diverse books

Review: Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson

~ megs14malloy

Blood in the WaterBlood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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In Tiffany D. Jackson’s Middle Grade Debut we follow 12-year old, Kaylani, a Brooklyn girl headed to Martha’s Vineyard for the summer to stay with some family friends. A trip she’s not exactly excited about.

The family in question, the Watsons, are extremely wealthy and powerful. In fact, Kaylani’s Dad used to be close with them and worked for them, prior to his incarceration for financial crimes Kaylani is positive he didn’t commit.

She doesn’t have time to go to the stuffy ole’ Vineyard, when all she wants to do is study the law and try to figure out a way to free her Dad.

In spite of her hesitations though, both Kaylani’s parents insist she go. She needs to have fun, be a kid and let loose. She’s been so worried about her Dad, and focused on his case, she’s sort of put her life on hold.

Even on the ferry to the island though, Kaylani knows it’s going to be a rough summer. The Watson’s granddaughters, London and Cassie, are also on the ferry and London instantly makes Kaylani feel uncomfortable and judged.

In spite of this, once on the island. Kaylani does start to settle in. It’s beautiful and there are lots of other kids. Maybe it won’t be a completely terrible summer. Sometimes, she and London even get on a little, or at least find ways they can be mutually-beneficial to each other.

The day after the girls attend their first beach party, they’re shocked to learn that one of the other kids from party, a boy named Chadwick, has been found dead.

The circumstances are mysterious, and rumors fly as to whether it was a drowning, a shark attack, or even worse, murder. Chadwick happens to be Cassie Watson’s ex-boyfriend, and suspicion falls onto her.

Kaylani’s innate curiosities are triggered and she’s determined to get to the bottom of it. She’s confident Chadwick’s death was no accident, but how can she prove it?

Blood in the Water was really fun and so cute, with a great MC. Kaylani is a character you can connect to instantly. She’s smart, determined, she loves her family and she’s just an all-around good kid. She’s someone you want to see succeed.

I love the setting on the Vineyard. I live on the neighboring island of Nantucket, and appreciated all the true-to-life details that Jackson brought to the story. It made it feel extra special for me and helped me picture everything perfectly.

I also loved having a true murder mystery where the majority of our main players were kids and teens. Kaylani getting her sleuthing on, and making friends to help along the way, was such a delight. Additionally, I loved Kaylani’s relationship with both of her parents, but her Dad especially.

My only complaint was that I wish it had been like 30 to 40-pages longer. I wanted to know even more about the characters, and to get more details on Kaylani’s stay on the island. Overall though, a great MG debut for Jackson.

Jackson is such a talented writer, definitely one of my all time faves and I loved seeing what she could do in this new age-range. Thank you so much to the publisher, Scholastic, for providing me with a copy to read and review!

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Review: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker

~ megs14malloy

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora ZengBat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Bat Eat and Other Names for Cora Zeng can officially be noted as the only novel that features the backdrop of the COVID pandemic that I’ve actually enjoyed.

Many have tried it, but none, IMO, have been able to pull it off with the power and creativity of Kylie Lee Baker. I’ve been impressed by Baker’s writing in the past, and the fact that she could pull me into this so easily, is a testament to her spectacular writing chops.

In Bat Eater we follow Cora Zeng, who recently lost her sister, Delilah, after she was pushed in front of a train in a vacant subway station. Cora witnessed the whole thing, and will never forget the murderer uttering, ‘bat eater’, as he pushed the unsuspecting Delilah onto the tracks.

In her job as a crime scene cleaner, Cora, is used to cleaning away the goriest scenes that you could ever imagine, but her sister’s end is one brutal scene that will forever be seared into her brain.

As the pandemic continues around them, Cora and her two coworkers, Yifei and Harvey, get called to scene after scene of brutalized Asian women, where they’re also finding the bodies of bats. This cannot be a coincidence, can it?

They start to fear a killer could be targeting their community, but even if there is, what can they do about it?

In addition to the horrid crimes occurring all around them, Cora failed to adequately honor the Hungry Ghost Festival as her Aunt advised her to, and trust me, she should have. Unfortunately, it seems Cora’s gonna pay the price for that.

