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Review: When You Wish Upon a Star (A Twisted Tale #14) by Elizabeth Lim

~ megs14malloy

When You Wish Upon a Star: A Twisted TaleWhen You Wish Upon a Star: A Twisted Tale by Elizabeth Lim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When You Wish Upon a Star is the 14th-installment to Disney’s A Twisted Tale collection.

If you are unaware, these books take our favorite Disney tales, twist one element and then explore what would have happened if that twist actually occurred.

They’re like Disney’s version of alternate history stories and I’m low-key obsessed with them. Also, important to keep in mind, these books can be read in any order.

They are completely distinct stories, each following a different set of characters, so you can start anywhere you want, with which ever story sounds most appealing to you.

In this story, we explore the question: What if the Blue Fairy wasn’t supposed to help Pinocchio?

I have never read the source material, The Adventures Of Pinocchio, that the 1940-animated Disney film Pinocchio is inspired by. Additionally, I have only watched Pinocchio a handful of times. It actually scared me as a kid, so it wasn’t one I necessarily gravitated towards.

However, when I heard the pitch for this story and saw that it was being written by Elizabeth Lim, I knew I had to pick it up as soon as I could.

This is based on Pinocchio’s story, yes, but this is really the story of the Blue Fairy. Who was she before? Had she always been a fairy? If not, how did she become one and who did she leave behind?

It turns out, the Blue Fairy was once a girl named Chiara, who lived in the village of Pariva, the very same small village that Pinocchio’s father, Geppetto, is from.

I loved the direction that Lim took this story. I found it fascinating learning about Chiara, her complicated relationship with her little sister, Ilaria, and the process that Chiara underwent to become the Blue Fairy we all know and love. Even the village was fun to learn about.

I was immediately swept up into this. I feel like Lim’s writing is completely immersive. Everything about it, from the descriptions, the setting of the scenes, the drama, the character work, it’s all top notch. If you’ve never read anything from Elizabeth Lim, I actually feel like this one is a great example of her style.

The fairy aspects were really fun. There was a school where Chiara went to train and she had a mentor. I love those relationship dynamics, so was happy to see it.

It was also interesting to see the choices, or should I say sacrifices, that individuals had to make to even become fairies. Chiara struggled a bit making her decisions in that regard, but they were important decisions, so it all made sense. It never felt angsty, or overdone, in my opinion.

Ilaria, Chiara’s sister, on the other hand, she was bringing all the drama. With dreams of being a world-famous opera singer, Ilaria’s personality could be a bit grating.

However, with this being said, it did make perfect sense in context with the greater story. We needed that push-and-pull, that vast difference between the two girls’ personalities in order for this story to have maximum impact.

The best part of this for me though, was seeing those connections to Pinocchio. Meeting younger versions of characters we know, for example, like Monstro, Stromboli and even a cricket.

Don’t be alarmed though, long-time Pinocchio fans, he is in the story too! So that was fun, seeing him and the interactions between Pinocchio, Geppetto and the Blue Fairy.

Overall, I had a really good time reading this. It’s a fantastic addition to The Twisted Tales collection. If you are curious about my rankings for all the books that I have read in this series, I will list them below at the bottom of this review.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney-Hyperion and Disney Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. It was nice to see a lesser known Disney character finally getting her time shine!!

My current ratings for the Twisted Tales series:

1. What Once Was Mine (Tangled): 4.5-stars rounded up
2. Reflection (Mulan): 4-stars
3. Almost There (The Princess and the Frog): 4-stars
4. When You Wish Upon a Star: 4-stars
5. Go the Distance (Hercules): 3.5-stars rounded up
6. As Old As Time (Beauty & the Beast): 3.5-stars rounded up
7. Straight On Til Morning (Peter Pan): 3.5-stars rounded up
8. Mirror, Mirror (Snow White): 3.5-stars rounded up
9. Unbirthday (Alice): 3.5-stars
10. Conceal, Don’t Feel (Frozen): 3.5-stars
11. A Whole New World (Aladdin): 3-stars
12. Part of Your World (The Little Mermaid): 2-stars

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Review: The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores

~ megs14malloy

The Witch and the VampireThe Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I feel like I should start this review with a little disclaimer.

