Craig

I have loved Tori for my whole life. This book was insightful and interesting but terribly hard to understand. So much so that I had to re-read sections multiple times.

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.

Bought for the advice for creatives but hard to maintain a solid interest throughout.

A beautiful guide for any artist who is struggling to create. A wonderful walk through Tori's career and her creative process. Probably mostly meant for the die hard fans who understand her history.

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.

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.

Great idea for a memoir. Perfectly attuned with Poseys natural sensibilities.

This books changed me as a teenager. For sure.

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

Loved the examination of the authors own coming out and queerness juxtaposed against the many loves and “imaginary friends” of McCullers. The concept here is interesting, telling a congruous story that both illuminates and confuses the subjects story.

Loved the style and the fresh approach. Wanted more Carson though.

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!!

Wow. I wasn't sure how I felt about this book until I reached the middle and then BAM. It just took off. Loved every second and was riveted by the final 200 pages. Perfect palette cleanser and an excellent way to decompress.

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 

Has there ever been a more perfect book about the scourge of Christian missionaries and white colonialism?

Wow. What started out as a book I thought I would DNF because...well...sports. Turned out to be one of the best explorations of friendship and identity that I've ever read, and the final chapter is a chefs kiss of an epilogue.

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.

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.

I didn't love this right away. Honestly it took a little too long to get good and I was almost going to put it down. However once things picked up, WOW, did they ever. The ending was satisfying if not somewhat rushed. But I found myself tearing through the final 250 pages. A great thriller with well paced reveals at the end.

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.

Just couldn't find it that compelling. 

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.

Just felt blah about the whole story. It's more sex than plot. 

History has a lot of unknowns that are interesting to dig up, and Vowell has done just that...

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