slimepuppy's reviews
121 reviews

2.5/3.0

Very disappointed in this one after loving The Return. At least it was another quick read, I guess.

This book made me realise how much of a bitter bitch I am - because pretty much every time the main character tried to control herself I was thinking "girl, don't you just wanna go apeshit?" Oh, your mother refuses to take responsibility or apologize for the shit she put you through? And you're forgiving her? And keeping her in your life? Alright then...

Your sister manipulated you into moving back in with her and you're just sweeping it under the rug? OK...

Don't even get me started on the romance subplot, which ended up being such an integral part of the story. Childhood sweethearts to lovers really isn't my thing and Ian failed to become interesting. He's just the perfect dream boyfriend who's been waiting for you all along. It's boring, sorry!

This book is also just strangely heteronormative in a way that made my skin crawl several times while reading it. Rory is a party girl and a city girl, and all of Rory's family and friends want her to settle down with a nice man and go back to living in her hometown... and that's what she does! And Mia, the character that represents all of the parts of Rory that are shunned and rejected by society, that refuses to settle down, refuses to continue to be abused, is framed as monstrous and hysterical - but at the same time the book wants to talk about how "women aren't allowed to be mad". I guess that according to this book there is an acceptable level of mad you can be, and anything past that should be frowned upon and repressed? Weird!

Solid 4/4.5 stars for this one.

I devoured 85% of this book in January and then didn't read it for eight months so my thoughts are a bit... scrambled, though I must say that me not finishing it in a timely manner had a lot less to do with the book and more to do with me.

The book is good, if you loved the first one I'm pretty sure you'll love this one as well. The stakes are higher - a lot higher - and the characters all feel realistic enough, and watching them grow is delightful. I got emotional several times throughout the book, mostly from happiness for El.

Some things to do with the school itself made me confused, as in "why is the school suddenly so human-like", but it wasn't a big deal? Just go with the flow and you’ll have fun.

Oh, this one was a gut punch, simultaneously scary and so, so sad. The definitive "sometimes dead is better" book.

The body horror is genuinely disgusting and disturbing, and I'm not someone who is usually fazed by it. The beginning of the book builds such an oppressive atmosphere, you can't help but start to feel like Elise's growing paranoia is spreading to you, too.

The characters are complex, multidimensional and flawed while still retaining enough of a charm that shows why they're friends.

My only complaint really is the very ending of the book - I wish we got more of an exploration of everyone's feelings and a real conversation between the characters instead of them simply acknowledging that they do, in fact, have feelings - it doesn't really seem like things changed between the girls, even if they say it did.

Also wtf did the authorities do about the hotel L O L ?????? 

Nice collection of short stories - some great and some uh... not so much! Now for a short summary:

"Jerusalem's Lot" - god I love 'Salem's Lot

"Graveyard Shift"- this main character is batshit CRAZY 
  
"Night Surf" - meh

"I Am the Doorway"- this is gay body horror I won't hear otherwise
  
"The Mangler" - so cooky I kinda of love it
  
"The Boogeyman" - GREAT one
 
"Gray Matter" - I'm not scared of jello, sorry :/
 
"Battleground" - silly fun!

"Trucks" - transformers for people who hate cars. fun.
 
"Sometimes They Come Back" - it's  good! the ending is disheartening

"Strawberry Spring" - another GREAT one 
 
"The Ledge" - Creepshow did it better and they had Leslie Nielsen

"The Lawnmower Man" - Stephen King would like for you to know that he hates fat people. 4/10 for the Greek references.
 
"Quitters, Inc." - I chuckled.
 
"I Know What You Need" - so disturbing oh my god read this one!!!

"Children of the Corn" - I can't believe they made 11 movies out of this. it's a great story, but 11 movies?

"The Last Rung on the Ladder" - so tragic and so so sad 

"The Man Who Loved Flowers" - cheap. could see that coming from a mile away
 
"One for the Road" - I! LOVE! 'SALEM'S LOT!! first story was better though.
 
"The Woman in the Room" - I teared up a little at the end there lol

Louis was a poor meow meow before the term was ever invented and I think that's beautiful.

I don't know how Anne Rice made such a pathetic, wet noodle of  man deliver some of theee most floor shaterring observations ever known to man, but she fucking did it!!! Every time Louis starts to talk about evil I sit my ass down and listen to him.

But also Louis is so so lame. The first man to ever be baby trapped by another man, and he just keeps failing upwards. C'mon Louis! Eat some people! Fuck the blonde bitch! Adopt some more demonic children! I'm sure it'll all work out in the end.

This book is a beautiful classic and everyone who's a fan of horror should read it because Louis' capture (and the entire Paris arc) in the end gave me anxiety. Also Anne Rice's vampires are super cool and evil when they aren't crying about how catholic they are. Were.

I predicted the plot twist 70% in, but it was still a funny, charming read. The final confrontation was so bittersweet and I'll be thinking about it for days.

Great characters, engaging mystery, supbar pacing and a baffling portrayal of poverty.