I listened to an Advanced Copy of the audiobook.

This book is SO fun! The way the story unfolds kept me so intrigued and focused I listened to the entire audiobook in two days.

Yes it is about important topics and has very obvious pro-queer anti-corporation anti-AI messages, but it's all done in ways that fit in the story and honestly, they're messages we need to see a lot more of, even though the people reading this book are probably already of the same opinion.

The audiobook is incredibly well done, with other narrators reading some chapters that are formatted differently (I won't spoil the surprise) and it gave the book this extra unsettling feeling which I love in horror stories.

I had such a great time and I will be picking up the author's other books immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this book. It comes out on July 9th, 2024.

Available July 9th. Preorder today!

Thank you Netgalley, Tor Nightfire, MacMillan Audio, and Chuck Tingle for an audible ARC of Bury Your Gays in exchange for my honest review.

Dark, darkly funny, and downright scary, this book expertly ratchets up the intrigue - right alongside some gloriously gory fun - for a wild romp around L.A. you won't soon forget.

"Horror is a celebration of life!"

Our main character, Misha, is a Hollywood screenwriter for what I was imagining to be a "Buffy-esq/Heros" type show.... He's asked to kill off the gay couple on the season finale... He pushes back, not wanting to (in part because he's struggling to be open about his own sexuality, due to past traumas and neglects) - and begins being stalked and hunted by the monstrous villains he's created.

This book felt like a Christopher Landon movie, in the best ways...
A novel with 'Happy Death Day/Freaky' vibes, while telling a story all its own... with some thought provoking commentary on how we profit off of trauma for entertainment - queer tragedy, in this case... as well as how we work through our personal (and collective) traumas using art... and that leads in to a bigger conversation on horror in general, and what it means to those of us who love it,  and WHY we love it... What we take away from it... How we identify with and heal ourselves through it.

I really enjoyed the multi cast narration. I usually don't love listening to audible books without the physical book in front of me, but this audiobook plays out like a movie, so I thoroughly enjoyed following every minute. 

4.5 / 5

Fun, immersive and just the right amount of scary! The full cast audio narration was perfectly done. I can't wait to pick up more by the author.

Normally I'm not someone who enjoys sci-fi so I don't typically read books in this genre. After reading the description of the book I decided to try it out. Im so glad I did. Once I started reading this book I couldn't stop. I very much enjoyed the darkness of this world and the eerieness of how this could happen. The Author did a good job of making you feel on the edge of your seat as you were reading it. I love the underlying messages the author went for with this book with queer representation. I thought it was beautifully done. I would highly recommend this book!

My first Tingle, but not my last ! I had so much fun with this. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for queer horror, but I loved the levels of commentary in this. Its meta is meta. The audiobook alone was a five star experience, especially the screenplay sections. I love when audiobooks go all in and include not only a full-cast, but sound effects, background noise, and more. It takes the immersion to new heights. The audiobook cast is what initially drew me to the format for this book and it did not disappoint. I mean, Mara Wilson, Stephen Graham Jones, T. Kingfisher?! It's like a highly specific Avengers line up, curated specifically for me. Aside from the meta elements, the story itself was incredibly unique and it got lot whackier than I expected. It's a little cheesy at times, but that never hurt anyone. I also loved that there's some ace rep in here, which is sadly quite rare. A great, campy and queer read for the summer!

Campy horror about a closeted gay screenwriter being hunted by characters from his horror pieces. I think I had more fun with what this book was saying thematically than the actual execution. It talks about the pain of growing up queer and starving for representation, about having to settle for queerbaiting and bury your gays tropes, the horrors of AI outpacing our ability to control it, and the insincerity of rainbow capitalism. The actual “scary characters” on page were a weak point for me though, they were more goofy than frightening and I never felt like I could take them seriously. The flashbacks to Misha’s childhood were the most impactful part of the story for me and they really showcased Tingle’s ability to capture the fear and vulnerability so many queer kids experience. Tingle’s books are always full of heart and earnestness, I’ll certainly pick up future works by him!

CWs: death, gore, homophobia, bullying, some bug body horror, child neglect

Chuck Tingle is back with another horror novel! And while it's a tonal shift from Camp Damascus, it definitely did not disappoint. Bury Your Gays is incredibly entertaining and campy. But it also has something to say about relevant issues in Hollywood, including (but not limited to) the treatment of gay character in film and television, and the controversial rise of AI.

I feel like it's best to go into this without knowing too much, but it follows a semi-closeted screen writer who has seen some success with queer horror and other films. But now, the studio wants him to change a script and kill off queer characters. Then things start to get weird...

I did not expect where this book ended up going, but I thought it was both smart and entertaining. And a good place to dip your toes into the genre if horror makes you nervous, because most of it isn't TOO scary. Except maybe in an existential sort of way. I definitely didn't find it as emotionally intense as Camp Damascus. It is quite a ride though and I enjoyed the genre blending. Give it a try! The audio narration is really great, produced with some sound effects and fun cameos from queer authors. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

This book is getting 3.5 starts because up until the last 30% I loved this book. The story was solid and I was loving the mystery behind what was going on. Honestly it was the explanation that got me. After reading some of Tingle's other books this explanation just felt cheap and I hated it.

