2026 releases

Review: Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

~ megs14malloy

Operation Bounce HouseOperation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dungeon Crawler Carl has legitimately taken the world by storm, but guess what? Matt Dinniman has lots of other tricks up his talented-sleeves, and he proves that with Operation Bounce House.

This story follows a group of colonists on New Sonora, set in deep space, who suddenly find their home planet being used by Earthlings as a sort of playing field for their VR gaming.

Earth citizens can pay to create their own personal war machines that then get sent to the distant planet via the newly opened transfer gate. They can then use those machines to attack the alien population, all Earth descendants, mind you, in a sort of war simulation game.

The game is called Operation Bounce House.

Our protagonist is Oliver Lewis, and we follow him, his sister, Lulu, and their best friends and loved ones as this assault on their lives and land begins, and we continue to follow them throughout, to the bitter end.

I found this incredibly interesting from the start. As we meet all the characters on New Sonora and learn about their daily lives and struggles, it was incredibly well-developed.

Oliver and Lulu had a family robot Roger, who turned out to be one of my favorite characters in the story. He added humor and was continuously teaching and guiding the humans surrounding him. He also had been on the colony planet since its inception, so was able to recollect the full history of the settlement easily.

I really grew to love the full cast of characters over the course of the story. As you go along with their struggles with them, which is literally a fight for their survival, you can’t help but get emotionally invested in their outcome.

They were all distinctive, with unique attributes and personalities. I felt like I was there with them. That’s how real Dinniman made this little group of colonists.

I appreciated so much the themes Dinniman explored in this, but because of the heavier subject matter, it does have a more serious feel than DCC.

For example, the idea of the ‘other’. The people on Earth viewed the residents of New Sonora as the other; almost subhuman. Therefore, it gave them leeway to do as they pleased in the game.

It made me think of a lot of different things going on in our world, not just now, but really over all time. A sort of us versus them mentality, and how humans can sort of block entire groups off as not being like them and therefore undeserving of the same rights and care.

I like how Dinniman formatted this story as it demonstrates this whole scenario from the ‘others’ perspective. I feel like Dinniman gets pretty thoughtful in this one in that regard whilst also keeping to his basic fun-filled, humorous style.

There’s actually so much to unpack here. My brain is reeling from this ride. It really pulls you in. You feel like you’re a part of this world on the brink of disaster.

I just really appreciated all the important topics Dinniman included without making the narrative feel preachy, or thrusting his own agenda down the Readers throats. He’s laying out a scenario and allowing the Reader to do some free-thinking, which I just love!

I’ll admit it was heavier than I was expecting, as far as tone, but I did appreciate the direction he went with it and would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Thank you to the publisher, Ace, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I love Dinniman’s creativity and writing style. I knew that from reading DCC, but this solidifies that assessment.

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Review: Monster in the Moonlight (Monster Hunter #4) by Annelise Ryan

~ megs14malloy

Monster in the Moonlight (Monster Hunter, #4)Monster in the Moonlight by Annelise Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Monster in the Moonlight is another fantastic installment in Annelise Ryan’s Monster Hunter series. This is the 4th-book and I’ve enjoyed them all. Unsurprising, since they combine 2 of my favorite things: spooky vibes and cozy mysteries.

These books follow Morgan Carter, a cryptozoologist and specialty bookstore owner, who along with her lovable dog, Newt, investigates cases that may be linked to potential cryptid activity. Each installment features Morgan in different places, investigating creatures from lore.

In this story, Morgan gets consulted after a dead body is discovered on Bray Road in Wisconsin. The brutal killing sparks rumors that the Beast of Bray Road, a werewolf-like creature thought to inhabit the area, has returned.

It’s clear the woman has been mutilated by some type of large animal, and the locals are convinced it’s the Beast. A local policeman is actually the one to contact Morgan, through a mutual friend, for help, hoping she’ll be able to disprove the Beast’s existence.

