audiobooks

Review: Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce

~ megs14malloy

Something in the Walls: A NovelSomething in the Walls: A Novel by Daisy Pearce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Mina has been educated to be a child psychologist, but she lacks real world experience. Unfortunately, this makes it challenging for her to secure a position in the field.

It’s one of those odd circumstances, where people only want to hire individuals with experience, but how are you to get experience if no one will hire you?

Thus, Mina is stuck, just spinning her wheels. That is until Mina is suddenly presented with an unusual opportunity while attending her local bereavement group, where she goes to help process her grief from her brother’s death.

She meets another member, Sam Hunter, who happens to be a journalist and he asks for her assistance with a story he’s currently working on.

In the remote village of Banathel, 13-year old, Alice Webber, lives with her family. After unsettling behavioral changes, Alice reveals that a witch is haunting her, causing various disturbing occurrences.

Sam and Mina travel to Banathel to stay with the Webber family, to see if they can get to the bottom of what is going on with Alice. Sam is hoping for the scoop of a lifetime, while Mina is hoping to help Alice, whilst also gaining the experience she so desperately needs.

I loved the way this story was set-up. I had listened to 47% of the audiobook before I even came up for air. I was absolutely engrossed.

The narrator was a perfect match to our MC, Mina, and I felt like she succeeded in bringing the story to life. From the start, this loosely reminded me of The Wonder, but much creepier and more atmospheric.

I just felt like Something in the Walls was so good. It’s chilling and gripping. I raced through it, needing answers. The various scenes and things going on in Banathel, it got under my skin; genuinely creepy AF at times.

While it wrapped up too quickly for my tastes, after the reveal, I still think it was so hella good. It was intriguing and horrifying in a very human way. I also loved Mina and Sam working together, digging into the history of Banathel.

Overall, this story had me absolutely hooked throughout. It had all the things I need to love a story and I appreciated the author’s ability to write some truly chilling horror imagery.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I am so stoked to read more from the author in the future!

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Review: Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

~ megs14malloy

Chain-Gang All-StarsChain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up*

Honestly, I had never ever heard of Chain-Gang All-Stars until early this year when I was watching numerous BookTuber’s ‘Best Books of 2024’ videos.

This novel popped up on numerous lists and each person who spoke about it talked with such passion, and it sounded genuinely like something I would be interested in. My interest was piqued.

I ended out checking out the audiobook from my library and cannot recommend that format enough. The narrative structure is a little unconventional, and I felt the various narrators helped me to keep everything straight.

So, if you are unaware of what this book is, it’s basically a near-future dystopian novel that examines the U.S. Corrections System in a wildly-creative way. Think that old show American Gladiators from the late 80s/early 90s, but all the competitors are prisoners.

They’re broadcast on live television. There’s different seasons, battles, teammates, fandoms, merch and they also travel around putting on shows; it’s a whole industry. An absolute money-maker for those at the top.

You are given the perspectives of various prisoners, of course, but you also get perspectives of others connected to the system — people at the top of the organization, viewers, protestors against the abuse in the system, people whose loved ones have been in the system, etc.

I thought this was a smart way to tell the story. Each perspective brings a new level of knowledge to the Reader about the system. I liked learning about it that way.

I also appreciated how the author set-up a space where the Reader could think for themselves about all these different aspects involved in our Justice and Correctional systems, versus hand-feeding opinions. That’s how you get people to really ruminate on a concept or idea.

Overall, Chain-Gang All-Stars is an incredibly powerful book. Equal parts heart-breaking, thought-provoking and eye-opening. It’s not one to be missed.

This is the epitome of showing-not-telling, and I felt like, even though at times, I felt the transitions between perspectives a bit jarring, I still wouldn’t really change anything. It’s done with such thought and creativity.

I highly recommend this one to any Reader who wants some high-quality substance to chew on. My Literary Fiction friends should be adding this to their TBRs with haste.

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The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

~ megs14malloy

The Seventh Veil of SalomeThe Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of those beloved authors who I will willingly step outside of my comfort zone for, and this novel is a perfect example of why.