This review is based solely upon my personal reading experience with this story. It is 100% my opinion, please take it with a grain of salt.

I am by no means an expert on anything. Further, I would recommend that anyone who finds the publisher’s synopsis intriguing, gives this book a shot.

The Witch and the Vampire follows two girls, Ava and Kaye. Ava is a witch and Kaye is a vampire. They’re enemies, but it hasn’t always been that way.

They used to be best friends, but two years ago everything changed. Kaye was turned into a vampire and Ava’s mother was killed by a vampire. Kaye, coincidentally, disappeared the very night Ava’s mother was killed.

Ava, of course, suspects Kaye, or more closely, she blames her for her mother’s death. Ava is now a vampire hunter of sorts, how perfect. On the night of a vampire attack on their town, Kaye flees her mother’s home and Ava runs into her.

Ava convinces Kaye to travel with her into the forest. She pretends she is helping her, when really her plan is to backstab Kaye and get her revenge.

Obviously, I am simplifying this a bit, but honestly, that’s really all I can tell you about the plot.

Let’s start with a few positives. The cover is gorgeous. Also, the audiobook is very well narrated. If it weren’t for the audiobook, I most likely wouldn’t have finished this one.

While this book didn’t necessarily do anything wrong, it just wasn’t for me. I felt I didn’t understand the world at all and it lacked the atmosphere I was hoping for based upon the synopsis and cover.

I also felt it had one note throughout, angst. Everything was angst. There was angst every moment of every page, even though I felt like the stakes were never high enough to justify that. Because of this it lacked the highs and lows and nuance I would normally like to see.

There were no moments of levity and it seemed like the more seriously the book took itself, the less seriously I did. Additionally, all the characters felt one dimensional. I struggled to distinguish between the two girls throughout the entire story.

This is the second book I have read from this author. The first, Diamond City, I felt to be in the good-to-really-good range. I enjoyed the world Flores developed in that one. I found it creative and intriguing.

So, while this one fell flat for me, I would be willing to give this author another shot. I definitely wouldn’t pick up another story based in this world though.

With all of this being said, as touched upon in my earlier disclaimer, just because I didn’t connect with this story doesn’t mean that you won’t. There’s a book for every Reader and a Reader for every book.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. I truly appreciate it!

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Review: A Flaw in the Design by Nathan Oates

~ megs14malloy

A Flaw in the DesignA Flaw in the Design by Nathan Oates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

A Flaw in the Design follows Gil, a creative writing professor at a small, liberal arts college in Vermont. Gil lives with his wife, Molly, and their two daughters, Ingrid and Chloe.

They have a rather peaceful life; typical family stuff. That is until Gil’s sister and her husband are killed in a car accident, leaving their teenage son, Matthew, an orphan. Since Gil is the boy’s Godfather, and closest living relative, they agree to take him in and Matthew joins their family in Vermont.

At this point, you may be thinking things like, oh nooooo, what a tragedy, poor Matthew. You also may be thinking that Gil would welcome his nephew with open arms; like, of course he would lovingly take him in. He’s family.

But, no, you would be wrong on all accounts. Not poor Matthew, not loving Uncle Gil, zero open arms, forget everything your instincts tell you to think.

The truth is, Gil can’t stand his nephew. He thinks Matthew is a spoiled brat. Actually, it’s worse than that, he thinks Matthew is evil. They have a history, going back for as long as Gil can remember he has seen a wickedness in Matthew.

After an incident at Matthew’s parents Montauk estate, Gil had essentially written him off. Not just Matthew, but his sister and her husband as well. Gill called out Matthew on some unsettling behaviors and his sister refused to believe him. They didn’t see much of each other after that.

