Chuck Tingle's CAMP DAMASCUS blew me away, deeply changed my outlook on myself and the world, balancing deeply touching emotional stakes with radically joyful storytelling. BURY YOUR GAYS is another triumph-- funny, smart, devastating, terrifying all at once. Chuck Tingle is writing some of the best stories out there currently all while embodying radical joy and acceptance-- a hero in my book!

Look. I am all for Chuck Tingle's forays into straight... err... gay horror novels. The jump from witty romance send-offs to cultural criticism as horror novel was a good start in Camp Damascus. But that was just a stretching of his muscles- this novel is where his horror chops and writing skill shine. I am all for it. My new favorite genre is horror as overt social commentary, and my local library laughed when I said I needed much more of it (for the record, I've read a lot of Mona Awad, so Bury Your Gays isn't my first experience with this hyper-specific and fantastic genre. But I loved this the most It was funny, it was snarky, the backstory had heart and pain. But mostly it was also a rollicking ride that kept me up past bedtime because I had to know how it ended. Five stars, well deserved. And I can't wait for his next novel, taking us from gay conversion summer camp to Hollywood and commercialism killing gay youth to... the moon? Who knows, but I'm ready to hop on and ride to wherever we're headed.

A glorious sendup of Hollywood tropes, especially the death of gay characters, yet injected with fierce emotion that shows Tingle's gays (and other people on the LGBTQ spectrum) won't be buried quietly.

4.5 rounded up

"there are scary things in the world, that's just a fact, and if you pretend they're not all around us then you're in for a rude awakening. Horror offers a chance to recognize this truth, to explore dark places in a safe way "

Misha is a writer who, while preparing to potentially win his first Oscar, is told by his bosses that he needs to kill off the queer characters in his show. He grapples with the decision and as he considers it, he becomes haunted by ghosts, or characters rather, from his past. Can he figure out what's going on and can he save his public image?

This book was really great and took a lot of turns I didn't expect. There were absolutely terrifying moments (Mrs. Why on the plane, I nearly died) and some times that were just so wonderfully campy. Alongside being a great horror novel, this book was able to fit in some really important dialogue about a.i. taking creative jobs and deciding what sells, posthumous use of actors and their characters, executives no longer caring about storytelling as long as they make a fraction of a sent more, and the absolutely long time rampant trend of killing off gay characters or using them as a devise to push the other characters forward. There's a lot of discussion of trauma, heartbreak, finding yourself, and inclusion (gay, bi, and ace main characters whaaaat). Idk it sounds like a lot going on because there was a lot going on, but absolutely never hard to follow. It was a twisty journey but you never felt lost or overwhelmed so it was very much a ride and I highly recommend it!

Definitely a favorite read of the year and one that I've been thinking about nonstop since finishing it. Tingle really has the perfect blend of humor, social commentary, and wit - and Bury Your Gays was just riveting from start to finish. I needed to know more and could NOT put it down! I can't rate it highly enough and really can't wait to see what else he brings us.

INCREDIBLE. I became a fan of Chuck Tingle due to his online presence, but his latest YA and adult novels have been so impressive. I've purchased copies of this for all my friends. Tingle's work is intelligent and deeply funny, but his satire also pinpoints issues that must be discussed. I can't wait to read and purchase future works!

This book is smart and funny and thought-provoking and frustrating in all the best ways possible. So much of what's stated about representation in Hollywood (and the way the LGBTQ+ characters are treated at the beginning of the book) is so real and relatable and honestly maddening (just because it happens so often). Chuck Tingle's humour fills this book though, offering levity to keep any aspect from becoming too much—and there were moments that gave me chills, especially with The Smoker's first appearance. That imagery has yet to leave me. I fully believe this book should be required reading. It is fabulous.

As someone who is NOT a horror reader, I absolutely LOVE what Chuck Tingle provides in the genre. Fun, thinky, and topical. As a former Supernatural fan, this book spoke to me extra loudly.

A decent allegory for what living in the closet feels like and eventually coming of age/coming out story. A very CAMP and horror glazed critique of the way Executives always abuse artists and their creative endeavors, specifically those of the queer sphere, dangers of rampant capitalism and dis regulated technological landscape of AI. The book is as horrific as an episode of Buffy, which is to say very camp, funny, with something to say without taking this self too seriously while staying accessible to the average reader.

