book review

Review: Witness 8 (Eddie Flynn #8) by Steve Cavanagh

~ megs14malloy

Witness 8 (Eddie Flynn, #8)Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Witness 8 is the 8th-installment in Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series, but the 1st-book I’ve read in the series. There’s nothing like starting at the end. LOL

I’m so excited that I already have 2-other books from the series on hand, because I’ll definitely want to be picking them up as soon as possible. This was captivating and a thoroughly-intriguing mystery!!

If you aren’t familiar with the series, as I wasn’t, it does indeed follow Eddie Flynn, a criminal defense attorney, as well as his team, as they investigate, work and defend various cases in and around New York City.

In this novel, they’re representing John Jackson, a wealthy man from the Upper East Side, who has been accused of shooting one of his neighbors. Jackson’s DNA was on the gun, which was also found in his home.

It seems like a hopeless case, but Eddie is confident Jackson is innocent and he fully intends to clear his name.

Also involved in the case is the girl who actually witnessed the crime, Ruby, who works as a maid in the upper-class neighborhood. Unfortunately, she’s anxious to use her knowledge for her own benefit, not the benefit of the police, and certainly not to the benefit of the Jacksons.

There were some other side-plots that were a little less compelling for me, but nevertheless, they made the book stacked with content to keep the Reader entertained.

I have a feeling, one of the side-plots in this, which revolves around Eddie, would be more intriguing to Readers who have read the series from the start, as they would be more attached to him emotionally.

With this being said, I enjoyed the entire thing, though I was a little less invested when it was exploring topics outside of the main murder case.

I immediately vibed with Cavanagh’s writing and he wasted no time kicking off this story, which I appreciated. It pulled me in from the very first pages.

It’s not an uplifting story, to say the least, I felt bad for many of the characters and what was happening to them, but it is a gripping story nonetheless.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m really looking forward to reading the backlist books in this series!

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Review: Jackknife (The Shivers Collection #1) by Joe Hill

~ megs14malloy

Jackknife (The Shivers Collection, #1)Jackknife by Joe Hill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jackknife is a captivating short story from one of my faves, Joe Hill. This is a part of the Amazon Shivers Collection, which features works from some of the best Horror and Dark Fiction authors currently in the biz.

After seeing the author list contributing to this collection, I knew it was one that I could not possibly miss. This is the first I’ve picked up and can’t wait for more!

This story features a University Professor on the brink of losing everything after being caught up in a scandal, but through it all he discovers his deep will to live.

It also has a terrifying tree and a touch of vigilante justice.

Joe Hill’s writing never fails to capture my attention, and more importantly keep it. Once I started this one, I had to see it through. I wanted to know where exactly we were going with this unsettling concept.

As short stories go, I feel like this is well executed. It gave me what I was hoping for, and as mentioned above, I’m excited to continue on with the collection.

Thank you, Brilliance Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would recommend this to fans of Horror Short Fiction, and of course to fans of Joe Hill!

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Review: What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

~ megs14malloy

What the Woods TookWhat the Woods Took by Courtney Gould
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What the Woods Took follows a group of troubled teens during their time in a wilderness therapy program.

This set-up has been popping-up quite a bit in various iterations over the past few years, but for me, this is the best I’ve seen it executed. I was fully-engrossed in this story.

Devin is our MC. We meet her when she is awakened one night by two strange men in her room; essentially kidnapping her into a program known as Revive.

She finds herself shoved into a van and driven deep into the woods of Idaho. She meets a group of equally confused teens and it’s at that point, she discovers the true depth of the unsettling situation she finds herself in.

There are two counselors/guides for the program, and the other teens include Ollie, Aidan, Hannah and Sheridan. They’re told they will be hiking for 50-days.

Each teen is coming from vastly different circumstances, of which we learn over the course of the story. They’re each battling their own inner demons, but what they’ll face in the woods will be unlike anything they’ve ever battled before.

I went into this one not knowing a lot about it. I’ve read two previous novels from Gould, and enjoyed them, but this one is definitely my favorite of her work.

I was captivated from the start. It kicks off immediately and drops us into the heart of the action. I really appreciated the character work that Gould displayed here.

It wasn’t just Devin that you got to know well, all of the characters were fully fleshed out. IMO, for Younger Readers, or Teens, picking this up, everyone should be able to find an aspect to this story that will resonate with them.

There was a real cathartic feel about these teens experiences in the program initially. As mentioned above, they were all struggling with some serious issues, and had been acting out in their home life as a way to deal to it.

