**spoiler alert** Thoughts for myself: Meh. A ton of twists. So many unanswered questions about Benjamin (what do his eyes look like??), the cult, Lis**spoiler alert** Thoughts for myself: Meh. A ton of twists. So many unanswered questions about Benjamin (what do his eyes look like??), the cult, Lisa, and Noah. Tess just happened to be a part of all this and remembers everything right on time! She just shoots a guy off duty and moves on with her day. What was up with all the dolls? So much of this didn't make sense unless I missed a whole bunch of stuff....more
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for the review copy.
This book started out strong. I loved that it was about a ghost reality show andThank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for the review copy.
This book started out strong. I loved that it was about a ghost reality show and that transcripts of the show were included. It was a very quick, easy read as will. Mara's character was kind of a mess who agrees to work on her cousin's show, and that ended up playing into her story. I do wish Mara had more back story, other than telling about her Oma. I feel like her family was important to her, but that wasn't really explored.
I didn't find this scary at all and I would consider it horror-lite, if not cozy horror. It was also very predictable and it honestly felt a little YA to me. I did love the scene with the description of the library in one of the haunted homes. I thought this was a fun read, and it was a good kick-off to my spooky season reading.
I would recommend this if you like Rachel Harrison and Simone St. James or that type of horror.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a review copy of this book.
I am fascinated by cults, so I requested this book as soon as I saw iThank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a review copy of this book.
I am fascinated by cults, so I requested this book as soon as I saw it. Ocker brings up that fact that we are all followers of something and becoming part of a cult is something that anyone could end up doing. He delves in to several different cults and some of their actions. There were some well-known ones and several I had never heard of. Some of them were so bizarre. Foot reading anyone? This would be a great book to read to get some information about each cult before reading further on them. I learned things I didn't know even about the cults I was familiar with. This isn't a deep dive into each cult, but it definitely give enough information about each cult and leader that I feel it's enough unless one really wants to read further on these, and Ocker kindly references other books that are great places to start.
This is a good book for someone just getting into cults as well as the seasoned cult reader. ...more
Misha is asked to kill of the gay characters in his TV series, but he refuses. He should be getting ready for the Oscars, but now he's trying to escapMisha is asked to kill of the gay characters in his TV series, but he refuses. He should be getting ready for the Oscars, but now he's trying to escape his own monsters.
Misha was a real and flawed character who I was really invested in. I loved how each of the monsters origin story was included as it brought them even more to life. This one is fun and campy while also being a bit serious at times. Misha is dealing with his monsters as well as his personal relationships. Misha's boyfriend Zeke, and best friend Tara, are great sidekicks, and I especially love Tara. There are some unique monsters and some great scenes that had my heart ramped up. There are some great gory scenes, especially one that takes place in a public bathroom. The studio is also a big part of the book as Misha must deal with them and the changes they want him to make to his show. I never would have guessed how the monsters ended up chasing after Misha, but I thought it was perfect! This was a perfect fast-paced summer read as well.
This is a solid novella about AI. Henry is an agoraphobe who has a lab at home where he tinkers with various projects. When his wife, Lily, brings herThis is a solid novella about AI. Henry is an agoraphobe who has a lab at home where he tinkers with various projects. When his wife, Lily, brings her coworkers home he introduces them to William. William is a very interesting project, who isn't even all the way finished.
I really liked Henry's character and I hated Lily's character. Like, wth, Lily!? Some of it is a bit bizarre, but everything made sense in the end. It has an awesome ending! It's a novella, so I don't want to give much away. It's actually quite creepy if AI creeps you out as it does me.
I recommend this to anyone who likes novellas and books about AI, and sci-fi horror.
Stephen Graham Jones cements his place as one of my favorite authors ever with this one. Tolly and Amber are just trying to make it through the summerStephen Graham Jones cements his place as one of my favorite authors ever with this one. Tolly and Amber are just trying to make it through the summer before their senior year. They finally go to the big party, and all hell breaks loose. This is such a great twist on a slasher being told from the slasher's POV for a lot of it. There is plenty of gore and some great death scenes. Jone's writing is like sitting around a campfire on a summer night listening to an amazing storyteller. He gives so much life and personality to his characters, especially Tolly. I don't want to give too much away, but I was sobbing at the end. Like a little fucking baby. I love you Tolly Driver! Check your triggers, it is a slasher, after all!...more
This one missed the mark for me. I think I understand what Other Mommy was supposed to be, but she wasn't all that scary. Some of the things that happThis one missed the mark for me. I think I understand what Other Mommy was supposed to be, but she wasn't all that scary. Some of the things that happened were so odd and didn't add to the story at all. This is some sort of take on bad parenting and marital guilt, at least that's what I got from it. It's a really quick read because of the super short sentences and stilted dialogue. I wouldn't have gave it three stars, but I thought the ending was at least decent. I loved Bird Box, but other than that, Malerman may not be the author for me. ...more
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a review copy.
The Night Guest is a short, sweet, unsettling ride. Iðunn hasn't been sleeping weThank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a review copy.
The Night Guest is a short, sweet, unsettling ride. Iðunn hasn't been sleeping well so she goes to doctor after doctor, but nothing has shown up in any of the tests. She buys a watch to track her steps and wears it to bed. It shows she walked 40,000 steps in the night and she is injured. No one believes her about what is happening.
As Iðunn begins trying to figure out what is happening to her, things get creepier and creepier. Odd things are happening to her and odd things are also happening in her neighborhood. I don't want to give too much away as it's a short book (check triggers for this one). This short book packs a punch, though! It's a bit unhinged woman, but it's also a bit surrealistic. The ending is not at all what I expected, and I was there for it. This is the first Icelandic book I've ever read, but I will definitely read more from this author!
Astrid is basically a self-absorbed asshole who worships the Kardashians and is a shit friend. I'm still not sure if I was rooting for her or not. I wAstrid is basically a self-absorbed asshole who worships the Kardashians and is a shit friend. I'm still not sure if I was rooting for her or not. I wanted to slap Astrid so many times while reading this, but that made me like it more. Astrid is so real and flawed that it makes it seem like it's okay for her to fuck up so many times and not even care. Astrid's friends were all quirky and different and I actually can't believe most of them put up with her. This book does bring up some serious subjects, but still in a satirical way. This is unhinged female fiction at it's best.
I loved the inclusion of lesbian pulp, which I knew nothing about. This is the kind of book I love to read in the summer. Fun and a bit trashy. ...more
This book is a wild ride. It's 1992 and Molly is a foulmouthed ten-year-old who is homeschooled, wants to see her dead mom's ghost, and she just made This book is a wild ride. It's 1992 and Molly is a foulmouthed ten-year-old who is homeschooled, wants to see her dead mom's ghost, and she just made a friend fresh out of prison. Molly's life has been tough, so when she meets Jeanie, she just glad to have a friend.
Molly is such a good narrator. It's hard to imagine a ten-year-old talking and thinking like her, but I went with it and it paid off. This book is full of dark humor and quirky characters, like Demarcus, Molly's pen pal who has only written back to her once. Molly goes on quite the adventure running away from home to go to the Chicago World's Fair where things get even weirder than they were already. This is a fun one, but it also gets emotional as it is also a story about grief. I loved Molly's unique perspective. Molly talks a lot and has a lot of feelings, which she lays out for anyone who will listen. A lot of her speech and thoughts are very mature for a ten-year-old, even if she might not even understand some of what she's saying. I was invested in what Molly was doing and what was going to happen the whole time. I read this one in two sittings, and I'll be thinking about it for a while.
If you don't like cussing, this is not the book for you. There is cussing on almost every page. ...more