great concept - very poor execution. and yet... i enjoyed it? i was getting queer zombieland meets the ethical quandaries of Superstore. i★3.53 stars★
great concept - very poor execution. and yet... i enjoyed it? i was getting queer zombieland meets the ethical quandaries of Superstore. it could've been great but the queer representation was so heavy-handed and poorly done. it felt like the author just spun the wheel of 'which-queer-identity-will-we-include-today?' and then decided why pick one when we could use all of them? and they all felt like cardboard one-dimensional stereotypes.
that being said, the zombie action kicked off right away and was really well done. there was something almost cozy and campy about the apocalypse vibes that i really enjoyed for some reason. the corporation was realistically despicable so that's always fun.
my final complaint was the main character, Wendy, who was the dumbest dumbass to ever dumbass. i am SHOCKED that she survived her own stupidity. ...more
i am absolutely blown away. almost everything about this book was perfect. almost everything...
the ONLY reason this is not getting a full ★4.56 stars★
i am absolutely blown away. almost everything about this book was perfect. almost everything...
the ONLY reason this is not getting a full five stars is because the description and marketing did a terrible job explaining what this book would be. based on the title, cover, and description, i expected a macabre, twisted memoir from a serial killer.
instead, i got a tragic but thrilling coming of age story with a twist of the supernatural. don't get me wrong. i loved it. i legit cried at the end... but it took me until i was about 30% into the book to figure out what was going on.
in short, amazing book, horrible marketing.
oh, also. stephen, i don't know how you don't know the basic mechanisms of a seizure and i have no clue how such an inaccurate scene passed through multiple editors without someone saying 'oh, wait this isn't how seizures work'
I- I am almost at a loss for words because that was truly one of the scariest but also most profound and sincerely disturbing horror novels I've ever I- I am almost at a loss for words because that was truly one of the scariest but also most profound and sincerely disturbing horror novels I've ever read. The last time I felt this way is when I walked out of the theater after watching Talk to Me which remains one of my all time favorite horror movies.
Like that movie, I was left sitting in silence for hours just trying to digest that absolute delight of terror I had just ingested.
I don't write full blown reviews like I used to (I just don't have time) which is honestly kind of a bummer because this book would supply enough material for a review that would likely be well above 5+ paragraphs.
There is just so much to digest about. And I'm not talking about the insane level of scares this book had. No, I'm not speaking of the superb creature descriptions and the fact that I probably won't sleep for a week.
NO. I am talking about the allegories. Because that, my friends, is what takes a book from a book I'll forget about in two months to a coveted position on my Mind Shelf® where all the best books stay. These are the books that I recommend without a second thought because they are just. that. good.
I won't get into all the details but this book isn't just a surface level monster story (although it can absolutely be enjoyed as such!!!) It is a tale of generational trauma. A story of broken families. It tells the heart-wrenching story of a girl who comes to the realization that life is unfair far too early.
I think my favorite part of this book is actually one that may frustrate some readers and that is that (view spoiler)[it is never explained exactly who or what Other Mommy is nor why she has chosen Bela to haunt.
Don't get me wrong. I love a good lore dump. Give me ALL the exposition but in this case, I appreciate Malerman's choice to leave the audience in the dark. I think it gives readers a perfect opportunity to make their own decisions about the nature of what happened Around the House (haha. get it?!)
For some, Other Mommy may seem like a demonic manifestation of human guilt and lust. For others, it may more religious. But for me, Other Mommy is the representation of the awful truth of life I learned far too young - Life isn't fair. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. Families fight. Relationships splinter. Yes, there is always the ability to do the right thing, say the right thing and move forward but that requires effort and, in my opinion, help from others.
Sometimes, there are those who don't have the luxury of love.
