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morganjanedavis's Reviews (396)
Sex Cult Nun outlines Faith Jones’ account in the Children of God cult, initially led by her grandfather and father. Faith recounts grooming, sexual assault, religion as a scapegoat, etc.
I hardly ever include TW’s but this book is a must: grooming, sexual assault, incest, sexual coercion, rape, pedophilia, sexism, religious trauma to the highest power
I really wish I knew how to properly convey my feelings about this book. Jones endured events that would absolutely break my brain and leave me a shell of a human. The manipulation and sexual assault/grooming at the hands of family members is descriptive and gut wrenching. I want to preface this next statement with this: I do not condone victim blaming or judging how someone else deals with their trauma. WITH THAT BEING SAID, the way Jones outlines most of the events depicted is borderline clinical/done so with a happy go lucky demeanor. She states the facts, (mostly) doesn’t reflect on her feelings, and gives off an “it is what it is” energy surrounding the events. Along with this, she mentions that her parents always meant well and she knows they love her and always have. While this is HER experience and her journey is hers alone to deliver in the manner she chooses, I could definitely see this being harmful to readers who have survived similar traumas. As she ages, she does begin to critically think about the rape, moleststion, etc. that takes place but, it takes a while. There is also an absurd amount of excusing behaviors with “that’s just how the family operates”. It made my stomach hurt. Again, this is not the fault of the author but, I felt it was worth mentioning in case others were interested in the book.
If you’re looking for a documentary like account of Children of God and not a memoir that digs into the reflections of the aftermath of being in a cult as extreme as this maybe this is for you? Please note the narrator seems to have comfortably come to terms with the things that happened and has made peace with her abusers so…..if that’s something that’ll harm your psyche then this read isn’t worth!
I hardly ever include TW’s but this book is a must: grooming, sexual assault, incest, sexual coercion, rape, pedophilia, sexism, religious trauma to the highest power
I really wish I knew how to properly convey my feelings about this book. Jones endured events that would absolutely break my brain and leave me a shell of a human. The manipulation and sexual assault/grooming at the hands of family members is descriptive and gut wrenching. I want to preface this next statement with this: I do not condone victim blaming or judging how someone else deals with their trauma. WITH THAT BEING SAID, the way Jones outlines most of the events depicted is borderline clinical/done so with a happy go lucky demeanor. She states the facts, (mostly) doesn’t reflect on her feelings, and gives off an “it is what it is” energy surrounding the events. Along with this, she mentions that her parents always meant well and she knows they love her and always have. While this is HER experience and her journey is hers alone to deliver in the manner she chooses, I could definitely see this being harmful to readers who have survived similar traumas. As she ages, she does begin to critically think about the rape, moleststion, etc. that takes place but, it takes a while. There is also an absurd amount of excusing behaviors with “that’s just how the family operates”. It made my stomach hurt. Again, this is not the fault of the author but, I felt it was worth mentioning in case others were interested in the book.
If you’re looking for a documentary like account of Children of God and not a memoir that digs into the reflections of the aftermath of being in a cult as extreme as this maybe this is for you? Please note the narrator seems to have comfortably come to terms with the things that happened and has made peace with her abusers so…..if that’s something that’ll harm your psyche then this read isn’t worth!
The town of Samhattan is plagued. Shhhh. Quiet your thoughts. Don’t think about it. Push it down. If you think about her, she will come. Decked in denim from head to toe, the smell of booze and cigs trailing behind her. Hulking 7-foot frame, blue painted-over face. Stop thinking about her. Do you smell that? Is she already here? Stop. Whatever you do,
Per my 2nd grade students:
“I like it because it’s rlly so crazy, aunt is rlly scared of everything”
“Needs more turtles but is still good”
“Their house fell into the sea, how did they even get out of that?”
AND
“Death by leeches is very awful…cool to read though”
“I like it because it’s rlly so crazy, aunt is rlly scared of everything”
“Needs more turtles but is still good”
“Their house fell into the sea, how did they even get out of that?”
AND
“Death by leeches is very awful…cool to read though”
Over time, she's transformed. Slowly shedding any semblance of who she used to be, morphing into what she knows she's meant to be. Who she should be, not for herself but for him. Girl forged from dirt. Lilith.
Animals Eat Each Other follows an initially unnamed narrator (eventually dubbed Lilith) through the early 2000's as she recounts her year long three-way relationship with Satanist, Matt and his long term girlfriend Frankie. Obsessive behaviors and consistent longing for attention nourish L's deterioration of her sense of self, creating an unsettling environment that highlights the lengths she's willing to go to feed her fixation.
Darker than I anticipated, Animals Eat Each Other is a deep dive into the psyche of someone who will destroy themselves in order to feel thought of, loved, cared for, cherished. Lilith's total disregard for herself in order to seek attention to fill the void left from childhood trauma and neglect was bleak yet so entertaining. I love her. The fact that Matt was who she chose to obsess over was almost infuriating but it was so ridiculous that I bought into it quickly. Matt is an absolute loser and the fact that he is 26, Lilith is 18, and Frankie is 17 (and the mother of his child !!??) only confirms this. While the novel creates and consistently holds a moodiness throughout, I wish there was more of an arc in the plot (it is only 121 pages but...still), as the last 40% was more anticlimactic than the rest of the novel suggests. An easy 4 stars, read for a needy, moody moment.