As Morgan starts her investigation, it soon becomes clear this is a much larger case, with a much larger web than initially anticipated. Per usual, she soon finds herself in danger and racing against the clock to get to the bottom of what’s happening on Bray Road.

I’m not going to deny these books are a little silly, but Ryan nevertheless makes them super-duper fun, and that’s what I’m looking for in a Cozy series.

I’ve grown attached to Morgan and Newt, so I’m hoping for more installments to the series. There’s plenty more cryptids to explore, after all.

Morgan is a great leading lady. She’s smart and daring, never afraid to put herself out there in order to succeed at her investigations. She’s also a great Dog Mom, always considering Newt’s needs at all times. I never have to worry about him while reading, which is a great comfort to me.

This was another solid mystery too. I was captivated about what was going on. Morgan is like a dog with a bone once she gets a lead, and I knew she wasn’t going to leave this town without answers.

I would recommend this series to any Cozy Mystery fans, but particularly those looking for something a little different in their Cozy. It’s one-of-a-kind.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’ll be anxiously awaiting news as to whether or not there are going to be more books in the Monster Hunter series!!

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Review: The Darkness Greeted Her by Christina Ferko

~ megs14malloy

The Darkness Greeted HerThe Darkness Greeted Her by Christina Ferko
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Darkness Greeted her is a YA Horror novel tackling themes such as sapphic relationships, mental health struggles, overcoming trauma, and features a dark atmosphere.

In this story, our MC is Penny, who has a traumatic past, mostly surrounding her abusive father, that she’s trying to overcome. She also struggles with Harm OCD, so she enlists in a therapy camp to try to face her issues head on, and get control of her life back.

Camp Whitewood is very small, I think there were maybe 8 girls total. I don’t remember specifically, but it was a smaller group, which gave it a more intimate feel.

Even though we follow Penny mainly, Ferko did provide different sections for the other girls, where we are shown the parts of their pasts that may have contributed to them entering Camp Whitewood. And though everyone had very different experiences, you could tell that their trauma was something that they could relate and bond over.

The interesting and horrible part of the camp is that their traumas seem to suddenly take form in the shape of a Shadow Man, a monster who brings their deepest fears to life. The visions involved in this are truly horrific for the girls, and also confusing.

As their hallucinations escalate and girls begin to turn up dead, Penny must team up with whoever is left to get to the truth behind the Shadow Man, and try to defeat him before he’s able to conquer the rest of them.

I liked this. It’s a heavy story and does involve a lot of depictions of traumatic situations happening on page; check for trigger warnings if that concerns you. I enjoyed the idea of this Shadow Man entity bringing their darkest nightmares to life for these recovering girls to try to defeat.

The action bits, particularly towards the end, were quite chaotic and I did find it slightly difficult to visualize and track. Additionally, I didn’t necessarily find any of the characters, besides Penny, that memorable. They were pretty much interchangeable to me, but I did appreciate the difficult topics the author was addressing.

I think in the YA space this would be a good introduction to this style of Horror for a lot of younger readers. For me, this really didn’t do anything new or exciting, therefore I’m not sure how memorable it will be long term.

However, I do appreciate the author’s efforts and vision. I know so many Readers are going to be able to connect to the girls’ experiences in this book, and that’s super important as well. I’m glad I checked it out.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Fire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’d be happy to pick up more from this author in the future.

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Review: Everyone in This Bank is a Thief (Ernest Cunningham #3) by Benjamin Stevenson

~ megs14malloy

Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief: A NovelEveryone in This Bank Is a Thief: A Novel by Benjamin Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙💛💙

Everyone in This Bank is a Thief is a fabulously-fun installment to the Ernest Cunningham series. It successfully channels all the quirky meta-vibes that Readers, including myself, have been enjoying in the previous books.

This is the 3rd-novel in the series, and there’s also a fun novella set around the Christmas holiday. At this point, our protagonist, Ernest, is a successful crime writer who’s honed his craft frequently via hands-on experience.

