"Worse Than the Others" by Mackenzie Reed

 

I have read one of Reed's books before and loved it, so I knew I was in for a great read. And I was right! "Worse Than the Others" by Mackenzie Reed is an intense YA locked-room mystery that will leave you breathless. Written in the first person and present tense, it follows an aspiring true crime YouTuber who gets drawn into investigating a year-old murder.

Meet Ames: a teenage YouTuber trying to increase her views and aspiring to become an investigative journalist. When she gets an invitation to a party at the infamous Haven Hotel, where a girl died last year, she can't resist. She saw a story about it on the internet that has since been removed, and her journalist instincts kick in. She must get to the bottom of things,  even if it puts her in danger.

When she arrives at the abandoned hotel, she meets six other teens, a group of friends who received similar invitations. When one of them tries to leave, he is murdered, and a mysterious voice warns them that anyone who attempts to escape will meet the same fate. They must stay until one of them confesses to the murder of the dead girl, whom they all knew. Ames tries to piece together the facts and discover what happened on that fateful night a year ago. The clock is ticking, and time is running out.

The beginning was a little slow for me, but once the story got going, the pace picked up and it became increasingly difficult to put down. I liked Ames as a protagonist. I was surprised at first that the other teens, who were a bit older than her, let her take charge of the investigation at the voice's insistence, but understood as I got to know her. I admired her courage and determination to uncover the truth. She also suffers from panic attacks in confined spaces, which made her feel more relatable and added another layer of tension to an already tense situation.

At first, it seemed like the same old trope of people being locked in a place, but it was anything but. What I particularly enjoyed was that the locked-room setup wasn't just used as a backdrop for a familiar trope. There was an actual mystery to unravel, with the events of the previous year gradually coming to light. The twists and final reveal caught me completely unaware. Several times I thought I knew where the story was going, only to be proven wrong. I was sure the culprits would get away and was ready to be upset over it, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Whilst we don't get an in-depth view of every character, there is enough of their personality to differentiate between them. As it is written in the present tense, the reader experiences the events alongside the characters. The book explores themes of loss, grief, revenge, friendship, and redemption. There is a dash of romance, but it doesn't overshadow the mystery. The Snapchat memories, video fragments, and letters between the chapters enriched the plot. The storytelling created a strong sense of claustrophobia and a creepy atmosphere.

The author has masterfully woven everything together, gradually revealing snippets of information without giving too much away until the end. The final twist left me agog, and I especially liked the buildup of tension. The author is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and I look forward to reading more of her books. As you gather, I loved the book and recommend it to fans of locked-room mysteries with a bite. Just a note, as it is a YA, it may be predictable to some. I didn't find it so. Full stars from me! 

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Worse Than the Others" by Mackenzie Reed 

"Gilded in Vengeance" by Lyssa Mia Smith

 

Gilded in Vengeance by Lyssa Mia Smith is a high-stakes revenge story reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo. I loved that classic, so the blurb caught my eye immediately. Think The Count of Monte Cristo, but with magic—how cool is that??

Set during the Gilded Age in an alternate late-1800s New York, magic—known as conjury—exists but is hidden among the elite few. Emmy Vallillo is betrayed by her best friend and framed for fraud at the Society of the Charmed’s ball, an exclusive event for the city’s wealthiest—and most magical—citizens. She’s sent to Grimsbane, a prison from which no one escapes alive.

Two years later, fellow prisoner Jack Fontaine, helps her escape. They form an uneasy alliance and, with help from their friends Jimmy and Caleb, use Emmy’s transformation magic to create new identities and re-enter society, intent on destroying those who wronged them.

Their path isn’t easy. The weakening of Brum, the source of magic, stirs unrest. Society turns suspicious of newcomers, blaming immigrants for the weakening of magic. Emmy soon finds herself torn between love and revenge.

I found this a highly entertaining read, filled with rich world-building, vivid characters, and a compelling magical system. The twists and turns kept me engaged throughout. While I enjoyed the various aspects of magic, I wasn’t entirely clear on how the bridging conjuries worked.

