spooky reads

Review: The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

~ megs14malloy

The Lighthouse WitchesThe Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

After the death of her loving husband, Liv has it rough trying to care for herself and her three daughters. It’s generally difficult being a single parent, but Liv is really feeling the strain on her resources.

When she receives a commission to paint a mural in a historical lighthouse on a remote Scottish Island, she jumps at a chance for a fresh start.

Moving the girls there is a big decision, but unfortunately, she really has no other choice. Boarding the ferry on the day of their move, Liv, Saffy, Luna and Clover say goodbye to their old life.

Once at the lighthouse and adjacent bothy, which will be their home, they realize it’s a wee bit more dilapidated than they anticipated. Regardless, it’s an exceptional location and they quickly settle in.

Saffy, as the oldest, definitely has the most difficult time with the move. You know how teens can be. As a result, she begins to distance herself from her Mom and sisters.

Liv dives into her work and actually ends up befriending a few village women, who fill her in on the history and lore of the island itself. Some of the things they tell her are quite disturbing, most notably a witch’s curse that summons wildlings, supernatural beings who mimic human children.

Liv doesn’t know what to make these eerie tales, but it is clear her new friends whole-heartedly believe every word.

When mysterious things begin to happen to Liv and her girls, however, she starts to believe there may be some credence to the lore. After two of her daughters go missing, Liv panics and is willing to do whatever it takes, turn to whoever she must, in order to get them back.

Y’all, The Lighthouse Witches gave me exactly what I was looking for. If you read the synopsis, and it sounds incredible to you, have no fear, that is what you are getting; you will not be let down.

The atmosphere is freaking fantastic. Everything about the island, the lighthouse, the local history and lore, it is perfect for Spooky Season reading!

The narrative follows three different perspectives, over two timelines: Liv, Saffy and Luna, with past and present perspectives.

You learn about the family’s time on the island, the disappearance of the girls, and from Luna’s present perspective, the aftermath of all of that.

My one small issue with this story was that I did find it hard to differentiate between the perspectives in the beginning. I was still learning everyone’s name and their position in the family, so it was hard to keep it all straight at first.

Luckily, the chapters were headed with the person’s name who you were following and the year, but I did have to page back quite a few times to figure out where I was and who I was reading from.

Eventually though, I was able to settle into it and really enjoyed my time reading this story. There are some genuinely creepy moments and some quite interesting supernatural twists.

I found the entire thing to be original and chilling. It definitely kept me up at night. The atmosphere and lore of the town were my two favorite aspects, but really there is so much to enjoy in this story!

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

After this and The Nesting, I think it is fair to say, I will pick up anything C.J. Cooke releases!!

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Review: The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

~ megs14malloy

The Death of Jane LawrenceThe Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars rounded up**

Jane Shoringfield is a practical, independent woman, but she unfortunately lives in a time when that is sort of frowned upon; when it is expected for all women to marry and care for a home.

In order to best get by, Jane decides she does need to find a husband, yes, but she wants it to be a marriage of convenience. One where she will still be able to work and maintain a portion of her current independence.

She sets her sights on a handsome, yet reclusive, doctor, Augustine Lawrence.

Jane presents her plan to the good doctor and to her surprise, he accepts. He does have one condition, however, that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his decreipt manor on the outskirts of town.

Jane agrees, but when a freak accident strands her on the manor steps in the middle of night, Augustine must relent and let her in.

Jane is disturbed by the state she finds him in. He seems a different man, scared and paranoid. What is going on here?

By morning, Augustine seems to be back to his old self. Now that Jane has been introduced to the sinister mystery of Lindridge Hall, however, she wants to know more.

What makes this place so frighteningly special to Augustine and why didn’t he want her here?

As Jane goes deeper into her husband’s history, as well as that of Lindridge Hall, she is introduced to whole new worlds she never even knew existed.

The Death of Jane Lawrence has a super intriguing premise. It’s dripping in dark, gothic atmosphere and for that, I applaud it.

I appreciated the incorporation of occult ideas explored, as well as the build-up to the craziness.

With this being said, it got a little too crazy for my tastes. It felt too addled; like a non-stop fever dream. There was almost too much going on to be able to sink in and enjoy that rich gothic atmosphere. It just lost me.

I will admit to being a bit let down by this one. I was so looking forward to it and wish I could have connected with it more.

In spite of my slight criticisms, Starling’s writing style is quite pleasing. It has a nice flow and as mentioned before, it definitely delivers on atmosphere. I know a lot of Readers are really going to love this one.


Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies of this to read and review.

The narrator for the audiobook is fantastic, so I definitely would recommend giving it a listen if you have that option!

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Review: All These Bodies by Kendare Blake

~ megs14malloy

All These BodiesAll These Bodies by Kendare Blake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the Summer of 1958, a string of unsolved murders, dubbed The Bloodless Murders, plagued the Mid-West.

In each case, the bodies are found completely drained of blood. Defying explanation, there is also no blood to be found anywhere at the scene, or any other evidence, for that matter. How is the killer getting away with this?

In September of 1958, the spree ends in a small Minnesota town with the killing of the Carlson family. 15-year old, Marie Catherine Hale, is found at the scene absolutely covered in blood.

Initially mistaken for a survivor, it turns out, none of the blood is hers and Miss Hale didn’t previously know the Carlsons. She is the only lead.

Michael Jensen, the Sheriff’s son, soon gets pulled into the investigation when Marie declares that he is the only person she is willing to tell her story to.

Michael can’t believe his luck. With dreams of becoming a journalist, and leaving his small town behind, Marie’s story could be exactly what he needs to help him reach that goal.

However, it’s more than that. He’s drawn to Marie. The pretty girl is not like other girls he knows. She fast and world-wise. He can’t help but be intrigued by her.

Over the course of several jailhouse confessionals, Marie Catherine reveals a tale to Michael that includes a bit of a supernatural twist to the killings.

Certainly, there’s nothing more to that than the active imagination of a young girl trying to avoid blame for truly heinous acts, right?

Nevertheless, Marie couldn’t have acted alone, so who was her accomplice? Will the police be able to locate him based on the information Marie Catherine has put forth?

You’ll have to read it to find out! Y’all, this was really good. I enjoyed it so much.

When I first started, I was instantly reminded of Truman Capote’s masterpiece, In Cold Blood. The whole 1950s-era Mid-Western feel channeled that, for sure. If you are unaware, ICB is my favorite True Crime book of all time.

My In Cold Blood vibes were definitely not far off, as the Author’s Note at the end did mention the Clutter murders and Truman Capote.

Overall, I found All These Bodies to be unique, compelling and fast-paced. I loved how Blake built-out the relationship between Michael and Marie Catherine.

I also really enjoyed the pace at which Marie Catherine’s story is told. It kept me completely focused and engaged.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Quill Tree Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will remember this one for a long time to come.

Definitely recommend!

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Review: Cackle by Rachel Harrison

~ megs14malloy

CackleCackle by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤🕷🖤

After Annie’s live-in boyfriend, Sam, breaks up with her, she’s devastated. Sure, she figures maybe they have gotten a little too comfortable lately, but she cannot imagine ever being with anyone else.

As a school teacher, she knows she can’t afford to live on her own in Manhattan, and at 30-years old, she’s too old to get a roommate. Sam is keeping their apartment and Annie agrees she’ll move on.

She applies for a teaching position in a small town in Upstate New York and when it is offered to her, she accepts.

After that, things begin to fall into place rather quickly. She ends up finding the perfect apartment, minus the tiny spider infestation, and the entire town seems warm and inviting.

Unfortunately, as Annie tries to settle into her new life, she is still just as heartbroken as the day she left the city and her old life behind. She can’t stop thinking about Sam and running endless what-if scenerios through her head.

Then she meets Sophie, a confident and mysterious local woman, who seems to have the entire town in the palm of her hand.

Intrigued from the start, Annie begins to spend a lot of time with Sophie; pretty much every spare moment. The good news is, Sophie is great at helping her take her mind off of Sam and her aching heart.

But when Annie can no longer ignore mysterious traits about Sophie, her circumstances begin to tip a toe into the ominous unknown.

I absolutely loved this story with my whole heart. It truly has such a powerful message. I think it will resonate with a lot of Readers.

It’s for anyone who has ever had a broken heart and found themselves on the other side, or anyone who needs to find the other side, pick this book up. You’re stronger than you know!

The way Harrison wrote Annie, what she was going through after the dissolution of her long-term relationship, it was extremely relatable. I was feeling every emotion she was feeling.

After she met Sophie, it was indeed distracting. I was equally intrigued by Sophie. What was going on with her? She was completely enchanting, mysterious, sexy, addicting; I wanted to know everything about her. I think I would have fallen for her as quickly as Annie did.

The small town, spooky vibes are on point throughout this story. It’s one of those stories where small town citizens act a little strangely around the new girl and you want to know why!

