Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Heart-Shaped Box” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Heart-Shaped Box

Joe Hill (Goodreads Author)

3.84 · Rating details · 112,063 ratings · 8,888 reviews

Aging, self-absorbed rock star Judas Coyne has a thing for the macabre -- his collection includes sketches from infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy, a trepanned skull from the 16th century, a used hangman's noose, Aleister Crowley's childhood chessboard, etc. -- so when his assistant tells him about a ghost for sale on an online auction site, he immediately puts in a bi ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, First Edition, 376 pages

Published February 13th 2007 by William Morrow

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Heart-Shaped Box, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best Horror Novels

1,785 books — 5,454 voters

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Ghost Stories

1,304 books — 1,884 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.84 ·

Rating details

· 112,063 ratings · 8,888 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Heart-Shaped Box

Sep 22, 2017 megs_bookrack rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Hi. Hello there! Yes, YOU.

Are you always looking for original and quirky scary stories?

If you answered, yes, I would like to put forth Heart-Shaped Box as a contender for your consideration. Unique and just damn cool, this is a must read for fans of the macabre.

This gritty, haunting tale had my horror-loving heart swooning with how eerie it was. Joe Hill is truly talented author.

He writes with such conviction that you find yourself believing what the narrator is telling you no matter how far-f ...more

flag 245 likes · Like · see review

Oct 20, 2008 Will Byrnes rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, horror

When aging, retired rocker Judas Coyne buys a ghost on-line, he gets more than he bargained for, as the ghost, which arrives by way of a used suit in a heart-shaped box, is no benign spirit. I was most reminded of Freddie Krueger, as the hostile ghost sets out to destroy Coyne and all those he holds dear. I was not ecstatic early on about the premise, as I believed it was insufficient to sustain a book of this length. Although I have read better horror books, this one turned out well enough. Wha ...more

flag 175 likes · Like · see review

Jun 30, 2008 La Petite Américaine Cash App: $Covid2020sucks rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: Book Burners :)

Shelves: sucked, rants

The cover of this book promises that you will be "haunted" and "startled," and that the book will even "visit you in your dreams."

Funny, as I read this "scary" novel, I couldn't help but think back to the time I read The Shining ... it was storming outside, it was 3AM and I was too afraid to put the book down, and I didn't care if I would end up wetting the bed because there was no way in hell I was going to get up and go to the bathroom. "Heart Shaped Box" also made me think back to other King ...more

flag 171 likes · Like · see review

Oct 29, 2018 Annemarie rated it did not like it

It took me more than a month to bring myself to write this review and I think this alone is very telling. I just cannot find the absolute slightest motivation to talk about this book, because quite frankly, I just hated it. I don't think I have ever read a book I found more boring and ridiculous. The guy buys a ghost and no one is seriously fazed when bad and weird things start happening?? Everyone was so incredibly two-dimensional. Every effort to try to bring some suspense and excitement into ...more

flag 121 likes · Like · see review

Nov 05, 2013 Delee rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: group-or-buddy-read, fantasy, ivonne-is-a-big-chicken, supernatural-or-paranormal, revenge, suspense, reviewed, horror

3.5

This is the first book written by Joe Hill that I have read, and the fact that it was his debut is pretty impressive to me. I picked it up for a song awhile ago- never being sure if I was going to read it or not- I was worried that I wasn't going to connect with Jude and Georgia. I don't always have to like the people I am reading about, but in a ghost story- I find I really have to warm up to the main characters in order to root for their survival- As it turns out they were pretty easy to li ...more

flag 114 likes · Like · see review

Jan 20, 2018 Sr3yas rated it it was ok

Imagine a ghost!

Not just any ghost, imagine a ghost with a unique set of skills like advanced interrogation skills and deep hypnotic abilities, which he acquired during his long and diverse career.

That's right, kids. The ghost in this story is Liam Neeson of Ghosts. Well, at least he started out to be Liam Neeson of ghosts, and he will find you.... and he will kill you.

But who is going to be his victim?