The more time they spent together, under the uncomfortable conditions, the more they began to open up to one another. There was some serious growth.

Then the crazy stuff starts to happen. There’s something strange in the woods and the pace really picks up after all of that starts to be exposed.

I thought Gould paced this perfectly. I enjoyed how the strangeness unfolded. It felt hypnotic and darkly-enticing. I needed to know what the heck was going to happen here. How were these teens actually going to survive this?

It was eerie and intense. I was rooting for these characters, even the ones that drove me batty at first. The growth they displayed and the horrifying situation they were in, made me root for them all by the end.

I would recommend this to YA Horror, or YA Survival Thriller, Readers. I feel like the character work and atmosphere are reason enough to pick it up, but if you need more, add in a convincing sapphic romance. Additionally, I would recommend the audiobook for the engaging narration.

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

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Review: It’s Watching by Lindsay Currie

~ megs14malloy

It's WatchingIt’s Watching by Lindsay Currie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s Watching is the latest release from my favorite Spooky Middle Grade author, Lindsay Currie. I always find myself completely invested in her stories.

She knows how to deliver that perfect, cozy, spooky small town atmosphere, all while pairing it with likable, strong-willed, curious and determined young characters.

This book kicks off on Halloween night, when Josie and her two best friends, Jackson and Alison, sneak into Bachelor’s Grove cemetery on a mission.

With dreams of being journalists, they have the perfect story idea to help secure them editorial spots with their school newspaper. They just need to find and prove the existence of a local legend, The Woman in White.

Unfortunately, before they’re able to get the proof they need for their story, they’re chased off the property by someone who they assume to be the security guard.

Shortly following that ill-fated adventure, they all receive a creepy meme on their phones, an image of the ‘Phantom Farmhouse’, a known haunt in their town, with the words I’m watching dripping down the screen. This frightens the pants off the three kids.

It’s said that the Phantom Farmhouse sporadically appears, luring people in, but never letting them out. So, yeah, I think they had good reason to be afraid.

Soon many strange things start happening to them, including another threatening meme, this time with a countdown. Apparently, they have three days to figure out what’s terrorizing them, or it may be too late.

I had so much fun with this. I loved Josie, Jackson and Alison. Their friendship was supportive and sweet. It’s always great to see such positive relationships in books for Young Readers.

I thought the investigation the kids did into what was happening to them was completely engaging as well. They incorporated different resources, including a ghost hunter and the local library.

Another aspect that Currie always includes in her stories, which I appreciate so much, is the incorporation of history. There’s always a part of the story that focuses on local history, wherever the story is set, and I feel like she does a great job making history exciting.

As books for Younger Readers, I feel like that’s so important to get them interested in topics like that, and she certainly does it well. In fact, it’s that more than anything that makes her stories stand out to me.

Don’t get me wrong though, she’s great at writing all aspects, including my favorite: ATMOSPHERE. Currie is always delivering the exact vibe I’m looking for when I pick up a Spooky Middle Grade, and that’s why I keep coming back for more, and always will.

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’m looking forward to whatever spooky adventure Lindsay Currie has in store for us next!

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Review: Heartwood by Amity Gaige

~ megs14malloy

HeartwoodHeartwood by Amity Gaige
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Heartwood focuses on the story of the disappearance of 42-year old, Valerie Gillis, just as she was close to completing her journey hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, but it’s honestly so much more than that.

This story features a few different perspectives, as well as cleverly-incorporated mixed media elements.

Initially, I wasn’t sure how all of the perspectives were going to ultimately blend together, but Gaige did an incredible job with her pacing and reveals. I found myself equally invested in each perspective, which is rare, and enjoyed how they eventually merged.

The suspense was great, the inclusion of nature was beautiful, and the exploration of the personal journeys was top notch. I felt so immersed.

My recommendation would go into this knowing as little as possible. I feel like it’s one of those stories best served if you just experience it exactly as the author wants you to. I feel like, though this story had its intense moments, and moments when I feared for particular characters, I was left with such an overriding feeling of hope.

It was really quite lovely. A great reading experience.

I did feel an extra special connection with it as it is set in my home state, and in areas where I have had the pleasure of spending a lot of time, including on the trails.

I think Gaige did a great job with the portrayal of the Maine State Game Wardens, having known a few of them in my own life. I think that’s such an amazing profession to feature in a novel like this. I appreciated that aspect.

Thank you to the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m so happy that I made time for this book.

If you love stories of survival, hiking stories or stories that explore nature, both human and the natural world, I highly recommend picking this up!