This is the perfect book for Autumnal vibes for someone who maybe doesn’t want to get too scary. Although, I will say, there were at least a couple of scenes in here that gave me legit chills.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I finished this at the end of August and it is still fresh in my mind.

I have no doubt this will be on my Favorites list for the year. Cackle is releasing on Tuesday, October 5th, so be sure to add it to your Spooktober TBR!!

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Review: Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by Christina Henry

~ megs14malloy

Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy HollowHorseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by Christina Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Sleepy Hollow is back in this cleverly-imagined Historical Fiction Horror novel from Christina Henry!!

Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow is set twenty-years after Ichabod Crane’s run-in with the infamous, Headless Horseman.

The legend is still told in town, but with that many years separating the incident from reality, people’s belief in the accuracy of the story, and the Horseman himself, have begun to dwindle.

Even Ben Van Brunt’s grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there on the night in question, passes the story off as village gossip. Nevertheless, Ben still enjoys playing Sleepy Hollow Boys in the local woods with his only friend, Sander.

Ben, born a girl, has never seen himself that way and chooses to live the way he feels, as a boy, regardless of how much his grandmother, Katrina, fights him on it.

It’s on one of these occasions, playing in the woods, that the first body is discovered. A local boy, missing his head and hands. Ben feels a dark energy permeating from the woods; could the Horseman be back?

When more victims start to be discovered, Ben doesn’t understand how people can continue to deny the ominous presence lurking just outside the village.

Discovering his own parent’s deaths may not have occurred how his Grandparents relayed to him, Ben now realizes he has a mystery to solve. Something is going on in his town and he needs to do whatever he can to protect the ones he loves.

Horseman sets a spooky tone from the very start; perfect material for this time of year, I have to say. If you are a fan of previous Sleepy Hollow content, including the original tale, I really feel this one is worth checking out.

I am always impressed by Henry’s dark imagination. While this is a bit of a slow burn, I had a great time reading it.

In my opinion, the story was original and fresh. The paranormal/spooky elements were well-constructed and I enjoyed getting to know Ben as a character.

As a 14-year old, Ben was strong-willed and courageous. Spurred on by the mysteries circling the town and his family, Ben was willing to do anything to get to the bottom of it all. I was definitely able to get behind that level of determination.

This is the perfect type of tale to pick up as we get closer to Halloween, but really, aren’t spooky stories perfect all year-round?

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I truly appreciate it.

Horseman releases today, Tuesday, September 28th!!

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Review: The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

~ megs14malloy

The Taking of Jake LivingstonThe Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Jake Livingston seems like an average teen. He struggles with many of the same issues that his peers do, however, Jake’s life is made a little more complicated by the fact that he can see dead people.

For the most part, the unsettled spirits are harmless, stuck in their death loops, repeating the same actions over and over again.

Then there is Sawyer. A troubled local teen, who a year prior, shot and killed six kids at a nearby high school and then subsequently took his own life. His spirit is still so angry and he’s not done. Sawyer has plans and intends to use Jake in order to execute them.

Suddenly, everything Jake thought he knew about navigating the world with this gift is flipped on its head. He’s in unchartered waters.

When bodies start turning up in his neighborhood, Jake knows he needs to learn the new rules, no matter what it takes. His life and all he loves depends on it.

The Taking of Jake Livingston was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I preordered it months ago and was so excited to get to it.

I decided to listen to the audiobook on my annual Labor Day Weekend road trip. One of my favorite things to do is pick out which audiobooks I will listen to on the journey. I travel alone and can be in the car, depending on traffic, anywhere from 4-to-6 hours, each way.

So, there and back, listening on 1.8 to 2x speed, I can get a lot of precious reading done.

While I enjoyed many aspects of this story, I will admit, it wasn’t quite gripping enough to keep my mind from wandering. The beginning, as I was meeting Jake and learning about his life and gift, I was completely focused. After that, it sort of wavered in and out for me.

Now thinking back, I don’t remember much. I’m not blaming the book entirely. I am sure a lot of the blame lies within myself. I had a lot on my mind and wasn’t giving it the attention it deserved.

There was some good humor and I felt the premise was unique. I actually would like to read it again someday, at which time I will read my hard copy. I certainly enjoyed it enough not to unhaul it and would recommend it as a Teen Scream for the Spooky Season!

I think the bottom line is, I didn’t read this under the best circumstances and my reading experience suffered because of it. With this being said, DO NOT let my experience stop you from giving this one a shot.