And that's what Other Mommy is in my opinion - the antithesis of love. What could be scarier than that? (hide spoiler)]...more
Did someone say queer zombies?!? Oh. My. God. This was SO good. I had high hopes and they were exceeded. Not only was this book terrifying in a bloodyDid someone say queer zombies?!? Oh. My. God. This was SO good. I had high hopes and they were exceeded. Not only was this book terrifying in a bloody, disgusting way - it was also heartfelt, atmospheric, and gay as fuck. I am so glad to see this author has more books up her sleeve because she is a brand new favorite. ...more
*3.5 stars - how deliciously creepy. I honestly wish I had paid more attention towards the end but life had me distracted. That being said, I thorough*3.5 stars - how deliciously creepy. I honestly wish I had paid more attention towards the end but life had me distracted. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the parts I did pay attention to ...more
I must say... I am quite disappointed. This book was a creepy, decadent horror novel that had all the makings of a brilliant story... but it fell shorI must say... I am quite disappointed. This book was a creepy, decadent horror novel that had all the makings of a brilliant story... but it fell short. And the hurt of that compounds on itself so much so that I would have given this two stars if it weren't for the deliciously creepy atmosphere.
The first thing I noticed was that this book couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Was it a mystery thriller? Was it a horror novel with a pinch of occult? Was it a freaking second chance romance? It couldn't decided and honestly, I don't think it wanted to. I think it wanted to be all three.
I would've previously said this couldn't be done but I recently read Monsters We Have Made which showed that it can be done well. This author just didn't do it well. Things were too scattered, at times too cliche, and overall too disorganized for it to work. The books strongest strength was the creepiness but it kept getting thrown off with random moments of romance or the desire to just move on to the next plot point already (which is hilarious because this is actually quite a short book at just under 300 pages)
Overall, it had all the right ingredients but unfortunately, ingredients are only half the work....more
When grieving, support can come in many ways. For Daphne Byrne, it came as a demon.
Turn-of-the-century New York is [image]
this book was quite spooky.
When grieving, support can come in many ways. For Daphne Byrne, it came as a demon.
Turn-of-the-century New York is a growing metropolis for many, but not for Daphne Byrne. After her father's death, her mother is drawn to a spirtualistic group that claims to speak to the dead. Daphne sees through their act right away, but something from the other side sees her too. Or someone?
Daphne finds herself in new company, Brother. He offers support and encourages Daphne to stand up for herself...and to use the powers he has too.
Although the story was very sad, macabre, and horrifying, it was the art that really shook me. You can't tell by the cover as it isn't by the artist, but oh my word.
The artist not only has a gorgeous talent, she also knows' how to use it. The use of shadows, colors, and unsettling gore was very reminiscent of whoever illustrated the Coraline graphic novel.
On that note, this book felt like if Coraline and The Exorcism had a baby.
Overall, this book was beautifully horrifying. An ugly display of what grief can drive us to do and that sometimes the biggest comforts are the darkest demons.
[image] Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook!
it's spooky month but this book was unfortunately, not very spooky (at least the chunk I [image] Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook!
it's spooky month but this book was unfortunately, not very spooky (at least the chunk I read). I'll try this again later when I have the energy to read a mammoth-like this
The Radium Girls is a horrifying and disturbing display of when human greed goes too far that I was upset yet fascinated by.
So, what's this [image]
The Radium Girls is a horrifying and disturbing display of when human greed goes too far that I was upset yet fascinated by.
So, what's this book about? The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.
Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive — until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.
But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.
I actually tried to read this back when it came out but I was thirteen and It was pretty gory and disturbing and my fetus mind couldn't handle it so I put it down.
Three years later, I finally read it, and honestly, it was just as disturbing as it was when I first read it but not completely for the same reasons. I was still disturbed by the way the radium affected the girls because it is so violent and heartbreaking.
This time though, I was disturbed by the unflinching greed that the companies had and when faced with the fact that the way they were handling radium might be dangerous, they silenced, sued, and shut up everyone who didn't agree with there opinion just so they wouldn't have to shut down the thing that was making them money. It was disgusting.
That said, it was so uplifting to read the stories of each girl afflicted by radium poisoning who didn't let it get in the way of fighting for justice and truth. Even though they were all basically doomed to death, they kept fighting and it was so inspiring.
