audiobooks

Review: We Are for the Dark by Gretchen McNeil

~ megs14malloy

We Are for the DarkWe Are for the Dark by Gretchen McNeil
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

We Are for the Dark is an Adult Religious Horror novel from Gretchen McNeil. I’ve never read and Adult novel from McNeil, and actually mistakenly went into this believing it was YA. You might ask, didn’t you read the synopsis?

And my answer to that would be, no, I did not. I’ve had enough success with McNeil in the past to jump on anything new she has releasing.

That assumption was quickly corrected based on the content and perspectives given at the start of the story, and I was excited to see how McNeil would deliver in this age group.

The story is set on a remote Newfoundland island and I was instantly drawn into that setting. I live on an island and love island set stories in general.

We follow two characters, Miriam Rideout, a Junior Constable from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and Father Shane Ryan, a FBI Agent turned Catholic Priest.

Father Ryan gets summoned to the island by His Eminence Cardinal Jacobs. Father Ryan is newly-ordained and he has no idea why this man of prominence would want to meet with him. It becomes clear that His Eminence is aware of Ryan’s past in the FBI, and he needs his help investigating the mysterious disappearance of a local priest.

Weeks prior, Constable Miriam Rideout fielded a call from the island, a frantic priest begging for help. During the call the line went dead, leaving Rideout very unsettled. No further reports or calls came in from the island and Rideout was left scratching her head.

She appeals to her higher-ups for permission to travel to the island and do a wellness check on the caller, but her appeal is denied. After which, Rideout decides to take some vacation time and books her travel to the island. She feels like something is wrong, and she’s not going let her boss deter her from helping someone in need.

Rideout and Ryan’s paths end up crossing once they’re on the island. The outsiders amongst a sea of locals. It’s clear to both that something is very off with the island, but what? And are Rideout and Ryan now in danger too?

Though they don’t trust each other at first, neither one of them is a dummy and they know their alliance is necessary. Something ancient lurks on this island, an entity to which the locals may be in service, and they have no intention of letting these newcomers leave.

This was good. I really enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere was great, but there were also aspects that I wasn’t as crazy about. Some of the action towards the end became a little muddled as the paced increased, but overall it’s a solid story.

I liked the working relationship between Rideout and Ryan, but even that went too far after a certain point. To me, it didn’t make sense, especially considering the circumstances they were facing, but what do I know. I’ve never been trapped on an island by crazy islanders before. I am in the crazy islander. ((kidding, kidding))

I would recommend this for Readers who enjoy Religious Horror, or Horror Thrillers in general. Particularly if you’ve enjoyed things like Harrow Lake and The Wicker Man. The atmosphere is where it’s at with this one, so Atmosphere Girlies, like myself, so definitely check it out.

Thank you to the publisher, Recorded Books and DAW, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m happy to see McNeil in the Adult space and am looking forward to further releases in this lane.

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Review: Written in Red (The Others #1) by Anne Bishop

~ megs14malloy

Written in Red (The Others, #1)Written in Red by Anne Bishop
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

After asking a group of friends with different book tastes than my own for some book recs, I ended up picking this one up. My friend loves this series and I’ve been seeing it around for years, and have been curious.

This was a great rec for me, because while outside of my comfort zone as far as genre, it did have a dark atmosphere and some dangerous vibes that are in my lane. I feel like if I would have picked this up as they were being released I would’ve been obsessed with the series.

I thought Bishop did a great job with world-building in this first installment, and I also found the characters interesting, and for the most part very likable.

I did wonder in the first half what the point was. I was enjoying the build, but it felt like it lacked a plot. First books of any series can be that way though, especially in a world as complex as this one. I did start to enjoy it more in the later half of the book.

If I had more time I would definitely continue on with the series, because the action in this picked up in the 2nd-half and I would be interested in what comes next.

Unfortunately, I do need to prioritize other reads right now, particularly through the Fall, but I’m absolutely keeping this on my radar and will hopefully have time for it in the future!

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Review: The October Film Haunt by Michael Wehunt

~ megs14malloy

The October Film Haunt: A NovelThe October Film Haunt: A Novel by Michael Wehunt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

The October Film Haunt is a fascinating novel, but really hard to rate. I was so interested in the content and ideas being explored here, but also felt unmoored in the story and frequently confused (not in a good way).

