audiobooks

Review: I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones

~ megs14malloy

I Would Die for YouI Would Die for You by Sandie Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

I Would Die for You is a story told via two timelines: 1986-London and 2011-California. We get Nicole Forbes perspective in 2011, and her younger sister, Cassie’s, perspective in 1986, when Cassie was just 16-years old.

This novel also features one of my favorite things: musicians. I’ve been so excited for this story as it revolves around a super popular, yet fictional, band from the 1980s.

In fact, the 1986 timeline definitely stole the show for me. There’s something about the vibes of the 1980s music scene in London that I just find so compelling. And I did feel like this captured the fan-side of that moment really well.

I did enjoy the back and forth throughout the story, learning more about the sisters, and trying to figure out what happened between them. Closer to the end, however, the timelines started to feel less distinct, and I honestly had to relisten to the last 1/2-hour of this audiobook 3x.

It did have me invested though. This was a 4-star read for me right up until the very last bit. Seriously, the last few paragraphs, I was like, that’s it!?

I never mind an open-ended story, one that leaves a bit up to the Reader’s imagination, but this wasn’t like an ‘evil grin on your face’ last moment twist, it was more a, ‘you’re seriously going to end it right there, kind of thing.

Nevertheless, I still found this an overall entertaining story about sisters and all the twisted drama involved in their relationship.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I have a lot of fun with Sandie Jones stories, and will happily continue picking up all her new releases!!

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Review: So Happy Together by Olivia Worley

~ megs14malloy

So Happy TogetherSo Happy Together by Olivia Worley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

So Happy Together is a twisty and dramatic Social Thriller that should be read as a warning about the potential hazards in modern dating. Singletons listen up!!

This story follows Jane, a 24-year old, aspiring NYC-playwright. Jane meets Colin, her perfect person, via a dating app. She can hardly believe her luck. He’s too perfect.

Sadly, he breaks things off after only 6-dates. Jane doesn’t see it as forever though, just a bump in the road of their longer term relationship. She’ll do anything to make it so.

Then Colin starts dating Zoe, a up-and-coming New York artist, who also appears to be quite successful in various online space as an artistic influencer.

Zoe may have a lot, but Jane knows Zoe will never be able to love Colin like she can, but what’s she willing to do about it?

I enjoyed this novel quite a bit. The audiobook was well narrated and kept me engaged during a very long solo road trip. Nevertheless, the story itself was a bit of a mixed bag for me, particularly in the second-half.

The beginning was super engaging and gripping, but the further it went, the more it started to lose my attention. It almost got too twisty, if that’s possible?

With this being said, I did still enjoy quite a few of the twists thrown into this wild tale. Also, I appreciated the risks the author took with the story. It’s not your typical Dramatic Thriller and actually went a lot darker than I expected.

I think for me, the most difficult area was towards the end. There were so many things popping up, and some were hard to track, so it felt muddled. I’m still not entirely sure I understand how exactly everything played out.

I think where the author really succeeded here was with the creation of the characters. I love an unreliable narrator, and Jane seemed like one, but she wasn’t the only character in this story who you couldn’t necessarily believe.

I liked how the author played with the abundant psychological manipulations of this cast of characters. It had me doubting everyone, and I sort of love that.

I also really enjoyed the New York setting, and just that whole feel of being a young person, transplated to NYC, trying to make a go of it. You’re amongst millions of people, but it can be such a solitary endeavor.

Overall, I definitely vibe with Worley’s ideas and character work, even if the execution wasn’t perfect in this one. This is the 2nd-novel I have read from this author, and I’m definitely excited to read more.

You never really know what you’re going to get.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I do recommend the audiobook. Michelle H. Lee’s narration was perfect for Jane’s perspective.

Again, while this wasn’t a flawless novel, I still found it to be a lot of fun and appreciated how dark and twisted the author went with it. Looking forward to more Worley!!

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Review: Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay

~ megs14malloy

Parents WeekendParents Weekend by Alex Finlay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Alex Finlay’s latest Thriller novel, Parents Weekend, revolves around a group of families who each have a child attending a small Liberal Arts college in Northern California.

For Parents Weekend, it’s decided that the students in this particular Capstone group will all get together for a nice dinner, along with their parents, as a way to kick off the special weekend.

On the designated night though, while all the parents show up to the agreed upon location, the kids never do. At first, all assume, it’s just kids being kids, but as the hours pass, and another night falls with no word from any of the students, panic ensues. What could have happened?

Due to the high profile nature of a couple of the families, the campus police are forced to call in reinforcements. Before long the disappearances are national news.

FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller, who you may remember from her appearances in Every Last Fear and The Night Shift, is one of the reinforcements brought in to investigate the case. Can she find the five missing students before it’s too late?

Parents Weekend is a quick and punchy, action-packed Thriller. I was fully entertained and curious about what had happened with the missing students, and why.

Even though I felt the conclusion was a little simplistic, particularly in regards to the who and why, I still feel like it was well worth reading. I will admit though, I rounded up mainly for Sarah Keller. I love her and want Finlay to keep bringing her back.

I did really enjoy the drama of these families. As expected, there were a lot of messy dynamics and I’m always down for feeding on other people’s drama.

I would recommend this for Thriller Readers who are fine with more action than character work. While we do find out a lot about these characters, the action of the plot is what really drives this story.

I always look forward to Alex Finlay’s new releases. He never fails to pull me in and I tend to fly through his novels, unable to put them down once I start.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. This is a great pick for your Summer Reading List!

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Review: Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales (Emily Wilde #3) by Heather Fawcett

~ megs14malloy

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales (Emily Wilde, #3)Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is the 3rd-installment in Heather Fawcett’s Adult Cozy Fantasy series titled after the main character, Emily Wilde.

This low stakes, light romance, enchantingly-atmospheric series, follows Emily Wilde, a Cambridge University Professor, who specializes in the study of faeries. Over the course of the three books, we’ve been traveling along with her to various locations as she does research for her work.

It’s not quite as simple as all of that, but that is the basic gist, and maybe it’s enough to get you intrigued if you haven’t started this series yet.

Truth be told, Cozy Fantasy isn’t a subgenre of Fantasy I tend gravitate toward, and when I do, I haven’t had a ton of success with it. However, there’s something about this world that Fawcett has created that keeps me coming back.

Yeah, most likely it’s Emily’s dog, Shadow…

In this installment, Emily and her fiance, Wendall, are diving deep into the realm of faerie in a powerful new way. Even though the realm is full of scholarly treasures for Emily, it’s also full of dangers for them both.

Soon they find themselves battling a terrible curse on the land, and the entire realm is at risk. It’s going to take all of Emily’s knowledge to save them, but is she up to the task?

I thought this was fun, though I didn’t find it quite as engaging as the earlier installments. I think for me, I preferred the travels and dramas in real world locations versus the faerie realm.

I also feel like I may have enjoyed Emily and Wendall’s relationship earlier on, when there was more of a ‘will they, won’t they’ vibe to it, but it does only make sense for that relationship to grow and evolve. I get it, I get it.

It’s just not quite as enticing to me, personally.

Nevertheless, this is still a great read. It’s entertaining, it’s well-developed and cute, cute, cute. I would definitely recommend fans of the earlier books continue on.

Further if there is another book, which I feel like there will be, I’ll definitely be picking it up. It did make me a little sad to see Shadow getting older, as I have my own elderly large breed dog at home, but I know Fawcett is going to continue to handle his aging with care.

I love Emily, Wendall and Shadow. This series has my heart.

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Review: Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Movies You’re Too Scared to Watch by Emily C. Hughes

~ megs14malloy

Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know about the Films You're Too Scared to WatchHorror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know about the Films You’re Too Scared to Watch by Emily C. Hughes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a ton of fun. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the Horror genre. Whether you’re a long-time fan, or someone just dipping your toes into the Horror pool, there’s so much to learn and enjoy here.

It does spoil every movie it discusses by telling you exactly what happens, but that’s the point. The premise behind the book is that it’s written for people who are too scared to watch Horror movies, but don’t want to miss out on all the great cultural significance happening in those works.

I had watched all the movies discussed, so it wasn’t an issue for me, but I felt it was worth mentioning. Also, I feel like it’s formatted in such a way that if it gets to a movie you don’t want spoiled for you, you can easily skip that chapter and return to it after you’ve watched.

Horror is my favorite genre and I do enjoy checking out nonfiction on the topic of its creation, history and nuances. I appreciated the humor the author had with this. It made it so engaging and quick to get through.

I also loved how each chapter covered an influential movie, and at the end of that chapter, the author would give a few book recs for people who either enjoyed the movie, or enjoy the types of themes and tropes explored within the movie.

Overall, this is a great reference guide and resource for people who want to know more about the complex and oft misunderstood genre of Horror.

Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Audio, for providing me a copy to read and review. The audio narration was fantastic and made me feel like I was sitting with narrator having a chat. A fun way to pass the weekend for Horror junkies!

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Review: Nestlings by Nat Cassidy

~ megs14malloy

NestlingsNestlings by Nat Cassidy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Recently, life hasn’t been easy on Ana and Reid. A complicated birth with their first child, a daughter, Charlie, left Ana paralyzed, bitter and struggling to adjust.

When their number gets pulled in a housing lottery, and they have the opportunity to move into the Deptford, a prestigious, historic NYC-apartment building, they can hardly believe their luck. This could be their fresh start.

A chance to start anew, and with a fabulous address to boot.

Despite some reservations, they decide to accept the apartment and put their best efforts into their new beginning. Soon after they move in though, we all know where this is going, strange things start happening.

They notice peculiar behavior with some residents and staff, as well as some mysterious little bite marks on Charlie. Well, I say they, but it truth, it’s mostly Ana picking up on all the oddities. She’s housebound after all, while Reid still gets to go to work and leave the building regularly.

Ana’s unease grows as the days go by, and the tension in their marriage increases. Is Ana just being paranoid, or is something really go on there?

Reid has his own relationship with the building and its residents, and he’s not sure he’s buying what Ana is selling. Will the building be the downfall of their relationship? And who is paying attention to Charlie?

Though I didn’t connect with this one quite in the same way that I did When the Wolf Comes Home, I was still invested and curious to see how far Cassidy was going to take the unsettling apartment building trope.

Spoiler Alert: All the way!

I loved that part of the story. The creepy atmosphere was on point. I also like the claustrophobic feel of being in Ana’s perspective, though that was the only thing I enjoyed about her perspective. Sorry.

Personally, for almost the entire story, I wished we were just getting Reid’s perspective, along with the various Interludes, because I found Ana to be so incredibly grating. Every time I was in her perspective, I just wanted to be out of it.

With this being said, in the Author’s Note at the end, Cassidy did provide an explanation for the purpose behind some personality choices. I’m glad he covered that, and I respect his decision to write it that way, though not gonna lie, it did sort of deplete my enjoyment level a bit.

Overall, small nit-picks aside, this is another GREAT story from Cassidy. The Publisher’s comp to Rosemary’s Baby meets Salem’s Lot is apt, though the Rosemary’s Baby inspiration felt the heavier of the two for me. Highly recommend for fans of that story, or stories like that.

Also, I definitely recommend the audiobook, which was fabulously narrated and succeeded in pulling me in and engaging me with the story from the start.

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

Even though it’s taken me years to get to it, it was worth the wait. I’m excited to continue reading Cassidy’s work. He’s incredibly-talented, never failing to create well-developed characters, unsettling atmosphere and a compelling, fast-moving plot.

This novel is a great example of all of those things!

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Review: When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy

~ megs14malloy

When the Wolf Comes HomeWhen the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After Jess, a struggling actress, wraps up her diner shift early, she returns home and discovers a disheveled little boy hiding in the bushes outside of her apartment.

She gently coaxes the boy out, and using her distinctive humor, gets him to trust her enough to tell her he’s in serious danger, and now, she probably is too. That’s when the stuff hits the fan and all heck breaks loose in the form of the boy’s viciously-violent father.

Jess has no choice but to run with the boy in tow, but is anywhere going to be safe from the one hunting them, who seems to have preternatural skills?

Initially, Jess believes she knows the precariousness of their situation, but it gets way more perilous and downright crazy than she could have ever predicted.

Wow, wow, wow; that was my initial reaction upon finishing When the Wolf Comes Home. I hadn’t looked at any reviews prior, so I wasn’t sure how others were receiving it, but I immediately knew it was a top contender for my favorite book of 2025.

I cried actual grown-ass lady tears for the last 1/2-hour of the audiobook, which is fabulously-narrated. There were minutes, legit continuous minutes, towards the end where I had full body chills after a big reveal, when I realized what had actually happened.

This was the first time I’ve read from Nat Cassidy, and I’ll be honest, this wasn’t what I anticipated. He incorporates much more dark humor than I expected, and I was living for it.

I thought I was getting one type of story when I picked this up, but it went in a wildly different direction and I loved the creepy-creativity behind that turn. The thought of these events actually happening IRL, like what would you do!?

In spite of the gruesome nature of this story, I still managed to connect to it in a deeply-emotional way. It took me by surprise. I felt so many different things, for example, a protective love for Jess and the kiddo.

Why did you do this to me Cassidy? I don’t like to feel things!

((j/k: I love it))

Please be sure to read the Afterward from the author if you pick this one up. It’s beautifully done, straight from the heart and I feel like it gave me an even deeper understanding and appreciation of what he achieved with this story.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I loved this so much and am looking forward to going back and reading Cassidy’s entire backlist now.

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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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