Ugh, trying so hard not to be a judgmental dick right now. And failing.
I just can't help it...I'm currently reading Salem's Lot by Stephen King, one oUgh, trying so hard not to be a judgmental dick right now. And failing.
I just can't help it...I'm currently reading Salem's Lot by Stephen King, one of the most effective horror writers in the world, and reading this short story at the same time felt like finding the penny in the diamond mine.
It was super short, like chapter-length, and the characters were so dumb and tropey (small-town hick papa basically bonering after his Lolita-esque "little girl" in a grody, not-at-all-disguised incestuous subplot). The villains/monsters were so gleefully un-scary that I almost started laughing...you can't have good horror with buildup and tension and surprise, and a bunch of weird circus elves just isn't going to cut it.
Sorry, Rufty, but this horror fan is just not impressed.
Merged review:
Ugh, trying so hard not to be a judgmental dick right now. And failing.
I just can't help it...I'm currently reading Salem's Lot by Stephen King, one of the most effective horror writers in the world, and reading this short story at the same time felt like finding the penny in the diamond mine.
It was super short, like chapter-length, and the characters were so dumb and tropey (small-town hick papa basically bonering after his Lolita-esque "little girl" in a grody, not-at-all-disguised incestuous subplot). The villains/monsters were so gleefully un-scary that I almost started laughing...you can't have good horror with buildup and tension and surprise, and a bunch of weird circus elves just isn't going to cut it.
Sorry, Rufty, but this horror fan is just not impressed....more
This is the third Serenity Snow book I have read, and so far, it’s the one that sets itself apart. First of all, it isn’t fantasy or paranormal-based, which I surprisingly didn’t end up missing. It also lets us get to know the characters on a deeper level, making it much easier to get invested in their tumultuous second-time-around romance.
Instead of a dark, violent supernatural setting, this book takes place in a gritty world of tough lawyers and passionate social workers. I really liked Lucky Kane, more than I’ve enjoyed Snow’s past butch characters. I like how she’s a tough, relentless, cool lawyer who still opens her heart to love and craves emotional intimacy as well as good sex. Having Caroline be the more closed-off woman is a departure from Snow’s usual MO, and it really worked. I felt a deeper connection to these characters. I really got to know them by the end of the book.
The more books you read by a specific author, the more you notice their patterns and trends. I’m definitely picking up on a few when it comes to Serenity Snow. There’s always an old-fashioned, wealthy, homophobic family to contend with. There’s always a tough butch character who is “packing” at strange times. And there are always gratuitous uses of shortened nicknames that no one ever really uses (like “Cari” for “Caroline”). I’m poking fun a little, but in general, it’s not something that bothers me. Authors have their hallmark writing devices, and I’ve read enough Serenity Snow to pick up on them and enjoy the ride.
However, the actual mystery at the heart of the story really fell apart by the end. From the first page, it was always way too convoluted to follow. Too many nameless players, too many vague details, too many secrets revealed at the last minute. I found myself reading a chapter, re-reading it, and still scratching my head. For a short book, the plot was ridiculously tangled. I was invested in Abigail’s story and the way Lucky and Caroline worked to protect her, but when the focus strayed from proving her innocence, I totally lost interest. I also couldn’t suspend my disbelief when it came to Margret and Jared’s involvement in both Caroline’s life and the crime itself. The plots needed to be kept apart to be believable.
There was a lot of good and a lot of bad in this story. Dedicated Snow readers will really enjoy the way she has developed her characters and given them more emotional depth. But if you’re reading for the mystery, you might end up in the dark.
Merged review:
This book was provided for free by the publisher and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third Serenity Snow book I have read, and so far, it’s the one that sets itself apart. First of all, it isn’t fantasy or paranormal-based, which I surprisingly didn’t end up missing. It also lets us get to know the characters on a deeper level, making it much easier to get invested in their tumultuous second-time-around romance.
Instead of a dark, violent supernatural setting, this book takes place in a gritty world of tough lawyers and passionate social workers. I really liked Lucky Kane, more than I’ve enjoyed Snow’s past butch characters. I like how she’s a tough, relentless, cool lawyer who still opens her heart to love and craves emotional intimacy as well as good sex. Having Caroline be the more closed-off woman is a departure from Snow’s usual MO, and it really worked. I felt a deeper connection to these characters. I really got to know them by the end of the book.
The more books you read by a specific author, the more you notice their patterns and trends. I’m definitely picking up on a few when it comes to Serenity Snow. There’s always an old-fashioned, wealthy, homophobic family to contend with. There’s always a tough butch character who is “packing” at strange times. And there are always gratuitous uses of shortened nicknames that no one ever really uses (like “Cari” for “Caroline”). I’m poking fun a little, but in general, it’s not something that bothers me. Authors have their hallmark writing devices, and I’ve read enough Serenity Snow to pick up on them and enjoy the ride.
