Craig

Great until the last page where the rug is pulled out from under you. BS. 

I have to say I was really looking forward to reading this and felt super excited when I got the ARC from NETGALLEY. 

The description basically telling me that a young wife is now haunted by the ghost of her mother in law. That premise sounds amazing and was why I requested the book. 

In theory that's what this book is about, in execution it's actually trying to say a lot about grief, motherhood and depression. Our protagonist Abby and her husband Ralph are reeling from Ralph's mothers death and Ralph is slipping deep into a depression and is adamant that the ghost of his mother is haunting their basement. 

Abby must do anything she can to bring Ralph out of it and she goes to some extreme measures for sure. I wouldn't classify this book as horror at all (except maybe one scene). This is more of a psychological meditation about the effects of grief on a marriage. It's also about the meaning of motherhood and what it means to be there for someone. 

The writing is great and I'm glad this book exists. I'm giving it 3 stars because it wasn't exactly what I expected or wanted and that was disappointing. While I enjoyed the writing there are definitely parts that felt like a slog to get through for sure. 

If you want a more literary take on the horror genre this might be for you. 

What it's like: 
Mother meets Hand that Rocks the Cradle 
Men meets Ghost 

Book Grades: 
Plot Development and Pacing - 90/100 
Character Development - 90/100 
Theme and Subject Matter - 90/100 
Writing Style - 90/100
Reader Engagement - 75/100 

Overal Grade: 87% - B OR  3/5 Stars 

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book fluttered it's way into my life somehow and I am still not sure how it managed to get here. It's not a book I would have searched out necessarily and it's definitely not TOTALLY aligned with my reading tastes but there it sat and I was instantly drawn to it. 

First and foremost. The cover. Brilliant. Beyond Brilliant. It tells the story, fits the story and instantly makes you want to read this book. 

The contents inside. Fun. This is classified as a horror novel and there are for sure horrific things that happen but overall the story is fun and it unfolds in a smart, snarky and silly way. The setting is the backdrop of a reality dating show called The Catch and the final 4 contestants are about to go on a trip with their eligible bachelor and when they finally reach Otter's Island in the Pacific Northwest something strange starts to happen. 

All of their petty dramas and their infighting actually build to a huge crescendo that lays the ground work for the horror to come. They all settle neatly into roles and of the entire crew, only about one of them is likable (but there's a point to that, I promise.) 

I don't want to say anymore because I don't want to spoil anything for you. If you are looking for a frothy and fun horror book, this is for you. If you are a huge fan of reality dating shows and maybe some Bigfoot documentaries, this book is for you. 

What it's like: 
The Bachelor meets Harry and the Hendersons 
Love and First Sight meets Animal Attacks 
Unreal meets American Horror Stories 

Overall I enjoyed this immensely. It was such a good time. My only complaint is that it went by too fast. It wasn't long enough and I wanted more from the story. I loved what I read I just felt you could have continued to tell the story for another 100-200 pages. I wanted more of this. Truly. I wanted to keep turning the pages. Maybe if this book is successful the author will give us some prequel story or at the very least let us know what happened to Patricia and the women of Otter Island. 

Book Grades: 
Plot Development and Pacing - 100/100 
Character Development - 90/100 
Theme and Subject Matter - 95/100 
Writing Style - 100/100
Reader Engagement - 100/100 

Overal Grade: 97% - A+ OR  4.5/5 Stars 

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
Release Date: 6/28/22 

Suburban Hell is for sure a mixture of Desperate Housewives, any Bravo reality show about moms and The Exorcist or Southern Bookclubs Guide to Slaying Vampires. 

I enjoyed the experience of this book for sure. I enjoyed the plot as it unfolded and as the story grew more and more horrific. 

I do find the classification as horror to be a little misleading...it's horror-lite. It's Andy Cohen does horror. It's like watching the Scary Island episode of RHONY where there is an exorcism at the end. When I say that this book is horror fluff, I don't necessarily mean that as a bad thing. If you are a die-hard horror fan this book will not be for you at all BUT...if you want to laugh a little and still experience some scary things (i.e. a vacuum attack, Barbie Dreamhouse of Terror or a school carnival gone awry) then you will enjoy this book. 

