I don't read a lot of non-fiction. It's a personal failing of mine I'm always trying to fix but usually ends in a DNF and frustration. So believe me when I say that this had me hooked the entire time. The author approaches the whole book with a personal knowledge and passion that is brilliantly engaging. I would read a dozen more of these, and I believe that she has the personal experience and love of the subject to dive into a million different subjects that weren't covered here.

Any time the subject of sex is tackled it comes with a sense of taboo and humor, but from page one it really cultivates this energy of -- as the kids say -- we listen and we don't judge. I appreciated that the author even included a topic that she says personally doesn't get and finds kind of a turn off. It just further emphasizes this overall thesis that understanding doesn't always mean appreciation but we should all strive to educate ourselves.

Anyway death to purity culture, let people live and love, and seriously everyone should read at least the cannibalism chapter.

I liked the title and enjoyed author's writing style, it was fast paced and intriguing, especially at the beginning, I thought it was a very interesting way to start and was very excited to find out more about why are people into kinks and fetishes. Maybe I was expecting too much, but I felt it dragged a little in the middle I even stopped a few times, and took a break before continuing. Overall I enjoyed reading it and probably will read another book by this author.

I'M OBSESSED !!!!! I felt like someone was spelling out my kinks and why my sexuality feels so tied to my mental health for the first time. Incredibly informative and provides a great lens for why ethical care is required in kink and how we can continue to live in a world that might never become a post r*pe society

A fascinating take on a topic everyone has interest in! I found this a real page turner, and loved hearing perspectives on the topic.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

absolutely ate this uppp. tina horn has a unique voice and makes the topic of kink even more interesting than it already is. not too dense or scientific but really educational and so very fascinating. 4.5 stars rounded down~

I really enjoyed this book. It looks at kink without judgment and gives the reader different perspectives on specific fetishes. This book is not for everyone but if you're willing to keep an open mind you can learn a lot.

Don’t yuck someone's yum.
Instead of recoiling when confronted by the vastness and weirdness of human sexual interest in fear of polite society thinking less of you, this book takes a deep dive into how and why kinky people express themselves. But if you expect a carnival’s freak show where you can gawk and stare at “freaks” while maintaining your distance this is not the book for you.Written by someone with first hand experience in the kink scene all the while keeping in mind their history and culture each chapter immerses you in the mindset of the people interested in that particular fetish along with all the configurations they come up with to experience it. A shameless and snappy experience that takes you on a journey that will surely peak your curiosity and leave you wanting more.

Why Are People Into That? is, almost tautologically, an exploration of why people are into different fetishes and kinks. Many of them are kinks the author personally enjoys, some the author is indifferent to, and at least one that at least partially repulses the author — I think that this dynamic was important to the end product because it allows the reader to see perspective in a way that the author being enthusiastic about all of the dynamics presented wouldn’t.

I think that the author is able to mix the down-and-dirty details of her personal experience with detached history and academic analysis well, producing an engaging, incredibly frank look at the boundaries of sexuality.

I've read a few books on this subject, and I think I enjoyed this one the most. The author's voice is engaging and made even one topic that I find a bit squicky enjoyable to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Hachette for the gifted e-book ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

I thought this was an interesting read. I was expecting more evidence based. A lot of this seemed based on the author's experiences. Interesting to read but the title is misleading.

Why are People Into That? was a very interesting, honest look at various sexual "kinks" and practices. I appreciated the author's ability to describe without judgment.

Why Are People Into That? was a fascinating read. I read a lot of romance/smut novels and to see the more non-fiction "back end" of kink was fun. I've often heard or read of kinks that make me think "what in the hell?" and taking a moment to further dissect many of those provides a new insight into how something is culturally perceived.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a fun and intresting read about kink. I think the material was mostly easy to approach and did not alienate the reader or the people who have the kinks. I will say the title made it sound more scientific over sociological, like the book actually is. I would recomend this book only to people actually intrest in learning about all kinds of kinks includimg the taboo ones. As it does not pull punches or ease you into the material. It was a fun read.

