LitHub included this book in their list of novels to read if you loved Anora (https://lithub.com/what-to-read-next-based-on-your-favorite-film-of-the-year-redux/ where it shares space with Margo's Got Money Troubles, which I loved!). As someone who had so much fun watching Anora, I decided to check it out. The book is an honest portrayal of a woman (Ruth/Baby) who works at a strip club as a dancer, and in the wake of her ex-boyfriend's (Dino) disappearance, she goes on a search for him—along the way, she also becomes a dominatrix. The book does a great job of describing the dynamics between the girls working at the club and the dungeon—how they talk to each other and about each other—and there’s a tenderness to it that I really liked. There’s an authenticity to these descriptions (especially important considering the author herself works as a dominatrix!). They discuss their favorite perfumes and the reasons behind their choices, men's kinks are listed like a grocery list, and clients at the dungeon are described in vivid detail—not only authentically, but also with humor, tenderness, and humanity.

The book also spends a lot of time with the central character, Ruth, who is reckoning with longing, loneliness, and familial trauma. While she makes friends (particularly Mazzy and Ophelia) and seems to be surrounded by people who care about her, she often feels unworthy of their affection and indulges in self-destructive behavior and unravels. The author also talks very realistically about the pitfalls of the job, and how, while violence itself may not be constant, its potential always surrounds her.

The book’s most tender moments come in Ruth’s musings about Dino—her nervousness after not having seen him for a while because she had become so habituated to his presence, how Dino made sure she was always well-fed and now that he's gone, food no longer holds the same appeal to her, how, when she inhabits his bed, she tries to minimize her movements to preserve his scent on the sheets because she misses him so much.

I think the book also does a great job of depicting love in the form of small moments: like eating M&Ms in bed together and giving your partner their favorite colors, or Ruth's attraction to Dino's little belly fat that she found tender and soft, or their grocery hauls. This is not a book that ties things up neatly in the end—so if you want a book that provides clear answers, this may not be for you. But if you're here for the vibes, I'm sure you'll have fun!

As far as comparisons with Anora go, I can see some similarities between her and Baby, particularly in how both women assert agency over their bodies. Though they project a facade of happiness, both women are cloaked in aching loneliness, forced to bend to circumstances in lives that seem crafted to bring about their undoing.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author (Brittany Newell), and the publisher (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) for an advanced copy. Thoughts and review are completely my own.

Soft Core seduced me from the start and kept my attention through its entirety. Brittany Newell’s prose is well crafted and this fever dream of a story was perfectly raw and satisfying. I highly recommend this atmospheric, unhinged novel to anyone who enjoys an unconventional story of love and power.

• ruth, a stripper, lives with her ex-boyfriend dino in a massive victorian when one day he disappears. on a journey to figure out where he went, taking her to dive bars & bus depots & bdsm dungeons (where she takes a gig), and meeting a number of people along the way, including emeline, the strip club’s new hire who seems eerily familiar.
• this is a story of power, love, & loss, the the way the three main themes intertwine in ruth’s narrative voice is very well done. she’s a girl longing for connection (something we can all relate to), just not always in the best places.
• i thought this book was the perfect amount of “unhinged woman figuring out her life” and i really didn’t see the twist at the end coming, which made for a fun conclusion.

A fever dream of raw experiences of a sex worker, drug laced and an unreliable narrator are some of the words I would use to explain Soft Core. This isn't the type of book I would blindly recommend to just anyone. For the right type of reader though, this is a great read. For fans of Melissa Broder, Jen Beagin, Emma Cline, Anna Dorn and Mona Awad this would be an auto-read pick though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of the wildest and most interesting books I’ve ever read. It was actually very difficult to come up with comps for this because in my opinion it was very singular but I’ve listed books & media with similar vibes or themes.

In this story we follow Ruth (AKA Baby) who works as an exotic dancer (you guessed it) and later on as a dominatrix, after her ex, Dino, who she still lives with, goes missing. Along the way, Baby meets some very unique characters while looking back on her relationship with Dino and the factors that led to its demise including her own intimacy issues.