However, the actual mystery at the heart of the story really fell apart by the end. From the first page, it was always way too convoluted to follow. Too many nameless players, too many vague details, too many secrets revealed at the last minute. I found myself reading a chapter, re-reading it, and still scratching my head. For a short book, the plot was ridiculously tangled. I was invested in Abigail’s story and the way Lucky and Caroline worked to protect her, but when the focus strayed from proving her innocence, I totally lost interest. I also couldn’t suspend my disbelief when it came to Margret and Jared’s involvement in both Caroline’s life and the crime itself. The plots needed to be kept apart to be believable.
There was a lot of good and a lot of bad in this story. Dedicated Snow readers will really enjoy the way she has developed her characters and given them more emotional depth. But if you’re reading for the mystery, you might end up in the dark....more
This short story is the third in Jack Harvey’s “Memoirs of the Fated” serial, though it is more of a shared universe than a chronological series. Each book so far has been about a particular character within the history of a vast kingdom, and though Zantir herself isn’t my favorite protagonist so far, I was really invested in the heist plot of this story.
King Carnack Cousland has abdicated the throne, leading to long-kept secrets coming out of the woodwork, including the elven Lord Protector Zantir Xanderfell’s involvement in his schemes. Zantir now lives a relatively quiet life with her two lovers, but a surprise houseguest forces her to recall a heist gone terribly wrong from many years ago.
In the flashback scenes, Zantir is cultured and flirty, trying to bed men and women alike (or in pairs), but I wasn’t as drawn to her as I was to Jocasta and Cousland in the previous books. I never got a good feeling for her skills or specialties, and her characterization focused more on her lovers than her actual personality (and the guilt she still carries).
All of the minor characters involved in the heist plot kept my interest. They’re all distinct, even if they only share a few words, and they all have important roles to play—from court fool to hardened warrior. And right until the last page, I was excited to see how the plot was going to end. It’s shocking that this story is only 62 pages long, because the action sequences are suspenseful and well-written.
The first two short books in the series— The Scars of Jocasta Lacroix and The Reminiscence of Good King Carnack—are both excellent stories that can be read on their own but work better as a connected universe. All three of these stories so far go back and forth in time and dimension, recalling how events from one tale foretell events from the next, how a minor character becomes a major player over the years. I’m really enjoying this universe so far, and I eagerly await the next character-driven chronicle Harvey has in store for us.
Merged review:
This book was provided for free by the publisher and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
This short story is the third in Jack Harvey’s “Memoirs of the Fated” serial, though it is more of a shared universe than a chronological series. Each book so far has been about a particular character within the history of a vast kingdom, and though Zantir herself isn’t my favorite protagonist so far, I was really invested in the heist plot of this story.
King Carnack Cousland has abdicated the throne, leading to long-kept secrets coming out of the woodwork, including the elven Lord Protector Zantir Xanderfell’s involvement in his schemes. Zantir now lives a relatively quiet life with her two lovers, but a surprise houseguest forces her to recall a heist gone terribly wrong from many years ago.
In the flashback scenes, Zantir is cultured and flirty, trying to bed men and women alike (or in pairs), but I wasn’t as drawn to her as I was to Jocasta and Cousland in the previous books. I never got a good feeling for her skills or specialties, and her characterization focused more on her lovers than her actual personality (and the guilt she still carries).
All of the minor characters involved in the heist plot kept my interest. They’re all distinct, even if they only share a few words, and they all have important roles to play—from court fool to hardened warrior. And right until the last page, I was excited to see how the plot was going to end. It’s shocking that this story is only 62 pages long, because the action sequences are suspenseful and well-written.
The first two short books in the series— The Scars of Jocasta Lacroix and The Reminiscence of Good King Carnack—are both excellent stories that can be read on their own but work better as a connected universe. All three of these stories so far go back and forth in time and dimension, recalling how events from one tale foretell events from the next, how a minor character becomes a major player over the years. I’m really enjoying this universe so far, and I eagerly await the next character-driven chronicle Harvey has in store for us....more
I became interested in the Mariel Boatlift of 1980 after reading a vastly different non-fiction book, Hotel Scarface: Where Cocaine Cowboys Partied anI became interested in the Mariel Boatlift of 1980 after reading a vastly different non-fiction book, Hotel Scarface: Where Cocaine Cowboys Partied and Plotted to Control Miami. The only other time I'd ever heard of it was in relation to the murder of Mia Zapata, whose killer was a Mariel refugee, which, of course, painted the entire situation in a terrible light. Hotel Scarface was no different, portraying these immigrants all as deviants, criminals, and psychopaths shoved onto boats and dumped into Florida. It never sat right with me, so I decided to find some literature about the Mariel Boatlift from Cuban and Cuban-American perspectives.
