knoll after inheriting her Great-Aunt Frances’s property upon her untimely death.

In the 1st-book, Annie needs to solve the mystery of who murdered her Great-Aunt. In this one, she needs to solve the murder of the person who foretold that death, the fortune teller, Peony Lane.

These Cozy Mysteries are told through both present and past storylines. Annie is in our present, and our past perspective is told via Frances. The past we examine here is 1967, when Frances is being pulled between two men: the wealthy, Ford Gravesdown, and the earnest, Archie Foyle.

There is a mystery in the past as well, which involves a car accident that claimed the lives of some members of Ford’s family. We shift back and forth between past and present, find out the connections, and ultimately gets answers to both mysteries.

I’ve really enjoyed both books in this series so far. I feel like Perrin has developed a nice little formula, and it’s working.

Upon picking this one up, I was immediately happy to be back with Annie in Castle Knoll. I do love her as a main character. Admittedly, it does take a minute, at least it did for me, to settle into the flow of the story, the back-and-forth can be a little jarring at first.

Once you are able to get your bearings though, it does flow nicely. I feel like the chapters are short and punchy, and always left me wanting to know more.

This one is twisted. The mystery of the car accident, there are a lot of puzzle pieces involved, and it did get a little hard to track at times. Especially because a lot of my focus was also on Peony’s death in the present.

I did feel it got a little convoluted towards the end, but nevertheless, it was a fun time and I did enjoy how it concluded. It looks like we’ll be getting a 3rd-book and I’m definitely on board for that.

I appreciated how Annie has come to understand and relate to her Great-Aunt Frances so much more over the course of these two books. I also love her settling into her new life, and look forward to seeing more of that in future.

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

I would recommend this to all Cozy Mystery fans, particularly those who enjoy a historical element in their Cozies, or those who enjoy small village vibes.

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Review: The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North

~ megs14malloy

The Man Made of SmokeThe Man Made of Smoke by Alex North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤

When he was a kid, Dan Garvie had an encounter with a serial killer that he luckily escaped physically unharmed, but he’s been mentally haunted by that day ever since.

It had a huge impact, not just on him, but also on his Dad, John, as well. John was a police officer at the time the killer was active, and to have his son directly impacted by that encounter definitely hit a little too close to home.

As an adult, Dan has moved away from his small island hometown and has dedicated his life to understanding criminal minds. Focused on forgetting his past, Dan doesn’t keep in as close of touch with his Dad as he probably should.

When he receives news that his Dad has passed away under highly-suspicious circumstances, he rushes back to the island determined to uncover the truth.

Returning to his childhood home stirs up a lot of feelings and memories for Dan. It also brings him into contact with people he hasn’t seen in many years, including his childhood best friend, Sarah.

As Dan starts digging around, trying to find out what could have happened to his Dad, he uncovers some startling things. Is it possible his Dad’s unfortunate fate is connected to that horrible nightmare Dan has been running from for all of these years?

The Man Made of Smoke was so incredibly-engaging. Gripping and intriguing from the very start, I found it difficult to put this one down once I was reading it.

The story is told via three perspectives and I appreciated what each of them brought to the story. I grew attached to each character, but particularly to John. This is one of those rare Crime Fiction novels that really tugs at your heart-strings, or at least it did mine.

We also get past and present perspectives, which I feel like helped to really build out the truth behind this story.

The past perspective had a visceral feel to it; imagining being in the circumstances portrayed was gut-wrenching. The current perspectives were similarly impactful, filled with the character’s inner regrets and turmoil.

It was so well executed and really made me feel connected with this story. I actually cared. There’s no way I could have walked away from this one.

It also didn’t hurt that the set-up of a character returning to their hometown, after a long period of time away, and they have to reinsert themselves into their communities in order to solve something, either an old or new mystery, is one of my all-time favorite tropes.

As someone who moved away from their hometown many years ago, this idea always intrigues me. Maybe I should go back and solve some stuff, you know? Also, it’s set on an island, which is another thing I love.

All around it was clear from the start that this should be a hit for me, and Alex North definitely pulled it off. I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of North’s previous novels, or if you love darker Crime Fiction stories in general.

Thank you to the publisher, Celadon Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This definitely met my lofty expectations. Well played by North!

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Review: Senseless by Ronald Malfi

~ megs14malloy

SenselessSenseless by Ronald Malfi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Senseless. I didn’t read the synopsis before starting this book. There’s no need for me to do so. If I see Ronald Malfi’s name on a cover, I am going to be reading it. It really makes no difference to me what it’s actually about.

