Review: We Won't All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall

We Won't All Survive

by Kate Alice Marshall

Release Date: July 29, 2025

2025 Viking Books for Young Readers

Paperback ARC; 330 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593691830

ASIN: B0DLFQFF7H

Audiobook: B0DM6TTBSB

Genre: Fiction / YA / Mystery / Thriller

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Two years ago Mercy Gray was hailed as a hero for saving lives during a mall shooting. She still carries souvenirs from that incident: the fragment of a bullet lodged in her back.

When billionaire-turned-TV-host Damien Dare recruits Mercy to compete on his new survivalist reality show, she can’t turn down a chance at the whopping cash prize that could send her sister to college—but when she and the other contestants arrive at the off-grid location, something isn’t right. The set is empty. The gates close without warning, trapping them inside. Then one of them turns up dead. What appeared at first to be a tragic accident quickly transforms as more contestants start dying. With time and resources running low, surviving this show takes on a new meaning.

 

My Thoughts

We Won't All Survive had a great premise and I definitely enjoyed the interactions of the characters as they realized something was seriously wrong and how they had to depend on each other knowing that one of them was possibly a murderer. The story moved along rather quickly with quite a few twists and turns, but I have to say, not too fond of that ending and definitely disliked the motive behind the whole thing.

 

Mercy was the main characters and I enjoyed her inner monologues as she was negotiating what to do and how to get things done when she realized they were stranded. Not someone who liked being in the limelight, she took charge simply because she didn't panic in difficult situations and the others started to consider her judgment as sound and good. As you learn more about her traumatic past, you can't help but feel empathy for what she is going through as she has trouble connecting with others and has trust issues. I liked being in her head and seeing her thoughts about what was happening. Having gone through my own traumas, I could understand a lot of what she was thinking and why she would be reluctant to trust people. I also liked how the author spent time on giving the other characters a voice as well so you did get a chance to learn more about the reasons why they were chosen.  

 

The plot had a dark theme running through it and I liked that the author didn't muddy the waters by adding too many other themes to the book. Using that theme and some of the underlying traumas experienced by the characters, the author managed to created quite an atmospheric book, one that was full of tension and twists and turns. The story moved along at a good pace and I don't think the tension really let up at all. And while I did suspect who the culprit was quite early, I did change my find a few times as I hit some twists and turns, only to come back to that person. What I didn't get was the motive. I don't necessarily have to have a motive in my books, but when there is one, it has to be believable, and this was not. The "issue with the show" thing, I got, and if the author had just left it there, it would have been fine, but to add this other element, nope, hokey as hell. And if this doesn't make sense, it will if you read the book. I don't want to give away spoilers. 

 

Verdict

We Won't All Survive was a fun, easy read that I enjoy, except for that ending. The plot moved along quite quickly, and the tension was kept at quite a good level which kept me flipping the pages. I loved the setting and the whole atmosphere of the story. I did think the main character was a highlight of this book and very well developed; it's just too bad that the whole reason for why they were there just wasn't believable for me. I do think it's worth reading just for the atmospheric setting though, and the author definitely has a way of pulling you into the story.  

 

Review: A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance

A Spell to Wake the Dead

by Nicole Lesperance

Release Date: August 26, 2025

2025 G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Ebook ARC; 352 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593856338

ASIN:  ‎ B0DP3NGGC7

Audiobook: B0DPJHVDR5

Genre: Fiction / YA / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

When Mazzy and her best friend Nora sneak down to the beach one moonlit night to cast a spell, they don’t expect to find a dead body. 

The girls know they should leave the investigation to the police, but they can’t shake the weird, supernatural connection they feel with the dead woman. Using spellwork and divination, they set out to find answers of their own. But after they uncover a rash of local disappearances stretching back years—and both girls start having occult visions and hearing ghostly, whispering voices—Mazzy worries that she and Nora are in danger.

Then, Nora finds a second body. And a whispering voice is telling her where to find more. With everything spiraling, Mazzy needs to figure out who to trust and how to sever this supernatural connection—or she and Nora might be the next bodies to wash up on the beach.

 

My Thoughts

A Spell to Wake the Dead drew me in as I was interested in how far someone would go if they actually found a dead body in this scenario. I mean, no one goes to the beach expecting a dead body to roll in with the tide, but having read a multitude of books whereby this happens, I often wondered how I would react in a similar situation. And how would Mazzy and Nora explain why they were on the beach in the first place? How do you explain to the police you were practicing witchcraft at midnight? It was a pretty interesting way to set up the vibe of the book and include some spooky atmosphere though.  