This is a great academic text, and I'd recommend it as a piece of oral history. The interviews are concise and very thorough, taking the readers from pre-Castro Cuba all the way to today through dozens of personal accounts. Everything is blunt and informative with little emotion, which is why I see it as an academic text rather than a piece of readable non-fiction. I learned a lot, but it's a slow read with a lot of dense info. Rating it seems useless, because it serves its purpose--not entertainment, but teaching, and I'd recommend on that basis.
More taught texts need to be like this--well-researched, comprehensive, and told through and by those who are most affected by the event. There are a ton of helpful footnotes, solid statistics to back everything up, and the historical parts of each chapter are incredibly informative.
Merged review:
I became interested in the Mariel Boatlift of 1980 after reading a vastly different non-fiction book, Hotel Scarface: Where Cocaine Cowboys Partied and Plotted to Control Miami. The only other time I'd ever heard of it was in relation to the murder of Mia Zapata, whose killer was a Mariel refugee, which, of course, painted the entire situation in a terrible light. Hotel Scarface was no different, portraying these immigrants all as deviants, criminals, and psychopaths shoved onto boats and dumped into Florida. It never sat right with me, so I decided to find some literature about the Mariel Boatlift from Cuban and Cuban-American perspectives.
This is a great academic text, and I'd recommend it as a piece of oral history. The interviews are concise and very thorough, taking the readers from pre-Castro Cuba all the way to today through dozens of personal accounts. Everything is blunt and informative with little emotion, which is why I see it as an academic text rather than a piece of readable non-fiction. I learned a lot, but it's a slow read with a lot of dense info. Rating it seems useless, because it serves its purpose--not entertainment, but teaching, and I'd recommend on that basis.
More taught texts need to be like this--well-researched, comprehensive, and told through and by those who are most affected by the event. There are a ton of helpful footnotes, solid statistics to back everything up, and the historical parts of each chapter are incredibly informative....more
Geonn Cannon never fails to impress. I’ve read many of his books, and this one is definitely high on my list of favorites. It’s the juicy, action-packed, character-driven, tightly-written paranormal lesbian crime drama I’ve been so desperately craving after a long line of generally fluffy romances.
After six books set in the “Underdogs” series, it’s time for a new twist on the classic werewolf dilemma—what happens when you try to cage an animal that is meant to be free? There’s been a lot of great sci-fi/fantasy plots involving canidae and hunters in the series, and there have been a lot of crime drama plots that kept me on my toes, but this is the first book that intersects the two worlds perfectly. When Ariadne is falsely accused and sent to prison, she has to deal with the isolation and heartbreak of being away from her mother, Gwen, and her soul-mate, Dale—but she also has to deal with the fact that it’s pretty hard to hide a full-wolf transformation when you live on top of a hundred other women. We definitely didn’t see that in the last season of Orange Is the New Black.
We’re thrust into the action right away and it never stops for a second. This book gives both Ari and Dale a real chance to shine as strong POV characters. Dale is usually the “woman behind the curtain”—though she’s good at research and detail, field work isn’t her area of expertise. But with Ari behind bars, she has to step it up and take charge, and seeing her in full bad-ass mode is absolutely amazing (and often hilarious). Ari is also great, but I think her strong personality takes a bit of a backseat as she uses her wits instead of her mouth to get around in prison.
I wasn’t expecting to like the side romance between Gwen and her much-younger lover, Milo, as much as I did. Their chemistry has been building, but in this story, they get the perfect romantic arc they deserve. Cannon is so good at writing full casts of diverse, kick-ass women who are strong in their own ways, and Gwen’s quiet power mixes perfectly with Milo’s brash confidence. Other awesome female characters, like Ari’s prison cellmate Segura and instant rival Kunz, leap off the page and come into themselves so quickly that it feels like we’ve been reading about them forever. And the familial bond that continues to blossom between Gwen and Dale got me misty-eyed quite a few times.
This book can certainly be read outside of the series timeline. Cannon does a great job bringing back much-loved characters while still writing a great standalone mystery. If you’re a fan of the series already, you’ll love the progression of certain relationships and the downfall of a few familiar villains, but if you’re new to “Underdogs,” many of the important plots of previous books are nicely recapped to prevent confusion. This is a hard balance to strike, but it felt absolutely perfect. Highly recommended in every way.
Merged review:
This book was provided for free by the author and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
Geonn Cannon never fails to impress. I’ve read many of his books, and this one is definitely high on my list of favorites. It’s the juicy, action-packed, character-driven, tightly-written paranormal lesbian crime drama I’ve been so desperately craving after a long line of generally fluffy romances.