This is an 80% thoughts 20% plots story so be aware of that in deciding whether to pick this up. That being said, I devoured this slice of life journey. I was impressed with how well written this story was. Brittany Newell has major literary talent; that much was obvious. Baby’s voice was captivating, unique, and raw. She was a very complex and perhaps unlikeable character but one that it was impossible to look away from. I cannot WAIT to read more from Newell.

A quote I loved:
…”though I stayed in the bath until long after dinnertime, I still couldn’t get clean. This filth was not moral or social but intercellular. I’d been contaminated by male longing, operatic and shabby. I was paid to be a beam of light while dudes displayed their darkness. I carried their essences home with me, the secret stuff they’d never tell their wives or friends or therapists. Don’t repeat this to anyone, they whispered, or else. How could I? Where would I even begin? Try as I might to have boundaries, shit still oozed in.”

Thank you so much to FSG for the #gifted copy of Soft Core! I may have screamed when I opened the mail. Also thank you to netgalley for the eGalley!

4.5/5 rounded up!

This was so wonderfully thrilling. Just teetering on the edge of surreal, its carries a Lynchian strangeness. I loved this book. It is completely propulsive, grimy, snd exciting. So thrilled to be introduced to Newell’s work.

This was a fever dream of a novel and I absolutely loved it. I loved the character driven and inner thought writing and following Ruth/Baby’s weird kinky escapades. I feel like there was something missing to make this a 5 star read but honestly had a great time reading this.

If you want a sad girl’s spiral that gives A24 vibes look no further than Soft Core. I was expecting this to be more of an unhinged who done it but instead I got this beautifully lonely and strange tale of a young woman struggling with self love. I plan to reread this and annotate the hell out of this when I get my hands on a physical copy. Thank you so much to NetGally and the publishers for the ARC to review.

I entered this book expecting a fun, surface-level romp, but got a mysterious, thought-provoking meditation on longing, loneliness, and the purgatory of coming of age. The atmosphere was ethereal and visceral; the main character rich and complex. At first I longed for more clear “answers” or development to the mysterious and characters we are introduced to, but by the end, understood that these were merely background factors to display her constant state of yearning, loss, and the torment of a life in limbo. Stunning writing while still giving wit, beauty, and a healthy dose of messiness.

Our preview of the big books of 2025
Search books

2
Ghoul Von Horror
HomeMy Books
Browse ▾
Community ▾

Ghoul Von Horror's Reviews > Soft Core
Soft Core by Brittany Newell
Soft Core
by Brittany Newell
5948071
Ghoul Von Horror's reviewJan 30, 2025 · edit
did not like it
bookshelves: 1-star-hated-it, almost-dnfed, ambiguous-ending, audio-book, fiction, forgettable, gay, netgalley, read-books-2025, started-great-ended-meh, taboo-s, unhinged-women

[TW/CW: Language, drinking, smoking, drinking pee, drug use, cheating, child abandonment, toxic family relationships, alcoholism, eating disorder, bullying, family drama, use of c-word]

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Ruth is lost. She’s living in a drafty Victorian with her ex-boyfriend Dino, a ketamine dealer with a lingerie habit, overdosing on television and regretting her master’s degree. When she starts dancing at a strip club, she becomes Baby Blue, seductress of crypto bros, outcasts, and old lovers alike. Plunged into this swirling underworld of beautiful women, fast cash, ungodly hours, and strangers’ secrets, Baby’s grip on reality begins to loosen. She is sure she can handle it—until one autumn morning when Dino disappears without a trace.
Thus begins a nocturnal quest for the one she still loves—through the misty hills of San Francisco; in dive bars and bus depots; at the BDSM dungeon where she takes a part-time gig. Along the way, she meets Simon, a recluse who pays her for increasingly bizarre favors; a philosophizing suicide fetishist named Nobody; and Emeline, the beautiful and balletic new hire who reminds Baby of someone . . .
Release Date: February 4th, 2025
Genre: Women's fiction
Pages: 352
Rating: ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Some of the most insane things mentioned