Meet our hero, Judas Coyne, a 54-year-old rockstar with a very rockstar-y lifestyle. Unf ...more

flag 99 likes · Like · see review

May 24, 2013 Dan Schwent rated it really liked it

Shelves: horror, 2013

When aging rocker Judas Coyne buys a ghost on the internet, he doesn't take it seriously. That is, until a musty old suit shows up in a heart-shaped box. Soon, Judas begins to see the horrifying spectre of a man wearing the suit. Things take a sinister turn and people start dying so Judas and his girlfriend Georgia go looking for the woman who sold him the suit, the sister of his deceased ex-girlfriend. Can Judas stop the man in the suit from destroying his life?

After NOS4A2, I thought it best t ...more

flag 93 likes · Like · see review

Nov 07, 2020 Mort rated it it was amazing

For those of you who don't know, Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King.
And, yip, the old man gave him some tips, that's for sure.

One of the reasons Stephen King has inspired just about every horror writer for decades, is that he writes small town 'America' better than anybody. I say 'America', because I have never been to the USA and I grew up in a city, but his stories puts me right there, as if I grew up and live in a small town.
Hill shows signs of the same type of voice.

This is a ghost story, ...more

flag 88 likes · Like · see review

Mar 21, 2020 Ginger rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-read, 2020

Great ending to a heavy and intense book!

I'm glad I read Heart-Shaped Box after-all!

I have been struggling with this book for weeks.

It wasn't the book, it's more of what is going on with the world and Covid-19 right now.
If I had read this book last year, it wouldn't have affected me as much with the heavy topics and sense of dread I had every time I picked up the book.
I can agree now that mood reading is very real!

Heart-Shaped Box has some uncomfortable topics in it so it's not for the faint of ...more

flag 102 likes · Like · see review

Jun 08, 2010 Hannah rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2010-reads, too-awful-for-words, horror

The scariest thing about Joe Hill's debut book, Heart Shaped Box, isn't the actual story, but what lies between the front cover and the inside title page of the Harper paperback version. In it, over 18 reputable newspapers and acclaimed writers attempt to prop up little ~~Stevie King, Jr's~~ Joe Hill's novel with some seriously excellent reviews. Scary because all these awesome reviews lead you, the reader, to expect that Heart Shaped Box is the next BIG thing in horror.

Only it's not.

Not by a lo ...more

flag 76 likes · Like · see review

Oct 10, 2020 Nilufer Ozmekik rated it it was ok

Guess what, my friends, I might have made the wrong reading choice to celebrate the horror week on Goodreads and Halloween month! Don’t get me wrong, I read so many works of Joe Hill and this book already get rusty and dusty for waiting inside the stomach of my tbr monster forever!

So I cut the cord and get the book into my hands even though it hurt my arms because it is heavier than dozen bricks. But long paged readings never scared me and I never cared to look like a member of wrestling team w Guess what, my friends, I might have made the wrong reading choice to celebrate the horror week on Goodreads and Halloween month! Don’t get me wrong, I read so many works of Joe Hill and this book already get rusty and dusty for waiting inside the stomach of my tbr monster forever!

So I cut the cord and get the book into my hands even though it hurt my arms because it is heavier than dozen bricks. But long paged readings never scared me and I never cared to look like a member of wrestling team with my swollen biceps! ( they look like somebody regularly pumped air into them. I think I should wear sleeveless shirts for a long time!)

But here is the problem: the storyline of the book was so promising. A story circled around retired rocker who has a strange taste to collect things. And his late purchase was way too much he already bargained for: the guy just bought a ghost inside a heart shaped box! I know he is weirdest kind of shopaholic but even he didn’t deserve this kind of punishment!

The ghost is so adamant to ruin his life!
It seems like a great short story topic but reading a book which has tons of pages was a little enthusiasm breaker.

This is like mash of popular horror movies, tv series and books. So many things have resemblances with the previous works of better written books, scripts, plays but it also reminded me of a puzzle with pieces are inserted at the wrong places. There are too many spooky ingredients which normally work so well with horror genre including ouija board, distorted mirrors, talking radios , scary spiritualists but they don’t create any effect to keep you in your toes.

The story’s procession too flat, too slow and bored you to death kind of frustrating! The twists can be predicted before they were written and conclusion is meh... nope, not my cup of black coffee!

So it failed my expectations. I was so excited to read something horrifying to give me nightmares but eventually I got long and peaceful naps during my reading because I couldn’t keep my eyes open.