After six books set in the “Underdogs” series, it’s time for a new twist on the classic werewolf dilemma—what happens when you try to cage an animal that is meant to be free? There’s been a lot of great sci-fi/fantasy plots involving canidae and hunters in the series, and there have been a lot of crime drama plots that kept me on my toes, but this is the first book that intersects the two worlds perfectly. When Ariadne is falsely accused and sent to prison, she has to deal with the isolation and heartbreak of being away from her mother, Gwen, and her soul-mate, Dale—but she also has to deal with the fact that it’s pretty hard to hide a full-wolf transformation when you live on top of a hundred other women. We definitely didn’t see that in the last season of Orange Is the New Black.
We’re thrust into the action right away and it never stops for a second. This book gives both Ari and Dale a real chance to shine as strong POV characters. Dale is usually the “woman behind the curtain”—though she’s good at research and detail, field work isn’t her area of expertise. But with Ari behind bars, she has to step it up and take charge, and seeing her in full bad-ass mode is absolutely amazing (and often hilarious). Ari is also great, but I think her strong personality takes a bit of a backseat as she uses her wits instead of her mouth to get around in prison.
I wasn’t expecting to like the side romance between Gwen and her much-younger lover, Milo, as much as I did. Their chemistry has been building, but in this story, they get the perfect romantic arc they deserve. Cannon is so good at writing full casts of diverse, kick-ass women who are strong in their own ways, and Gwen’s quiet power mixes perfectly with Milo’s brash confidence. Other awesome female characters, like Ari’s prison cellmate Segura and instant rival Kunz, leap off the page and come into themselves so quickly that it feels like we’ve been reading about them forever. And the familial bond that continues to blossom between Gwen and Dale got me misty-eyed quite a few times.
This book can certainly be read outside of the series timeline. Cannon does a great job bringing back much-loved characters while still writing a great standalone mystery. If you’re a fan of the series already, you’ll love the progression of certain relationships and the downfall of a few familiar villains, but if you’re new to “Underdogs,” many of the important plots of previous books are nicely recapped to prevent confusion. This is a hard balance to strike, but it felt absolutely perfect. Highly recommended in every way....more
I love a lady who plays sports, and I love Emma Goldsworthy! You couldn’t ask for a better character to spend 200 pages with. This book is funny, sweet, relatable, romantic, and wonderfully queer. I was smiling the entire time I read it, and I think you all will as well.
This is the third book in the “Get Out” series and the first F/F book in the universe. The “Get Out” series is a new adult spin-off series of Kennedy’s super popular “Tigers and Devils” books, which are adult romances. I haven't read any of the other books, and when I started reading the first "Get Out" book about Micah, I felt pretty lost--there was too much backstory that I didn't know about. But weirdly enough, I had less trouble with this book. It felt like a more contained story. If you’re already a Sean Kennedy fan, you’re in for a treat—some familiar faces make guest appearances alongside awesome new characters and points of view. I'm definitely putting the rest of the books in this universe on my to-read list.
This is a great new adult story with smart characters who feel comfortable in the queer community and have a sharp, modern outlook on life. They work to abolish ideas of biphobia and transphobia, they’re supportive of each other across all genders and sexualities (Emma and Micah totally end the idea of rivalry between gay men and women), and they embrace the idea of community among one another. And the dynamic between Emma and Jess is not only adorable, it doesn’t rely on drama to be sexy and exciting. They just fit well together, and they communicate like normal young women trying to figure each other out.
I think the genre itself is an important aspect of this book. As someone who came out in college and surrounded myself with a young crowd of LGBT friends, I sometimes feel isolated by how romances seem to be either about teenagers or older adults already established in their lives. The new adult genre has definitely been a game-changer in the past few years, providing us with stories about early-twenties adults who are just stumbling into adulthood and independence.
It’s rare for an author to write an F/F book when their usual stuff is M/M and even rarer if it is a part of a larger, M/M-focused universe, so I’m very happy to see such an awesome change in the LGBT romance culture. Kennedy writes F/F with warmth, humor, and affection, and I’d be happy to read any of his future works in any series or universe.
Merged review:
This book was provided for free by the author and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
I love a lady who plays sports, and I love Emma Goldsworthy! You couldn’t ask for a better character to spend 200 pages with. This book is funny, sweet, relatable, romantic, and wonderfully queer. I was smiling the entire time I read it, and I think you all will as well.
This is the third book in the “Get Out” series and the first F/F book in the universe. The “Get Out” series is a new adult spin-off series of Kennedy’s super popular “Tigers and Devils” books, which are adult romances. I haven't read any of the other books, and when I started reading the first "Get Out" book about Micah, I felt pretty lost--there was too much backstory that I didn't know about. But weirdly enough, I had less trouble with this book. It felt like a more contained story. If you’re already a Sean Kennedy fan, you’re in for a treat—some familiar faces make guest appearances alongside awesome new characters and points of view. I'm definitely putting the rest of the books in this universe on my to-read list.
