Maria aka BubuBangles

Here are my 5 Star Reads of 2025.

Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
The Deep by Nick Cutter
This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

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The Deep by Nick Cutter 5/5 🌊
I didn’t know a book could make me feel like I was drowning on land. This book is claustrophobic and the imagery is gross and I felt the pressure on my skin. Loved it. It reminded me of Abyss meets Event Horizon. Good work. I can’t wait to read Nick Cutter’s other work.

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell 5/5 🪆
I binged read this in two sessions. I was up until 3am finishing this. I absolutely enjoyed this little ghost story in a gothic setting. I had to look up what a Silent Companion was, and let me tell you what, it was so worth doing before shit hit the fan

Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke 4/5 🍬
I really enjoyed this book. It was short, engaging, and straightforward. Left so much to the imagination, and reminded me to never take candy from a child.

These Looks and Books brought to you by:⁣
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𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲: Don’t take candy from children⁣
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Weird creepy paintings are weird, and creepy⁣
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩: Proof that humans are not fish⁣
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#thedeep #silentcompanions #sourcandy #horror #horrorlit

I have been so sick for the past week, so I have been in bed watching things:

- May the Devil take you too - B-
- The dark and the wicked - A+
- What Josiah saw - A
- A house of secrets - A
- The Visit - A
- Clove hitch killer- A+
- Coffee table - A
- When evil lurks-A+
- Cursed Man - F

#horror

patrick star from spongebob squarepants is pointing at someone with a long nose . ALT: patrick star from spongebob squarepants is pointing at someone with a long nose .

Booooo he’s alive

Current Read: Revival by Stephen King
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A shout-out to Portland, Little Rock, Ocean City, San Diego, Indianapolis, Salem, Denver, Asheville, and Pittsburgh!

Swipe right ➡️ for increasingly sexier pictures.

Rest Stop by Nat Cassidy 3.5/5 gas station hotdogs 🌭

It was a fun short read. I might be super desensitized but it wasn’t THAT gorey to me. Now, it was still fun visualizations. I enjoyed it.

Have you read it?

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I am half way through Never Whistle at Night. It’s good so far!

I have not! Do you have a favorite? I liked his writing.

I only had two minor issues. It was a little rambling in parts, which I didn’t mind until I minded, if that makes any sense. There was like 2 solid times I skimmed by some rambling parts.

Otherwise there were a few scenes were cool and one made me yell, “Noooooooo!” As it was unfolding. Def read it

I finished The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. 3.75/4⭐️ 🩸📚

I liked the themes of revenge and generational trauma mixed with folk lore and superstition. I had to look up the significance of some of the things and I feel like I not only was entertained but also learned a thing or two.

The urge to call in for a mental health day is high. I just want to read books in bed all day with tea and snacks.

#mentalhealthday

Definitely let me know what you think.

I watched Marshmallow and omg what a pleasant surprise of a movie. I had so much fun watching this with the kids. I had no idea what to expect. At first I was like, okay. Then I was like, 𝘺𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘰, then it was like 𝐒𝐀𝐘 𝐖𝐓𝐅? then it ended like 𝐎𝐇 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐳𝐳

Have you seen it yet?

#horrormovies #horror

🎥 Now Watching IT (2017)

𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞: This is my first time watching the 2017 remake of IT 😳

𝐼’𝑚 𝑠𝑜 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝐼 𝑠𝑎𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔. 𝑊𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑚𝑒 𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑘 !
#horrormovies #horror #IT

🎥 Now Watching

Independence Day (1996)

It has Aliens! It has Action! It has Jeff Goldblum!! 👀

#independenceday #scifi

Ever just read something gross you get goose bumps and start giggling. That’s this book in a nut shell.

Definitely give it a read.

The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim
👁️👄👁️
Solid 4.5/5 on the optical scale.

What a great book! I was pleasantly grossed out and engrossed in the story. I had been eyeballing this for a while and finally bit the bullet and I am so happy I gave in to those deep desires.
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I love an old-creepy-metaphysical-folklore-based-in-isolation-during-the-olden-days movies.

I really enjoyed this. Have you seen it yet?

Solid 4/5 old ladies on the BUBU scale.
#horrormovies #horrorsky #thedamned

At times I had to back track to ensure I got the characters straight.
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I finally finished Negative Space by B.R. Yeager

It’s a 4/5 ⭐️ for me. It was weird, unique, and the amount of queer representation was cool. The different perspectives of the main characters with the exception of one was a cool way to tell a story.

Definitely let me know what you think!

Just finished watching Ash (2025) on #shudder and I give it a solid 3.5/5 on the bubu scale.

I really enjoyed it. I loved the art and visuals. The lighting in this was beautiful. I wanted so much more of the world it was set in though and the story.

#horrormovie #horror

a black and white photo of a cat with the word deal written below it ALT: a black and white photo of a cat with the word deal written below it

Idk even know what that is lmaoo. The only deals I’m making are with my pets

Have you ever read a book where you just wanted the protagonist to meet their demise? Last time I felt this way was Gone to See the River Man.

So I started reading Suicide Forrest by Jeremy Bates and I have been hate reading this book since around the second body. And it’s mostly because I cannot stand the main protagonist. He gets on my nerves. I will finish it because it’s good, but I am rooting for his demise lmaoooo

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