Set against the Sword and Sandal era of old Hollywood, I was absolutely transported into this story. I cannot recommend the audiobook format enough. Flawless.

Historical Fiction can often be a drag for me, but I do love Old Hollywood and Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s name on a cover. There was never any doubt I was going to read this.

I am glad that I waited the 7-months for my library hold to come through on a copy of the audiobook though. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I would have loved it quite as much if I had read it physically.

The full cast narration of this truly brought this story to life. I love the mixed media aspects that Moreno-Garcia included, making it feel like I was taking in a documentary or podcast. That aspect really shone in the audio-version.

This story follows three main perspectives. Two of these perspectives, Vera and Nancy, are set in 1950s Hollywood. The last perspective is set in biblical times and is that of the Jewish Princess, Salome.

Vera and Nancy are actresses. Vera, an unknown Mexican ingenue, gets cast to play the lead role of Salome in a big-budget movie sure to be a hit. Nancy is a bit player who was eyeing that lead for herself. Her career has stalled, but she’s got a lot of ideas of how great she could be.

If only this stupid girl hadn’t stolen the part from her…

I’ll be honest, I knew nothing of the historical figure of Salome, so it was interesting to learn about her a bit here.

I like how Morena-Garcia presented her story, and then showed how over a thousand years later, her story was still being…manipulated, I guess for lack of a better word. As in life, so in death, her story took on mythical proportions.

I don’t know if this is making sense. I understand it in my brain, but it’s hard to express without giving anything away, or going to far into the details.

The real star of the show for me though was the back-and-forth between Vera and Nancy’s perspectives. You know they are on a collision course with one another, but how?

I just thought everything set in Hollywood, the descriptions of the production, all the people involved, the how and why of everything going on, was so good. There’s also quite a bit of the social scene, which I found equally enticing.

I was surprised how truly invested I became in this. I honestly was expecting to like it, but not love it the way I did. I’m still gobsmacked thinking of it even hours after finishing. It was incredibly-crafted.

I would highly recommend this to Historical Fiction fans, or people who have a great love of the Golden Age of cinema. Also, I cannot stress enough how fabulous the audiobook is; 10/10 recommend that format.

Thank you to Del Rey for providing me with a copy to read and review. Silvia Morena-Garcia is such a talent!!!

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Review: The Rival by Emma Lord

~ megs14malloy

The RivalThe Rival by Emma Lord
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

I’m not apologizing anymore. I’m done. Let it be known, I love Emma Lord, her stories, her characters, her wit and the themes she chooses to explore in her books.

I’ve never walked away disappointed. They’re silly, cutesy and so dang full of heart and humor. I’m a fan. A big, big, huge, unapologetic fan.

In this story we follow Sadie, who is excited to shake off the constraints of her small town and family, as she starts her first year at Maple Ridge College.

She’s most excited to focus on her writing, as she competes for a spot at the college’s famous zine. What she wasn’t expecting was to have to compete against her lifelong academic rival, Sebastian, for the spot.

Sadie and Seb’s parents are best friends, and thus they’ve been shoved into each other’s orbits their whole lives. Unfortunately, it seems they are always trying to out-do one another, so the relationship has been contentious.

Traditionally, Maple Ridge has selected one student from their high school to attend, so Sadie thought she was golden. Apparently, Seb worked his way off the wait list though, probably just to be the bane of Sadie’s existence.

Of course, he also wants to write for the zine, even though unlike Sadie, his long-term plan isn’t to be a writer. At least, not if his Dad has anything to say about it.

Even though she wants to continue to look at Seb with nothing but contempt, in this new setting, with more on the line and less support, he becomes a bit of a comfort as she transitions to college life.

Before they know it, they seem to be working together in a way they never have before, and also starting to feel things they’ve never felt before.

This was so cute. It’s such an Emma Lord story. She has such a style and formula, and darn it, it works. I find myself becoming completely invested in her characters, no matter what they are going through.

I feel like nobody writes inner-turmoil, or self-doubt, quite like Emma Lord. She makes everything relatable and understandable. It’s hard not to root for her main characters.