Overall, this book was disturbing and fascinating while being uplifting all at the same time.
[image] Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free audio copy in exchange for an honest review
"The eye is always caught by the light, but shad
[image] Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free audio copy in exchange for an honest review
"The eye is always caught by the light, but shadows always have more to say." -Gregory Maguire.
much spook. very mystery.
that's it. that's my initial reaction. time for synopsis
So, what's this book about? You knew a teenager like Charlie Crabtree. A dark imagination, a sinister smile--always on the outside of the group. Some part of you suspected he might be capable of doing something awful. Twenty-five years ago, Crabtree did just that, committing a murder so shocking that it’s attracted that strange kind of infamy that only exists on the darkest corners of the internet--and inspired more than one copycat.
Paul Adams remembers the case all too well: Crabtree--and his victim--were Paul’s friends. Paul has slowly put his life back together. But now his mother, old and senile, has taken a turn for the worse. Though every inch of him resists, it is time to come home.
It's not long before things start to go wrong. Reading the news, Paul learns another copycat has struck. His mother is distressed, insistent that there's something in the house. And someone is following him. Which reminds him of the most unsettling thing about that awful day twenty-five years ago.
It wasn't just the murder.
It was the fact that afterward, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again...
I honestly don't have much to say about this book. I don't have super strong feelings about it. It was enjoyable. It was fascinating... And that's just about it. There wasn't anything ridiculously terrible or superbly amazing. It was just so so.
I do want to say that be very, very careful if you want to lucid dream. Do a lot of research first and be aware of the potential negative effects.
Overall, this book was quite spoopy and enjoyable but nothing to write home about.
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Very spooky! Review to come
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EEEEEEE!!!! I've heard so many good things about this author
I am quite disappointed. I remember this book being so terrifying when I read a chunk of it when I was 12 but now that I've finally finished it. It's I am quite disappointed. I remember this book being so terrifying when I read a chunk of it when I was 12 but now that I've finally finished it. It's more of a political thriller with a side of zombies. On its own, World War Z is decent but it's not what I was looking for. Overall, I didn't not enjoy this but I didn't enjoy it. Better luck next time.
[image] Many thanks to HarperAudio for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review
This book left a deep impression on me. I picked it up cause [image] Many thanks to HarperAudio for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review
This book left a deep impression on me. I picked it up cause I saw apocalypse, zombies, and rush to save people which I knew meant a great book but it went so much better than that.
So, what's this book about? In a matter of weeks, Massachusetts has been overrun by an insidious rabies-like virus that is spread by saliva. But unlike rabies, the disease has a terrifyingly short incubation period of an hour or less. Those infected quickly lose their minds and are driven to bite and infect as many others as they can before they inevitably succumb. Hospitals are inundated with the sick and dying, and hysteria has taken hold. To try to limit its spread, the commonwealth is under quarantine and curfew. But society is breaking down and the government's emergency protocols are faltering.
Dr. Ramola "Rams" Sherman, a soft-spoken pediatrician in her mid-thirties, receives a frantic phone call from Natalie, a friend who is eight months pregnant. Natalie's husband has been killed—viciously attacked by an infected neighbor—and in a failed attempt to save him, Natalie, too, was bitten. Natalie's only chance of survival is to get to a hospital as quickly as possible to receive a rabies vaccine. The clock is ticking for her and for her unborn child.
Natalie’s fight for life becomes a desperate odyssey as she and Rams make their way through a hostile landscape filled with dangers beyond their worst nightmares—terrifying, strange, and sometimes deadly challenges that push them to the brink.
If you were a fan of Netflix's Cargo, you will love this book. It moves very quickly and I got very attached to every character. There were plot twists and heartbreaks and I was taken on an emotional roller coaster.
Overall, this was an unsettling, scary and heart-wrenching story that I absolutely loved!
"Don't leave the street. They can't get you if you don't leave the street.
I just... UGH... I don't know what to rate this because t[image]
"Don't leave the street. They can't get you if you don't leave the street.