Listen… Chuck Tingle is <b>iconic</b>. There is none other like him. He is COMMITTED.

I know we’ve all heard of and read the silly ones (like [book:Pounded in the Butt by My Own Butt|25183293] and [book:Trans Wizard Harriet Porber and the Bad Boy Parasaurolophus|54004449]) but Tingle can write a serious (or at least, a more serious) book too.

This one was fun and unexpected, and I found myself utterly enamored with Misha and Tara. Beautiful characters, fun story, and a nice little <i>fuck you</i> to every corporate entity that has only decided “gay is A-okay” because it’s cool and profitable now. We see you, you shills!

“𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞.”

The gorgeous cover and bold title had me sold before I even turned to the front page - what’s not to love in a book that takes place in Hollywood, involves murder, and the gays!?

Chuck Tingle has crafted an enthralling tale that is equally terrifying and deeply nuanced. His writing will suck you into this bloody satire of Hollywood, its film industry, its obsession with making money, and its quick erasure of queer joy in exploration of queer trauma. The opening chapter highlights a portion of what the 2023 writers and actors’ strikes were all about: AI taking over the film industry between digitally created actors and executives trying to convince screenwriter Misha to use the tech to help write his scripts faster. Tingle’s writing is a fantastic mix of scary (I’ll never quite look at airplanes the same again) and humourous (“𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧”), that is fast paced and absorbing. Misha is a strongly principled character, who I immediately rooted for, especially as the horror characters that he created start stalking and threatening him, and his best friend, Tara, and boyfriend, Zeke, are equally principled and supportive. I love when an author makes nods to their other works, with Misha spotting a film poster for a documentary for Camp Damascus - is this the beginning of some world building?

Bury Your Gays is a story of being seen, storytelling, trauma, queer joy, and heroes. Its queer Twilight Zone vibes make for a fully engrossing read, that would be SO GOOD adapted as a television series. I highly recommend. Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the ARC!

I have loved Chuck Tingle for a long time and this was absolutely delightful. It has the same type of weird, fun energy as other Chuck Tingle books, but different and still heartfelt.

This was a very well done horror novel. I wish there was less technology and more slasher vibes but this was overall very well written. Certain scenes I had to set the book down due to gore, which is major kudos to the author.

Queer horror excellence! The story grips from the very first page, as the reader wonders where it could all be going. The plot takes an unexpected meta twist before plunging into the depths of the human condition to celebrate who you are. The representation is vital and through every shift the book maintains a throbbing pulse of high interest, captivated by what could happen next. Highly recommend this cinematic novel for all collections.

*5 stars* This book was amazing! I loved every single word! Praise for gay joy and not just gay trauma!

Chuck Tingle is a national treasure. I have no notes. This was fantastic. Loved the nod to Camp Damascus. Loved the message. It was just great.

Fun and campy horror exploring themes of queer representation in media, corporate greed, and the use of AI in creative fields. This story is engaging, clever, and satisfying. I quite enjoyed the pacing and it was hard to put down. The Horror aspects were done well but are not Super Scary (particularly because the monsters intentionally feel quite trope-y) making this book a great choice for readers looking to dip their toes into the genre but not wanting anything too intense.

Misha, the protagonist, was great and I enjoyed the emphasis this story placed on both romantic and platonic love. His relationships with his boyfriend, Zeke, and his best friend, Tara, were at the heart of this story and it was lovely (though I would've liked a just few more scenes with both of them). I also really appreciated the aro/ace representation through Tara! She was fantastic and felt unique compared to a lot of other aro/ace side characters that I find can sometimes feel very one-note.

Chuck Tingle can do no wrong, I love his writing. After Camp Damascus, I thought he would go back to his Tinglers but I was pleasantly surprised that he wrote another hardback. Lovely work.

As a queer person I wanted to love this so much but I ended up only liking it. I loved the horror elements of this and the audiobook was top tier but once we got into the sci-fi part it was losing it for me. The commentary on queer media was spot on though I just didn’t love this.

Chuck Tingle, you will always be famous!

Bury Your Gays is an engaging, entertaining book that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I knew that, after reading Camp Damascus, I would be very interested in whatever he wrote next and I am so pleased with this.