As I am more of a traditional horror fan I was surprised by the tone of this book, though I guess I shouldn't have been given the title and the description. The writing is quick, quippy and fun. The plotting is dangerously fast and drops you right into the story. I almost never say this but I kind of wanted more exposition and table setting before dropping us right into this group of moms and friends. 

I did love the exploration of the inner lives of suburban motherhood and what it means to be looked over or exhausted and what that can really do to someone. The fact that these women are really all they have and they have to do the work to save each other says a lot. I did find that very touching as the book progressed. I also really liked all of the characters which is a real testament to Kilmer's writing and world building. 

Overall I enjoyed the experience of this book but it will not be a book that I re-visit in time and i would only recommend this to friends who just want to dip their toe into horror instead of being fully immersed. 

Book Grades: 
Plot Development and Pacing - 90/100 
Character Development - 85/100 
Theme and Subject Matter - 85/100 
Writing Style - 90/100
Reader Engagement - 80/100 

Overal Grade: 86% - B OR 3/5 Stars 

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
Expected to be unleashed on: 9/27/22.

A great examination of all parts of a decade that most people view as uneventful or ineffectual. 

WTF is this book supposed to be about? I find myself reaching for any sort of meaning at all. 

A book full of twists and red herrings that ultimately when you get to the actual reveal it's kind of a disappointment. I can see what Jones is trying to do and what he wants to say but the actual “killer” is actually less interesting than all of the possibility Jade has gone through and referenced with all of her horror knowledge. 

This book is being marketed in confusing and deceiving ways. Initially described as a gay ‘Get Out' it is most certainly not that and in fact has a clear agenda perpetrated by the author that comes out in the later half of the book. 

The first half of the book were compelling and hard to read. It flails in the second half where the protagonist is reckoning with trauma and how to deal with it. The end was disappointing for sure given the promise of the front half.  

This book has been mis marketed. It's enjoyable but not at all what was expected. 

This book is for sure a page turner and very engrossing. The inside story of a teen pop girl group and all of the trauma they faced becoming famous.

The characters are very interesting and the plot moves quickly. I do wish that there was more resolution but that's a small gripe. Easily enjoyed this book.

This might be an example of buying a book mostly because of the cover and thinking the content was intriguing but not captivating.

I could tell this was a satire of a female founded and run social media app that was meant to provide self care engagement but instead was selling women very expensive product.

The two main characters are intensely unlikable and not all that interesting. The character who is the most intriguing maybe gets 2-3 chapters and is pushed aside for the sake of the two white women main characters.

I don't know if the author was trying to show something by doing that but it was evident and unsettling.

The last 1/3 redeemed some for me. There's the larger question of women believing women and victim hood and using victim hood to sell product or subscriptions. The ending kind of comes out of nowhere though I did enjoy the last chapter.

Kind of disappointed in this book honestly. Premise was promising but execution wasn't all there.

I don't have enough words to say how much I loved this book.

This is such a clever and interesting exploration of grief and dealing with death. It's also totally accurate and you can't deny that. Even when it's speaking uncomfortable truths about what it's like it still engages you and makes you laugh.

The good the bad and the ugly all come to light here and I absolutely loved this one. From the illustrations to the content you can't get a better book.

Necessary reading if you are grieving the loss of a parent. This book made me cry and laugh and feel everything I was afraid to feel.

Pick it up.

What a great book about some very prescient issues we are facing right now.

Felix is figuring out his identity and along the way he has to navigate so many road blocks to finding love of himself and love of someone else.

I loved how quickly you are dropped into the action of this book. You get to know the characters instantly and there's no hand wringing about how it introduce the supporting cast. It's a fully explored and vibrant world of these teenage artists.

I also really loved the conversations about art and how it's important to them and they want to create something meaningful and interesting while balancing their own personal interests.

