What a weird and thoughtful little journey with moments of humor to break up some of the heavier plot elements. I read this book with the Horror SpotlWhat a weird and thoughtful little journey with moments of humor to break up some of the heavier plot elements. I read this book with the Horror Spotlight discord and it was definitely a good choice for a book discussion despite its small size. There’s a lot to unravel and unpack in this strange fever-dream of a book....more
This was incredibly depressing, bleak and sad. I’ve seen it described as bittersweet and sexy but it left me feeling wrung out and hopeless about the This was incredibly depressing, bleak and sad. I’ve seen it described as bittersweet and sexy but it left me feeling wrung out and hopeless about the fate of the creatures on this planet ...more
I’ve read a few fictional books recently that take the dangers of the “wellness” industry to extremes and I’m kind of loEdited to add: IT'S OUT TODAY!
I’ve read a few fictional books recently that take the dangers of the “wellness” industry to extremes and I’m kind of loving the recent genre pushback against the predatory beauty industry that profits by making people feel like absolute shit about themselves. Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang, Aesthetica by Allie Rowbottom and 9 Perfect Strangers (I’ve only seen the tv adaptation which was depressing but also amazing) are some other recent pieces that tackle this subgenre. Rouge, with its dark fairytale feels and exquisitely painted mother/daughter issues, is my favorite so far.
It’s very much a sister book to Awad’s book Bunny. I’m guessing if you loved Bunny for all of its WTFery and weirdness, you’re going to love Rouge probably just as much or maybe even more. Who am I to say? It’s grounded in realism while it manages to wrap itself in a dreamlike aura (or nightmare depending on your POV) and it bounces between the two until they start to merge with an almost upsetting, off-kilter feeling that kept me on edge throughout, sort of like a David Lynchscape. It’s called “seductive horror” somewhere on the cover of my book and that’s an accurate description. You’ll either be seduced by it or you won’t. I love this kind of stuff but I know it’s not for everyone.
Mirabelle has always had a difficult relationship with her beautiful and desperately unhappy mother. When her mother dies under mysterious circumstances Mira must face down her past and look deeply into her mother’s faults as well as her own as she closes out her mother's affairs. She puts on her mama’s red shoes which lead her straight to a strange beauty treatment center run by exquisitely beautiful and very eccentric wealthy party people. She’s immediately welcomed into their world and offered coveted beauty treatments as life as she knew it slowly unravels because nothing in this world comes without a steep price. It’s a tale drenched in envy, jealousy, neglect, fear, and the dissatisfaction that comes along with wanting something that you simply cannot attain.
This book is effortlessly sinister. Everything about it is unnerving, especially the “Tom Cruise” appearances
Merged review:
Edited to add: IT'S OUT TODAY!
I’ve read a few fictional books recently that take the dangers of the “wellness” industry to extremes and I’m kind of loving the recent genre pushback against the predatory beauty industry that profits by making people feel like absolute shit about themselves. Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang, Aesthetica by Allie Rowbottom and 9 Perfect Strangers (I’ve only seen the tv adaptation which was depressing but also amazing) are some other recent pieces that tackle this subgenre. Rouge, with its dark fairytale feels and exquisitely painted mother/daughter issues, is my favorite so far.
It’s very much a sister book to Awad’s book Bunny. I’m guessing if you loved Bunny for all of its WTFery and weirdness, you’re going to love Rouge probably just as much or maybe even more. Who am I to say? It’s grounded in realism while it manages to wrap itself in a dreamlike aura (or nightmare depending on your POV) and it bounces between the two until they start to merge with an almost upsetting, off-kilter feeling that kept me on edge throughout, sort of like a David Lynchscape. It’s called “seductive horror” somewhere on the cover of my book and that’s an accurate description. You’ll either be seduced by it or you won’t. I love this kind of stuff but I know it’s not for everyone.
Mirabelle has always had a difficult relationship with her beautiful and desperately unhappy mother. When her mother dies under mysterious circumstances Mira must face down her past and look deeply into her mother’s faults as well as her own as she closes out her mother's affairs. She puts on her mama’s red shoes which lead her straight to a strange beauty treatment center run by exquisitely beautiful and very eccentric wealthy party people. She’s immediately welcomed into their world and offered coveted beauty treatments as life as she knew it slowly unravels because nothing in this world comes without a steep price. It’s a tale drenched in envy, jealousy, neglect, fear, and the dissatisfaction that comes along with wanting something that you simply cannot attain.
