Task 1: Read a Horror Book

[Chelsea]

Hayley wrote: "Chelsea wrote: "Elle wrote: "Hayley wrote: "Does anyone have a good recommendation of a horror book that's not too scary? I'm admittedly a bit of a coward and would like to be able to sleep :) Than..."

You are welcome! I am going to try the book The Canterville Ghost. Doesn't seem too scary..... :)

[Bess]

Cannot recommend highly enough Slade House. It was so creepy, and chilling. I don't even like horror much, and could not put it down.

[Jan]

I'm going for 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker, partly because it's a classic I've never got round to reading and partly because I'm not keen on anything too terrifying and I'm hoping the historic setting will make it less scary.

[Kathy]

I just finished Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and enjoyed the author's language and descriptions. I also liked the setting of Switzerland among the Alps. Again I was reminded that "Frankenstein" was not the monster, but the creator of the monster. As far as the monster goes, he had the full range of human feelings so I felt empathy with him.

[Chelsea]

What a wonderful review! I like it because, through the years, there has been a misconception about Frankenstein, a change from what the author intended. And I read about the author years ago and she was an incredible young lady. Thanks for sharing.

[Lyana]

I've already finished this one with North American Lake Monsters. Good read. :3

[Robin P]

Bess wrote: "Cannot recommend highly enough Slade House. It was so creepy, and chilling. I don't even like horror much, and could not put it down."

Just got it from the library, I've liked all the diverse books by David Mitchell. This one looks like a "2-hour book" for me. If it didn't have so much white space, it would qualify for the under 100 page category.

[Babs]

Third challenge completed. I've just finished The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. An absolutely fantastic read, and certainly checks the "horror" box.

[Natalie]

Just finished Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and think I may need to pick a second book for this task because at no point did it feel like horror.

[[deleted user]]

I'm going to read Bird Box for this category. I bought it when it was a Kindle deal and haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Viv]

I think I'm going to go with 14. I don't read a lot of horror these days, mainly because I'm a bit of a wuss, but I'll give it a go!

[[deleted user]]

I read THE HOUSE by Christina Lauren. It's a YA book with both horror and romance in it. :)

[Dhruv]

I don't know why but I haven't read The Shining yet. Now it's time to get it off my TBR list. :D

[Myriam]

Does "Dark Places" by Gyllian Flynn coun as horror?? I've been told is very explicit on the homicide part but it's also considered a Thriller... If not, I think I'm gonna read The Shinning and prepare myself for countless nights of insomina!

[Robin P]

Robin wrote: "Bess wrote: "Cannot recommend highly enough Slade House. It was so creepy, and chilling. I don't even like horror much, and could not put it down."

Just got it from the library, I've liked all the..."

I thought Slade House was just ok. After the first section, it was clear what was going on and it was just a question of how the creepiness would show up for each new character. I also wasn't thrilled the way Mitchell sticks in little in-jokes by referring to characters or plots from his other books. But it is certainly a quick read.

[Ashley]

Myriam wrote: "Does "Dark Places" by Gyllian Flynn coun as horror?? I've been told is very explicit on the homicide part but it's also considered a Thriller... If not, I think I'm gonna read The Shinning and prep..."

I definitely think Dark Places could count for this task. It's a bit of a mystery/psychological thriller, and there are real tense points as well. I say go for it!

[Janet]

I already read Slade House 2 months ago. I need a horror book like that one. What is similar to it?

[Janet]

I am going to read Dawn of the Dreadfuls which is the prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for the horror. I just remember I won that book at a Halloween party so done! :)

[Tricia]

Britta wrote: "I have never read any Dean Koontz, so I will pick one of his books for this challenge, maybe Midnight. Or does anyone have another suggestion, i.e another Koontz-book to start with?"

Bea wrote: "Britta, I am also reading Midnight for this task, but I would recommend Breathless also."

I recently read Ashley Bell as my first Koontz book and as a horror wimp, it was thrilling and quite enough scary for me.

[Tricia]

I'm so glad I've seen Gaiman's books listed here. I have The Ocean at the End of the Lane on my shelves and will read that.

I'm trying to read from my TBR piles I have at home as much as possible.

Two I read last year that would qualify: The Nest and Ashley Bell

I'm a wimp and these were plenty scary for me and the first horror I've read since I read The Stand years, and years ago.

[Bernita]

I'm not a fan of horror at all, I dislike anything "scary" lol. Any suggestions on books that would be classified as horror but wouldn't scare me crazy?

[Bea]

Nita, if you look back through this thread, you might find some good options. Posts 23, 60, 83, 85, 109, 122, etc might be of help to you.

[Cecily]

I'm going to read Turn of the Screw by Henry James for this task. I've seen the opera version, so I feel like it won't scare me, like most horror does.

[Dhruv]

Tricia wrote: "I'm so glad I've seen Gaiman's books listed here. I have The Ocean at the End of the Lane on my shelves and will read that.

I'm trying to read from my TBR piles I have at home as ..."

Gaiman is brilliant indeed! But do books like Coraline, Graveyard book and Ocean at the end of the lane count as horror? I didn't find them 'I-can't-sleep-anymore-because-nightmares' scary.

[Bonnie G.]