I love academic rival situations anyway, so this was sort of set-up to be a win for me. There’s something so sexy about two individuals battling it out with their big brains.

I also love Lord’s side characters. There’s never anyone who feels superfluous. Every player has a point, a reason for being there, and a well-developed personality to boot.

In this, both Sadie and Seb have some issues they’re working through in regards to their families. I thought those aspects were very well done. There are def some complex feelings to work through as you move out of the family home for the first time, and that was examined in detail here.

I would recommend the audiobook if you have access to it. The narration was so great as a voice for Sadie’s perspective. I had such a good time listening to it.

There were moments that I was laughing out loud, and others were I was nodding in understanding. Just a really well rounded YA Contemporary.

If you’ve loved Emma Lord before, or want to try her work for the first time, you should really check this one out!

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. Keep ’em coming, Emma Lord!

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Review: Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

~ megs14malloy

Local Woman MissingLocal Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Local Woman Missing is a completely engrossing Thriller. I cannot believe I’ve let this one sit on my backlist for so long.

I actually hadn’t read the synopsis in years, so went into this audiobook completely blind. It wasn’t what I expected, for some reason I was thinking this was about hikers who all went missing from trails around the same small town.

Spoiler alert: that’s decidedly not what this book is about. I’m not sure where I came up with that alternative plot?

This book is about missing women though, hence the title. The first to go missing was Shelby. Then two weeks later, Meredith and her 6-year old daughter, Delilah, went missing too. Both women from the same community, but they were seemingly unconnected.

Desperate searches lead to nothing conclusive. The initial investigations creating more questions than answers. The cases eventually go cold.

11-years later, Delilah, now a teen, suddenly reappears, in terrible shape, both physically and mentally. She was apparently held captive this entire time, until the day she forged a miraculous escape. But what became of her mother, Meredith? And for that matter, Shelby?

Also, why would anyone hold this girl captive for so long? And under the terrible conditions that she claims? Again, more questions than answers…

This book was gripping from the start, as you follow Delilah making her re-entrance into the community. This story follows various perspectives, including Meredith and Shelby, over both past and present timelines.

The way it is all pieced together is quite masterful, as far as building suspense and keeping the Reader on their toes.

I was most surprised that we got Leo’s perspective. Leo is Delilah’s little brother, and he has had to live with the aftermath of the disappearance of his mother and his sister for all these years.

I thought that was so interesting to include, because Leo was too young to have anything to do with the disappearances, but he had a lot of complex feelings following the return of his sister, that’s for sure.

I felt like that was such a compelling aspect to examine, and I was pleased that Kubica chose to include that more personal side of these events, instead of focusing solely on the crimes.

Overall, this was such a wicked web. The deeper you get into the past perspectives, the more the lightbulbs start going off in your head. You begin to see connections.

Nevertheless, there were still things all the way at the end that were dropping my jaw to the ground. I just felt like this was so entertaining. Some aspects felt a little convenient, but overall, a wickedly-wild ride!!

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Review: Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito

~ megs14malloy

Victorian PsychoVictorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Winifred Notty has been selected by the Pounds family to be their new governess at Ensor House in Grim Wolds, England. No doubt the Pounds are hoping that Winifred will be the perfect guardian for their two children, Drusilla and Andrew.

A Mary Poppins, of sorts, who’ll raise her charges with joy.

Unfortunately, what they get in Winifred is much more Harley Quinn than Mary Poppins.

As the monotonous days pass, Winifred has a harder time suppressing her violent compulsions. These thoughts aren’t new to Winifred, but this vast playground of the Pounds family home is. She has so many new directions to point her murderous fantasies.

Both the adults and the children are getting under her skin. There’s only so much more she’s going to be able to swallow without acting…

As Christmas approaches, Winifred develops the perfect plan, I mean, gift, to bestow upon this lovely Victorian family. It’s sure to be a holiday not soon forgotten.

Quentin Tarantino meets Henry James in this historically-set Horror novel that delves into territory few dare to tread. The synopsis describes this as a story that plunges readers into the chilling mind of an iconic new literary psychopath, and that couldn’t be more apt.