So I’m giving my frustration two, nope, not the book I expected stars on my flashback Saturday and move on to my next, fingers crossed, better reading. ...more

flag 76 likes · Like · see review

Oct 30, 2018 Bradley rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-shelf, horror

With relentlessly good characterization, this debut horror novel by the now-firmly-established powerhouse of Joe Hill rocks one hell of a good ghost story.

I have a thing for stories about aging rockers. I don't know what it is. They're just so pathetic and glorious and full of redemptive possibilities and gloriousness. :)

In this case, he's just built such a gruesome persona over the years and he's pretty much any horror-writer's dream rocker. You know, like Ozzy, but more like Rob Zombie or a bi ...more

flag 65 likes · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2011 Richard Derus rated it liked it · review of another edition

Rating: 3.25* of five

The Publisher Says: Aging death-metal rock legend Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals...a used hangman's noose...a snuff film. But nothing he possesses is as unique or as dreadful as his latest purchase off the Internet: a one-of-a-kind curiosity that arrives at his door in a black heart-shaped box...a musty dead man's suit still inhabited by the spirit of its late owner. And now everywhere Judas Coyne goes, the old man is there—watching, wait Rating: 3.25* of five

The Publisher Says: Aging death-metal rock legend Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals...a used hangman's noose...a snuff film. But nothing he possesses is as unique or as dreadful as his latest purchase off the Internet: a one-of-a-kind curiosity that arrives at his door in a black heart-shaped box...a musty dead man's suit still inhabited by the spirit of its late owner. And now everywhere Judas Coyne goes, the old man is there—watching, waiting, dangling a razor blade on a chain from his bony hand.

My Review: Jude "Judas" Coyne, born Justin Cowzynski to a iggerunt, abusive pig-farmin' Louisiana daddy and a pale non-entity of a mama, flees the scene of the crime called childhood and becomes an angry, hate-spewin', groupie-usin' death metal star. Now he's 54 and feeling his years, his losses, and his energy waning. He's such a charmer that he doesn't remember the names of the girls he uses, calls 'em instead by the states they came from. Georgia, his current squeeze, is half his age (duh) a Goth chick (duh), and possessed of the most innocent and incongruous real name in horror fiction: Marybeth. Danny, the token gayboy who functions as Jude's annoying, chirpy business-runner, runs across an item for Jude's burgeoning collection of the weird and esoteric: A ghost. An actual ghost, for sale on some specifically-not-eBay auction site (wonder what happened there?); Jude, when Danny shows him the listing, clicks the "Buy NOW $1,000" button, ends the auction, and a few days later a big, black heart-shaped box arrives with a natty old suit in it.

Hijinks ensue.

No really, the only word is hijinks. Scary-lookin' old men with too few teeth. Big brush-runnin' V8 Chevy trucks that aren't really there and no one's drivin' 'em. Suicides that are, and suicides that really aren't. Child molestation across the generations. Grandmothers and aunts and mamas galore, a visit to the nightroad (aka "Highway to Hell" oh heck like I could resist the heavy metal wordplay), an encounter with the golden door that solves many problems, and proof positive that dogs are superior to cats in every conceivable measure and circumstance.

Mandatory legal disclaimer: Absolutely no clichés were harmed in the making of this book.

Reading it passed a pleasant five hours. I liked it fine. Not one single major structural flaw that I saw. Fewer typos than most modern books, no unintentional bad grammar that I can recall (and I recall grammar boo-boos real well), so all in all not bad. Nothing I'll ever read again, but not bad at all. ...more

flag 59 likes · Like · see review

Oct 05, 2015 Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)* rated it really liked it

Shelves: buddy-reads, wings-and-smoke, for-the-thrill-of-it

Buddy-read with some of my faves from the Non-Crunchy Bunch coming February 2016.

This should be a sweet little gem of a story for right around Valentine's day, no?!

3.5 Stars

I’ve never been a very good ghost story reader. I think a fundamental element of being spooked out by ghost stories begins in either a belief or a lack of DISbelief in ghosts.