This is a great new adult story with smart characters who feel comfortable in the queer community and have a sharp, modern outlook on life. They work to abolish ideas of biphobia and transphobia, they’re supportive of each other across all genders and sexualities (Emma and Micah totally end the idea of rivalry between gay men and women), and they embrace the idea of community among one another. And the dynamic between Emma and Jess is not only adorable, it doesn’t rely on drama to be sexy and exciting. They just fit well together, and they communicate like normal young women trying to figure each other out.
I think the genre itself is an important aspect of this book. As someone who came out in college and surrounded myself with a young crowd of LGBT friends, I sometimes feel isolated by how romances seem to be either about teenagers or older adults already established in their lives. The new adult genre has definitely been a game-changer in the past few years, providing us with stories about early-twenties adults who are just stumbling into adulthood and independence.
It’s rare for an author to write an F/F book when their usual stuff is M/M and even rarer if it is a part of a larger, M/M-focused universe, so I’m very happy to see such an awesome change in the LGBT romance culture. Kennedy writes F/F with warmth, humor, and affection, and I’d be happy to read any of his future works in any series or universe....more
Now this is how you do the second book in a series. Up the stakes, up the drama, up the heartbreak. And keep it moving from page one.
At the end of theNow this is how you do the second book in a series. Up the stakes, up the drama, up the heartbreak. And keep it moving from page one.
At the end of the last book, reluctant Scholar spy and determined sister Laia has escaped death and Blackcliff Academy for good, along with Empire traitor Elias, who also dodged his death sentence at the hands of his former best friend and new Blood Shrike, Helene. They need to move fast towards Kauf, the heavily-guarded Martial prison where Laia's brother, Darin, is being held, before the harsh prison conditions end Darin's life. But they soon learn that the entire Empire is on the lookout for the traitor Mask and his mysterious female companion, making travel practically impossible--especially with Elias' mother, Commandant Keris, following their every move.
Amidst all this, Keris is planning on wiping out the entire Scholar race, which fuels Laia's need for revenge even hotter. And Helene is suffering under the oppressive, insane thumb of the new Emperor and her former schoolmate, Marcus, trying to figure out a way to both carry out his orders and keep her family (and Elias) safe and alive. I was so excited to see that Helene got her own POV chapters in this book, because I think she's the most interesting and complex character in the series. The author is finally figuring out what to do with her. It's nice to read about a young female character who is given an immense amount of power and influence--power that she is qualified to have, but still scares her the death. I looked forward to her next chapter every time one finished.
I still couldn't care less about the romances and and love triangles. And some of the magic got a little too deus ex machina for my usual tastes, but honestly, by the end, it started to work a lot better.
A lot of great side characters get a lot more emotional depth and complexity, too. The action sequences were so intense and kept me reading long after I needed to be sleeping or doing chores. There are some bold choices in character deaths and decisions that actually shocked me. And the consistent changes in locations and cast of characters made the story move swiftly without stalling, which was still in progress in the first book. Though I enjoyed the first book, this one was a huge improvement, and it certainly has me invested. Tahir knows exactly what she's doing with this series and I am so here for it....more
I was really plodding along for the first 30% or so of this one, but it pulled me in once the twist came. It's aUgh, that twist! And then that ending!
I was really plodding along for the first 30% or so of this one, but it pulled me in once the twist came. It's a little bit The Sixth Sense, a little bit The Haunting of Hill House. Chilling and completely terrifying at some points. And I cried like a baby at the end.
If you love a ghost story with heart, this is for you. Just stay with it while it heats up....more
This is a 3-star for historical and technical merit, but more of a 2 for personal enjoyment.
I love music books. The more niche, the better. I enjoy daThis is a 3-star for historical and technical merit, but more of a 2 for personal enjoyment.
I love music books. The more niche, the better. I enjoy dance music and hip-hop. I also love reading about genres that I know next to nothing about. And I'll tell you what, out of hundreds of names and musical acts listed in this book, I bet I recognized about ten. I kept waiting to get to the David Guetta and Steve Aoki chapters, but this book is so niche that these superstars were mentioned once, maybe twice each. It was originally published before the new millennium, but it has been edited consistently, keeping up to date until about five or so years ago. I only had this one on my to-read list because one of my favorite podcasts, "You're Wrong About," cited it in their awesome episode on disco, sparking my interest in the untold history of the DJ.
