The BiblioSanctum

Bookshelf Roundup 09/10/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Posted on September 10, 2023 14 Comments

Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.

Before you know it, it’s September. I’m still catching up on some blog things, mainly trying to get started on this month’s TBR and to get the huge review backlog written and posted. There are also a few more books I received while I was away that need featuring, many of which have already been released, so we’ll get to those post-haste!

Received for Review

With thanks to Tordotcom for:

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire, the ninth novella in the Wayward Children series. Earlier this year I received a copy of Be Sure which collects books 1-3, and I hope to read it soon so that will be a great start to catching up.

With thanks to HarperVoyager for:

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner, finally coming to the American market after its UK release earlier this year. Since then, I’ve heard some great things about this debut which make me very excited to dive into it.

With thanks to Orbit Books for:

These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs, the first book in a new space opera trilogy called The Kindom. The fate of a galaxy rests on a single memory that can reveal the truth behind the empire’s downfall decades ago, and now the three women are caught up in the middle of it.

With thanks to Redhook for:

The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers, a haunting historical following a struggling American actress who tries to save her career by accepting a role in a horror film. I’ve really enjoyed the author’s work and am looking forward to reading this one as well.

With thanks to St. Martin’s Press for:

Murdle: Volume 2 by G.T. Karber, which contains 100 additional murder mysteries to be solved. I received the first volume earlier this year but haven’t even gotten through half the puzzles in it yet, and another book is out already.

With thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for:

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle, a YA academia fantasy following a teen mage who investigates a secret society that may have been involved in her classmates’ deaths. I confess the cover was what first drew me to this one, but the story sounds fascinating too.

Reviews

Recent Reads

I have been reading up a storm! It helps that I’ve been blessed with a streak of good books lately, like Black Sheep and The September House, both of which will have their five star reviews posted this week if all goes as planned. In fact, the only weak link was probably Vampires of El Norte, whose writing I felt could have used a bit of polish. And although it’s not even October yet, horror and dark fantasy books have been dominating my TBR. I think that’s been the case since the beginning of summer, since 2023 has been a great year for these genres.

Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!

YA Weekend: Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt

Posted on September 9, 2023 10 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt

Mogsy’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers (August 29, 2023)

Length: 272 pages

Author Information: Website

In a small town, everybody knows everyone’s else’s secrets—which is why, when Wilhelmina “Wil” Greene’s mother disappears, the assumption is that she abandoned her family. After all, history has established a precedent for it. Still, Wil refuses to believe her mother could have just left like that, even after a year has passed. Something must have happened to her, and until she is found, Wil is going to keep the pressure on the police to look for answers, no matter how many visits to the station it takes. She also suspects that the Clarke family may have something to do with her mom’s disappearance, which is why everyone seems content to ignore the entire matter. Ultimately, no one wants to be the one investigating Pastor Clarke, the most influential and powerful man in town.

As a consequence of Wil’s suspicions, however, a rift has also formed between her and Elwood Clarke, her once best friend. Now they don’t even talk, as Elwood faces the dread of his looming eighteenth birthday. On that day, he will leave school and partake in a rite of passage which will confirm his place in his father’s congregation, the Garden of Adam. It is something his parents have prepared him for his whole life, but as the time nears, Elwood is starting to have doubts. One night, he disobeys his father and goes to a party, only to come home and learn the truth of what the church has planned for him. Refusing to be a part of it, he runs away and seeks help from the only person he knows will believe him about his wicked family—Wil. The two of them strike up a tentative alliance: she will keep him hidden while he gathers the evidence to prove that his father had something to do with Wil’s mother’s disappearance. But while Ellwood may have escaped for now, there is no running from what’s inside him. If all the plants coming alive around him wherever he goes are any indication, and he will have to face the forest’s call before long.

While Together We Rot had its moment of promise and potential, overall I found myself struggling with certain aspects of the book, namely its characters and the story. Sure, the premise was interesting—enough to draw me to the novel in the first place, when my cynical self has long reached the point where I’ve gotten to be much more judicious about picking the YA I want to read. And yet, it was still not quite enough to overcome certain hurdles.