I listened to the audiobook and it was a great production. There’s dual narration, with effects, and creepy voices for the monsters. The atmosphere, as well as Wehunt’s ability to get under my skin in certain moments, were my favorite aspects of this, enhanced via the audio format.

I did really enjoy Jorie’s perspective. Her life in Vermont with her young son was compelling, as were her reasons for being there. I found her perspective the easiest to track by far and also found the creepiest moments centering around what was happening to her in the present.

I also enjoyed the other perspectives and sections that Wehunt included, but they did feel more like vignettes and each time one would arise it would sort of kick me out of the story and then I had a difficult time recentering myself.

I think maybe the most effective way for me to have read this would have been to immersion read it; listen to the audio while following along in my hard copy. This was the method I used for Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay and I feel like that was such an exceptional experience. It definitely could have helped me here as well.

I believe this was Wehunt’s first full length novel. I could be wrong on that, but that’s my understanding. I know he’s had great success with his short fiction, and I am planning to check some of that out. I do own his collection, Greener Pastures, which I’ve heard excellent things about.

I feel like this had so many great things going on, but perhaps too much. A bit more focus on Jorie and the main events, with glimmers of what led her there, could have been a more successful construction for me.

Overall, I did enjoy this. I’m jazzed to read more from Wehunt, because clearly he has a passion for Horror and a limitless imagination. The imagery is also excellent. Should I round up? I’m gonna think on it. I might. Don’t be surprised if you see an update on this at some point in the future.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I put off reading this for a while due to some early mixed reviews, but I’m so happy to have finally picked it up.

I’m looking forward to Wehunt’s upcoming release, Nightjars, and plan to read it soon. It sounds amazing. I have no doubt Wehunt is going to deliver all the creepy vibes!

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Review: The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club (Hu Done It #1) by Gloria Chao

~ megs14malloy

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder ClubThe Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a humorous Cozy Mystery following chemist, Kathryn Hu. Kat is a little socially awkward and hasn’t made a lot of friends in Boston, where she works in a research lab.

She does have a boyfriend though, Tucker Jones, who is the light of her life. At least until she finds out that he has two other girlfriends, Olivia and Elle.

The women decide to team up to teach the cheating jerk a lesson, but when they enter his apartment to exact their revenge, they end up discovering his very dead body.

Crap. Their DNA and fingerprints are everywhere in his apartment. They did arrive there hoping to do him dirty. They’re innocent though. They swear they’re innocent, but who is going to believe them?

In order to clear their names, Kat, Olivia and Elle need to find the real killer. They go undercover and end up finding a lot of folks that may have wanted Tucker dead.

With a hot detective sniffing around, will they be able to uncover the truth before they go down for the crime?

This was really cute. I put off reading it for so long and now I’m kicking myself. I was surprised at how invested I became in this mystery and characters. I would equate the humor and coziness to the Aunties series by Jesse Q. Sutanto, so if you liked that series, this could be for you.

Admittedly, it did take me a minute to get used to Kat’s narrative voice. She’s quite quirky, and makes a lot of Dad Jokes, but I ended up coming to love her. I feel like when you realize her awkward silliness is 100% genuine to who she is, she becomes incredibly likable.

For me the star of this show is the relationship that develops between these three women. All of them were in positions where they could really use a friend and the way they bonded over this toxic man was just so satisfying.

Particularly for Kat. I feel like as the Reader, it’s easy to become so empathetic for Kat’s experience. She’s not close with her parents. She has no real friends in Boston, where she moved for her job, and her colleagues unfortunately just don’t understand her.

The way she grows as a person through her friendships with Olivia and Elle was so beautifully-executed by Chao. While the mystery was fun, the way Kat grew as a character was the highlight for me.

I would recommend the audiobook for this one. The narration by Carolyn Kang brought so much life to this story, and she definitely delivered the comedic timing as well.

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m excited to continue on with this series. I’m interested to see how Chao is going to build it out from here.

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Review: House of Margins by Tlotlo Tsamaase

~ megs14malloy

House of MarginsHouse of Margins by Tlotlo Tsamaase
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

House of Margins is a story of multiple parts. We follow Ranewa, whose sister, Anaya, went missing whilst participating in a very exclusive writer’s residency program in Cape Town, South Africa. Anaya was a rising star in the literary world, and went missing just prior to the announcement of the Günter Prize.

We also get excerpts from a True Crime podcast, created and hosted by another writer who had been in the writer’s program with Anaya, as she tells the story of the events leading up to Anaya’s disappearance. It’s sensationalized, hugely popular, and ends up attracting Ranewa’s attention.

We also get Anaya’s perspective, relaying her time in the residency program and the relationships formed there. It’s mysterious, serious and tackles some heavy topics. I respect that Tsamaase didn’t shy away from the difficult things, and the way the story evolves is compelling.

I loved the incorporation of the writing residency program and the feel of Günter Huis, the colonial mansion where the writer’s stay during their residency. It had such a eerie feel and did become an entity unto itself.

Admittedly, there were aspects I found difficult to track, and I’m sure I missed some details because of that.

I feel like the audiobook could have been better served with more variation amongst the audio narrators. There were three narrators involved in this production, which was well done, but honestly, their tone was all very similar.

I’m sure that’s me, but it did make it challenging to differentiate between the podcast, Anaya’s portions and Ranewa’s portions. The podcast was the easiest to differentiate out of the three, because it did incorporate normal podcast elements, like outros and intros, likes, comments, etc.

Regardless of anything I may have missed, the author’s intent and the topics explored still make this a memorable and fascinating read. I liked the more surreal elements as well, and the way the house became involved in what was happening to Anaya.

I would recommend this. It’s a tough one to explain as far as genres. It could really be categorized as so many different things. I would say Literary Horror could be a strong fit, so if that’s the kind of thing you’re into, you should absolutely give this one a go.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Erewhon Books and RB Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. Tsamaase put a lot of heart and passion into this story and it shows. I would love to read more from her in the future!

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Review: The Moorwitch by Jessica Khoury

~ megs14malloy

The MoorwitchThe Moorwitch by Jessica Khoury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Moorwitch follows a witch named Rose, who as a young girl was forced to strike a sinister bargain with a fae in order to escape her abusive home. A decade later, that fae is back and ready to demand his side of the deal repaid.

She’s tasked with discovering the gateway to the realm of the faerie. If she does, her dwindling magic will be restored and she’ll be freed from her fae handler once and for all.

Knowing the approximate area of the gateway, Rose ends up going undercover as a governess at a crumbling Scottish estate. While it would be best if she kept her head down and just set to the task at hand, Rose can’t help but become emotionally invested in her young charge.

She also can’t deny the budding attraction she feels towards the laird of the estate, Conrad. It’s his adventurous sister she is now responsible for, and as time passes, she becomes more and more invested in their small family.

It seems it’s not just Rose’s magic and freedom at stake, but now also her heart. Will the witch be able to focus enough to complete her mission in time, or will she end up losing her magic forever? The clock is ticking.

The Moorwitch definitely took me by surprise. I received an Audio ARC last year, but had been very intimidated to pick it up. I do not read a lot of Fantasy, and the 15.5-hour audibook length scared me, not gonna lie. I was worried it would take me forever to get through.

I was wrong to be worried. I was pulled in from the very start. The writing was great, as were the characters. I loved Rose as an MC and also thought that the narration by Elizabeth Knowelden was perfect for her character.

The set-up was very well done and easy to understand. I also liked how quickly Khoury got to the point, and got Rose to where she needed to be.

The chemistry between Rose and Conrad was so good. They were so annoyed with each other and it had me giggling and kicking my feet. Speaking of the chemistry though, I also really appreciated that this is clean. There’s zero steam.

In a world of Fairy Smut, it’s nice to focus on an actual plot.

At the end of the day, I thought this was a delightful read. I’m so glad I finally shook off the nerves and just went for it. It was so much fun.

Thank you to the publisher, Brillance Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m only sorry I kicked it around for so long before picking it up. I’d love to read more from Jessica Khoury!

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Review: Lights! Camera! Frendo! (Clown in a Cornfield #4) by Adam Cesare

~ megs14malloy

Lights! Camera! Frendo!Lights! Camera! Frendo! by Adam Cesare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Lights! Camera! Frendo! is the highly-anticipated 4th-installment to Adam Cesare’s Teen Scream Slasher series, Clown in a Cornfield.

