October 2015 - Reporting Thread

[Sarah]

After you have read your chosen book(s) for this month's group theme read, please report in the thread below. Please state what book you read (and link it), that you discussed it (and where), and briefly summarise what you thought of the book and/or link to your review if you have written one.

If you read more than one book which fits the theme, please report all your reads in the same post rather than in separate posts.

In order to receive a badge you must:
1. have completed the book(s) before or during October 2015.
2. discussed it in the relevant thread. Discussion must be more than "I read the book and I liked it". Discussion requires something more substantial and analytical of what you read, for example, thoughts, opinions, impact it had on you, what was your favourite part, was it what you expected it to be like etc. You may also like to review the book and post a link to the review in that thread.
3. Report that you have read AND discussed the book in the reporting thread below, along with a brief summary of what you thought.

[Joan]

I have finished Something Wicked This Way Comes I gave it two stars and my review is posted here

[Anna]

I also gave 2 stars to Something Wicked This Way Comes and my review is here

[Cherie]

Well, I feel out of place now. I finished listening to Something Wicked This Way Comes and I gave it 5 stars. I am planning on doing a mini re-read of sections that I thought were especially good during the rest of the month.

[Sarah]

Cherie wrote: "Well, I feel out of place now. I finished listening to Something Wicked This Way Comes and I gave it 5 stars. "

Not alone at all Cherie. In the group read I took part in, all of us loved it and either gave it 4 or 5 stars. I guess it's not everyone's cup of tea.

[Janice, Moderator]

I really enjoyed it, Cherie - gave it 4 stars.

[Joan]

Cherie, my review would have been higher with a different narrator.
Audiofile Magazine has a section lets you sample narrators and read reviews. I wish I had checked it first and chosen the Blackstone Audio version. Their audiobooks are always good.

[Cherie]

Joan wrote: "Cherie, my review would have been higher with a different narrator.
Audiofile Magazine has a section lets you sample narrators and read reviews. I wish I had checked it first and chosen the Blacks..."

Yes, the narrators can really get under your skin sometimes, if their voice or cadence does not match the tone of the book. I have a harder time with the women than I do the men, but I still have to listen to the sample to decide if I want to do the audio version. If I don't like them, I read instead of listen. Like I said in the thread, I had three samples to choose from for SWTWC.

Maybe your star rating or book experience would have been better if you had read it instead of listening to it, Joan.

[Roz]

I read Bird Box and gave it 4 stars. I discussed my thoughts in the discussion thread and will likely add to them.
If I have time I'd like to read Something Wicked This Way Comes.

[Janice, Moderator]

I also read Bird Box and discussed it in the relevant thread. I gave it 3-1/2 stars, and I found it very creepy. There were lots of tense moments.

[Peggy]

I finished Something Wicked This Way Comes. I gave it 2 stars. I like the idea of the story but the writing just didn't work for me at this time. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lara]

I read Phantom Evil and gave it 4 stars. While the romantic element was okay, the mystery of how a woman really dies is full of both real world motives and supernatural occurrences. It was really creepy and I would not want to be part of the team doing the investigating.

[Bella]

Peggy wrote: "I finished Something Wicked This Way Comes. I gave it 2 stars. I like the idea of the story but the writing just didn't work for me at this time. Here's my review: https://www.goodrea..."

Did the writing feel dated or old-fashioned? I read this as a teen and remember enjoying it, but I'm wondering if it's one of those books that doesn't hold up once you're an adult. That it's better to leave it alone, unread under a cover of nostalgia.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I read and discussed Little Girls by Ronald Malfi. It was definitely a creepy story, though I wasn't a fan of the ending. It was a bit open ended and I tend to prefer books where the author tells you what happened and it is not left up to your interpretation.

[Casceil]

I wrote a long post in the "Spooky Settings" thread, but I guess it really belonged here. So I will repeat it for the convenience of the moderator. (If it sounds familiar, you don't need to read it twice.)


