Introduction
I was given a copy to review by Titan Books and Netgalley. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #ARCReview #Netgalley #CampDamascus #ChuckTingle #TitanBooks #Horror

Review
Camp Damascus is an interesting and addictive horror novel by Chuck Tingle. The title’s camp is the world’s most effective gay conversion camp, nestled or perhaps hidden is the best term, in the Montana wilderness. Parents send their children from around the world to experience the program’s 100% success rates. But Camp Damascus the novel is not really about the camp, it’s about Rose Darling the god-fearing young lady who beings to see her world crumble. Suddenly starting to be sick with flies leaving her mouth which her parents seemingly put down to being normal or explainable and who ignore her increasing visions of a otherworldly woman with sagging, pale skin who watches from the woods. And it’s about the desires Rose feels deep inside that don’t seem to make any sense and her waking nightmares that are beginning to feel more like memories than night terrors. Maybe it is about Camp Damascus after all?

Wow, what a read! I have never read anything by Chuck Tingle but I have to say this horror was brilliant. On top of the typical horror elements I also adored the psychological and human aspect found with religious cult overtones to the novel throughout. Rose’s parents were definitely raising a lot of red flags while reading. And poor Rose just seemed to take it but it was lovely seeing her awaken throughout the novel to the truth and grow. I also loved how Tingle dealt with and highlighted her neurodiversity in the book via Rose and her experience. Another red flag from her parents not helping or accepting this either. But other than Rose I loved that she found her family along the way. I found all the supporting characters were also well rounded and either likable or detestable. The scariest part for me was I am sure out there ARE some people who share the beliefs of those who run Camp Damascus.

But I am digressing. The horror is multitier within the novel and perfect. It was eerie, sometimes visceral, creepy crawly and human as well with just a sprinkle of science fiction tied into the horror. Add into that the representation of neurodiversity and LQBTQIA+ and it ticked a lot of my boxes. I never like to spoil novels but I have to say there is a bit of everything in here and it is all executed by Tingle perfectly. We have tender moments, heart wrenching moments, moments to make you angry, moments that will make you emotional and all of it fits perfectly. I really hope Tingle does more horror like this one. I will definitely be looking out for more in the future!

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O man, this book is so much fun!
This is part cult, part possession, part stepford but 100% excitement.
Rose, thinks she is living a perfect Christian teenagers life until one day, just as she's about to jump off a cliff into a glistening blue lake below, she kind of gets the feeling she's thinking about her best friend in a romantic way and then boom! She begins to see a foul disgusting straggly haired,, mouthful of razor teeth with an unsettling smile creature in the background of her vision. This creature shows up every time she gets these kind of thoughts about the beautiful girl from school, and now it's in her home! She's going to have to go to Camp Damascus, the local church "scare the gay away" camp with a 100% success rate to right the wrongs and find out what the Hell is going on.
This story is absolutely nuts, it's exciting, and refreshing and I can't wait to see what fresh new horror Chuck Tingle will write next

Yes, yes! We have all heard of Chuck Tingle (or Dr Chuck Tingle if you prefer) the self published sensation who has populated the Zon with his tales of being pumped in the butt by whatever. However, this is a different side of the eponymous writer of his own style of erotica, and in Camp Damascus, he has turned his hand to a different sort of tingle; the Spine Tingle.

Yep, in Camp Damascus, Chuck Tingle has changed from the good naturedness of his prolific output and instead the good doctor has turned his hand to horror.

Now by my count, this is the second book of horror that Mr Tingle mi timbers has turned his hand to, but whilst the first one, Straight,is a queer take on the Zombie Apocalypse, Camp Damascus is going straight for the jugular and highlighting the evil of organised religion that preaches about the use of conversion camps.

Mixing the Re - Education of Cameron post with demonic terror,Camp Damascus tells the tale of Rose Hill. A girl that loves her mom and dad, but more importantly loves Jesus and the bible more.

We see the events unfold through the eyes of Rose, a young girl who has an abundance of curiosity and will research topics incessantly. She's not very good with people and she really isn't into the local hunk of The Kingdom of the Pines, Isiah, who has his eye on her. Except that her eyes are elsewhere, and they don't involve him.

From the very outset we know that there's something not quite right. We aren't sure what it is but there's definitely a levinesque lense to the whole situation, and throughout the story we get some increasingly bizarre events occurring, like why does Rose see an eyeless woman with taloned fingers? Or why does Rose inexplicably start spewing forth insects for no good reason? But more creepily, why does her mom and dad, the Ken and Barbie of this religious sect think it's no bother when said insects come spewing forth from her mouth. And why does Rose have no door to her bedroom?

Furthermore, who is the girl that Rose sees in her dreams?

Tingle cleverly keeps things vague, slowly building these inexplicable questions. However, it is not until a shocking incident occurs that things start to come to head and Rose begins to question all that she believes. This starts a chain of events that uncovers the truth of The Kingdom of the Pines and Camp Damascus.

