Social Horror

Review: Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas

~ megs14malloy

Nothing Tastes as GoodNothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

A banner book for 2026, Nothing Tastes as Good is gripping, topical and will certainly pack a punch for many Readers.

This is a 2nd-chance read for me with this author, and I’m so happy I picked it up. I really, really enjoyed this!

This story follows Emmett Truesdale, who has never felt like he’s been able to fit the mold of the beauty standards of his Southern California hometown. He’s always battled with his weight, and certainly has the childhood trauma to prove it.

As an adult, Emmett finds himself single, in a dead-end job and at a peak weight of over 300-lbs. He feels like he’s being crushed by the weight of it all. He’s desperate for a change. Something that will work and have a truly lasting impact.

It’s in his weakest moment that Emmett stumbles across an opportunity to enter a clinical trial for a new weight loss product called Obexity. He’s not without reservations, but as mentioned he’s desperate. He’ll try anything at this point.

He applies for a coveted spot as a participant in the trial and to his delight, he’s selected. He will now be one of the first new users of Obexity!

Though the process itself is a bit terrifying, the results are instantaneous and can’t be denied. The pounds melt off at a rate Emmett could’ve never anticipated. As his weight decreases, all other aspects of his life seem to improve.

Unfortunately, Obexity isn’t without side effects and one of them is a real killer. As mysterious deaths start occurring in Emmett’s local area, he fears Obexity may be turning him into a monster, but how can he give it up when others are finally starting to treat him like a human?

As mentioned above, this was a 2nd-chance for me and Luke Dumas. I read The Paleontologist when it was released and I did not have a good time with it. I actually despised it a bit. However, I never write an author off after only one go, and this is the perfect example of why.

I really enjoyed how Dumas told this story. Not only are we following Emmett in his present perspective, but we’re also getting a lot of different mixed media elements as well, including excerpts from what I believe is Emmett’s blog.

These elements really helped to build out Emmett as a character and fill in the history of his battle with his weight. Other elements were a great snapshot of how the rest of the world was viewing Emmett, Obexity and the gruesome killings happening in the area.

I loved the characters, not just Emmett, but also the side characters in his life. While I may not always have loved their behavior, I felt like they were all done in a way that was startlingly realistic. I could picture people having all these opinions, and gladly sharing them with Emmett.

The commentary was done in a way, that for me, it didn’t feel preachy, but it did open up a lot of avenues for further discussion. The star of the show for me though was the, at times, disgusting, Horror imagery. I feel like it was all pieced together in a way that made the story feel seamless.

Overall, I found this to be topical, fluid, engaging and slightly horrifying. I feel like a lot of people are going to be talking about this one.

Be sure you add it to your Spring TBR!!

Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!

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Review: Molka by Monika Kim

~ megs14malloy

MolkaMolka by Monika Kim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

I’ll admit to having no clue what molka were until I picked up this book. If you’re like me, here’s the definition provided in the publisher’s synopsis:

molka (n): the Korean term for spy cameras secretly and illegally installed, often to capture voyeuristic images and videos

These sound awful, right? A plague on society, where no one can presume themselves safe from the prying eyes of others. In public spaces, voyeurs taking advantage and watching unsuspecting individuals in their most private moments.

In this story, we follow two perspectives, Dahye and Junyoung, who both end up with connections to the molka issue, but in vastly different ways. It was interesting to follow both of these perspectives, and both filled me with emotion, though also in different ways.

Dahye’s story, which mostly revolves around her relationship with a wealthy young man that goes terribly wrong, was so compelling, and also heart-wrenching, for me to read. She is such a well-realized character, every aspect of her I felt was created with such thought and care.

The way Dahye and Junyoung’s perspectives connect more and more as the story progresses helped to increase the intensity of the story. I’m glad the author included both.

I did find Junyoung’s perspective rather disturbing. Once you read this, I’m sure you’ll understand why, but mainly because of the sick pleasure he was getting from the things he was doing. It left me unsettled, considering that people in our world can be this way.

Monika Kim truly has a knack for drawing Readers into the story. I also was super satisfied with the conclusion. Due to the themes explored, I thought it was so fitting for it to wrap-up the way it did. There’s a lot to unpack in this one, and I feel like Kim did a great job shining a light on some pretty uncomfortable topics.

Overall, this is an impressive Sophomore novel from Kim. I thought maybe The Eyes Are the Best Part would be difficult to match, because that was so engaging and explosive, but this definitely achieved the same levels of intrigue, social commentary and stellar character development.

