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jonbar94's reviews
220 reviews
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Not Hendrix’s best! It was interesting and original, but also pretty messy. (Like a puddle of blood, splattered all over the floor.) The writing shifted direction a lot more than his usual stuff, and not to sound like an old fart but I didn’t like all the plot twists! I did like how he kinda goes down a rabbit hole with “slasher theory” via Chrissy and some of the newspaper clippings. That stuff was fascinating. Anyway, I commend him for trying something new, and I hope he comes back swinging with something really great with his next book.
To Offer Her Pleasure by Ali Seay
dark
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? Yes
5.0
Fun Mother’s Day present!
Aubade by Kenneth Martin
emotional
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Probably the most honest book I’ve read in awhile. Capturing that proximity to someone you love but can never actually have. Bittersweet, like the end of summer itself.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol and Cursing
The Ritual by Adam L.G. Nevill
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Fucking freaked the shit out of me. Don’t read this next to a tall dark window at night.
I loved this, so much. My work was about to throw it out but I remembered the movie and decided the book was worth a go. The first half is the same, still scary as all fucking shit, but the second half is delightfully different than the movie—and honestly I feel like it works better. It’s a spine tingling, disgusting tale of anger and pain, but told with this beautiful sense of humanity. I loved Luke. I loved all his flaws and the issues he had with his friends, and how when he finally has to make these hard decisions we’ve been with him through the mud and it’s like a release. Really great read. Damn.
I loved this, so much. My work was about to throw it out but I remembered the movie and decided the book was worth a go. The first half is the same, still scary as all fucking shit, but the second half is delightfully different than the movie—and honestly I feel like it works better. It’s a spine tingling, disgusting tale of anger and pain, but told with this beautiful sense of humanity. I loved Luke. I loved all his flaws and the issues he had with his friends, and how when he finally has to make these hard decisions we’ve been with him through the mud and it’s like a release. Really great read. Damn.
Yes, Daddy by Jonathan Parks-Ramage
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
This reads like a bad but fun AO3 story of evil capitalists and sex dungeons, but then the last third devolves into a fucking Murphy’s Law mess. It’s not good!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicide
The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
These gay vampires really love each other but not as much as they love the inherent eroticism of exposition.
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Woolf perfects her stream-of-consciousness modus operandi, where nothing really happens and yet everything happens at once. Not enough lighthouse action if you ask me, but I’ll give this one a pass.
Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.25
It’s fascinating to read the book that inspired The Shining. I can now see its DNA in other horror stories as well. I like how husband and wife have their roles switched in this one.
Odessa by Jonathan Hill
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I love the style of this PNW gem. A two-toned world pops to life in this story of three siblings who journey to find their estranged mother in the post-apocalypse. Ginny has to look after her two brothers as they encounter biker gangs, mutant cannibals, and sketchy uncles. It’s the humor and warmth that got me with this one, and that makes it all the more tense when this family runs into danger.