I have never believed in ghosts, not even as a child around a campfire. I am missing that thundering fear of not knowing how and what could or could n ...more

flag 59 likes · Like · see review

Nov 15, 2010 Maciek rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, own-in-paperback, owned-books, reviewed, read-in-2010

I had pretty big expectations for this novel, since it was somewhat of a happening in the horror genre and was praised by writers such as Harlan Coben and Neil Gaiman. I was pretty disappointed.
There is not a cliche that has not been used in this book, and not a single plot twist that I was not able to predict. It's a mish mash of things from various horror novels and movies - the protective dogs, the ouija board, the evil spiritualist, dead in mirrors, talking radios...
The characters are unlika I had pretty big expectations for this novel, since it was somewhat of a happening in the horror genre and was praised by writers such as Harlan Coben and Neil Gaiman. I was pretty disappointed.
There is not a cliche that has not been used in this book, and not a single plot twist that I was not able to predict. It's a mish mash of things from various horror novels and movies - the protective dogs, the ouija board, the evil spiritualist, dead in mirrors, talking radios...
The characters are unlikable. That in itself wouldn't be a problem, if they weren't also paper-thin. The I-do-not-give-a-crap ageing rockstar, full of cash but without substance, and his beautiful-but-emotionally-damaged sidekick, who also happens to be shallow as a cardboard. The only sympathetic character gets offed early in the story, and we don't hear much from him since.

The whole thing is extremely boring and not even remotely scary. The ghost that haunts our protagonists is literally a smelly old man whom they ignore and walk around. Yeah, because that's what you do when there's a ghost near you.

I can't help but think that Joe Hill set out to write a bestseller that would guarantee him an audience, and what if they were some hipser kids that buy their leather coats at hot topic and have just gotten their ears pierced. They obviously must like to read about goths, contemporary rock music (Trent Reznor is mentioned at least 5 times! My Chemical Romance! even Coldplay, if the previous two are too hardcore), snuff films and the male lead getting a hard-on while he beats his "girlfriend". I'm sure their parents would buy them this book. And black nail polish.

The story slowwwwly has to build to some sort of a climax, yes? A shattering finale that would be a huge pay off for all the things the reader had to endure. But, um, none of this happens here. The end is sudden and sugary, all is well and all will be well. After three hundred long and boring pages I'd expect something more, but it never happened.

Were some strings pulled to publish Heart Shaped Box? I don't know. But as a debut, it's stunningly unimpressive and offers absolutely no new additions to the genre, and even no classy variations on previously explored topics and themes. It's boring and forgettable, predictable and unoriginal. Joe Hill isn't able to overcome the influences and cliches that flood this work; that would be all right, but he also isn't able to make them his own. Heart Shaped Box is not memorable and will be forgotten in years to come, and I think that if Joe wasn't the son of Stephen it wouldn't even be published. ...more

flag 52 likes · Like · see review

Oct 12, 2020 Gabby rated it it was ok

Shelves: actors-or-hollywood, disappointed, suicide, adult, horror, lost-interest, read-in-2020, own, 2-star-books, over-freaking-hyped

Meh.

https://youtu.be/ZO7sc4ouDqc ...more

flag 49 likes · Like · see review

Nov 04, 2018 Baba rated it did not like it · review of another edition

My third Joe Hill, and second of his novels. I'm afraid once again I am underwhelmed, maybe having read Locke & Key twice before reading one of his books, my expectations are way too high? I should add other than Odd Thomas I can't stand ghost stories.

A rock star in his 50s, who collects the macabre, is notified of a 'ghost' for sale. He can't resist the temptation, and purchases the ghost! His, his much younger girlfriend and his wonder dog's lives will never be the same!

The book took me nearly ...more

flag 48 likes · Like · see review

May 29, 2007 Sammy rated it really liked it

Shelves: b-the-good

I don't think I quite knew what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I don't know what I thought I was going to read, but it wasn't this. So a warning to you: this book, or at least the beginning of it, is pretty freaky. I'm not a wimp. I grew up on Goosebumps and Scary Stories by Alvan Schwartz, graduating on to Christopher Pike and various R.L. Stine young adult novels. I also love scary movies of all sort, so I'm not one easily freaked out. But this novel was pretty creepy, or at le I don't think I quite knew what I was getting into when I picked up this book. I don't know what I thought I was going to read, but it wasn't this. So a warning to you: this book, or at least the beginning of it, is pretty freaky. I'm not a wimp. I grew up on Goosebumps and Scary Stories by Alvan Schwartz, graduating on to Christopher Pike and various R.L. Stine young adult novels. I also love scary movies of all sort, so I'm not one easily freaked out. But this novel was pretty creepy, or at least the beginning.