I seem to be wallowing in spooky books this month. I read Something Wicked This Way Comes and participated in the group discussion thread. I enjoyed the book very much. I think I gave it four stars, but I thought seriously about giving it five. I loved the very descriptive prose--shades slithering, doors gasping open or booming, keys rattled their bones in locks. There were times when it seemed almost a little too much like purple prose, but for the most part it really worked. The book originally came out in 1962, and looking at things that came after, I feel sure this book was a major influence on later works.

After finishing "Something Wicked," I moved on to Dracula. I'm still reading it--I think I have about 100 pages to go. I first read Dracula when I was in high school, and I did not like it very much. I actually found a lot of it boring. Looking at it now, I am impressed with the craftsmanship of the writing. The author uses multiple voices and points of view to tell the story, and does that very skillfully. By today's standards, the story moves at a leisurely pace, but it was written in a much more leisurely time.

Taking a break from Dracula, I wanted to read something more engaging over the weekend, so I turned to reading "a book with a beautiful cover" for the cryptogram challenge. The book I selected was Murder on the Cliffs Murder on the Cliffs (Daphne du Maurier Mysteries, #1) by Joanna Challis. It featured a young Daphne Du Maurier as the "amateur sleuth" in a mystery set in Cornwall at a large, beautiful but creepy house. Elements of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier are scattered through the book as supposed inspiration for the future author. The book has much to recommend it, including the atmosphere and the allusions to Rebecca. I only gave it three stars in the end, though, because the longer I thought about the book, the more "loose ends" I identified.

[Peggy]

Bella, not dated (although I read someone saying that somewhere - no idea if that's a more common opinion and I might not notice so much because English is not my first language), but it was just so poetic and elaborate and full of detail. Normally I quite like this kind of writing, but this one was a bit too much and that combined with me already not being in the mood for something like that made it not the best experience.

[Joan]

Casceil wrote: "I wrote a long post in the "Spooky Settings" thread, but I guess it really belonged here. So I will repeat it for the convenience of the moderator. (If it sounds familiar, you don't need to read it..."
Casceil,
In high school I thought Dracula was a scary book about vampires; the smoldering/repressed female sensuality went right over my head.

[Tejas Janet]

I read Something Wicked This Way Comes and participated in the discussion over on that thread. I went ahead and gave it 5 stars after debating some about giving it 4 instead. For me the creativity of the language was so strong that I still found it amazing overall. I also really liked the dream-like quality Bradbury achieved in this book. For me, the story was creepy without being too violent or gruesome, and I thought it had a kind of sweet wholesomeness that I actually liked. However, it was also here where the story veered towards being overtly preachy, really its one major weak point in my opinion.

[Joan]

Tejas Janet wrote: "I read Something Wicked This Way Comes and participated in the discussion over on that thread. I went ahead and gave it 5 stars after debating some about giving it 4 instead. For me the creativity ..."

You are right - the creepy without violent was good but the moralizing set it firmly in teen-lit circa 1960.

[Canadian Dragon]

I read Something Wicked This Way Comes, talked a bit in the buddy thread. I rated this one 2 stars. At first the writing grabbed me but overall the story wasn't creepy enough and didn't entertain me as much as I thought it would.

[Bella]

Peggy wrote: "Bella, not dated (although I read someone saying that somewhere - no idea if that's a more common opinion and I might not notice so much because English is not my first language), but it was just s..."

Thanks, I'll give it a reread after I read the first book in the series- which I've never read.

[Bella]

I read The Devil and Winnie Flynn by Micol Ostow and discussed it in the Spooky Settings/Atmosphere thread. I couldn't really recommend this book, but if you really want to read it, I'd suggest that you get it from the library and not risk wasting your money.

[[deleted user]]

I read Pines. I was a bit bothered that was not much development to the characters, what little there was did not make me like any one of them, especially Ethan.

