new releases

Review: Letter Slot (Shivers Collection #5) by Owen King

~ megs14malloy

Letter Slot (The Shivers Collection, #5)Letter Slot by Owen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Letter Slot is a great Horror short story. This is the 2nd-Shivers Collection release that I have picked up and I enjoyed it just as much as the 1st, Jackknife.

This is the 1st-time I’ve read from Owen King, and I can definitely see the family resemblance. This guy knows how to tell a COMPELLING story. I was hooked from the start!

This story follows Blake, a teenage boy, who lives with his single-mom. They’ve been struggling and Blake’s Mom’s health has suffered because of stress and an accident she had at their rental property.

Nothing seems to be going right for them, and Blake just wants it to be better, particularly for his Mom, who does so much. He hates seeing her in pain.

As part of a school assignment, he ends up pouring out all these thoughts and emotions into a letter, and putting that letter through a mail slot of an abandoned show house.

He’s floored when he receives a response with an offer to help make all of their problems disappear. All he has to do is give his new pal a name; a name of someone he hates.

Blake is left with a real Faustian dilemma on his hands. He’d do anything for his Mom, but what will it cost him?

I really enjoyed how this story played out. The way it was told, it was beautifully-plotted for such a short story. I was completely sucked in and invested in the moral dilemma.

I feel like King did an exceptional job creating an unsettling atmosphere, even when you didn’t know exactly what was getting under your skin. It was a whole vibe; very well done.

Thank you to Brillance Publishing for providing me with a copy to read and review. Grover Gardner’s narration in the audiobook was perfect for this story.

I highly recommend that format!

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Review: The Thorns by Dawn Kurtagich

~ megs14malloy

The ThornsThe Thorns by Dawn Kurtagich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

The Thorns follows our MC, Bethany, through both Past and Present perspectives. Present Bethany is a successful author, wife, and a bit of a recluse.

Bethany is the author of a popular series, who is now struggling to write the final book, in which her beloved protagonist, Sally, is slated to be killed. She just can’t seem to get it right, causing her a lot of inner turmoil.

Past Bethany has been shipped off to a remote boarding school by her mother. Feeling abandoned and alone, Bethany befriends a fellow classmate, Stacey, who she comes to idolize, shall we say, to an unhealthy degree.

In the Present, Bethany is thrown for a loop when she receives an email from Stacey out of the blue. You can tell they haven’t been a part of each other’s lives for quite some time, but why? What happened?

The Past clues us in to their complicated friendship, taking us through the various uncomfortable circumstances they got themselves into while at school together. Eventually, Past and Present merge revealing the truth behind Bethany and Stacey’s relationship.

This is a tough on for me, because I Love Dawn Kurtagich’s writing and daring imagination. The Thorns has a solid ominous feel to it, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but it also had its issues that sadly brought down my rating.

For me, it’s one of those stories where a lot is happening, but simultaneously, it feels like nothing is happening. I was constantly waiting for something big to be revealed, and then when it was, I had predicted it from very early on and it didn’t end up being as satisfying as I would’ve hoped.

It also felt too drawn out and I didn’t enjoy the 2nd-person narration style of the Present perspective. Nevertheless, Kurtagich gets full marks for her creativity and follow-through on ideas, and this is still a good book, which just happened to fall a little flat for me.

I was hoping for a deeper connection and to be more compelled by the narrative than I was. The middle portions felt quite General Fiction as opposed to the dark-intrigue that I was expecting.

With all this being said, I know so many Readers are going to love this. The back-and-forth does build up some anticipation, and I feel like the topics explored are strong and well-executed.

Thank you to the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to more from Kurtagich!

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Review: Splinter Effect (Splinter Effect #1) by Andrew Ludington

~ megs14malloy

Splinter Effect: A NovelSplinter Effect: A Novel by Andrew Ludington
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Splinter Effect is a Time Travel Thriller that features heavy historical aspects. I found it to be a unique read, that definitely improved for me in the 2nd-half of the book.

While it started slowly and was a bit heavy-handed in the historical politics, there were definitely some fun twists towards the end that hooked me back in.

In this story, we follow Rabbit Ward, a Smithsonian Archaeologist tasked with traveling through time in order to rescue precious artifacts before they are lost to history.

Even though Rabbit is quite successful in his career, there was an epic screw-up decades ago that included the loss of his mentee, Aaron, and it has haunted him ever since. They were after a special menorah during that mission, and recently evidence has surfaced that the menorah has now been located in another time and place.

Rabbit sets out again to try to recover it, mistakenly thinking this time, it won’t be quite as difficult. However, from the moment he arrives in the past, things go wrong.

