Parris

This book did so little for me and i'm really surprised at how popular it is. If you want to read a book where characters are not really living, thinking individuals but merely mouthpieces for the author to spout 2deep4me one liners, this book is for you! Really boring, heavy handed writing. Not for me.

Yeah that's a 5-star if I've ever read one. Maybe it's because i'm not a huge science fiction reader, but this was so unlike anything I've ever read before. No matter how much things started getting more and more fantastical each chapter, I never once had the chance to think “yeah this would never happen” but found myself instead thinking “why couldn't this happen? I want this to be possible!!”

Incredible read. Really really enjoyed this one.

Yeah, I get it. And it's definitely working for me!

Somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4. The writing was good and the story was captivating. About half way through I realized that this wasn't going to be a murder mystery that I should try to solve, but that I should just buckle up and enjoy the ride.

I also really appreciate that each character was pretty distinct and had clear personalities, flaws, motivations. People felt real, and everyone is just making do with the shitty cards they've been given.

Would read a book from this author again!

It was OK. Some parts dragged.

This was just too cute. No trauma, no prolonged misunderstandings, just a really sweet story about a guy who finds out that his one-sided love had never been all that one-sided!

My enjoyment of this book started moderately high and then just completely plummeted as I continued.

I dunno what bugged me more - the unrealistic dialogue as people spoke purely just to drag the plot forward? Long descriptions of objects or side thoughts that had no relevancy? Plot bandaids that only existed to explain completely farfetched plot points away to keep the story flimsily held together?

I don't recommend. I finished it, but I did not enjoy 2/3s of this book.

Oh, and somehow the author touched on racism, drugs, class, gender in the most superficial way. Like dipping your toes in at the beach and then just getting up and calling it a day.

Nothing more terrifying than going on vacation together with the fam!

This book was an absolute treat.

Coates does such an amazing job at setting the scene and building this small, creepy little town with its superstitious maybe serial killer/maybe monster plot. I was so invested to the small seeds planted as Abby and her friends slowly start figuring out what's happening.

There are three different chapters throughout the book that are essentially lore dumps: Three side characters sot down and tell their experience in relation to this mystery to the main characters. And let me tell you... the way I would get excited and whip out my metaphorical bag of popcorn for these chapters!! Each time I was like “let's gooooo!!!”

Extremely fast plot, fast page turning, twists and turns where I really couldn't pin down how this was going to end... it was such a ride! I will admit, this is the second Coates book i've read where the final climax and conclusion kind of happen within the last 50 pages, but this time I felt more-so that the ending was satisfying and wrapped things up without overstaying it's welcome.

Def reading more books by this author!

Loved the writing style. Plot was something new and fresh, and the story just kept getting weirder and wilder. After the big secret is revealed the book loses some steam, and the ending is a little anti-climatic, but the ride there was pretty fun.

I feel like real horror in this book was fragile and toxic masculinity, and buying really fucking expensive tools at home depot.

I liked the writing and I liked the idea of the plot. But good lord the pacing of this book is atrocious.

40% of this book is a woman running in circles away from evil things to only bump into more. Coates could have taken at LEAST 100 pages of that and put it towards the conclusion, instead of somehow wrapping up everything neatly with a bow in like the last 5% of the book. Also, the last-minute “sorry and thank you” trump card? Comical!!

It took a while to get used to the stream-of-consciousness writing, but once I did it was a quick, enthralling read. I think there were about 4 scenes where I physically felt sick reading, which goes to show the mastery of Melchor's writing.

Though the book definitely focuses on the absolutely traumatic sexual and physical violence that Mexican women and lgbtq individuals face, it does not prematurely stop there and fully covers the suffering and pain riddled life of every person featured.

Would read another book by Melchor!

The book is a bit boring, and I couldn't care less about any of the characters. Both the horror elements of the actual story and the supposed biting commentary on horror media consumption fell beyond flat. If you're reading this and want to DNF, I'd say do it.

I knew this would be a 5/5 from the very first couple of chapters. What a ride!! Turns out I can't get enough of Wendig's work!

This book merged the supernatural, sublime body horror, and the most terrifying thing of all, humans' ability to be pieces of shit, seamlessly together in a way that was just so riveting. I couldn't put the book down!

Apples! An insanely terrifying story revolving around apples!! Wendig you mad man.

The good: Story wraps up, all loose ends wrap up, easy to read, satisfying conclusion
The bad: Literally everything to do with David, the b-side story of the corrupt politician that goes literally nowhere, lack of screen time and development for any of Stevie's friend group

I'm very whelmed.

It was OK. Not as many surprises this time around as you kinda figure it yourself due to the book giving very liberal clues (or just straight up telling you the mysteries).

Still not a fan of the romance aspects, but I do like Stevie and her friend group. The setting is still whimsical. The plot moves fast. I'll give the final book a go but i'm prepared to be perfectly whelmed.

Consider my interest mildly piqued with that cliffhanger of an ending.

The book did the mystery elements well, slowly introducing different characters and plot points. The romance aspects did absolutely nothing for me. I also feel like nothing really happened in the last third of the book until like the last 20 pages and then we get the supposed culprit and confession so easily, I dunno.

I'll give the 2nd book a go.

This was great! And probably the oldest book I've ever read! The setting and character writing was fantastic, and even though I saw some of the twists coming, I overlooked some of the bigger plot points which kept things surprising and fun. Would absolutely recommend.

This feels even younger than YA, if that makes sense. The book's biggest sin is being utterly boring. Nothing happens, it's like slice of life but with no pay off. This was so not for me.

The first half was 5 stars for SURE and then the last half kinda overstayed its welcome with like 4 back-to-back sex scenes and a weird non-conflict conflict. Also the character growth for Landon is a bit dubious and not really deserved imo.

Overall it's a fun quick read but nothing much deeper than that!

I dunno it was OK. The buildup to misunderstanding takes 90% of the book and you only get to bask in the payoff for like the last 20 pages, which kinda sucks!

Really great until the super contrived misunderstanding thing happens, where the book really loses steam to play its final conflict/conflict resolution arc. While characters are allowed to make mistakes (we are all human), I felt all rational thought and character development progress was THROWN OUT THE WINDOW to add another 150 pages.

That being said, would absolutely read another book by this author.

This book kept drawing me in until the very end. Really, really strong characters and a chance to think about what makes us who we are, faults, insecurities and all.

When the fuck boy ends up home boy. A fun page turner where you don't really need to think that hard. Minus one star for the predictable and overly perfect ending, but that could very well be the 5th star for someone else :)

Picked this up for the catchy synopsis and it was pretty good! I would be down to read another book by this author :)