However, I think this book is way too broad, long, and in love with itself to hold the attention of people who don't already know and worship the genre. It's a thick, dense read that is heavy on names, locations, track titles, and club histories, but spare on images and sensory details that could really emerge us in the time. It steers towards academia rather than entertainment, which is an odd choice, considering the subject matter. By the time I got past the section on US hip-hop, which was the most interesting, I started to skim a bit, realizing then that once I got interested in an era, the writers would move on to something else.
That's not to say this was a loss, even though it dragged. If you're looking for tracks to listen to, there's a great index of industry-chosen playlists at the end, so if you really want to immerse yourself, you can pop on your headphones and dive in. And I really liked how the authors went into the intersection of club and drug cultures and how the DJ was instrumental in that. Some of the parts of the whole were great, but mashed together in one huge book, they lost my interest quickly.
I see that I share a lot of issues I had with the book with other readers on here. I hated how non-linear it was--instead of going year by year, we jump back and forth in time to discuss different locations and sounds. I get that it took time for certain subgenres to reach all parts of the world, but it made things repetitive and difficult to follow. The authors also had clear biases on gender, class, race, and sexuality within DJ culture, barely giving lip service to anyone outside the box, even though they kept repeating flatly how the genre came from queer BIPOC from the very start.
I don't really know who this book is for. It assumes we already know quite a bit about the way the genres sound, so it isn't for total beginners. But dance music enthusiasts will probably be more interested in personal accounts rather than a history lesson. I guess if you love music books and want to check this off a list, you won't feel too jaded by the end....more
Okay, this one hooked me. Like, way more than I expected. It is such a paint-by-numbers crime thriller that it could practically be written by AI, butOkay, this one hooked me. Like, way more than I expected. It is such a paint-by-numbers crime thriller that it could practically be written by AI, but it had just enough speed and flair and charm to have me furiously turning the pages until the end.
Sometimes, junk food is just what the doctor ordered.
At the time of me reading this, there are 23 books in this series, and I imagine they all rotate between the four core members of the Women's Murder Club: Jill, the lawyer; Claire, the medical examiner; Cindy, the reporter; and the main character of this book, Lindsay, the cop. You can't expect me to resist that concept, even if it is so superficially what I am into (thus far, I don't think any of the women are queer, and the only woman of color, Claire, is written with...less than exemplary skill). But hey, four powerful women kicking ass and solving crimes? Yeah, sure. I'm in.
Let's see what ol' James Patterson has up his sleeve....more
Oh, gross. Gross, gross, gross. If you don't finish this without goosebumps and a serious case of the creepy-crawlies, you have a far stronger stomachOh, gross. Gross, gross, gross. If you don't finish this without goosebumps and a serious case of the creepy-crawlies, you have a far stronger stomach than I do.
The story takes place on a rugged island off Prince Edward Island where a five-boy scout troop and their leader are camping for the weekend. We get brief introductions to the boys (jock Kent, best friends Max and Ephraim, nerdy Newton, and creepy Shelley) and their Scoutmaster, Tim Riggs, before the action starts pretty much right away.
There's something bad on this island. A man finds their way to camp, and he's horribly sick. And he's hungry, to the point where eating is a compulsion--he'll eat his own flesh, he'll eat the cushions off the sofa. Tim, a local doctor, tries to treat him, but he doesn't realize he's dooming himself. Because whatever this man has, its alive, and moving, and making its way into everyone else.
From there on out, we can see how the story will go, but that doesn't mean it isn't a wild ride. The Lord of the Flies comparisons are entirely warranted in that we're constantly asking who the villain is--nature or each other? Both, of course. We become attached to certain boys and hate others, which makes their eventual gory demises that much harder to stomach.
A big warning to those who need it--the animal violence in this book is really grotesque. Worse than the violence towards humans at times. As a horror geek, I have to see some kind of Cannibal Holocaust connection, what with the monkeys and the turtles. I had to skim some of it, it was so hard to read. I get it in context and I don't think it is there for shock value, but it is a lot.
I'd say this is intermediate-level horror, creeping slowly towards something more hardcore. It's certainly more nihilistic than a lot of people would expect, and it pulls no punches, no matter how much we may like a character. It doesn't stand out to me as groundbreaking, but I enjoyed it, and I'll definitely read more of the author. Use caution...but have fun with this slimy, nasty little book....more
I had to buy and read this book simply due to the inclusion of some of my very favorite horror writers and podcasters, namely Dr. Rebekah McKendry (myI had to buy and read this book simply due to the inclusion of some of my very favorite horror writers and podcasters, namely Dr. Rebekah McKendry (my queen!!!), Zena Dixon, and Stacie Ponder. And they didn't disappoint. I love the passion here, and how each writer gets to just geek out about how much the love the genre.
