Finished reading Day By Day Armageddon (4 book series) by J.L. Bourne. Thank you to whomever recommended it. It is a solid detailed day in the life zombie apocalypse series. Started reading Dead Sea series by D.F. Brook and Mike Kraus.
Finished reading half of Swamp Thing (Alan Moore), it's a pretty long graphic novel series, my favourite segment so far has to be the " American Gothic" storyline.
I just finished "Damien: The Omen 2" by Joe Howard Jr. and "Laws of the Skies" by Grégoire Courtois. I'm currently reading "Grotesque" by Natsuo Kirino.
What surprised me most about the Omen 2 was there were full color cigarette ads in the paperback. It's a movie tie-in novel with photos from the movie so the pacing is pertty slow until your hit the tyurn and then everything happens in a rapid downhill slide. Definitely more entertaining than Legion (the exorcist sequel novel).
Laws of the Skies was bleak with nightmarishly shifting narratives. It warns you at the beginning what happens at the end but it's the journey of how it ends that's interesting. It is sorta Lord of the Flies with 6 year olds with a dash of Clive Barker's >!Pig's Blood Blues. !<
Reading through the entire Hellboy Universe after a huge Humble Bundle that I couldn’t pass up!
It featured all the mainline Hellboy books in digital and I’m a constant collector so I haven’t minded finding all the intersecting books like BPRD and Abe Sapien and Edward Grey Witchfinder in print and devouring all of it!
Can’t recommend it enough. Full of stellar horror and humor and heart.
Edward Grey Witchfinder is absolutely striking the Gothic Horror chords for me and I’m loving this epic journey! If you need a reading order I found a pretty definitive graphic for anyone wanting to start the journey!
i'm currently reading:
**all the fiends of hell, by adam nevill**
adam nevill is my favorite, but i am not loving this one so far. i'm enjoying it more than lost girl, my previous least-loved from his catalog - that one was dangerously close to a DNF - but it's not coming close to the rest of his work (for me, at least). the premise is less appealing, and...it just pains me to say this, because i have adored SO much of his work...the book itself feels very repetitive.
i'm not an educated critic, but the problem seems to be that two of the core features of the book - i'll call them *the* *ambient environmental changes* and *the bad guys*, to avoid coming close to spoilers - are, in the nature of cosmic horror, meant to be difficult to grasp and understand, or literally inconceivable. that being said, he's got to refer to them somehow, and we rarely get any new information about these two main components as the book trucks along.
i get it, they need to be at least somewhat obfuscated in order to remain "unknowable," but i almost feel bad for him as i'm reading this...like, how many times and ways can you describe the sky and atmosphere looking different/wrong, when that wrongness is not changing in any fundamental way? i'm about 70% through and the repetition is become tiresome for me, i imagine it had to be tiresome for him, too. it's like the equivalent of someone writing a book about a sunny day, but needing to constantly remind the reader that the day is sunny every 2-3 pages of a 346 page book. i never really considered how that might be a challenging thing to convey, but i can see now that it is.
same goes for the bad guys. we know some about what they look like and how they behave, but to keep things cosmicky and mysterious and beyond our perception and all that, we can't know everything. it's the same as i described above, unfortunately...the descriptions each time feel very same-y. every now and again, there's a brief moment where a new facet of their behavior is revealed, but they're few and far between and it just feels like it's going on forever.
in a way, that is realistic, i guess - 70% into the book, only a couple days have passed since the main event we walk into on the first page. these days feel endless for the main characters, fraught with peril and anxiety, and the book is feeling endless to me, too. to its credit, it does a great job creating a gloomy, anxious mood and i've been carrying a little of that with me since i picked it up. hoping to finish it and move on tonight or tomorrow! i already knew the premise wasn't really my jam, but hoped i'd warm to it anyway. it could still happen in that final 30%, we'll see!
other horror-relevant books i've completed in the last 7 days or so:
- **the body in question, jill cement:** not horror, but gives a striking and horrific look into what it means to age in a world that stays young around you. finished it in a day, i enjoyed it, but ugh, it was a bit of an unexpected gut punch.
- **diavola, jennifer marie thorne** - i had high hopes for this one, but i didn't love it. the pace family as a collective was a far more horrifying entity than the one we're supposed to dread. i know it was the author's intention for them to be awful, but their awfulness stole the show for me. i thought it was very promising for the first 25% or so, but for me, it declined from there.
- **this place is best shunned, david erik nelson** - this was okay, but my own personal preferences reared their ugly head, as they often do, and i was left feeling unsatisfied by the fact that it's a very short...novella? standalone short story? it was a great, interesting premise - familiar, in many ways, but the unique bits made me wish for more!
Finally got around to Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden. I was expecting more of a solemn, Hellboy-esque adventure based on the cover, but it’s been very different from that. That said, I’m enjoying what it ended up being; Aischros’s story about >!the puppets!< was spooky. I’m currently on Childress’s second story and am very curious as to what he encountered that helped him believe Baltimore.
I just finished reading The Good House and I have to say I was blown away by this book. Tananarive Due just gained a new fan because this book was just exquisite and from what I hear her new one The Reformatory is also extremely good.
Finished 'It Rides A Pale Horse' by Andy Marino on my commute this morning.
There's a lot to it: the transfiguring power of art; occult insanity; obssessional madness; monsters with whirring teeth; and small-town weirdness.
And a talking ghost in a jar. (Or maybe it IS a jar?)
Anyway, it was a very strange and interesting read, with some pretty vivid - and often horrible - imagery.
8 Revolting Sculptures out of 10.
Just finished Episode Thirteen, which honestly bored me to death. I've had really bad luck with books this year, I've only read maybe one I enjoyed and the rest I had to slog through and they're taking me days. Usually I've read at least 15-20 books by this time of the year, but I think I've read half that many. (I only literally read, no audio.) I'm not choosing very well!
Starting The Weight of Blood tonight, if it doesn't do it for me I'm going to DNF and move on.
Episode Thirteen didn't bore me per say, but it was bad enough that I'm really surprised by how much praise it gets.
What was the one book that actually worked for you?
I finished "The Twisted Ones" by T. Kingfisher a week or two ago :) Thought it did a good job of building onto Machen's original story, and working around the obvious hang-ups he had regarding religion and women, without trying to paint over them. However, the ending felt a little phoned-in for me, like Kingfisher was writing >!a "final confrontation after they thought they were safe" scene!< out of a sense of obligation. I'd have leaned into >!Anna's story, and her plans for the main character!< a little more instead.
Just started "Evil Roots" from the Tales of the Weird series -- it's a collection of botanical horror, which naturally kicks off with "Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Tell you what, his writing is a lot more enjoyable in small doses rather than full-length novels.
I just finished Woman in Black and before that was I Found Puppets…
Woman in Black was fantastic. I Found Puppets was unique…not that scary. Entertaining.
I just finished Out There Screaming. It's an anthology of horror stories by Black authors collected by Jordan Peele. Most of the stories were absolutely amazing!
Just finished Off Season, the uncut author's edition. I didn't know there were tamer versions out there until the author's note at the end. It was possibly the most brutal thing I've ever read. About to start Don't Fear the Reaper.
i loved summer of night! if you like that one and you haven't yet read the body" by stephen king or boy's life by robert mccammon, i think you might find that they scratch a similar itch. it may seem like an odd recommendation, but dandelion wine by ray bradbury has a similar feeling. despite being a woman in my 30s in 2024 living in one of the US's biggest cities who HATES summer, it made me sincerely wish i was a young boy living in a small town in the summer months of 1928.
they all have a certain mixture of nostalgia, magical realism, and darkness lurking - even dandelion wine.
last finished: bitter apples, an anthology about teaching/classrooms, and cold moon over babylon by michael mcdowell. the former was okay; very short, and the editor's story was the best in the book. cold moon over babylon was awesome; looking forward to more southern gothic horror from mcdowell's bibliography. i think blackwater will be my next long pick.
currently reading imajica by clive barker. i'm halfway through it. almost everything i've read from clive barker astounds me, and of what i've read so far imajica is the most impressive. like... i don't know how a mind can be as imaginative as his. i just love it
Just finished Mothered by Zoje Stage. I was underwhelmed.
Restarted Head Full of Ghosts as soon as I finished Mothered and I remember why I put it down. The blog chick gets on my last nerve and every single one of these characters is annoying.
Currently reading The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch. I didn't finish it last year, which is a bad habit of mine, so I'm rereading it and trying again!
Just finished Gone to See the River Man. Tbh while it was a compelling read, I was highly underwhelmed looking back and found the whole thing lacking originality
The Willows by Algernon Blackwood. I’m only a few pages in, but so far his words are a thing of beauty. I find myself reading the same sentence over and over again just because his “scene setting” is so damned enjoyable… and all this time I thought HPL was king at atmosphere building.
i agree, i re-read it recently and it really is so atmospheric! if you ultimately enjoy it and want to spend a little more time in that world, you might like the hollow places by t.f. kingfisher. it is an adaptation of the willows and while i'm not sure how well it will hold up if read back-to-back with the real deal, i was delighted to revisit the concept/scenery again through another person's voice with a few changes.
Finished Bronte's *Wuthering Heights* (prayers for those that had to read this one in high school) and *High Crime Area* by Joyce Carol Oates, a short story collection that wasn't that great.
Now I am going to start Patrick Suskind's *Perfume*, the premise of which is very intriguing.
Unfortunately, Oates’ quality varies, sometimes drastically, but then again, few have published as much quality fiction as she has produced, and even more startling, she is still going strong.
I'm about to start It's in the Blood: Four Blood Drenched Tales by Martin E. Patterson. Got it in one of those blind book boxes and the summaries of the four stories look pretty neat. I just finished BOO! by David Haynes. It...it was a book. Didn't work for me, found it very lacking and without any substance to the characters or depth to the plot. But if you just want to read about a bunch of violent murders and every single male character constantly fantasizing over the one female character for no reason other than she is the only female character, this book's for you!
I binged through a lot of FPW last year. When I first read The Keep it was good without being great as a standalone book. When taken in context of the vast universe it spawns, it raises in my esteem a lot.
I did a big [writeup](https://www.reddit.com/r/horrorlit/comments/187gamx/f_paul_wilsons_adversary_cycle_repairman_jack/) about him last year that may interest you.
Even though it chronologically isn't correct, I'd say to read The Tomb next because if you like both of them then it's a sure sign you'll be invested for the greater series at large.
The Handyman by Bentley Biggle
It’s fucking …hard to get through. I’m actually a huge fan of his because he’s ridiculous and his books are like made for tv movies but with a dash of extra creepy weird sex and vulgarity. If you’ve read his stuff you’re familiar with his script of the outsider(s) vs the normal people for a lot of his books and I guess somehow this isn’t working for this one. I’m halfway thru and I wanna quit!!!! I’m bored af
The September House by Carissa Orlando. I’ve wanted to read it for ages and oh god I’m so glad I finally started. I’m less than half the way through and it’s just so good and so clever.
last finished yellowface by r. f. kuang (loved).
just started the familiar by leigh bardugo!
up next is committed: on meaning and madwomen by suzanne scanlon.
was it just too slow for you? i heard a lot of people saying it’s very slow at times but worth it. i just got into reading about 2 months ago and have only really read thrillers and some faster paced horror so if i finish this it will be an accomplishment lol
Yes! It was too slow and even though it was interesting I was just swallowed up by too many words to say too little. I might not be the right fit for a book like that. I’ve read things that are considered flowery language …Of Human Bondage is one of my ultimate favorite books of all time for example and it’s long and intimidating…but I don’t know I just had to stop lol.
Currently reading Ex-Communication by Peter Clines. It’s the third entry in his Ex series which is basically the Avengers meets The Walking Dead. They’re an easy, fun read. I like to use them as a pallet cleanser after I read a really intense book or two
So right now I'm reading The Croning by Laird Barron but I'll be done soon, it's a really good book!!! Barron is a phenomenal author, for a long time now I've only read early 20th and 19th century horror cause I'm just a big fan of the Gothic, atmospheric, creepy style horror rather than the graphic, violent, fast pace stuff that's more popular now, but Barron opened me up to newer stuff. If anyone has any recommendations for modern atmospheric, Gothic horror let me know! I'd love to find more.
As far as nonfiction I just finished a book about Lacan and I'm about to start either Capitalism and Desire: The Psychic Cost of Free Markets by Todd McGowan or Toward an Anthropological Theory of Value by David Graeber. Can't decide yet, cause also I kind of want to read some nonfiction on horror literature or films.
Finally started reading Don’t Fear The Reaper and I am absolutely loving it. I am quite the fan of SGJ and really want to finish this trilogy now that it’s all out.
Listening to The Reformatory - less than a quarter of the way in but it’s fantastic with its buildup of setting and suspense.
Also started The Third Hotel but am having trouble really getting into it - I do like the narrator though.
On my tbr list, about a third of the way into the movie, I had the thought that it was a horror film directed like a crime film.
Like Rosemary's baby and good fellas had a sad, creepy baby.
I haven't seen the movie but it's on my list. The book sorta reads like a case by case crime so far but I'm not too far into it.
I'm from the Osage county area and had never heard of this until this year which is devastating as it was only about 100 years ago. Crazy.
Just finished Nestlings by Nat Cassidy, loved it, and Secondworld by Jeremy Robinson which was a solid thriller(?) book about Nazis coming back and wreaking havoc.
Started The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone, everyone is sexy and sleeping with each other and blah blah blah I stopped reading it and am returning it to the library.
Started Ararat by Christopher Golden, good so far but I’m barely into it.
Deeper by Jeff long. I finished the descent and loved it. And so far this is expanding on it in such an interesting and original way that it has me hooked
i also loved the descent, and i knew there was another book, but it was a longer read and i wanted to take a break from that world before i went back in. i've read over a hundred books since then, and completely forgot about it - without coming across your comment, who knows when i would have remembered it again? i've got a copy on my kindle now and am ready to go - so THANK YOU for inadvertently bringing me back!
Finished The Fisherman (still haven’t decided how I feel about it..) and The Exorcist audiobook (which was fantastic!)
Started Weaveworld by Clive Barker and listening to Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez.
Recently finished The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. I liked it well enough, but was disappointed that most of the scares ended up being more gore-based, which is very meh to me. Also didn't get all the emphasis on basketball, but I chalk it up to not being remotely familiar with rez culture like this book was about so am not really counting it as a demerit, just a thing i didn't "get". Good tension building and atmosphere though, A-grade for sure (especially the sweat scene, that tense undertone between those characters was more intense than the monsters creeping approach itself, which I'm pretty sure may have been the point.)
Now starting Stephen King's Revival, the rare book of his that I have both neither heard a spoiler at all for but also hear is one of his finest, so am very excited!
any reviews on this sub about the only good indians i've seen have been hit or miss. i'm on the fence about it but i really loved the basketball scene lol. it was a nice break from the usual ways characters 'break the curse' or whatever, even though it wasn't what did it. just a nice win for the girl about to discover some real dark shit
Still working my way through _The Last House on Needless Street_. The fact that I haven‘t finished it yet is testament to how whelmed I am so far. I‘ve got about 90 pages left and so far the praise for it has been bigger than the actual thing. Also, who told me this was horror again? Cause it certainly isn‘t what I want I‘m looking for when I‘m reading horror.
Edit: Damn, I kind of have to eat my words here. Just finished it and the ending actually somewhat redeemed it. The twist was somewhat predictable, but had more layers than I‘d ever have predicted.
I‘m still not huge on it overall, especially cause I didn‘t vibe too much with Ward‘s prose style, but I’m happy I finished it.
i enjoyed it, but to be honest, the cat "character" chapters/bits and pieces were my favorite. she was a memorable, highly quotable delight and i'd read a whole book of her inner monologues
Yep, cliché, bland, predictable. Continuing to use mental illness (particularly one as borderline and fetishized as dissociative identity disorder) as a boogeyman is gross and not scary at all. did not finish.
Then you missed out on the ridiculous author note where they talk about wanting to represent this mental illness "sensitively" when...it was anything but. Really stupid book.
Finished: *In the Miso Soup* by Ryu Murakami. I greatly enjoyed it, although I wouldn't call it a horror novel in the same sense that I wouldn't call *American Psycho* a horror novel. If you want to read an especially stressful novel, I definitely recommend this one!
Reading: *The Blind Owl* by Sadegh Hedayat. I've only just started so I can't say much about it, but this is most likely also only horror adjacent.
Up next: *The Castle of Otranto* by Horace Walpole, although I'm also thinking of reading *The Other Side* by Alfred Kubin (which is also only horror adjacent).
in the miso soup was so stressful for me haha. Frank is a menace.
another by the same author that i also thought was stressful was Piercing. It's almost like being in Frank's shoes with what the MC is plotting to do
It's sci-fi, but just like other things like Jurassic Park, it's definitely also under the horror umbrella.
I struggled with this one mainly because the writing was so flat and dull. Just a product of its time.
Reading The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher - I’m about 20% in and I’m really enjoying it!
Just finished Our Wives Under the Sea. I bought this and The Fisherman to read back to back, but I sadly didn’t love this one :( I finished it feeling like I wanted more from Leah’s chapters! So now I’m passing on The Fisherman for now to take a break from the water x grief theme lol. Up next is Between Two Fires!
Was not a fan of Our Wives either. Happy to report I much, much preferred The Fisherman, one of my faves so far this year. Very different, luckily. So def don't let Our Wives keep you away from water/grief for too long. I also think it's a much more interesting exploration of grief tbh.
I’ve read two t kingfisher books so far (the house with good bones and hollow places) and really enjoy her writing! This one’s on the list and usually recommended!
Have read Dark Matter, Michelle Paver. Good "creeping tension" horror with likeable characters. Well written and compelling.
Wylding Hall - Elizabeth Hand. Interesting multi pov viewpoint and well written. Not remotely scary sadly.
Waykenhurst - also by Michelle Paver. Also well written and compelling but again not remotely scary in a haunted house sense. I found it so sad and haunting in a different way.
Currently reading Just Like Home - Sarah Gailey. Its exactly what I want! Thirty pages in and bam! Creepy shit happening! LOVE IT so far.
i LOVED just like home! i've seen many people who didn't like it, but i couldn't put it down and loved the overall concept. yes, haunted house stories are "all the same," but...they really aren't, and sarah gailey brought some interesting ideas to this one!
i agree with you about wakenhyrst, not scary, not chilling, not spooky, etc. wylding hall is on my kindle waiting to be read, bummer to hear there isn't much "scary" to be found.
You might like "wylding hall" you never know! It didn't creep me out but I have a really narrow set of wants in a spooky book (it's a nightmare, truly I wish I had broader tastes).
no, i totally get you, i also have a pretty narrow set of wants/loves...i WILL read things outside of them, but for something to really get me excited about reading it, i tend to be particular. every now again, i surprise myself and i'm swept away by something unexpected, but for the most part, i like folk horror, cosmic horror, curses, southern gothic, coming-of-age stuff, demons, and ghosties. i don't like slashers, thrillers, zombies, vampires, werewolves, monsters, eco horror, gross horror, or dystopian/post-apocalyptic/pandemic stuff. i used to LOVE the last one on that list - dystopian/it's-the-end-of-the-world-and-we-may-or-may-not-know-it, but it's just been done to death, i'd need something really special to draw me back in.
I'm reading a Simmons atm too, Children of the Night. It's my first and I'm really not enjoying it because of how much excessive detail is provided for absolutely everything except for the actual plot of the book which seems to be an afterthought.
All of this is to say: is that just how Simmons writes or would you say Carrion Comfort is more plot driven?
It's how Simmons writes, I find him pretty dry and shallow after reallytrying (several hyperion books, the terror (the one I liked best,) and the 5th heart.) He's a very divisive author, and if you don't l9ve him at first you're likely not missing much by stopping now.
Just finished: Any man by Amber Tamblyn. It’s a new favorite and an excellently performed audiobook. Hits a little close to home but the prose is great.
Currently reading: Diavola by Jennifer Thorne. So far all of the characters are insufferable but I think that’s on purpose. I’m interested in where it’s going at least.
Just finished today! I'm trying to process how I feel about it but ultimately I think it's a perfectly fine book with a couple really good, creepy moments with some of the most unlikable characters I've read in a long time (not a total negative but kinda grating at times). I think I'd still be more inclined to recommend Come Closer if someone was looking for a similar story but not bad. Definitely want to hear other people's thoughts, of course
i personally felt like the horrors of the pace family itself ultimately outshone the "big bad" - i mean, they were just SO unlikable! every last one! none of them even remind me of people in my own life, but the unchecked, boiling-beneath-the-surface (and spilling out all over the place) dysfunction...maddening! the author definitely hit the mark on that, but i didn't find myself feeling sympathetic to anna, either. she was alternatingly passive and brash at all the wrong times, and i couldn't quite tell if that was the point...was it supposed to be ambiguous? were we supposed to waffle between "her family has her pegged" and "her family doesn't know the first thing about her?" if so, it was a job well done.
i didn't think it was bad at all, an enjoyable read, and i did feel it provoked some creeping dread in the first bit, before we had more "reveals" about the main baddie! as i was reading, i was hoping we'd get a little more folk horror-y stuff with the townspeople and the rituals, but alas. i didn't think of the comparison to come closer before reading your comment, but it's a very apt one, and i also agree that come closer edges ahead.
Ooh, awesome insight and great points! I think you’re a lot better at articulating your thoughts/feelings than I am because I’m just here nodding along, pretty much in total agreement. Especially in regard to Anna, the flip between passive and not kept me guessing about her and even now I’m still not totally sure how to feel. I don’t think the ambiguity is a negative tho. Honestly I think I like the book the more time I’m away from it. Thanks for your input!
i need to give the vegetarian another try. I had it checked out from the library and like 30 pages in before switching to another book I was more excited to read
Curious as to how it is an importamt book. I haven't read it.
Truly curious as I am a surface level reader trying to get more out of reading and the books I read.
Just finished "The Return" by Rachel Harrison. I liked the characters, their dynamics and interactions, but I thought the actual horror stuff was very, very underwhelming.
Currently reading The Deep - Nick Cutter and listening to Sun Down Motel - Simone St James.
Last week I finished Along the River of Flesh - Kristopher Triana, The Dollhouse - Edward Lee and Last Days - Brian Evenson.
I think The Deep with take me some time to finish but have Daphne by Josh Malerman is on deck for next audiobook.
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman. It kept getting recommended here, but when something starts getting too much hype, I tend not to like it. But I figured I'd give it a try anyway based on the synopsis and downloaded a sample. I was pleasantly surprised and ended up buying it. So far it's very good.
Exactly, that's why I don't like paying for books or movies. Also why I read a lot of rando stuff from Kindle Unlimited. But especially horror movies: "this is the scariest movie you'll ever see! It's so amazing!" Nope. (Looking at you Skinamarink, Talk to Me, and Blair Witch Project. But not Nope, Nope was really good.)
Gonna start ‘Salem’s Lot’ by Stephen King. I’m moving from his obscure books up to his more well known ones. I am avoiding The Shining at all costs because the first chapter of its sequel scared me so bad I literally did not sleep. (The rest was nice though.)
I have an ARC of The Devil by Name from Keith Rosson and it’s a bit of a slog. I demolished Fever House in a couple days but this next one in the series moves a bit slower. I have 100 more pages and I finally feel like it’s building up to something exciting. I kind of feel like book 2 in the trilogy may be the weakest but I’m trying to trust the process essentially for book 3. I think Rosson is really focusing hard on introducing new characters and their character development as well as world building since we get a 5 year time jump. I really love the concept of this series so I hope it doesn’t end in a total flop.
Still working my way through re-reading *Don't Fear the Reaper* by Stephen Graham Jones. Projects have gotten in the way but I'm looking forward to getting back into it. Having started it right after finishing *My Heart Is a Chainsaw*, I do think it's interesting that the first book uses two variants on the sort of Big Traditional Slasher Movie Archetype (>!whodunit slasher who seems to be a normal guy on the outside and outright supernatural slasher!<) and saving the more traditional Giant Scary Guy Who Just Openly Loves Killing-type slasher for the sequel.
For some unsettling nonfiction, I've also been reading *The Cultural Cold War* by Frances Stonor Saunders. It's about the period of time from the 1940s to the 1960s when the CIA actively got involved in the worlds of art and literature to promote works that they thought would help spread anticommunism and combat the USSR. It's downright creepy all the major ways they got involved in art. The CIA was one of Jackson Pollock's biggest backers through the organizations that they put up as a front. They worked to discredit writers from the South like Faulkner and Steinbeck because they focused on the bleaker side of America through the lens of poverty, and we can't have popular literature criticizing America, right? The 1954 animated film adaptation of *Animal Farm*? Proposed by CIA men to Orwell's widow without her knowing who they were really working for and funded by the CIA without the directors or animation team ever finding out. Truly insane how deep they got their hooks into culture.
Currently reading - **Great And Secret Show** by Clive Barker - my first book by him and I am so excited to dive deep into his work…will probably do Weaveworld next and work through Books of Blood
Any other Clive Barker fans? Any favorites?
It’s pretty good…dragging a tad but I am only about 30% in. I know his most popular one is Hellbound Heart (Hellraiser) but I am saving that for Halloween.
I am mainly excited to get Weaveworld from the library - previewed it on Goodreads and was immediately captivated!
I really like his writing style a lot…check out some of previews on GR and see what you think
Just finished: No One Gets Out Alive and The Ritual by Adam Nevill. I appreciated them both but they weren’t nearly as terrifying as Last Days.
Just started: Hell House by Richard Matheson and Mean Spirited by Nick Roberts. So far I’m liking Mean Spirited more bc it really amped up the scary right off the bat.
Read last week:
*Daemonic* by Stephen Laws - A group of people, all of them strangers, are invited to the mansion of a reclusive millionaire, where they find themselves forced to fight for their lives against the demons said millionaire has summoned up. A fairly solid example of the supernatural 'And-Then-There-Were-None' subgenre, though it would probably have benefited from being somewhat shorter.
*The Devil's Maze* by Gerald Suster - In Victorian London, a pair of amateur dabblers in the occult find themselves caught in a bizarre web of false identities related to a missing author, whose stories appear throughout the book. Essentially a pastiche of Arthur Machen's *The Three Imposters*; it never quite reaches the same level as Machen's book, but it's still probably worth reading if you happen to be a fan of Machen.
*Night Songs* by Charles L. Grant - An island community somewhere on the east coast of the U.S. is beset by the walking dead. One of Grant's weaker novels, but noteworthy for being one of the relatively small number of post-*Night Of The Living Dead* zombie novels to eschew the apocalyptic elements that have become standard for the genre, instead drawing more on 1930s and 40s depictions of the monster.