This story is exquisitely told. I feel like it won’t be for everyone, just due to the whole COVID-backdrop, but for the people who try it out, I think you’d be hard-pressed not to get pulled into Cora’s world.

I really enjoyed getting her experience and perspective, which although fictional, I’m sure is very much based in true life. Her relationship with her sister, aunts and co-workers, was also so well done and I liked watching the evolution of Cora’s character over the course of the story.

This isn’t an uplifting story, by any stretch of the imagination, but it has a lot of powerful moments examining society and humanity. I also, as always, was very impressed with Baker’s horror imagery. The descriptions and scene-setting truly make the story come to life.

In a way, I almost wanted more. There were certain areas that I would have enjoyed built-out even more than they were. For example, Cora’s relationships and interactions with her Aunts.

With this being said, having this short and punchy also made it highly-effective. The mystery and horror were equally intriguing. I listened to the audiobook, and would recommend that format, as I feel the narration style fit the story quite well.

Thank you to the publisher, MIRA and Harlequin Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. I was a fan of Kylie Lee Baker before, but this has taken her to a whole new level for me. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

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Review: Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang

~ megs14malloy

Julie Chan Is DeadJulie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier struggling just to survive, is surprised when she gets a phone call from her estranged twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a mega-social influencer.

After their parents were killed when they were very young, Julie and Chloe were adopted into separate families and they rarely spoke. The phone call is cryptic, and Julie rushes to her sister’s apartment where she finds her deceased.

It’s in the moments after this incredible shock, as the emergency personnel arrive that Julie realizes something, she and Chloe are identical. No one can tell them apart. This is her chance to seize an amazing life, and she does.

Before she knows it, Julie is swept up into her role as Chloe and all the glitz and glam that comes with that. It’s a surprisingly easy transformation for her, but as Julie gets pulled deeper into the influence circle, she discovers not all may be as perfect as it seems.

Wow, what a surprising delight this story was. I can’t believe this a debut from Liann Zhang. I actually just looked at the rating for this for the first time and am surprised that it’s currently under 3.5-stars.

I loved how creative, fresh and unique this felt. The biting social commentary, and tone of Julie’s narrative voice were both huge wins for me.

The plot does get a little wild in the 2nd-half, which I can definitely understand some Readers not vibing with, but I feel like with this type of social satire, you need that. I feel like Zhang did such a great job mapping out the action and character trajectory.

I also appreciated how dark Zhang took some of her imagery. As a Horror girlie, I’m always wanting dark stuff, and some of the descriptions in this, do toe the line into Horror territory, at least in the images they put into your mind. There were some legit cringe-worthy moments.

Overall, I had a blast reading this. I couldn’t put it down once I started. Going in, I was a little worried about it being too Literary-feeling for me, but it absolutely was not.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Dark Social Thrillers, bonus points if you like to examine modern culture, including the reach and effects of social media.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Liann Zhang comes up with next!!!

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Review: House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama

~ megs14malloy

House of Monstrous WomenHouse of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

House of Monstrous Women is a slow burn Gothic Horror story set in the Philippines in 1986. We follow Josephine, who is living a fairly secluded life, seeing to her family’s property, del Rosario house.

Her parents were killed due to political strife within the country, and her older brother has since moved to Manila to try to make a name for himself. This leaves just Josephine to try to manage what’s left of their estate.

When she receives an invitation from her childhood best friend, Hiraya, to visit her, Josephine is surprised and excited. Of course she accepts. She’s missed Hiraya so much since Hiraya and her sister were forced to flee their village in the dead of night.

Hiraya’s family’s property is the infamous Ranoco house. There are many stories whispered about this island home, all of them involving Hiraya’s supposed family of witches.

Josephine has heard the stories, but she’s not afraid. She knows Hiraya too well to believe she would put her in danger. Josephine is anxious to reconnect with her, as well as her brother, Alejandro and his girlfriend, Gabriella, who Hiraya also invited to Ranoco.

Hiraya proposes they all play a game like they used to as kids. The winner of this game though, will be granted whatever their heart desires. Each person has something they deeply want, and they all agree it’s worth whatever risk to try to make those dreams reality, but how dangerous is this going to get?