This book is effortlessly sinister. Everything about it is unnerving, especially the “Tom Cruise” appearances
Merged review:
Edited to add: IT'S OUT TODAY!
I’ve read a few fictional books recently that take the dangers of the “wellness” industry to extremes and I’m kind of loving the recent genre pushback against the predatory beauty industry that profits by making people feel like absolute shit about themselves. Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang, Aesthetica by Allie Rowbottom and 9 Perfect Strangers (I’ve only seen the tv adaptation which was depressing but also amazing) are some other recent pieces that tackle this subgenre. Rouge, with its dark fairytale feels and exquisitely painted mother/daughter issues, is my favorite so far.
It’s very much a sister book to Awad’s book Bunny. I’m guessing if you loved Bunny for all of its WTFery and weirdness, you’re going to love Rouge probably just as much or maybe even more. Who am I to say? It’s grounded in realism while it manages to wrap itself in a dreamlike aura (or nightmare depending on your POV) and it bounces between the two until they start to merge with an almost upsetting, off-kilter feeling that kept me on edge throughout, sort of like a David Lynchscape. It’s called “seductive horror” somewhere on the cover of my book and that’s an accurate description. You’ll either be seduced by it or you won’t. I love this kind of stuff but I know it’s not for everyone.
Mirabelle has always had a difficult relationship with her beautiful and desperately unhappy mother. When her mother dies under mysterious circumstances Mira must face down her past and look deeply into her mother’s faults as well as her own as she closes out her mother's affairs. She puts on her mama’s red shoes which lead her straight to a strange beauty treatment center run by exquisitely beautiful and very eccentric wealthy party people. She’s immediately welcomed into their world and offered coveted beauty treatments as life as she knew it slowly unravels because nothing in this world comes without a steep price. It’s a tale drenched in envy, jealousy, neglect, fear, and the dissatisfaction that comes along with wanting something that you simply cannot attain.
This book is effortlessly sinister. Everything about it is unnerving, especially the “Tom Cruise” appearances
Merged review:
Edited to add: IT'S OUT TODAY!
I’ve read a few fictional books recently that take the dangers of the “wellness” industry to extremes and I’m kind of loving the recent genre pushback against the predatory beauty industry that profits by making people feel like absolute shit about themselves. Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang, Aesthetica by Allie Rowbottom and 9 Perfect Strangers (I’ve only seen the tv adaptation which was depressing but also amazing) are some other recent pieces that tackle this subgenre. Rouge, with its dark fairytale feels and exquisitely painted mother/daughter issues, is my favorite so far.
It’s very much a sister book to Awad’s book Bunny. I’m guessing if you loved Bunny for all of its WTFery and weirdness, you’re going to love Rouge probably just as much or maybe even more. Who am I to say? It’s grounded in realism while it manages to wrap itself in a dreamlike aura (or nightmare depending on your POV) and it bounces between the two until they start to merge with an almost upsetting, off-kilter feeling that kept me on edge throughout, sort of like a David Lynchscape. It’s called “seductive horror” somewhere on the cover of my book and that’s an accurate description. You’ll either be seduced by it or you won’t. I love this kind of stuff but I know it’s not for everyone.
Mirabelle has always had a difficult relationship with her beautiful and desperately unhappy mother. When her mother dies under mysterious circumstances Mira must face down her past and look deeply into her mother’s faults as well as her own as she closes out her mother's affairs. She puts on her mama’s red shoes which lead her straight to a strange beauty treatment center run by exquisitely beautiful and very eccentric wealthy party people. She’s immediately welcomed into their world and offered coveted beauty treatments as life as she knew it slowly unravels because nothing in this world comes without a steep price. It’s a tale drenched in envy, jealousy, neglect, fear, and the dissatisfaction that comes along with wanting something that you simply cannot attain.
This book is effortlessly sinister. Everything about it is unnerving, especially the “Tom Cruise” appearances...more
I wish I could wax poetic about this book for days but it just didn’t move me the way it has other people. It started out fantastic but then slowed toI wish I could wax poetic about this book for days but it just didn’t move me the way it has other people. It started out fantastic but then slowed to a crawl and I found it difficult to stay invested in the main character when there were so many other characters taking center stage. It was slow yet too busy and I know that makes little sense but that was my experience. ...more
This was such a good book focusing on three women who come into their powers during "the change". The less you know about it all, the better. Le4 1/2
This was such a good book focusing on three women who come into their powers during "the change". The less you know about it all, the better. Let the story unfold without getting bombarded with spoilers. They come together to investigate the mystery of the missing girls in town, girls who no one seems to care about, and wreak vengeance on the awful people who have done them wrong. It's a little long but I loved reading about this trio so much, especially Harriet who gave me even more inspiration to let my hair and garden grow wild, that I can't even complain....more
DNF I made it to 70% and found myself dreading picking it back up. I usually love carnival stories. This sounded great but it went on too many tangentDNF I made it to 70% and found myself dreading picking it back up. I usually love carnival stories. This sounded great but it went on too many tangents, had too many characters and POV's, and don't even get me started on the love triangle. This wasn't at all for me.