However, whilst on the whole the book is good, there were some little things that kinda annoyed me a little with the book. At times, I thought that there were instances where the personality of the author overtook the character, and whilst I see that it may be a little joke, found the overuse of the word tingle to describe certain sensations sometimes a little obtrusive.

The other was that, I felt that your hand was held a little when it came to some of the reveals, particularly the metaphysical manifestations of the demons. I liked the first half of the book where it kind of let you decide whether these were real occurrences or in actual fact a subliminal reawakening of the trauma that Rose had experienced.

However, on the whole,it was an enjoyable story and the ending was satisfying. I liked the elements of social commentary that lie behind the book.

Note: A huge thank you to the publisher, the author, and to NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Please note that this review may contain spoilers.

Camp Damascus follows Rose Darling, a 20-year-old girl due to graduate high school, in a town full of supposedly devout Christians. Whilst celebrating graduation, Rose begins to see grotesque 'human-like' creatures, eventually uncovering a plot run by Camp Damascus itself.

SPOILERS... I enjoyed the elements of demonic tethering to the individuals, and overall how heinous and disgusting the treatment of LGBTQ+ characters really sent shivers up my spine and rage through my heart. Overall, I enjoyed the concept of this story, however, I feel like the execution was slightly slow at times and felt quite hard to trudge through - despite the book being approximately 200 pages. Generally, this book is a super short horror read that I would recommend to those wanting to read up on spiritual and religious horror elements.

The author has clearly done a large amount of research on this subject which I did really enjoy. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

"Camp Damascus" is the first foray of Chuck Tingle (world greatest author, x2 Hugo award finalist) into horror. I previously read some of his traditional "Tinglers" and, while it was fun, they were ultimately not for me as it's not my preferred genre - but with THIS book Mr. Tingle hit the nail on the head:
We have a horror book with an LGBT+ neurodivergent main character, a cult that -ignoring the supernatural elements- would not be out of place in the real world (it's actually pretty tame in some other aspects) and a band of rejects taking onto the enormous task of stopping the real evil: a gay conversion camp. Yeah, and there are some demons as well, but we all know it's secondary.
Lastly, one detail I especially loved: the main romantic relationship in this book doesn't feel rushed at all, the author actually paces it real well and incorporates the characters' feelings of trauma, fear, inadequacy, etc. No Hollywood romantic reunion where after one mere look passion overtakes reason and common sense, people throwing themselves into the arms of an almost stranger - this is a much more realistic approach to two scarred and scared people coming together, which gives an extra layer of depth to the whole story.

TL,DR: Loved it, hope Mr. Tingle continues being spectacular and maybe graces us with some other horror books. Pretty please?

Camp Damascus is a horror novel about a conversion camp and the dark secret embedded in a town. Rose is twenty but is treated like she's much younger by her god-fearing parents, who try to force her to hide her autism and want to control her life. When Rose starts coughing up flies and seeing a strange woman in a red polo shirt that her parents don't acknowledge, she starts to wonder what is going on, but her parents act like it is nothing. But Rose has questions, and those questions start to bring her back to the idea of Camp Damascus, the 100% success rate gay conversion therapy camp that makes their town famous.

I'd heard of Chuck Tingle as the internet-famous author of novelty erotica, but from the summary of this novel I had to give it a go, despite not knowing what Tingle's horror would be like. Told from Rose's perspective, Camp Damascus tells a gripping and strangely real-feeling (despite the demonic twists and turns) story of a conversion camp that makes you forget you ever went, and a woman forced to be someone she isn't. The plot is straightforward, following a pretty predictable trajectory that goes in a satisfying way, though upon reflection I might've expected there to be more around Rose's parents, who leave the narrative and never come back.

Rose is an interesting protagonist, a neurodiverse character who has to fight against the older adults in her life trying to quash anything she does that doesn't seem neurotypical and someone who has always been told what to believe (or as far as she remembers) trying to work out what she does think as she realises this. As the book is quite plot-focuesd, you don't get to see a huge amount of her relationships with other people, but later on in the narrative there is a focus on chosen family and the idea of both queer and neurodiverse people finding who they can be themselves around. The other major characters don't get much backstory, partly due to the fact it is from Rose's point of view and because the book is quite concise and doesn't delve into character emotions that much.

I love queer horror and the demonic concept of this one combined with the horror of a conversion camp you can't remember makes it a memorable read. There's a few gruesome moments, but generally it's pretty accessible for people who aren't necessarily big horror fans, and I also think it would work well adapted into a film, as it is plot-focused and has some memorable set pieces. Some of the implications and nastier concepts weren't really explored as much as I'd like (particularly one character who dies early on brings in some terrifying implications that don't really get discussed in the narrative much), but I did like how quick and compelling it was to read.

This book is going to live in my head for a long time. I’ll hold my hands up here and admit this is my first time reading Chuck Tingle’s work, and I think he’s immediately crossed over into my list of favourite horror writers. With Camp Damascus he has delivered a powerful look at fundamental Christianity, the evangelical movements, and conversion camps. Through Rose, the main character, there’s a slowly unfolding sense of dread right from the start. Her POV means everything we see is presented as completely normal, but as a reader, the chills start early. The way the town seems split between worshippers and non-worshippers, the way Rose freely quotes the Bible, and the way her parents push back against her curiosity – all normal to her, but all ringing alarm bells for the reader early on.