Regardless, Matthew’s legal team is fairly insistent, the boy needs to go live with them in Vermont. The buck stops with Gil. Speaking of bucks, now may be a good time to mention that Matthew’s parents were exceedingly wealthy. We’re talking tens-of-millions of dollars wealthy.

It’s all Matthew’s now. Through a series of Trusts, Matthew will live comfortably for the rest of his life and some of that may just trickle down to Gil and his family. A small detail the professor can’t ignore.

After Matthew moves in, Gil is extremely uncomfortable. He’s not being fooled by Matthew’s charming ways. He knows what the boy is capable of and he’s not letting down his guard for a moment.

As Matthew begins to win over his wife and his daughters, Gil becomes even more desperate for people to see what he sees. It becomes a bit of an obsession.

Matthew can tell his Uncle is on the brink. He likes to push. He’s happy to play with the exceedingly unnerved professor, but is it all just a game, or is Gil actually right?

This was a lot of fun to read. The tension is real. It’s a true Psychological Thriller. I was impressed with the character work and the depths to which Gil’s musings, suspicions and subsequent obsessions were explored.

Matthew was such an interesting character as well. Your quintessential rich bad boy, playing fast and loose with everyone around him. I loved the back-and-forth. It has a real cat-and-mouse vibe, but in an interesting way.

The further I progressed in the story, the more I started to second guess what was happening. Who really is the cat, who really is the mouse, or do we have a cat-cat situation happening? What’s up, what’s down?!

I made certain assumptions. I believed what the characters were telling me, but was I wrong? Was this an unreliable narrator situation? Side note, I still love an unreliable narrator. It never gets old for me.

You could cut the tension with a knife throughout this story and I loved the ending. I know the ending won’t be for everyone, but for me, it left a wicked little grin on my face and nothing makes me happier than that.

My only slight critique was that I felt like there were certain sections that dragged a little for me. Anything that didn’t involve Matthew directly, I was sort of rushing through to get back to the present action.

With this being said, overall, I really enjoyed this. It was so well plotted and the intensity was super fun and engaging.

I am definitely looking forward to picking up more from this author in the future. I walk away impressed.

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

This had me at the edge of my seat. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a smart, edgy, head-spinning Psychological Thriller.

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Review: The First to Die at the End (Death-Cast #0) by Adam Silvera

~ megs14malloy

The First to Die at the EndThe First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved, loved, loved They Both Die at the End when I read it all the way back in February 2019. Trust me when I say, since that time it has lived rent free in my heart.

I, along with most other people, believed it to be a standalone novel. Then shockingly, a prequel novel was announced. The First to Die at the End is that prequel. I’ll be honest, I’ve been so scared to pick this up.

I wasn’t sure any other content was necessary. How could it possibly live up to the story told in TBDATE?

Finally, however, I could resist my curiosity no more. I had to read it and ultimately, I am really glad that I did. Silvera successfully pulled off the unasked for prequel.

In this story, our main characters are Valentino and Orion. The stage is set on the eve of the launch of Death Cast. Valentino, with dreams of becoming a professional model, has just, as in this very day, moved to New York City.

Orion, is a life-long New Yorker with a tragic past. He is anxious for the launch of Death Cast due to the way death has previously touched his life. Also, he has a very serious heart condition. He always feels the clock is ticking for him.

Through a twist of fate, these two boys meet in Times Square and feel an instant connection. As Death Cast goes live, one of them gets a call and the other does not.

They decide, no matter how it is going to turn out, they are going to spend the next 24-hours together. Death Cast is untried. Will their prediction be correct, or will it all end up being nothing more than an elaborate hoax?

Woven throughout the over-arching storyline, we also get vignettes of side characters that Valentino and Orion encounter along the way.

I know not everyone is crazy about the inclusion of these types of tiny slivers of life, but I loved them and the way it demonstrated the interconnections in general.

It’s like all the tiny connections that we may never realize or understand, but we are all connected in one way or another. I think Silvera showed that beautifully.

As far as the main characters go, they were fantastic. They were complex with plenty of backstory to make you want to fight for them. I enjoyed the relationship that developed between the boys.