The mystery in this story takes Ernest in a new direction though, when the bank he’s at for a loan meeting, gets held-up and the people inside suddenly find themselves taken hostage, including Ernest and Juliette.

As the event starts to unfold, Ernest begins to notice unusual things about the robber and the situation in general. It seems there’s more than money at stake. What is he really after, and what is the actual aim of this heist?

As Ernest gets to know everyone in the bank, and as he starts to put the various puzzle pieces together, even the hostages become his suspects.

I’ve enjoyed following Ernest’s character arc over the course of these novels. He’s very much evolved and I feel like this story was a perfect glimpse into the life he’s living now. It’s such a change from when we met him in the 1st-book.

I liked that Stevenson went in a different direction with the plot of this story as well. It’s not just another murder mystery. The bank setting and the cast of unknown characters added a fun new direction for the series.

I listened to the audiobooks for all of the novels and the narration by Barton Welch is absolutely fantastic. He is Ernest Cunningham to me. I cannot recommend the audio versions enough, if you have them available to you.

I read this in a day. It was so quick and easy to get through. There were a ton of twists and unexpected turns, I had no clue where this was really going. It was such a fun ride.

I’d love to get a physical copy of this one for my collection, as this is the rare mystery I would love to read again and annotate. There were so many interesting clues along the way that I’d love to analyze more closely.

At this point, it’s fair to say Benjamin Stevenson has found a fan in me for life. I’m not sure what the long-term plans are for this series, but I’m certainly hoping for more installments. There’s so much more fun to be had!

Thank you to the publisher, Mariner Books and Harper Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This series brings me such joy and I can’t recommend it enough!

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Review: Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

~ megs14malloy

Japanese GothicJapanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My first 5-star read of 2026!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow, okay. Japanese Gothic. Is this going to be for everyone? No, most likely not. Was it for me though? Hell yes!

I am blown away by how unique, beautiful and creative this story is. It’s tragic. It’s challenging and captivating. It hurt my head a little and my heart a lot.

I finished this novel close to a month ago, and have been sitting with it in my mind ever since. As it turns out, this is going to be one of those cases for me that I love a book so much, I really don’t know how to review it.

There’s only so many ways one can say, this is amazing.

Kylie Lee Baker is so versatile in her writing, and this is a clear example of her tremendous talent. I think maybe for Readers who have only read Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng from her, they might be surprised by this one.

For Readers who have read her earlier works, such as The Keeper of the Night, or The Scarlet Alchemist duologies, both of which I recommend, this may be less of a surprise.

Those Horror Fantasy duologies both leaned heavily into more historical settings. In The Keeper of the Night duology, we also had the incorporation of Japanese folklore and mythology explored through a Horror lens.

In Japanese Gothic, it feels like KLB is blending both her earlier works with Bat Eater, and I mean this style-wise, as we have two main characters, Lee, living in our modern world in 2026, and Sen, living in historic Japan in 1877.

After Lee flees New York under distressing circumstances, he goes to stay in his father’s new home in Japan. A house with a haunting aura and history.

It’s in this location that Lee’s and Sen’s worlds end up colliding. So there’s this beautiful blend of the modern with the historical. It’s a story of two times, two worlds, but how are they connected, and why?

This book is such a journey, such a ride. I was so curious about how KLB was going to work these two perspectives and I loved how it was done. The way we learn about the characters through their experiences with one another, it unfolded in such a natural way.

I definitely crept up on me. I didn’t know how invested I was until the events began to escalate and become higher stakes. I loved the mystery of it as well. There’s no info dumping as to what is going on here, or why, it just evolves.

The revelations at the end, the truth of what’s going on with these characters and the connection, it was jaw-dropping and incredible. I was in awe of what KLB did here.

I could see this one going either way with Readers. It takes its time. It’s truly a slow burn, but I loved the Horror imagery and dark content KLB included, while also making it heartfelt and thought-provoking.