Thank you to the publisher, Erewhon Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’ll read anything Monika Kim writes and am looking forward to whatever comes next!

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Review: The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson

~ megs14malloy

The ScammerThe Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️

The Scammer is classic Tiffany D. Jackson. A true to life, hard-hitting YA Thriller with thought-provoking Social Horror elements and a compelling protagonist.

This story gets so intense and succeeded in getting my pulse absolutely racing in multiple places. A++ to the added twist at the end, which I did not see coming!

I’m getting ahead of myself though. What is this about?

This story follows Jordyn, who against her overbearing parents wishes, has given up her shot at an ivy league school in order to enroll at a prestigious, historically-Black college, in Washington, D.C.

She has her reasons for making this choice, but her parents don’t want to hear any of it. They practically disown her. By the time Jordyn is moving into her dorm she is ready for a fresh start, far removed from her parents.

She enjoys meeting her new roommates and all seems to be going well. Jordyn keeps a lot of her past to herself, but other than that, she feels like she’s found a place to belong and is making good friends.

But when one of her new roommate’s brother, Devonte, moves into their dorm suite after he’s released from prison, things start to vastly change.

It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, to help him get back on his feet, but as time passes, Devonte shows zero signs of leaving. In fact, he’s inserted himself into the girls’ lives in disturbing and inappropriate ways. Jordyn seems to be the only one growing increasingly uneasy in Devonte’s presence, and soon she finds herself on the outside.

When one of her roommates suddenly disappears under frightening circumstances, Jordyn suspects Devonte had something to do with it, but how can she prove it?

She teams up with the university’s lone white student to try to get to the truth regarding her roommate’s disappearance. Unfortunately, they’re ready for her and Jordyn finds herself enmeshed in a nightmare she may never escape.

Watching Devonte come into this shared living space and do the things he did, it infuriated me at times. And by at times, I mean the majority of the time.

The way Jackson wrote this, it was like I was a fly on the wall watching it all go down, and as the danger escalated, I was powerless. I couldn’t do anything to help these girls. I imagine that may have been what Jordyn was feeling in a lot of these moments too.

I believe this is based on the case at Sarah Lawrence that began around 2010, but I don’t know too many specific details on that. This did make me want to research it further though, as I’m shocked something like this could happen on a University campus and it wouldn’t be stopped.

Jackson also did a great job developing Jordyn as a character. There were moments I wasn’t sure I liked her, some of her thought patterns bothered me, but as I learned all she had been through with her family and just her entire past, it started to make sense. I grew to really love her.

Also, I feel like she had such a great character arc, from her first day on campus until the shocking conclusion.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys an intense and twisted YA, or New Adult, Thriller. Bonus points if you enjoy social commentary, or have enjoyed any of Jackson’s work in the past. This has her signature style all over it and I love it.

Thank you to the publisher, Quill Tree Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Tiffany D. Jackson is one of my favorite authors. I always look forward to her new releases and they NEVER disappoint.

I can’t wait to see what she graces us with next!

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Review: What Hunger by Catherine Dang

~ megs14malloy

What HungerWhat Hunger by Catherine Dang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Impeccable. The topics explored, the characters and writing were all exceptional. This took me by surprise how connected I was to Ronny and her life.

This never felt like I was reading a book. I was completely immersed and pulled into Ronny’s thoughts and experiences. She was such an empathetic character, and as an older person, reading the perspective of this young girl, I just wanted to protect her.

She went on such a journey over the course of this story, and was so strong in the face of it all, even though at times it was confusing and maddening to her. I loved that even though the story contained truly horrific elements, Dang was still able to infuse it with such love and hope.

This story follows a teenage girl, Ronny Nyugen, the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants. She’s really close with her brother, Tommy, who is the golden child that Ronny never feels like she’s measuring up to.

There is some clashes between the parents and the kids, as their two worlds grapple. The parents are more old-school and traditional, whereas the kids don’t want to stand apart from their peers culturally. They’d rather fit in and do things a bit differently than their parents.

When tragedy unexpectedly rocks the family, Ronny’s world is turned upside down with nowhere to turn. In the midst of all of this, Ronny decides to attend her first high school party, where a boy she knows crosses the line with her, throwing her world even more into chaos.

We follow Ronny as she starts to spiral. As she tries to navigate some true daunting things without feeling like she has anyone to turn to for help.