Rose is neurodivergent, and it’s something that comes through really well and clear in Tingle’s writing. She’s a great character to follow, especially when you initially have the combination of her belief, her curiosity, and her more scientific side. As the story unfolds and we start to put the pieces together, so does Rose, though Tingle makes it so you’re kind of a step ahead of her, understanding sinking in for the reader a split second before it does for her.

It's masterfully done, and the whole book balances the religious themes and the horror in humanity really well with the more supernatural elements. It’s honestly a really great book that tackles a very contemporary, infuriating issue represented by the camp itself, and without a doubt is well worth a read.

I received this eARC from NetGalley for an honest review

I admit; I am a huge fan of Chuck Tingle. I find his general vibe and his posts always bring a smile to my day. SO when I found out he was writing outside of the Tingleverse, I was excited but nervous as I really wanted it to be good.
Well, the good news is that it is pretty great!

Camp Damascus is a queer horror story, surrounding a cultish sect of Christianity and the conversion camp they run which somehow boasts 100% success rate. We follow Rose Darling, a good Christian girl, who doesn't question things, doesn't think about the camp, and just wants to be a dutiful daughter. But then she starts to vomit flies, she's obsessed with her friend, and then she's convinced she's being followed by... people in matching polo shirts and nametags?!

Chuck manages to build up and steady level of dread and suspense while managing to inject humour and heart in a horror surrounding intense religious trauma and the supernatural.

Tingle has said himself he is autistic and having Rose eventually overcome the stigma from her parents and therapist around her self-soothing stims was heartening as much as it was painful reading about her trying to not do them.

I also appreciated that we see a variety of ways people can cope with religious trauma, from staying faithful but away from the evils of the sect, to outright rejection of religion. The reasons into why are discussed with insight and heart, and (eventually without) judgement.

The only 'drawback' was I was always surprised when Rose's age was brought up. She read as a teenager, so hearing she was 20 was quite jarring. However, considering the way Rose is belittled and infantalised by her parents and her therapist, I guess it does make sense, it was just difficult to reconcile in my mental image of the character.

4.5 I strongly recommend this book, because guess what? Love WINS Buckaroos

I absolutely loved this book, there's nothing I love more than religious zealots getting their just deserts!
I loved our main character Rose, I liked that she logically worked her way through problems and came to understandable conclusions (a pet peeve of mine is when a character ignores the clues around them) I loved the light romance between her and Willow, and the friendship with Saul.
My only gripe is that I could have done with some more background information and/or history of Rose and Willow being fleshed out but at the same I still really enjoyed this book without it!

All in all; a great revenge horror!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Another great Pride Month read! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
LGBTQIA+, Religious horror and some sci-fi elements? Count me in.

I feel like this had a bit of a slow start but was still intriguing enough to have me curious and read on. It really ramped up the action around the 50% mark and I finished the remaining 50% in one sitting.

I really liked the main character and especially the characters and chemistry introduced later into the story.

The writing was great! Descriptive but easy to read and binge-able.

I may be one of the few who had never heard of Chuck Tingle and their backlog of niche erotica before this serious horror debut but I'd consider reading more from him. (yes, even Helicopter Man Pounds Dinosaur Billionaire Ass).

Ah, Queer Horror. Whats not to love about this book! The good old chosen family is much better than Blood. Will say this, this has a lot of religious trauma, homophobia so be wary of that when reading.
Demonic possession or just horror dealing with demons is one of the horror sub-genres, I really need to get into more, both in book and in film. But having this sub genre with this setting makes this a very interesting read. I was hooked to the story from the get go!

Rose, our female main character, is gay as well as autistic and I love the fact that she doesn't hide it in her thoughts, using her curiosity for knowledge as a way to figure out what is going on! The other members of the cast and her found family help her out, by not making her hide away her thoughts and feelings.

This is my first experience with this author and honestly I loved the book!

This was just not for me. Ringing in with a horror plot of cult level religious body, i feel it started promising. There was an air of creepiness with the MCs family background and the vibes and aura that she exudes. But it dragged for too much, even with the happenings in the conversion camp. It also kind of feels like a fictional work covering an expose on such places. I lost interest with the plot after a while. But i believe there are those who will enjoy this. It just was not for me.

I love love loved the concept, imagery, and overall plot of this short novel, but unfortunately I wasn't a fan of the execution. Honestly, it read like a first draft. There was a major issue with telling rather than showing, and every plot point was so clearly signposted that I never felt any sense of tension, only impatience. There were also some plot points that were pretty much glossed over. It's shame because I think it's a great story, it's just unable to shine in this form.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC via Netgalley.

A truly unsettling look at organised religion, cults and homophobia within the church. Some truly unsettling imagery, an interesting plot, and more facts about flies than I ever thought possible! A great read.