I’ve enjoyed the trajectory of this series. It feels like an ode to Teen Scream and Slasher movies, with this installment being no exception. Cesare is clearly a huge fan of this subgenre of Horror and it shows on the page.

In this installment, we’re heading back to Kettle Springs where a big budget movie focusing on the original Kettle Springs Massacre is ready to start filming. Sabrina Alvarez, a young, fairly unknown actress, has been selected to play the role of Final Girl, Quinn Maybrook.

Sabrina is nervous. It’s a huge role for her, and it’s her first time being on a shoot like this on her own, without her Mom. The rest of the cast and crew already seem well-acquainted, so she’s definitely the new girl on the block.

The director’s methods are also not what’s she is used to, but for the most part, everyone on set is friendly and welcoming. It’s the town itself that seems off.

And it’s Kettle Springs, so you know her instincts in that regard are correct. There’s definitely something off.

We follow along, via multiple different perspectives, as this film tries to get off the ground. Not everyone in Kettle Springs is happy about the exposure.

It’s not long before bodies start dropping again. Who’s going to be the Final Girl this time?

This was excellent. I enjoyed it so, so much. I loved the Scream 3 feel of a movie being made on the Kettle Spring Massacre. All the actors and actresses, it was fun to follow them on the set and watch as things started to get unhinged in a real Kettle Springs kind of way.

I recently read Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror, which covered the making of the Scream franchise, and a lot of the different elements Cesare included here involving the cast and crew, reminded me of things I learned in that book.

I think Cesare did a great job making the film shoot feel believable, and then pulling in the Frendo lore and the rest of the town as well. We also see some old favorite characters again, like Cole and Rust.

For me, this is the best installment since the 1st-book. I loved being back in Kettle Springs. It was a great set-up, with copious creative kills and a solid continuation of the lore. I am so pleased with how Cesare concluded it. Will we be blessed with a book 5!?

Thank you to the publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I highly recommend this series to Horror fans, and this book in particular if you’ve already started this series. I’m hoping we get at least one more book!

I don’t want it to end!

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Review: She’s a Doll by Barbara Truelove

~ megs14malloy

She's a DollShe’s a Doll by Barbara Truelove
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

She’s a Doll follows Lucy McQuinn, who is not like other girls main characters. Even though she’s smart and sweet, Lucy doesn’t quite fit in with her contemporaries.

The thing that really sets her apart though, happens after she’s murdered by a vile man named Kyle. At the time of her death, her soul takes possession of an 18-inch porcelain doll and she’s ticked.

Vowing to get revenge, Lucy, in her new form, wants to find Kyle and end his life like he ended hers. That proves tricky though. Her size and the fact that she’s made of porcelain, it all works against her. She’s gonna need some help.

Lucy turns to Nicola, a gal she knew in life, a fellow outsider, and someone who also hates Kyle. Understandably, it’s initially difficult to get Nicola to believe what she’s hearing and seeing. I mean, can you imagine a doll coming to you and proposing you work together to kill someone?

We then follow their friendship and their mission, as both women grapple with the unfairness of it all. Will Lucy be able to find the peace she deserves, or will she be forced to stalk the Earth an angry doll forever?

This is such a creative story. I enjoyed it so much. With the synopsis, I wasn’t sure how campy Truelove would end up taking it, as I’ve never read from her before, so was unsure of her style. I was impressed with the nuance in the story, and appreciated all that Truelove brought to the table here.

It’s actually a really nice blend of humor with darker, more serious topics that were thoughtfully explored. It actually packs quite the punch emotionally, and had quieter moments that definitely pulled at my heartstrings.

The audiobook, narrated by Tegan Bourke, was super fun and I definitely recommend that format if you have it available to you. Tegan’s accent and delivery were perfect for Lucy’s character. The narration added such life to the story, and I found it very believable.

Overall, I think this is a great book, offering up much more depth than I initially anticipated. Readers are going to love it. A perfect read for your Spooky Season.

Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media and Bindery Books, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m so stoked to read more from this author!

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Review: The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

~ megs14malloy

The Women in WhiteThe Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen, one of my go-to Thriller authors, is a story told in two-timelines.

