Ludes is one of those books that left me with mixed feelings long after I turned the last page. At first glance, the premise seemed intriguing—a surreal dive into altered states and human consciousness, wrapped in gritty, almost hallucinatory prose. The author doesn’t hold back, and that’s both its strength and its weakness. Some chapters felt like a fever dream, immersive and unsettling in the best way, while others dragged under the weight of their own ambiguity. If you’re into experimental narratives that challenge linear storytelling, like 'House of Leaves' or 'Infinite Jest,' you might appreciate its ambition. But if you prefer tighter plots, it could frustrate you. I found myself admiring it more than loving it, though certain scenes still haunt me.
What really stuck with me was how it blurred the line between reality and delusion. The protagonist’s descent into dependency mirrored the narrative’s unraveling, which was clever but exhausting to follow. The supporting characters were vivid but underdeveloped, like shadows flitting in and out of focus. It’s the kind of book I’d recommend with caveats—perfect for a book club debate but maybe not a cozy weekend read. Still, if you’re in the mood for something that lingers, flaws and all, it’s worth a try.
I picked up Ludes on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum about unconventional literature. The writing style is raw and unfiltered, almost like the author channelled their stream of consciousness directly onto the page. There’s a relentless energy to it that pulls you in, even when the plot veers into confusing territory. I loved how it explored themes of addiction and perception without moralizing—it felt honest, even when it was messy. The dialogue crackled with authenticity, though some monologues dragged on a bit too long for my taste.
Comparisons to 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' are inevitable, but Ludes carves its own niche with a darker, more introspective tone. The scenes set in the protagonist’s childhood home were particularly striking, blending nostalgia with a sense of dread. It’s not a book I’d call 'enjoyable' in the traditional sense, but it’s compelling in the way a car crash is—you can’t look away. If you’re okay with narratives that don’t tie up neatly and prefer character studies over plot-driven stories, this might resonate with you. Just don’t expect a comfortable ride.
Ludes is a polarizing read, and that’s what makes it fascinating. The prose is dense and poetic, almost like reading a long, chaotic poem disguised as a novel. I alternated between being mesmerized and exasperated—some paragraphs felt like genius, others like self-indulgence. The middle section, where the protagonist wanders through a series of half-remembered encounters, was my favorite. It captured the disorientation of memory so well. But the ending left me cold, like the author ran out of steam. Still, I’d say it’s worth experiencing once, if only for the moments of brilliance scattered throughout.
2025-12-07 00:08:54
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3 BOOKS. The Lunas of vengeance
Gloriel
9.1
92.5K
I was forced to watch my husband fuck my sister as I slowly died on the floor.
So revenge, pain and destruction is all I want now.
Tamara was brutally murdered by her beloved husband and sister who she loved and trusted most in the world. But by an unexpected twist of fate, the moon goddess suddenly sends Tamara two years back into the past to undo her mistakes.
In her past life, she had made the mistake of being too kind and too naive, trusting those she shouldn't have.
But in this life, she swears to get revenge on all those evil people who betrayed her.
But what if her first step in her revenge plan forces her to marry the same man who killed her parents? And what if she discovers that the person destined to destroy her is also her destined fated mate?
Will she be able to fulfill her revenge plan? Or will her enemies destroy her for a second time?
Book 2: Kayla was betrayed, abused, and humiliated by the man she loved most when he got her own maid pregnant! To make matters worse, he sold her off to another strange man! Now all Kayla wants is REVENGE and POWER. And she will get it by any means necessary.
BOOK 3: Ivonne was tortured and humiliated when her husband brought his mistress to live with them, but Ivonne endured all this because she needed him to pay her mother's hospital bills. But after her mother is brutally murdered and Ivonne is cruelly thrown out to the streets, she forces herself to transform into the vixen of vengeance that would crush her enemies and take back all that belongs to her! You don't want to miss these books!
He was meant to be a sacrifice. Instead, he became an obsession.
When Elias is cast out of his master’s home, accused of seducing a nobleman’s son, he flees into the forbidden lands of Lucian D’Arcy—the cruel, beautiful vampire lord feared by all. But instead of killing him, Lucian claims him, drawn to Elias in ways neither of them understand.
Elias resists the dark temptation Lucian offers, but his body betrays him, his pulse quickening under the vampire’s touch. The longer he stays, the harder it becomes to deny the hunger in Lucian’s gaze—or the sinful desire curling in his own belly..
Lucian swore he wouldn’t break Elias. Wouldn’t ruin him. But as desire turns to obsession, and obsession to possession, one thing becomes terrifyingly clear.
