Horror Aficionados discussion
This topic is about
The Root Witch
Group Reads
>
November 2022 group read #1 The Root Witch by Debra Castaneda
date
newest »
newest »
@Theresa: Thanks, my friend! LoL ah, I see, that makes sense! After 15+ years of working in retail, I now work from home so that does make it a bit easier. LoL but even then, some days are so insanely busy and chaotic that I don't have a minute to spare to sit and read. LoL I hope your adventures of finding a great reading nook at work are successful :-D
Mod
Lolll!! Omg that made me laugh so hard, think I broke something on the inside.. yeah I'm 20% in and I can see why you'd say that. Good one :P
Mod
It's a decent read though I ha..."
Aww so glad to have you reading with us Karmen! :)
I’m on chapter 13… now that’s scary!
Tony wrote: "@Karmen I was also disappointed with how little developed Colleen was. I thought there could have been more done with her to surprise us. As developed as she is I can't stand her. I was hoping for ..."@Tony - LOL! Collecting chainsaws or being a lumberjack would be a pretty nifty hobby (or practicing some kind of dragon magic) and would be a drastic improvement on Colleen. I sooo wanted to like her, really, being a writer myself and all, but kept on thinking - what the hell Collen - why do you insist on going to the library in these conditions when you don't even have a deadline for submitting your book? It just all seemed rather whimsical.
Tony wrote: "@Karmen Totally! I loved Colleen's concepts, like her genetically engineered dragons. She insisted on that being sci-fi. I thought of the "descended from a long line of lumberjacks" because she wou..."This is brilliant, Tony. Colleen, the chainsaw collector, coming from a long line of lumberjacks is screaming for her own story. I'd totally read this.
Well, I finished the book. Sorry but only ⭐️⭐️ from me
My thoughts are here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
Also the title (view spoiler)
@Kasia: YES! Exactly that, I just felt it needed a jolt of more horror instead of endless newsroom drama that I didn't really care for. I kept asking myself, am I reading a horror novel or a book about the behind-the-scenes situations in a newsroom?
Mod
Also not sure why we had to keep reading multiple times how Jack didn't shave the back of his neck and that his skinny legs were hairy lol.
@Kasia: LoL indeed, it just drove me crazy that annoying things like that just took away from the horror aspect of this novel. I honestly believe this shouldn't even be labeled as a horror novel, maybe a fiction thriller or something. This novel barely had 2% horror and with the name "The Root Witch" and a cover with trees that are dropping blood, it's just very misleading in my opinion!
@Kasia: I also feel that maybe since this author did spend a number of years in journalism and in a newsroom, maybe this was her ode to those memories by writing a novel with her former colleagues and all just to say she wrote it. I just didn't get any true horror vibes from it and the typos drove me insane (Typos like using “he” to describe Sandy (female) or “she” to describe Knox (male) which to me, is inexcusable. If you publish a novel for the world to read, it has to be perfect).
Mod
Ahh I didn't know that, I can see why she was enamoured with the newsroom, as it was a rather focal part of the book. I still chuckle at the comments about Colleen being the true horror in this book, I mean I get her point but still, shudder lol.
@Kasia: LoL yeah, I looked it up and also believe it was self-published so I'm starting to believe maybe this was edited by a real Editor or something. I'm pretty confident besides finding the typos, someone would have suggested that the novel takes a turn towards nothing to do with The Root Witch or anything that warrants it to be deemed in the "horror" category on Goodreads or Amazon. LoL at least I would hope so!LOL yeah, the comments about Colleen were hilarious!
Marinka wrote: "Well, I finished the book. Sorry but only ⭐️⭐️ from me
My thoughts are here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
THE ROOT WITCH is one of those reads that won't please some and will excite others. I appreciate all the viewpoints. At least no one is neutral/indifferent about it.
Oh boy. I plan on starting this one tomorrow. Based off the differing opinions, I'll keep my expectations low and hope for the best...
Mod
I'm glad I read it honestly, I was sucked into it for big stretches at the time, some good solitude creeps and slow burn as well, it definitely draws you in, which is fun in books.
Kasia wrote: "...it's hard to give it a high rating if you consider this a horror, I don't know, just so many logistics were being discu..."100%. I hoped for more background details on the witch and definitely a more sinister atmosphere - the latter was almost entirely missing for me, the creepy feeling of unease when the monster isn't even there. Didn't care about the logistics either. I do ❤️ reading other people's thoughts about the book and learning about their perspectives.