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Review: The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

~ megs14malloy

The Buffalo Hunter HunterThe Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

THE BEST HISTORICAL HORROR NOVEL I’VE EVER READ!

MY TOP CONTENDER FOR MY FAVORITE BOOK OF 2025!!

THE MOST THOUGHTFUL VAMPIRE NOVEL I’VE EVER READ, AND PROBABLY EVER WILL!!!

AN EXCEPTIONAL AUDIOBOOK PRODUCTION — GET YOUR HANDS ON IT IF YOU CAN!!!!

I CRIED REAL GROWN-LADY TEARS AT THE END!!!!!

I’m not sure I need to say too much else about this. I’m sure from the stunning declarations above, you get the picture of my thoughts and feelings on The Buffalo Hunter Hunter.

I would also say though, as far as the content of the story goes, the Publisher’s synopsis really does a good job of telling you everything you would want to know going in. The book is best served if you just take your time with it, and let it reveal itself to you in the way SGJ would want.

Trust him. He knows what he’s doing.

If you follow my reviews at all, you probably already know that Stephen Graham Jones is one of my favorite authors; bested only by Stephen King in my rankings.

I always look forward to his new releases and I feel like every time I finish one, I end up saying, this is his best work yet!!

I know I said that last year upon completing my favorite book of 2024, I Was a Teenage Slasher, and I’m about to get repetitive, because THIS IS his best work yet.

When I tell you I was engrossed in this story, I mean it. Every fiber of my being was invested. The way it was told, it was like I was there. Each aspect of the narrative was blended seamlessly together for maximum impact.

I couldn’t stop once I started. I needed to know the truth behind this story; the everything behind this story.

The audiobook production was a master class in bringing a story to life; in transporting the Reader to another place and making them a part of the action.

Particularly, in the final act. OMG, I cannot express how good it is. If you have the opportunity to get your hands on the audio, in addition to the hard copy, I would 1,000,000x recommend that.

At the end of the day, Stephen Graham Jones is such a talent. His edgy-style brings a distinct voice to all of his stories. You can tell that he pours his entire soul into his work. It shows. Every book is a journey that I don’t want to end.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Saga Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Finally, a sincere thank you to the author, Stephen Graham Jones, for continuing to hone your craft. Your ability to stay creative and keep pushing boundaries always astounds me. You are so appreciated. I can’t wait to discover what’s next!!!

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Review: White Line Fever by K.C. Jones

~ megs14malloy

White Line FeverWhite Line Fever by K.C. Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

White Line Fever is the 2nd-book that I have read from K.C. Jones, and I believe we are going to have a long and beautiful friendship. This was great. I loved the themes explored and the hair-raising, disturbing and distressing journey we went on with these characters.

This story follows Livia, who after experiencing a particularly rough patch at home, gets swept away on a girls’ weekend retreat by her three best friends.

As they head to the remote cabin they’ve rented, they encounter a bit of trouble on the road, and like many characters before them, decide to take a shortcut.

County Road 951 looks unremarkable at the start, but what the women don’t know is that this road also has another name: The Devil’s Driveway.

It does not take long before the group starts noticing concerning things happening, time slips and confusion, hallucinations and worse. Their good-spirited getaway is quickly turning into a pulse-racing nightmare.

The horrors of the road seem to be linked to their past, but it’s all so hard to decipher. The women are confused and tired, but regardless of the challenges and their fears, they’ll need to work together if they have any hope of survival.

I thought White Line Fever was so interesting. It begins with a startling and gripping Prologue that is set on the stretch of road where the women ultimately end up, but it’s not necessarily related to them.

That Prologue really set the tone for the story. Then we take a quick step back and meet Livia, as well as her friends, and we learn of their motivations behind their girls’ trip.

It had the perfect Horror story set-up: four friends on a girls weekend, driving to a remote rental house, things going horribly wrong. Also it featured a great Horror story lesson, which many of us already know and practice in our own lives: don’t ever take the shortcut.

We do get a past-timeline, in addition to the present-day action, where we follow Livia and her friend group when they were just young girls.

We learn of formative (read: traumatizing) events that happened to them on Livia’s family’s property.

I did enjoy that back-and-forth. The friend group and particularly the way the events of their youth were relayed did give me heavy-It vibes; not in a copy-cat way, in a more inspirational, subtle way. I enjoyed that vibe.

While some of the events occurring in the Devil’s Driveway were a bit too fever dream for my general tastes, I did love the character work and in particular, the growth that our MC, Livia, displayed throughout the story.