With the house featuring as the ultimate playing board, the contestants settle in to try to seal their fates. As the rules are explained though, it soon becomes clear that they may have gotten in over their heads.

Will any of them be able to survive the game, let alone get what their heart truly desires, or is the house just going to seize them in their desperation?

‘Josephine felt stupid for thinking this place was like the del Rosario house at all. Its outer facade was just a mask of normalcy, hiding what lay within.’

As mentioned above, House of Monstrous Women is a slow burn, but one that I definitely feel paid off in the end. The beginning features a lot of character work, but also some genuinely spooky imagery. Once it gets to the game though, it really takes off.

I loved the setting. Ranoco house truly feels like a main character in this story. It was described so well, and even though it’s got some trippy vibes throughout, I still felt like I could picture everything vividly.

I would describe this story as being moody, gruesome, intense and jaw-dropping. There were moments in the beginning when I wondered if it was going to pick-up, and you might too, but trust me, just stick with it. It gets wild as it races toward the unpredictable conclusion.

I wasn’t prepared for the final scenes of this. It was just so good. I loved the themes Fama explored, and feel like she nailed the build-to-action ratio. It lulled me into a false sense of security, then ripped the rug out from under me and tried to smother me with it.

I would highly recommend this to Horror Readers of all varieties, but particularly to those who enjoy atmospheric, familial, or historical horror, with strong eco-elements, who don’t mind a slow burn.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was really impressed with this and cannot wait to read more from Daphne Fama!!

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Review: This is My Body by Lindsay King-Miller

~ megs14malloy

This Is My BodyThis Is My Body by Lindsay King-Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is My Body is a dark and emotionally-fueled Horror novel following single-mom, Brigid, and her daughter, Dylan. When we first meet them, Dylan has gotten into an altercation at school, and it quickly becomes clear that her behavior has recently changed.

Brigid has noticed that her once fun-loving daughter has become more moody, secludes herself, and suddenly has a hair-trigger temper. Is it regular teenage rebellion though, or something more?

As the days pass and Dylan’s behavior gets more combative, Brigid can’t help but think about a circumstance that played out within her very Catholic household, featuring her zealot uncle, Father Angus.

Through past and present timelines, we learn of the situation in Brigid’s past that’s similar to the one she’s living now with Dylan. Even though she feels like she has moved on, truly escaped her past, will she be forced to return to the home she left behind in order to save Dylan?

At the start, I’ll admit, Brigid rubbed me the wrong way. I found myself asking, who is the child here? This didn’t keep me from getting sucked in though.

The more I learned about Brigid and her past, the more I started to understand her. She’s on such a journey throughout the story, and for her, the stakes, her daughter’s life, could not be higher. It gives the whole story an air of desperation that kept me flying through.

In fact, I read this entire book in one-sitting, which I haven’t done in quite some time. I found the religious and occult elements both intriguing and so well done.

Brigid also begins to explore a possible relationship with a woman from her past, Zandy, and I loved the inclusion of Zandy in the story. She was such a great side character, who provided the perfect balance to Brigid’s personality.

I would also say the past perspective, where we learn a lot about what went on in Brigid’s childhood, was just as compelling as the current perspective. I loved how the two ended up sort of merging as this raced towards the heart-pounding, stomach-dropping conclusion.

Overall, this was a great Possession story, including fantastic, absolutely toe-curling, Body Horror. Tongues, eyes, all the things, nothing was safe; just how I like it.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Possession stories, or Religious Horror, as well as anyone looking for a Horror story with a Queer representation. This is the first that I’ve read from this author, and I’m looking forward to reading more from them.

Thank you, Quirk Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was such a pleasant surprise!!

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Review: Lakewood by Megan Giddings

~ megs14malloy

LakewoodLakewood by Megan Giddings
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lena’s Grandmother was the matron of their little family, helping to take care of both Lena, and Lena’s Mom, who suffers from a chronic illness. So, when Lena’s Grandma passes away, it leaves a big hole in that regard.

Soon it’s clear that the family has a lot of debt and practically no income. Lena must therefore do whatever she can to try to make ends meet for her and her Mom.

Even though she’s enrolled in college, Lena knows she needs to get high-paying work as soon as she can, which may mean putting her studies on hold for awhile. Unfortunately, the job market is depressing as heck and not offering her a lot of opportunities.