Dhruv wrote: "Tricia wrote: "I'm so glad I've seen Gaiman's books listed here. I have The Ocean at the End of the Lane on my shelves and will read that.

I'm trying to read from my TBR piles I h..."
The books you count as horror sound horrible. Count me out of the competition if it requires me to read books which deprive me of sleep.

[Mary Sue]

I just finished Frankenstein. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. It was not as scary as I thought it was going to be - very different from what has been portrayed on film.

[Bonnie G.]

Mary Sue wrote: "I just finished Frankenstein. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. It was not as scary as I thought it was going to be - very different from what has been portrayed on film."

I read it last year for this challenge (writer under 25) and loved it. The issues it addresses felt so modern to me.

[Mirabai]

Would anything from Anne Rice's catalogue count as horror? I read Interview with a Vampire many years ago, and I'm just not sure.

[Dixie]

Read "Something Wicked This Way Comes," which I have been wanting to read for years. Really enjoyed it.

[Julia]

Not sure whether I'll read Zone One by Colson Whitehead first, or Jane Slayre: The Literary Classic with a Blood-Sucking Twist by Sherri Browning Erwin and Charlotte Brontë, or Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen. Oh, or Golem 100 by Alfred Bester. I don't think of myself as a horror reader, but I guess I am, or will be this year.

[Samy]

I read The Library at Mount Char for this one after all the good reviews, but I really, really hated it. Gory, sadistic, absurd plot and really bad writing. I have always avoided horror as a genre and now I know why. Hope I'm not offending anyone who loved it, but for my taste that had to be one of the worst books I've ever read. I forced myself to finish only because I was doing this challenge.

[Michelle]

I've been sitting on the two books from the October Book Riot Young Adult Quarterly Box because I'm not a horror fan. Not sure which I'll end up using, but looks like it'll end up being The Devil and Winnie Flynn or Daughters Unto Devils for this category.

[Pia]

I read

It's a modern ghost story. Very, very good!

[Alice]

Just finished Horrorstör. Cannot even brain right now.
I'd love to hear what others who read it think!

[Bet]

I'm currently reading Needful Things by Stephen King. It's my first time to read Stephen King, and my sister tells me that this is one of the most "horror" Stephen King books that she has read. So far, it's good!

[Sarah]

I had a thought for people this morning who aren't overly fans of horor. One is you could go old school and read The Picture of Dorian Gray . The book isn't gory but is absolutely brilliant.
(For laughs and giggles you could then compare it to the Ben Barnes movie... actually no, don't do that, it's a terrible film. Brilliantly bad. )

The other thing (and someone from BookRiot may have a view on this) is Nightmare Magazine which is a monthly horror magazine that has 3 or 4 stories a month plus interviews and retrospectives. The stories are short and vary in tone, but it's always a good, pacey read. You can get Nightmare via Amazon and if you like it can subscribe. Hope this helps...

[Christine]

Does anyone have a suggestion for someone who doesn't like horror or anything scary that would still fit in this category? Thanks for the hlep.

[Betsy]

My kid has to read a scary book for class, but hates horror and goosebumps-type books. The librarian recommended the Bunnicula series. If you can find somebody to read it to, you'd hit 2 tasks in one ;-)

[Renee]

I chose Stephan King's The Long Walk; I read it completely yesterday, and I'm still creeped out by it.

[Christine]

Betsy wrote: "My kid has to read a scary book for class, but hates horror and goosebumps-type books. The librarian recommended the Bunnicula series. If you can find somebody to read it to, you'd hit 2 tasks in o..."

Thanks for the suggestion! I am going to check it out.

[Cathy]

I'm going to read Slade House By David Mitchell. I've never read this author. I hoppe this is good book.

[Shona]

Just finished my horror book from the list - I remember you - an Icelandic ghost story. I don't read much horror but I would recommend this to those who don't like their stories too scary but still want a story to give you the hide under the covers, cuddle closer to your partner kind of feeling.

[Sam F]

I've just read The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon. Like many of her other books - it is a very creepy type of horror that she portrays. A good read that combines history and current day.

[Jessica]

I read Bird Box by Josh Malerman. Soooo good.

[Sarah]

SibylM wrote: "I'm thinking either Bird Box or Slade House for this one. Probably whichever I can get first from the library!"

Finished Bird Box last night- incredible!

[Lianne]

Cathy wrote: "I'm going to read Slade House By David Mitchell. I've never read this author. I hoppe this is good book."

I thoroughly enjoyed Slade House. Sadly, I read it in December, so it can't count for this.

[Mark]

I'm also reading Bird Box.
Very popular in the thread - about half way through, really enjoying it.

Also have plans to read Slade House at some point too.

It's an area of books I used to read a lot of (Stephen King specifically but a few other authors too) but I seem to have drifted away from Horror in recent years.

[Jessica]

I'm using a Tanith Lee book for this category. I'll also be reading The Passage for my 500+ page book, but it would also work for horror.

[Maxine]

Bird Box 3 stars. While it started out incredibly creepy, it didn't stay that way, I ended up a bit bored.

[Lissa Mascio]

I was already reading the Rushed series by Brian Harmon, so Book #3 (Rushed: Something Wicked) will work for this one. Super fast reads.