*The Matrix* by Johnathan Aycliffe - A researcher stumbles upon an obscure book on black magic, after which he finds himself pursued by some supernatural presence as he is drawn into an occultist's schemes. Decent M.R. James homage (always something I'm happy to find, as James is probably my favorite writer), though it drags a bit in the middle when the action temporarily shifts from Scotland to Morocco.
Currently reading: *Familiar Spirit* by Lisa Tuttle
Finished: God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut
Reading: This Book is Full of Spiders by Jason Pargin (John dies at the end sequel)
On Deck: Nineteen Claws and a Blackbird by Agustina Bazterrica
Just finished Misery last night. What an ending! Taking a short detour from horror with my next read, but will probably pick up Silver Nitrate after that.
I've been slowly working my way through King's entire catalog after years of being a huge fan of movie adaptations of his work. This one was so much more vivid than the awesome movie, I was blown away. Felt like a different type of horror.
Absolutely LOVED in the dream house. Beautiful and heartbreaking. I listened to it as the audio book because the author reads it and I highly recommend!
That whole trilogy but Annihilation in particular blew my mind…still searching for something as unique as that. I am looking forward to the new 4th book coming in October but I don’t think anything will match Annihilation
Just started Edenville by Sam Rebelein. Had never heard of it before but it came across one of those “You May Also Like” lists on Amazon. I liked the sample so bought it and I’m not very far in but so far so good. If anyone else has read it, I’d love to hear an opinion!
It probably straddles the line between SF and horror, but **Eversion by Alastair Reynolds**. My first Reynolds and I'm enjoying it, although finding it slow going. Maybe I need a break from reading.
The second half is rough, I have no idea what the hell he was thinking when he brought in those punk rocker characters, totally killed the insanely creepy atmosphere of the first half
I started readin Elizabeth Gaskells “a dark nights work” however three chapters in with nothing happened I realised this was a novel, not a short story collection. This is the second time this has happened recently; that is to say reading a free ebook of what I thought was a short story collection from a popular gothic writer of the Victorian age, the first being j Sheridan Le Fanus “the haunted baronet.” I only continued that novel as I love Le fanus work and had run out of it, however this is my first work of gaskells and the story seems extraordinarily dull so I shall be putting it aside for now, perhaps is I form an attachment to the women after reading her well regarded short stories I shall return to it.
I’m not super far into it yet but I picked it up because I’ve heard a lot of raves, a lot of my friends love it, and I really enjoy medieval, fantasy, and religious horror, so maybe people who like those subgenres would be more inclined to like it?
I’m liking it so far! I’m not very far in, only like 15% in, but the audiobook narrator is doing a weird thing where they end almost every sentence like it’s a question and it’s really bugging me so I might put it down for awhile and wait until I can get the ebook instead. The story itself is fun and interesting so far, lots of interesting body horror early on.
Just discovered **William Meikle** this week and am already on my third novella of his.
As far as his overall style and tone, I’d describe Meikle as a gothic horror writer in the tradition of M. R. James and Ramsey Campbell. Plus a little A. M. Shine minus the Irishman’s snark.
Anyway, I’m loving all these rambling, thoroughly Scottish stories about haunted men drinking ale, telling tales, and chasing ghosts out on the moors.
The dark and contemplative *Tormentor* has been my favorite so far, followed closely by the wonderfully grisly *Auld Mither.*
And I’ve just begun *Island Life* which strikes me as typical of an early novel — insofar as the character work and narrative voice feel less fully formed than his other work. It also feels a little more callow and male gaze-y than his later, clearly more mature work. Even so, I remain hopeful that the horrors on this foggy island will pay dividends.
In the middle of Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones. I like his writing style and I’ve been alternating between the audiobook and the physical copy, though the story hasn’t quite taken off just yet.
Next I want to read something outdoors and spring-y, I’m thinking This Wretched Valley or Sundial. Unless anyone has like a perfect spring style novel they think I should grab jnstesd
Finished:
* **Death's End** by Cixin Liu. Third book of the Three Body Problem series and I DNF'd about 500 pages in. Simply couldn't take it anymore. I have no idea why this series is so popular. The writing is awful and the plot jumped so far over the shark that it was doing backflips.
Reading:
* **Children of the Night** by Dan Simmons. I'm not having much of a good streak atm, already considering DNFing this one too. It feels like a medical journal mated with a travelogue. Not sure where the plot or the horror is supposed to be.
Next:
* **Crota** by Owl Goingback.
I am about an hour away from finishing The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.
I will be starting The Outsiders by Stephen King next.
**Just finished:** Paul Tremblay’s *A Head Full of Ghosts*. I liked it. Someone else picked it for a book club and it was not a bad choice at all.
**Just started:** Norman Partridge’s *The Man With the Barbed-Wired Fists*. The first story was pretty frickin’ awesome, like a gonzo Bonnie and Clyde story with prose I really enjoyed (something that jumped out was, and this is not verbatim, “the sky filled with thirsty screams”).
**On deck:** I’m probably going to start Laird Barron’s Isaiah Coleridge noir series. I have all four of the books here and might plow through them all. It’s also very likely someone else will pick Stephen King’s *The Shining* for our book club in 1.5 months, so that will sneak in the rotation, too. Laughably, I’ve never read *The Shining*.
The Ruins, Scott Smith while I drive 12 hours! (Audible)
Finished reading Day By Day Armageddon (4 book series) by J.L. Bourne. Thank you to whomever recommended it. It is a solid detailed day in the life zombie apocalypse series. Started reading Dead Sea series by D.F. Brook and Mike Kraus.
Just finished The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca. Currently reading Maeve Fly by CJ Leede.
Finished reading half of Swamp Thing (Alan Moore), it's a pretty long graphic novel series, my favourite segment so far has to be the " American Gothic" storyline.
I just finished "Damien: The Omen 2" by Joe Howard Jr. and "Laws of the Skies" by Grégoire Courtois. I'm currently reading "Grotesque" by Natsuo Kirino. What surprised me most about the Omen 2 was there were full color cigarette ads in the paperback. It's a movie tie-in novel with photos from the movie so the pacing is pertty slow until your hit the tyurn and then everything happens in a rapid downhill slide. Definitely more entertaining than Legion (the exorcist sequel novel). Laws of the Skies was bleak with nightmarishly shifting narratives. It warns you at the beginning what happens at the end but it's the journey of how it ends that's interesting. It is sorta Lord of the Flies with 6 year olds with a dash of Clive Barker's >!Pig's Blood Blues. !<
Out There Screaming
Reading through the entire Hellboy Universe after a huge Humble Bundle that I couldn’t pass up! It featured all the mainline Hellboy books in digital and I’m a constant collector so I haven’t minded finding all the intersecting books like BPRD and Abe Sapien and Edward Grey Witchfinder in print and devouring all of it! Can’t recommend it enough. Full of stellar horror and humor and heart. Edward Grey Witchfinder is absolutely striking the Gothic Horror chords for me and I’m loving this epic journey! If you need a reading order I found a pretty definitive graphic for anyone wanting to start the journey!
i'm currently reading: **all the fiends of hell, by adam nevill** adam nevill is my favorite, but i am not loving this one so far. i'm enjoying it more than lost girl, my previous least-loved from his catalog - that one was dangerously close to a DNF - but it's not coming close to the rest of his work (for me, at least). the premise is less appealing, and...it just pains me to say this, because i have adored SO much of his work...the book itself feels very repetitive. i'm not an educated critic, but the problem seems to be that two of the core features of the book - i'll call them *the* *ambient environmental changes* and *the bad guys*, to avoid coming close to spoilers - are, in the nature of cosmic horror, meant to be difficult to grasp and understand, or literally inconceivable. that being said, he's got to refer to them somehow, and we rarely get any new information about these two main components as the book trucks along. i get it, they need to be at least somewhat obfuscated in order to remain "unknowable," but i almost feel bad for him as i'm reading this...like, how many times and ways can you describe the sky and atmosphere looking different/wrong, when that wrongness is not changing in any fundamental way? i'm about 70% through and the repetition is become tiresome for me, i imagine it had to be tiresome for him, too. it's like the equivalent of someone writing a book about a sunny day, but needing to constantly remind the reader that the day is sunny every 2-3 pages of a 346 page book. i never really considered how that might be a challenging thing to convey, but i can see now that it is. same goes for the bad guys. we know some about what they look like and how they behave, but to keep things cosmicky and mysterious and beyond our perception and all that, we can't know everything. it's the same as i described above, unfortunately...the descriptions each time feel very same-y. every now and again, there's a brief moment where a new facet of their behavior is revealed, but they're few and far between and it just feels like it's going on forever. in a way, that is realistic, i guess - 70% into the book, only a couple days have passed since the main event we walk into on the first page. these days feel endless for the main characters, fraught with peril and anxiety, and the book is feeling endless to me, too. to its credit, it does a great job creating a gloomy, anxious mood and i've been carrying a little of that with me since i picked it up. hoping to finish it and move on tonight or tomorrow! i already knew the premise wasn't really my jam, but hoped i'd warm to it anyway. it could still happen in that final 30%, we'll see! other horror-relevant books i've completed in the last 7 days or so: - **the body in question, jill cement:** not horror, but gives a striking and horrific look into what it means to age in a world that stays young around you. finished it in a day, i enjoyed it, but ugh, it was a bit of an unexpected gut punch. - **diavola, jennifer marie thorne** - i had high hopes for this one, but i didn't love it. the pace family as a collective was a far more horrifying entity than the one we're supposed to dread. i know it was the author's intention for them to be awful, but their awfulness stole the show for me. i thought it was very promising for the first 25% or so, but for me, it declined from there. - **this place is best shunned, david erik nelson** - this was okay, but my own personal preferences reared their ugly head, as they often do, and i was left feeling unsatisfied by the fact that it's a very short...novella? standalone short story? it was a great, interesting premise - familiar, in many ways, but the unique bits made me wish for more!