Starting to despair, Lena then learns about a chance to participate in some sort of medical or psychological experiment. She’s intrigued. After pursuing it, it seems almost too good to be true.

The downfall, she’ll have to move from home, to the remote town of Lakewood. Her Mom would be alone, which makes her most nervous of all, but arrangements can be made.

With her participation, Lena will get free housing and the pay is very high, more than she could ever make anywhere else given her current options. Additionally, free healthcare for both her and her Mom. She can’t pass that up.

She has to keep her participation 100% secret though. She needs to lie to family and friends. She even signs an NDA to that effect. Luckily, they’ve come up with a believable cover story for her.

The heart of the story follows Lena moving to Lakewood and taking part in the program. She’s recording everything that happens each day, at least what she can remember, writing it down in a letter format and then hiding it, for reasons I won’t go into here.

I liked the way Giddings chose to format Lena’s perspective. It felt very personal, the way she was recounting all that was happening. I felt like that friend receiving the letters.

I also found Lena to be a very empathetic character. She was so honest about everything, and as the Reader, you see this young person struggling, she’s got so much on her plate, and she’s willing to do anything to help her family. Including potentially putting herself at risk.

She’s smart, she’s tough, she’s someone you root for through thick and thin. Lakewood is full of mysteries and the experiments continually get stranger and more dangerous.

The other people who are participating all add their own levels of drama and intrigue to the story as well. The way this softly intensifies throughout is chef’s kiss. I would realize in various moments that I was feeling fear, but I had no idea why. It made for such a cool reading experience.

While it did have a bit of a slow start, I think the pay off was well worth sticking with it. I appreciated the spotlight it shined on medical experimentation and the racial injustices historically witnessed in such practices.

Side recommendation for the non-fiction book, Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present, that I feel could pair nicely with reading this one.

Overall, I think this is a stellar debut. It left me with a lot to think about. I loved the tone and mood of the writing, the topics explored, and Lena as a protagonist. I would recommend it to fans of When No One Is Watching and The Other Black Girl.

For me, it was the shadow organization feel that I really vibed with. The uneasiness of following Lena’s day-to-day existence in this strange place, with even stranger things happening to her, it was powerful. I’m looking forward to picking up more from Megan Giddings!

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Review: Their Monstrous Hearts by Yigit Turhan

~ megs14malloy

Their Monstrous HeartsTheir Monstrous Hearts by Yiğit Turhan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Going into Their Monstrous Hearts, I knew nothing about it. I was sold by the cover and just had to have it, because against sound advice, I do judge books by their covers.

I was therefore delighted when I discovered that the basic set-up of this novel is an inheritance story, one of my favorite tropes.

We’re following Riccardo, a down on his luck author, who is estranged from his family and about a millimeter above rock bottom. Just as he ponders how he is going to get his life back on track, and deliver his agent the pages they’re demanding, a mysterious stranger arrives to inform him that his Grandmother, Perihan, has passed away.

Riccardo thinks, what’s that got to do with me? I haven’t spoken to the woman for years. The stranger, maybe a solicitor of some sort, insists that he’ll want to make his way to Milan to learn more about what he’s been bequeathed.

Finally deciding he could use a change of scenery, Riccardo takes them up on the plane ticket, and it’s off to Milan he goes. Once there, his Grandmother’s estate house isn’t quite as opulent as he remembered, but it’s still better than the street corner he was 5-seconds away from sleeping on.

It’s decrepit and definitely giving off an ominous vibe. Curious about the state of his house, his Grandmother’s friends and everything else about the current situation he finds himself in, Riccardo starts poking around; as you do.

He discovers a notebook of his Grandmother’s writing. As he dives into it, it gets strange. Is this fact, or fiction? A confessional, or a woman’s imagination gone wild?

This is a strange story, NGL. It’s not going to be for everyone, as evidenced by the current overall rating, but I found myself captivated by the audiobook. First, the wonderful dual narration helped me to envision these characters perfectly.

Mentioning the dual narration makes me think, I should also mention, that not only do we get Riccardo’s perspective in the present, we also get all of his Grandmother Perihan’s writings, that unfold a story of the past.