Victorian Psycho is an oddly-gripping little book.

The writing was beautifully-dark, but I did find the overall narrative more choppy than I tend to enjoy. Otherwise, I could’ve rated it higher. The audiobook is a great option for this story though. I had a lot of fun listening to it. Half the time, I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

Having an MC with this type of recurring thoughts is always a bit of a trip, but I think having it in such a traditionally Victorian setting made it all the more jarring.

For me, the gothic vibes only helped to enhance the shocking-nature of this violent and gruesome tale. It’s hard to describe and I wish I could have connected a bit more with what was happening in the story. I think it’s length, coming in at around 200-pages, maybe didn’t do it any favors.

In a way, it is like a punch, quick and impactful, but at the same time, I’m not sure how long that impact will last, as I never truly felt connected with what was happening. With this being said though, it was still entertaining.

Thank you to the publisher, Recorded Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had fun and would be interested in reading more from this author in the future.

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Review: Head Cases (PAR Unit #1) by John McMahon

~ megs14malloy

Head Cases (PAR Unit, #1)Head Cases by John McMahon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Head Cases is a super-strong start to an all new Police Procedural Mystery series, following an elite, yet obscure, unit in the FBI called PAR (Patterns and Recognition).

I learned about this book through good ole’ fashioned word of mouth, and I could tell from what my friends were saying that this would align with my taste. Happily, it certainly did.

Our MC is FBI Agent Gardner Camden. He’s undoubtedly an analytical genius, but unfortunately, the people-side of his analysis tend to be lacking. He’s a puzzle genius, yet a mediocre people person.

Nevertheless, along with the rest of the team, each bringing their own special set of skills to the table, they’re a true force to be reckoned with.

The case in question involves a murder victim whose DNA links to a serial killer long-presumed dead. A 2nd-victim establishes a pattern, and the killer seems to be leaving behind clues and riddles especially created for Gardner.

The team flies into action and the rest of the story is a whirlwind of cat-and-mouse suspense as Gardner gets closer-and-closer to catching the killer.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and found it to be so gripping. I highly recommend that format should you have access to it. I felt the narrator became Agent Gardner for me. It was completely believable.

I loved the quirky team as well. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, working well together to get the outcome they all desired. I love when strong teams are shown on page, versus teams full of drama and strife.

I would HIGHLY recommend this to fans of Criminal Minds. I was totally picturing Matthew Grey Gubler and Shemar Moore the whole time, which obviously is not a bad thing…

I’m not sure what the long-term plan is for this series, but the possibilities are endless. I’d definitely be down for joining this team on a lot more cases.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait for more PAR Unit!!

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Review: Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked #1) by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee

~ megs14malloy

Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked, #1)Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Breath of the Dragon is the 1st-book in the Breathmarked duology, which is a YA-Fantasy story based on the characters and teachings of the iconic-Bruce Lee.

In this story, we’re following Jun, a teen boy who is anxious to prove his worth as a warrior by entering the elite, and highly-competitive, Guardian’s Tournament.

Unfortunately, his path to the competition isn’t an easy one. Even though he’s eager to prove his skills, it seems everything is pitted against him competing, including his own father.

Determined to at least have a shot, Jun stows away in a wagon of performers, Chang and his daughter, Ren, headed to the capital city where the tournament will take place.

Once the competition begins, Jun realizes that there may be a lot more at stake than just his own legacy.

This was such a great story, full of adventure and heart. It’s truly well-written and I had no trouble getting swept up into the action. I am not sure how memorable the fine details will be for me long-term, but I did really enjoy my time with it.

I highly recommend the audio as well. The narration brought the story to life, particularly in the fast-paced fight scenes.

I’m excited to see where the next book takes us. Without giving anything away, I’m expecting a huge reunion for our MC, Jun, which hopefully will provide him with a larger support system than he currently has.

I’m so anxious to see how that goes and how this will ultimately conclude. As good as this was, I’m actually a little sad that it’s only slated to be a duology. Regardless, I’m going to scoop it up so fast once it’s released.