I have mixed feelings about the quality of each essay. I think it needed to be edited down a bit. And I also would have liked a more cohesive theme to the book, since it seemed like some of the writers just phoned it in with some horror-related memories. But the good stuff is really good, and I love to see my horror ladies in action!...more
The premise had me from the start. Cath, a young, popular fantasy writer, has been invited by inspiratOoh, this one will creep up on you. Great stuff.
The premise had me from the start. Cath, a young, popular fantasy writer, has been invited by inspirational social media darling Irene Jobert on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to a gorgeous abandoned monastery hidden amidst the mountains of Transylvania. Cath, along with three other social media stars (finance guru Jules, gamer Nathan, and fitness junkie Dan), will livestream their day-to-day lives in this spooky locale, giving subscribers a glimpse into a unique dynamic of very different internet stars.
From the start, Cath is cautious--she's never been one to lay out her personal life to total strangers, and she doesn't fit in with the drama the others seem to thrive on. But as their first week at the monastery goes on, strange things begin to happen. Shadows and figures are caught on camera. Cath saves a wild wolf from a deathly trap only to feel haunted by its presence. And a story about the monastery starts to reveal itself to Cath--one that involves nuns, murder, and unsolved crimes. At the same time, Cath's mental health starts to deteriorate, making her wonder if she's being targeted by both the supernatural elements and her fellow streamers.
The best parts of this book come from the main character rather than the plot. There aren't a whole lot of twists and turns that you can't see coming, though the atmosphere Sarah Denzil creates is so deliciously spooky that you sort of want to wallow in it forever. And the motivations of the other characters never feel very convincing, especially when some characters, like Dan, hardly get any fleshing out. But the heart of the book is Cath, who is treated with such love and tenderness by the author that you're rooting for her from page one. She's not well, but there isn't a second of the book in which you don't believe her, because she's such a gentle, kind, genuine person who is only trying to save herself and others from the evils of the world. Her arc from beginning to end is wholly satisfying.
(Also, if the ending rankled you at first, be sure to read the author's note).
This is a great book. The imagery and tone leap off the page and make it feel truly unique. I felt like I was in the monastery with Cath the whole time. I don't want to spoil to much, but I will say that if you like supernatural horror with a little bit 'o blood, this is a great pick....more
Ooh, hot damn, this was gnarly, and I really, really liked it!
I've been dipping my toes into horror fiction lately after spending the last five or so Ooh, hot damn, this was gnarly, and I really, really liked it!
I've been dipping my toes into horror fiction lately after spending the last five or so years focusing mainly on LGBT romance. I've always loved horror, but besides the Stephen King classics, I'm not too familiar with horror lit. Tik Tok has taken my on an excellent crash course, and this is one title that pops up constantly. I'm going from 0 to 100 a little bit, but I never half-ass a reading adventure!
The mysterious Angel has hired a plus-sized sex worker, Shyla, to fulfill a specific fantasy he's never quite gotten to complete. The room they meet in at the Lonely Motel holds a dark history specific to Angel's past, and as he and Shyla become more comfortable with each other (physically and emotionally), we learn that Angel is on a journey of self-discovery and rebirth that can only end in one gruesome way.
Not quite an anthology, this book clips along with story after story of body horror madness, including tales of up-the-ass drug smuggling, an anal sex porn shoot gone wrong, and a girl who is way too obsessed with her sexy male mannequin. The stories all tie together in the end and touch mainly on the themes of birth and rebirth. The wordplay in the title never leaves us guessing, letting us know that Room 6 of the Lonely Motel is cradling Angel and Shyla in its sack of fluid, and for them to escape, there must be immense pain. Many readers will recall the gruesome details of the short stories, but this book totally hinges on Angel, Shyla, and what they do in that room.
Woom is unlike anything I've read before. I honestly was shocked by Angel's final desire from Shyla--I was so not expecting it to be that wild, and I finished the last quarter of the book in open-mouthed awe. I love both the main characters, and I was surprised with the tenderness given to Shyla, who I thought for sure was going to be slaughter fodder from page one. I do wish she was more consenting in the finale, because it would've made it even more fucked-up and impactful, but in general, I love every beat of this book. Not for the faint of heart, indeed!
I'm putting the connecting book, Gross Out, onto my TBR list immediately!...more
This is pretty far from my normal fare. I'm not even sure how it ended up on my Kindle, since I don't think I'd pay for it--a d(Closer to 2 1/2 stars)
This is pretty far from my normal fare. I'm not even sure how it ended up on my Kindle, since I don't think I'd pay for it--a daily deal, maybe? I can't even even remember the last time I read an M/F romance, especially one that is white, cis, able-bodied, and non-fantasy/sci-fi. So I didn't have high hopes when I chose this off my Kindle at random.
But it's surprisingly sweet, and has a lovely ending!