He will burn the world to keep him.
Maya Rivers came to Eldridge Falls to disappear — to bury herself in routine, classes, and the quiet anonymity of the library stacks. But secrets don’t stay buried here. Not in the same town where her best friend Lena has already learned how quickly desire can ignite in the shadows.
For Maya, it begins as a late-night confession whispered into the glow of her phone. A fantasy shared with a stranger. Harmless, she thought—until the fantasy steps out of the screen and into the library aisles.
Now every night draws her deeper into a game of secrets and proximity, where rules are written in whispers and broken with a touch. The man in the shadows knows too much, appears too often, and echoes words she thought no one else could read.
As Maya wrestles with temptation, danger, and the thrill of being noticed, her story begins to intertwine with Lena’s. In Eldridge Falls, boundaries blur, shadows stretch long, and desire has a way of pulling you past the lines you swore you’d never cross.
Some secrets keep you safe. Others demand to be lived.
Lucas was living a normal life until truths about his birth, the death of his mother, his twin brother, and who he truly is are revealed by a woman, Mismaia. He embarks on a journey with her to uncover more of his families' secrets. A box left to him by his mother contains answers to where they have to go and what artifacts to search for. The artifacts form a key, there are four all over the world. It opens the entrance to the Underworld.
On their journey, Lucas meets a boy named Oliver and his cousin named Megan who volunteer to help locate the artifacts. Along with their search for the four keys, Lucas falls in love with Oliver but can't tell him. His life has become too dangerous and he doesn't want him caught up in it forever.
Finding these keys means their lives are at peril, dangers orchestrated by Lucas' brother to stop them. They then discover the identity of the woman who helps and protects them, his mother, alive. She asks him for his help to redeem his brother. Who apparently was stolen as a baby by their uncle. His uncle stole his brother to succeed him after his rule and to continue his plans for chaos on Earth and suffering for human beings. Lucas also learns the reason his mother stayed away for years was to protect and give him a chance at a normal life than what he is destined for.
Despite the attempts of his brother to kill Lucas, he makes it his mission to bring his brother back to the Light. He'll battle his brother and uncle for the throne and restore balance to the world. Will Lucas succeed and take his rightful place to rule as the heir of the Light?
Book 1 - You'd better watch out. The danger is not just lurking in the dark. accompanies each of our steps. Instinct drives them.In a world full of monsters, there are those who are willing to risk their lives to save humanity from ruin. The hunters.After the trauma of her childhood, the ambitious young Grace decides that she will be one of those who hunt down the monsters and does everything she can to achieve this goal. She only wants one thing, to take revenge on the beings that her parents once snatched from her. But when Grace is forced to meet the grouchy Reese and his troubled brother Nick, she has to admit that the monsters of this world not only lurk in the dark shadows of the night. She is drawn into a vortex of intrigue, power struggles and greed for money and soon finds herself confronted with a creature that is more dangerous than anything known before.-------Book 2 - You'd better watch out. The danger is not just lurking in the dark. accompanies each of our steps. Instinct drives them.In a world full of monsters there are those who are willing to risk their lives to save humanity from perdition. The hunters.Finally, the years of hard work are paying off, Grace is officially a Venator and with Reese at her side she believes she can cope with anything that fate throws at her. But an unbelievable message from Jilin pulls the shadows from the past and stirs her thirst for revenge. Grace takes on this challenge and gets a stone rolling that cannot be stopped and slowly not only she begins to doubt her sanity.
I picked up 'Lulled' on a whim after spotting its eerie cover art in a bookstore, and wow, it completely blindsided me. The story revolves around a small coastal town where people start experiencing unnaturally deep sleep—almost like comas—but with vivid shared dreams. The author blends psychological horror with folklore in a way that feels fresh, not just regurgitating tired tropes. What hooked me was the protagonist, a skeptical journalist who slowly unravels the town's secrets; her voice is sharp but vulnerable, making the surreal events hit harder. The pacing drags a bit in the middle when delving into historical documents, but the payoff is worth it—especially the twist about the 'lullers' being tied to old maritime rituals.
One thing that surprised me was how emotionally draining certain chapters felt. There’s a subplot about a mother losing her child to the sleep phenomenon that wrecked me—it’s rare for horror to balance dread with genuine pathos. Comparisons to 'The Southern Reach Trilogy' are fair, but 'Lulled' stands out by focusing more on communal trauma than sci-fi abstractions. If you’re into slow burns that prioritize atmosphere over jumpscares, this’ll creep under your skin. I still catch myself side-eyeing my pillow sometimes.