Literary Horror discussion
Monthly Reads
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Monthly Read Suggestions
Tim wrote: "I’m back! Haven’t read much recently but I’ll be damned if I don’t read horror for October ... two proposals if they have not already been done.A Cosmology of Monsters
A Lush and Seething Hell: Two Tales of Cosmic Horror
"
Welcome back! You've been missed.
Both of those sound really good. I have 'A Lush and Seething Hell' already and would be willing to buy the other if it wins the poll. Lots of good reviews on the latter from readers I generally trust.
Welcome back Tim, and thanks for the nominations. Hope your daughter won't be bothered by the covers.Poll is up! Please vote by late this Saturday:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Remember, if you vote for a book and it wins, you are committing to participate in the discussion.
For the next poll, I'd like to nominate Monsters of L.A. by Lisa Morton. It's got a high GoodReads rating, so it might be of some literariness. Maybe not. If no one seconds this nomination, please ignore it.
Probably time to start the conversation for November's monthly read.I think Marie-Therese might have some ideas.
I'm also keen to check out
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
I an withdrawing my previous nomination (message 404) to instead nominate Cruise of Shadows by Jean Ray. This short story collection is more in keeping with our group's literary aspirations.
Last call for Nov 2020 nominations. I'd like to get the poll up soon.
I like all the nominations we currently have going but just to add something to the mix (and prime the pump for next month, perhaps), I'll nominate The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories
Marie-Therese wrote: "I like all the nominations we currently have going but just to add something to the mix (and prime the pump for next month, perhaps), I'll nominate [book:The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories..."Hmm, doesn't look like the Valancourt anthology is available yet. Maybe another item for November?
Bill wrote: "Hmm, doesn't look like the Valancourt anthology is available yet. Maybe another item for November? "Weird! I have the ebook already sent to me directly from Valancourt. I did preorder but was under the impression that this was the official release. But I just checked Amazon and you're right-it looks like official release date in the US is 12/08/2020.
So, since my first nomination is not available, I'll nominate The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher. This book, apparently inspired by Algernon Blackwood's famous story 'The Willows', has been getting a lot of good reviews and pre-award buzz and I think a few of our members have it on their TBR. It was published October 6th and is available in all usual formats.
Thanks Marie-Therese!Poll is up:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Remember, if you vote for a book, and it wins, you are committing to participate in the discussion.
Bill wrote: "Thanks Marie-Therese!Poll is up:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Remember, if you vote for a book, and it wins, you are committing to participate in the discussion."
Thanks, Bill! These all look really good so I'm going to hold off for a bit on voting in case we need a tie-breaker.
Marie-Therese wrote: "Weird! I have the ebook already sent to me directly from Valancourt. I did preorder but was under the impression that this was the official release. But I just checked Amazon and you're right-it looks like official release date in the US is 12/08/2020. ..."I just checked, because this kind of this is my favorite way to waste time. The Valancourt site has this: "official on-sale date December 2020, but preorders through our website will ship October 2020".
I would definitely like to see this in a future read. I would also like to encourage people to buy their books directly from the small publishers when they can. Amazon doesn't need your money.
Whitney wrote: "I just checked, because this kind of this is my favorite way to waste time. The Valancourt site has this: "official on-sale date December 2020, but preorders through our website will ship October 2020".I would definitely like to see this in a future read. I would also like to encourage people to buy their books directly from the small publishers when they can. Amazon doesn't need your money. ."
Yes, perhaps early next year (January/February), as this would give everyone some time to acquire it in whatever format and from whatever venue they prefer.
I read the current poll leader two months ago and gave it a two-star review. I hope your guys' mileage varies.I'm really excited about Marie-Therese's nomination (message 409). I love short stories (normally) and would definitely be down for this anthology.
Last call for the Nov 2020 monthly read poll:https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Remember if you vote and your choice wins, you are committing to participate in the discussions.
Bill wrote: "Last call for the Nov 2020 monthly read poll:https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Remember if you vote and your choice wins, you are committing to participate in the discussions."
I voted for The Hollow Places as I nominated it but will be happy to read whatever wins (looks like the Koja collection right now). Tim, would you like to read 'The Hollow Places' as a buddy read, since you and I are the two who voted for it?
I would like to do that! I actually bought a copy planning to read it in October and just didn’t have the time. I would be willing to move it next up on my list.
Tim wrote: "I would like to do that! I actually bought a copy planning to read it in October and just didn’t have the time. I would be willing to move it next up on my list."Great! Do you want to start sometime this week or a little later? I have the book so I am good to go whenever works best for you.
I actually just finished the book I was reading a few minutes ago, so I can start tomorrow even if you would like.
We should look forward to a dark December read. Nominations?