Let’s start with our protagonists. There are plenty of reasons why angsty, hormonal teenagers aren’t the most fun to hang out with, and unfortunately, Wil embodies almost all of them. It’s one thing to have an assertive and tough character who doesn’t give up, but it’s another to have a belligerent hothead who seems to get off on constantly getting in other people’s faces. The former is true badassery, while the latter is just plain old asshattery. And yet, that’s still better off than poor Elwood, who doesn’t seem to have an ounce of personality of his own. The story is told through alternating POVs, and I could always tell we were on his chapters because he was so bland. The narrative had to constantly resort to describing his obsession with bugs and entomology, because apparently he needs to be defined by this one hobby or else he’d be completely forgettable.

On the bright side, in the face of these criticisms, I guess my issues with the story isn’t so bad. The plot just wasn’t as good or captivating as it could have been. Cults and cult leaders have featured as villains in many of the books I’ve read this year, and comparatively, the characterization of Elwood’s father and the Garden of Adam was pretty run-of-the-mill, not all that imaginative or unexpected. Pacing also felt a bit slower at the beginning because not enough happened. The writing and prose were standard fare, not outstanding but not bad. This being a debut, I chalk these hiccups up to a new author still trying to hone her craft.

As such, I don’t want to nitpick too much. It’s enough to say that Together We Rot was a decent read, especially for a novel of YA paranormal horror with a strong thread of romance, but it didn’t blow me away. There were a few highlights here and there, but these scattered moments couldn’t quite overcome or compensate for the lackluster characters or the story’s shortcomings.

Audiobook Review: Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

Posted on September 7, 2023 14 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Macmillan Audio (August 29, 2023)

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Author Information: Website

Narrators: Katherine Press, Stephanie Racine

This is the fifth book I have read by Alice Feeney, and while the story was not as compulsive as Daisy Darker, its suspense not as polished as Rock Paper Scissors or His & Hers, it is still a testament to how much she has grown as an author. Part domestic thriller and part family drama, Good Bad Girl is a compelling novel with a heartwarming mother-daughter relationship at its core.

Yet the book begins with a gut-wrenching scene: a woman, run ragged from the sleepless nights and anxiety-ridden days, pushes a stroller through a grocery store when she takes her eyes off her newborn for just a moment. The next thing she knows, the baby is gone, stolen away.

Twenty years later, another woman goes to work in an assisted care home, ready to start her rounds. Barely out of her teens and going by the alias Patience (because she doesn’t want anyone to know her real name), she first starts off by visiting Edith, one her favorite residents. At 80-years-old, Edith is still sharp for her age, and wants nothing more than to leave this depressing place. Patience is the only person she can talk to, because her own daughter Clio, the one who brought her here in the first place, doesn’t visit near enough.

In fact, Clio is kept quite busy at her job giving therapy sessions out of her own home. She and Edith don’t really get along, but even if she wanted her mother to live with her, she wouldn’t have the time or the space to give her the care she needs. That day, Clio is preparing to meet a new client.

But Frankie, her patient, doesn’t actually want to meet to talk about her problems. A prison librarian, Frankie is desperately looking for her daughter who had run away from home the day she turned eighteen. And she also has something important to say to Clio, whom she meets face-to-face for the first time at their counseling session. But before she can get the words out, they are interrupted by a phone call—a call that sets of a chain of events no one could have seen coming.

These four women—Patience, Edith, Clio, and Frankie—are all connected in a way. The question of how is the mystery behind Good Bad Girl, and every page is a step towards uncovering the threads of the past that bind them. Granted though, anyone giving it enough thought will probably be able to figure those out, but I found the main underlying narrative of family dysfunction to be the most irresistible element. The twists may have been predictable, the resolutions too tidy, but the plot was heavily character-driven and that’s no small thing, when the characters themselves were the most interesting part of the book.

But if you’re looking for a psychological thriller or suspense, you might be disappointed. This one feels a little different from Feeney’s previous books. I kept waiting for the show to start, but the knuckle-clenching hanging-by-the-edge-of-your-seat moments never truly materialized. Like I said, this is a story more intent on tugging on heartstrings than sending them racing, so for better or worse, those expecting a lot of twists should prepare to find something more emotionally charged and complex instead.