You truly go on a journey with these characters. I enjoyed the feel of the road itself, how it plays the role of antagonist. I also loved the strong bonds of the friend group, as they tried to figure everything out in order to get out of there.

I would recommend this to Horror Readers of all types. I think the creativity and exceptional character work make this one worthy of picking up. I’m looking forward to more from Jones in the future.

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

K.C. Jones seems to take risks with his writing, and I respect the heck out of that, and enjoy a lot of the themes and concepts he explores in his stories. The best part is, I have no clue in what direction he’ll be going next with his work, but you better believe, I’m gonna be there to read it!

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Review: Only in Your Dreams (Oakwood Bay #1) by Ellie K. Wilde

~ megs14malloy

Only in Your Dreams: A Novel (Oakwood Bay, #1)Only in Your Dreams: A Novel by Ellie K. Wilde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Don’t be fooled by this cutesy cover, Only in Your Dreams is hot, hot, hot, and lucky me, it’s just my kind of spice!

In this book, we are following Melody Woods and Zac Porter. Melody has just returned to her hometown of Oakwood Bay, after a decade away, following a painful breakup.

She’s moved in with her twin brother, Parker, and is trying to process everything. In an effort to encourage her out of her funk, Parker has been pushing her to take his spot on an upcoming camping trip with his friends.

To be fair, some of them used to be Melody’s friends, including Zac, Parker’s best friend, and the boy who broke her heart 10-years ago. Whatever. She’s so disconnected with all things Oakwood Bay at this point.

Parker’s best friend, Zac, a college football coach, is reeling Melody is back in town. He messed things up with her 10-years ago, and has never truly forgiven himself for it.

When she shows up at the campsite in Parker’s place, he can hardly believe it. Maybe this is his chance to win her back?

But with Melody focused on getting back on her feet and returning to the city, and with Zac stressing over his team’s lack of wins, will he be able to put the proper time into winning back Melody’s affections?

Adding complication to the matter, they have to keep any sort of relationship they have a total secret from Melody’s brother, Parker, who Zac knows would flip his top if he thought they were getting involved.

There were so many aspects of this that I absolutely adored. I loved the small town feel and all the characters that we got to meet over the course of the story. I’m excited to find out what other characters we’re going to follow in this series of companion novels. There’s so many options!

The chemistry between Melody and Zac was off the charts. I loved the banter, and getting both perspectives, to know what they were thinking along the way, was so fun. I know Wilde will be delivering more of that in the next books.

I’ve never actually read a Sports Romance before. Football is my sport and apparently, this is the Romance I didn’t know I needed; following a College Football Coach?

Yes, please!!!

I really appreciated that too. That we were following the coaching staff, as opposed to the players. There’s nothing wrong, of course, with following the players, it’s just when you think of a coaching staff, and the men and women in those positions, they are usually people who are of a certain age, or maturity level.

Zac is DEFINITELY young for a head coach, but it’s a smaller school and he’s a local guy, so that does make sense. Zac did have a maturity level about him though that was respectable. Particularly, in regards to how focused he was on making Melody know how special, and loved, she was.

This does explore some emotional abuse and gaslighting from Melody’s previous relationship, and I felt that was handled fairly well. She was definitely on a journey, and I liked that it took her some time to process it all, as opposed to just hanging out with another guy and being over it.

Overall, I had an absolute blast with this one. Look, we all have our things. Romance, particularly Steamy Romance is very subjective. We all have our likes, dislikes, turn-ons and offs, and yeah, let’s be honest, kinks.

Read this if you are into Alpha Male Energy: protective, yet supportive, tats, and aggressive dirty talk. Don’t read if you don’t like these things, cause there’s a lot of them.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I have a copy of the next book, Only Between Us, and I’m hoping to pick it up soon!

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Review: Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (Finlay Donovan #5) by Elle Cosimano

~ megs14malloy

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (Finlay Donovan, #5)Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is the 5th-installation of the well-loved Finlay Donovan Mystery series.

I have listened to all of these books on audio, and this was no exception. Not only does Angela Dawe do an incredible job bringing these stories to life with her engaging narration, but her voice is Finlay to me at this point.

In this story, Finlay and Vero are back home after their wild adventures in Atlantic City, which were chronicled in the 4th-book. They’re looking forward to life returning to normal, or as normal as it can ever be for Finlay and Vero.

Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t take long before they are smack-dab in the middle of another mystery, after a body is discovered buried in the backyard of their busybody neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty.