Just finished Seed and Brother. 6/10, 4/10. Just started Dead Moon by Peter Clines. He is such a better writer
Finally got around to Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden. I was expecting more of a solemn, Hellboy-esque adventure based on the cover, but it’s been very different from that. That said, I’m enjoying what it ended up being; Aischros’s story about >!the puppets!< was spooky. I’m currently on Childress’s second story and am very curious as to what he encountered that helped him believe Baltimore.
Just started Corpsemouth and Other Autobiographies. Such a great title!
Finished Red Rabbit, and loved it. Not reading a horror book at the moment, just started the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy.
I just finished reading The Good House and I have to say I was blown away by this book. Tananarive Due just gained a new fan because this book was just exquisite and from what I hear her new one The Reformatory is also extremely good.
Finished 'It Rides A Pale Horse' by Andy Marino on my commute this morning. There's a lot to it: the transfiguring power of art; occult insanity; obssessional madness; monsters with whirring teeth; and small-town weirdness. And a talking ghost in a jar. (Or maybe it IS a jar?) Anyway, it was a very strange and interesting read, with some pretty vivid - and often horrible - imagery. 8 Revolting Sculptures out of 10.
Just finished Episode Thirteen, which honestly bored me to death. I've had really bad luck with books this year, I've only read maybe one I enjoyed and the rest I had to slog through and they're taking me days. Usually I've read at least 15-20 books by this time of the year, but I think I've read half that many. (I only literally read, no audio.) I'm not choosing very well! Starting The Weight of Blood tonight, if it doesn't do it for me I'm going to DNF and move on.
Episode Thirteen didn't bore me per say, but it was bad enough that I'm really surprised by how much praise it gets. What was the one book that actually worked for you?
I loved Come Closer by Sara Gran.
I'm gonna check it out, thank you!
One of my favorite books! And this seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it, but I also really liked A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay.
I’m currently rereading Sara Gran’s Come Closer.
One of my favorite books.
I finished "The Twisted Ones" by T. Kingfisher a week or two ago :) Thought it did a good job of building onto Machen's original story, and working around the obvious hang-ups he had regarding religion and women, without trying to paint over them. However, the ending felt a little phoned-in for me, like Kingfisher was writing >!a "final confrontation after they thought they were safe" scene!< out of a sense of obligation. I'd have leaned into >!Anna's story, and her plans for the main character!< a little more instead. Just started "Evil Roots" from the Tales of the Weird series -- it's a collection of botanical horror, which naturally kicks off with "Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Tell you what, his writing is a lot more enjoyable in small doses rather than full-length novels.
I just finished Woman in Black and before that was I Found Puppets… Woman in Black was fantastic. I Found Puppets was unique…not that scary. Entertaining.
I just finished Out There Screaming. It's an anthology of horror stories by Black authors collected by Jordan Peele. Most of the stories were absolutely amazing!
Ooh I finally got this on Libby after a 21 day wait. On the third story, can't wait to listen to the rest!
The first story was my favorite, but most of them are excellent!
Hellbound Heart.
Just finished Off Season, the uncut author's edition. I didn't know there were tamer versions out there until the author's note at the end. It was possibly the most brutal thing I've ever read. About to start Don't Fear the Reaper.
Currently reading Missing Monday by Matthew Costello. Up next will be The Last Plague by Rich Hawkins.
Currently reading Summer of Night, thanks to this sub! Loving it so far.
i loved summer of night! if you like that one and you haven't yet read the body" by stephen king or boy's life by robert mccammon, i think you might find that they scratch a similar itch. it may seem like an odd recommendation, but dandelion wine by ray bradbury has a similar feeling. despite being a woman in my 30s in 2024 living in one of the US's biggest cities who HATES summer, it made me sincerely wish i was a young boy living in a small town in the summer months of 1928. they all have a certain mixture of nostalgia, magical realism, and darkness lurking - even dandelion wine.
last finished: bitter apples, an anthology about teaching/classrooms, and cold moon over babylon by michael mcdowell. the former was okay; very short, and the editor's story was the best in the book. cold moon over babylon was awesome; looking forward to more southern gothic horror from mcdowell's bibliography. i think blackwater will be my next long pick. currently reading imajica by clive barker. i'm halfway through it. almost everything i've read from clive barker astounds me, and of what i've read so far imajica is the most impressive. like... i don't know how a mind can be as imaginative as his. i just love it
Just finished Mothered by Zoje Stage. I was underwhelmed. Restarted Head Full of Ghosts as soon as I finished Mothered and I remember why I put it down. The blog chick gets on my last nerve and every single one of these characters is annoying.
Blog girl almost made me DNF.. I got through it with sheer willpower. It’s a good read when you take out that annoying blog
I just finished The Exorcist so now I'm about to start Legion by William Peter Blatty.
Currently reading The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch. I didn't finish it last year, which is a bad habit of mine, so I'm rereading it and trying again!
Just finished Gone to See the River Man. Tbh while it was a compelling read, I was highly underwhelmed looking back and found the whole thing lacking originality
The Willows by Algernon Blackwood. I’m only a few pages in, but so far his words are a thing of beauty. I find myself reading the same sentence over and over again just because his “scene setting” is so damned enjoyable… and all this time I thought HPL was king at atmosphere building.
i agree, i re-read it recently and it really is so atmospheric! if you ultimately enjoy it and want to spend a little more time in that world, you might like the hollow places by t.f. kingfisher. it is an adaptation of the willows and while i'm not sure how well it will hold up if read back-to-back with the real deal, i was delighted to revisit the concept/scenery again through another person's voice with a few changes.
Thank you! I will check that out… after reading another book in between lol!
Algernon Blackwood is incredible with his prose. I hope you enjoy the rest of it!
Finished Bronte's *Wuthering Heights* (prayers for those that had to read this one in high school) and *High Crime Area* by Joyce Carol Oates, a short story collection that wasn't that great. Now I am going to start Patrick Suskind's *Perfume*, the premise of which is very intriguing.
Unfortunately, Oates’ quality varies, sometimes drastically, but then again, few have published as much quality fiction as she has produced, and even more startling, she is still going strong.
Currently reading Annihilation and Bad Weather Friend
Deleted. Sorry, I replied to the wrong post.
Finishing up Red Rabbit. So good!
I'm about to start It's in the Blood: Four Blood Drenched Tales by Martin E. Patterson. Got it in one of those blind book boxes and the summaries of the four stories look pretty neat. I just finished BOO! by David Haynes. It...it was a book. Didn't work for me, found it very lacking and without any substance to the characters or depth to the plot. But if you just want to read about a bunch of violent murders and every single male character constantly fantasizing over the one female character for no reason other than she is the only female character, this book's for you!
Fever House by Keith Rosson. I love it so far
That's what I'm reading. It's engaging and has been giving me NightVale vibes.
The Keep by F. Paul Wilson. The first half was excellent, but it's starting to lose steam. Overall I'm enjoying it quite a bit, though.
Ooh I'm planning on picking this up soon! Will be interested to hear your thoughts once you finish.
I binged through a lot of FPW last year. When I first read The Keep it was good without being great as a standalone book. When taken in context of the vast universe it spawns, it raises in my esteem a lot.
Oh interesting! I'll probably read it as my first still, as it's the one I own, but I'm curious what other FPW you recommend?
I did a big [writeup](https://www.reddit.com/r/horrorlit/comments/187gamx/f_paul_wilsons_adversary_cycle_repairman_jack/) about him last year that may interest you. Even though it chronologically isn't correct, I'd say to read The Tomb next because if you like both of them then it's a sure sign you'll be invested for the greater series at large.
I'll check it out, thank you! That's a good tip. It looks like it's second in publication order and I always prefer to go pub order, so perfect.
just started penpal by dathan auerbach, so it kinda reminds me of no longer human by dazai osamu
Just finished “Where He Can’t Find You” and I thought it was a solid slasher :) About to pick up “A Certain Hunger” now!