This is a good book. It’s well written with interesting characters and fun Horror elements. I will definitely be picking it up again at some point and giving it another try!

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Review: The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

~ megs14malloy

The Last House on Needless StreetThe Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

In a quiet town, at the end of a typical neighborhood street sits a well-worn home with boarded-up windows. In the house lives an eccentric man named, Ted.

Ted has a daughter named, Lauren, who sometimes visits. Although never seen playing outside, the neighbors can hear her sounds of joy and sometimes discontent, well enough, ringing through the walls. Also, residing in the home, is Ted’s little furry companion, Olivia the cat.

Told through the alternating perspectives of Ted, Olivia and a neighborhood woman who just moved to the street, their intertwining tales of horror begin to unfold and their connections are laid bare.

It’s clear Ted’s musings may be unreliable. Can you trust what he is thinking? The way he wants you to see the story? What about Olivia? She’s just a cat. Could she possibly understand the intricacies of the human mind?

And what of the neighbor woman? She seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Ted, but is she correct about what he is?

Y’all, this is definitely one of those books that it is best to go into knowing as little as possible. I listened to the audiobook and feel it’s an excellent way to take in this story. I was pulled in from the very start.

The writing style is quirky and a perfect fit for this story. In my experience, it added to the overall sense of unease, because it took my mind a couple of seconds after each sentence, or statement, to string it all together.

That sounds like a negative, but it’s not. It’s like my mind was clicking through all it had heard, trying to figure out the truth, but couldn’t.

You know intensely from the start that all is not as it appears to be. It’s not cut and dry.

It’s a headscratcher and beyond compelling. There are clever misdirections, shocking revelations and soul crushing snaps back to reality. It’s a dark and heavy tale that breaths sinister unknown out of every pore.

Overall, I found this to be a satisfyingly unique and stirring Horror novel. It’s 100% memorable and will stick with me for a long time to come.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. It was an ideal way to kick off my Spooky Season reading!!!

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Horrid by Katrina Leno

~ megs14malloy

HorridHorrid by Katrina Leno
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After her Father’s unexpected death, Jane and her Mother, Ruth, are forced to leave California behind and move to the distant state of Maine.

Due to money troubles, Ruth wouldn’t be able to keep them in their family home, however, she fairly recently inherited the home she grew up in. Problem solved, off they go.

While it’s not ideal, Jane seems to be handling it all fairly well. Maybe it is due to the numbness she feels about her Dad’s passing. It’s like she’s seeing the world through a haze; it’s surreal.

Arriving at North Manor, they find it in quite a state of disrepair. Add it to the list of unpleasant circumstances lately, but regardless, they know they can make it work.

As Fall, the most perfect season of the year arrives, Jane begins to settle into life in their new town. While she makes a couple of good friends, she also seems to draw the attention of the local bully, Melanie.

Melanie seems to have a particular distaste for Jane; it’s a little strange considering they only just met. It’s like Melanie’s holding a grudge against her, but why?

It’s not just Melanie though. There’s something about the house itself that’s off. Jane feels unsettled there and she’s experiencing things she can’t explain.

Her Mother also seems to be spiraling back in her childhood home. Jane suddenly feels the need to learn why Ruth left all those years ago, and why did she never choose to return?

Horrid is an another fabulous example of Katrina Leno’s unique style. Leno’s writing is beautiful, introspective and always seems to tackle fairly heavy topics with grace.

In this one, as the truth behind North Manor, and all that occurred there, was slowly revealed, I was completely drawn in. I could picture it all playing out extremely vividly.

The Horror imagery was well done in my opinion and I enjoyed how Leno structured the reveals. It kept me engaged throughout. I needed answers!

As always, I appreciated how much substance Leno brought to the table with this. Jane is a character struggling with grief, loss and self-doubt; all while outwardly projecting that she is okay. I think masking one’s negative emotions behind a cloak of, I’m fine, is something a lot of Readers will be able to relate to.

Additionally, Jane finds comfort in books and there was quite a few references to Dame Agatha Christie and her works. It’s hard not to find that endearing.

I will mention a trigger warning for self-soothing via (view spoiler)

Overall, I felt this was really well done and I enjoyed my time with it. It included a lot of tropes I tend to enjoy, such as long-buried family secrets, returning to a hometown and haunted houses.

I am also a big fan of Leno’s writing and this only served to reinforce that fact.

Now that we are in the midst of Spooky Season, y’all know it starts September 1st, I encourage you to give this one a go. It’s wickedly entertaining!!