The way this rolled out, there was something so intriguing about it to me. Perihan’s story, I wasn’t sure what to think at times as far as was it true, or was it something she was creating. Either way, I needed to know the truth.

If you’re a Reader who can see the grotesque in things that are too beautiful, this book might be for you. And if you know what I mean by that, you are the Reader for this book.

I know the rating at this moment looks intimidating, but there’s no way I’m gonna be the only Reader who is darkly intrigued by this story.

It is weird. There are some things I’ll admit I’m not sure if I’m understanding the way the author intended, but I really enjoyed the mystery, atmosphere and the more monstrous aspects of this storyline. In my opinion, this deserves some more attention.

Thank you to the publisher, MIRA and Harlequin Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I would absolutely recommend the audio if you are going to check this one out. As mentioned above, I feel the dual narrators brought this story to life!

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Review: A Mastery of Monsters (Master of Monsters #1) by Liselle Sambury

~ megs14malloy

A Mastery of Monsters (Mastery of Monsters Trilogy)A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Before his Sophomore year of University, August’s brother, Jules, goes missing. The general consensus is that he was overwhelmed with school, and other things going on in his life, and decided to skip town.

August knows that is impossible. Jules has been her rock since their family fell apart, and he would never do that to her. Especially considering how upsetting it was when their mother disappeared. Their family spiraled from there.

August is one tough cookie though, and she doesn’t care what anyone says. She will find Jules. He left behind a note, and although cryptic, she knows he is in trouble.

After a 10-foot tall creature, resembling a mix between a werewolf and a psychotic Easter Bunny, attacks her in the park, she realizes her brother might be in way more danger than she ever could have guessed.

Virgil Hawthorne, a bookish and mysterious boy she met after a night of partying a little too hard, could be the key she needs to get to the bottom of the creatures existence, and Jules whereabouts.

As it turns out, Virgil needs assistance with something as well, and he feels like August could be the answer. All she has to do is join the Secret Society he’s a part of. The two strike a deal and set out to achieve both of their goals.

I love Liselle Sambury, and this is a great start to an all-new series for her. I am already anticipating the next book. I wouldn’t say this was a perfect reading experience, but it definitely intrigued me and held my attention.

It’s such a nice blend of SFF-concepts, and I loved the complexity of the ‘magic’ system, for lack of a better word. It’s not really magic, but I’m not quite sure how to describe it. Whatever you want to call it, it’s so interesting.

Additionally, this contains one of my favorite tropes, a competition, and I loved learning about the politics and factions within this Secret Society. I’m just hoping I don’t forget all of the details by the time the 2nd-book releases.

Even though I enjoyed this quite a bit, I’m not sure I would want to reread it before picking up the sequel. It’s a long one and that’s quite a time commitment.

I sort of had this same thought before picking up the 2nd-book in the Blood Like Magic duology. However, if my memory serves me correctly, Sambury did such a sensational job opening up the 2nd book, refreshing the Readers memory without making it repetitive, that I truly had nothing to worry about.

I have a feeling this one is going to be the same. Either way, I’ll be grabbing a copy of the sequel as soon as I possibly can.

Thank you to the publisher, Margaret K. McElderry Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. If any of the following buzzwords sound intriguing to you, you need to pick this one up:

Monsters, dark SFF, Dark Academia and a competition trope.

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Review: Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory

~ megs14malloy

Flirting LessonsFlirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up **

After Avery Jensen goes through a break-up, she’s realizes her life is stale. She’s tired of being well-behaved and reliable. She wants to shake it up; get a hobby, make new friends and flirt with lots of people, men and women.

As she considers all of that though, she realizes, she has no clue where to start. She feels like she’s lost confidence since her relationship, and is at a loss for how to get it back.

Taylor Cameron is a known flirt and infamous heart-breaker. After her most recent break-up, her best friend bets her that she can’t make it 2-months without sleeping with someone new. Taylor, though realizing her history stacks the odds against her, takes the bet.

When Avery and Taylor meet at a winery event, Avery spills her concerns to Taylor. It’s not like her to be so open with a stranger, but there’s something about Taylor.

Taylor feels for Avery and offers to help her. She’ll give Avery flirting lessons, her specialty, and in turn, that project will distract Taylor from getting up to no good elsewhere; she’s determined to win her bet if she can.

