the_broadway_slasher's reviews
53 reviews

Goblin: A Novel in Six Novellas by Josh Malerman

4.0

Goblin is an enthralling collection of short stories that connect to tell a larger story about a mysterious and evil town. I really enjoyed each of the vignettes of Goblin, even if the bigger picture didn’t fully pay off. Overall, this book is all about building a tense atmosphere that will leave you questioning who your neighbors might be.

Revival by Stephen King

3.0

Not my favorite Stephen King book, but Revival definitely contains some memorable imagery and ideas. Charles Jacobs might be one of Stephen King’s most memorable villains, which is saying something, considering how many iconic antagonists he’s written over the years. That being said, Revival feels like an I introductory chapter into something bigger. Ultimately, the book left me wanting more. It felt like King started this out in hopes that he’d write another epic novel like The Stand and got too tired halfway through and decided to end it sooner without fully fleshing out his ideas.

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

3.75

Really enjoyed The Hacienda. The writing was exquisite and I found myself devouring chapters pretty quickly. My only complaint is that the ending seems to have fizzled after an incredible build and I just wish it finished with a bigger bang. Still, a great read for lovers of gothic romanticism, ghost stories and Mexican history!

The Dead Zone by Stephen King

5.0

One of my favorite King books! Such great storytelling and world building. I love that at first, King seems to give us an unrelated series of vignettes that beautifully come together in the last 70 pages. In hindsight, The Dead Zone was like unboxing a puzzle for the first time; every piece is there, but it doesn’t all add up until the final pieces come together. Brilliant!

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

4.0

Fantastic memoir. I love that Britney’s voice came through loud and clear. A lot of this was not new information to me, as a Britney Spears die-hard, lifelong fan but seeing her confirm a lot of our suspicions was heartbreaking. This woman deserves so much justice and so many apologies. I hope she gets it all. The Woman In Me was an easy, breezy read. I had to stop myself from finishing it in one sitting. My only complaint is that sometimes it rushes through things too quickly and I would have loved a little more insight into her creative process from the non-conservatorship years. Otherwise, wow.. what a powerful read. So grateful Britney wanted to share this all with us and grateful she’s embarked on a healing process.

Taking Shape: Developing Halloween From Script to Scream by Dustin McNeill, Travis Mullins

5.0

Taking Shape is a must read for all fans of the Halloween franchise. It was a fascinating deep dive into the history of every single movie from the original through the 2018 legacy sequel. It features interviews with creatives from every movie and some great insights into a lot of the challenges that gone into shaping this iconic franchise. Can’t wait to read the sequel!

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen

5.0

Lavender House is one of my favorite reads of all time. The author weaves a beautiful tapestry of characters that instantly drew me into the mystery. Fantastic queer representation all around and satisfying payoff. My favorite quality of this book is how the author is able to weave the more campy elements with sobering queer history. I had to stop myself from reading Lavender House in one sitting so I could take it all in and slowly enjoy it. Instantly pre-ordered the sequel and I hope to be reading Evander Mills novels for the rest of my life.

Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass

5.0

Wow. Your Lonely Nights Are Over is my favorite book of the year. Adam Sass’ writing style is so cinematic that you will gobble this story up in 1-2 sittings like you’re watching a movie. The book’s been described as Scream meets Clueless, which is an accurate description but it’s so much more than that. The theme of Queer resilience is strongly present throughout this novel and in my eyes, that’s what really sets it apart. Cole and Dearie are the ultímate “final girls” and i loved getting to peak into their refreshingly authentic friendship. The Sandman is a formidable villain and there were several times throughout where I let out a gasp, a scream, or a giggle.

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

5.0

Do you ever feel like you read a book and it’s unlocked the tightest and most secret chambers of your soul? Juliet Takes a Breath has done that for me. I am in awe of Gabby Rivera and here once in a lifetime, authentic author’s voice. This book felt like it was written with chunks of my life as the basis and I enjoyed every single second of it. It was funny, relatable, educational and soooo thought provoking! I found myself relating to Juliet on so many levels and her journey of empowerment was exactly what I needed to read in this moment. Beautifully done!

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

5.0

I bought Mister Magic because it sounded like a fun spin on Stephen King’s IT but it was so much more than that. For starters, the story of Mister Magic and the television show our group of protagonists were involved in as children instantly pulled me in and motivated me to try and read faster and faster so I could dig into the mystery at hand. The characters were richly written and many of them reminded me of my friends. I love that there were queer characters in the book who just existed and weren’t queer for the sake of a tired old queer storyline. Now… let’s talk about the third act. WOW. This is really where the book sets itself apart from comparisons to IT, as that book famously flubs its finale. Kiersten White writes one of the best finales I’ve ever read in any book, ever. Just when I found myself down to about 30 pages, I began wondering how she was going to wrap so many things up in such few pages but wow… I was truly blown away by how she was able to bring everything full circle and take the narrative beyond everything she’d established leading up to it. Incredible! Can’t recommend this darkly beautiful tale of friendship and childhood enough.