If you don't like me adding me DNF's you probably don't want to follow me because I'm gonna die before I get all of these books I want to read finished and more of them keep coming out every day and we are all running out of time! So I have decided to start being ruthless. And yes, for me 70% read is ruthless. Baby steps, lol....more
This book was so very somber. It's a beautifully written story with many layers but a pallor of melancholy hangs ove“The deep sea is a haunted house.”
This book was so very somber. It's a beautifully written story with many layers but a pallor of melancholy hangs over everything. I went in coldish. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. I knew it was a sad book after seeing a little discussion on the Horror Spotlight chat but it was the wrong book to pick to listen to on the only two sunny days we've had around here. It threw me into a bit of a funk and I had to keep switching it out for something lighter.
Anyhow, Miri's wife heads out to sea on an exploration expedition that was supposed to last three weeks. Instead it lasts six months and now nothing will ever be the same. As the story progresses we get the POV of both Miri and Leah (her wife), we're told the story of their romance, witness Miri's loneliness when Leah is away and watch as things disintegrate in so many ways. There is some subtle but also frighteningly brutal body horror here. I know that doesn't seem to make sense so you'll have to trust me on that.
As I mentioned the writing is extremely beautiful and it's very much literary fiction with a side of horror. Just be prepared to have your heart stomped upon!
Narration Notes: The narration added to the feelings of gloom, despair and sadness. It might've been easier in paper, tbh. The dual narrators do too good of a job expressing the grief that drips from the words....more
Note to self: restart w/ audible audio. Started it on Kindle, had to put it aside, forgot about it and now I can't remember jackshit about itNote to self: restart w/ audible audio. Started it on Kindle, had to put it aside, forgot about it and now I can't remember jackshit about it...more
This was a fun horror-adjacent, horror-lite read. Not too spooky or too scary. It read more like a made for Netflix movie about a group of stressed out suburban moms who have an encounter with the weird. I didn't find it lol funny (but honestly, I don't find much lol funny) but it was amusing and had some good snark. I do wish the horror had been a bit heavier. There were a few things that the writer spent ages setting up that sort of fizzled when it came to the horror bits and that was a disappointment but that might just be me being a regular reader of the grotesque. I did like the found family thing and the sense of community thing between the women which doesn't really exist in too many places.
I recommend it if you're in the mood for something that won't hurt your heart or give you nightmares. It's a great choice to read in-between heavier, darker, grittier and emotionally devastating books. It'd be a great palette cleanser!
Hope you read it, hope you love/like it!
This is my personal reading experience, yours may differ! Don't come at me if it does!...more
This is what happens when you put too much pressure on a young swimmer obsessed with water and mermaids. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened IRL or maybeThis is what happens when you put too much pressure on a young swimmer obsessed with water and mermaids. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened IRL or maybe it has. It’s an unflinching look at competitive sports and all the harm it can do to a person while growing up and having to deal with periods, chronic pain, sexual misdeeds by golden boys and coaches who are way out of line. A horrific piece of dark fiction that feels very real.....more
It Doesn’t Go Away is a tense little novella filled with danger that lurks around every corner while slowly revealing some painful trauma. It’s a veryIt Doesn’t Go Away is a tense little novella filled with danger that lurks around every corner while slowly revealing some painful trauma. It’s a very creepy read and the dread hits you fast and never lets up.
A nameless narrator who calls herself “Barb” decides to hit the Appalachian Trail alone (and woefully underprepared) after a traumatic event. Are there bears on the AT? Never mind. It doesn’t matter because I’m not going even if you say no because running into a bear on a trail once in my lifetime was one time too many! Anyhow, bears are the least of Barb’s worries here. There are creepers who lurk around every corner, real or imagined, again it doesn’t matter because they’re real to Barb and a scary scenario soon becomes completely terrifying on so many levels.