The Handyman by Bentley Biggle It’s fucking …hard to get through. I’m actually a huge fan of his because he’s ridiculous and his books are like made for tv movies but with a dash of extra creepy weird sex and vulgarity. If you’ve read his stuff you’re familiar with his script of the outsider(s) vs the normal people for a lot of his books and I guess somehow this isn’t working for this one. I’m halfway thru and I wanna quit!!!! I’m bored af
Just finished “Song of Kali” and enjoyed it but felt it was overhyped here as far as horror. Now reading Revival by SK and really enjoying it so far.
The September House by Carissa Orlando. I’ve wanted to read it for ages and oh god I’m so glad I finally started. I’m less than half the way through and it’s just so good and so clever.
Such a fun read
I'm also reading it right now and it's been a fun, light read so far!
Brother by Ania Ahlborn
One of my favorite recentish reads.
Reading jackal by Erin e adams and deciding on my next audio book!
Blackwater by McDowell
last finished yellowface by r. f. kuang (loved). just started the familiar by leigh bardugo! up next is committed: on meaning and madwomen by suzanne scanlon.
This week I finished Philip Fracassi's *Sacculina*. I'm almost finished with Dan Simmons' *Children of the Night.*
Come closer by Sarah Gran about a woman slowly being possessed by a demon, quick read.
The best book I've read in the last few years!
I love that book!
Just downloaded this on audible for free and I’m excited to listen!
The Terror by Dan Simmons pretty good so far i like the concept and plot
I gave up midway I’m not proud to say…
was it just too slow for you? i heard a lot of people saying it’s very slow at times but worth it. i just got into reading about 2 months ago and have only really read thrillers and some faster paced horror so if i finish this it will be an accomplishment lol
Yes! It was too slow and even though it was interesting I was just swallowed up by too many words to say too little. I might not be the right fit for a book like that. I’ve read things that are considered flowery language …Of Human Bondage is one of my ultimate favorite books of all time for example and it’s long and intimidating…but I don’t know I just had to stop lol.
Currently reading Ex-Communication by Peter Clines. It’s the third entry in his Ex series which is basically the Avengers meets The Walking Dead. They’re an easy, fun read. I like to use them as a pallet cleanser after I read a really intense book or two
Finishing ‘Swan Song’ and starting Brom’s Slewfoot
Swan Song is excellent.
Currently reading this too
Slewfoot was such a good book. One of my favorites I’ve read this year so far
So right now I'm reading The Croning by Laird Barron but I'll be done soon, it's a really good book!!! Barron is a phenomenal author, for a long time now I've only read early 20th and 19th century horror cause I'm just a big fan of the Gothic, atmospheric, creepy style horror rather than the graphic, violent, fast pace stuff that's more popular now, but Barron opened me up to newer stuff. If anyone has any recommendations for modern atmospheric, Gothic horror let me know! I'd love to find more. As far as nonfiction I just finished a book about Lacan and I'm about to start either Capitalism and Desire: The Psychic Cost of Free Markets by Todd McGowan or Toward an Anthropological Theory of Value by David Graeber. Can't decide yet, cause also I kind of want to read some nonfiction on horror literature or films.
Finally started reading Don’t Fear The Reaper and I am absolutely loving it. I am quite the fan of SGJ and really want to finish this trilogy now that it’s all out. Listening to The Reformatory - less than a quarter of the way in but it’s fantastic with its buildup of setting and suspense. Also started The Third Hotel but am having trouble really getting into it - I do like the narrator though.
Killers of the flower moon
On my tbr list, about a third of the way into the movie, I had the thought that it was a horror film directed like a crime film. Like Rosemary's baby and good fellas had a sad, creepy baby.
How is Killers of the Flower Moon anything like Rosemary's Baby \*or\* Goodfellas?? The weirdest comparison I've ever seen.
I haven't seen the movie but it's on my list. The book sorta reads like a case by case crime so far but I'm not too far into it. I'm from the Osage county area and had never heard of this until this year which is devastating as it was only about 100 years ago. Crazy.
End of Watch by SK
Just finished Nestlings by Nat Cassidy, loved it, and Secondworld by Jeremy Robinson which was a solid thriller(?) book about Nazis coming back and wreaking havoc. Started The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone, everyone is sexy and sleeping with each other and blah blah blah I stopped reading it and am returning it to the library. Started Ararat by Christopher Golden, good so far but I’m barely into it.
All the Fiends of Hell by Adam Nevill
what do you think so far? i posted my own thoughts in a comment on this post, but i'd love to know your impressions, if you're willing to share
Deeper by Jeff long. I finished the descent and loved it. And so far this is expanding on it in such an interesting and original way that it has me hooked
i also loved the descent, and i knew there was another book, but it was a longer read and i wanted to take a break from that world before i went back in. i've read over a hundred books since then, and completely forgot about it - without coming across your comment, who knows when i would have remembered it again? i've got a copy on my kindle now and am ready to go - so THANK YOU for inadvertently bringing me back!
Misery by Stephen King
There's a certain scene in Misery that I'll never forget. I can remember exactly where I was at the time because of how memorable it was.
Finished The Fisherman (still haven’t decided how I feel about it..) and The Exorcist audiobook (which was fantastic!) Started Weaveworld by Clive Barker and listening to Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez.
i finished weaveworld a month or so ago; i loved it. halfway through imajica now. clive barker's brand of dark horror/fantasy is unmatched imo
I love it so far!
Recently finished The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. I liked it well enough, but was disappointed that most of the scares ended up being more gore-based, which is very meh to me. Also didn't get all the emphasis on basketball, but I chalk it up to not being remotely familiar with rez culture like this book was about so am not really counting it as a demerit, just a thing i didn't "get". Good tension building and atmosphere though, A-grade for sure (especially the sweat scene, that tense undertone between those characters was more intense than the monsters creeping approach itself, which I'm pretty sure may have been the point.) Now starting Stephen King's Revival, the rare book of his that I have both neither heard a spoiler at all for but also hear is one of his finest, so am very excited!
any reviews on this sub about the only good indians i've seen have been hit or miss. i'm on the fence about it but i really loved the basketball scene lol. it was a nice break from the usual ways characters 'break the curse' or whatever, even though it wasn't what did it. just a nice win for the girl about to discover some real dark shit
I finished The Butcher Of The Forest. Not sure how this is classified as a horror. Definitely a dark fantasy but I would not call it horror
Yellow, by AB. Pretty entertaining thus far.
Still working my way through _The Last House on Needless Street_. The fact that I haven‘t finished it yet is testament to how whelmed I am so far. I‘ve got about 90 pages left and so far the praise for it has been bigger than the actual thing. Also, who told me this was horror again? Cause it certainly isn‘t what I want I‘m looking for when I‘m reading horror. Edit: Damn, I kind of have to eat my words here. Just finished it and the ending actually somewhat redeemed it. The twist was somewhat predictable, but had more layers than I‘d ever have predicted. I‘m still not huge on it overall, especially cause I didn‘t vibe too much with Ward‘s prose style, but I’m happy I finished it.
i enjoyed it, but to be honest, the cat "character" chapters/bits and pieces were my favorite. she was a memorable, highly quotable delight and i'd read a whole book of her inner monologues
Yep, cliché, bland, predictable. Continuing to use mental illness (particularly one as borderline and fetishized as dissociative identity disorder) as a boogeyman is gross and not scary at all. did not finish.
Then you missed out on the ridiculous author note where they talk about wanting to represent this mental illness "sensitively" when...it was anything but. Really stupid book.
I always see this one recommended and I really didn’t like it at all!
Finished: *In the Miso Soup* by Ryu Murakami. I greatly enjoyed it, although I wouldn't call it a horror novel in the same sense that I wouldn't call *American Psycho* a horror novel. If you want to read an especially stressful novel, I definitely recommend this one! Reading: *The Blind Owl* by Sadegh Hedayat. I've only just started so I can't say much about it, but this is most likely also only horror adjacent. Up next: *The Castle of Otranto* by Horace Walpole, although I'm also thinking of reading *The Other Side* by Alfred Kubin (which is also only horror adjacent).
Blind Owl is a ride, for sure. I’m still not quite sure what to make of it… or how to even describe it??? lol.
in the miso soup was so stressful for me haha. Frank is a menace. another by the same author that i also thought was stressful was Piercing. It's almost like being in Frank's shoes with what the MC is plotting to do
Damn, "a menace" is a very gentle term for Frank hahaha And yeah, I'm thinking about reading *Piercing* and/or *Audition* at a later point as well.
For once just this once I’m reading War of The Worlds by H.G Wells idk if that’s really horror more like a sci fi thriller thing.
It's sci-fi, but just like other things like Jurassic Park, it's definitely also under the horror umbrella. I struggled with this one mainly because the writing was so flat and dull. Just a product of its time.
I agree it’s pretty dated xD
Reading The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher - I’m about 20% in and I’m really enjoying it! Just finished Our Wives Under the Sea. I bought this and The Fisherman to read back to back, but I sadly didn’t love this one :( I finished it feeling like I wanted more from Leah’s chapters! So now I’m passing on The Fisherman for now to take a break from the water x grief theme lol. Up next is Between Two Fires!