So this book has a slightly misleading title. This book doesn't explain 'why' people are into that per se, but more just discusses the different dynamics in certain kinds of play and how our culture interacts with said dynamics. I think a large reason it has the title is because it is the title of the author's podcast.

I gave this a 3.5 rounded up, because I definitely learned a lot! Such great insight into many aspects of kink, from the somewhat tame to the much more 'out-there,' and I have a newfound respect for things that before I just didn't quite understand. I will say that the 'cultural investigation' part felt a bit lacking, and could have used a bit more academic substance. That all being said, I think this is a great starting point for someone interested in kink from an academic perspective. Also, if you're at all vanilla, you'll learn just how vanilla you are.

Thank you to Hachette Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Why Are People Into That" creates a fascinating narrative surrounding sex, kink, taboo, and pleasure. Horn's no-judgement approach to discussing kink, her willingness to share personal anecdotes, and clear love of the subject create a work of creative nonfiction that is accessible and entertaining!

Tina Horn is thorough and enthusiastic in her coverage of this titillating topic. If I were her editor, I would advise that she produce two different editions, one overview of the basics, and then this highly detailed esoteric anthology. Beyond this book's first few chapters I hardly knew what she was talking about or referencing. Not to say that I didn't learn a lot by reading this, just that rather than come to understand why people are into the kinks they're into, my not understanding why people are into the kinks they're into was actually much more deeply ingrained. More clearly, before reading this, the notion of kinky/not kinky just wasn't in my head; now that I've read this I feel a million times more unkinky than I had ever realized was possible.

"If you have pent up emotions that need release (and who doesn't?), you might weep."
"if you're conflicted or anxious about your desires, which all of us ultimately are."
"In long term relationships, there is nothing like taking control of someone's finances. When you control their money, you control their life"
"Kinks do not solve human fallacy, although they may help us to manage them more bluntly."
"Vulnerability on top of violation on top of tease and denial."
"just as sexting may be replacing hookups"
"Clowning, sploshing, and age play all have this in common: a human desire to shrug off norms and let it all go."
"Debasement guides us away from our busy minds toward embodiment... Many of us seek the catharsis promised by the purposeful lowering of social status, and many of us are excited by experiencing a loss of control... If you know what will embarrass you, then you know what will make you forget about anything else for a while.
"And just as some people are charmed by roaches and their defiance of death, so too does the splosher find the human form encased in gunk to be a thing of transcendent beauty"

Thank you to Hachette Books via NetGalley for the ARC!

I’ve been trying to push myself out of my comfort zone about the types of books I read so I can grow more as a newly emerging sex-positive person. While I’ve always thought I was, my life has shown that I need to adapt and liberate myself to find joy outside of the prescribed “normal.”

This book made me uncomfortable initially, but the more I read, the more safe and validated I felt in interrogating my own relationship with sex. I recommend this book to those who have any degree of relationship to kink culture, because you might learn something new about it or yourself like I did.

This book gave insight into many different kinks that one may not have known prior. This book is definitely for people who are interested in the kink community and want to learn more about various areas of focus and rules that come with the territory.

This book is a thoughtful examination of some of societies lesser known/practiced kinks. Slow and scholarly, with some excellent moments of social commentary.

However, I did find it a bit heavy on the anecdotal evidence and light on the psychology behind the discussed kinks. And at times I felt like there was too much fluff/filler material.

For anyone in the BDSM community, this book will resonate. For anyone simply curious to learn more, this book will be an eye opener.

I love reading about different kinks, so this book was pretty much made for me. Horn approaches a(n understandably!) sensitive topic with curiosity and respect, but not without good humor, either. Her candor helps shed light on a lot of wildly misunderstood fetishes, and while things are still filtered through her specific perspectives, the book overall is a good intro to certain BDSM and BDSM-adjacent practices and a worthwhile read!