Announcing the Tag for October

[Anita]

Wow, the most talked about tag actually won for a change! So seasonal, so appropriate, the tag we chose was:

scary

Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.

Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as "scary" on Goodreads, or be a book that is not yet shelved that way but you feel should be.

One way to find books to read for this tag is to please visit:

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

We encourage people to link to additional lists below if they find them.

Happy Reading!!!

[Anita]

Here's a few other good lists:

https://www.esquire.com/entertainment...

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/2...

https://www.businessinsider.com/guide...

https://www.glamour.com/gallery/14-au...

[NancyJ]

OK I'm getting ready for this!

I have two local book clubs, and here are the books that we're reading in October. Which would you find more scary?

The Stand by Stephen King

Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy by Jamie Raskin. It's about the January 6 attack. It was written before the hearings, so it's likely to be only half the story.

I also have this library book:
The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable byAmitav Ghosh

[Theresa]

This will be a fun month!

[Karin]

Anita wrote: "Wow, the most talked about tag actually won for a change! So seasonal, so appropriate, the tag we chose was:

scary

Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.

Remember, for the re..."

So I threw away 10 votes! However, I realized at the time my voting was probably going to be a lost cause.

Yes, I've read books on this shelf and even found I few I have marked want to read at some point in time, but some of them I don't remember why I added and will probably remove from that shelf.

[Booknblues]

I expected a landslide this month. I'll be back after looking at lists to share possibilities and recommendations.

[~*Kim*~]

I don't have a long list of recommendations, but these are a couple that I read that I enjoyed:

The Winter People
And Then There Were None

I may start with The Butterfly Garden since I've already got it on my Kindle.

Other options I may check out are:
Tender is the Flesh
The Haunting of Ashburn House
Off Season
Hell House

[Meli]

HAPPY DANCE 💃🕺
Woohoo!
As pleased as punch :)

@Kim - great choices! Tender Is The Flesh is very disturbing.

I am going to peruse the list and see if anything else sticks out, but I already plan to read The Between, The Halloween Tree, finish up Interview with the Vampire, and a scary short story a day for this challenge called #31spookystories.

[Jen K]

I have a good number of choices. The difficulty will be choosing.

Definitely Nona the Ninth if I can manage to hold off until October and ideally The Dark Tower which I keep putting off.

[Holly R W]

NancyJ wrote: "OK I'm getting ready for this!

I have two local book clubs, and here are the books that we're reading in October. Which would you find more scary?

The Stand by Stephen King

[bo..."

Nancy, I read Jamie Raskin's book and really liked it, but wouldn't put it in the scary category. I've changed my mind about this - Raskin chronicles events that are Scary. He wrote it before he started working on the Jan. 6th committee. Certainly, the events of that day were frightening, but we now know so much more about what led up to them. Not to mention, what is occurring now.

[Jenni Elyse]

Woot woot!

[Theresa]

I'm going to suggest some classics:

Edgar Allan Poe - seriously, how can you not? Pit & Pendulum, Cask of Amontillado, Tell-Tale Heart -- those still give me the heebie-jeebies.

Shirley Jackson - my picks are The Lottery and The Haunting of Hill House

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Ray Bradbury - might be time I read Something Wicked This Way Comes

I don't recognize many of the books mentioned in this article but it provides some interesting options like The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America.

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/lei...

[Hayjay315]

I have a very active imagination and tend to get most of my reading in at night which will result in stretching this tag a bit. I'm thinking about taking this in the direction of something with a Gothic tone to it along the lines of Nine Coaches Waiting which I loved! Anyone got suggestions for me of something similar?

[NancyJ]

Holly R W wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "OK I'm getting ready for this!

I have two local book clubs, and here are the books that we're reading in October. Which would you find more scary?

The Stand by Ste..."

Thanks Holly, that's good to know.

Have you come across a source that provides a good summary of the hearings? I can't stand watching TV these days, and I'll want to read an update before our discussion. In this group, books are just a jumping off point for the discussion.

[NancyJ]

Theresa wrote: "I'm going to suggest some classics:

Edgar Allan Poe - seriously, how can you not? Pit & Pendulum, Cask of Amontillado, Tell-Tale Heart -- those still give me the heebie-jeebies.

..."

I might read A Turn of the Screw as a bookclub bonus read. (We read another Henry James book this summer).

I did not enjoy The Devil in the White City at all. I liked the author's other books, but it just seemed endless and gross, and I was not in the mood. (It was during an 8 hour car ride.) Some people love it though, and you might have a higher tolerance than I do.

[Theresa]

Hayjay315 wrote: "I have a very active imagination and tend to get most of my reading in at night which will result in stretching this tag a bit. I'm thinking about taking this in the direction of something with a G..."