In the end, Good Bad Girl isn’t my favorite by the author, but I did enjoy and appreciate that it was different, showing her versatility. The audiobook narrated by Katherine Press and Stephanie Racine was also a very good listen, though there probably could have been room for more narrators in the mix for a fully immersive experience. Still, you can never go wrong with an Alice Feeney book in audio, as you can always count on it being great.

Waiting on Wednesday 09/06/23

Posted on September 6, 2023 10 Comments

Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy’s Pick

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor (April 9, 2024 by Ballantine)

“A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man

Deadhart, Alaska. 873. Living.

In a small Alaskan town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who’s a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing – and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a down like Deadhart, but Barbara isn’t so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than anyone.

As the pair delve into the town’s history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle one another for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?”

Book Review: Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds

Posted on September 5, 2023 12 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Nightfire (September 5, 2023)

Length: 448 pages

Author Information: Twitter

A bit like High Fidelity meets Final Destination, Scott Leeds’ debut Schrader’s Chord is a captivating horror novel that combines bone-chilling intensity with quirky charm. From the very first page, it was clear to me this was not going to be your average fright fest.

Upon receiving word of his father’s unexpected death from an apparent suicide, music rep Charlie Remick travels from the east coast to his hometown of Seattle to help his sisters plan for the funeral. At the reading of the will, he also learns that his father had left him his beloved record store as well as an old box containing four dusty vinyls. But while the store may have been the late Raymond Remick’s pride and joy, Charlie, who is estranged from his father, feels that it represents everything that had gone wrong with their relationship. His first instinct is to shut it down, though its current employees Dale and Ana hope to change his mind.

Then at the wake, their house is broken into by a disturbed man trying to steal the old box of antique records. Before he can succeed, however, the stranger’s life is taken by a freak accident, and the mystery of why he wanted the box’s contents dies with him. Still, some clues may have been left behind in Raymond’s travel files, which show he had taken multiple trips outside the country in the weeks before his death. Charlie soon discovers that the elder Remick had been seeking Shrader’s Chord, a campfire story he remembers his father telling him and his sisters when they were children. As the legend goes, once upon a time there was a composer named Ivan Schrader whose grief for his dead wife was so strong that he devised a set of four notes which would open a gate to the afterlife, allowing him to see and speak to her again.

Could the records in the musty old box actually be Shrader’s Chord? Curiosity getting the better of them, Charlie and Ana are eager to find out. Together will Dale and Charlie’s twin sister Eleanor, the four of them decide to test this theory, playing the records simultaneously. What follows next is as terrifying as it is shocking. A malevolent force is unwittingly unleashed upon the world, with every member of the group emerging from the traumatic experience with the power to see the dead as well as a deadly curse upon their heads.

In the realm of horror, where the narrative often prioritizes thrills and frights, Schrader’s Chord takes things in a slightly different but refreshing direction. Of course, there is still the fear factor and shock value aplenty, which keeps the tensions high, but there’s also some humor to offer a counterbalance and occasionally break up that tightness. The novel is filled with pop cultural references, especially to horror movies and, naturally, to music. As well, the witty banter between the characters serves as a juxtaposition to the doom and gloom which would have otherwise overshadowed the entire story, and I appreciated these moments of lightness to alleviate the choking sense of dread—quite a bit more than I realized.

And speaking of the character interactions, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the familial element, which admittedly was unexpected at first but definitely not unwelcome. Woven into the plot is the constant theme of family ties, the relationship between father and son, brother and sisters. Distanced from his family since his falling out with Raymond, Charlie heads home expecting to put that part of his life to rest, and instead finds a second chance to set things right with this father. This particular aspect of the character’s personal journey added another layer of depth, and I was impressed by how seamlessly it was integrated into the overarching narrative.

All in all, Schrader’ Chord is a clever and entertaining debut into the horror genre, perfect for fans of authors like Grady Hendrix. Combining the nail-biting horror with well-timed wit, this novel sucked me with its unique premise and compulsive storytelling.