Soon she begins to have an insatiable hunger for raw meat. This new craving could turn out to be a saving grace for Ronny, or her potential destroyer.

As mentioned above, this book is so well done. Beautifully-written, it pulls the Reader in with it’s raw emotion of this family’s life. I think Catherine Dang has a tremendous talent for channeling life into her characters. Ronny felt so real to me. Everything she was going through, and the complexity of her family, it was exceptional.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who read and enjoyed The Eyes Are the Best Part. It tackles some similar subject matter, and the examination of culture and identity is just as vividly portrayed.

I loved how frank the narrative style was for Ronny. Her thoughts are what I would imagine a teenage girl’s thoughts to be under these circumstances.

I also really appreciated the examination of the more subtle battles, or tensions, between 1st-generation and 2nd-generation immigrant peoples within the same family. For example, Ronny talking about her and Tommy’s tastes in food and how her parents would make them feel bad about the things they enjoyed.

I think Dang is just so talented, how she wove so many different topics and themes into this one incredible and gripping story, yet still made it feel so cohesive and natural.

As you can tell, I loved this a lot. I was happy to see it at least made the nominees for the Horror Category in the Goodreads Choice Awards. Though it would have been close to impossible for this to get the recognition it deserves going up against some of the juggernauts that were in the Horror category, perhaps its appearance on that list will at least bring some new attention to this book.

Dang deserves all the flowers for this one!

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Review: Tiny Threads by Lilliam Rivera

~ megs14malloy

Tiny Threads: A NovelTiny Threads: A Novel by Lilliam Rivera
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars rounded up**

Tiny Threads. I’m sad about this. I wanted to love it, as it explores the dark-side of the fashion industry and that’s something that truly interests me. While I can recognize there’s a good story in here somewhere, I just didn’t feel the execution pulled off what the author was hoping.

Sadly, it felt very mid to me, with no real memorable qualities. The overall story was quite bland, and I walked away wanting more. More of everything, more character development, intrigue, horror and plot.

Our main character is Samara, who leaves her home in New Jersey to pursue a job in Southern California with legendary fashion designer, Antonio Mota.

Samara is out of her element, and struggles to regain her bearings in her new home. Her coping mechanism is vodka, which I was told very, very, very, very frequently that she was drinking copious amounts of.

That was one of the first issues I had with this novel. How frequently I was told how much Samara was drinking. I would have preferred to have been shown her bad coping mechanisms and decisions in some other, more varied, ways.

I get it, she’s an unreliable narrator. I love an unreliable narrator, particularly those that drink too much, but I need a bit more depth to their character than what I feel I was delivered here.

I also liked getting the inside peek at this fashion house. I love stories that incorporate the business-side of things, and Rivera was doing that, I just wish she would have leaned even further into that exploration.

There were also some hints of some interesting horror elements, particularly those revolving around the nearby slaughterhouse, but again, I wanted her to explore that even further. To give me more; more history, more disturbing visuals, more substance.

I think Rivera has creative ideas. I liked how she brought the cultural identity of our MC into the story. That was the strongest aspect to me. I just wish, overall, it could have been a more well-rounded reading experience.

At the end of the day, I can see the good elements of this, there just weren’t enough to pull me through above a 3-star rating. I would be interested in picking up more from this author in the future. I know she’s a talented, this just didn’t work for my tastes.

I would still encourage anyone who thinks this sounds interesting, to pick it up and give it a go. Just because it didn’t work for me, doesn’t me it won’t work for you.

Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m happy I gave it a shot.

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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: 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: The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

~ megs14malloy

The Summer I Ate the RichThe Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Summer I Ate the Rich was a mixed bag experience for me. I’m not even sure how best to explain my thoughts and feelings on this one, but let’s give it a whirl, shall we?

In this story we follow Brielle, a Haitian-American girl, living in the Miami area with her Mom. Brielle has big dreams of becoming a world-renowned chef.

Her Mom works in a domestic-capacity for an extremely wealthy family. It’s not easy work and she’s also dealing with a chronic illness that leaves her dealing with constant pain, and a lot of medical bills, but she does her best to provide for them.

Unsurprisingly, Brielle spends a lot of her time and energy trying to help her Mom, worrying about her, and trying to make sure she gets the care she needs.

After her Mom’s job is no longer there, Brielle has to step up in a big way; using her culinary skills to support them.

Brielle’s menu items are far from mainstream, and she keeps the rich families eating her food guessing about what exactly is titillating their taste-buds.