Apparently, there are others, contemporary competitors, of his searching for the same artifact. One in particular, Helen, becomes a real thorn in his side.

In addition to this though, the time and place they’re in, 6th-Century Constantinople, is on the brink of revolution. It’s a dangerous place for anyone to be, and Rabbit and Helen find themselves thrust right into the middle of it all.

I listened to the audiobook and am glad that I did. The narrator, Roger Wayne, had a film noir quality to his voice, which I feel worked very well for this story. I would recommend that format if you’re going to pick it up.

I think as a start to a series, this is strong. I have a feeling the longer the series goes on, the better it is going to get, as the Reader becomes more attached to the MC, and also gains a better understanding of the time travel system.

The concepts did take a minute to get used to, as it is sort of a fresh take on time travel, and one I did thoroughly enjoy.

For me though, it did lean a little too heavily into the politics and societal happenings of the time that Rabbit traveled back to. I felt that brought the pace of the story down, which detracted from the high-stakes mission Rabbit was on by sucking some intensity out of it.

As mentioned above, there were some great twists towards the end though that I definitely didn’t see coming. One in particular, helped to completely reinvest me into the story, which was starting to lose me.

I would be interested in continuing on with the series. I think my decision will most likely be made after I read the synopsis for the 2nd-book; if the mission sounds intriguing enough to me, I will continue.

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

I do enjoy checking out different styles of Time Travel stories, and this one was fascinating. Even though I had some few issues with it, I still think the author did a great job in developing the plot, settings and characters.

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Review: Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes

~ megs14malloy

Cold EternityCold Eternity by S.A. Barnes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cold Eternity is the latest release from S.A. Barnes, author of Dead Silence and Ghost Station. I always look forward to Barnes new books and this one did not disappoint.

This is another Space Horror novel and features a compelling protagonist, Halley, who after taking a remote assignment on an abandoned space barge, discovers there’s more danger in the job than she could’ve ever anticipated.

In the very beginning, this was giving me light-Artemis vibes. I think mostly because Halley, the way we meet her and the things she was thinking about at that time, were reminiscent of Jazz, the MC in Artemis.

You can tell that Halley is girl with a complicated past, who is trying her best to stay clear of it. I liked how the author filled that in for us over time, and I truly became attached to Halley and her well-being over the course of the story.

She takes the job on Elysian Fields, a giant space barge housing a now defunct cryo program, thinking the remoteness and isolation will help her to avoid the things she’s trying to avoid. Unfortunately, life on the floating crypt isn’t as harmless as she thought it would be.

Constant disturbing noises, and mysterious moving figures, haunt Halley’s days and nights. She finds it impossible to sleep, impossible to rest her nerve-rattled brain.

Karl, the only other human worker aboard, is just as puzzling as everything else about the Elysian Fields. Halley’s thoughts race and ramble as she tries to make sense of her new surroundings. It’s during this time that the Reader may begin to question how well they can rely on their narrator.

Learning about the Elysium Fields, its past, Halley’s connection to it and its present iteration was so compelling. Barnes does the horrors of future tech so well, and this story is absolutely terrifying if you think about it for too long…

S.A. Barnes has really made a name for herself in the SF-Horror space. She does such an incredible job creating an ominous atmosphere in each one of her stories, as well as well-developed main characters.

I feel like some Readers may avoid, or be intimidated by SciFi stories, as they feel like they may be too science-heavy, or too high-concept, for them to understand, or be pulled in by. And while I can understand that inclination with many SF-books, I would urge you, if this is you, to give S.A. Barnes’s work a try.

She makes her stories accessible to all types of Readers, whether you are a big-SF fan or not, I think you’ll easily be pulled in by her work and find it enjoyable.

This story, in particular, is well within our range of current understanding as tech rapidly progresses around us every day. I could absolutely picture a world where a situation like this becomes a reality.

Stories of futuristic tech always get under my skin. I just find it genuinely frightening to think about. All the ways such developments could go wildly wrong. Reading about it, in fun works of fiction like this, provide me with a safe place to explore such concepts, and honestly, it does help lessen some anxiety around these topics for me.

That may sound silly, but it is one of the reasons I so enjoy this type of story, and S.A. Barnes is my absolute go-to author for gripping, realistic, futuristic SF-Horror.

This had a lot of unsettling moments, with a great creepy atmosphere throughout. Towards the end it did have some moments where it started to feel a little muddled for me, but overall, it was a great reading experience.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’ll be anticipating whatever Barnes releases next!!!

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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: 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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