I was impressed with how quickly I was captivated by this. The initial set-up was so well executed. I loved going on this journey with Jun. I would recommend it to any Reader who enjoys action-packed YA-Fantasy stories.

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I cannot wait for the 2nd-book!

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Review: A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

~ megs14malloy

A Killing ColdA Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Killing Cold is tense and fast-paced. It’s also the epitome of a Winter Thriller. I loved the setting and atmosphere most of all. It felt cold and claustrophobic the entire time.

Theo is trapped at her new fiance’s family retreat and it’s clear someone doesn’t want her there. When she discovers a clue to her past at the property, she’s flabbergasted.

How can this be? Has she been here before?

I liked following along with Theo as she was thrust into the lion’s den that is her fiance, Connor’s, family. They’ve had a whirlwind romance, so Theo hasn’t had much opportunity to meet them and she’s nervous as heck.

As she should be…

It’s clear from the start Theo isn’t being completely transparent with them about her past, and as the story progresses, you learn a lot more about that.

Regardless of where she came from though, her upbringing was very different from Theo’s and his siblings. Their family is extremely wealthy, and as with most wealthy families, they’re used to getting away with a certain amount of things.

While I was reading this, the dynamics amongst Connor and his brother and sister, kept reminding me of the sibling relationships in Succession. If you are a fan of that show, I definitely recommend you check this one out. I think you’ll understand pretty quickly what I mean.

I also loved and appreciated how much the weather and landscape was made a part of this story. It felt dark and very cold. Also, due to inclement weather, they do get literally trapped at the estate.

This gave it an air of desperation and suffocation it may not have had otherwise. Atmosphere is my number one want in any book, and it was definitely delivered here.

Marshall kept me on my toes with this one and successfully kept me guessing. While I thought the ending had some moments where it veered into convoluted territory, overall, I think it was a fun and intriguing story.

I would highly recommend the audiobook, as well, should you have that format available to you. It’s narrated by one of my all-time faves, Karissa Vacker, and I feel like she did a fantastic job bringing Theo’s perspective to life!

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to whatever KAM writes next!!

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Review: The Witch Collector (Witch Walker #1) by Charissa Weaks

~ megs14malloy

The Witch Collector (Witch Walker, #1)The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

8-years ago, Raina Bloodgood, lost her sister when the Witch Collector came to their village and took her to deliver to the Frost King, with whom she has lived ever since.

Raina has been left plotting revenge against the individuals who tore apart her family. Now with the Harvest Moon approaching, Raina is ready to exact that revenge.

Unfortunately, events do not go as planned and Raina ends up more alone than ever after a new threat burns her village to the ground.

Now she’s left to team up with the one person she was dead-set on ending, Alexus Thibault, the Witch Collector. As it turns out, Alexus may be her best chance of, well, surviving, but also, of being reunited with her sister.

Thrust into new battles she never expected, Raina also finds her heart veering in directions she never expected, like straight towards Alexus. Has her villain become her hero?

Okay. I see you, Charissa Weaks. You have my attention and I’m willing to continue with the Witch Walker series to see what else you have in store for us.

For me personally, this wasn’t the most solid start to a series. I felt like the pacing was a little off, causing my attention to wax and wane. Also, I have lingering questions. However, I’m still intrigued enough to continue.

I feel like it’s possibly one of those cases where the further you get, the more deeply invested you become. I did enjoy the initial world-building, as well as the characters, and I’m interested in learning more about those aspects.

If I want to do it though, I need to move stat, otherwise, I can easily see myself forgetting a lot of these details. Each day that passes, more info is slipping out of my brain. I need to get this 2nd-book ASAP.

I think though, if the 2nd-book is rated the same for me, I may quit while I’m ahead. There are so many great series out there, I don’t want to waste too much time with one that would end up being just mediocre for me.

With this being said, I am going to go in with a positive mindset though, because I do feel like the more time I spend with these characters, the more I am going to grow to care about them. Onward and upward!!

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