Book Review: Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine

Posted on September 4, 2023 9 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine

Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (August 1, 2023)

Length: 432 pages

Author Information: Website

Word of advice: Do not start this book before you go to sleep or unless you have a good chunk of time available to devote to it, because believe me, you will not want to stop. Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine has rocketed up my list of favorite thriller reads of the year, thanks to its gripping narrative and unexpected plot twists that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

The story follows actress Anna Alcott, who enjoyed a moderately successful career in her youth. Now in her late 30s, she is preparing to settle down with her new husband Dex to start a family, but unfortunately, infertility had other plans. After wrapping up work on her latest project, an indie film called The Auteur, Anna decides that the time has finally come to seek help at a fertility clinic, one that comes highly recommended by friends. However, during their latest round of IVF, The Auteur unexpectedly becomes a runaway hit, and suddenly, Anna is faced with the possibility of being nominated for an Oscar.

Years ago, the opportunity would have been a dream come true, but now Anna only has her sights on getting pregnant—and the obsession might even be starting to affect her senses. At first, it was the missed doctor appointments, though she could have sworn she entered the dates and times correctly into her calendar. Then came the misplaced bottles of medications crucial to her IVF cycles, almost as if someone was deliberately trying to sabotage her pregnancy journey.

Things only get worse when Anna eventually gets her positive test. One day, someone breaks into the house while she is sleeping, and creepy dolls are left on the beach where she frequently walks. As desperation mounts and the stress becomes more than she can take, Anna starts having terrible symptoms and can’t stop worrying about her baby’s safety even as she wonders if she might be losing her mind.

From the very beginning, I was seized by the uncomfortable truths of human reproduction. In my experience, most books for expectant mothers paint a halcyon, glowing picture of pregnancy (“Your baby is now the size of a sweet potato!”) while failing to depict that what happens between conception and birth is a harrowing process where so many things can go wrong. Heck, even trying to conceive can be a monumental struggle, as it was for Anna Alcott. In a true test of my squeamishness, the author does not shy away from any of the messy, painful details as she describes her protagonist’s experience with IVF and then, later, her experiences with a difficult pregnancy. For this reason, Delicate Condition has the potential to be a highly distressing read for someone who is pregnant, struggling with infertility, or has experienced miscarriage. Reader discretion is definitely advised.

Personally though, what set this book apart for me was its main character, whose every emotion came to life with depth and complexity. Even though I had relatively textbook pregnancies with my kids, as a naturally anxious person, I was paranoid and worried every day, and seeing those fears magnified a thousand times in Anna, my heart just broke for her.

The novel’s pacing was also an example of masterful balance and control, never letting up for a second while still being careful not to overwhelm the reader with too many developments. And while this book has been compared to Rosemary’s Baby, quite honestly, I feel the comparison is neither accurate nor fair. Delicate Condition certainly deserves to stand on its own since there are some elements it tackles differently, and other areas where it does things even better. Best of all, there was plenty of psychological depth to the horror and suspense, both of which increased gradually over the course of the story, building up to multiple revelations until the grand finale left me in a state of complete shock.

Finally, this isn’t actually my first book by the author, who has published YA titles under her name Danielle Vega. However, compared to the YA horror novel I’d previously read by her, which was rather run-of-the-mill and unadventurous, Delicate Condition is a whole other kind monster—a dark, vicious, and unrelenting one. At the same time, I loved the sophistication and boldness of the writing and narrative, and if this is what I can look forward to from the author’s adult fiction in the future, then sign me up for more.

Bookshelf Roundup 09/03/23: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads

Posted on September 3, 2023 11 Comments

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Received for Review

With thanks to Random House for:

Fever House by Keith Rosson, about a small-time criminal who finds in his client’s refrigerator a severed hand that induces uncontrollable madness and a compulsion for violence.

With thanks to Del Rey for:

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, the first book of Shadow of the Leviathan, a new mystery fantasy series featuring a Holmes-and-Watson style pairing. Word cannot describe how excited I am for this.
Mister Magic by Kiersten White, a dark supernatural thriller about a group of child stars who reunite many years after a tragedy ended their show. I have already read this one, and I won’t lie, my feelings are a bit mixed. A review will be up soon.
Spin A Black Yarn by Josh Malerman, because as if all this horror isn’t enough, this one is a collection of novellas containing five more twisted tales.

