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autumnrevisited's reviews
117 reviews
Negatives: A Photographic Archive of Emo by Amy Fleisher Madden
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
Gender/Fucking: the Pleasures and Politics of Living in a Gendered Body by Florence Ashley
fast-paced
3.75
The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw, Richard Kadrey
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Everything the Darkness Eats by Eric LaRocca
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
This is genuinely one of the worst books I have read from an "established," published author. The writing in the book was incredibly clunky with metaphors that not only didn't make sense, but felt like they were written solely for the sake of shock. There were also moments in the book where descriptions and explanations seemed to be entirely missing, with settings and situations coming out of nowhere. The story itself was lackluster, with the secondary main character only contributing the most minor presence in the following "climax." So much of Ghost's character and set up was shallow and unexplained, relying on supernatural nonsense to get the point across.
While I disliked the writing, what bothered me the most about this book was how LaRocca treated their characters. The book claims to be a queer horror novel, but the only part of it that seems genuinely queer is the secondary main character who services only as a conduit for violence. There is not a moment where Malik is happy, only witnessing his husband's hate crime, being kidnapped, sexually and brutally assaulted, and almost murdered. All for being gay. There is no other development to his character other than to have slurs thrown at him and have violence done unto him. Also, the "bad guys" in the story both are also queer or have experienced similar violence. I find it unacceptable and disgusting that LaRocca would take a character that does extreme sexual and physical violence to one of the only POC characters in the book and make their motivation be a past assault from another gay character. Furthermore, giving the main villain AIDS (at least hinting at it) for no reason other than to mention it adds to the image that people with AIDS are violent and dirty.
LaRocca also completely ignores his female characters. They are either stupid, pathetic, or fridged. There is not a moment with a female character where they have any real agency. They are dead to move the male main character's story forward or placed as a helpless damsel in distress in order to be protected.
I purchased and read this book because I heard many good things about LaRocca's other works and the horror they have created. However, after reading this book, I refuse to read anything else LaRocca has written or may write in the future.
While I disliked the writing, what bothered me the most about this book was how LaRocca treated their characters. The book claims to be a queer horror novel, but the only part of it that seems genuinely queer is the secondary main character who services only as a conduit for violence. There is not a moment where Malik is happy, only witnessing his husband's hate crime, being kidnapped, sexually and brutally assaulted, and almost murdered. All for being gay. There is no other development to his character other than to have slurs thrown at him and have violence done unto him. Also, the "bad guys" in the story both are also queer or have experienced similar violence. I find it unacceptable and disgusting that LaRocca would take a character that does extreme sexual and physical violence to one of the only POC characters in the book and make their motivation be a past assault from another gay character. Furthermore, giving the main villain AIDS (at least hinting at it) for no reason other than to mention it adds to the image that people with AIDS are violent and dirty.
LaRocca also completely ignores his female characters. They are either stupid, pathetic, or fridged. There is not a moment with a female character where they have any real agency. They are dead to move the male main character's story forward or placed as a helpless damsel in distress in order to be protected.
I purchased and read this book because I heard many good things about LaRocca's other works and the horror they have created. However, after reading this book, I refuse to read anything else LaRocca has written or may write in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Blood, Excrement, Grief, and Alcohol
Parasocialite by Brittany Menjivar
emotional
fast-paced
5.0
Brittany Menjivar delivered a book full of poems and essays that remind you of what it’s been like to grow up with and alongside the internet. A perspective on how the world shapes us and how we respond to it. Parasocialite is a solid piece of writing and shows Menjivar as a zillenial Marie Calloway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Drug use, Blood, and Car accident
Moderate: Child death, Death, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
5.0