I’ll be honest here and tell you that I had to put the book down for a day because something blindsided me with terrible memories. I read a lot of brutal things and there is so much trauma in horror lately that I really should’ve figured it out (apparently, I’m not always good at that!) but this one snuck up on me and reminded me of some things I had buried and I needed a little breather because I wasn’t emotionally ready to think about it. I’ll stick it down below under spoiler tags so you can be warned if you need to be warned but most people will likely see it coming before I did anyway.
I’m glad I went back in because I enjoyed the story. Barb’s spiraling thoughts, her stew of messy emotions, her desire to remain anonymous and process her trauma on her own terms, and the need to just run the fuck away felt really genuine. There was also a surprising moment that I LOVED because ICK but I won’t be a jerk and spoil. It made me laugh but it also grossed me out and you deserve to experience that moment too, haha.
Someone get me off this 3-star train. I hate writing them. People hate reading them (they make sure to tell me whenever they can). But here we are agaSomeone get me off this 3-star train. I hate writing them. People hate reading them (they make sure to tell me whenever they can). But here we are again. 3-stars means "liked it" and I did but I didn't "really like it" or "think it was amazing".
Now with that out of the way, I listened to Aesthetica on audiobook and that was a mistake. This is a story about a young woman who wants to make her fortune in sponsors with likes and comments on Instagram. The book is filled to the brim with these: ...more
I found this copy in a Little Free Library when I went to restock it. It's mine now!I found this copy in a Little Free Library when I went to restock it. It's mine now!...more
Hmmm, this is a tough one to review. It was a unique experience I will give it that! As many before me have said, despite the title and the beautiful Hmmm, this is a tough one to review. It was a unique experience I will give it that! As many before me have said, despite the title and the beautiful cover art, this book is not what I’d consider a horror novel. And my guidelines for what makes a horror novel are pretty wide open. I don’t even know if I would call it a novel actually. It reads like a collection of sometimes vaguely connected short stories.
The main story is about a former porn store turned super grisly murder site and the true crime writer currently putting all of the pieces together, gathering evidence and whatnot to create a new book. Then it switches gears and becomes the story of his previous true crime novel about a teacher and two students who do something dumb and pay the ultimate price. I was good with that. It really dug into the characters. GREAT stuff, that stuff was so interesting to me and I was enjoying the book but then there appears a chapter about a prince who becomes a king and I was a little dazed and confused by the tonal shift that left me wishing I had skipped that chapter like it was a short story I wasn’t enjoying. Then we get back to the greedy landlords and the porn shop murders and I was back in again. But then final chapter decided that it wasn't done messing with me and the POV switches to a childhood friend of the true crime writer. It gives us a different perspective on the writer but it all felt a bit scattered to me. You may think differently. I guess I prefer a more straightforward narrative in a book like this. I mean, maybe it all makes sense to someone else but I didn’t understand some of these choices that were made.
I don’t even know what to say about this one besides the fact that parts of it weren’t meant for me and other parts hooked me. In the end, after thinking about its construction, it all felt very disjoined both as a fictional true crime novel and as a collection of short stories.
My recommendation? Stick around for the true crime bits and maybe skim the king bit (if you feel the need or are getting a little bored) because it’s a book that does feel too long to me and that section, in particular, felt completely unnecessary or maybe its deep meaning just went over my head. But really you can do whatever you want, I’m not the boss of booktopia and I don’t like it when people tell me how to read, lol.
Ok, so I have read every word of this book and still do not understand why there is a giant fake eyelash on this cover that is dripping blood. SometimOk, so I have read every word of this book and still do not understand why there is a giant fake eyelash on this cover that is dripping blood. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow which is how I usually operate. I mean, I’ve read books with cheerleading skulls on the cover so this is nothing in the scheme of weirdo horror things but sometimes things also just get under my skin and this choice was downright bizarro and it bugged me because I spent the book waiting for a damn eyelash as if it was going to be some big-time clue. Now that I'm done it’s bugging me even more because there were absolutely ZERO mentions of fake eyelashes or murderous effing eyelashes and it was such a strange choice. ...more
Chasing Whispers is a fantastic collection of short stories that starts out strong and stays that way. You’ll want to find a quiet spot to sit down wiChasing Whispers is a fantastic collection of short stories that starts out strong and stays that way. You’ll want to find a quiet spot to sit down with this one so you can submerge yourself in its dark and strange worlds.
These stories are filled with longing, with disappointment, with transformation and every single one of them takes you to unexpected places. I’m just going to say a little bit about each one because that’s how I always review collections. I’m not going to say too much in order to avoid revealing any spoilers. If you want to go in completely cold please stop reading this review here. I completely understand because that’s how I usually go into most things.