Perhaps it's the concept and the description of the ghost that is unnerving. Maybe it's also because I was sort of caught off guard by what I was reading. But whatever it was I was freaked out and loving the book. The whole concept of the novel was unique.

At times I found myself wanting to give Joe Hill a thesaurus and a phrase book, because he kept using the same descriptions over and over again. I think it would have also helped him in making things a little clearer. It seemed he was having a little difficulty fleshing out plot points at moments. I can't really think of any specific examples, but you'll come across them as you read it.

The end seemed really just swept up. Not really making too much sense in relation to the story. It seemed like Hill just wanted to quickly wrap it up, no matter how many questions it either raised or left unanswered.

But besides those minor flaws, I gobbled this book up really fast. I wanted to know everything that was going on. Something kept me riveted throughout the whole story. That's why I'm keeping my rating at a B, despite some of the problems I pointed out. I'm also interested in reading some of Hill's other works. It was his way of telling this ghost story and the type of ghost story it was that made me interested. Overall? Pretty good read. Entertaining. Best part? The dogs, because they weren't just animals in the background, they were actual characters, very entertaining and loving ones.

Want a quick, good, scary story? Here's your next read. ...more

flag 47 likes · Like · see review

Dec 29, 2013 David - proud Gleeman in Branwen's adventuring party rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-reads, horror, read-by-kindlelight

Dave's Quick Judgement -

THE DEFENSE
- The prose is very gripping.
- Many genuinely creepy moments.
- Frequent musical references add a little extra spice to the story.

THE PROSECUTION
- The main characters are rather bland.
- Dialogue is often dry and tedious.
- Some attempts to be scary teeter over to the "laughably-bad" side (the ghost rising out of a candy box and even reaching back in for his hat comes to mind).

THE VERDICT
I found this to be a good ghost story, just not a great ...more

flag 44 likes · Like · see review

Feb 04, 2017 Mindi rated it really liked it

OK, so I need to get back to reviewing, because I'm staring to fall behind again, and it's messing with my OCD. Plus, I feel like my initial reaction is a good thing to get down right away, since so often I find myself changing my opinion of a novel, and it's always fun to go back and read what I wrote before I had time to mull it over.

I read this one really fast. This is the third novel I have read of Hill's, and it did not disappoint. I'm supposed to be reading this as a buddy read on Instagr ...more

flag 44 likes · Like · see review

Oct 02, 2017 joyce g rated it really liked it

I really liked it! Crazy, scary fun!

flag 46 likes · Like · see review

Jan 04, 2013 Robert rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-deals

From this point forward, I shall refrain from the HEART-SHAPED BOX, heart-shaped candies, and anything else in the shape of a heart that is sent through the mail or easily consumable. As my wife can attest, this will put a significant strain on the candy industry, to the point that they may be forced to shut down operations, if only temporarily. But how could I not when this novel totally freaked me out. I have three suits, and I’m not sure I want to wear any of them ever again. Even the gray pi From this point forward, I shall refrain from the HEART-SHAPED BOX, heart-shaped candies, and anything else in the shape of a heart that is sent through the mail or easily consumable. As my wife can attest, this will put a significant strain on the candy industry, to the point that they may be forced to shut down operations, if only temporarily. But how could I not when this novel totally freaked me out. I have three suits, and I’m not sure I want to wear any of them ever again. Even the gray pinstriped one that makes me look like a player—or maybe not—shall hang in the closet for the rest of his days. Sure, I’ve probably gone a bit off the New Mexican reservation, but I do believe in hyperbole about as much as I believe in ghosts, and there comes a point when I need to stand up for myself, or better yet, I’ll just run in the opposite direction. That’ll be faster, and it might even save me some time.