What I Didn't Like:
1. Writing got to be too much
2. Felt like there was no point and aimless
3. Over the top things happening to just happen

Final Thoughts:
Nothing is worse than reading a book and thinking it'll go somewhere or have a message. I felt like I was trapped on the ocean in a boat being hit by wave after wave. Half way through this book I kept trying to understand where it was going and what the book was trying to tell me. In the end though I felt like it was all pointless. You're just traveling around with Ruth as she does the most crazy things but getting little pay off for the adventures.

Ruth's boyfriend is missing and outside of his warning to not call the cops she does nothing to find him. How is she paying rent when he was so secretive about his money? Why did she start to think she saw him in so many people? None of this is explained. You're just cast into this ever moving too crazy unbelievable world that Ruth owns. The language is peppered with complex sentences that you shouldn't think too hard about. Ruth decides to move in a new person. It all seems like worthless.

We never learn about why Dena was messing around with Ruth or if she was. How did she end up in her life but small world her dad was the one that Ruth used to sleep with.

Every page felt like a hurtle. I read another book from this author; Oola and did not like it either. Those characters in the book also went no where and the story just sits in this almost limbo. It all felt so stale and meh.

My review for Oola
IG | Blog

Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Netgalley for the ebook edition of this book and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a ride! I think it would be easy to write this off as purely sensational based on the subject matter alone, but it's so much more than that. For people feeling lost or on the cusp of change, this could be a life changing story.

Soft Core is a deep dive into depravity and longing from the perspective of a sex worker, Baby. While I thought some sections were a little repetitive, overall I really enjoyed this book. It’s fast paced and the characters are interesting.

The exploration of self worth and creating versions of yourself just to feel something was well done, as was the descension into mania. Darkly funny at times and will leave you guessing until the end.

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Baby is a 27-year-old stripper who lives with her boyfriend Dino, a ketamine dealer, who goes missing. I suppose she tries to find Dino (that’s in the synopsis), but she more deals with his disappearance and stumbles/glides through her days trying to find the right feeling. Her path takes her to the club, a BSDM den, the homes of a regular, an ex (?) client, and through email correspondence with Nobody.

You know how the kids say, “It’s a vibe” ? This book — it’s a vibe. I was completely engaged and listened to the last chapter twice. The audio was great — absolutely well done and I loved Lakin’s voices for the characters — fitting and not overdone. If you like books that are odd, this one is for you.

Like many others, the cover of this book immediately grabbed my attention. Then I read the description and thought, This has to be a must-read! Or so I thought 😩. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations.

I think many readers, like myself, may feel a disconnect going into this book expecting something different. I was hoping for a “madcap,” page-turning, euphoric, and chaotic exploration of the dark realities of the sexual underground with a compelling mystery on the side. While the story was chaotic at times, it ultimately felt repetitive and, frankly, boring.

This book leans heavily into being a character-driven story, delving into the descending psyche of its protagonist, Baby. It’s definitely for readers who value vibes and atmosphere over plot. Let me tell you right now—the plot is not in the room with us.

I initially thought I was lucky to have the audiobook for this read, as I usually enjoy when the narrator matches the book’s energy. However, the book’s energy was so mild that I believe a more animated narrator might have helped bridge the gap between what I expected and what I got. That said, Lakin’s narration did capture the essence of Baby and her counterparts, just not in a way that captivated me or added to the experience.

While the story often felt repetitive and mundane, I did appreciate its honest depiction of sex work as a job like any other—one that can be monotonous and routine. The book does well in exploring the day-to-day realities, conversations, and culture of those in the industry. However, I struggled to connect with Baby as a character. I don’t need a character to be likable, reliable, or even particularly redeemable, but I do need them to be charismatic and energetic in their flaws, and I just didn’t find that here.