Bill wrote: "We should look forward to a dark December read. Nominations?"Wow! November just sped by-at least for me. I have some ideas but need to make sure they're available before I propose them.
Would anyone be interested in The Auctioneer? Valancourt recently rereleased it and it’s a title I’ve been interested in for some time.
Tim wrote: "Would anyone be interested in The Auctioneer? Valancourt recently rereleased it and it’s a title I’ve been interested in for some time."Thanks Tim! We actually read The Auctioneer over a year ago:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Other ideas?
If there's no regulations against nominating hardcover books, I nominate That Time of Year by Marie N'Diaye.I haven't read it yet, so I can't say how appropriate it is for the scope of the club here, but this is from the description:
A literary horror story about power and assimilation. . . . Working in the spirit of Leonora Carrington, Victor LaValle, and Kōbō Abe, NDiaye’s novel is a nightmarish vision of otherness, privilege, and social amnesia, told with potent clarity and a heady dose of the weird.
Nathanimal wrote: "If there's no regulations against nominating hardcover books, I nominate That Time of Year by Marie N'Diaye.I haven't read it yet, so I can't say how appropriate it is for the scope of the club h..."
That looks great!
Bill wrote: "Tim wrote: "Would anyone be interested in The Auctioneer? Valancourt recently rereleased it and it’s a title I’ve been interested in for some time."Thanks Tim! We actually read The ..."
Oops. Sorry I missed that one Bill. I need to do more research into past reads.
How about Sweetheart, Sweetheart?
New to the group, but "That Time of the Year" sounds interesting.
Thanks for all the nominations, everyone!Russ wrote: "New to the group, but "That Time of the Year" sounds interesting."
Welcome to the group, Russ. The only entry I see for "That Time of the Year" is this, with almost no information:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Could you please post a link, or more details? Thanks.
Nathanimal wrote: "Hi, Bill. I believe Russ was amen-ing the book I nominated:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5..."
Yep, that's right.
Nathanimal wrote: "Hi, Bill. I believe Russ was amen-ing the book I nominated:Ah of course! Duh. Thanks guys.
More nominations? I'd like to have the poll up before the weekend.
The Ndiaye novel sounds really good to me, so I third that one. For my own nominee, I'll suggest Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark.
Our Dec 2020 poll is up:https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Please vote by next Friday!
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, if you vote for a book and it wins, you are committing to participating in the discussion.
Last call to vote for our December monthly read! The top two nominees are too close to call:https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
"too close to call" -- that phrase just gave me an anxiety flashback.
Nathanimal wrote: ""too close to call" -- that phrase just gave me an anxiety flashback."Sorry Nate!
Obviously we'll wait till the poll closes, and count *every* vote.
I volunteer to be a faithless elector.
Our December monthly read has been lively and entertaining. What books should we consider for January?
I propose Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda. It’s retellings of a Japanese supernatural stories featuring yokai and ghosts, but with a more modern feminist take. I’ve heard it’s excellent.
I've read both 'The Tenant' and 'Where the Wild Ladies Are' recently so I'd be willing to chime in if they're selected but I won't be rereading them. (For whatever it's worth, I liked the Ladies more than the Tenant.) My nominee is The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, which was finally published in all formats this month. Valancourt's also issued volume 4 in their horror stories series and it looks intriguing: The Valancourt Book of Horror Stories, volume 4
Not sure I'll participate this month, so I will abstain from voting. "The Tenant" is definitely going on my TBR list though. Other 2 sound interesting too. Is "Where The Wild Ladies Are" a collection of short stories or a novel?
Last call for January nominations. I'd like to have the poll up tonight.
Russ wrote: "Not sure I'll participate this month, so I will abstain from voting. "The Tenant" is definitely going on my TBR list though. Other 2 sound interesting too. Is "Where The Wild Ladies Are" a collection of short stories or a novel?""Where the Wild Ladies Are" is sort of a collection of linked stories. The connection is too tenuous to make the book a novel but there is a definite link between the stories, although it can sometimes take a while to figure that link out. It's an unusual book and one I really liked a lot, but probably best appreciated by those with some background in Japanese folklore.
January 2021 poll is up!https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Since we only had three nominations, I've taken the liberty of including the runner up from December 2020. Please vote by New Year's Day.
As usual, if you vote for a book and it wins, you are committing to participate in the group read.
Happy 2021 everyone! Last call to vote for our January monthly read: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...
Literary Horror
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Issues With Authority (other topics)
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rekt (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Carson Winter (other topics)Joe R. Lansdale (other topics)
Charles Birkin (other topics)
Joyce Carol Oates (other topics)
Joyce Carol Oates (other topics)
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A Cosmology of Monsters
A Lush and Seething Hell: Two Tales of Cosmic Horror