Of course it is a bit instalovey, but it sort of had to be, considering the brief time-frame of the narrative. I actually didn’t mind it. I sort of feel like if I had met Valentino on the streets, I could have fallen in love with him just as quickly.

The banter was great and Silvera provided plenty of hard-hitting issues to consider. It really showed a range for emotion and difficult circumstances, but also the power to rise above and keep living every day with intent.

There were also some fun connections to the original book and the NYC setting was vivid. So, while this wasn’t quite as powerful for me as the first book, I still really, really liked it and appreciate the characters and the heartfelt way Silvera told their stories.

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Review: Pinata by Leopoldo Gout

~ megs14malloy

Piñata: A NovelPiñata: A Novel by Leopoldo Gout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

💛🧡🖤💛🧡🖤💛🧡🖤💛

Pinata is a recently released, spooky, toe-curling and thought-provoking Possession Horror story from the mind of Leopoldo Gout.

My initial attraction was to the cover. I mean, look at it!

Then I read the synopsis and knew it was something I wanted to pick up as soon as possible. I’m so happy I did.

In this story we follow single-mom, Carmen, and her two daughters, Izel and Luna. Carmen works for a prestigious New York design firm, who have projects all over the globe. Carmen has been assigned the role of site manager for a renovation project in Tulancingo, a city in the Mexican state of Hildago.

Specifically, the project is the renovation of an ancient abbey into a modern hotel, while trying to adhere to the original beauty of the space. A project Carmen is passionate about.

Carmen is excited for the project for a number of reasons. It’s a challenging renovation and a big step-up in responsibility for Carmen. Additionally, she gets to bring her daughters, so it’s a chance for them to be exposed to the culture of their ancestors.

As they move into their little rental, Carmen is excited with the possibilities the summer holds for them. There’s trepidation too, of course, it’s a city after all and the girls will be home alone during the day while she is working.

With this in mind, Carmen does set up some ground rules for the girls. They know not to leave the house on their own, or to open the door to strangers.

We follow Carmen as she deals with the girls, the local workers and the stress of her job. We also see how the girls are adjusting to their new environment and we meet a few of the local characters with ties to the abbey and its history.

On a day that the girls visit Carmen at work an accident occurs, which ends up exposing a hidden tomb packed full of mysterious, ancient artifacts. Unfortunately, that incident changes everything for Carmen and her girls.

Although her employer doesn’t necessarily blame Carmen for the accident, they need to pull her from the project, for optics, thus cutting Carmen and the girls’ trip short.

As they return to New York, Carmen’s concerned about the future of her job. What if she does end up getting fired? How will she provide for them?

Additionally, the girls seem to be taking the change hard. Particularly, Luna, normally bright, bubbly and out-going, now is distant and morose. What’s going on there?

Things go from bad to worse for the stressed family, as violent incidents occur both at school and at home. People are getting hurt, worse even. Carmen begins to suspect that something is seriously wrong with Luna.

When Izel opens up and shares her concerns about her sister with her Mom, Carmen can no longer ignore it. They need help. They need to free Luna from whatever has taken hold of her before it’s too late for them all.

I loved the way Gout told this story. The settings were distinct and I enjoyed getting to know the characters, particularly Carmen and her girls. It’s a very family-centered story and I was definitely along for their journey.

I felt the writing was descriptive in a way that helped me to picture everything perfectly in my mind. I would love to see this adapted to film. I think it could really translate well to that format.

The tension builds rather nicely and as you get closer to the end, it starts to get quite anxiety inducing. Things definitely snowball quickly once they get back to New York and actually, for me, that did throw the pace off a little.

The initial build-up, the family’s stay in Mexico, it takes its time. The stage is set in a slow-burn fashion, but then the conclusion almost feels too rushed in comparison.

With this being said, I still feel like the concept, character work and themes explored were all really well done. I loved how Gout included the historical and cultural aspects to the story. For me, that made it stand out from other Possession stories I have read.

Overall, I feel like this is a memorable and engaging story that I am proud to have displayed on my shelves. I definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a solid Possession story, or dark fiction involving heavy historical, or cultural, components.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a highly anticipated release for me and it did not disappoint!

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Review: The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

~ megs14malloy

The Golden SpoonThe Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ll admit to being a little bemused by The Golden Spoon in the beginning of the book. I went into this expecting a Cozy Mystery set against the backdrop of a baking competition, and while I got the baking competition and I got the cozy vibes, where was the mystery?

Where was the murder?

We get introduced to the contestants and the hosts. We learn a bit about the beautiful property hosting the competition. Over time, a bit of a historical mystery is revealed, a possible murder. I thought, is this it?

Nevertheless, even without me noticing it at first, Maxwell did something great here. She pulled me in with her character work and setting alone. It didn’t even take long. By 20% in, I was hooked with these characters. I was intrigued.

The cooking competition itself is quite reminiscent of The Great British Bake Off. If you’re a fan of that show, as I am, there is no way you are going to read this and not picture everything about that show in your head.

In fact, the two judges of the competition in this book are basically Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.

The biggest difference is the setting is a stately property, Grafton Manor, in Vermont versus the UK. The competition itself does take place in a tent though, so hurrah!

I loved the competition aspect and getting all the perspectives of the contestants was so much fun. Learning their motivations and insecurities as they set about their bakes each day made it easy to get to know them.

I also really enjoyed some of the relationships that developed among the contestants. Being thrown into the competition, it would make sense for them to bond a bit over their shared circumstances.

Of course there will always be some drama too, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a competition after all, but I did appreciate some of the special friendships that were formed.

Particularly lovely to me was the odd couple of Lottie and Pradyumna. Lottie, the oldest contestant, and Pradyumna, a younger tech millionaire, a real playboy, the two of them together, oh my word, they made me so happy.

As far as the show went, everything that could possibly go wrong pretty much did. The competition itself is only 5-days, but man, they packed a lot in. Early into the competition, it’s clear there may be a saboteur in their midst, but who and why?

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this. It doesn’t follow your standard Cozy Mystery format, but in spite of that, the vibes are there and the cast of characters is fantastic.

I loved that this slow burn paid off with building intensity and a satisfying conclusion in the end. I’m not sure if we will ever see these characters again, but I certainly hope so. Maybe we’ll even get a fresh season of competition.

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

I’m really looking forward to reading more from Jessa Maxwell in the future!

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Review: She Is a Haunting by Trang Thahn Tran

~ megs14malloy

She Is a HauntingShe Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

She Is a Haunting is a YA-story following a girl named, Jade Nguyen, and her experiences at her father’s haunted house in a remote area of Vietnam.

Jade, who lives with her Mom and siblings in the United States, is getting ready to start college and is concerned about money. School is expensive and she can’t ask her Mom, who has sacrificed so much for them and works so hard, to contribute any more.

Thus, Jade is in a bit of a pickle. Her estranged father, who abandoned them and moved back to Vietnam, has the money. He offers it to her on the condition that she and her little sister, Lily, go and live with him for the summer.

The thing is, Jade is really angry at her Dad, like really, really angry. After he walked out on them, they never dealt with that trauma. They don’t even talk about. It’s sort of pushed under the rug, the reality of it all.

Unfortunately, Jade feels like she has no other option. She can make this work. It’s like 5-weeks. She can suffer through anything for that amount of time, or can she?

Along for the journey with Jade and Lily are their Mom and younger brother. Their Mom and younger brother are going to be staying with their Mom’s family in a different city though, so it will just be Jade and Lily forced to stay at their Dad’s place.

His home is actually a French-style villa left over from the colonial era that he is currently converting into a B&B. The renovation is going strong when they arrive and their Dad actually expects their help.

Jade’s assigned task is to get a sleek and modern website up and running for info and reservations. As you can imagine, she’s thrilled to be doing her father’s bidding.

Helping her with the site, is the daughter of one of her Dad’s business partners, a local girl named, Florence, who Jade is immediately intrigued by. Maybe this won’t be so bad.

Then the weirdness kicks in. Strange happenings at the house, visions, dreams, sounds, sleep paralysis; Jade is convinced the house is haunted, but no one believes her. Perhaps with a little help from Florence, they can make them believe.

This is an intriguing story and I did enjoy Trang Thanh Tran’s writing style. Jade was an interesting character. She is very angry, so being in her head isn’t always a comfy, relaxing place to be, but she’s certainly allowed her feelings.

I respected the author allowing her to sort of live in the negative spaces in her mind, without trying to cure her of anything. She’s been through things, she’s allowed to hold that grudge, particularly against her estranged father.

I enjoyed the set-up, the reason for Jade traveling to Vietnam and the reason she needed to stay there. Additionally, some of the imagery, including descriptions of body horror, bug scenes and sleep paralysis were really well done, quite creepy.

However, I did grow a little bored with it. It was just so slow. I don’t mind a slow burn, and I would definitely classify this as one, however the payoff needs to be worth it.

Personally, I felt the ending of this got a little too chaotic and slightly confusing for me to necessarily consider the slow burn worth it.

I did enjoy and appreciate a lot of the topics examined here, including the different relationships Jade had with her family members, the impact and repercussions of colonialism, Jade’s family history and sexuality.

The brightest lights for me was the love and respect that Jade had for her Mom, as well as the investigation Jade started into the history of the house.

Overall, I do think this is a compelling, though slow paced, haunted house story. I did enjoy my time with it, even though it tended to drag in certain places. I appreciate the author’s attention to detail, creativity and spooky imagery.

Thank you to the publisher, Bloomsbury YA, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would absolutely be interested in picking up future work from Trang Thanh Tran!

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Review: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

~ megs14malloy

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi, #1)The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi was my first Chakraborty novel. I am so happy to have discovered her work.

This was such an incredible story; well told and well constructed. I loved this cast of characters so much. I honestly can’t believe how attached I got to them.

The star of our show, of course, is Amina al-Sirafi. As a woman over 40, I can tell you it was an absolute delight to get a female protagonist who was a little more battle-worn, and time advanced, than your typical lead.

Amina has had many, many adventures on the high seas, as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates. She’s loved and lost, been in tight spots and epic battles of wit. She’s also been married numerous times and even is a mother to a delightful little girl, Marjana.

She should be happy and I guess, in a lot of ways she is, but an adventurer will always have that nagging feeling in the pit of their gut that there’s more out there.

When Amina is approached by an extremely wealthy woman to embark on one more quest, she’s definitely reluctant. It’s dangerous and she doesn’t want to leave her daughter behind, in spite of the slight urge to adventure on.

Unfortunately, the woman really leaves her without much of a choice and when riches beyond Amina’s wildest imaginations are dangled in front of her, she agrees. One more mission.

Determined to succeed, Amina assembles a team of her old colleagues, each one with a specialty likely to contribute greatly to their task. They’ve got their means of transportation, they’ve got their team, they’ve got a goal.

Thus, they set out to find and rescue the allegedly kidnapped granddaughter or their rich benefactor.

This adventure was so engrossing. I loved the crew. The banter was witty and the stakes were high. As the story progressed, more magical elements were introduced and I definitely found it enchanting.

There were some sections towards the end that I found a little confusing, but it could have been because I was reading it so quickly. I was dying to discover what was going to happen, so it kept me going at a pretty steady pace.

I’m super stoked that this is just the start of this series. What a fun way to kick it off. I am very anxious to see where it is going to go from here. I can’t wait to go on more adventures with Amina and her crew!!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Harper Voyager, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was fantastic!

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Review: What Have We Done by Alex Finlay

~ megs14malloy

What Have We DoneWhat Have We Done by Alex Finlay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Twenty-five years ago, when Ben, Art, Jenna, Donny and Nico, were kids, they all lived together in a group home called Savior House. As is sometimes the case, their time there was fraught with abuse and neglect.