Finlay and Vero have had a bit of a contentious relationship with the elderly-Mrs. Haggerty over the years. She’s always watching, making her the perfect head of the neighborhood watch, but not that fun of a neighbor.

As the police start investigating, Mrs. Haggerty immediately falls under suspicion. After she is cleared though, she still can’t return to her house as it’s an active crime scene. That’s when she shows up on Finlay’s doorstop.

Begrudgingly allowing the older neighbor to stay at her house, Finlay needs this case wrapped up soon rather than later. Worried the police are heading in the wrong direction, Finlay and Vero decide to look into the case on their own.

Yet again, I had so much fun reading this book. I love, love, love Finlay and Vero. Their friendship is perfect and I love investigating mysteries with them.

The mystery of the body in the backyard was quite intriguing. I had a great time trying to solve it. I wasn’t sure who to suspect, and I believe I started to figure it out just when Cosimano wanted me to, so that’s a plus.

Mrs. Haggerty plays a huge role in this one, and I liked getting to know her more. She’s grumpy and opinionated, and frankly, hilarious to have around. I loved her interactions with not just Finlay and Vero, but also with Finlay’s kids; so good.

We also got quite a bit more of Finlay’s agent, Sylvia, in this one, which was a hoot. She’s wild in such a fun way, pushing Finlay out of her comfort zone every chance she gets.

Overall, I was so happy with this story. The conclusion also gave me hope that we’ll definitely be getting another book, which I am so on board for. As far as I’m concerned, this series needs to continue for as long as humanly-possible. A go-to Mystery series for me.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I adore these mysteries with my whole heart. 10-out-of-10 recommend for all Mystery Readers!

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Review: Fan Service by Rosie Danan

~ megs14malloy

Fan ServiceFan Service by Rosie Danan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Fan Service is a light Paranormal Contemporary Romance novel from Rosie Danan. I really enjoyed Danan’s last novel, Do Your Worst, so was excited to check this one out.

In this story, we’re following Alex Lawson and Devin Ashwood through alternating perspectives.

Devin is an actor who starred in a CW-style werewolf television series, The Arcane Files. Alex is the girl who created and moderated the largest fan forum for the show.

We find out early on that the two actually met at a Con years before the start of our novel. Unfortunately, for Alex, the old adage ‘never meet your heroes’ turned out to be true. She overheard Devin making nasty comments about her and the costume she made; crushing for a teen.

Even years later, even as she’s internet famous for knowing everything there is to know about TAF, Alex holds a secret-disdain for its most famous star, Devin freaking-Ashwood.

Ever since the show went off the air, Devin has found his life in a steadily downward spiral. The morning he wakes up naked in the woods with the no memory of the night before though, that may be rock bottom.

The recollections he does have, not to mention the witness reports, are disturbing. Like claws, fangs and howling. Certainly, the full moon was a coincidence, but maybe it’s not. Is Devin literally turning into a werewolf?

Desperate for answers, Devin seeks out the one person who seems to know all there is to know about werewolves, at least the ones portrayed in The Arcane Files, the moderator of the popular fan forum.

Thus, Alex and Devin’s paths cross again. This time they’re on more equal ground though, and in fact, Alex may have the advantage. Devin doesn’t remember her, and she can play this any way she wants.

Ultimately, Devin pleading for help, makes Alex an offer she can’t refuse and the two begin working together to figure this thing out. Before you know it, walls are coming down and an animal attraction is growing strong.

Fan Service is a great read. I enjoyed a lot of aspects of the story. It’s an understandable romance, with a ton of solid character work, but it was a little too drawn out for my tastes, I have to admit.

While I enjoyed learning about both of our main characters, I feel like I almost learned too much about them. Hahaha, is that even a thing?

IDK, but it is the feeling I walked away with.

I’m not sure what specifically I would have cut out of it, but yeahhh, I just feel like all the details started to weigh the story down a bit. It sucked some of the fun out of it for me.

Nevertheless, it had a lot of positives, not least of which was the lovely conclusion. I also thought the steamy bits were great; definitely my kind of kink, and I appreciated the work the author put into Alex and Devin.

Trust, they were FULLY developed.

The more I think about it, the more I think I should round this rating up — LOL. Don’t be surprised if you see that little tick up at some point in the future.

I did love the banter between the two and Devin’s thoughts, in particular, cracked me up. It was definitely a slower build, but also still full of enjoyable content.

I would definitely recommend this one to Readers who enjoy some steam and werewolves. Also, solid fandom vibes for those, like myself, who love that type of thing in a story.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m definitely excited to keep picking up more from this author!

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