Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC and audio-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Bury Your Gays was so campy and I loved it! It kind of gave off Scream vibes which is one of my favorite horror series ever. I was entertained from the beginning and it continued until the last page. My favorite thing about the audiobook specifically though was the incredible list of narrators. That was so cool and I think added a lot to the experience.

This is definitely a book that you should go into without knowing too much besides that it follows a semi successful queer horror screen writer who is also semi-closeted. When the studio tells him that he needs to change his script by killing off the queer characters, strange and deadly things start to happen.

If you haven't read Chuck Tingle's previous horror book, Camp Damascus, and you're wondering which one to pick up, remember this: Camp Damascus is quite emotional impactful and intense whereas Bury Your Gays handles tough subjects as well but in a campy, moving way.

I love this book! Tingle does an excellent job of showcasing how queerness is an integral part of a character's identity, inseparable but still only one aspect. The commentary, both explicit and implicit, on queer representation in media is thought-provoking, but it's delivered alongside chills, thrills and gore that keep the book entertaining and easy to read. I finished it in one sitting.

4⭐️

Ever since he was a child, Misha had been looking for someone like him on TV. An out and proud gay character on TV or film when he was a child would have done wonders on the the closeted kid in Montana. As an adult, Misha became a scriptwriter in Hollywood and he's the one in charge of the gay character's fate. But when the producers pressure him to kill off one of his gay characters for the season finale, Misha runs into a problem. His past characters and past mistakes have started to haunt him and he must risk everything to change the way Hollywood thinks of their gay characters.

I really enjoyed this. It was a great social commentary on corporate greed based off of queer tragedy mixed with a lot of body and psychological horror. I can think of many pieces of media as I've grown up that queer bating involved and if there was an actual queer character, you knew more than likely something horrific was going to happen to them. I liked the way that Misha fought so hard to go against the standard Bury Your Gays trope and I really liked the way he became more comfortable with himself and his sexuality, all while fighting off he horrors following him.

Misha's previous fictional villains being the villains in this story was such a great move. These characters mixed with the flashbacks felt like an authentic build for Misha to work through his past trauma's. Along with all the social commentary, this book really showed that no matter how hard you try you can't outrun your past. I think that Misha working through his past could be scarier than the monsters.

Thanks Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for providing this ARC to me!

This was almost too realistic of a book to be enjoyable, which is really a positive review when it comes to horror. I am a sucker for any book with an ace character, especially one whose asexuality is actually part of the plot and not just a throwaway label. Some great sci-fi and body horror elements too!

Book: Bury Your Gays
Author: Chuck Tingle
Publisher: Tor Nightfire
Estimated Publication Date: July 9th 2024
Capone’s Rating: 5 of 5 ⭐s

No intentional spoilers, but reveals are implied—strong recommendation here that you skip this review and read Bury Your Gays immediately, without knowing anything about its plot.

Chuck Tingle’s Bury Your Gays is 12% guts, 13% jokes, and all heart. Wait—it’s 40% gay Scream plus 60% The X Files homage. And remember that film Enemy of the State? Throw that in the mix for good measure. In a thriller-horror novel following Camp Damascus, a chiller rendering the terrors of conversion-therapy camps as obvious as they are awful, Tingle’s again relates queer struggles that are almost intentionally ignored in the straight world (to everyone’s detriment). In this followup, Tingle writes of Misha, a Hollywood figure wrestling with his public identity as an ambiguously gay show writer. While the story’s internal conflict is about whether or not Misha feels safe to be out in every area of his life, its external conflict is driven by the trope of popular media writing off queer characters or having them die in a blaze of straight-person-saving glory. Specifically in this case, Misha is commanded by the powers that be (who turn out to be quite powerful indeed) to do just that: to kill off his gay characters in the final episode of a successful TV show he’s written. He doesn’t want to do this, of course. Enter: conflict. Misha’s also in the running for an Oscar for a short film, which adds to some of the tension of the story and plays out with an intensity that had my eyes bulging and my kids wondering what was so shocking. (Truly, I read a lot of horror, and I read a lot, period, and the second half of this book had me almost racing to finish and to find out what’ll happen to a cast of characters of which I’d grown so fond.) They watch me read some 120 books a year and have never seen this look on my face before today. I can’t wait to buy them a copy of this book. So the story plays out, and there are forces at work that put our hero’s very life at risk—along with that of everyone who knows him or happens to be standing near him at any given time.

Bury Your Gays is a tremendous success. Hilarious, gross, and heart-warming; this mostly straight reader connected emotionally to what friends have described as a common experience of a queer person being excluded, vilified, or used as a prop for someone else exorcizing their own potential queerness. Horror often helps us to express our fears and traumas in ways that are more accessible than sharing therapy sessions with the public, and Chuck Tingle connects me to his characters on a genuine emotional level. The joking-but-serious tone here works, contributing to my love for the story.

I’ve got one more thing to add to this review, and it’s going to seem like a reach, but please, follow Professor Capone for just another moment.

