finished
Exhaustively (exhaustingly) detailed review of a paranormal investigation from interbellum London. Weird book, it draws you in with all these seemingly supernatural happenings, and all the while you're like, "But she's faking, right? This is clearly fake?!" I guess I won't spoil it. It's from a real life report of an actual haunting.
Recommended if you like:
finished
I wanted to dig a little deeper into some of the issues I care about. Rather than watching hypey 20 minute videos on Youtube, why don't I get a book out about e.g. the housing crisis in the UK? So I did that.
Mohamed's writing is clear and damning: political failures across the board have created this crisis and let it fester. This isn't about Thatcher (although it's also about Thatcher), it's about a system that has failed at every opportunity to plan for the future. A Home of One's Own is a fairly quick read, but it touches on the major forces contributing to the lack of affordable, quality housing: the selling of council housing, nimbyism, foreign investment, a planning system that's not fit for purpose. Ultimately, it's conflicts of interest that keep this crisis unsolved: the powerful own houses, and benefit from the fact that others do not.
It deepened my understanding, although it's light on solutions or, you know, hope.
Everything needs to change. Political will is in short supply.
Gift this book to your parents or grandparents who don't understand.
finished
Delightful, camp murder comedy about a young man on his way to super stardom who just keeps getting put into situations where he unfortunately has to murder other men. Woe is he.
The character is a lot more sympathetic than I would have guessed from the premise, he's more of a lovable idiot than a magnificent bastard. It's sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, but the story is saved from nihilism by the character's enduring love for a YA summer romance.
Best read of the year so far. (Yes, it's mid January, but still.)
Recommended if you like:
finished
One of my top reads of the year, but it’s hard to explain why. The story is about a complex family trying to form: a detransitioned trans woman gets his boss pregnant and is asking his ex (a transwoman) to join them and be the second mother to the baby.
Most of the book is actually the character’s back stories, how they got to be who they are and why this crazy premise actually makes a kind of sense, maybe. It’s very queer, it’s funny and sad and hopeful without sanding down the rough edges.
I don’t identify as trans but reading this I felt closer to understanding trans experiences than an educational text could ever managed. And I value it deeply for that.
Recommended if you like:
finished
Ooh, #metoo fiction with some nuance and room for interpretation? In this timeline?
This is a novella about a Bad Man that asks: but how bad? Where is the line and when did he cross it?
Reading other reviews I can see they are all over the place. From sympathy for the Bad Man character to full throw-away-the-key condemnation. I think it’s a good book, it’s well written and I feel like I’m better for having read it.
Recommended if you like:
finished
I was strongly recommended this and after trying to read it I didn’t want to ask why.
If I’m going to read a book with this much sadomasochistic sex, I’d like it if anyone was actually enjoying themselves.
Recommended if you like:
finished
I was new to Chuck Tingle, who also has a very sexy fiction podcast where his erotic stories are read by the people of Welcome to Nightvale (get that where-ever you get your podcasts). He’s good. I liked it. Blazed through it on a roadtrip.
Bury your Gays is a very enjoyable, madcap Hollywood horror about the future of entertainment in the age of AI, being out, artistic integrity and the ghosts of the past. Well plotted, great cast, satisfying ending. No notes.
Recommended if you like: