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beesbookhaunts's reviews
231 reviews
The Divine Flesh by Drew Huff
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Did I have a good time reading this book? No! But did I love it? Yes! I received a digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.
The Divine Flesh is not going to take it easy on you. It’s just people doing the best with what they’ve been given, but unfortunately what they have been given is some kind of cosmic horror sharing the body of the main character.
Expect body horror, violence, and shitty people.
The Divine Flesh is not going to take it easy on you. It’s just people doing the best with what they’ve been given, but unfortunately what they have been given is some kind of cosmic horror sharing the body of the main character.
Expect body horror, violence, and shitty people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence and Religious bigotry
It Will Only Hurt for a Moment by Delilah S. Dawson
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
We follow Sarah as she joins a remote artists’ retreat after leaving an abusive relationship. She discovers that the old mansion everyone is forbidden from entering has secrets of its own.
This book is A Lot. Each character has an extreme personality, verging into caricature territory. There’s a misogynistic man who expects Sarah to clean up after him, a goth girl who wears only black and takes morbid pictures, a costume designer who doesn’t wear modern clothing-and more. The descriptions of these characters provides levity as Sarah discovers the extremely dark past of the resort, and unpacks her own abusive relationship. These details are much darker and upsetting than the rest of the book, which made me appreciate the light-hearted sections.The contrast was sometimes quite jarring, and the first detailed description of sexual assault caught me off guard.
Overall I enjoyed it, but it felt long and sometimes repetitive. I’ve attached trigger warnings so please check them before picking this up!
Thanks to the publisher, I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
This book is A Lot. Each character has an extreme personality, verging into caricature territory. There’s a misogynistic man who expects Sarah to clean up after him, a goth girl who wears only black and takes morbid pictures, a costume designer who doesn’t wear modern clothing-and more. The descriptions of these characters provides levity as Sarah discovers the extremely dark past of the resort, and unpacks her own abusive relationship. These details are much darker and upsetting than the rest of the book, which made me appreciate the light-hearted sections.
Overall I enjoyed it, but it felt long and sometimes repetitive. I’ve attached trigger warnings so please check them before picking this up!
Thanks to the publisher, I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Misogyny, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Gore
Smothermoss by Alisa Alering
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, BEAUTIFUL.
There’s not much of an explanation as to what’s going on, which suited the story so well. We don’t know why certain things work within the story, and neither do the characters. Beautiful prose!
The perspective switches between characters well, with one perspective being the mountain itself. Loved the insight into the different characters’ thoughts.
Just wow, I can’t stop thinking about it.
There’s not much of an explanation as to what’s going on, which suited the story so well. We don’t know why certain things work within the story, and neither do the characters. Beautiful prose!
The perspective switches between characters well, with one perspective being the mountain itself. Loved the insight into the different characters’ thoughts.
Just wow, I can’t stop thinking about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Eating disorder
Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Lesbophobia
Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Paul Tremblay is excellent at writing a story that makes us question reality. Is it real? Is it a hoax? Sometimes he does this better than others, and unfortunately Horror Movie didn’t quite hit home for me.
I didn’t care about the characters and the pacing was too slow. Can’t see myself thinking about it much in the future, it was just meh.
I didn’t care about the characters and the pacing was too slow. Can’t see myself thinking about it much in the future, it was just meh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
Gay, cozy, fun.
Loved watching Shesheshen fall in love, confused about her feelings the whole way. Such a satisfying ending!
Loved watching Shesheshen fall in love, confused about her feelings the whole way. Such a satisfying ending!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Body shaming and Emotional abuse
A Mask of Flies by Matthew Lyons
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A Mask of Flies surprised me. I’m not exactly sure what I expected, but it wasn’t that-in a good way.
It’s fast paced and gruesome, with excellent body horror. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, Annie would pivot and take the story in a wild new direction.
Would have been five stars, but it felt a bit long and expositiony at times, and the cat seemed absolutely unnecessary.
I received a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review
It’s fast paced and gruesome, with excellent body horror. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, Annie would pivot and take the story in a wild new direction.
Would have been five stars, but it felt a bit long and expositiony at times, and the cat seemed absolutely unnecessary.