This is fabulous and full of satire and ingenuity! I loved this with my whole heart. The plot is amazing and extremely unique. I loved the characters and the way they developed throughout the story. I loved all the suspense and tension. Everything in this was flawlessly done. The narration on the audiobook is one of the best I've ever listened to. It has an amazing full cast of narrators. And they each did such an excellent job on their parts. The finished product is pure perfection!

4.5 stars. This is my first book by Chuck Tingle, even though I have long known of him and his prolific back catalog. I was pretty much sold on this from the title and cover art alone, and I am so happy that this delivered. Bury Your Gays centers around Misha, a successful horror screenwriter who has just been told to either keep his TV characters in the closet or kill them off. When he refuses to comply with this network mandate, he soon finds himself coming face to face with the various monsters he has created for the screen.

Somehow this book manages to be one of the most gruesome and scary things I've read in awhile and also one of the most clever and poignant pieces of fiction. While this wasn't perfect, and I have a qualm or two, I really enjoyed listening to this one, and it felt like a fresh and innovative take on some long-tortured tropes.

The audiobook production is excellent, and I loved the full-cast narration. The main narrator, André Santana, does such a great job of bringing this story to life and making me deeply invested in the well-being of the main character, Misha.

Highly recommend this book and think audio is the perfect format.

Well well well, Chuck Tingle, another banger.

A horror/scifi blend

Misha is a screenwriter and has done a bunch of queer horror films and has a long time tv series that recently the higher ups have demanded he kill the queer leads instead of giving them the hea he wrote. As he battles with doing what he wants to do and what the studio wants villains from his stories start appearing irl.

I literally could not put this down. It was creepy, gorey and intriguing. The dialogue around having stories that are representative as a whole and not just tragedies was well done.
I did genuinely get creeped out and wish that I had finished it not right before bed. Shit did give me nightmares.

Loved.

Note on the audiobook. It is multi narrator and all of them were good. It did have small sections in one pov that had sound effects-they weren’t cheesy and definitely added a layer of creep to those parts.

Thanks to netgalley and Maximillian audio for an alc.

My first @chucktingle book did not disappoint!
🎥
Misha Burn is up for an Oscar for his short film while also working on a TV show. When the executives ask Misha to kill off the gay characters (aka Bury Your Gays), he becomes adamant that he will not do as he’s told. Soon after Misha, his best friend and his boyfriend start receiving threats from a stalker. Turns out these stalkers are all characters from Misha’s past movies or shows he’s written. When it turns dangerous and deadly, Misha knows he has to figure out a way to make them stop. Even if it might be too late.
🍿
This was so unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I heard Tingle writes great horror and now I know first hand how true that is. I was able to get an ALC and the audiobook was phenomenal and recorded with a full cast including: Andre Santana, Charlie Jane Anders, CJ Leede, Georgia Bird, Liz Kerin, Mara Wilson, Mark Oshiro, T. Kingfisher, TJ Klune, Sarah Gailey and Stephen Graham Jones. The commentary from Tingle about #metoo, gay culture, AI issues and more was very well done and didn’t feel like it was covering too many issues at once. I came because of the cover, but stayed because of the story. This book releases July 9 @tornightfire

CW: death, homophobia, bullying, blood, violence, child abuse & neglect, gore, body horror, sexual harassment


A little too out there fantasy-wise for 5 stars so it’s 4.25 ⭐️

Wow. This was a lot more than I thought it was going to be. Written very well with an engaging and deeper storyline than I would have thought from the title. Unfortunately I think the title may scare some people off which is too bad because Chuck Tingle is a hell of a writer.

4+ Stars and maybe more.

This was so so fun! Chuck Tingle can do no wrong. Queer, Hollywood, Horror, Sci-fi, Friendship, this story has it all. I am kinda Obsessed!

This book was so much fun. I saw Chuck Tingle talking about Camp Damascus at Comic Con last year and I bought a copy but haven't read it yet. After listening to Bury Your Gays I'm going to move Camp Damascus high up on my TBR. Will probably read it this month now.

I absolutely love books that have to do with movies or Hollywood and if the book is also horror? Perfect. This book feels like it was made entirely for me. Horror, about movies, gay. Absolutely scary. There were scenes that were chilling and one that actually briefly kept me up thinking about it. The horrors that Chuck Tingle created for this book are spectacular. I really enjoyed everything about this.

The audiobook narrators are also great. I love everything Mara Wilson does and even though she was only briefly in this, it was still awesome. The main narrator was great, too.

Thanks NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I work in library land and see Chuck Tingle around at conferences and book signings - he's hard to miss. Although I know there's a reason for his sunglasses and pink mask/bag, based on titles of his other books, I thought a lot of it was mainly a schtick for attention to make up for poor writing. Turns out, the man can write!
This book was delightful and a lot of fun! The characters were easy to connect with, the plot moved quickly starting off creepy and becoming downright scary at times. There were heartwarming moments in this book, funny ones, gory bits - this book had it all.
I listened to the ARC of this book and the narration was phenomenal. Highly recommend listening to this one.
Count me amongst the Chuck Tingle fans.