With thanks to Titan Books for:

They Lurk by Ronald Malfi, another novella collection, and yes, more horror! I’ve already devoured this one too, and Malfi never disappoints. Aiming to review it this week.

With thanks to HarperVoyager for:

Where Peace Is Lost by Valerie Valdes, a space fantasy adventure about a refugee with war-torn past who has secret that can save a planet or destroy it. The last book I read by the author was a lot of fun, so I’m looking forward to this.

With thanks to Bramble for:

Calamity by Constance Fay, the inaugural release from Tor’s brand new SFF romance imprint that is described as equal parts steamy interstellar romance and sci-fi adventure. It’s not my imagination; this genre seems to be exploding lately.

With thanks to Minotaur Books for:

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosamino, the fourth book of the hilarious Finlay Donovan series. I participated in the cover reveal earlier this year, and as thanks the publisher sent along the eARC this week.

With thanks to Laurence MacNaughton for:

Her Second Chance Shifter by L. MacNaughton, described as a fun, feel-good, and fast-paced clean paranormal romance fantasy adventure. I have enjoyed Laurence’s work before, with his Dru Jasper/It Happened One Doomsday series from Pyr, so when he got in touch with his upcoming book, I said I’d check it out!

Reviews

Recent Reads

Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!

Book Review: Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

Posted on September 1, 2023 13 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Nightfire (August 8, 2023)

Length: 342 pages

Author Information: Twitter

What begins as a seemingly innocent coming-of-age story about an isolated teenager finding friendship quickly morphs into a tense murder mystery where reality blurs with fiction in Looking Glass Sound, an unsettling horror novel by Catriona Ward.

It is 1989 and sixteen-year-old Wilder Harlow has come to the little seaside town of Castine, Maine with his family to spend the summer. Readers learn all these details through Wilder’s unpublished memoir, describing how his parents had just inherited the cottage of his late Uncle Vernon and are possibly looking to sell the property. Left to his own devices to explore the town, Wilder befriends Nat, the son of a local fisherman, as well as Harper, a British girl on vacation with her parents.

The three of them become inseparable, bonding over smuggled booze and stories about the Dagger Man, Castine’s own serial killer who has been known to leave behind creepy polaroids of sleeping children as his calling card. Then on one fateful day, a chance discovery leads to the shattering of that friendship. Left adrift and alone once more, Wilder returns home and enrolls in college, still traumatized by what he and his former friends experienced that summer, an event which has made headlines across the country. Suffering from hallucinations and anxiety attacks, Wilder only makes it through his studies thanks to his friend and roommate Sky who offers him emotional support.

An aspiring writer, Sky appeared well-intentioned at first, genuinely seeming to care about Wilder. However, that friendship ultimately implodes as well when Sky ends up making off with Wilder’s work-in-progress memoir to create his own bestselling thriller based on the story of the Dagger Man.

Now you might be thinking, wait, didn’t this book start off being his memoir? The plot thickens as it starts to get metafictional and a bit confusing. For readers who have thus far enjoyed the mystery and intrigue of the novel’s first half, it might even feel a bit like a bait-and-switch. But if you’re at all familiar with the author’s work, you’ll know that surprises are par for the course when it comes to her books. Looking Glass Sound is no exception, replete with a multitude of narrative layers that play with time jumps and POV switching.

Personally, I was much more invested in the story in the beginning when the focus was on Wilder and his two new friends. It’s the 80’s, the dog days of summer, and three teens are coming of age in a New England town—there’s just something so nostalgic, almost Stephen Kingesque about this whole setup. But when we get to Wilder in college, I was admittedly less enamored of the meta narrative. It was here that I felt Ward losing control of the plot, especially when we started branching into other character POVs. Still, she managed to pull it together in the end for a satisfying conclusion.

Speaking of which, be prepared for the ending of Looking Glass Sound to make you question everything you’ve read. At first, not all of it will make sense, but the answers will eventually fall into place. You might even be driven to reread the book just to see the clues you’ve missed. Yes, it’s definitely that kind of book. Granted, it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but then, that level of complexity and artistry is also something to be admired.