I was delighted to discover this novel is a captivating blend of Crime Fiction, Horror and Suspense. This is a combination Malfi is so successful with, and brought to mind my favorite previous novel of his, Bone White.

This story is told via three perspectives: Detective Bill Renney, author Maureen Park, and the self-proclaimed human fly, Toby Kampen.

My favorite of these was Detective Renney. He reminded me a lot of another of another one of my fictional favorites, Detective Bill Hodges. Renney is flawed, but also incredibly compelling and endearing.

At the start of this novel, the corpse of a heavily-mutilated woman is found in the desert outside of L.A. Called in on the case, Renney can’t help but see glaring connections to a case he thought had been put to bed a year ago.

Is this some sort of a copy-cat killing? But how could that be? This level of details, as far as the specifics of the woman’s body, was never reported to the public.

Bill is disturbed by this and it ends up reopening some doors from the past he would rather have stayed closed.

Then we get Maureen’s and Toby’s perspectives. Besides living in and around the same area of the crime, how are these people connected? It’s not immediately clear.

You shouldn’t concern yourself too much with all of that though. Just sit back and let the magic happen. Through Malfi’s skill, all will become clear in the end.

Upon first completing Senseless, I was absolutely gobsmacked by how well-crafted it is. It gave me so many different themes to ponder, and reflect upon, both in the story, and just about life and human behavior in general.

It’s such a nuanced story, with many threads interwoven into a perfect blend of Crime Fiction, Thriller and Horror. The examination of grief and guilt is also expertly-explored, which is one of my favorite topics in Horror; just beautiful.

There were so many different threads of story here that had to be woven in and out, and placed at just the right time for the Reader to get maximum impact. I absolutely LOVED how Malfi pulled that off.

Each character brought their own unique circumstances and personalities to the table, as we all do in life, and it was just so fascinating to see it all come together.

There were some deep moments of intensity, particularly for me surrounding Maureen’s perspective, and some scenes in particular that horrified me and definitely got under my skin. I was so on edge for her. It was powerful.

While I don’t think this book will necessarily be for everyone, I think for the Readers who are able to connect with it, as I did, it’s a memorable one indeed.

Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books and Tantor Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. Ronald Malfi is one of my absolute favorite authors, and I always look forward to his new releases.

IMO, he’s one of the most talented voices in Horror Fiction today. There’s such a classic feel to his writing. I find them to have a nostalgic feel, even though they’re brand new.

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Review: A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

~ megs14malloy

A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan, #2)A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

A Drop of Corruption is the highly-anticipated follow-up to The Tainted Cup, which published in early-2024.

I have been excited about this release since I turned the final page of that book. This may seem dramatic, but its really not. I fell in love with the perfect blend of Mystery and SFF-elements that RJB delivered and wanted more.

Each book has its own mystery to solve, and this one was just as, if not more, compelling than the first.

In Yarrowdale, an area at the edge of the Empire, an impossible crime has taken place. A Treasury Officer has disappeared from his locked room, that was in a building with guards at all of the entrances and exits.

In order to get to the bottom of it, and hopefully locate the missing officer, the Empire calls upon its most brilliant investigator, Ana Dolabra, who brings along her charming assistant, Dinios Kol.

It doesn’t take long for Ana to work out that it’s not just a disappearance they’re investigating, but a murder. How did it happen though? The doors and windows were locked from the inside. It’s a real puzzle. A true locked room mystery.

As they dig further in, it becomes clear that the killer is actually targeting a high-security area known as the Shroud. It’s there that the Empire’s finest minds are trying to find a way to harness the magic found in the blood of fallen Titans.

If the Shroud were to fall, or be destroyed, it could mean the end of the Empire. What sort of madman would wish that sort of devastation on their world, and why?

I’m completely in love with this series. When I first picked this up, I was so happy to be reunited with Din and Ana, I was practically giddy. It felt like seeing old friends after a long-time apart.

I loved how RJB really leaned into the world in this one, and built it out further than before. I feel like I walk away with a deeper understanding of the Empire, and the way it functions, which is something I was hoping for going in.

RJB excels at meshing a completely intriguing mystery with a lush Fantasy environment. Even the way the detectives go about solving the various crimes are so out of our world; it’s fascinating to read. For example, the details Ana is able to glean just by eating assorted foods.