When Socrates tells Glaucon in The Republic that he’s going to describe a city where Justice reigns, he does so in the context of describing what Justice is. Glaucon, his interlocutor, had claimed that we’re essentially backed into a corner and have to accept justice because we’re too weak to take what we want and get away with it. Socrates doesn't cotton to this way of thinking. In defending his own view of Justice, he has to say what it is, but that’s tough—and maybe boring. So he tells a story. Justice will be easier to see if writ large, he explains—described by way of a thought experiment. He goes on to describe what Philosophy 101 students know as The Republic, which is often taught (wrongly) as “Plato’s ideal city-state.” If you figured me for comparing Chuck Tingle to Plato or the character Socrates, you’d be right. In Bury Your Gays, as in Camp Damascus, Tingle makes apparent through exaggeration and metaphor the stuff that wouldn’t grab our attention as clearly without figurative language and in the mode of literature. What people might ignore or instinctively battle in a political debate may be understood more clearly on an emotional level through storytelling. “Love is real,” as Tingle says in his afterword (and every time he speaks or writes, I think), and the message comes through in Bury Your Gays, loud and clear. Five goddamned stars.

Thanks NetGalley and Tor for an advanced copy of this book.

Bury Your Gays takes an honest and terrifying look at the Hollywood money machine. While the monsters Misha, a screenwriter, has created based on his childhood traumas are horrifying and violent, perhaps the most frightening aspect of the novel is the advancement of technology to fuel soulless corporate greed and to capitalize on other people's trauma. There's plenty of dread, yucky gore, poignant flashbacks, and humor. The novel is also a tribute to many horror and speculative classics in film and television. It's such a fun ride.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Chuck Tingle, and Tor Nightfire for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I can truly say I haven't read a book like this before, and for that, I commend Tingle greatly for his creativity! This book is definitely unique and creative, and ironically, I think it would make a great movie. There's a little bit of a lot of things here: horror, mystery, humor, sci-fi, LGBTQ+ commentary and themes. Because there's a little bit of a lot, I don't think it quite worked fully for me. Certain things were a bit too on the nose/cheesy for my liking, while other things confused me a bit based on their pacing and timing. I never felt super connected to Misha as a protagonist, and I had a hard time getting into the story as a whole. As stated before, it's very original, which I enjoyed, and there are certain scenes that I was super hooked into. But ultimately, it felt like I kind of had to force myself to finish this, making it a miss for me as a whole. Props for the commentary on queer joy though, as we always need more of that!

This was one of the most fun and heartfelt horror books I've read in a while! It is the PERFECT summer horror read. The characters were people I'd love grab a beer with and watch trashy reality, so watching them try to escape the unusual, terrifying events had me on the edge of my seat. Part of what made this book so fantastic was the inventiveness and tension of the horror scenes. The monsters varied widely and I even felt claustrophobic as some of the frightening scenes unfolded. The airplane scene just about killed me! Absolutely recommend this to any horror fan or someone wanting to dip their toe into the genre.

This book was not what I was expecting in the slightest, but that turned out to be a good thing.
Burt Your Gays is an excellent commentary on media consumerism, and how queerness is often coupled with tragedy because that’s what “sells”.
This book was certainly more of a horror comedy than anything else, at some points making me laugh out loud at shake my head.
Overall, a very wild and gory ride that was enjoyable and heartfelt!

Such a fun and intense commentary on being queer in an industry that claims to be inclusive, but really wants you put in your place...

Fresh from his first Oscar nomination, Misha has been writing in Hollywood for years. When he is asked by the producers to kill off a gay character, this begins a journey of self discovery amidst the chaos of death, hauntings and other shenanigans. I have come to expect meaningful nuanced writing from Chuck Tingle. The point of the story is so poignant, while still bringing you along on this wild, visceral ride.

Talking about this book is difficult considering I don't want to give anything away. The commentary on the presence of the queer community (whether done well, or stereotypical) in media like film and television, is just one reason to truly appreciate this book. There is also a really fun science-fiction-esque horror going on. Such a unique read.

It all starts when Misha’s producer wants him to kill off his queer characters to bury the gays, so to speak, and this will make the studio more money because the algorithm predicts it. When the characters he’s written for the screen come to life through nefarious measures, he finds himself and his loved ones in danger because they’re wanting to cause harm and kill him. Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle is well written, well paced, well played, well packaged and well executed. It’s gay, glossy, meta, current matrix, odd, off-kilter, queer, quackery, and unhinged. ARC was provided by Tor Nightfire via NetGalley. I received an advance review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Misha is a successful Hollywood writer. His studio wants him to kill off his gay characters in his TV show, but he doesn't leading to grave consequences.

Such a fun summer read that takes on important lgbtqia+ issues in a truly unique and creative way. There are great horror elements as Misha's horror creations come to life and come after him. This book was somehow sweet, funny, and tense all at the same time. This was a fast paced roller coaster of a read that you won't want to put down. I recommend this book for fans of horror stories with social commentary.