I just... UGH... I don't know what to rate this because there were parts I hated and parts I loved so just like I did with Book of M, I am going to leave this unrated because this wasn't a one star book or a five star book and the other rating in between don't fit either because I felt very strongly about this book.
So, what's this book about? Single mother Kate Reese is on the run. Determined to improve life for her and her son, Christopher, she flees an abusive relationship in the middle of the night with her child. Together, they find themselves drawn to the tight-knit community of Mill Grove, Pennsylvania. It's as far off the beaten track as they can get. Just one highway in, one highway out.
At first, it seems like the perfect place to finally settle down. Then Christopher vanishes. for six long days, no one can find him. Until Christopher emerges from the woods at the edge of town, unharmed but not unchanged. He returns with a voice in his head only he can hear, with a mission only he can complete: Build a treehouse in the woods by Christmas, or his mother and everyone in the town will never be the same again...
As I said earlier, there were things I loved and things I hated but for the sake of fun, let's start with a thing I hated. This book was way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, way, wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too long. For the first few hours (I listened to the audio), I was really enjoying this but then it got to a point where the same thing just kept happening over and over and over. The author definitely could have portrayed the story in a much better way in half the time.
Now, time for a positive thing. I absolutely loved Mary Katherine and her (kind of) character arc. I loved most of her scenes even though they were heartbreaking. There was one specific scene towards the end that was so raw and powerful.
That said, this book took such a strangely-religious turn which kind of worked but it felt so out of left field and very strange. Like, up until the around the 60% mark this was a horror-fantasy thriller but then it took a sharp left turn into religious allegory which was so strange and very unfitting. If the author wanted to write a religious allegory, he should have made that at least slightly clear from the beginning.
Also, I liked little plot twists and the way they got bigger. I was hooked for a while and each twist made me gasp aloud. That's the thing I love (loved?) about this book. It was truly, deeply horrifying and ensnaring from page one. It felt like a terrifying combo of Coraline and IT.
That said, after quite a few twists, it just felt ridiculous. I found myself think Of course, that happens.. why not? The author just went way too heavy on the plot twists. Also, the climax came so early and stayed for too long, if that makes sense. There was a point about 35% into the book and I was like... yes, this is the tense and suspenseful almost ending I love in books.
But it didn't stop. It just kept going. I legit felt like I was in a fever dream because it wouldn't. freaking. end. Things just kept happening. Villains were revealed. Characters were injured. It would stop! By the time it ended I literally muttered "FINALLY!" aloud.
Tl;Dr - THis book was creepy and had so many good scenes but it switches tracks midway which didn't work and it just went on for too long.
Bottom Line: No rating Age Rating - [ R ] Content Screening (Mild Spoilers) Positive Messages (3/5) - [Sacrafice for the greater good, Trust, Friendship] Violence (5/5) - [Horror throughout, Body horror, Injury, Guns, Death] Sex (2/5) - [Rape, Sexual abuse] Language (3/5) - [F**k, Sh*t, D*mn, C*nt, Wh*re, Sl*t] Drinking/Drugs (3/5) - [Alcohol consumption, Abuse of painkillers, Drug abuse] Content and Trigger Warnings - Horror, Death, Suicide, Mental Illness, Body shaming, Racism, Classism, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Murder, Body Horror, Sexual abuse and harassment, Loss of a loved one, Sexism, Child abuse, Rape of a minor, Dyslexia magically cured Publication Date: October 9th, 2019 Publisher: Grand Central Pub (an imprint of Hachette Book Group) Genre: Horror/Fantasy
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what in hecking heckity heck did I just read?
Review and rating to come
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I’m already a good chunk into this and holy shirtballs... it is terrifying
[image] Many thanks to Harper Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review
There are many who pretend to despise and belittle t
[image] Many thanks to Harper Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review
There are many who pretend to despise and belittle that which is beyond their reach. -Aesop
For the third time in my reviewing career, I am leaving a book unrated because there are no ratings that feel fair to this book. I originally decided four stars but then went down to three stars and then all the way down to two stars but after drafting this review, I realized that I didn't stand by any of those ratings.