Seriously, though, there is evil among us, and I’m not referring to Justin Bieber or The Jonas Brothers. There’s voodoo and witchcraft and haunted spirits, not the kind I would imbibe, and a slow build terror that nearly consumes every page. The characters proved nearly as lifelike and realistic as they did horrific, and this novel showcases why revenge goes down about as easily as antifreeze. And it’s hard to execute a group hug if you have a knife sticking out of your thigh along with about three more sticking out of your back while you’re caught staring in open-mouthed horror as a Chevy Suburban T-bones you at 40 MPH. If you happen to live through it, though, you’ll peel out faster than a cheetah chasing a gazelle, with your metal screeching and grinding all the way home.

Judas Coyne may listen to more Trent Reznor than is humanly possible and defile more Goth groupies than an entire heavy metal band, but he does have a heart, even if it’s a bit black and slightly tainted from misuse, and Marybeth, aka Georgia, may shrink to the size of a scarecrow, but that doesn’t mean she’s lost all her fight and vinegar. (view spoiler)

If you like your revenge served cold, and your evil served piping hot, your characters creepy with more than enough realism to seal the deal, and you prefer a slow burn before all the hoopla and singing and fireworks, then this is one tale that’ll probably keep you flipping the pages. ...more

flag 41 likes · Like · see review

Oct 05, 2018 Char rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, dark-fiction, music, re-reading, dysfunctional-family, ghost-stories

It was fun taking this ride down the night road again, this time on audio.

I was not crazy about the narrator, nor the musical bits in between the chapters, but the story itself is still good, though maybe not quite as good as I remembered. Still, Craddock and his creepy eyes remain scary AF.

Recommended!

flag 42 likes · Like · see review

Jan 21, 2018 Crystal rated it really liked it

Jude is a member of a broken up metal band,; now living on farm land with his girlfriend, manager and two dogs. He sees the perfect opportunity to bring some excitement into his life when his manager shows him an online posting for a ghost for sale.

Once his purchase arrives, Jude quickly realizes he is in for much more than he bargained for as sightings of the old man begin, as well as demons from the past being brought to life for all members of the household.

In the style I've grown to adore fr ...more

flag 43 likes · Like · see review

Jun 09, 2015 Phrynne rated it really liked it

Scary - full of ghosts and gore and really gross stuff. Definitely a horror story and one which never lets up from start to finish. Jude, the main character, is strangely attractive despite everything and I really wanted him and Mary Beth to stay alive. I also wanted Angus and Bon to stay alive. I don't think it is a spoiler to say that some did and some didn't make it to the end. Joe Hill has the same warped imagination as his father and the final scene in Jude's father's bedroom is a great exa ...more

flag 39 likes · Like · see review

Mar 19, 2014 Alissa Patrick rated it liked it

Shelves: non-crunchy-br, own, 2016reading-challenge

This book is creeeeeeeeeeeeeepy and I loved it! It's not Joe Hill's best, in my opinion (my favorite is NOS4A2, by a mile), but this one was fantastic. A good old fashioned ghost story.

For some reason, I pictured the ghost to look like this:

aka the creepy guys from Buffy in the 'Hush' episode. And maybe that's why it creeped me out even more. If I saw this guy staring at me from in a car or from across the room I'd prob shit myself.

Overall, a great read and highly recommended. ...more

flag 37 likes · Like · see review

Feb 12, 2011 Kasia rated it it was amazing

I remember looking at this book at my local Barnes & Nobles years ago, I was strangely drawn to the title and it's meaning which always puzzled me but the cover was intriguing, not sure what took me so long to read it but I’m so glad that I finally dived in. Sometimes it's hard to pick a new book to read but it's still a delicious torment even if you don't know what is good enough to wrap your mind around, this was a good pick and it was recommended by a friend so I read it with pretty high expe I remember looking at this book at my local Barnes & Nobles years ago, I was strangely drawn to the title and it's meaning which always puzzled me but the cover was intriguing, not sure what took me so long to read it but I’m so glad that I finally dived in. Sometimes it's hard to pick a new book to read but it's still a delicious torment even if you don't know what is good enough to wrap your mind around, this was a good pick and it was recommended by a friend so I read it with pretty high expectations. In a funny way this book shows the power of love and also it's opposite which is very driven dark side and even in real life those can be close so making it into a striking, dangerous and scary story was great. Both good and bad things can be done in the name of love, each pushed by an intense energy that seems to beam out of us at certain times, and it's most potent when it's real. The Heart Shaped Box is a great example of mental surgery; the amount of thought that will go into creating this world and it's characters is immense but it also has to be pure, it needs to come from the heart. It's a story told by a man who took the courage to pick up the pen ( or the laptop) and write it all down, Joe Hill is very good and I can see him having a great career in the literary world, having a genius father ( Stephen King) doesn't hurt either hehe.