At first, Avery is uncomfortable with their arrangement, but Taylor is so warm and encouraging and soon she begins to look forward to their weekly sessions.

The more time the women spend together, the more they start seeing each other in a whole new light. Their chemistry is undeniable and it’s becoming impossible to ignore their mutual attraction.

Could their flirting lessons lead to love?

Flirting Lessons is a very cute and enjoyable read, with beautiful WLW-representation. I really liked both MCs, particularly Taylor, whose perspective I found so relatable.

I did feel the women acted a lot older than their stated ages, they were quite mature and open with their emotions, which is something I would have run a million miles away from in my 20s. Besides that though, I did find their relationship trajectory believable and engrossing.

I loved the lessons Taylor set-up. They were so creative and fun, and helped to draw Avery out of her shell.

I also really appreciated Avery’s character arc. She was in a real rut at the start and I liked how she took charge of her life and took action to improve things. I can definitely see why Taylor would find that attractive.

I feel like the women were a great match. Their personalities played off each other well, and they both provided strength in areas that the other might lack, or need to work on. I enjoyed watching their relationship develop.

Overall, this was an enjoyable Adult Contemporary story, with well developed characters, fun dates, great chemistry, and not too much steam.

I always look forward to new Jasmine Guillory novels and this didn’t disappoint for a moment.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m glad I finally made time for this. A perfect Pride Month read!

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Review: King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby

~ megs14malloy

King of Ashes: A NovelKing of Ashes: A Novel by S.A. Cosby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After Roman Carruthers receives word that his father has been in a terrible car accident, he returns home to be with his brother, Dante, and sister, Naveah, and closer to the hospital where his Dad is being kept.

The accident was serious, and the prognosis is grim. They aren’t sure if Dad will ever fully recover.

Roman has been away from his hometown, where his family owns and operates a crematorium, for many years. He’s built himself a highly-successful career in Atlanta, and seems to have left central Virginia in the past.

Now that he’s returned though, he must confront his younger brother, Dante’s, dangerous criminal enterprises, which have left him riddled in debt, as well as his sister, Neveah’s, burn out, as she struggles to hold everything together with regards to the family and the business.

Roman is a bit gobsmacked by the current state of his family. He didn’t know things had progressed this far, particularly in regards to Dante’s debt and substance use issues.

In doesn’t take Roman long to parse out that his father’s crash wasn’t an accident, and Dante’s recklessness has placed them all in very grave danger.

Vowing to get his brother out of trouble, and save his family, Roman offers his very applicable services to the criminal overlords hunting down his brother. Roman is an expert negotiator and he’s sure he can see this through, and free Dante from his debts.

Concurrently, his sister is working on her own mystery project. She’s trying to determine what exactly happened to their mother, who disappeared years before.

There’s so much going on in King of Ashes. The most impressive part is Cosby’s incredible skill at writing such a complex story, while keeping it flowing naturally, and never making the Reader feel overwhelmed.

I enjoyed how quickly it all kicks off as well, as far as getting Roman back to Jefferson Run and involved with the flourishing criminal underworld there.

Additionally, this is a Long Game story, IYKYK, which is one of my favorite tropes in this kind of novel. Roman, as an MC, is incredible. He was so easy to root for. I loved his courage and determination in spite of the danger, no matter what, he was gonna fight to reach his goals.

I also enjoyed him as a bit of a reverse prodigal son. In spite of his successful time away, he still did seek a bit of forgiveness in a way from the other members of his family.

All the other characters were really well done too. Dante, though frustrating as heck, the guy’s literally a walking liability, was still believable and sympathetic, and I loved Naveah as well.

The plot was fast-paced and kept me super invested. I had no moments where I wasn’t fully locked into the audiobook while listening to it. I adored it.

In short, S.A. Cosby’s gripping, gritty stories, paired with the impeccable narration of Adam Lazarre-White, is nothing short of perfection. A winning combination!

While I was completely invested in this story, and maybe because I was so invested in it, I’m NGL, it CRUSHED me. This one is going to stick in my brain for a long, long time.

This is a must for everyone’s Summer Reading List!!

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. S.A. Cosby is an auto-read author for me, and this firmly secures his place on that list!

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