So, what's this book about? The town of Bentley holds two things dear: its football, and its secrets. But when star quarterback Dylan Whitley goes missing, an unremitting fear grips this remote corner of Texas.
Joel Whitley was shamed out of conservative Bentley ten years ago, and while he’s finally made a life for himself as a gay man in New York, his younger brother’s disappearance soon brings him back to a place he thought he’d escaped for good. Meanwhile, Sheriff’s Deputy Starsha Clark stayed in Bentley; Joel’s return brings back painful memories—not to mention questions—about her own missing brother. And in the high school hallways, Dylan’s friends begin to suspect that their classmates know far more than they’re telling the police. Together, these unlikely allies will stir up secrets their town has long tried to ignore, drawing the attention of dangerous men who will stop at nothing to see that their crimes stay buried.
But no one is quite prepared to face the darkness that’s begun to haunt their nightmares, whispering about a place long thought to be nothing but an urban legend: an empty night, a flicker of light on the horizon—The Bright Lands
This book wasn't bad. It was creepy, gay, and well-written. For a few reasons, it didn't work for me. I cannot stress enough that I am not saying this book is bad. I just didn't enjoy it. Does that make sense?
The first problem wasn't the author's fault. I requested the audio file from HarperAudio. Some publishers will send a file you can download and listen to via a media plyer app. This was the case with Bright Lands. Unfortunately, Apple is super annoying and it took me hours to figure out how to properly play the files. Even after figuring it out, I was so worried that the files were out of order so I kept worrying all the way until I finished the book.
I also felt a detachment from all the characters. I never got a look inside their heads. This story was told mostly without internal thoughts of the characters (aka 3rd person objective) which made the book feel more like a long list of events that happened. Kind of lacking in emotion.
Because of my previously mentioned worrying, I was having a hard time paying attention to the plot. It was mostly enjoyable but towards the end, I started to get a little lost in the weeds. I was able to sort out most of it but there were a few things I had to get clarified after finishing.
There were a LOT of characters and I think that most of them were necessary to the plot but I just... struggled to keep track of all the roles.
All that said, there were quite a few great things that I did enjoy.
This book was so creepy. It gave me Stephen King vibes. The magical realism and horror elements were mixed into the plot in an amazing way that was subtle and unsettling.
I loved the small-town mystery, too. It had a slow build-up but it was excellently written and had a really cool ending.
I loved the gay themes. I won't go into specifics because I feel like I'd be spoiling but the quote I have in the beginning kind of hints at what happens and I loved it, in spite of the fact that it was kind of weird.
I also liked the narrator. He did a great job with voice acting the many (many!) characters and working with tone to make the characters sound different from each other which I really appreciated.
Overall, this book is a great book but due to things no one could control, I didn't really enjoy it. If you're a fan of Stephen King or anything gay (or both), I highly recommend this book!
Bottom Line: No Rating Age Rating - [ R ] Content Screening (Mild Spoilers) Positive Messages (1/5) - [Leaving toxic communities if needed] Violence (4/5) - [Gore, Murder, Rape, Fights, Guns, Knives, Stabbing] Sex (4/5) - [Rape, Sexual Assult, Sexual themes] Language (3/5) - [F**k, Sh*t, D*ck, F*gg*t] Drinking/Drugs (3/5) - [Drug misuse, Alcohol consumption] Content and Trigger Warnings - Explicit sexual themes, Sexual abuse, Nudity, Violence, Homophobia, Death, Loss of a loved one, Horror Publication Date: July 4th, 2020 Publisher: Hanover Square Press (an imprint of HarperCollins) Genre: LGBT/Horror
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I waffled back and forth over this rating all night... but I feel like it's fair. The quality of this book was 5 stars but my enjoyment of this book was honestly 2(ish) maybe 3 stars.... soooo
3 stars
review to come
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welp, i am officially a stalker because i've watched about 5 of this author's live streams and i also just found out this is 11/10 on the gay level and if i don't get this book now, i will literally implode
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well, the author described himself as "Stephen Queen" so you know...
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