#spread me

[torpublishinggroup]

Today and every day, read books by Trans & Non-Binary authors🩵📚

[wearethekat]

August Book Reviews: Spread Me by Sarah Gailey

I received a free copy from Tor Nightfire in exchange for a fair review. Release date September 23rd, 2025.

One of my anticipated new releases for this year. In Spread Me, biologist Kinsey is the lead of a close-knit team in a remote desert monitoring station. When Kinsey breaks quarantine by bringing a mysterious specimen into the lab, the team finds out too late that it's a parasite seeking a new host...

This novella is a testament to Gailey's ability to commit to the bit. It reads like erotica designed for a very specific fetish--namely the protagonist's, as a microbiologist who solely masturbates to an artsy electron microscope image of a virus. Spread Me is about Kinsey's desire to be invaded and utterly obliterated by a virus, and the horror of forbidden attraction: her darkest secret is that she wants to be infected by The Thing. Gailey does an excellent job at viscerally portraying a rather abstract monstrous attraction, which is not an easy thing to pull off, and I never doubted it for a second.

A dark and sexually charged horror novella which doesn't outstay its welcome at a brisk two hundred pages. Due to being mostly about freaky sex, this won't be a good fit for everyone, but I expect it will be a big hit with certain parts of Tumblr.

[chantylay]

My Indy Bookstore Crawl Haul

[hellodarjeeling]

I know what you are

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2025: October Wrap-Up.

Read some stuff! Bought some books (the sideways stack)! Did some knitting! Brainstormed and plotted a book! Many things this month! I was wrapping up my horror/romance quests, so that's mostly what's accounted for here (with a NaNo prep nonfic fungal aside).

Photos with reviews linked:

CRAFT ★★★★ Horror Quest Adjacent (I think it's cute that the author didn't think this was Horror™ when she finished writing it lol). I'm definitely keeping an eye out for her future work--great little collection, loved the frame narrative.

THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS ★★★★ Reread for Horror Quest! Holds up very well, does neat structural things. I love SJG.

SPREAD ME ★★★½ I will follow Sarah Gailey to the ends of the earth, which apparently includes a terrifying patch of desert. Erotic horror isn't usually my jam, but I am here for body horror, so. Net win.

THE LADY'S GUIDE TO CELESTIAL MECHANICS ★★★½ (Stand-in pages out book for this; I returned my library copy already.) More Romance Quest! Historical! Science and art! Lesbians! Legiblest of genre beats!

ENTANGLED ★★★ I wanted this to be Good, and it was Just Fine™. Had promise, didn't deliver for me :/

AMBER BEACH ★★ Last structural installment of Romance Quest! I got what I wanted out of it but I can't say that I recommend it haha.

WHIRLWIND ROMANCE - 169/269 pages read. Enjoying these weird dark little stories so far (though I did think it was A Novel when I put it on my list this year and uh. It's not.)

Now, if y'all will excuse me, I have my own weird dark little book to write this month, I'll see you on the other side >:D

Under the Cut: A Note About ~*★Stars★*~

Historically, I have been Very Bad™ about assigning things Star Ratings, because it's so Vibes Heavy for me and therefore Contingent Upon my Whims. (Example: I don't like that stars are Odd, because that makes three the midpoint and things are rarely so truly mid for me)(I have hacked my way around this with a ½, which is really only applicable for me at ★★★ and up). Here is, generally, how I conceptualize stars:

★ - This was Bad. I would actively recommend that you do NOT read this one, no redeeming qualities whatsoever, not worth the slog. Save Yourself, It's Too Late For Me. Book goes in the garbage (donate bin).

★★ - This was Not Good. I would not recommend it, but it wasn't a total waste or wash--something in here held my interest/kept my attention/sparked some joy. I will not be rereading this ever. Save Yourself (Or Join Me In Suffering, That Seems Like A Cool Bonding Activity).

★★★ - This was Good/Fine/Okay/Meh. I don't care about this enough to recommend it one way or another. Perfectly serviceable book, held my interest, I probably enjoyed myself (or at least didn't actively loathe the reading). I don't have especially strong feelings. You probably don't need to save yourself from this one--if it sounds like your jam, give it a shot! Just didn't resonate with me particularly powerfully. I probably won't reread this unless I'm after something in particular.

★★★½ - I liked this! I'll probably recommend it if I know it matches someone's vibes or specific requests, but I didn't commit to a star rating on Goodreads. More likely to reread, but not guaranteed.

★★★★ - I really enjoyed this!! I would recommend it (sometimes with caveats about content warnings or such--I tend to like weird fucked up funny shit, and I don't have many hard readerly NO's). Not a perfect book for me by any means, but Very Good. This is something I would reread! Join me!!

★★★★★ - I LOVED THE SHIT OUT OF THIS, IT REWIRED MY BRAIN, WILL RECOMMEND TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE AT THE SLIGHTEST PROVOCATION (content warning caveats still apply--see 4-star disclaimer). Excellent book, I'll reread it regularly, I'll buy copies for all my friends, I'll try to convince all of Booklr to read it, PLEASE join me!!

[bellebelle-fontaine]

No one ask me how much I've spent on books this week, I don't wanna talk about it 😬

(This pile includes gifts for people. This pile doesn't include the books I ordered online.)

[boyswanna-be-her]

I try not to make generalizations but trans horror goes harder than any other horror and no i will not be hearing any other opinions

[steadywinnernerdnickel]