We also got a new character, Malo, who assisted Ana and Din during their time in Yarrowdale and beyond. I absolutely adored her, and hope she’ll be sticking with the series for a long time to come. Could our dynamic duo be turning into a tantalizing trio? I hope so!!

Another aspect I was impressed by was the pace. This story never takes a break. It is pedal to the floor the whole way through. There is something happening at every moment, with so many details being uncovered.

I would love to read this again before the next book is released. I feel like maybe I would pick up even more the second time through. This time I was flying, because I needed answers, but I feel like if I read it again, I could make it a more leisurely read, focusing on the finer details.

I can’t recommend this series enough. If the thought of a high-concept-SFF Mystery tickles your fancy, and for some reason you haven’t started this series yet, you need to drop everything, run to your local library, or bookshop, and get yourself some copies. It’s that good. Don’t wait.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m so excited to see what mystery we get to solve next.

Ana and Din are the absolute best detective duo in SFF!!

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Review: The Last Session by Julia Bartz

~ megs14malloy

The Last SessionThe Last Session by Julia Bartz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

The Last Session is a slow burn, psychology-fueled, suspense story following a social worker named Thea.

Thea works on a psychiatric unit and one day, when a catatonic woman arrives, having been picked up on the streets, Thea feels moments of deja vu looking at her. She swears she knows her, but can’t figure out from where.

Even more strange is how similar the woman looks to her. Once out of her catatonic state, the woman claims she can’t remember the events leading up to her memory loss, and her being in the psych unit in the first place.

When Thea finally places who the woman is and how she knows her, she can hardly believe it. This person played a huge part in Thea’s own traumatic past. She offered her a sense of comfort and inspiration.

But just as suddenly as the woman appeared on the unit, she disappears. People claiming to be her parents came by and picked her up. Shortly thereafter though, her real parents arrive. So, who took her and where did they go?

What is going on here? Is this woman still in further trouble? Thea feels compelled to help her. She cannot let it go. She feels too strong a connection to her.

Following a trail of clues, Thea ends up in a Wellness Center in a remote area of Southwestern New Mexico. It’s there that a charismatic, New Age couple counsel individuals through a 1-month retreat focusing on romance and intimacy issues.

Thea enrolls herself in the program, and while she gets closer to finding answers for her missing patient, she’s maybe even more importantly, edging towards answers about her own past, and resulting hang-ups.

The Last Session is yet another story that immediately intrigued me, but started to lose me as it went on. Don’t get me wrong, Bartz did succeed with a lot of things here, but it veered too far into fever dream territory at the end for my liking. Ultimately, that did sour my experience a bit.

I did appreciate how bold the content was. The conversations about sex, and in particular, the MC’s explorations of her own issues surrounding sex and intimacy. I really enjoyed that side of the story.

I also loved Thea’s determination and how the whole mission evolved into not just being about her saving this mystery woman, but also saving herself; aiming to regain her own power and self-confidence.

I feel like the retreat, and the characters involved in that, were also really well-developed conceptually. It reminded me a lot of the cult of Mother God, or even Heaven’s Gate. I feel as far as cult stories go, it’s a good one, so if that’s something you enjoy, you should absolutely check it out.

Overall, I enjoyed this. While it was a little uneven for me, as far as my personal interest level goes, I still can appreciate its many strong attributes. Yet again, I am impressed by the risks that Julia Bartz takes with her stories.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to seeing what Bartz comes up with next!

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Review: An Evil Premise by T. Marie Vandelly

~ megs14malloy

An Evil PremiseAn Evil Premise by T. Marie Vandelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Upon hearing that her sister, Deidre, has been egregiously-injured in a bizarre accident, Jewel drops everything and rushes to be by her side in the hospital.

All she knows is that Deidre was involved in a hit-and-run and remains in a coma. That’s horrible, and of course upsetting, but even more shocking to Jewel is the terrible skin malady that seems to be plaguing Deidre as well.

Her sister looks nothing like herself. How long has she been dealing with this strange condition, and what exactly is it? Jewel has so many questions.

She decides to stay at Deidre’s apartment, so she’ll be closer to the hospital while Deidre hopefully recovers. It’s at the apartment, as she tries to settle in, that Jewel comes across her sister’s current unfinished writing project.

While both are published authors, Deidre is very successful, while Jewel’s work has never garnered much attention.

After a conversation with Deidre’s literary agent, who called to inquire about the unfinished story, Jewel agrees to help meet a very serious deadline. It’s the least she can do to help her sister during her hour of need.

Also, more selfishly, maybe Deidre’s agent will be impressed with her work and it could help boost Jewel’s career as well. Silver linings.

As she starts reading Deidre’s manuscript though, she discovers something very unsettling. It seems to be mimicking her current circumstances, but how?

Not only that, she thinks it is possibly getting longer every night; that she can hear someone else typing while she’s in the other room. Jewel tells herself she’s just being paranoid. That would be impossible. Wouldn’t it?

Determined to see it through, to finish the manuscript, help her sister and possibly jump-start her floundering career, Jewel pushes on. No matter what happens, she will honor her commitment. Then her skin begins to itch.

Y’all, this was brutal and very, very good. I was all over the place with it, trying to figure out WTH was going on.

I was so entertained by being in Jewel’s mind and watching her interact with everyone around her. Staying at Deidre’s, she has many interactions with the other tenants in Deidre’s building, as well as quite a few interesting encounters at the hospital as well.

It’s clear Jewel might not be the most reliable narrator, which I love, but what was going on with everyone else? Was there anything going on, or was Jewel just pitching them to me in a way that would make me think that?

I love reading stories that revolve around authors, and this one certainly had that nailed with not one, but two authors. It incorporates sections of the book Jewel is working on, and those book-within-a-book elements were incredibly well-executed. NGL, it was impressive.

I thought it was losing me at the end, a little bit, I felt like I was going to be disappointed with the conclusion, but Vandelly brought it around with a jaw-dropping, evil grin inducing conclusion.

I would absolutely recommend this to Horror Readers, particularly if you enjoy a book-within-a-book story. I felt like Vandelly created some chilling horror imagery, with many scenes genuinely getting under my skin. Also, speaking of skin, excellent body horror.

Thank you to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Everyone should be adding this to their Summer Scares TBR!!!

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Review: Pride or Die by C.L. Montblanc

~ megs14malloy

Pride or Die: A NovelPride or Die: A Novel by CL Montblanc
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Pride or Die follows Eleanora Finkel and her friends during their Senior year of high school in Texas. Eleanora has founded a LGBTQ+ Club at their school, which ends up playing a large role in this story.

During one of their meetings, the school’s head cheerleader, Kenley, is attacked right outside the classroom that the Club is meeting in, and she’s fairly badly injured.

Hearing the assault, the Club members rush out into the hall and find Kenley there on the floor. Suddenly, they find themselves the main suspects. Why?

I have no idea.

In order to clear their names, and ensure the survival of their Club, they must now investigate the crime and find out who really attacked Kenley.

I found the whole mystery a bit lackluster. Eleanora was running around like the sky was falling in, claiming she had to protect her friends because there was a homophobic murderer on the loose, yet no one was murdered and the person attacked was a popular straight girl who wasn’t even a member of their club?

It just seemed like, out of all the mysteries you could have developed, a very odd choice to me. Even after the Scooby-Doo like reveal, I was left scratching my head about it all.

Sadly, Pride or Die was not a hit for me. I love YA Mystery-Thrillers and do read a lot of them. Going into this, I was excited to get a strong Mystery, set in high school, following the members of an LGBTQ+ group.

Unfortunately, the MC, Eleanora, I found her personality to be so incredibly-grating, it was hard to focus on anything else. I’m happy she had a bit of self-reflection at the end, but it almost felt like too little, too late.

Honestly, I feel like the author did the story a disservice by only having that one perspective. I really enjoyed Noah and Tyler, Eleanor’s friends, as well as Kenley.

I wish I would have had the opportunity to get to know all of them more, but Eleanora was so self-absorbed, I really feel like I didn’t know anything about anyone else.

I hated the way every SINGLE PERSON, besides Eleanora’s three friends, were portrayed. Even the people showing her kindness, Eleanor judged and said critical things about.

I just found her perspective and outlook completely exasperating. There was zero nuance allowed and every single character was a stereotype of what that ‘type’ of person should be.

There were also so many odd, cringe-worthy moments, that I can’t really get into here without giving away important plot points, but yeah, chapter after chapter of that type of thing gets old quick.

I will say, the audiobook narrator, Ina Marie Smith, was really great. She was believable, vocally, as a teen, and she exuded emotion and sincerity throughout.

At the end of the day, this just wasn’t to my tastes. If you think the synopsis sounds intriguing though, I certainly encourage you to pick it up. Please don’t take my word for it. I’m sure many Readers will have fun with this one.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Even though it didn’t necessarily work for me, I’m glad I gave it a shot.

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