Our present day perspective follows, Riley, who after a recent separation from her husband, gets a live-in caretaker position with an elderly woman named Betty.

Since they are living together and both open to companionship, Betty and Riley start to share things about their lives with one another. Riley finds Betty to be a very interesting woman. Her home is a time capsule, with no modern appliances, no cell phone or even a television.

As Betty starts to fill Riley in on her past, she expresses wanting to locate some of her old university friends. Riley offers to help, but she never could have guessed the truth behind what Betty was involved in all those years ago.

The past perspective follows Betty and the other women she’s told Riley about. We follow them as they become participants in a parapsychology study undertaken at a prestigious university. The project, run by a powerful and overbearing scientist, changes these women’s lives forever.

On the cusp of a revolutionary breakthrough, the women disappeared and the program was erased from history.

Riley believes Betty, even if the records are unclear. She’s locked into this mystery. She’s invested; as was I. Riley starts digging in and discovers that the repercussions of that program have lasted through to today.

But what happened to Betty’s friends? Is there any way to find the truth?

I really enjoyed this one. The subject matter was a good fit for my personal tastes, and I loved having both the past and present timelines. The way it was all pieced together by Pekkanen was perfectly plotted, IMO.

I also felt it easy to connect with the set of characters created here. I had sympathy for them, all they had been through, but was also intrigued and entertained by it.

Riley and Betty especially. I enjoyed watching the way their relationship developed. They became so close over the course of the story and I really felt that.

They found each other when they both needed someone, and I think Pekkanen did such a great job showing that, and making you feel that as the Reader.

The past perspective, in the 60s, the research into parapsychology, that reminded me of Firestarter, or other things like that. There was an air of MKUltra about it as well.

It all felt so sinister, and the women involved, by comparison were all innocent and unsuspecting. It made that timeline so gripping, just the way Pekkanen slowly revealed all that had happened within that program.

I also liked the excitement at the end, the conclusion to the mystery. Overall, I just think this is a really enjoyable read that I would recommend to people who enjoy dual timeline Thrillers with a lot of character work.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I always look forward to Pekkanen’s new works. I love her writing and her story concepts. I’ll can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!

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Review: The Flayed Man by Chloe Lauter

~ megs14malloy

The Flayed Man: A NovelThe Flayed Man: A Novel by Chloe Lauter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Flayed Man features a complex Mother-Daughter relationship, and is set against the stark landscape of the Mojave Desert in Nevada.

Ellis, our protagonist, works in triage in the ER at nights and she’s also a full-time caregiver for her Mom, whose health is spiraling. But the reasons behind her Mom’s health decline are not the typical ones you would expect.

Sure, it’s partially early onset dementia, but the root cause of it is what Ellis considers their family curse. They must feed daily on blood, or risk very heinous repercussions.

When Ellis’s Uncle, who is normally their main source for their blood supply disappears, Ellis has to quickly find a new source before her Mom’s condition gets worse.

She pairs up with a snarky paramedic, who she finds intriguing for all sorts of reasons, and they set out across the desert in search of blood. While on this dark and terrible adventure, Ellis discovers that the legend of the Flayed Man, that her Mom always told her, may in fact be true.

Ellis is now trying to navigate a new relationship, while not giving away all their family secrets, and revealing her true nature to her crush.

When blood hunger starts to overtake her, it becomes a battle to hold onto her humanity. Will she be successful in her endeavors, or will the deep dark finally overtake her?

I really liked this. The writing was great and I found myself completely invested in the story. It really creeped up on me. This isn’t your typical Vampire story, and I appreciated the emotional depth Lauter brought to it.

It’s such a beautiful examination of Ellis’s relationship with her Mom, but also an exploration of herself and what she ultimately wants in her life. For anyone with aging parents, what’s happening with her Mom may hit especially hard.

This is a Horror novel reminiscent of Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones. It reminded me a lot of that book, as far as the tone and the family elements went; the exploration of duty to family, and self-discovery.

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a gruesome yet deeply thought-provoking read. This is gory, don’t let the cover fool you. There’s a lot of Body Horror and I felt like it was very well-executed.

Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review. The audiobook is very well done. I’m looking forward to more from this author!

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