Making a purchase doesn't seem to be a scary thing unless one is buying something grand, a mansion or a fancy plane, an island or special car, it's a choice we can take with relish unless it goes wrong. Jude Coyne buys a haunted suit and he definitely gets what he pays for, it arrives in a black heart shaped box and once that lid is off his life starts to go on a dangerous decline, those close to him are in an intense danger and the only way to stop the horrific power behind the purchase seems to be sucked straight out of hell. Coworkers and friends start dying but they aren't gone and neither is the power that pushes them to their demise. Connected to his past, the suit is not an ordinary object but a weapon, Jude must figure out who really is behind it and how to get rid of it or be forced to end his own suffering. I gripped the pages at the end and cheered a few times and also felt some sadness, this hit all sorts of high points for me, a perfect example of a good book.

This story reads almost like a fantasy tale that takes the reader on a ride, I would read out passages to my boyfriend and we'd follow the story together at the end because he would ask me what happened every few hours ... it's a fun yet pungent read, don't be fooled that this is some cute story, there is death and there is intense danger and stress, but oh so well woven together, I enjoyed it tremendously and cant wait to read more form Hill. This is part mystery, part horror and a whole lot of fun intensity, good stuff.

- Kasia S.
...more

flag 37 likes · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2018 Lisa-Books Smiles rated it really liked it · review of another edition

WOW! This was a great horror novel and I will be reading more books by Joe Hill. I would recommend reading this book via audiobook because it really up'd the creepies. ...more

flag 37 likes · Like · see review

Oct 28, 2018 Helga rated it it was amazing

Shelves: horror, mystery, crime, fantasy

4.5

“The dead win when you quit singing and let them take you on down the road with them.”

What are the weirdest things you’ve ever collected?
I was collecting matchboxes when I was little. Lol. And then I tried to collect stamps and failed. Does collecting chewing gum and candy wrappers go under the category of weird?

Well, let’s compare those with what our hero likes to collect in this story. Serial killers’ sketches, a sixteenth century human skull, a 300 year old confession signed by a witch; ...more

flag 37 likes · Like · see review

Jan 01, 2016 Christopher rated it it was ok

Shelves: paranormal, 2016, fiction, horror, epub

This type of horror may just not be for me.

Heart-Shaped Box is about a ghost who, apparently, can't decide if it wants to kill the person it wants to kill. Our tale starts off decently enough. Aging rock star buys a ghost off the internet and that ghost decides to kill him. Almost succeeds fairly early on, too. And then... doesn't kill him. Why, you ask? Hell if I know.*

Instead, our ghost will sit in his ghost truck... not killing people. Perhaps he's just trying to drive our MC insane by drawi ...more

flag 34 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Letras Macabras: El Traje del Muerto, de Joe Hill	40	155	Nov 07, 2020 06:31PM
Horror Aficionados : Heart-Shaped Box - Joe Hill	101	62	Mar 24, 2020 07:24AM
Stephen King Fans: Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill	79	282	Jan 19, 2020 03:38PM
Around the Year i...: Heart-Shaped Box, by Joe Hill	8	70	Nov 19, 2019 02:59PM
Should this book be made into a feature film?	39	359	Jul 31, 2019 10:32AM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Horror

4,899 users

Fiction

1,140 users

Thriller

440 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

384 users

Fantasy

282 users

Paranormal > Ghosts

270 users

Fantasy > Supernatural

244 users

Mystery

210 users

Audiobook

167 users

Adult

140 users

See top shelves…

About Joe Hill

Joe Hill

21,472 followers

Joe Hill's debut, Heart-Shaped Box, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. His second, Horns, was made into a film freakfest starring Daniel Radcliffe. His other novels include NOS4A2, and his #1 New York Times Best-Seller, The Fireman... which was also the winner of a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel.

He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in ...more