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ClareR (6238 KP) rated The Hungry Dark in Books

May 28, 2025  
The Hungry Dark
The Hungry Dark
Jen Williams | 2024 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Horror, Paranormal, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Hungry Dark definitely has a spooky undercurrent - although I have to admit that I actually thought that it was going to be about a scam psychic. I was half right. The MC, Ashley, CAN see dead people, but I don’t think they give her anything useful to go by (not easily understood, anyway).

Ashley’s ghosts, the Heedful Ones, have a history of letting her know when something bad is going to happen, but they’ve been quiet/ not visible in recent times. But that’s about to change.

I did have to keep reminding myself that Ashley was a 30 year old and not a child, but her father is extremely controlling and coercive. He’s thoroughly unpleasant. Her brother makes himself unavailable, and has escaped to some degree, and her mother is clearly damaged in some way. My favourite character is probably Ashley’s best friend, and that only developed as the story went on and her true colours started to show.

This is enjoyably spooky, frustrating and takes some unexpected turns! The flashbacks are helpful in developing the story, and explain a lot of Ashley’s reasons for doing what she does. And an eerie, big old house will always be a winning addition to a ghost story! If you like thrillers with a side order of ghosts, then this will definitely appeal to you.
  
Lock Every Door
Lock Every Door
Riley Sager | 2019 | Thriller
6
8.0 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
78 of 220
Kindle
Lock Every Door
By Riley Sager
⭐️⭐️⭐️

No visitors. No nights spent elsewhere. No disturbing the rich and famous residents. These are the rules for Jules Larsen’s new job apartment sitting at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile buildings. Recently heartbroken—and just plain broke—Jules is taken in by the splendor and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
 
As she gets to know the occupants and staff, Jules is drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who reminds her so much of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew has a dark history hidden beneath its gleaming façade, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day when Ingrid seemingly vanishes.
 
Searching for the truth, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s sordid past. But by uncovering the secrets within its walls, Jules exposes herself to untold terrors. Because once you’re in, the Bartholomew doesn’t want you to leave....

This was good and one of those that keeps you thinking is it supernatural or something more sinister and what’s more sinister than human beings being dark and twisted? All through this though I couldn’t help but feel I’d read something similar which did distract me a little. But it was a decent read.
  
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Lou Grande (148 KP) created a post in LGBTQ+ Media

Jul 5, 2018  
So, Scarlett Johansson has been cast as a trans man in an upcoming film, and some people are a little outraged at both her casting and the way she handled the backlash (which was to say "Tell them that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman's reps for comment").

I'm a trans guy, and I get it. The goal of any movie is to make money, and Johansson is bankable. I think the way she handled it lacks a bit of class, but again, she's sort of right--no one got in a snit when these other cis actors were cast as trans people. However, I also understand the frustration from the other side. Johansson already, arguably, whitewashed the role of Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell, which totally flopped. She's working with the same director for this film. My fear is that trans guys get so little representation in the media, and this casting decision is going to negatively impact the movie. When I was growing up, the first time I learned that women could transition was watching Boys Don't Cry. And as you recall, that movie does not end well for anyone! So of course I was scared. I stayed in the closet for a long, long time. I'm really just torn about the whole thing.

What do you all think?
  
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Abi (5 KP) Jul 15, 2018

Thankfully she’s officially stepped down from the role now.

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Lou Grande (148 KP) Jul 17, 2018

Yeah, and now all the "anti-SJW" groups have their panties in a twist about it. I would have been fine if she had handled herself with more aplomb, even though she was going to be hilariously miscast.