**Please note, I picked this up as part of Bookoplathon ((my favorite Readathon ever)) as a Poll Pick. This was the winner of a poll I ran on Twitter. I am so happy with it. Thank you to all on Twitter who voted!!

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Review: Small Favors by Erin A. Craig

~ megs14malloy

Small FavorsSmall Favors by Erin A. Craig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The small town of Amity Falls is remote and truly secluded from the outside world. It’s set amongst the Blackspire Mountain range, at the edge of an almost impenetrable forest where monsters are said to lurk.

When a supply party goes missing, and evidence of a massacre are found in the woods, the townsfolk believe the monsters may have awoken and are getting closer.

Contention arises among the citizens, as they try to decide how best to proceed. They’re afraid to send anyone else for supplies, but with provisions running low and winter approaching, what choice do they have?

Ellerie Downing lives with her family in Amity Falls. On the cusp of adulthood, Ellerie finally gets to vote in the town proceedings. She struggles with her decision, but ultimately votes for the path she thinks best, even though it may differ from the opinions of those she loves most.

Shortly after the vote, tragedy strikes the Downing family, leaving Ellerie to look after her family farm and her younger siblings. It’s a lot, but Ellerie rises to the occasion.

She has also made a new, intriguing friend. A young man, a trapper, staying on the outskirts of town. Cloaked in mystery, the boy has never even given Ellerie his true name, but the two are drawn to each other like moths to a flame.

As winter progresses, tensions rise while the supplies continue to decrease, forcing people to hide in their homes, protecting what is theirs. Bizarre and spooky occurrences are also plaguing the town, driving everyone’s paranoia higher. Will Ellerie be able to get her sisters through until Spring?

Small Favors was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I absolutely loved Craig’s 2019-release, House of Salt and Sorrows and couldn’t wait to see what she would come up with next.

The synopsis comp to Needful Things is legit, but it is Needful Things if it were set against the backdrop of M. Night Shyamalan’s, The Village, and fused with Dark Fairy Tales.

I know, delicious, right!? Plus, Craig’s writing continues to impress. It’s lush, detailed and DARK. This entire story had such a vibe; the location, the atmosphere, it got into my bones.

I enjoyed how ominous it felt, even when nothing overtly scary was happening. It always felt like at any moment, a monster could appear from the periphery. The characters were compelling and I really liked the conclusion; it was unique and inventive.

I’m so happy with this and again, look forward to seeing what Craig dreams up next. I know I will definitely be adding it to my shelves, whatever it is!

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Review: Scream All Night by Derek Milman

~ megs14malloy

Scream All NightScream All Night by Derek Milman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Dario Heyward receives a phone call from his older brother, Oren, inviting him to return to the home he fled three years ago, he is filled with trepidation.

Moldavia, the iconic castle that was Dario’s family home, also serves as the set, studio and home for the cast and crew of Moldavia Studios.

His father, the studio’s enigmatic director, is in poor health and apparently, there will be some mysterious, over-the-top ceremony to honor him and his first film, The Curse of the Mummy’s Tongue.

After being legally emancipated from his father, Dario has been living in the Keenan Group Home, where he has been steadily gaining in confidence and autonomy.

While he’s concerned about returning to Moldavia, he feels like he can finally face all that happened to him there. He needs that closure. Additionally, he’d love to see Hayley again, his childhood friend and crush.

At Moldavia, it seems to be life as usual. People buzzing around everywhere, working on strange projects. The whole scene like some sort of morbid hotel with quirky characters and equally zany props.

At the ceremony, true to his father’s normal drama, something horrifying occurs with disastorous consequences. Just like that, Dario is sucked back into Moldavia, and the life he thought he left behind. Now he needs to try to help save the floundering family business.

Scream All Night was a delightful surprise. A heartfelt, coming-of-age story for true Horror fans.

I loved the whole idea behind Moldavia Studios. The setting at the castle had such a vibe, macabre and eerie, made even more haunting by Dario’s early-childhood experiences there.

While this story does include some fairly heavy topics, including the abuse and neglect that Dario suffered while living with his family, as well as the death of a family friend, there was also a great amount of humor incorporated.

Milman had me laughing quite a bit. I loved his witty, sarcastic, dry humor and the way Dario thought about and processed the world around him. Dario is such a compelling character, one that is very easy to get behind and support.

Overall, I was really impressed with this. I fell in love with Dario and the setting of Moldavia. The tone and humor were creative and the storyline captivating throughout.

I definitely plan to pick up more from this author!

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