I would first start saying that I was excited when I received my arc for this book. I got sent the audiobook, and my jaw dropped when they named the narrators of the audiobook here are the names: TJ Klune, T Kinfisher, Stephen Graham Jones, Liz Kerin, Sarah Gailey, CJ Leede, Andre Santana, Charlie Jane Anders, Mara Wilson and Georgia Bird. Like OMG. Then this audio at points gets immersive, which makes the whole experience even better. In this book we follow Misha, who works in Hollywood and nominated for his first Oscar for his short film. He often gets questioned about his sexuality and the worse, but executives want him to kill some of his characters in his current show. this novel has great “monsters”, it’s extremely unserious BUT the commentary in this book was everything I needed. The author explores the exploration of minorities in media and capitalism. How shows just keep making remakes but adding diverse casts instead of making new stories that have this minorities in them. Also how they really just care about making money. The commentary was something I don’t even have words for. Also, how no matter how much you want to represent everyone it will never be enough and you will never make everyone happy. This is on my top 3 of the year, because I came here for a silly good time and ended up hearing someone write everything I’ve been thinking.

The only thing I didn't like is that I feel like I probably missed something. There was so much going on, and so many ideas at different levels, that I know there was more that I would figure out on further readings. That didn't diminish from the experience -- it may even have made it better, because there was such a sense of urgency throughout the whole story. I loved the main character and his journey through as he faced doing something that he didn't agree with, and the terrible consequences from it. As a horror fan, there was more than enough to keep my attention, but there were also several people that made me need to finish this as fast as possible. I put off other things I needed to do so I could read this in one day.
The narrator was fantastic, and I'll probably look for more of his works. I will probably read the text next, but I might listen to this again because it was just a great performance. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

I confess, one of the biggest draws I initially had to this was the unusual collaboration of narrators as I'm an infrequent horror reader/listener. That, and a general interest in the arts and all related businesses.

It seems almost inconceivable that a book that hits so many concepts and topics can manage to pull all its strings together. It is even as counterintuitive to say that a horror novel could have been so much fun. And, maybe I just had too many chuckles in places that weren't intended to draw them but for anyone who pays attention to let alone is involved in the entertainment industry from critic to creative, I foresee this book having duplicity for them as well.

What seems as an almost ridiculous premise in today's market, that a company would insist that a character be killed after coming out, is far smaller than the bigger and more intriguing issues we see coming up the pipeline with CGI and AI. The almighty algorithm that directs so much of various parts of our lives, the usually invisible use of ratings as a measure of action, the drive for shareholder profits, are all things that circulate in the vernacular of pop culture criticism. Scratch under that surface and this book also addressed legal strongholds and contractual back doors that grant exceptional power. There's also some commentary on how certain content and format has a higher prestige than others. And, of course, the hype and scandal that comes with paparazzi and social media.

Beyond the commercial elements is also really deep commentary on the role of the horror genre. It's an unraveling of how an artist incorporates processing trauma. It's about unraveling your past in ways that might feel cliche but were very real hurtles and hang ups for people of a certain age and era. There is an absolutely beautiful segment that speaks to the use of horror as something that empowers and prepares.

All of this is mixed up in a love letter to the slasher genre, to the expanse of genres where core elements of it can be incorporated. It opens up a field in which the 'rules' have to be worked around, broken, and even just times where you have to go with the flow. All of this is done with a dark and glorious humor with a cast of characters with complicated relationships. There are those that are completely supportive. There are those that are reciprocal but not necessarily friendly.

Without spoiling anything, I have to say one of the things that had me laughing the most and made clear that this book knew exactly how ironic and maybe even redundant to our age its message of acceptance is was the final act. The flip side of the coin is so in tuned with some very real conversations about performative actions. It brings it back to that context and variety are the core component and goal.

Finally, I simply have to shout out my girl Tara (Terra? - audio copy) ! As a member of the ace community, to see such a fun, funky, and intelligent girl not only be included but have such a strong supportive role was fabulous. To one particular later moment and comment she has, I found myself nearly 'whooping' --which wouldn't have been that odd if I had not been tuned in while in public. I also greatly appreciated the illusions to tv shows that I too adore that were clearly the inspiration for a few created for reference in this book.

Utterly entertaining.

Rating: 4.5 stars rounded up

Synopsis:
Misha is a jaded scriptwriter who has been working in Hollywood for years, and has just been nominated for his first Oscar. But when he's pressured by his producers to kill off a gay character in the upcoming season finale―"for the algorithm"―Misha discovers that it's not that simple.

As he is haunted by his past, and past mistakes, Misha must risk everything to find a way to do what's right―before it's too late.

Review: I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was so unique and I loved the overall message and the way the story was told. This was my first book by this author but it certainly won't be my last