Bury Your Gays is an interesting twist on the "bury your gays" trope as well as an exploration on corporate greed, AI, and LGBTQ+ folks in media. Misha, the main character, is told to kill off gay characters for a shows upcoming season finale. His refusal leads him to be followed by monsters that look and act like his past horror movie characters.
I found Bury Your Gays very refreshing and engaging. I'm not very big on fiction but I'm glad I took another creator's advice and requested this e-ARC! I really enjoyed the aspects of horror, the commentary on rainbow capitalism, and the climax (no spoilers) had me on the edge of my seat. As someone who has never read Chuck Tingle before, I was very impressed and blown away at his writing/storytelling. I highly recommend picking up this book!

5 Stars
Genre - horror, satire/critique, queer fic
Tone - foreboding, earnest, anti-capitalist
Tropes & devices - flashbacks/multiple timelines, some light metafiction
Reps - Gay MMC, Aro/Ace secondary character
CW - homophobia, sexual harassment, queer trauma and suicide, domestic violence; violence/gore, torture, body horror; explicit language, alcohol consumption, drug use.

Chuck Tingle has crushed it again with his latest book. After bringing me to tears repeatedly with Camp Damascus, this same-universe novel about a gay Hollywood screenwriter serves as a perfect follow up. Misha's boss tells him it's time to either straighten out his queer-coded leads, or out them with a kiss and kill them off. But his deep attachment to these characters - inspired by a key moment from his past like all his others - won't let him do it; he'd rather risk ending his career than disappoint fans with either queerbaiting or the old "bury your gays" trope. When he starts getting threatened by the villains from his past projects come to life, he begins to wonder how far Hollywood is willing to go to turn his real-life story into just another queer tragedy in the pursuit of maximized profits.

This one struck me with quite a few twists (Kindle notes like "!!!" abound), and some parts definitely made me ugly cry. Tingle interjects many moments that are so earnest they feel like they must be autofiction. The "inspiration" portions especially brought me to tears. He spends a lot of time critiquing the way capitalist interests use queer people and their stories in whatever way will bring them top dollar, regardless of the impact on the artists and fans involved. I would recommend this one to anyone who likes their horror topped with a helping of queer joy. Further reading suggestions would be Corey Fah Does Social Mobility, Bored Gay Werewolf, and Boys Weekend for the way these books use horror to explore the intersection of capitalism and queerness.

I received a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

🌈Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle🌈


Pages: 304 🎧
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Goal 2024: 76/100 🎧 & 📚

Wow! WOW! Thank you so much @torpublishing, @macmillianaudio and @netgalley for these ARCs.

I was able to read on my kindle and listen and what a joy it was! There were cinematic moments in the book that I was able to listen to thanks to having an audio copy as well and let me tell you… IT JUST ADDED to the experience. I felt like I was in the twilight zone!!! I feel like just reading the book wouldn’t have given me such a unique experience. Plus the narration was chefs kiss! 💋

Bury your Gays is like Twilight zone, American Horror Story and Love Island created a monster that actually ends up being your adorable gay best friend.

It had just a little touch on horror because the main character writes movies/shows about horror & death. But it also had such a coming to age storyline about how queer representation in the film world is still a miss.

The book centers around how often LGBTQ is often leaving off the IA in the entertainment world and how we still just mainly focus around gay men or women in shows. Plus how they are often portrayed as extremely flamboyant or extremly butch. Missing the variety of what the community and we as people really are about.

This story goes on to prove how sometimes even though we feel our environments are supportive there is still often a misrepresentation in our surroundings. Now add in some horror, sci-fi and some AI scares and you have this masterpiece.

This was a perfect book to wrap up pride month and I recommend it to all my friends who like quirky sci fi reads.

(My review on Instagram will be posted closer to club day.)

I have had such strong thoughts and opinions about the bury your gays trope in media, and to read a horror breaking down and antagonizing it!!!! It was so fricken good!!!! Chuck Tingle's Brain, end sentence.

This is such a great summer blockbuster read. It has an engaging, if fanciful, plot, and several layers of social commentary that don't feel preachy. Super enjoyable, 5/5

I got an ARC of this book.

I DNFed it around 30% in.

I was just bored. Nothing was happening and I didn't care about any of the characters. I should have looked more deeply beyond the author and the title. I don't care about celebrities or movie production sort of stuff. So I really was the wrong audience for this.

A young screenwriter, author of a popular sci-fi series and a few horror movies, is told by his studio to kill off his leading gay characters. When he refuses to do so he sets in motion some bizarre situations that have him doubting his sanity and trying to protect his friends and his own life. I loved this book so much; it’s totally original, filled with horror and suspense and humor.

I love meta horror and this was about as meta as it gets, dropping the reader smack in the middle of Hollywood in the horror movie scene. I was fully immersed right from the beginning. I loved the main character and his development throughout the story, the supporting cast was superb, and the chills were CHILLING. Like there were some legit scary moments.

Bury Your Gays explores corporate greed, AI, societal agendas, and LGBTQIA+ in media. It was well done and incredibly unique. I dare say I liked this even more than Camp Damascus (loved the mention of it in this one) and I just had a fun time with it. Highly recommend to meta horror fans or those looking for LGBTQIA+ novels in this genre. Tingle doesn’t let ya down.