These characters are intensely worried about their future while also trying to live and love in the now. This is a book I wish I had as a teenager.

So many wonderful characters and a mystery at the center that's engaging and interesting. I love a coming of age novel and a queer novel. I hope trans kids can read this and find themselves in Felix.

Thoroughly enjoyed this alternate history. It's almost a salve for the massive hurt that was 2016. I found that the author seemed to capture Hilary Rodham with grace and ease and made her feel tangible without being a caricature.

I do wish less of the book was spent on Bill and more about Hilary and her post Bill career. There are time jumps that make it confusing at times but I did enjoy. Especially the second half where things take a much more interesting turn.

A well crafted and wonderful coming of age story set amongst the mid to late 90's.

I suppose I identified with this more so because this was my time and my same coming of age. There were things I couldn't identify with in the book but those paled in comparison to the things I did hold dear.

Ari is your quintessential 90's teen dealing with some severe sexual trauma. The young infatuation you experience when you meet a kindred spirit was so close to home.

I would recommend this LGBT coming of age novel to any child of this time.

I don't have enough words to say all the things I loved.

How quickly I fell in love with the two leads. How quickly I fell in love with the whole book. Such fun and heartfelt writing. Fully realized and interesting characters that avoid a lot of stereotypes.

A love story that is both so affirming and lovely but also so felt and deeply explored. Made me fall deeper in love with both characters.

Wow!! What a great thriller. Well paced and captivating with enough twists and turns to satisfy and frustrate. Didn't feel predictable at all. Loved it!!

I found this book interesting in concept, and I understand it's a series and this is the beginning but I don't like how NOTHING was wrapped up AT ALL.

The conclusion came so fast and it seemed so causal and nonchalant. I wanted more from it I suppose. The writing is great and characters were interesting but I had higher hopes for the plotting.

What felt like a very clear Rosemarys Baby rip off (even in the dedication) quickly turned into something familiar but also engaging. The story moved flawlessly and quickly. With a satisfying ending and epilogue.

There are some loose ends with characters that I wish were more tied up but that's my only complaint. Another engrossing read from Riley Sager.

While I certainly love horror and this book packs in some of the best chilling scenes and descriptions. I have realized that maybe body horror isn't my thing after reading this. I was constantly plagued by itchiness and creeped out the whole time.

Much of this book I just found to be gross. Mostly because Cutter describes everything so vividly that I found myself having to put the book down a lot. Also maybe not the best choice of books to read during a pandemic.

This is an important story and an important viewpoint considering the AIDS story. Though I was engaged throughout the beginning and middle of the book. You know that this is building to an inevitable conclusion. The execution of the ending feels very rushed. The detail and the truthfulness that Sickels writes with towards the end is vital and getting to hear fro each family member as they process what's going to happen is so refreshing.

I was anticipating this novel a lot. Though the concept of final girls is really interesting I have to say this was probably my third favorite Sager book. I still liked it and it was a fast thrilling read. It just felt predictable up until the end.

I was so surprised by this book. Based on the description I was nervous that the book was going to tenuous and superficial. It wasn't. At all.

This is a book about compassion and understanding and the power of relationship. The nature of marriage and family run throughout and I loved every minute.

The exploration of the move from city to country and how the relationship between the author and his husband grows and changes. I fell in love with Burroughs again while reading this.

I was really hoping this wouldn't be a rip off of Turn of the Screw and while it wasn't EXACTLY, there were elements. I found the ending too rushed and all was explained in a page and a half. There are some wonderful bits of gothic suspense throughout and I did like the modern touches to what is a well worn story, but I felt duped by the ending.

Wow. Wow. WOW. I finished this book is about 5 hours total. I was nervous at the top that this was going to be just another haunted house story. But the twists and turns in this book kept me guessing until the end. The books switched back and forth between now and a book written by the protagonists father. I haven't been this thrown by a book in such a long time. It's so worth it. Every chapter adds and makes you second guess your predictions.