The characters, setting, and dialogue felt authentically Victorian, with an enchanted twist. The author captured the period well, especially the political and social dynamics of the elite. The main characters are well-developed and engaging—I truly cared about their fates.

There’s a lot I loved here: the complexity, the intrigue, the magical retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. The dynamic between Emmy, a naive immigrant’s daughter, and Jack, the spoiled son of wealth, was compelling. Grace, the ex–best friend, made an excellent villain—selfish, ruthless, and cunning, willing to step over corpses to survive in a bigoted society.

The book explores themes like found family, betrayal, trust, revenge, deception, classism, racism, and immigration. I appreciated the inclusion of the Chinese Exclusion Act, though the repeated focus on immigration sometimes felt more like an agenda than an essential part of the story. LGBTQ+ representation was present in the side characters, handled with care and subtlety.
 
The steady pace kept me turning pages, and the suspense ramped up nicely toward the final third. I liked that the story stands on its own and found the ending satisfying. That said, a moment near the end pushed the suspension of disbelief a bit too far—even for fantasy.

Overall, I loved the book and rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I deducted one star for that over-the-top moment and the feeling of being fed a bit of an agenda. Still, I highly recommend this to fans of slow-burn romance, high-stakes adventure, revenge plots, and The Count of Monte Cristo vibes. Even if you haven’t read the classic, you’ll likely enjoy this one.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Gilded in Vengeance" by Lyssa Mia Smith

"Thorn Season" by Kiera Azar

 

 

This story grabbed me from the blurb, making me eager to dive into its pages. Once I did, I knew I was in for a fantastic read. "Thorn Season" by Kiera Azar is the first book in a romantasy trilogy and an excellent start to the series. Think "The Selection", but with magic - and even better.

The book takes place in the Kingdom of Daradon, where Wielders are persecuted for their invisible power, the Specter, which makes them feared by the common people. The story follows Alissa Paine—heiress to a noble lineage and daughter of a Hunter family sworn to hunt Wielders. But Alissa is a Wielder herself, forced to keep her abilities hidden to avoid detection. On her 18th birthday, she must attend the royal court for the debutante season, only to find herself ensnared in court intrigue and caught between two dangerous men: Eric, the cruel king, and Keil, a foreign ambassador. It may be the Rose Season at the palace, but only her wit and thorns will keep her alive.

Court intrigue, an original magic system, secrets and betrayals, hidden agendas, enemies to lovers, forbidden powers, slow-burn romance - this book has it all. While the romance takes a backseat to the plot, there's a touch of well-crafted sexual tension. Plus, no love triangle—a trope I'm more than happy to do without.

This is a highly entertaining romantasy, filled with rich world-building, vivid and original characters, and a captivating magical setting. The magic system is unique, creative, and well-thought-out. The author does an excellent job of portraying her characters - whether protagonists or side characters, each one feels fully developed, from the honorable to the wicked and everyone in between.

Alissa is a fantastic heroine - intelligent, beautiful, sharp-tongued, and strong-willed. But she’s also reckless, daring, and rash. More than once, I wanted to shake her and tell her to stop being such a daredevil! I especially liked her relationship with her father and the genuine care between them. The dialogue, particularly the snappy exchanges between the main characters, was a highlight - whether in moments of flirtation or otherwise.

The pacing is just right - not too fast, not too slow - keeping a steady flow of twists and turns. With its immersive world-building, compelling characters, intricate magic system, and suspenseful plot, this book is an absolute page-turner. The writing style is smooth and easy to follow, and the thrilling ending perfectly sets the stage for the second book in the trilogy.

From the very first page, this story pulled me in and kept me hooked. I loved it and can’t wait for the next installment. While aimed at a YA audience, this book is an engaging, fast-paced read that any adult fantasy lover would enjoy. Full stars from me!

*Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own. 

* For more info about the book:  "Thorn Season" by Kiera Azar