Litsy

Last Days | Adam Nevill

pan

Almost made a so-so before that wild ass reveal that brings in some transphobia without seemingly understanding that trans people are real. The man needs and editor BADLY

BookmarkTavern Blegh! At least you‘re done! 5d

khooliha @BookmarkTavern the things we read for book clubs we love 5d

BookmarkTavern True! Although the books I‘ve really hated have also turned into the most interesting and funny discussions! My book club had a book a few years ago that we all hated so much we all ranted for over four hours about it. 😂😂 5d

4 likes3 comments

OriginalCyn620

The Incendiaries | R.O. Kwon

so-so

This was just okay for me. I was hoping a book about a cult would have more action!

#bookspinbingo
#pop25 - book about a cult

TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 5d

28 likes1 comment

khooliha

Last Days | Adam Nevill

This post contains spoilers

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The horrifying reveal that's supposed to be that the evil lady put her soul inside a child is rendered, by the framing details, a horrifying reveal that the villain of this book is queer and trans, and both of those things are explicitly tied to his evil, as they're ways he has manipulated people to maintain power.

Does this author think through ANYTHING he writes?????

3 likes

khooliha

Last Days | Adam Nevill

Wait, at nearly 60% this book is deciding to propose that social media is like cults from the 70s, specifically the cult that has 100% already caused supernatural shit to happen?? This is only my second Nevill book, but I don't think he's great at writing characters getting upset, because it's always about the wrong thing.

khooliha I'm sorry you don't like reality TV! But the weird dog humans are trying to break into your house already and you are very aware of that!! 1w

5 likes1 comment

Robotswithpersonality

Big Machine: A Novel | Victor LaValle

so-so

There's weird, and then there's stuff you thought you'd only read on A03.
Starts with a catchy premise, written well, continues into some unexpected but interesting fare, tackling some difficult subjects, while unfortunately, if perhaps predictably, given the topics, being kind of unrelentingly grim. Without going into spoilers, I can say with confidence , if you don't want to read about cults, don't pick this up. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? So we're trucking along dealing with various people's trauma, with a somewhat unorthodox format for relating how few options remain for those trapped in poverty and addiction , especially when you add in systemic racism, how homelessness is perennially underserved and dismissed as a societal issue by structures of power. 1w

Robotswithpersonality 3/? And then things go completely off the rails, in a way that, thanks to everything leading up, you kind of feel like you should have seen coming, and yet I'm not sure I ever would have guessed, despite my taste in fanfic. Off the wall would be one thing, but I'm not left with the impression, given everything else the story involved, that it pulled off that ending being told in the space allotted. (edited) 1w

Robotswithpersonality 4/? Safe to say that after enjoying Lone Women and The Ballad of Black Tom, while I look forward to investigating what LaValle comes out with next, I don't think I'll be delving further into his backlist.
Given the chronology, I have to wonder if an agent or editor didn't basically say: 'if you want to increase your readership you can go further into the horror elements, but you're gonna have to make it more cohesive, and less dark!'
1w

Robotswithpersonality 5/5 My conspiracy theory for the day, feels very on theme...

⚠️drug and alcohol addiction, fertility issues, mention of miscarriages, suicide bombing/domestic terrorism(?)/murder for religion/cult, child deaths, body horror, racism, colourism, SA(?), torture, withdrawal symptoms, suicide, slurs and stereotypes, child neglect, gore 1w

8 likes4 comments

Robotswithpersonality

Big Machine: A Novel | Victor LaValle

🚪😔

8 likes

TheKidUpstairs

The Followers | Rebecca Wait

pick

What a book. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. Wait has a gift for crafting complex and engrossing stories that really get under your skin and make you think and feel deeply.

Single mother Stephanie gets drawn into the fold of a self-proclaimed "Prophet" and brings her daughter, Judith, to live with his isolated cult. Cont'd in comments...

TheKidUpstairs Flipping back and forth between their time at The Ark and Judith's life as a young adult trying to live with the aftermath of a horrific event that has sent Stephanie to prison, The Followers builds stream towards a chilling and powerful conclusion. Highly Recommend. 1mo

squirrelbrain Ooh, this is one of hers I haven‘t read….tries not to rush off to buy it! 1mo

Jas16 Loved this one too 1mo

See All 9 Comments

TheKidUpstairs @squirrelbrain and I just found out she's got a new book coming out in July in the UK

Havoc

1mo

Suet624 I really liked this one too. 1mo

ErikasMindfulShelf I loved I‘m Sorry You Feel That Way. Definitely have to read more by her. 1mo

BarbaraBB One of my favorite authors! Can‘t wait for her new one, thanks for bringing it up! 1mo

TheKidUpstairs @ErikasMindfulShelf I'd definitely recommend this one, and Our Fathers was one of my top reads of 2024!

Our Fathers

1mo

TheKidUpstairs @BarbaraBB she's just so good, eh? I don't know how she does it, but both of hers that I've read just suck you in from the very first page! I was so happy to hear she's got one coming out. 1mo

66 likes9 comments

Soscha

Stories from Jonestown | Leigh Fondakowski

pick

Same author, different L.A. Theatre Works play.

Spill by Leigh Fondakowski

Deepwater Horizon oil spill, not an edifying presentation.

“Don‘t gamble with people‘s lives.” 🛢️😿

BP resumed drilling in the Gulf of Mexico after a moratorium of less than five months. They‘ve paid $65B in fines, no one went to jail.

BkClubCare Whoa 1mo

AnnCrystal 🤬🥺😢. 1mo

45 likes2 comments