Chasing Whispers Zeda is facing the difficulties of seeing life through a different lens than others just wading through their lives in oblivion. But is this a life she wants? This is a mind-bending tale both strange and disturbing and it’s not to be missed. It’s an excellent way to start off the collection.
Memories Of The Old Sun This is a story about obligation and overbearing mothers and a deep longing to live life as one wants - and also biorobots with no choice in any of it.
When The Wind Blows Humans are so disappointing ...more
Hmmm, have you ever wanted to adore a book and make it work because it sounds amazing and almost everyone else seems to love/like it but the book and/Hmmm, have you ever wanted to adore a book and make it work because it sounds amazing and almost everyone else seems to love/like it but the book and/or your brain have other plans? I think that's what happened here. Or maybe I'm just malfunctioning.
[image]
Who cares, right?
So, Lute takes place on an idyllic secluded isle in the UK. Nina, a Floridian, married the Lord of Lute and is now the Lady of Lute. She's been there for seven years having babies and seemingly ignoring the locals but now "The Day" has arrived. She's heard rumors about sacrifices and such that happen on "The Day" which arrives every seven years, but she believes it's all superstition and she isn’t nosey like me and hasn’t asked all or any of the proper questions and she feels like an outsider being from the evil US and all. The cowardly Lord of Lute makes plans for himself and for his family to escape Lute and whatever horrors may await on "The Day" because OF COURSE he does but those plans go awry. Too bad, so sad. Now Nina is at the part where she is about to find out what the true cost of living on an island free of worry and strife truly costs. And it’s kind of a big deal.
That’s really all I want to say about the plot. There is a weird thing going on with a near-future timeline where war has broken out and the US is the enemy of everyone else but that doesn’t have much to do with the story itself. Do yourself a favor and ignore the synopsis unless you want it all spoiled. It gives too much away which is really a shame - especially if you’re not a person who has watched or read much in the way of folk horror.
Once I decided to ignore the iffy and confusing timeline, I was having a decent time waiting for some dread to settle in but it didn’t really happen for me - possibly because I basically knew what was coming but I was enjoying watching Nina maneuver her way around the island and having awkward dealings with the people she’d previously kept at arm's length due to her own issues. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line she simply began to annoy me with her inaction and her complete lack of curiosity, and don’t even get me started on the needless and unbelievable romance that is added in here because I do not want to waste another moment thinking about it. I’ve read many a romance. I LOVE a good steamy romance. Put romance in all the stories and I won’t be the one complaining about it but please sweet Satan, spend your time developing the romance and make it make sense! Otherwise, it’s a waste of space and it makes me go a little screamy. Here it made me a lot screamy. But again, that may be on me and my reading history. Other readers may not give a cat’s butt about it and that’s perfectly fine too.
[image]
In the end, Nina does come around a bit but the journey to get there took too long for my patience. The logic of “The Day” didn’t add up when the lore was considered. Some things were answered but looking back on my notes I realize that there were many random things that were brought up in the story that didn’t seem to fit and it seemed strange to include them. Horses, psychic flashbacks, supposedly dark pasts, and secrets that should be kept to oneself, lol. Nina’s characterization also felt inconsistent, and she seemed to forget she had little kids to worry about for most of the book. Maybe that’s what happens when you have maids and nannies? I wouldn’t know. After writing this all out, I suppose most of this book simply didn’t work for me and I’m just nitpicking now. Anyhow, this all makes me sad because I wanted to love this book but hey, we can’t all have the same reading experience, or what’s the point of pubs releasing so many books each month, right?
I’m struggling to say something positive because that’s what I’m told I'm supposed to do (and sometimes I just cannot), I guess I’ll have to go with a low 3 or perhaps a high 2 might be more fitting. I think if you know nothing going in, you do not read romance the way I have read romance and you enjoy a leisurely stroll through an idyllic island with some threads of danger thrown in your path, you’ll find some things to enjoy here.
All I can say is whew, what a journey this book and I had ...more
Adventure, humor, demonic chickens, a loyal bone dog and a group of mismatched friends. This is a perfect book! You must stop whatever you’re doing anAdventure, humor, demonic chickens, a loyal bone dog and a group of mismatched friends. This is a perfect book! You must stop whatever you’re doing and read it!
Feeling kinda lazy and I may or may not write a real review. ...more
Laurie (barksbooks)
>
Books:
horror-adjacent
(32)
Loading...
