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illtakethenightshiftx's reviews
193 reviews
Freakslaw by Jane Flett
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Usually I give more time before a DNF, but I started reading this in December, rarely returned to it, and didn’t enjoy what I returned to. The writing style feels very YA. I couldn’t quite tell if all of the stories/vignettes told so far would connect at the end, but I didn’t have enough curiosity to continue :/
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.
Thunder Song by Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
a gorgeous collection of essays about indigeneity, inter-generational trauma, love, family, queerness, grief, and so much more. I especially loved “Bəsxwuqid: Swan Creek,” “First Salmon Ceremony,” and “A Indigenous Queer Love Story.”
Some pieces of essays felt repetitive in conversation with others, but that didn’t take away from how powerful the collection is.
Some pieces of essays felt repetitive in conversation with others, but that didn’t take away from how powerful the collection is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Colonisation
Moderate: Addiction, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Abortion
What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo
emotional
informative
medium-paced
5.0
This has been sitting on my tbr for over a year and I’ve tried to read it multiple times but never got more than a few chapters in. This is unflinching, raw, and beautiful and I’m so, so, so glad I finally read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Colonisation, War
Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film - Updated Edition by Carol J. Clover
informative
slow-paced
4.0
I understand why this is a classic and cornerstone of horror film criticism, but good lord there is so much Freud and it’s extremely binary. BUT, the binary framing makes sense because it was written in the late 80s/early 90s. I think both horror fans and folks who don’t like or look down on horror as a genre should read pieces of this book and other books like it. Horror is so much more than what meets the eye!!
The chapters about slasher films and rape revenge films were the highlights of the book for me. (Slashers are my favorite subgenre)
The latter chapter impressed me the most because of what Clover analyzed and discussed. I have been hesitant to explore the subgenre for various reasons but after reading Clover’s analysis and learning more about the subgenre and feminine rage in horror, I think I’ll be giving Last House on the Left (1972) and I Spit On Your Grave (1978) a try.
All the content warnings - this is a book about horror films.
The chapters about slasher films and rape revenge films were the highlights of the book for me. (Slashers are my favorite subgenre)
The latter chapter impressed me the most because of what Clover analyzed and discussed. I have been hesitant to explore the subgenre for various reasons but after reading Clover’s analysis and learning more about the subgenre and feminine rage in horror, I think I’ll be giving Last House on the Left (1972) and I Spit On Your Grave (1978) a try.
All the content warnings - this is a book about horror films.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Stalking, Murder
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Self harm
Two Truths and a Lie by Cory O'Brien
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! Two Truths and a Lie is a funny, heartfelt, yet dark story that takes place in a future in which a land that may have been the United States is underwater and data is currency. It's both a murder mystery and love story under layers of deception and half truths. I really enjoyed this novel! The format felt fresh, the writing was witty and biting, and I found myself reading 40% of the book in one sitting. The narrative did felt disjointed towards the end and I was confused at points with who crossed who and who different characters worked for. I appreciated some of the ambiguity, but I wish certain aspects were more fleshed out. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!
Faithbreaker by Hannah Kaner
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? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC! Faithbreaker is a fantastic way to cap off this trilogy. Faithbreaker is an earnest, page-turning, and heartwarming exploration of family, loyalty, and power. I loved spending more time with these characters and learning more about the histories and politics of Middren and its gods. This book wrapped up the whole trilogy really well as well as the story within the book itself. I appreciated little call backs to previous novels and where this story ended up. Pieces of this dragged a little bit, put it paid off at the end. I am sad this trilogy is ending, but I am excited to see where the author takes readers next!
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
These are the kind of books I LOVE - deeply personal, extremely compelling, beautifully written stories with characters that truly jump off the page.
I cannot wait to discuss this at book club!
(more formal review to come post-book club)
I cannot wait to discuss this at book club!
(more formal review to come post-book club)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films by Nina Nesseth
informative
medium-paced
4.5
really enjoyed this! a fascinating look at horror films and some science behind why we love (or hate) them. I loved the horror history, film discussions, and short interviews. to me, they added context to and perfectly illustrated scientific discussions in each chapter, even if I hadn’t seen the films that were discussed. I wish there was a bit more “science” content. This book was extremely approachable as well - I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything because I don’t have a science background.
I would highly recommend this to any horror fan who likes to go on deep dives into the genre!
(blanket spoiler warning for a bunch of horror movies, but that kind of goes without saying)
I would highly recommend this to any horror fan who likes to go on deep dives into the genre!
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
it’s a no from me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Sexual content
Motheater by Linda H. Codega
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
Motheater is an interesting little story that takes the reader on a journey through time and the Appalachian Mountains. Codega does an incredible job of immersing the reader in a small mining town that sits on Kire Mountain through their prose. I really liked how I felt like I was by Bennie and Motheater's side throughout the novel. Codega did a fantastic job of rooting the reader in place; we see characters speaking in dialect, discuss hyper-local folklore and magic.
Bennie, the main character, felt extremely one-note and is quick to trust Motheater, a witch she finds in a river who has no idea who she is, where she came from, or what happened to her. For a character that's introduced as hesitant to trust people, this felt odd. When we follow her specifically, her internal thoughts, feelings, and actions are repetitive and it feels like she really didn't learn anything, even after going through an unexplainable journey with Motheater and the other characters in the novel.
I absolutely loved Motheater's character, her backstory, and everything else about her. She reminded me of Nona from Nona the Ninth in many respects, which is why I think I feel such a strong affection for her. Codega slowly peels back Motheater's layers and we learn about her in real-time as she begins to uncover who she is. This particular storytelling method was effective and I looked forward to every one of those chapters.
The overall plot has good bones and an interesting premise, but the work as a whole felt like a draft. At times, the story simultaneously rushed and dragged and it felt like key details were missing. Overall, Motheater's themes are deeply resonant, but the narrative feels disjointed and falls victim of trying to do too much in one book.
Motheater is an interesting little story that takes the reader on a journey through time and the Appalachian Mountains. Codega does an incredible job of immersing the reader in a small mining town that sits on Kire Mountain through their prose. I really liked how I felt like I was by Bennie and Motheater's side throughout the novel. Codega did a fantastic job of rooting the reader in place; we see characters speaking in dialect, discuss hyper-local folklore and magic.
Bennie, the main character, felt extremely one-note and is quick to trust Motheater, a witch she finds in a river who has no idea who she is, where she came from, or what happened to her. For a character that's introduced as hesitant to trust people, this felt odd. When we follow her specifically, her internal thoughts, feelings, and actions are repetitive and it feels like she really didn't learn anything, even after going through an unexplainable journey with Motheater and the other characters in the novel.
I absolutely loved Motheater's character, her backstory, and everything else about her. She reminded me of Nona from Nona the Ninth in many respects, which is why I think I feel such a strong affection for her. Codega slowly peels back Motheater's layers and we learn about her in real-time as she begins to uncover who she is. This particular storytelling method was effective and I looked forward to every one of those chapters.
The overall plot has good bones and an interesting premise, but the work as a whole felt like a draft. At times, the story simultaneously rushed and dragged and it felt like key details were missing. Overall, Motheater's themes are deeply resonant, but the narrative feels disjointed and falls victim of trying to do too much in one book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Self harm
Moderate: Death, Religious bigotry
Bible verses and scripture are quoted and referenced often throughout the story, especially in the last third.