 

In all fairness, I was actually quite surprised at how deeply the book delved into witchcraft and how the girls were using spellcraft in their daily lives. It definitely reflects the amount of research the author must have done and it shows in how the subject was treated in this book. The author took the time to not only have her characters make some serious mistakes because they didn't have experience, but also delved into topics such as tarot card reading, cults, darker forces, abuse of power, and the use of natural elements found in our world. I liked how it was approached as natural, but also showcased how the girls were treated by others because they didn't understand what they were doing. Personally, I would have liked an even deeper exploration of the topics than what we got in the book as it was fascinating.

 

The plot itself was interesting, but I did find it a bit uneven at times. Because the book was so focused on the happenings and the doings, little room was left for character development and this was problematic because I wanted to empathize with Mazzy's choices, but I just couldn't. While the book showcased how out of their element the girls were and how dangerous the forces were with which they were playing, they still made some stupid choices and continued what they were doing. Yes, they tried to consult an adult, but some of the other choices just made me grit my teeth.  I didn't necessarily mind the rapid pace of the book, but it certainly didn't help when it came time to connecting with the characters. Honestly, when something startling or shocking did occur, I wasn't emotionally invested in what was happening to the characters and felt distant to what was happening. There were a lot of twists and turns and some dark elements to the story, so I should have felt more strongly over what the characters were experiencing than what I did. 

 

Verdict

A Spell to Wake the Dead was a decent read and I did enjoy it quite a bit, enough to pretty much finish it in one sitting. While I enjoyed the twists and turns, some of which caught me off guard, I did feel like this was far more plot-driven which compromised a lot of the character development. I do think there is a lot to explore in this book with regards to thematic elements as well. However, I wasn't overly crazy about the ending as I think there should have been far more consequences for the girls than there were as they were playing with forces they didn't understand and I don't think the danger of it all was fully stressed in the ending. Anyhow, this was a fun ride, but I did think the substance of the book was somewhat lacking and did feel a bit let down at the end.  

 

Review: One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

One Dark Night

by Hannah Richell

Release Date: August 19, 2025

2025 Atria Books

Ebook ARC; 384 Pages

ISBN: 978-1668081334

ASIN:  ‎ B0DJJYSWWL

Audiobook: B0DWYC2CB3

Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Halloween

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

On Halloween, a group of teenage students meet in the woods near Sally in the Wood, a road steeped in local lore and rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a murdered girl. By the end of the night, one student will be dead.

Rachel, the school guidance counselor, is trying to keep a handle on her increasingly distant teenaged daughter, Ellie, while students and parents panic and mourn. Her ex-husband and detective Ben, dealing with a personal crisis of his own, has concerns about his daughter’s safety as he investigates the death of one of her classmates. Meanwhile, Ellie is keeping secrets from both her parents, including one about where she was that night.

 

My Thoughts

One Dark Night is one of those books I opted to read because it was about Halloween, and there is something I just love about the creepiness of that time, so here we are. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how effective the atmosphere of the book was with relation to the mystery; the woods, the creepy legend, the secrets with the community, and the general atmosphere certainly led to a menacing tale that was right up my alley, and I stayed up way too late finishing this book.

 

For me, the most impressive thing about this book was the setting. I adored the descriptions of the surrounding area and thought the folly was the perfect setting for such a book. As a teenager, I would have loved exploring the ruins left there and I would have definitely been fascinated by the legend; if you had asked me to go up there at night to go exploring, I would have been all over it. The whole thing had gothic undertones that permeated the whole book and considering the private school was set right beside the woods leading to the folly, you can guess what kinds of trouble teenagers would get themselves into, especially when told it was forbidden or out of bounds.  

 

The plot itself moved along at a good pace and it certainly delivered when it came to twists and turns. Typically I can pick out the culprit in a book such as this, but this book caught me off guard and I missed the mark, so I was pleasantly surprised by that. The murder itself was complex and multi-layered, something that gave me a lot to think about when the book finished as there were a lot of themes running through the story, themes of loyalty, family, neglect, deception, gaslighting, secrets, friendship, mental illness, and self-reflection. I liked how many of the characters were flawed and because of this, made mistakes when it came to judging what happened as well as judging the people in their lives. Some difficult realizations come to people as they realized what was actually going on their lives was not as rosy as it appeared and they had blinders on because they didn't want to see/acknowledge what was in front of them.  I think the only frustrating thing about a book like this is you don't really know if the characters have learned from their mistakes or if they will continue down the same paths that led them there in the first place.

 

Verdict

One Dark Night was a very well crafted mystery and it certainly delivered when it came to twists and turns. I thought the characters were interesting, even if some of the character development was a bit one-dimensional. The atmosphere had a spooky element to it and the author did a great job at including many credible suspects so you had to piece together what was happening with the main characters. Overall, I thought the book was fun and enjoyed it quite a bit. Highly recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery with atmosphere.  

 

Review: The Fatal Folio by Elizabeth Penney

The Fatal Folio (The Cambridge Bookshop Series, #3)

by Elizabeth Penney

Release Date: October 24, 2023

2023 St. Martin's Paperbacks

Ebook Edition; 320 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250787750

ASIN: B0BQGFXGTM

Audiobook: B0DL6GWR72

Genre: Fiction / Cozy / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

After moving to Cambridge, England, Molly Kimball has found a lot to love, including—of course—her family’s ancestral bookshop, Thomas Marlowe-Manuscripts and Folios. And though she’s not quite ready to use the “L” word when it comes to her boyfriend Kieran, she’s definitely fallen for his intimidating family’s library.

His family is paying her handsomely for an updated catalog when Molly discovers the original manuscript of a Gothic novel, A Fatal Folio by the pseudonymous Selwyn Scott. Kieran’s cousin Oliver, a professor specializing in Gothic literature, is eager to publish a paper on the mystery—especially because a troublesome student, Thad, is threatening to file a complaint against him and prevent his long-awaited promotion.

On Guy Fawkes Night, Molly, Kieran, and her friends set out to enjoy the costumes, fireworks, and fun—at least until a stray firework starts a panic, and the group stumbles upon a prone body, their face covered by a mask. It’s Thad, and he’s been stabbed to death.

 

My Thoughts

The Fatal Folio is one of those genres of books I like to read between the heavy-hitters as I am always in need of some easy, fun reads to give myself a break. This one fit that bill quite nicely as it was interesting, fun, but didn't necessarily have a lot of depth to it. 

 

It's always fun to continue a series and see how the characters develop and to be honest, I like a series where the romantic relationship is not full of drama and miscommunications, where the adults actually talk to each other and discuss their issues, so this is always a bonus in my eyes. Both Kieran and Molly are main characters that are interesting and don't typically do anything silly when they are investigating. I enjoy Molly's interactions with her family, with whom she lives, and like learning more about how they manage the bookshop they co-own. I mean, I am a book girly, so why wouldn't I find that interesting? 

 

The plot itself was a bit erratic and while I thought the inclusion of the story within the story was interesting, to be honest, it really had no purpose as it didn't have anything to do with the actual mystery. And while there was a lot going on in this book, and there seemed to be a lot of twists and turns because of all the events, in hindsight, there really wasn't and the actual mystery was pretty shallow and predictable. It's not that I didn't enjoy it, but it was quite easy to figure things out as they happened and I would have liked a few more red herrings. And even though I read this just a few weeks ago, I actually had to look at my notes to remember the ending as I couldn't remember what happened; it just wasn't something that was memorable and stuck in my head. 

 

Verdict

The Fatal Folio definitely had some things going for it such as the descriptions of the city as well as some unique background information, something I really appreciated. The mystery itself was a bit muddled and I found it to be quite simplistic and easy to figure out. There were also some contradictory statements with regards to Molly's knowledge of things that I noticed, but not enough to really bug me too much, just something that as a librarian she would have known. Otherwise, even though this wasn't my favourite of the series, it was still fun. The publisher did send me a copy of all the books in the series so on to the next one. 

 

Review: House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama

House of Monstrous Women

by Daphne Fama

Release Date: August 12, 2025

2025 Berkley

Ebook ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593817582

ASIN: B0DMV7RCXZ

Audiobook: B0DNLVGJ3G

Genre: Fiction / Horror / Gothic

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Orphaned after her father’s political campaign ended in tragedy, Josephine is alone taking care of the family home while her older brother is off in Manila, where revolution brews. But an unexpected invitation from her childhood friend Hiraya to her house offers an escape....

Why don’t you come visit, and we can play games like we used to?

If Josephine wins, she’ll get whatever her heart desires. Except Ranoco house is strange—labyrinthine and dangerously close to a treacherous sea. A sickly-sweet smell clings to the dimly lit walls, and veiled eyes follow Josephine through endless connecting rooms. The air is tense with secrets and as the game continues it’s clear Josephine doesn’t have the whole truth. To save herself, she will have to play to win. But in this house, victory is earned with blood.

 

My Thoughts

House of Monstrous Women is one of those books to which I was drawn partly because of its Gothic undertones, but also because it's set in the Philippines just before the return of democracy and government reforms aided by the People Power Revolution. Having lost her family to political machinations, Josephine was just trying to protect her family home the best way she could so when the invitation came from one of her friends, one that could potentially help secure her future, she just couldn't resist.