I received a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Violence
Little Mysteries: Nine Miniature Puzzles to Confuse, Enthrall, and Delight by Sara Gran
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Okay WOW did this take me by surprise! I didn’t realize it would be such a beautiful reflection on grief and self actualization.
Absolutely loved that each story was told in such a unique way. A little choose your own adventure? Yes please!
The last two mysteries were by far the best, but honestly they were all bangers.
Absolutely loved that each story was told in such a unique way. A little choose your own adventure? Yes please!
The last two mysteries were by far the best, but honestly they were all bangers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Racism
The Footage by Stuart James
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
This was just awful, even from a self published kindle unlimited perspective.
Amateur and repetitive writing, stilted dialogue.
Literally pages after an event happens we get a basic recap that adds nothing to the story, nor does it give any insight.
Everything goes by way too fast, not in a fun fast paced way! It just moves past events that could use more (and better)detail.
Read this with my book club and we are going to have so much fun tearing it apart.
A every single character makes the most ridiculous decisions! You’re telling me that Jess says “any sense of danger and I’ll leave straight away!” Gets a warning from the flower shop owner that going to the cabin will be like her worst nightmares, and just continues on?
She is also the worst investigative journalist on the planet. She did literally no research before setting off on her trip, other than watching the YouTube video over and over. You’re telling me she didn’t call one single person from the town first to request an interview or even get a general feeling on how they would react to her showing up?
Please, don’t waste your time
Amateur and repetitive writing, stilted dialogue.
Literally pages after an event happens we get a basic recap that adds nothing to the story, nor does it give any insight.
Everything goes by way too fast, not in a fun fast paced way! It just moves past events that could use more (and better)detail.
Read this with my book club and we are going to have so much fun tearing it apart.
She is also the worst investigative journalist on the planet. She did literally no research before setting off on her trip, other than watching the YouTube video over and over. You’re telling me she didn’t call one single person from the town first to request an interview or even get a general feeling on how they would react to her showing up?
Please, don’t waste your time
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
WOW! I’ve read my fair share of r/Nosleep novel adaptations and most of the time I’ve been disappointed. We Used to Live Here is absolutely the best one I’ve read so far.
Listened to the audiobook and whenever I had to stop, I kept thinking about what was happening and when I’d get a chance to come back to it. Both narrators were excellent!
We all hate when guests outstay their welcome. We Used to Live Here takes that and turns it into a surreal and terrifying journey. I loved the alternating chapters, they gave just the right amount of context that somehow simultaneously clarified things AND added to the mystery. Can’t wait for more from Marcus Kliewer!!!
Listened to the audiobook and whenever I had to stop, I kept thinking about what was happening and when I’d get a chance to come back to it. Both narrators were excellent!
We all hate when guests outstay their welcome. We Used to Live Here takes that and turns it into a surreal and terrifying journey. I loved the alternating chapters, they gave just the right amount of context that somehow simultaneously clarified things AND added to the mystery. Can’t wait for more from Marcus Kliewer!!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Mouth by Joshua Hull
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Mouth is a perfect baby angel, protect him at all cost.
I wanted to love this! The story is unique, and surprisingly heartfelt, which I did not expect.
But wow, I could not stand the writing. We get POV from the two main characters and Mouth. The chapters from Mouth’s POV were by far my favorite! With Rusty and Abigail, the voice was exactly the same, with Abigail being particularly hard to stand. We don’t need to know every single movie poster she has on her wall, or have her quote movies every other line, then go off on a tangent when Rusty doesn’t get the reference. We get it, she likes movies.
For such a short story, it really took valuable time away that could have been better spent slowing the pacing down a little bit.
Overall I had a fun time, this just wasn’t a hit for me.
I wanted to love this! The story is unique, and surprisingly heartfelt, which I did not expect.
But wow, I could not stand the writing. We get POV from the two main characters and Mouth. The chapters from Mouth’s POV were by far my favorite! With Rusty and Abigail, the voice was exactly the same, with Abigail being particularly hard to stand. We don’t need to know every single movie poster she has on her wall, or have her quote movies every other line, then go off on a tangent when Rusty doesn’t get the reference. We get it, she likes movies.
For such a short story, it really took valuable time away that could have been better spent slowing the pacing down a little bit.
Overall I had a fun time, this just wasn’t a hit for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault