Ayahuasca

Very well written book I was a bit disappointed by the ending but only because my mind had written it's own ending due to the final circumstances ....Involving a Crazy Shamans Hut and a Time Loop (Grin)... but that wasn't to be but the book was very enjoyable in a Grim harrowing way and was good how he made me go from liking the main characters to sympathizing to despising them

I received this book to give an honest review.Now a book like this I would probably have given a 5 star rating no problem. The only reason I didn't was because of the scene with the dog. That bothered me a lot. Though I understood why the author put that in the book it was just disturbing for me.Now if you are squeamish , do not like animal cruelty, do not like expletive scenes then this book may not be for you. Just a fair warning!So lets dive into the review. This book is one psychological horror book. We are introduced to Paxton and Damien who are so excited to go on their trip, they are more excited to do this G-88 thing. For me I figured this trip was going to be fun and of course drugs and drinking were going to be involved. I just didn't know the extend of their fun. They kept mentioned G-88 and once everything came together it finally made sense.We go between journal entries made by Paxton and his memories of things of his past, to the present. Paxton and Damien are very disturbed individuals.When they try this mind altering drug called ayahuasca it all comes full circle for them though we don't learn about this drug until towards the middle-end of the book.I honestly keep thinking to myself how dark was this author's mind, because what he has written in this story is almost the darkest thing I have read in a while. I can honestly say that this author has a way with a story. He can pull you into the story that you don't want to put it down, and then leave you wondering what did I just read. I think this is a book that some of the scenes will just stay with me.As far as characters I think he wrote them very well, they were complete and not just made to be the way they were written. I felt that people like them are really out there with their messed up mind. If that makes sense.I hope this author writes more as I think I would for sure read more by him.

Jonathan Huls' Ayahuasca is a horror novel with adventure elements for adult readers. It is NOT for children because of its adult content that ranges from graphic sex and brutal violence to drug use and graphic language, and it is definitely not for those faint of heart or easily offended (if you're easily offended and can't stomach depictions of brutal violence and graphic sex, you should think twice before you read it). It's one of the most disturbing novels of the year. It's an NC-17 novel.If there are readers out there who don't know what Ayahuasca is, here are a few words about it, because it's good to understand where the title of this novel comes from. Ayahuasca is a an entheogenic brew made out of Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the Psychotria viridis leaf. The brew is used as a traditional spiritual medicine in ceremonies among the Indigenous peoples of Amazonia. Ayahuasca is known by many names throughout Northern South America and Brazil. More information can easily be found from the internet.Ayahuasca was a unique reading experience for me. Although I've read many horror novels and countless stories, I don't recall reading another dark fiction story quite like this one ever before, because it has a pulpy and uninhibitedly perverse feel to it. It has brutal elements that slightly reminded me of Sean Benham's Blope, and it also has a bit of Bret Easton Ellis in it, because the author dares to venture into areas that make us genuinely uncomfortable and delivers revolting sights.The author clearly aims to shock his readers with the extremely brutal and nasty story and he fully succeeds in it. He has created a story that has the power to make even the toughest of us feel appaled at certain scenes. I think it can be said that he challenges the reader's perception of what's acceptable and what's not. (This novel is not for everyone.)I classify this novel as brutal dark fiction that has pulp elements. It has elements in it that can mostly be found be in exploitation and sexploitation films. It also has strong elements of modern pulp horror.Here's a bit of information about the story:The story begins as Paxton informs Damien that he has gotten his pilot's license. They're planning on flying to Central and Souther America to celebrate their graduation from college. They have done research about the cities they want to visit and are excited about the trip. When they travel to Peru, they take ayahuasca brew and see visions...Damien and Paxton are well-portrayed characters. They're frat boys who have been friends ever since they were children and they enjoy each other's company. The author writes vividly about their lives and deeds. They're anti-heroes whose behaviour varies from normal to disturbing and outright psychotic.Cecita is a also well-portrayed character whose life changes permanently when she meets Damien and Paxton. The author writes fluently about what happens to her.What separates this novel from several other novels is the way it has been written. The author has such a vivid way of writing about the characters and the happenings that you can't help but be mesmerised and shocked by the crazy and repulsive story. It's amazing how well the story maintains its momentum from start to finish, because it grows weirder, more violent and more disturbing towards the end.Ayahuasca will shock many readers who are not used to reading about what frat boys are capable of doing and how they enjoy life's various pleasures and experiment with certain things. You'll both love and hate the protagonists for what they do, because they're a couple of rascals who do disgusting and nasty things.The author doesn't try to please everyone with this novel, because he writes boldly and unflinchingly about various brutalities ranging from perverse sex to cruelty towards animals. Some of the scenes are truly revolting and may cause severe discomfort to sensitive readers who are not used to reading brutal and perverse stories. The author exposes readers to various emotions and feelings ranging from empathy to utter revulsion.The sex scenes are surprisingly bold, because the author writes about sex in an uninhibited way and lets readers amaze at the various daring scenes depicted in the story. The readers gets to be voyeurs who witness debauchery and obscenity displayed before their eyes without any kind of censorship.The raw and profane language perfectly fits the story. The author uses various offensive expressions and words in a powerful way.The mentions of the G-88 were intriguing and added a bit of mystery to the story, because the author didn't reveal anything about until it happened. I'm not going to reveal what the G-88 means, but I can mention that it's something extremely disturbing.I think it's possible to say that Ayahuasca can be seen as a kind of a metaphor for what happens when (neglected) children develop into adult psychopaths and do horrible deeds to others. The author's way of writing about Damien and Paxton's childhood and how they were raised up provides readers with an explanation of how they came to be who they are now. This novel can also be seen as an uncensored journey into the minds of psychologically damaged individuals.I give Ayahuasca five stars (on the scale from one to five stars) for its uncompromising outrageousness, perverse nature, untamed rawness, extreme brutality and profane language. I'm aware that this may be a bit too high a rating considering the novel's contents, but it has the same kind of raw power as Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho and it's as far away from mainstream dark fiction and normal mainstream fiction as possible. This novel is far from what I normally read, but it's a unique, daring and crazy - and also a bit detached - glimpse into the minds and lives of frat boy psychopaths. I won't easily forget this novel and I have a feeling that those who read it won't either be able to forget it.If you are not easily offended or shocked, Jonathan Huls' Ayahuasca will be a unique reading experience to you. It's something totally different, because it's simultaneously raw, pulpy, entertaining and extremely brutal. It's a uniquely disturbing read with several gut-wrenching scenes. Once you begin to read this novel, you're lured into the wholly twisted world of Damien and Paxton. Although you'll be disgusted by what you read, you'll find yourself turning pages to find out what happens next.My final words are:Jonathan Huls' Ayahuasca is raw, untamed and pulpy dark fiction for adults who are not easily shocked. It's a relatively fast read that offers moments of genuine discomfort to its readers.

Californians Damien and Paxton take themselves off to the jungles of Peru after graduation. The pair are clones of AMERICAN PIE's Steve Stifler although they don't come across as cute as Seann William Scott and are a great deal nastier. A flashback to boyhood days shows them brutally torturing a dog; I wanted them to suffer a much uglier retribution than the author eventually gives them. They meet a cute girl on the Amazon who introduces them to an hallucinogenic drug called Ayahuasca, which turns them into savages. The girl ends up on a raft in the ocean with a plot twist that makes you realise Kate Winslet got off lightly after the Titanic sinking.This book has an ugly cover and an unattractive storyline. Mr Huls has been meticulous in his proof-reading, which few self-published authors are, but lines are not 'justified' in the print version, which I found very distracting, and a major edit was badly needed. There's a wildness in your writing, Jonathan, which needs a bit of taming before you produce something that thrills the reader without turning his stomach. Good luck![Reviewer is the author of SHAIKH-DOWN and THE BEXHILLMISSILE CRISIS]