P.S.: This book was built for the Lana Del Rey baddies. If you were ever a Lana stan/Born to Die dropped during your formative years/Elizabeth Grant has EVER had you in a chokehold at ANY POINT IN TIME you will most likely enjoy this book. I finished it 3 days ago and I've been bumping Born to Die, Ultraviolence, and NFR albums almost exclusively since :-)
Animals Eat Each Other follows an initially unnamed narrator (eventually dubbed Lilith) through the early 2000's as she recounts her year long three-way relationship with Satanist, Matt and his long term girlfriend Frankie. Obsessive behaviors and consistent longing for attention nourish L's deterioration of her sense of self, creating an unsettling environment that highlights the lengths she's willing to go to feed her fixation.
Darker than I anticipated, Animals Eat Each Other is a deep dive into the psyche of someone who will destroy themselves in order to feel thought of, loved, cared for, cherished. Lilith's total disregard for herself in order to seek attention to fill the void left from childhood trauma and neglect was bleak yet so entertaining. I love her. The fact that Matt was who she chose to obsess over was almost infuriating but it was so ridiculous that I bought into it quickly. Matt is an absolute loser and the fact that he is 26, Lilith is 18, and Frankie is 17 (and the mother of his child !!??) only confirms this. While the novel creates and consistently holds a moodiness throughout, I wish there was more of an arc in the plot (it is only 121 pages but...still), as the last 40% was more anticlimactic than the rest of the novel suggests. An easy 4 stars, read for a needy, moody moment.
P.S.: This book was built for the Lana Del Rey baddies. If you were ever a Lana stan/Born to Die dropped during your formative years/Elizabeth Grant has EVER had you in a chokehold at ANY POINT IN TIME you will most likely enjoy this book. I finished it 3 days ago and I've been bumping Born to Die, Ultraviolence, and NFR albums almost exclusively since :-)
Yearbook details Seth Rogen's life through essays reflecting on true events, in no particular order. I listened to this one and it was funny AF, I felt more like I was listening to a podcast vs a book in the best way. Getting an inside look to the shows/films Seth was involved in was particularly interesting, especially famed through his comedic lens. I was taken aback by the anti-Semitism Seth has endured throughout his lifetime (in Hollywood especially) and how he handled these interactions. The full cast was fabulous, everyone did like the BEST job. Would recommend this to anyone who remotely enjoys Seth's brand of humor/him as a human.
Evelyn Hugo if the book had no direction and it was set in a fantasy world which was located in 1930’s old Hollywood?????
I like dark fantasy but this just wasn’t it. The plot was stagnant and juvenile. I did love Luli. She was scrappy and a gworl who did what she needed to do. Just wish she did MORE
I like dark fantasy but this just wasn’t it. The plot was stagnant and juvenile. I did love Luli. She was scrappy and a gworl who did what she needed to do. Just wish she did MORE
I expected a run-of-the-mill psycho child thriller that lives in the same vein as Baby Teeth and The Push. While I got elements of this, The First Day of Spring dives deeper, a character study, a redemption story outlining Chrissie’s past and present experiences in detail. The narrative moves through time, following Chrissie directly after she murders Steven and then again as an adult with her own child. The portions that outlined Chrissie childhood are fast-paced and full of woe, while the portions where she is a mother herself are more slow and mundane. The present feels eventless compared to her past. Tucker’s writing style is hypnotic, throughout portions that were uneventful I was still glued to the page.
Chrissie’s want to be visible to those around her is evident. The jealousy she feels for not having what other children have: love, stability, routine, food bubbles and oozes over until it’s too much for her to bear or control. She feels the need to inflict pain because she has been pained since birth. Chrissie’s story prompted me to reflect on the concept of nature vs. nurture. Will we ever be able to fully ascertain the notion that someone is born broken or shaped to be that way? Probably not. In Chrissie’s case it’s evident she was neglected so wholly, so fully this is what (mostly) led to her becoming a murderer at age 8.
Themes of unconditional love shine through the narrative unexpectedly, when Chrissie feels she least deserves it. These are brought to light through the unwavering loyalty of her childhood best friend, Linda, and from her daughter, Molly. Chrissie’s relationship with her daughter is multifaceted and my favorite portion of the novel. Tucker lays out Chrissie’s fear of failure for all to see: every minute must be filled, every safety precaution taken, every detail thought through so that there is no room for Chrissie to fail. She has to prove she isn’t a bad seed. She isn’t a bad seed.
The First Day of Spring is a fresh take on a classic horror/thriller trope. Read this if you’re in the mood for something dark, character driven, and pensive.
Chrissie’s want to be visible to those around her is evident. The jealousy she feels for not having what other children have: love, stability, routine, food bubbles and oozes over until it’s too much for her to bear or control. She feels the need to inflict pain because she has been pained since birth. Chrissie’s story prompted me to reflect on the concept of nature vs. nurture. Will we ever be able to fully ascertain the notion that someone is born broken or shaped to be that way? Probably not. In Chrissie’s case it’s evident she was neglected so wholly, so fully this is what (mostly) led to her becoming a murderer at age 8.
Themes of unconditional love shine through the narrative unexpectedly, when Chrissie feels she least deserves it. These are brought to light through the unwavering loyalty of her childhood best friend, Linda, and from her daughter, Molly. Chrissie’s relationship with her daughter is multifaceted and my favorite portion of the novel. Tucker lays out Chrissie’s fear of failure for all to see: every minute must be filled, every safety precaution taken, every detail thought through so that there is no room for Chrissie to fail. She has to prove she isn’t a bad seed. She isn’t a bad seed.
The First Day of Spring is a fresh take on a classic horror/thriller trope. Read this if you’re in the mood for something dark, character driven, and pensive.
Penny is deteriorating. She's having trouble getting around her apartment she once shared with her partner, everyday tasks are becoming large feats to complete. Clutter, unfinished paintings, small "reminder" notes litter her space. She simply can't keep up. Her body is failing her. Her since deceased partner knew this would happen. He's taken care of things, ensured Penny would be looked after. Penny is sent to be part of a community at Six Cedars and initially it's nice. Meals, activities, conversation with people her age sharing different experiences is worlds different from her solitary life in the city. Camaraderie is formed, she enjoys this. Until things begin to feel off. Penny can't quite pinpoint it but something, just isn't right. Days shouldn't mesh together as easily as they do at Six Cedars. It just doesn't feel natural. It isn't natural.
Wowowowowow. Disturbing, obscure, and unsettling themes hit the ground running fast in We Spread and never let up the pace. Reid has a way of flawlessly creating a heavy atmosphere in which the reader may not know all the facts but, they know it can't be good. Throughout Penny's experiences at Six Cedars, the shift from enjoyable to uncomfortable is unnerving due to the fact that this happens through minute occurrences. Small, slow, steady shifts. While We Spread does have shocking solid plot points, that wasn't what made the book what it is. The feeling of conspiracy and secret systems put into place gives the story its unique energy. The bubble on this distorted reality never quite pops, and that's okay. It doesn't matter. Whatever is going on, you know it's not good.
If you enjoy a24 horror, this would probably be a good fit for you.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this title!
Wowowowowow. Disturbing, obscure, and unsettling themes hit the ground running fast in We Spread and never let up the pace. Reid has a way of flawlessly creating a heavy atmosphere in which the reader may not know all the facts but, they know it can't be good. Throughout Penny's experiences at Six Cedars, the shift from enjoyable to uncomfortable is unnerving due to the fact that this happens through minute occurrences. Small, slow, steady shifts. While We Spread does have shocking solid plot points, that wasn't what made the book what it is. The feeling of conspiracy and secret systems put into place gives the story its unique energy. The bubble on this distorted reality never quite pops, and that's okay. It doesn't matter. Whatever is going on, you know it's not good.
If you enjoy a24 horror, this would probably be a good fit for you.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this title!
Not a want in the world and a successful husband to go along with it. Angela is thriving. Until she makes comments. Tells her husband what she REALLY wants. Things start to fall apart, and quickly. Angela falls into a universe she never knew existed. She's scared, uncomfortable, confused. Is this what she wants? Should she fight to get things back to how they were or let her new reality swallow her up, turning her into something she never knew she could be..?
Waif outlines Angela's collective experiences with men in a heartbreakingly horrific manner through stunning prose. There are multiple highlight-able passages that shed light on the realities of a woman living in a world built for men: constant objectification, abuse, rape.
Waif took me by surprise. I thought I was going to fall into a story about a woman's dedication to man. Initially, the center of Angela's universe was men. Every thought, idea, or desire expressed was androcentric. Altering goals, aspirations, physical features, HERSELF in order to become the man's set idea of woman. Albeit unconventional, Angela is able to take control of her life in a way that she never dreamed of doing a few short weeks before. She's able to reconnect with a part of herself she thought she lost, "wasn't her", had buried, burned, forgotten, gotten
Waif outlines Angela's collective experiences with men in a heartbreakingly horrific manner through stunning prose. There are multiple highlight-able passages that shed light on the realities of a woman living in a world built for men: constant objectification, abuse, rape.
Waif took me by surprise. I thought I was going to fall into a story about a woman's dedication to man. Initially, the center of Angela's universe was men. Every thought, idea, or desire expressed was androcentric. Altering goals, aspirations, physical features, HERSELF in order to become the man's set idea of woman. Albeit unconventional, Angela is able to take control of her life in a way that she never dreamed of doing a few short weeks before. She's able to reconnect with a part of herself she thought she lost, "wasn't her", had buried, burned, forgotten, gotten
