2026 releases

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!

View all my reviews

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!

View all my reviews

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!!

View all my reviews

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!

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

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!

View all my reviews

Review: The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

~ megs14malloy

The StormThe Storm by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

The Storm centers around the coastal town of St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama, known for the deadly hurricanes that frequently sweep through. It’s also known for Lo Bailey, a local girl accused of killing the governor’s son, Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

We meet a cast of characters all connected to this town, and the Rosalie Inn, a century-old inn that seems to have been able to weather any storm. The Rosalie is currently owned and run by Geneva Corliss, but the property has been in her family for many years.

When Geneva hears about a writer coming to town to research the Fitzroy murder, she feels a glimmer of hope, not about solving the crime, but about the potential windfall that a successful True Crime book could bring to the Inn.

August Fletcher, the writer, will be staying at the Inn as a guest while he does some research, but he doesn’t come alone. Geneva is shocked when he shows up with none other than Lo Bailey in tow.

Lo claims she’s returned to town to clear her name once and for all, but the more Geneva interacts with Lo and August, she wonders if there’s not something more going on.

As another storm bears down on St. Medard’s Bay, things at the Inn begin to heat up and tension builds. Will the truth of that storm in 1984 finally be revealed after all, or will there just be more death and destruction instead?

This is a good book, though certainly not my favorite from Hawkins. I’m rounding up to 4-stars based on how great the production of the audiobook is. The full cast truly brought this story to life for me and I enjoyed listening to it.

I don’t think if I’d just read a hard copy I would have enjoyed it as much. Because of that, I strongly urge those with access to the audiobook, to go that route if you pick it up. I predict it’ll make for a more pleasurable reading experience.

This is a very character driven story and because of that having the various narrators definitely made it more captivating. There’s nothing particularly suspenseful, or mysterious, about it in my opinion, but if you’re down for the drama, it’s still entertaining.

I personally could have done with more atmosphere and more suspense, but it was fun to watch all of the various pieces come together until the truth was finally revealed.

I did like how Hawkins formatted it, the bits of mixed media and just the way it was told overall. It did keep me engaged, though I am a big fan of twisted dramas in general. I was also quite satisfied with the ending and felt fairly connected to Geneva by the end.

I would recommend this to Rachel Hawkins fans, particularly if you enjoyed The Heiress, which I feel this most closely resembles. Again, I definitely recommend the audiobook, as it’s a fantastic listening experience.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. While this won’t go down in history as my favorite Rachel Hawkins book, it was still quite entertaining and I look forward to whatever she writes next!

View all my reviews

Review: Mistletoe & Rodeo (Frosted Firs Ranch #2) by Janet Dailey

~ megs14malloy

Mistletoe and Rodeo (Frosted Firs Ranch)Mistletoe and Rodeo by Janet Dailey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Mistletoe and Rodeo is the 2nd-book in Janet Dailey’s Frosted Firs Ranch series. I read the 1st-book, Evergreen Christmas, and had so much fun with it.

In that 1st-book, we’re introduced to the town of Noel, North Carolina, the Christmas tree capital of the world. The story follows a new girl to town, Jordyn, and a local resident, Nate, who does in fact own a Christmas tree farm.

That story followed them getting to know one another, learning all about the town and their traditions, and was full of wild and wacky Christmas fun.

This book follows Nate’s younger brother, Tucker, a bull rider hoping to soon return to the circuit, and another new girl to town, Nicky, as well as Nicky’s daughter, Kyle. I was excited to get to follow Tucker, as I thought he was a very interesting character in the 1st-book.

While I did still enjoy this, it didn’t quite deliver the same level of Christmas magic that Evergreen Christmas did, which I’m sad about, as that’s what I was hoping for.

Additionally, I wasn’t crazy about Nicky, and wasn’t 100% rooting for the romance to succeed. In the 1st-book, I loved both Jordyn and Nate, as well as they way they were with one another. They complimented each other perfectly.

Whereas here, it felt a bit like Nicky just needed a savior, and Tucker was willing to give up all his hopes and dreams to be that for her. I guess I just prefer more of an even partnership, but that’s completely personal taste.