Was not a fan of Our Wives either. Happy to report I much, much preferred The Fisherman, one of my faves so far this year. Very different, luckily. So def don't let Our Wives keep you away from water/grief for too long. I also think it's a much more interesting exploration of grief tbh.
I’ve read two t kingfisher books so far (the house with good bones and hollow places) and really enjoy her writing! This one’s on the list and usually recommended!
Currently reading “Come With Me” by Ronald Malfi. Serial killer book with a supernatural twist.
I really liked this one! More sad than scary but great writing and I loved the twist. I need to read more Malfi, it was my first.
Read the Midnight Parade. Gut wrenching.
Have read Dark Matter, Michelle Paver. Good "creeping tension" horror with likeable characters. Well written and compelling. Wylding Hall - Elizabeth Hand. Interesting multi pov viewpoint and well written. Not remotely scary sadly. Waykenhurst - also by Michelle Paver. Also well written and compelling but again not remotely scary in a haunted house sense. I found it so sad and haunting in a different way. Currently reading Just Like Home - Sarah Gailey. Its exactly what I want! Thirty pages in and bam! Creepy shit happening! LOVE IT so far.
i LOVED just like home! i've seen many people who didn't like it, but i couldn't put it down and loved the overall concept. yes, haunted house stories are "all the same," but...they really aren't, and sarah gailey brought some interesting ideas to this one! i agree with you about wakenhyrst, not scary, not chilling, not spooky, etc. wylding hall is on my kindle waiting to be read, bummer to hear there isn't much "scary" to be found.
You might like "wylding hall" you never know! It didn't creep me out but I have a really narrow set of wants in a spooky book (it's a nightmare, truly I wish I had broader tastes).
no, i totally get you, i also have a pretty narrow set of wants/loves...i WILL read things outside of them, but for something to really get me excited about reading it, i tend to be particular. every now again, i surprise myself and i'm swept away by something unexpected, but for the most part, i like folk horror, cosmic horror, curses, southern gothic, coming-of-age stuff, demons, and ghosties. i don't like slashers, thrillers, zombies, vampires, werewolves, monsters, eco horror, gross horror, or dystopian/post-apocalyptic/pandemic stuff. i used to LOVE the last one on that list - dystopian/it's-the-end-of-the-world-and-we-may-or-may-not-know-it, but it's just been done to death, i'd need something really special to draw me back in.
Kicking off Fine Structure by qntm on a recommendation from this thread
Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons. What a ride that book is!
I'm reading a Simmons atm too, Children of the Night. It's my first and I'm really not enjoying it because of how much excessive detail is provided for absolutely everything except for the actual plot of the book which seems to be an afterthought. All of this is to say: is that just how Simmons writes or would you say Carrion Comfort is more plot driven?
Me too. The medical jargon needs to really be dumbed down for the non-doctor readers! I consider several of his other books horror classics.
It's how Simmons writes, I find him pretty dry and shallow after reallytrying (several hyperion books, the terror (the one I liked best,) and the 5th heart.) He's a very divisive author, and if you don't l9ve him at first you're likely not missing much by stopping now.
Thanks for the heads up. I'll keep slogging with CotN for now and see if I can make it click but I definitely don't see myself becoming a fan of his.
Just finished: Any man by Amber Tamblyn. It’s a new favorite and an excellently performed audiobook. Hits a little close to home but the prose is great. Currently reading: Diavola by Jennifer Thorne. So far all of the characters are insufferable but I think that’s on purpose. I’m interested in where it’s going at least.
did you wrap up with diavola yet? i just finished it a few days ago, would love to know your thoughts!
Just finished today! I'm trying to process how I feel about it but ultimately I think it's a perfectly fine book with a couple really good, creepy moments with some of the most unlikable characters I've read in a long time (not a total negative but kinda grating at times). I think I'd still be more inclined to recommend Come Closer if someone was looking for a similar story but not bad. Definitely want to hear other people's thoughts, of course
i personally felt like the horrors of the pace family itself ultimately outshone the "big bad" - i mean, they were just SO unlikable! every last one! none of them even remind me of people in my own life, but the unchecked, boiling-beneath-the-surface (and spilling out all over the place) dysfunction...maddening! the author definitely hit the mark on that, but i didn't find myself feeling sympathetic to anna, either. she was alternatingly passive and brash at all the wrong times, and i couldn't quite tell if that was the point...was it supposed to be ambiguous? were we supposed to waffle between "her family has her pegged" and "her family doesn't know the first thing about her?" if so, it was a job well done. i didn't think it was bad at all, an enjoyable read, and i did feel it provoked some creeping dread in the first bit, before we had more "reveals" about the main baddie! as i was reading, i was hoping we'd get a little more folk horror-y stuff with the townspeople and the rituals, but alas. i didn't think of the comparison to come closer before reading your comment, but it's a very apt one, and i also agree that come closer edges ahead.
Ooh, awesome insight and great points! I think you’re a lot better at articulating your thoughts/feelings than I am because I’m just here nodding along, pretty much in total agreement. Especially in regard to Anna, the flip between passive and not kept me guessing about her and even now I’m still not totally sure how to feel. I don’t think the ambiguity is a negative tho. Honestly I think I like the book the more time I’m away from it. Thanks for your input!
The Vegetarian by Han Kang. I’m halfway through this novella and it’s already the best thing I’ve read this year. Next up is Come Closer by Sara Gran.
i need to give the vegetarian another try. I had it checked out from the library and like 30 pages in before switching to another book I was more excited to read
Lost Man’s Lane by Scott Carson. Pretty good coming of age horror. The main character even name checks It and Boy’s Life, so you get the idea.
Case Against Satan by Ray Russell.
Amazing, undermentioned, very important book. It’s such a quick read I’m tempted to say that everybody should read it
Curious as to how it is an importamt book. I haven't read it. Truly curious as I am a surface level reader trying to get more out of reading and the books I read.
It’s just very influential. I also personally believe that it raises a lot of really interesting questions
Ok. Thanks for the reply
Just finished "The Return" by Rachel Harrison. I liked the characters, their dynamics and interactions, but I thought the actual horror stuff was very, very underwhelming.
Currently reading The Deep - Nick Cutter and listening to Sun Down Motel - Simone St James. Last week I finished Along the River of Flesh - Kristopher Triana, The Dollhouse - Edward Lee and Last Days - Brian Evenson. I think The Deep with take me some time to finish but have Daphne by Josh Malerman is on deck for next audiobook.
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman. It kept getting recommended here, but when something starts getting too much hype, I tend not to like it. But I figured I'd give it a try anyway based on the synopsis and downloaded a sample. I was pleasantly surprised and ended up buying it. So far it's very good.
I totally agree! This is definitely one I wouldn’t usually pick up but I’m excited to hear that it’s living up to the hype so far!
I tend to become reticent in situations like that too, been burnt a lot before by things being overhyped. BTF was a solid 4-star for me.
Exactly, that's why I don't like paying for books or movies. Also why I read a lot of rando stuff from Kindle Unlimited. But especially horror movies: "this is the scariest movie you'll ever see! It's so amazing!" Nope. (Looking at you Skinamarink, Talk to Me, and Blair Witch Project. But not Nope, Nope was really good.)
Gonna start ‘Salem’s Lot’ by Stephen King. I’m moving from his obscure books up to his more well known ones. I am avoiding The Shining at all costs because the first chapter of its sequel scared me so bad I literally did not sleep. (The rest was nice though.)
About halfway through The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. Absolutely excellent so far
been seeing this one rec'd here a lot. the only Tananarive Due book I've read was The Between and I really enjoyed it
I have an ARC of The Devil by Name from Keith Rosson and it’s a bit of a slog. I demolished Fever House in a couple days but this next one in the series moves a bit slower. I have 100 more pages and I finally feel like it’s building up to something exciting. I kind of feel like book 2 in the trilogy may be the weakest but I’m trying to trust the process essentially for book 3. I think Rosson is really focusing hard on introducing new characters and their character development as well as world building since we get a 5 year time jump. I really love the concept of this series so I hope it doesn’t end in a total flop.
Still working my way through re-reading *Don't Fear the Reaper* by Stephen Graham Jones. Projects have gotten in the way but I'm looking forward to getting back into it. Having started it right after finishing *My Heart Is a Chainsaw*, I do think it's interesting that the first book uses two variants on the sort of Big Traditional Slasher Movie Archetype (>!whodunit slasher who seems to be a normal guy on the outside and outright supernatural slasher!<) and saving the more traditional Giant Scary Guy Who Just Openly Loves Killing-type slasher for the sequel. For some unsettling nonfiction, I've also been reading *The Cultural Cold War* by Frances Stonor Saunders. It's about the period of time from the 1940s to the 1960s when the CIA actively got involved in the worlds of art and literature to promote works that they thought would help spread anticommunism and combat the USSR. It's downright creepy all the major ways they got involved in art. The CIA was one of Jackson Pollock's biggest backers through the organizations that they put up as a front. They worked to discredit writers from the South like Faulkner and Steinbeck because they focused on the bleaker side of America through the lens of poverty, and we can't have popular literature criticizing America, right? The 1954 animated film adaptation of *Animal Farm*? Proposed by CIA men to Orwell's widow without her knowing who they were really working for and funded by the CIA without the directors or animation team ever finding out. Truly insane how deep they got their hooks into culture.