And let’s face it, for better or worse, one of the perks of picking up a Cat Ward book is that you never know what you’ll get. The only thing certain is that it’ll be extraordinary.

Thriller Thursday: A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing

Posted on August 31, 2023 9 Comments

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 2.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Penguin Audio (July 18, 2023)

Length: 10 hrs

Author Information: Website

Narrator: Karissa Vacker

As a fan of Samantha Downing, I have read every novel by her since her brilliant debut My Lovely Wife but have to say that A Twisted Love Story is simply not her best. For an author who has made a name for herself with domestic suspense thrillers packed with unexpected twists, the fact that this one was disappointingly lacking in any is an irony that certainly did not escape me.

Our story revolves around Wes and Ivy, a toxic couple who have been dating each other on-again off-again for many years, ever since the two of them met in college. It never fails; no matter how many times the relationship inevitably blows up as a result of their own self-destructive behaviors, they always seem to find their way back to each other like nothing ever happened. Even their friends have given up on talking them out of it every time the break-up/make up cycle repeats itself.

But this time, things may have gone just a bit too far. One year after their last split, Ivy is back in town and is once more hoping to let Wes know that she’s interested in getting back together—by calling the cops on him. At his office one day, Wes is visited by Karen, a detective from the Sex Crimes Unit. Someone has filed a complaint accusing him of being a stalker. Even without knowing all the details, Wes immediately recognizes Ivy’s handiwork, and though he is peeved at her latest stunt, that doesn’t stop him from running straight back into her arms.

Still, the damage from the police report has been done, and Karen isn’t someone who appreciates being jerked around. Her instincts tell her something about Wes and Ivy feels off, leading her to dig deeper into the couple’s past, threatening to expose a terrible secret the two of them have gone to great lengths to keep hidden.

Compared to Downing’s previous books, A Twisted Love Story fell flat for me, one reason being there was hardly a story to speak of. Here you have two immature, half-witted, emotionally stunted characters who enjoy manipulating and being manipulated by each other, but hey, to each their own. Clearly, Wes and Ivy deserve each other, and there is love between them in their own strange and messed up way. Still, given that a good chunk of the book is dedicated to their petty shenanigans, I was expecting more flavorful drama. Instead, readers are subjected to watching the two of them pull the same silly stunts over and over, which often involve taking advantage of each other’s insecurities. Not only did it get repetitive, but it was also more pathetic than entertaining.

In addition, there was barely any tension to speak of, no flair of mystery. Wes and Ivy’s secret is revealed or can be guessed at quite early on, thanks to the meddling point-of-view of Bianca, an administrative assistant at Wes’ firm who enjoys snooping into her coworker’s lives by breaking into their offices and computers after everyone leaves work. Not to mention it’s right there in the book’s damn description! We’re meant to root for Wes and Ivy against their common enemy, Karen, whose investigation into their past gets her closer to exposing the truth by the day. And yet, I just couldn’t bring myself to be on the side of such unlikeable characters. It’d be one thing if Wes and Ivy were just vile, awful people, but they had to be idiots as well, and I just can’t abide that type of stupidity.

All in all, it’s safe to say A Twisted Love Story fell way short of my expectations. In comparison to Samantha Downing’s other books, this novel did not live up to the standards I’ve come to expect from her writing, especially in the areas of character development and storytelling. Hopefully this blip is just that, and the author’s next project will return to the same level and consistency that made her previous work so outstanding. One point of positivity, however, is the narration of the audiobook edition. Karissa Vacker is a fantastic narrator, and as always, her performance was on point.

Waiting on Wednesday 08/30/23

Posted on August 30, 2023 8 Comments

Mogsy’s Pick

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose (November 28, 2023 by Ballantine Books)

“When an acclaimed author dies at the Regency Grand Hotel, it’s up to a fastidious maid to uncover the truth, no matter how dirty—in a standalone novel featuring Molly Gray, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid, a Good Morning America Book Club Pick.

Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead— very dead —on the hotel’s tea room floor.

When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to who killed J.D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?

As the case threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past—because long ago, she knew J.D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery post-haste. If there’s one thing Molly knows for sure, it’s that dirty secrets don’t stay buried forever…”