rickjones's Reviews (1.66k)

At the End of Every Day is a perplexing disappointment. Over half the book builds up a world and a mystery that unfolds too quickly and doesn't deliver. Despite the walls of exposition describing the park, I felt untethered from what was happening and unable to envision many scenes. Much of the book feels nonsensical even after it ends, and I found myself wondering if the author went into this project wanting to lead up to huge and shocking twists, without a solid idea for what they would be. I only recommend this book to those who are really into Disneyland, or don't mind when a book's secrets stay difficult to comprehend.

Camp Damascus is an eerie and creative response to the evil roots of gay conversion efforts. While I enjoyed Tingle's unique portrayal of demonic and psychological horrors, I felt that characterization of the leading characters was almost an afterthought. The almost stereotypical portrayal of Rose's autism and the too-quickly wrapped up plot points and ending soured the book for me. It's difficult to even remember my other criticisms months after having read the book, because it wasn't altogether memorable. This is a title that easily could have soared, if certain elements were leaned into more. 

Shark Trouble is an interesting look at the culture surrounding sharks during and after the height of Jaws frenzy. I have never had any interest in reading or watching Jaws, yet Benchley's antidotes of his interactions with sharks in his well-meaning but dangerous outings give perspective on how desperate he and his colleges felt in their plight to change the minds of humans. This book is largely outdated with today's advances in shark science and understanding of conservation, and is mostly useful in understanding Benchley as a writer-turned-activist. Although many of the chapters feel disorganized, they are consistently entertaining, and provide a nuanced perspective of man's fear and fondness of an often misunderstood animal.  

The stories held within Cursed Bunny are blisteringly cruel and terribly beautiful. They are horrors, myths and fairytales that reflect the sharp teeth of grief and the scars of survival. I have never read anything quite like these stories and could never imagine one similar to them if I tried. Chung is a brilliant writer and inventor of fables, and I look forward to reading more of her work. 

I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself is a fantastical argument against the rise of right-wing fascism and the surveillance state. While many details in Kris' world don't entirely make sense, that reads as part of the point Crane is trying to make. A world that stalks people without reprieve for their security, which marks a baby the moment they're born to enhance safety, is nonsense. Yet this is the world we are moving towards, and some may argue, that we already live in. Kris speaks to us with a lyrical voice that relays her grief, her guilt, her frustration, and her terror, all while attempting to raise a helpless infant alone in a world that already hates her. She protects the kid by adhering to the rules of her society, up until those rules inevitably endanger her daughter and provide no alternative but to rebel. This is a novel with a resounding voice, and one that somberly criticizes our time. 

Silver Nitrate is a wicked novel that is most rewarding in its exploration of a devoted friendship. At times I felt the book was a little slow, but I was always excited to return to it because of how quickly Montserrat and Tristán endeared themselves to me. Other reviewers are correct in observing that the novel is swollen with exposition. Yet I enjoyed learning more about this world's fictional film history, technical details and all. This is a novel to fall into, and accept that the journey with its characters is more valuable than where they end up. 

Burn the Negative is an exciting, if not overplayed, thriller and tribute to well-known horror films. I thought the book was consistently engaging but jarringly plotted. The characters sparked from one scene to another without much reason to them, which Laura eeriely noted felt like following preexisting plot notes herself. Though twisty, the end of the story is one we've seen a thousand times

where the repressed and traumatized character hurts others with little memory of having done so, and ultimately develops a system of denial and sociopathy to continue on

. The final chapter of the book results in an ending where the taste of Laura's vengeance is more satisfyingly bloody than sensational, but the book still left me feeling singed. 

I think this book is a wonderful, if imperfect, resource for trauma survivors who are motivated in their recovery and able to face the reality of their pain. It would be great to see an updated edition with more current citations and research since this edition has reached its tenth birthday. This is the primary reason for my star rating, as I encourage people to read recent texts when it comes to health. 

However, this book was extremely helpful for me once I was ready to read it and absorb what it had to say. Some survivors who are very deep in their processes of denial and dissociation may need to read the book at a slow pace or come back to it once they have made more leeway in their recovery. I took almost a year to read the book for this reason. Yet once I was ready, it was simple to see myself in the manifestations that Mr. Walker described and presented alternatives to. I feel that the book has grounded me somewhat, and made my trauma easier to understand and therefore able to integrate with my sense of self without allowing it to reign over me. The inclusion of toolkits at the end of the book is especially helpful for people who need immediate relief from their flashbacks, or for readers who wish to reflect on the primary lessons of the book. Since there are more recent books published on this subject I'm not sure this is the greatest one to recommend, although I did find it helpful myself. 

Smile Beach Murder is an entertaining mystery with just the right amount of emotional heft. I enjoyed getting to know Callie and her neighbors on Cattail Island, and found the secrets she uncovered riveting. Bender imbues the story with culture and history for the characters and their island, making it a place it feels like you could touch on an Outer Banks map. Thanks to this, Callie's sometimes aimless investigations never felt pointless or dull. I accidentally read the sequel to this book, Murder On Mustang Beach, first, so I already know it's just as engaging. I look forward to reading future installments in the series and learning more about Cattail!

While Bender is undeniably talented at envisioning imaginative scenerios, I didn't see the point to most of these stories and had trouble staying engaged with them. This was opposite to the experience I had reading The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake which spoke to emotions I was undergoing at that time of my life and felt very meaningful. Bender excels at portraying individuals and their worlds with detail, yet these stories felt unmoored and sometimes listless as they continued on. However, I did feel that Tiger Mending and The Color Master stood out in the collection and were worth reading.