I think for the Readers it hits with, it’s really going to hit, and I fall into that camp. For me, this is Kylie Lee Baker’s best work yet, and I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read from her. I just feel like the complexity the story, the themes explored and it’s construction, is all next level.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who feels like the premise sounds intriguing. I think if you go in knowing it’s going to unfold in a slow, meticulous way, you’ll have a better shot connecting with it. Be willing to take the time.

Thank you to the publisher, Hanover Square Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I know it’s early, but I can say with confidence that this will be on my Best Books of 2026 list!

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Review: X Marks the Haunt by Lindsay Currie

~ megs14malloy

X Marks the HauntX Marks the Haunt by Lindsay Currie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

12-year old, Will Stone, has some unique interests for his age, mainly stemming from his proximity to his Mom’s work at a local historic cemetery.

Will is well-versed in all things Graceland cemetery. He’s familiar with how all the burial vaults work, he knows where the most interesting markers lie, and he is a wiz at interpreting centuries old records. Not quite the typical past-times of his peers.

Because of all this, Will doesn’t have a ton of friends. He’s more of a loner. He does have a best friend, Stash, and no one is really mean to him, but he doesn’t have a big group he would generally pal around with.

When his class ends up taking a field trip to the cemetery, at first he’s horrified. He doesn’t want his classmates knowing his Mom works there, and she’s going to be guiding their tour. It’s instant panic mode for Will.

His Mom is a professional though, and ends up making it a fun and memorable visit for all the kids. Will is surprised by the interest a lot of his classmates show, and by the end of the day, he’s found he’s made a couple new friends.

Unfortunately, there is one kid that’s not as nice as the rest and he ends up pressuring Will into doing something he really doesn’t want to do. The result of this action is that a priceless crypt key ends up lost.

After that, Will’s peaceful existence in the cemetery goes awry. Trees start to die, the lake seems poisoned and Will begins hearing and seeing disturbing things.

It seems some sort of malevolent force has been unleashed, and Will, along with his new found friends, need to figure out how to put things back to rights. If they find the key, that should solve everything, right? Maybe, maybe not.

X Marks the Haunt is classic Lindsay Currie. If you’re a fan of her work, you definitely need to read this one. It’s once again set in the beautiful, historic city of Chicago and incorporates history so fluidly.

Will is extremely lovable and pure. I love how resourceful and naturally curious Currie makes her protagonists, but they’re also vulnerable and you can’t help but root for their success. I loved watching Will gain confidence around his peers over the course of the story.

He showed a lot of growth and we love to see that. I think as far as Middle Grade stories go, Currie is one of the best at making history, learning, books smarts, all those things, look cool, because they are, but not all kids see it that way.

Although I didn’t feel this was quite as spooky, or atmospheric, as some of Currie’s earlier works, I still loved these characters so much and the incorporation of the cemetery as the backdrop of the action was so fun.

If you are a fan of Spooky Middle Grade and for some reason haven’t read a Lindsay Currie book yet, you need to change that immediately. She’s the best in the biz, IMO.

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Currie has never disappointed me.

I look forward to everything she writes and will continue to do so for a long, long time!

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Review: Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams

~ megs14malloy

Her Last BreathHer Last Breath by Taylor Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

💙💜💙💜💙💜💙💜💙💜💙

Her Last Breath, like Taylor Adams’s last novel, The Last Word, has firmly secured Adams fate as one of my top Thriller authors. Wild and wickedly-entertaining, both of these books kept me glued to the seat and flipping pages.

Taylor Adams has knocked another one out of the park!

Caves, and caving more particularly, petrify me. I was interested in this book as soon as I read the synopsis. I figured it would be harrowing, and easily get my heart racing, and boy and boy, did it ever.

We’re following best friends, Tess and Allie, who go on a caving trip, supposedly a day trip, but it turns into so much more than that. Though Allie is an experienced caver, and knows the cave they are going into like the back of her hand, Tess is a complete amateur.

She goes more because she wants to please Allie, than due to any desire of her own. From the start it doesn’t go well. They have a bit of a confrontation with a mysterious stranger lurking just inside the cave entrance, and from that moment on, the vibes seem off.

As the two women descend into the depths, they soon realize they aren’t alone. The stranger has followed them, and he’s not planning to let them back out alive.

24-hours later, a hospitalized Tess walks a clever Detective Washington through the culminating events of their ill-fated adventure. Together, the two begin to determine that the events weren’t as random as they initially appeared.

Y’all, my claustrophobia was fully initiated by 30% into this novel. It was stirring a bit ahead of that, as even thinking of entering this cave makes me feel queasy, but by 30%, I needed to get up, walk around and stretch.

The way that Adams drew me in, it felt effortless. It was so well written, to keep me fully engaged and keep me guessing. Tess and Allie are both complex characters and I wasn’t sure if I could trust either one of them.

My mind was spinning, trying to keep up with what was going on in this hellscape of a cave. The stranger, the man they met at the cave mouth, was so unsettling. The way he interacted with the women was so inappropriate and creepy. I would have turned around immediately.

I loved that we got Detective Washington’s perspective as well. I loved following along with her during her interview process with Tess.

It felt like we were puzzling it out together. What exactly went on down there? Who was this man? And why does it seem he was targeting them? Was he, or did the odd circumstances of their encounter just make it feel that way?

This is such a wild ride. It’s bound to keep you hooked. I flew this so quickly, half the time with my stomach in my throat. I needed answers. Taylor Adams, I’ll be sending you my therapist’s bill for the mind spin I had from reading this.

After reading The Last Word, I thought, how can Adams possibly top this? I was totally gripped by that story. Now I know. Her Last Breath is the answer to that, at least IMHO.

I can’t recommend this enough to anyone looking for an intense, nail-biting thrill ride. Bonus points if you’re as scared of caves, or any small spaces, as I am. This is sure to have you squirming in your seat!

Thank you to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I expected this to be good, but I had no idea it would be this good!

I cannot wait to see what Taylor Adams comes up with next!!

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Review: A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

~ megs14malloy

A Box Full of DarknessA Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙✨️💙

Beloved author, Simone St. James, returns to Fell, New York, in her latest Paranormal Mystery, A Box Full of Darkness.

For avid fans of St. James, you may recognize Fell as being the same location as her earlier novel, The Sun Down Motel, which I adored when it released in 2020.

The start of this reminded me so much of The Haunting of Hill House. The Netflix show, not the book. We follow three siblings, Violet, Vail and Dodie, who are essentially called back to the house they grew up in, alongside their younger brother, Ben, who disappeared years before.

There are reports that the property is being haunted by a spirit, at least according to the recent landscaper’s reports. The siblings agree to go back, deal with the past and try to figure out, once and for all, what really happened to Ben all those years ago.

I was really intrigued by this set-up. I liked meeting all the siblings and learning about them. They’re all vastly different, but you can feel the love and support they have for each other.

It’s with great apprehension that the three return to the Fell house and you can feel that uncertainty through the page. The vibes of the house were rich and unsettling. I wanted to know everything about it, and what happened not only to Ben, but everyone else in the family around that time.

I loved this mystery and was completely hooked into it. There were also references alluding to events at The Sun Down Motel, and also, I believe, The Broken Girls, which was really fun. I love little Easter Eggs like that connecting author’s various works.

Overall, I found this very engaging and entertaining. I loved this group of siblings and their complicated family history. I won’t claim it’s a perfect story, but I think if you are looking for something to keep your attention and keep you guessing, this is a fantastic option.

It’s got St. James’s signature style of ‘is it paranormal, is it not paranormal‘, which I really love about her stories. I’m so happy with my experience with this one and look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I always look forward to Simone St. James’s new releases and this one didn’t disappoint!

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Review: What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally

~ megs14malloy

What We Did to SurviveWhat We Did to Survive by Megan Lally
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

What We Did to Survive is a YA Survival Thriller from well-loved author, Megan Lally. I’ve read both Lally’s previous works and was excited to get to this 3rd-book from her.

This story follows best friends, Hannah and Emmy, who while on vacation in Mexico take an ill-fated sailing charter, along with Emmy’s brother, Jackson, and her current love interest, Ben, a boy she met at the beach.

The charter is towards the end of their week-long vacation, and the girls only convince Emmy’s parents to let them go sailing with Ben, if her older brother, Jackson, also goes along. He’s not really jazzed about it.

Emmy and Jackson have their own history, so all-in-all it’s an uncomfortable traveling bunch to begin with. As they approach the docks it’s clear inclement weather is coming in. They’re even warned off by a captain of another boat, but Emmy and Ben insist they’re going, and all will be okay.

Against their better judgement, both Hannah and Jackson also agree to go along. We follow their journey from that moment until the very bitter end, and what a journey it is.

This was good. It’s very fast-paced and definitely kept me motivated to keep reading. The concept was fun, but I have to be honest, the character interactions were so grating and annoying for me. I would have tossed them all in the ocean if I’d been on this boat.

I had a hard time even believing that Hannah and Emmy would be friends, let alone best friends. They’re total opposites, with the only thing holding them together seeming to be their shared history.

Additionally, the whole plot is based on a series of dumb choices, which isn’t really bad in and of itself, I just had a hard time connecting with it, or understanding the characters motivations.

That would also be fine in a Survival Thriller if the Survival elements were front and center and kept me engaged. Here I felt the survival part played second fiddle to all of the absolutely OTT-interpersonal drama.

I found all the fighting and yelling so grating. It was like 96% of the character interactions. Also, there was too much ‘let’s air all our grievances’, instead of ‘let’s come up with a plan’ happening for my tastes.

I know this sounds a little doom and gloom, and I don’t mean it to be. This still kept me entertained and I did read it quickly, I just don’t feel like I had as much fun with it as I have with Lally’s previous books.

Nevertheless, I would still recommend it. The action is intense and there is a lot of action. I think if you’re just looking for a Popcorn Thriller, if you want to be glued to the pages, if you love stories set at sea; any of things, you absolutely need to check this one out.

As for me, though it’s not my favorite from Megan Lally, I’m still glad I read it and I look forward to whatever she writes next. I do love how varied her plots and scenarios have been. She has a lot of creativity and it’s anyone’s guess what she’s going to focus on next.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Fire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I enjoyed my time with this one.

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Review: Morsel by Carter Keane

~ megs14malloy

MorselMorsel by Carter Keane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Morsel is a Horror Thriller novella that definitely packed more of a punch than I expected. This is also a debut and I was certainly impressed by the creativity of it.

In this story we’re following Lou, who on a work assignment ends up in the hill country of rural-Ohio. It requires the surveying of some land, so she’s on foot through some diverse terrain, but she’s got her dog, Ripley, with her, her truck and her phone. All should be fine.

She sees something horrifying in the woods though, and fearing for her safety and that of Ripley, she races them back to her truck, for what’s she’s hoping will be a fast getaway.

Unfortunately, her truck appears to have been sabotaged, so she’s not escaping this dangerous situation that way. From the plot goes places that I truly didn’t expect.

For a while, I wasn’t sure exactly where Keane was headed with this story. It felt a little odd in the beginning, but I trusted we were gonna get somewhere I was going to enjoy. The build-up was unsettling enough to lock me in.

Then around the mid-way point, an unexpected event startled me so much, it knocked me off my loafers. I was shocked and horrified. I didn’t see it coming. From there it was like I was buckled into a hell ride, holding on for dear life, praying Ripley would be okay.

As mentioned above, IMO Morsel is a really strong debut. While I wasn’t completely sold on every single aspect of the story, I did love that the author took it all the way. There were some great graphic descriptions and a few twists that took me completely by surprise.

If you’re going to deliver me gore, I want it all out and Keane delivered. They didn’t hold anything back, and I appreciated that risk. Overall, a super solid story with some toe-curling descriptions and intriguing social commentary.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to seeing what Carter Keane writes next!

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