But the storyline was good and moved along nicely. It was not so much intense as it was a fluid read of scenarios that seemed impossible, and very weird until the very end when everything comes together and makes perfect sense.

The thing I loved the most is that just as I was ready to say enough is enough, stop with the running and near escapes of death, the author delivered the end that was nothing what I was expecting.

I will definitely read the last 2 books and watch the mini series when I finish them.

[Sarah]

@Bella - oh dear. That's not good. Why so bad?

@Kelly - the ending blew me away too - I didn't see it coming. Will you be continuing with the series?

[Bella]

Sarah wrote: "@Bella - oh dear. That's not good. Why so bad?

@Kelly - the ending blew me away too - I didn't see it coming. Will you be continuing with the series?"

I think the problem with trying to juxtapose a modern, realistic setting and the fantastical is doing it well enough to make the reader believe/accept. And the author, by using film transcripts and other things like that, was trying to take a short cut to making the unreal real instead of complementing it. I can't help but compare it to Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, except that Gaiman managed to combine the real and supernatural worlds successfully. This book fell short of Gaiman's, which of course, most authors would. But this book was very, very, very short of Gaiman's mark.

[Sarah]

I see. In the whole i quite like the mixed ways some books get the story across to the reader. The book I'm reading at the moment, The Passage is like that. But i guess it works with some books and not others.

[Cherie]

Bella wrote: "Thanks, I'll give it a reread after I read the first book in the series- which I've never read..."

I am currently reading Dandelion Wine. It is a completely different story and feel to SWTWC. It is much more nostalgic. Lots of pretty passages but not quite the same style of SW. There are a few dark spots, but on the whole, I like it very much. I am almost at the end. I have been listening and reading along. I did not like the narrator very much at first, but he got better. It is from Tantor books and the narrator is Steven (or Stephen) Hoy.

[Casceil]

I picked up a paperback copy of Dandelion Wine when I bought SWTWC. I don't think I will get to until after the toppler.

[[deleted user]]

I finished reading The Passage by Justin Cronin and discussion can be found here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[[deleted user]]

Sarah - I do plan to read the rest of the series, I have a few I want to finish first.

[Janice, Moderator]

Kelly B wrote: "Sarah - I do plan to read the rest of the series, I have a few I want to finish first."

Let me just tempt you a bit. You think you know the answers at the end of book 1. You don't. Get out book 2 and 3, and be surprised. *evil laughter*

[Sarah]

Janice wrote: "Let me just tempt you a bit. You think you know the answers at the end of book 1. You don't. Get out book 2 and 3, and be surprised. *evil laughter*"

I'm going to be reading book 3 asap as a series kill for my current level.

[Tammy]

I read The Hound of the Baskervilles, and discussed it in the Spooky setting chat.

[Kelly]

I read Bird Box and discussed it in the thread. Very creepy and tense.

[Morgan]

I read Bird Box and discussed it in the appropriate thread. I enjoyed the book, it was definitely suspenseful! 4 stars.

[Debra]

I reread Bird Box, also and discussed it.

[Lynn]

A Monster Calls - Beautifully written but so achingly sad.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I read Dracula and rated it 5*. I don't usually read horror, but I'm pleasantly surprise about this book. It's so well written. Chapter 7, where a storm is describe, it's just a master piece.
I discussed the book a little in the buddy read thread, and I expect to discuss it more now that the toppler is over and I can read the spoilers.

[Vicki]

I read Bird Box and discussed it in it's thread. I loved the writing style. Particularly the repetitions ie; "he knows he knows he knows" Read like a crescendo! I gave it 4 stars.

[Susan]

I just realized that I finished Something Wicked This Way Comes but never reported that I did so. It was an interesting read for this time of year, spooky without being full of horror film blood and gore.

