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izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
2.0
2/5
I was almost bored with how the plot moved and I wish there was more to the characters. The history wasn’t explained until the end really which left me and the main character just confused.
I was almost bored with how the plot moved and I wish there was more to the characters. The history wasn’t explained until the end really which left me and the main character just confused.
mochipandabear's review
3.0
Overall this was like a 3/3.5 stars? I did enjoy it for the most part (as I write this I realize it is supposed to be told from this unreliable narrator who’s constantly in a state of a borderline panic attack or feeling like the most powerful person in the room) but at times it felt the pace went too slow or sped by things way too fast for what was going on in the plot, but it kinda fits the main character?
We follow Arlee Gold as she goes to this fancy summer camp that her mother went to when she was young. Arlee has always been super afraid of bugs and is just a ball of anxiety in general, so as soon as she steps onto the premises of this big camp she can tell something is off. Her suspicions are encouraged by the odd way her mother and the camp’s director speak to each other and to Arlee herself.
This book is definitely Midsommar energy and was able to pull of the summer camp cult! But again, after some of the big reveals I just felt like things… lulled a bit? Like yes, Arlee was panicking a good chunk of the time after the biggest twist, but I could feel it dragging a bit for myself as we got closer to the end. The climax really didn’t feel like a climax to a story to me? The ending was satisfying but still felt off. Maybe that was on purpose though?
Overall, I enjoyed this for the most part and if it sounds good to you I encourage you to try it out!
Thank you to Netgalley and Julia Lynn Rubin for the chance to read this for free in exchange for an honest review
We follow Arlee Gold as she goes to this fancy summer camp that her mother went to when she was young. Arlee has always been super afraid of bugs and is just a ball of anxiety in general, so as soon as she steps onto the premises of this big camp she can tell something is off. Her suspicions are encouraged by the odd way her mother and the camp’s director speak to each other and to Arlee herself.
This book is definitely Midsommar energy and was able to pull of the summer camp cult! But again, after some of the big reveals I just felt like things… lulled a bit? Like yes, Arlee was panicking a good chunk of the time after the biggest twist, but I could feel it dragging a bit for myself as we got closer to the end. The climax really didn’t feel like a climax to a story to me? The ending was satisfying but still felt off. Maybe that was on purpose though?
Overall, I enjoyed this for the most part and if it sounds good to you I encourage you to try it out!
Thank you to Netgalley and Julia Lynn Rubin for the chance to read this for free in exchange for an honest review
writeinprogress's review
1.0
I had such high expectations, but ultimately the part that left me giving this one star is ARLEE FREAKING GOLD CALLING THE POLICE when the women in the society were doing what the law should be doing, punishing men who deserve it. She was INFURIATING!!!
kleonard's review
1.0
Primal Animals has all of the elements of a good horror novel: rich kids at an elite camp, secret societies, family legacies, creepy rituals, murder. But it never quite comes together--the timeline is too short, and doesn't allow characters, discussions, or events to occur at a realistic pace, and the abruptness and unexplained-ness of character actions and changes keeps things from making sense. The queer romance is sweet, but feels almost tacked on, and the multitude of non-sequiturs in camper and adult behavior make for more of a mess than a chilling narrative.
optimisticbooknerd's review
3.0
3 ⭐
I requested this one off Netgalley because I heard it was dark and LGBTQ+ and I did enjoy some aspects but the story unfortunately just fell flat for me.
I liked the characters and the writing style kept me interested
I requested this one off Netgalley because I heard it was dark and LGBTQ+ and I did enjoy some aspects but the story unfortunately just fell flat for me.
I liked the characters and the writing style kept me interested
markettt99's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was great! Dark at times but I really enjoyed the mystery/cult-y vibes to it. There was a good amount of suspense mixed into a classic summer camp story. The main character was interesting and introspective. I couldn’t put it down. I’d recommend it to anyone okay with some some spooky/horror-esque vibes. Not for people wanting a feel-good, summer romance story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Bullying, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Mental illness, and Blood
tarshka's review against another edition
I'd rate the first 32% a 1/5, the moths on the cover a 5/5. Very nice moths.
The characters weren't interesting enough for me to stick through the slow start, even though I made it right to about to where the main character decided to join the secret society. It really didn't help that the main character was kinda like so many other main characters, in the "not like other girls" way: she has anxiety and isn't popular, yet also immediately has friends, but still stands up for herself, at arbitrary-seeming times. I suppose most the audience for YA horror with a female lead is assumed to be people who fit that description? Or what they'd like to be, at least? I don't know. YA fiction seems to be the only thing that makes me feel old and I'm not even thirty yet.
Also, I like moths a lot and they felt a bit maligned. I thought maybe the story was hinting that the main character had been sexually harassed or assaulted at some point in the past and this had caused a fear of bugs, especially as it seemed to be ramping up to a "boys bad" story before I decided to quit, but apparently it's never explained despite coming up regularly.
Apparently also a lot of graphic animal death. I didn't get to that and I'm kinda glad I didn't, cause I don't deal well with animal death. I know some consider it pathetic to not be okay with animal death in one's horror while being fine with human death, but animal death makes me sad and angry and is something most people don't care about it real life, while making a fuss over human death.
The characters weren't interesting enough for me to stick through the slow start, even though I made it right to about to where the main character decided to join the secret society. It really didn't help that the main character was kinda like so many other main characters, in the "not like other girls" way: she has anxiety and isn't popular, yet also immediately has friends, but still stands up for herself, at arbitrary-seeming times. I suppose most the audience for YA horror with a female lead is assumed to be people who fit that description? Or what they'd like to be, at least? I don't know. YA fiction seems to be the only thing that makes me feel old and I'm not even thirty yet.
Also, I like moths a lot and they felt a bit maligned. I thought maybe the story was hinting that the main character had been sexually harassed or assaulted at some point in the past and this had caused a fear of bugs, especially as it seemed to be ramping up to a "boys bad" story before I decided to quit, but apparently it's never explained despite coming up regularly.
Apparently also a lot of graphic animal death. I didn't get to that and I'm kinda glad I didn't, cause I don't deal well with animal death. I know some consider it pathetic to not be okay with animal death in one's horror while being fine with human death, but animal death makes me sad and angry and is something most people don't care about it real life, while making a fuss over human death.
elreichle's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
gingerbread_void's review
3.0
This is a tough book to review as I think its best to go into this blind. There is definitely some trigger warnings with this book so please go and check those out before you dive into this book. That being said I enjoyed reading this book. It was definitely dark and not exactly an easy book but the story was interesting and I definitely wanted to know more as I read. If you like horror and don't feel like the triggers are to much for you I would definitely recommend this book. Its a little slow to start but once it does its amazing.