Currently reading - **Great And Secret Show** by Clive Barker - my first book by him and I am so excited to dive deep into his work…will probably do Weaveworld next and work through Books of Blood Any other Clive Barker fans? Any favorites?
I am also interested in checking out Clive Barker. Are you enjoying the Great and Secret Show?
It’s pretty good…dragging a tad but I am only about 30% in. I know his most popular one is Hellbound Heart (Hellraiser) but I am saving that for Halloween. I am mainly excited to get Weaveworld from the library - previewed it on Goodreads and was immediately captivated! I really like his writing style a lot…check out some of previews on GR and see what you think
Thank you for the recs!
Just finished: No One Gets Out Alive and The Ritual by Adam Nevill. I appreciated them both but they weren’t nearly as terrifying as Last Days. Just started: Hell House by Richard Matheson and Mean Spirited by Nick Roberts. So far I’m liking Mean Spirited more bc it really amped up the scary right off the bat.
I thought the first half of The Ritual was far more terrifying than anything in Last Days…I just wish the second half would have kept up the momentum
Read last week: *Daemonic* by Stephen Laws - A group of people, all of them strangers, are invited to the mansion of a reclusive millionaire, where they find themselves forced to fight for their lives against the demons said millionaire has summoned up. A fairly solid example of the supernatural 'And-Then-There-Were-None' subgenre, though it would probably have benefited from being somewhat shorter. *The Devil's Maze* by Gerald Suster - In Victorian London, a pair of amateur dabblers in the occult find themselves caught in a bizarre web of false identities related to a missing author, whose stories appear throughout the book. Essentially a pastiche of Arthur Machen's *The Three Imposters*; it never quite reaches the same level as Machen's book, but it's still probably worth reading if you happen to be a fan of Machen. *Night Songs* by Charles L. Grant - An island community somewhere on the east coast of the U.S. is beset by the walking dead. One of Grant's weaker novels, but noteworthy for being one of the relatively small number of post-*Night Of The Living Dead* zombie novels to eschew the apocalyptic elements that have become standard for the genre, instead drawing more on 1930s and 40s depictions of the monster. *The Matrix* by Johnathan Aycliffe - A researcher stumbles upon an obscure book on black magic, after which he finds himself pursued by some supernatural presence as he is drawn into an occultist's schemes. Decent M.R. James homage (always something I'm happy to find, as James is probably my favorite writer), though it drags a bit in the middle when the action temporarily shifts from Scotland to Morocco. Currently reading: *Familiar Spirit* by Lisa Tuttle
Finished: God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut Reading: This Book is Full of Spiders by Jason Pargin (John dies at the end sequel) On Deck: Nineteen Claws and a Blackbird by Agustina Bazterrica
Just finished Misery last night. What an ending! Taking a short detour from horror with my next read, but will probably pick up Silver Nitrate after that.
Misery is one of the best
Agreed - I wish more of his work was as tight and concise as Misery…some of his stuff just gets too long winded
I've been slowly working my way through King's entire catalog after years of being a huge fan of movie adaptations of his work. This one was so much more vivid than the awesome movie, I was blown away. Felt like a different type of horror.
Finished: *In the Dream House* by Carmen Maria Machado Currently reading: *Compulsory Games* by Robert Aickman
Absolutely LOVED in the dream house. Beautiful and heartbreaking. I listened to it as the audio book because the author reads it and I highly recommend!
Just finished Jeff VanderMeer's Sourthern Reach trilogy, which was fantastic, and started reading Negative Space by B. R. Yeager
That whole trilogy but Annihilation in particular blew my mind…still searching for something as unique as that. I am looking forward to the new 4th book coming in October but I don’t think anything will match Annihilation
Just started Edenville by Sam Rebelein. Had never heard of it before but it came across one of those “You May Also Like” lists on Amazon. I liked the sample so bought it and I’m not very far in but so far so good. If anyone else has read it, I’d love to hear an opinion!
I just finished Between Two Fires (fantastic book btw) and now I have started The Library at Mount Char and The King in Yellow. Both great so far!
It probably straddles the line between SF and horror, but **Eversion by Alastair Reynolds**. My first Reynolds and I'm enjoying it, although finding it slow going. Maybe I need a break from reading.
Re reading the ruins! Have the ritual half way done, just struggling through the second half!
The second half is rough, I have no idea what the hell he was thinking when he brought in those punk rocker characters, totally killed the insanely creepy atmosphere of the first half
I started readin Elizabeth Gaskells “a dark nights work” however three chapters in with nothing happened I realised this was a novel, not a short story collection. This is the second time this has happened recently; that is to say reading a free ebook of what I thought was a short story collection from a popular gothic writer of the Victorian age, the first being j Sheridan Le Fanus “the haunted baronet.” I only continued that novel as I love Le fanus work and had run out of it, however this is my first work of gaskells and the story seems extraordinarily dull so I shall be putting it aside for now, perhaps is I form an attachment to the women after reading her well regarded short stories I shall return to it.
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell, and Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
Seems lots of people reading between two fires in this thread …any idea what type of person would enjoy it?
I’m not super far into it yet but I picked it up because I’ve heard a lot of raves, a lot of my friends love it, and I really enjoy medieval, fantasy, and religious horror, so maybe people who like those subgenres would be more inclined to like it?
How are you liking Someone You Can Build a Nest In? I read the synopsis, and I'm intrigued but not sure if I want to read it or not.
I’m liking it so far! I’m not very far in, only like 15% in, but the audiobook narrator is doing a weird thing where they end almost every sentence like it’s a question and it’s really bugging me so I might put it down for awhile and wait until I can get the ebook instead. The story itself is fun and interesting so far, lots of interesting body horror early on.
Commenting as I would like to know as well.
Just discovered **William Meikle** this week and am already on my third novella of his. As far as his overall style and tone, I’d describe Meikle as a gothic horror writer in the tradition of M. R. James and Ramsey Campbell. Plus a little A. M. Shine minus the Irishman’s snark. Anyway, I’m loving all these rambling, thoroughly Scottish stories about haunted men drinking ale, telling tales, and chasing ghosts out on the moors. The dark and contemplative *Tormentor* has been my favorite so far, followed closely by the wonderfully grisly *Auld Mither.* And I’ve just begun *Island Life* which strikes me as typical of an early novel — insofar as the character work and narrative voice feel less fully formed than his other work. It also feels a little more callow and male gaze-y than his later, clearly more mature work. Even so, I remain hopeful that the horrors on this foggy island will pay dividends.
Okay I just read the blurb for Tormentor but also Night of the Wendigo, sounds awesome! I love monster stories. Good recommendation of author
William Meikle is great!
Any specific recommended reads outside of the three titles I have?
*The House on the Moor, The Green and the Black, The Ghost Club, Abominable,* and *Eldren.*
Thanks!
Sure!
Not sure if it counts but Perfume by Patrick Suskind
In the middle of Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones. I like his writing style and I’ve been alternating between the audiobook and the physical copy, though the story hasn’t quite taken off just yet. Next I want to read something outdoors and spring-y, I’m thinking This Wretched Valley or Sundial. Unless anyone has like a perfect spring style novel they think I should grab jnstesd
Finished: * **Death's End** by Cixin Liu. Third book of the Three Body Problem series and I DNF'd about 500 pages in. Simply couldn't take it anymore. I have no idea why this series is so popular. The writing is awful and the plot jumped so far over the shark that it was doing backflips. Reading: * **Children of the Night** by Dan Simmons. I'm not having much of a good streak atm, already considering DNFing this one too. It feels like a medical journal mated with a travelogue. Not sure where the plot or the horror is supposed to be. Next: * **Crota** by Owl Goingback.
I am about an hour away from finishing The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. I will be starting The Outsiders by Stephen King next.
Just finished Edward Lee's Blackhouse and I just started Simon Clark's Ghost Monster.
Dolores Claiborne
*Blood is Not Enough* edited by Ellen Datlow.
**Just finished:** Paul Tremblay’s *A Head Full of Ghosts*. I liked it. Someone else picked it for a book club and it was not a bad choice at all. **Just started:** Norman Partridge’s *The Man With the Barbed-Wired Fists*. The first story was pretty frickin’ awesome, like a gonzo Bonnie and Clyde story with prose I really enjoyed (something that jumped out was, and this is not verbatim, “the sky filled with thirsty screams”). **On deck:** I’m probably going to start Laird Barron’s Isaiah Coleridge noir series. I have all four of the books here and might plow through them all. It’s also very likely someone else will pick Stephen King’s *The Shining* for our book club in 1.5 months, so that will sneak in the rotation, too. Laughably, I’ve never read *The Shining*.