spookymidwesternreader's reviews
385 reviews

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This book stressed me out so badly, which was the goal. Somehow though, I was constantly on the verge of a panic attack, without ever actually reaching one though because the pace in certain sections dragged and I felt like it wasn't worth the anxiety. 

Carrie by Stephen King

dark sad 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

5.0

Committing a terrible reader's sin, I always put off reading this one because of how often I've watched the movie over the years but I absolutely regret waiting. I didn't realize how many layers to this story I was missing. The depth of Mrs. White's religious oppression, Carrie's realization of normalcy and her desperation to understand herself and overcome her ignorance, the overt fear of women's bodies, all these things hit so much harder and I was left near tears in certain parts. The prom massacre was even more horrific. The most shocking aspect is how much King was able to fit in the book, particularly given it's status as one of his shorter novels. 

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book captured the slow rage of womanhood so well, I can't stop thinking about it. Nor will I ever eat grapes again without imagining eyeballs. Easily one of my top reads this years and I can't wait to read it again, this time truly savoring every bite.

The Sluts by Dennis Cooper

challenging dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was weird and gross and graphic and violent and I loved it. I had no idea who was what and what was happening for most of the book but in the most addictive way. It was such a fast read. I couldn't put it down.

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

The premise was so intriguing and the structure was refreshing. Other Mommy genuinely freaked me out several times. What knocked this one down for me was that I felt like it came out of the gate swinging, jumping right into the scares, but didn't escalate for much of the plot. By the time we were reaching the climax, it didn't feel like we had that far to go reach the peak. Ultimately, the resolution for me was a bit of a letdown.

It felt like we went through so much and the answer was "tell your weird secrets and kill her childhood innocence" but with no real reason why that would be the solution. Extra spoiler-y spoiler: All that and it didn't solve the problem!

Cupid in Bondage by Wrath James White

dark emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

First, my star rating system is entirely, arbitrarily based on vibes.
Second, I loved these stories and these poems, even if I felt that some could have been written better. I still loved them. I felt seen by a couple, fell in love with some and felt meh about others. That's the hard part about rating a collection of short stories and poems. 
The worst part about the whole thing for me, personally, was the Daddy/Baby Girl kink usage. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it being used, in the book or in the scene, it's just one of those things that pulls me out the experience so it affected how well I could connect with some of the stories and therefore the vibes of my stars.

You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

This book left me absolutely perplexed and I'm not even sure if I actually liked it, but I enjoyed the experience. Since my star system is entirely arbitrarily based on vibes, that's the vibe I got. I know what happened in this book and I don't know what happened in this book. I would love some answers, but I also feel like answers would ruin the vibe. It's like Schrodinger's book. It's perfect as it is/It's frustrating and confusing. I loved it/I didn't like it. I don't know but it was an experience and the vibes were great. 

I'm Not Sam by Jack Ketchum, Lucky McKee

challenging dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I went into this one with such different expectations than what it really was. I had put it off a few times because of what my expectations were and I'm really glad that I just decided screw it and went into it. It was weird and I didn't expect to feel any sympathy for Patrick but I surprised myself by feeling it, right up until I started to question his rationale for certain decisions (for example:

not taking Sam/Lily to the therapist and then obviously the decision to have sex with Lily, even with the vagueness around whether he really thought Sam was back

)
I really appreciated the short story Who's Lily? being included in the book. I felt it really added to both the overall story arc as well as wonderfully muddied any perceptions I had at the end of I'm Not Sam.

Gone to See the River Man by Kristopher Triana

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really wanted to like this one more than I did. Horrible people doing horrible things is typically my jam. I love reading books where a character (or characters) can just be the worst kind of person imaginable and seeing the wreckage they cause. Because it's fun in fiction. The problem I had with this one was not the characters but the quest. I could not find a reason to care if she saw this quest through. I enjoyed enough of it but not enough to read the sequel.

Devil's Creek by Todd Keisling

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I was hooked on this book from that opening scene: a group of armed grandparents with nothing left to lose driving to what could be their deaths to save their grandchildren from the cult they led their families into. Holy hell, what a way to start. And it only gets better from there. Jumping ahead 30 years, the town is as much a character as the cult's surviving children, now adults who think the past is behind them. It's gothic, it's folk, it's return home to evil, it's even got a touch of coming of age, it's gross, it's heartwarming. It's everything I want in a horror novel.