The short answer: human flesh.

I’ll be the first to admit, a lot of this story flew over my head. I enjoyed Brielle, and followed along quite well in the beginning, but then it got to a point where my eyes sort of glazed over.

I understand and appreciate the important topics these authors touch upon in this story, and I think their own inspiration for writing it is compelling ((be sure to read the Author’s Note at the end)), however, a lot of it lost me, NGL.

The synopsis mentions it being a modern-day fable, and that is quite apt. In addition to Brielle’s perspective, we also get these sections, they might have been called Intermissions, or Interludes, but they are told in a very whimsical-style by beings I believe were supposed to be Brielle’s ‘sisters’.

Those sections were a complete wash for me. They were so jarring in comparison to Brielle’s perspective, and they were taking me out of the story every time.

In the audiobook, they also had different narrators, which was great, I love multiple narrators, but these sections, the Muses, all I could picture was the ladies from Disney’s animated movie, Hercules.

And I guess for me, that felt more out of place and distracting than I think the author’s intended. I’m sure this is just me, I’m most likely missing a very real reference, or connection, to some greater story, or folklore, but I still need to be honest about my experience.

At the end of the day, I was hoping this would be much darker and clear in its execution than it turned out to be. I was into it at times, but then it would veer off and leave me spinning my wheels, wondering what was happening.

Nevertheless, I would recommend it for any Reader who feels the synopsis sounds intriguing. It’s definitely worth giving it a shot, and I would be interested in reading more from these authors.

Thank you to the publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, as well as Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

There’s def a good story here. I appreciated the themes and risks the authors explored and took, however it just wasn’t suited to my tastes, and I do rate based on my overall experience in comparison to other books of the same genre.

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Review: Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel

~ megs14malloy

Listen to Your SisterListen to Your Sister by Neena Viel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Listen to Your Sister follows three siblings: Calla, Dre and Jamie. They lost their father to an accident, and their mother wasn’t able to properly care for them.

Calla legally became guardian for Jamie, the youngest, with Dre’s promise that he would help her. Unfortunately, Dre, the middle-child, hasn’t really followed through on those promises. He cares, but doesn’t take it seriously enough.

Jamie, at 16, is a strong-willed and energetic teen, who is getting more difficult to parent by the day. He has many positive attributes, but Calla feels at wits end. She’s only 25-years old, and has already sacrificed so much trying to keep this family together.

Her job is at risk, as she has had to miss so much time due to being called away after Jamie gets up to one mischief, or another. She’s also finding it difficult to maintain any sort of healthy adult relationships.

After Jamie gets into serious trouble at a protest, the siblings must go on the run, taking refuge in a remote cabin. It’s there that Calla’s worst nightmares become reality.

No, seriously. Calla has been plagued by nightmares for years. Horrific dreams in which her brothers die because she’s unable to protect them.

Also, in these dreams, the worst iterations of Calla come to life. Alternate versions of herself that embody the worst things people have said, or assumed, about her; the worst feelings they’ve made her feel. It’s truly frightening stuff.

Now as Calla is pushed to the brink, by her brothers and their unstable circumstances, the things of nightmares are manifested into reality, and they’re after the trio.

Will the siblings be able to come together, move past their past traumas and be able to defeat these nightmares, or will the nightmares win out, ruining them one-by-one?

Admittedly, this is much more Fever Dream than I tend to enjoy, but there was something about how raw and real these characters felt that had me by the throat. I ended up really being drawn into the dream-like qualities.

I loved the topics and themes that Viel explored and look forward to seeing what other Readers think. Speculative stories tend to drum up a wide range of opinions.

The audiobook is very good, with three narrators matching each of the MCs. I definitely recommend that format. It brought this story to life; a great production.

I was really so impressed with the character work. The siblings and their relationships were the star of this show for me. They had been through so much and I love how they related to one another. It’s not all perfect, sunshine and rainbows, but you could feel the love and dedication.

I feel like this has some great Social Horror aspects as well, I just hope the right Readers end up picking it up. The cover is giving very Haunted House vibes, and while there is a creepy cabin, it’s much more of a Literary Horror-feel than that cover may lead you to believe.

Regardless, I had a fantastic time with this one. It’s hard-hitting and memorable. I’m really looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with in the future. I’m hoping for more along these lines.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I would recommend this to Horror Readers.

This is very Feminine Rage with a Twist. We love that.

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