I also didn’t feel like we got as involved in town life as we did in the 1st-book, although we did follow a continuing storyline of one of the Noel Nanas, Kandy. I did enjoy that aspect, but missed seeing all the other ladies in her friendship group.

I’m thinking maybe if I hadn’t read Evergreen Christmas so recently, I may have enjoyed this more. I was still high off how much I adored that one, so this just did quite live up to that standard for me.

Nevertheless, this is still a good book, with a lovely romance, featuring light drama. I love the setting of Frosted Firs Ranch, and would absolutely pick up more books in the series.

Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is charming and sweet. I’d expect no less from Janet Dailey!

View all my reviews

Review: Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward

~ megs14malloy

Nowhere BurningNowhere Burning by Catriona Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Nowhere Burning is a dark, melancholic novel set deep in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains.

Although told via three main perspectives, the perspective that kicks off our tale, and really serves as the heart of the story, is that of Riley, a young girl, who saves herself and her brother from the clutches of their abusive Uncle’s home.

Running away in the middle of the night, Riley has one plan in mind, to join a group of unhomed teens squatting on the abandoned grounds of a infamous movie star’s ranch, aptly named, Nowhere.

I don’t want to mention the other two perspectives, as the Publisher’s Synopsis leaves them out, therefore I don’t want to be accidentally giving things away.

Just know this story is much more complex and nuanced than the synopsis may lead you to believe. One of the most interesting aspects of this novel, in my opinion, was trying to figure out how all three were going to ultimately connect.

Initially it seems Nowhere is the only connection, but is that actually true?

This novel is quite stark and gritty. It feels bleak, the tone of which reminded me a bit of the 2010 movie, Winter Bone. It’s also a very slow burn, that sneaks up on you emotionally.

I didn’t realize how much it had captured me until the very end. I begrudgingly admit this book made me cry actual tears and they seemed to come out of nowhere.

I was shocked at the emotion Ward was able to draw out of me. It was like a punch in the gut. I feel like the way she pulled everything together, it was just beautifully done. It was hard to not feel emotion and empathy for this set of characters that life seemed to be so unkind to.

The world isn’t always an easy place, but beauty, hope and love can often be found even on the darkest of days. This story felt like moving through a deep, unending fog, but it’s worth the darkness; it’s worth the trudge.

I would recommend this to Readers who like a dark, emotional slow burn. It feels very Literary Horror, with plenty of dark subject matter to really sink your teeth into. For fans of Ward, this is a must read.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I feel like this one is going to stick in my mind for a long time to come!

View all my reviews

Review: The Bloody Brick Road by Maude Royer

~ megs14malloy

The Bloody Brick Road: A Wizard of Oz Retelling (Volume 1)The Bloody Brick Road: A Wizard of Oz Retelling by Maude Royer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I feel robbed. I wanted a bloody and brutal Wizard of Oz retelling; thinking Slasher Horror, or something equally exciting and got nothing of the sort.

Giving a character the name Dorothy and incorporating red shoes, does not a Wizard of Oz retelling make. At the end of the day, this story felt like it was searching for an identity and required further edits.

The 1st-sentence of the Publisher’s synopsis I read states, ‘In this wildly creative, horror-soaked reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, nothing is as it seems in Dorothy’s dystopian nightmare.‘

Whoever wrote this, you lie. 1. This isn’t wildly-creative. 2. This is hardly a reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. 3. This doesn’t feel dystopian at all.

Things you got right: 1. It’s a nightmare.

I’m not going to drag this out. It wasn’t for me. I’m sad I wasted 6-hours reading it, but am happy to be moving on. If it was going to go the Extreme Horror route, which it seemed it wanted to take due to the graphic fetish elements, it needed to lean much further in to get there.

The sad part is, there were inklings of a solid Serial Killer Police Procedural in here, but mashing it together with the other elements, it just didn’t work. It needed to be one or the other, or perhaps better blended than it was.

Overall, a very uneven read, nothing like what I was pitched. The dialogue was forced and laughable, and the graphic sexual elements felt absolutely ridiculous in this story.

Thank you to Gallery Books for the copy.

View all my reviews