I found the writing to be interesting and very lyrical. At least to me it seemed as though each sentence was followed by a contrasting sentence comparing the two boys. It reminded me of the old days when we were required to write comparison and contrast paragraphs in school. I will confess that I kept thinking "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times" as I read.

The book was OK and a quick read but I remember liking some of Bradbury's other works better. I didn't realize it is part of a series. However, and this may come as a surprise, I'm not chomping at the bit to read the rest of the series. It will just have to remain a lonely little series orphan on my list.

[Mary Beth]

I read Bird Box and gave it 4 stars. I discussed it in the discussion thread.

I am still reading Something Wicked This Way Comes
I am half way through it and really like it so far.

[Ariane]

I read The Passage and gave it 4.5 stars. I discussed it in the Buddy read and the discussion threads.

[Camilla]

Finished The Mammoth Book of Monsters and discussed it, albeit briefly, in the discussion thread. A fairly nice anthology of horror stories, although not really scary at least in my opinion. Gave it three stars.

[Kerri]

I read The Waiting Room and discussed it in the other thread. I wasn't expecting much as it was a freebie from Bookbub, but I was pleasantly surprised, I rated it 3.5 stars.

[Joan]

Kerri wrote: "I read The Waiting Room and discussed it in the other thread. I wasn't expecting much as it was a freebie from Bookbub, but I was pleasantly surprised, I rated it 3.5 stars."

Sounds creepy - last summer in England on an old railway walking path my 6-year-old grandson and I found an abandonned train platform. He got quite scared and insisted he could hear voices on the platform even though we were alone in the woods.

[Ollie]

I read both Something Wicked This Way Comes and Bird Box, and discussed both in the appropriate threads. I really enjoyed both books, but Bird Box was probably my favorite. I've loved reading all of the other creepy suggestions, though; I'm not a fan of horror movies, but scary books are perfect for long winter nights. I think my TBR list tripled this month, lol!

[Tasha]

I read The Night Sister which had a great spooky setting. It was set in an abandoned motel, how spooky is that?! It had a pretty good creep factor although I'm not a big fan of the ending. I discussed it over in the spooky thread.

[Travis]

Well I should have kept track of all the books I read and I am just to lazy right now to go check. Some are The Exorcist obviiusly creepy with the possessed little girl. If it wasn't directly dealing with her it was more a crime drama. Enjoyed it but wasn't what I thought. Dead Man's Song. I love this series and should finish the trilogy this month but haven't yet. Set in October building up for whatever will go down on Halloween it is just a perfect book. Christine. I enjoyed it but it is a slow burn but the possessed car bit is spooky. Reread Dracula which I think that was a buddy read ehere the other books I discussed in the spooky thread. This second time througj I enjoyed Dracula a lot. The full cast audible narration I thought was great and I appreciated the stoey a lot more. First time I read it I exoected a lot of a scary blood sucking vampire. Truth is Dracula barely has a role in the novel and the blood sucking is unknown and a mystery. Obviously Dracula is behind it all but it all gets shrouded in a blanket of fog and mystery not a 21st century in your face blood and gore vampire book full of graphic images.

[Kerri]

Joan wrote: "Kerri wrote: "I read The Waiting Room and discussed it in the other thread. I wasn't expecting much as it was a freebie from Bookbub, but I was pleasantly surprised, I rated it 3.5 s..."

Joan that just gave me chills up and down my spine! In the book, it's the property owner's children who first became aware of the ghosts. Not sure whether to recommend this too you or not, based on your grandson's experience.

[Sarah]

Joan wrote: "Sounds creepy - last summer in England on an old railway walking path my 6-year-old grandson and I found an abandonned train platform. He got quite scared and insisted he could hear voices on the platform even though we were alone in the woods. "

Ooh! Where was that Joan? I want to go... There are quite a few abandoned tube stations in London dating back to the war and everything is still in place - posters etc. They're often used in films. There are a number of disused railways about, one in fact near me and the old waiting room on the platform has been converted in to a tea room.