That's one of my favorite books -- you know, you could check out some of Victoria Holt's books in that gothic style --- Mistress of Mellyn and Bride of Pendorric. Also Phyllis A. Whitney has a few - Black Amber for example.

I read all these books in my teens -- along with Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Alistair MacLean, and Helen MacInnis. I still occasionally re-read them.

A more contemporary version -- The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware or Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - though that is creepy enough in parts to dissuade late night reading.

[Theresa]

@Hayjay - another author who does gothic scary really well is Barbara Michaels - Ammie, Come Home, The Master of Blacktower. and many more.

Barbara Michaels is one of the pseudonyms for Egyptologist and author Barbara Mertz, now most well known as Elizabeth Peters, author of the Amelia Peabody historical mysteries.

[Holly R W]

NancyJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "OK I'm getting ready for this!

I have two local book clubs, and here are the books that we're reading in October. Which would you find more scary?

[book:The St..."

Nancy, Even though you don't like watching t.v., I believe that the best summary of what has gone on with the Jan. 6th committee's investigation will be this coming Wednesday (Sept. 28th) at 1 pm on t.v. This will be the committee's last televised hearing for the public and they are expected to summarize their findings. Have you watched any of their prior hearings? I find that they are extremely informational and not hard to watch. Or if watching is too much, you can turn on the t.v. and just listen.

[Robin P]

I own The Graveyard Book and 14, so one more option than I thought I had!

[Theresa]

Holly R W wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "OK I'm getting ready for this!

I have two local book clubs, and here are the books that we're reading in October. Which would you find more scary?
..."

I want to echo Holly -- I have not been able to watch much - work takes up my time - but what I have seen has been so impressively organized and presented, it just blew this lawyer away.

[RachelG.]

Two that I can recommend although YA or middle grade are:
The Night Gardener
The Screaming Staircase

The books I am thinking of reading for Scary are:
Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories
City of Ghosts
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures
The House on Cold Hill

[LibraryCin]

Anita wrote: "Wow, the most talked about tag actually won for a change! So seasonal, so appropriate, the tag we chose was:

scary"

YAY! Though that doesn't mean I've already chosen what I'll read! :-)

[Holly R W]

NancyJ wrote: "OK I'm getting ready for this!

I have two local book clubs, and here are the books that we're reading in October. Which would you find more scary?

The Stand by Stephen King

[bo..."

**Nancy, I don't know if you'll see this message, but I do think you can fit Jamie Raskin's book into the Scary tag. January 6th was very frightening and what happened to his son was frightening too.

[Book Concierge]

Here are some suggestions:

Traditional "scary"
The Exorcist (demonic possession)
'Salem's Lot (vampires)
The Ruins by Scott Smith (what the HELL is happening!)

Imagination / psychological "scary"
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
The Haunting of Hill House

Natural world "scary"
Jaws (sharks)
Cujo (rabid dog)

Nonfiction "scary"
The Demon in the Freezer (biological agents in research facilities)

==========================================

Haven't decided what I'll read. Maybe I'll revisit Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes.

[Book Concierge]

I know he's out of the running for WPF but it was Stephen King's birthday this week. Simon & Schuster published these lists:

King's top books, according to Stephen King: https://offtheshelf.com/2021/09/steph...
5 SK Books that will make you cry: https://offtheshelf.com/2020/09/steph...
Author Carole Johnstone picks 5 SK books 'that made the biggest impact on me': https://offtheshelf.com/2021/04/favor...
13 SK books for every kind of reader: https://offtheshelf.com/2017/09/13-st...
6 SK books paired with television shows: https://offtheshelf.com/2022/09/steph...

.

[Meli]

Theresa wrote: "https://www.townandcountrymag.com/lei..."

American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century was on that list you shared and I read a lot of true crime and horror shit and that book had me all paranoid and shook up. It's as creepy and unsettling as I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer.

[Theresa]

I just finished The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Wish I had waited a couple weeks to read it as it fits scary! Loved it - brilliant original complex.

[DianeMP]

I'd recommend the following scary books:

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

From recommendations of others I'd like to read:

The 71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
American Predator by Maureen Callahan
and The Demon in the Freezer.

[NancyJ]

Book Concierge wrote: "I know he's out of the running for WPF but it was Stephen King's birthday this week. Simon & Schuster published these lists:

King's top books, according to Stephen King: https://offtheshelf.com/20..."

My bookclub switched our Stephen King book for October to his new book Fairy Tale. Is anyone else reading it?

[Jen K]

NancyJ wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "I know he's out of the running for WPF but it was Stephen King's birthday this week. Simon & Schuster published these lists:

King's top books, according to Stephen King: htt..."