The book leans heavily on the shock value of Baby’s clients and the work she does, but for me, it didn’t feel revolutionary. I was left wishing for more of a plot to ground the story. I can see how some readers might be enthralled by the layers of loneliness and longing that the book captures, but it didn’t resonate with me on that level.

That said, Soft Core is by no means poorly written. It’s vivid and intentional in its imagery and scenes. Having now read it with a clearer understanding of what the book is trying to be, I plan to revisit it with adjusted expectations and see how my perspective might shift.

Beyond appreciative to Netgalley, FSG, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC and ALC.

gorgeous, lyrical writing and epic storytelling with a very interesting and flawed/realistic protagonist. definitely a rising literary star. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Four Stars. I absolutely loved the beginning of this book, the vibes were all there and the little mystery in it kept me interested. But then it just kept going. I thought there were parts of this book that absolutely could have been cut out, like what was the churchy religious shit? that felt so random and out of place for this novel. The best parts were the parts at the club and her friendship/rivalry(?) with Emeline and I wish that was focused on more. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the story but it could've been condensed a bit more, especially for a book with no plot and all vibes.

Soft Core by Brittany Newell 4/5💗
*out in the US on 4 February 2025*

Okay, I loved this! I honestly was first drawn to the cover—I love it haha

I think my favorite part of this book was the inner voice and feelings of Ruth/Baby/Sunday; especially after the disappearance of Dino when things start to devolve . (Swipe to slide 3 some of the passages I highlighted while reading)
I loved how everyone in the book was humanized, especially when people who work in sex work, often aren’t. This was done without judgement, which was refreshing.
I wish there would have been more around female friendships with Ruth’s loneliness and need for a companion. The last third of the book lost me a bit, but I wanted more resolution I think!

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an advance copy!

CWs:
Drug use and sexual content
Minor: suicidal thoughts (not main character) death of a parent

A different take on the drifting 20-something female. This sees Ruth living with an ex, lots of ketamine, and a BDSM dungeon combining in a melange of words. While it wasn't for me (I'm tired of the genre), I know it will be appreciated by other readers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. The language is gorgeous.

I didn't expect to enjoy this book this much, but it surprised me in a lot of ways.
While raw, unforgiving and bold, this is a story about the unraveling of a deeply traumatized woman who doesn't believe in herself, afraid to feel and actually afraid to be. The disappearance of her ex-boyfriend starts various different events in Ruth's life that will help her come closer to understanding herself and her trauma more.
Surprisingly, it was very easy to follow, but I had to sit and think about the meaning of that ending for a long time.

If I could compare this book to anything, it definitely gave me "My year of rest and relaxation" vibes, but only so so so much better!

4.25 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for this ARC.

Brittany Newell’s Soft Core is an unconventional and deeply introspective novel that takes readers into the chaotic mind of its protagonist, Ruth. With a narrative that oscillates between fragmented thoughts and surreal moments, the story mirrors Ruth’s mental instability and creates a vivid portrayal of her turbulent psyche.

At its core, Soft Core is a raw exploration of identity, trauma, and survival. Ruth’s fixation on a missing ex-lover—imagining him in every corner of her life—forms the central thread of the story. Her past, marked by hardship, and her current work as an adult entertainer add layers of complexity to her character. Despite the heavy themes, Newell’s sharp wit shines through with moments of dark humor that provide levity amidst the chaos.

While the narrative structure might feel scattered to some, this approach effectively captures Ruth’s disordered thoughts and unfiltered experiences. The author’s ability to embody the protagonist’s voice so authentically is commendable, even if the story occasionally feels disjointed.

Soft Core is not a conventional read—it’s raw, messy, and deeply personal. It’s a journey through the mind of someone grappling with loss, identity, and survival, written with a blend of humor and heartbreak. For readers who appreciate stories that challenge narrative norms and delve into the complexities of the human experience, Soft Core is a bold and unforgettable choice.