The plot is pretty straightforward and doesn't include a bunch of unnecessary melodrama, which is nice. The POV character, Reece, is a down-on-his-luck tattoo artist who only lives for his weekends with his little girl, Lexie, and doesn't think he deserves much else. He used to be an infamous graffiti artist, known as the Hatter, but after getting arrested for it, he's mostly given up on non-tattoo art. One day, a client walks in with her best friend, Avery, and Reece is instantly smitten. Avery, a ballet dancer, is charming, sweet, a little sassy, and completely out of his league, but when they start meeting at the bar across the street from his work, their friendship sizzles into something more.
I didn't like the male main character. Reece seems like the sort of dude who would swear at me at my job when I told him cigarette prices went up. I almost DNF'd right at the start because the book opens with him fucking a barely-legal girl in her childhood bedroom while he internally mocks her Disney decor. Like, my dude, she's still in high school. What did you expect, you creep? He's a bit of a woe-is-me type. There's also one of my least favorite character archetypes in his baby mama, Rebecca, who is such a raging bitch you'd think her name was Cruella de Vil. She pretty much serves to prop Reece up as a wonder-dad, even if he's just a normal dude doing bare minimum shit for his kid. Ugh. Not my scene at all.
But the saving grace of the book is Avery, who is such a charming character. I can't say she has a ton of personality that leaps off the page, especially since we don't get her POV, but she's smart, level-headed, and knows what she wants, even if what she wants is a tattooed bad boy with a rambunctious little girl. She never felt like a damsel or naif, she just felt real, and I liked her right away. She mellows and balances Reece without having to mother him. Their chemistry is natural, and the steam, although not my usual cup of tea, has some perks (including a tasty little overstim/multiple O scene).
If this is your preferred genre (low-stakes bad boy/good girl romance), you'll enjoy it. Your mileage may vary. But I also think there are better books to be had, and much better love interests than Reece. The writing itself is solid, if unmemorable. I'm not sure I'd seek out more of this author, but I'm not disappointed in this read....more
**spoiler alert** Fast, fun, bloody good horror. The first half reels you in with a likeable protagonist and some mysterious new friends, and the last**spoiler alert** Fast, fun, bloody good horror. The first half reels you in with a likeable protagonist and some mysterious new friends, and the last half is a non-stop bloodbath that will keep you reading long after you usually go to sleep. It felt loose at the start but everything tightened pretty neatly before the climax, so stick with it.
Also, stealth gays coming in at the end. Score. Hyped for the sequel....more
Is there such a thing as horror fan porn? Not, like, horror porn (we did that in the early 2000s), but like pretentious nerdy fan porn full of dates aIs there such a thing as horror fan porn? Not, like, horror porn (we did that in the early 2000s), but like pretentious nerdy fan porn full of dates and obscure directors and actors and trivia nobody cares about but us? Well, this is it, and I ATE. I wish I was half as smart and annoying as Jade when I was in high school.
The first half of this is a slow, sad build. Jade is a teenage girl whose only safety net--high school--is ending and isn't sure what to do out in the real world. Her alcoholic father's house isn't an option, and neither is college, and she sure doesn't want to be the grade school custodian forever. All she has is her lifeblood: slasher movies. Not just horror, but slashers, and more importantly, their Final Girls. She knows the formula, finds comfort in it. When nobody is on her side, the Final Girls will always be there to fight the fight and make it out alive.
So when Letha Mondragon shows up with her father to start occupying the utopian new development across the lake in Jade's small Idaho town, Jade knows a Final Girl when she sees one. Letha is beautiful, kind, resourceful--and naturally, the first to encounter a grisly death at a summer party one evening. Jade has been waiting for this moment her whole life, but when she tries to take Letha under her wing and show her how to be the Final Girl the town will soon need, nobody else seems to understand (or believe) the rules Jade has memorized as law.
I was starting to feel dejected at this point, because unlike the rest of the people in Jade's life, I believed>/i> her. How could we not? The evidence is there. The prologue laid out a grisly scene that only the readers are privy to shows that these gruesome attacks aren't just bears, and Jade's convictions don't just come from deep, buried trauma and the need to cope with incredible pain. In a less capable author's hands, Jade's trials would become allegory, would illustrate the differences between fake and real horror, fake and real evil, and the story would turn into something I'm remarkably less interested in.
But this book is a blast, so in the latter half, things go absolutely batshit insane and I could not stop reading. And that's all I'll say about that, because you wouldn't believe me if I told you.
This is my first book by Stephen Graham Jones and it definitely won't be my last. It isn't perfect--there are some slow spots, and the writing edges into flowery here and there, but those sins are so very forgivable compared to that climax. A must-read for horror junkies of all ages....more
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