Unsurprisingly, through the hardship, they bonded. They were best friends. Their bond took on an even more ominous tone, however, after a particularly traumatic incident occurred in which they all played a part.

In spite of their early traumas, they all grew up to lead fairly successful lives. Forging their own paths, in a variety of different fields, far away from one another.

As our story begins, these kids are now adults. We follow Jenna, Donny and Nico as crazy things start happening to them. Someone is trying to take them out, but why? Could this be linked to their shared past?

We follow them as they start to reconnect and put together what is happening to them, all while on the run, trying to stay two steps ahead from their would-be killers.

In addition to the current action, we also get a past timeline that reveals a lot of the truth behind their time at Savior House, and the event that would ultimately lead to the pickle they find themselves in today.

From the beginning, I was fascinated by this group of characters. Each of them felt unique and compelling. I particularly enjoyed Jenna’s and Donny’s perspectives. They really got this story off on the right foot for me.

I totally understand that this might not work for everyone, but it was so different from other Thrillers I’ve read lately, it honestly felt like a breath of fresh air.

Admittedly, I’m a huge fan of the trope that is like a group of individuals who grew up together, who had something happen many years ago, who reunite as adults to investigate, or put to bed some sort of issue that has plagued them since they were kids.

So, out of the box, this was most likely going to work for me. I just love that vibe. It was giving me It, or even Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi, except for instead of supernatural forces we’re tackling, we have a full-fledged Action Thriller.

Is this OTT? Absolutely, it is, but I didn’t mind at all. I felt like the characters and the backstory were so well done that the OTT-narrative didn’t make me flinch for even a moment.

I listened to the audiobook and would recommend that format. The narration was fabulous and kept me 100%-focused the whole way through.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes action-packed Thrillers. If you enjoyed things like Adrian McKinty’s, The Island, or Falling by T.J. Newman, you should absolutely check this one out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I was really looking forward to this and it didn’t disappoint.

I feel like all of Finlay’s books have been so different. I’m really looking forward to seeing what he serves us next!

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Review: The Angel Maker by Alex North

~ megs14malloy

The Angel MakerThe Angel Maker by Alex North
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

When I read The Whisper Man in January of 2020, I was so impressed. It was everything I wanted in a Crime Thriller. It was gritty, eerie, sordid and compelling.

That book single-handedly sealed the fate of my future with this author. I would anxiously await and then eagerly pick up all his new releases.

I ended up really enjoying The Shadows as well. Thus, when I heard about this book, North’s most recent release, The Angel Maker, I was over the moon with anticipation.

Sadly, this one ended up being a complete miss for me.

I listened to the audiobook and starting out, I was so jazzed. The narration was great and I was stoked to be getting early access to North’s new book.

The next thing I know, I am 20% in and I have NO CLUE what is happening, who anyone is, or what I am supposed to care about. I can recall the very beginning though, that was interesting and it did stick with me.

A teen girl, who is supposed to walk her brother home from school, chooses not to in lieu of spending some private time with her boyfriend. When she arrives home to police cars, lights and an active investigation, she’s horrified to learn her kid brother had been viciously attacked.

Katie and Chris were the siblings. Here I am at the end of the novel and those are the only two characters I would be able to talk about with any confidence at all. I cannot name one other character.

I couldn’t follow this plot to save my life. It apparently required way more concentration than I was willing to give it. I didn’t care at all. There were so many characters, none of which I felt were developed, besides Katie. After the 60%-point, I just wanted it to end and here we are.

With this being said, I am very aware that I am in the minority opinion on this one. There are so many people who read this and absolutely loved it.

Therefore, do not take my opinion on this one as anything more than what it is: one Reader’s jilted opinion.

Please note, even though this didn’t work for me, I still think that Alex North is an incredible author and I will continue to pick up all his future novels.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Celadon and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion and look forward to seeing what North comes up with next.

View all my reviews