 

One of the best things about this book was the descriptions about the Philippines, something I really appreciated. I enjoyed the family dynamics, the power plays, and learning more about the political system at the time through the characters and their motivations. While not necessarily a central motivation for these characters, it definitely shaped their lives and their actions and had a powerful influence on the choices they made.  What I often find interesting in situations like these is how some people throw themselves into the midst of everything that is happening while others shut themselves off completely and pretend that nothing is occurring, so we have this dichonomy happening in this book which reflect human nature. 

 

The gothic aspect to this novel was definitely atmospheric and haunting and visiting that house would give me the creeps for sure, I did find the actual story to be somewhat slow. I don't typically tend to mind when horror books are slow at the beginning as long as the tension is there and this was not necessarily the case as I felt pulled out from the book for various reasons. Then the tension would build again, then nothing. However, by about the sixty percent mark, it finally picked up and took off, and I thought the later part of the book was the most interesting. I did like how the horror elements were combined with local folklore. Plus, the many themes running through this book include things like inherited trauma, women's rights and liberties, family, loyalty, trust, betrayal, and friendship. 

 

Verdict

House of Monstrous Women had a very atmospheric setting and I really enjoyed this author's writing style. I did feel like the tension was a bit erratic and if you are going to have the tension build up slowly, it needs to be more consistent so the reader doesn't get thrown out of the story. I like how the political situation was woven around local folklore and enjoyed learning about both of these. Unfortunately, I didn't quite connect with the characters and I really did wish the author had spent more time exploring the game element as that was the most interesting. If you like slow burn horror, this book may be just the thing you are looking for.  

 

Review: There Will be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

There Will Be Bodies (Flavia Albia, #13)

by Lindsey Davis

Release Date: July 22, 2025

2025 Minotaur Books

Ebook ARC; 368 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250906731

ASIN: B0DH4FJ4DJ

Audiobook: B0DSQ71DZ8

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars 

 

Summary

Ten years after the eruption of Vesuvius, the surrounding countryside lies buried and barren. But the destroyed cities and luxury villas on the Bay of Naples are not utterly lost.

Flavia Albia and her husband Tiberius Manlius are tasked with restoring one villa and identifying any surviving remains.

What they unearth is beyond disturbing. When the volcano erupted some people were left to their fate here, unable to escape. They included the previous owner, Publius Primus - laid out carefully and covered by falling ash.

 

 

 

My Thoughts

There Will be Bodies is the next book in the Flavia Albia series, and while I found this one interesting due to the descriptions of the aftereffects of the Vesuvius eruption, I did find the actual mystery to be somewhat less compelling than in previous books and that there really wasn't much to the 'investigation'. 

 

One of the things I truly do like about this series, and the concept does continue in this book, is the very layered discussions around women and their roles within the Roman Empire. A lot of this is done through Flavia's voice and I enjoy her sarcastic inner monologue with regards to what she sees and her interpretation of events compared to how the men are dealing with things. It is always interesting to see how she manipulates those around her to get what she wants; women have certainly developed some skilled negotiation/manipulation techniques over the years and the men don't even know what hit them. I have definitely become more cynical and sarcastic as I've grown older so I empathize with Flavia and the women during this time period who didn't have as much freedom as people would think and had to rely on men to make decisions for them, decisions they didn't necessarily agree with. The author uses Flavia's voice to discuss the problematic nature of women and other people who were struggling and this is definitely a strength to these novels.  

 

While the descriptions of the aftermath of the eruption were wonderful and personally, I don't think I've read too many of those, the investigation itself was fairly predictable, and somewhat mundane. A lot of the actual investigative work got lost within the work Flavia and her husband were doing at the villa and if I hadn't read the previous entries to this series, I wouldn't have realized how shallow the investigation was compared to previous books. There were really no twists and turns and few attempts to try to deter the reader from figuring out the culprit and I was left feeling disappointed in how everything turned out.  

 

Verdict

There Will be Bodies is the first Flavia Albia book to have its setting outside Rome and I am still not sure how I feel about that although I was fascinated with the descriptions of the area around Vesuvius after the eruption. And while I enjoyed the descriptions of what Flavia and her husband were doing to restore the villa, the mystery itself was a disappointment as it was predictable and frankly, this was probably my least favourite of the series so far. If you are a new reader to this series, you could read this as a standalone, but I do recommend starting from the beginning to get a richer experience of the characters and their life. Even better, start with the Marcus Didius Falco series, the series about Flavia's father, to get the full immersive experience.