Mod
Just finished. It was entertaining, but in my eyes nothing special. Pretty predictable and nothing that really affected me much emotionally. Also I am totally am on Team "If you have a partner you don't lie and cheat them into situations you know they hate"
I finished this book and it was just average for me. I didn't love it or hate it. Some of the characters drove me crazy and I felt like they focused on the news room way too much. I liked Colleen and agree with others that her character was under developed. I thought the idea behind this book was very original and I just wish it was better executed.
Badseedgirl wrote: "Michael wrote: "Badseedgirl wrote: "As a bonus, this forest is real, and is possibly the largest organism on the planet!@Badseedgirl - this was one of the few compliments I could pay this book, that it takes a natural phenomenon - all its beauty and wonders - and puts a sinister twist on it. I think it's a great premise for building a series based on naturally occurring things.
Unfortunately, that's about it for what I enjoyed in this book...
Tony wrote: "OMG Marianne, I am totally on the opposite end of the spectrum about opinions about the wife. If, in the absent back story, he asked her to marry him, she should have said, "No, I will not marry yo..."I honestly didn't think that much of the wife, given that she was written as an antagonist to Knox, which inherently makes her less likeable as a character.
This was my thought distraction: Are we supposed to perceive her as a good writer? Her books don't sound that appealing, with their mashed-up genres, and yet we're told gaining popularity...so, maybe?
Pat of Rocks wrote: "Tony wrote: "OMG Marianne, I am totally on the opposite end of the spectrum about opinions about the wife. If, in the absent back story, he asked her to marry him, she should have said, "No, I will..."I kind of pictured them like the Twilight Books for what it was worth.
I'm over halfway through. I understand the critiques so far. It's less of a horror or thriller and more of a character study. I think if they trimmed some of the fat (the newsroom politics) and added more spookiness, it'd be more of a horror read. I'm still interested in what happens but my expectations for anything creepy is officially low.
Mod
I agree with all of the above. How boring it would be if we all loved the same book and for the same reasons. On the flip side, I hope I never join a group read where everyone hates the book. That would be miserable for all of us, including the author.
I'm in the "book didn't suck" category, and I agree with those who opined about variety being the spice of life. We don't all like the same stuff. Yea, it wasn't as scary as the cover led me to assume, but it was still a fine suspenseful story.Could've used a killer ghost, but whatever. We got decayed deer goring action. Falling from a tree. That was a pretty sweet move.
For those whose appetite for ecological horror was whetted by The Root Witch but not satisfied . . . . I recommend THE HOLLOW KIND by Andy Davidson.I'm about 50% finished and this one satisfies. Southern Gothic about two families with dark secrets and a menace underneath the Georgia farmland (turnpentine farms) that they covet. A godlike entity with roots, tendrils, vines, etc. Truly horrifying.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
That looks really good!
I agree. thanks for sharing!
About 80% completed and I’m thoroughly enjoying this book. The characters are flawed a make some bad decisions along the way, and that’s how it is in real life. There’s a good deal of suspense and I’m excited to finish up and find out who survives. 😬
I just finished reading THE HOLLOW KIND by Andy Davidson (see message #81 for the link).If the ROOT WITCH was cousin to Swamp Thing, then THE HOLLOW KIND rubs shoulders with Godzilla. No match. If you enjoyed the creeping, vine-like underearth threat posed by ROOT WITCH you are going to go crazy when THE HOLLOW KIND goes cosmic horror/elder Gods sized-threat. Whew!
I whole-heartedly nominate this for a group read.
Marinka wrote: "Well, I finished the book. Sorry but only ⭐️⭐️ from me
My thoughts are here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I agree with your views on the title, Kasia.
It wasn't really a horror book. Some supernatural parts but it was more of a drama. Oh well.
Mod
Mod
I'm about 50% finished and this one satisfies. S..."
Whoaa that looks wicked, adding to my tbr asap, thank you!
Mod
Sorry but only ⭐️⭐️ from me
My thoughts are here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I agree with your views on the title, Kasia.
It ..."
Aw thanks, still had fun reading it with you guys, group reads are the best :)
Mod
I've been a bit late on the Dec read myself, will get to it this week :) and happy you're joining us for this one Kimberly :)
Mod
I've been a bit late on the Dec read myself, will get to it thi..."
I'm not too thrilled yet--but only about 25% in. I should be reading the December one in a few days. :) It's the group chats I like the most, but since this one was last months, I'll have to go back over it when I finished...
Mod
I'm about 50% finished and this ..."
I've been eyeing that one up, myself!
Ah, that's an excellent plan! My biggest challenge is that I work in a very open office environment. It's hard to hide away even for lunch. Haha. I'm officially on the hunt for a good reading nook at work so I can hide away for 15 minutes or so in the morning and afternoon!