Lucky Day – Book Review
by Chuck Tingle
I am the self-proclaimed #1 fan of Chuck Tingle. I have been reading Tinglers since the very beginning and Camp Damascus was my favorite book of 2023, so of course, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this latest Tingle release, Lucky Day.
I loved it so much, and I was waiting to be closer to launch day to make a post about it. And that time is here now! So please continue for my spoiler-free review of Chuck Tingle’s Lucky Day.
Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle is a mind-bending, genre-defying masterpiece that proves once again why he’s one of my favorite authors. Only Tingle could take the absurd premise of a world forever scarred by improbable, deadly accidents and transform it into an existential, terrifying, and deeply human story. Through Vera, a former statistics professor still grieving her losses, Tingle explores chaos, luck, and the fragile search for meaning with both biting horror and unexpected tenderness.
It’s important to point out that this IS horror – it’s going to be dark. Right from the beginning, there are some difficult topics and subject matter that may be difficult to read. Check trigger warnings if you’re unsure and you can always ask me, as well. There is one scene early on that bothered me, but I trusted Chuck to do it well by the end and I was not disappointed. All of the difficult, painful things in the book are for a purpose.
I also found the main character, Vera, so relatable. I said the same thing about Camp Damascus, but I may have felt it even more so with this one. Vera struggles with depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation. And while it can be hard to read, it’s also written so well, you can feel it in your bones, especially if you’ve also been through these things yourself.
What makes this book so striking is how it balances outrageous imagination – chimps with typewriters, exploding manhole covers, improbable Vegas casinos – with razor-sharp commentary on grief, faith, and survival. Like Camp Damascus and Bury Your Gays, Tingle wields horror not only for shocks, but as a scalpel to probe the deepest fears of our age. Dark, funny, and wholly original, Lucky Day cements his place as one of the most daring and innovative voices in modern speculative fiction.
Super excited to see Chuck on the book tour and I will be recommending this to everyone!
This book is now available from all major retailers so go get yours!