@Nancy, I have it on hold at the library and am considering it for next month but it would mean putting of The Dark Tower yet again.

[Jen]

I'm hoping one of the smart people in this group can help me out? I was trying to add in a book I am currently reading but can't seem to find that option any more. I have searched the ISBN, Author, Title etc to no avail and was going to add it but can't figure out how now that option has been removed after the search box.....any ideas?

[Jen]

Book Concierge wrote: "I know he's out of the running for WPF but it was Stephen King's birthday this week. Simon & Schuster published these lists:

King's top books, according to Stephen King: https://offtheshelf.com/20..."

Where's The Green Mile for makes you cry.....I so ugly cried.

Where's The Green Mile on any list??????

[Booknblues]

For Recommendations:
The Third Witch
This Thing Between Us
The Once and Future Witches
Creatures of Passage
The Gone Dead
The Displacements

Possible reads for me this month:
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Ninth House
Before I Go to Sleep
This House Is Haunted
The Shining Girls
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
Her Body and Other Parties: Stories
The Nativity of Bloodshed: A Historical Thriller

[Book Concierge]

Jen wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "I know he's out of the running for WPF but it was Stephen King's birthday this week. Simon & Schuster published these lists:

King's top books, according to Stephen King: htt..."

Agree, Jen. LOVED The Green Mile ... and definitely crying.

[Theresa]

Jen wrote: "I'm hoping one of the smart people in this group can help me out? I was trying to add in a book I am currently reading but can't seem to find that option any more. I have searched the ISBN, Author,..."

The option to add editions has been removed as far as I know. There were warnings about it for a couple of months with no mention of what you now do. I find it irritating because often whoever has added a book does not include number of pages, so I would add with pages. How else can I track pages read in my stats?

[John]

One of the books I wll be reading for October is Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro.

[Joanne]

@ Jen and Theresa-you need to find someone who is a GoodReads Librarian https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... sure they can still add and fix additions

[Hayjay315]

Theresa wrote: "Hayjay315 wrote: "I have a very active imagination and tend to get most of my reading in at night which will result in stretching this tag a bit. I'm thinking about taking this in the direction of ..."

Thanks for those suggestions Theresa! I have interest in The Death of Mrs. Westaway as well as a recent read of yours The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

[Amy]

I could raise the death of Mrs Westaway higher on my TBR. I think it’s there because of your review of it a few months ago Theresa.

[Theresa]

I was blown away by The Death of Mrs. Westaway - this is an author who just gets better and better and excels at taking classic tropes, standing them on their head and modernizing them.

[LibraryCin]

Theresa wrote: "The option to add editions has been removed as far as I know. There were warnings about it for a couple of months with no mention of what you now do...."

What!? Ugh...

[LibraryCin]

Joanne wrote: "@ Jen and Theresa-you need to find someone who is a GoodReads Librarian -pretty sure they can still add and fix additions"

That sucks. If I add my own, I have all the info in front of me: isbn, pages, etc. I assume we have to provide all that info to the librarian, then? Why not just let us add it ourselves?

[Theresa]

Why not just make info like # pages etc. Mandatory info to add a book rather than taking the abi,ity awzy from all.

[Booknblues]

Goodreads has put out a Horror list on their blog with something for everyone

https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2...

[Barbara M]

For those who listed possibly reading The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America I feel comfortable recommending it. There are lots of pictures in the print book and many more on-line. Its a fascinating piece of history I knew nothing about.

[Barbara M]

Robin P wrote: "I own The Graveyard Book and 14, so one more option than I thought I had!"

I surprised myself by loving The Graveyard Book! Neil Gaiman actually was the narrator on the audio and his voice was perfect but, if you have the print copy, I'm sure that will be fine too.

[Barbara M]

As for me, I have developed a list from my TBR that is really too many for me to read this month but I'll pull from it for the month.

I'll start with The Winter People
Other possibilities are:
Let the Right One In
Verity
The Strain
Watchers
22/11/63
[book:Ninth House

Any recommendations from those of you who have read these?

[Joanne]

I have read Ninth House and I can recommend it. I enjoy Leigh Bardugo's writing style. It was a 5 star read for me=there are Ghosts, Demons, and really ugly bad people. All of the things I would normally hate about a book. Go figure-I loved it.

[~*Kim*~]

Barbara M wrote: "As for me, I have developed a list from my TBR that is really too many for me to read this month but I'll pull from it for the month.

I'll start with The Winter People
Other possi..."

I loved The Winter People. Good choice!

[Meli]

John wrote: "One of the books I wll be reading for October is Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro."

Dude, this book is a freakin chonker!