What books are you reading/have you recently read? 2023

[Navi]

Currently reading:

[Navi]

Dawn wrote: "Currently reading Maeve Fly and NightWhere...about half way through each...very different to see the least, so far finding Maeve Fly a little too meta but still intrigued and NightWhere very forwar..."

I recently read Maeve Fly. It is my favourite horror read of 2023 so far. I hope you end up enjoying it as well, Dawn :)

[WendyB]

Navi wrote: "WendyB wrote: " A different take on the haunted amusement park theme. I liked it."

I've seen this book everywhere - really need to get around to it! Sounds like ..."

It's a quick read. Give it a go, I think you'll like it.

[destiny ♡]

I started FantasticLand and am loving it so far! 80pg in and the levels of dread are wild 🤯

[Krystal]

Heidi wrote: "I just finished The Last House on Needless Street & loved it. Best to go in blind! It’s definitely on my ‘favorites’ list now."

I enjoyed that one! A little bizarre.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Navi wrote: "Lauren wrote: "I just finished The Library at Mount Char and I kind of couldn't believe how good it was!!"

One of my absolute favourites!!"

Same.

[Kirsten]

I've been listening to Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland

[Jennifer]

I'm currently reading My Heart Is A Chainsaw (sorry, don't know how to highlight titles her.
I've recently read Tales From the Gas Station and loved it, and the non-fiction Death in the Air by Kate Winkler-Dawson, about the 1952 heavy smog that blanketed London, which coincided with John Reginald Christie murdering victims in his flat. Winkler-Dawson is a really talented researcher.

[Andie]

From Below - Darcy Coates…. A Deep Sea Dive, had me hooked!

[Vanessa]

I am currently reading The Amityville horror by Jay Anson. I’m really loving it.

[Erin]

I finished up The Testaments. I liked it, I would say if you weren't into The Handmaid's Tales then the second book may not be for you either.

Now reading: Dread Nation

[Richard]

I just finished by Laura Bates

what a great story, had me hooked from the start, not really hard core horror, but fits the catagory

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

[sonya]

reading Rememberings by Sinead O'Connor

[Bo]

Almost halfway through Fairy Tale by Stephen King at present. The dog, Radar, is already breaking my heart. And it feels like King in his Dark Tower/Talisman/Eyes of the Dragon mode. So far, quite good.

[Richard]

Reading "Creature" by Flint Maxwell (indie author I believe). Quite enjoyable so far, light and easy reading.

Before that read Big Dark Sky by Dean Koontz. Not his best work. Very wordy and too many characters to keep track of.

[Bo]

Richard wrote: "Reading "Creature" by Flint Maxwell (indie author I believe). Quite enjoyable so far, light and easy reading.

Before that read Big Dark Sky by Dean Koontz. Not his best work. Very wordy and too ma..."

I haven't read Koontz in forever.

[Richard]

Yeah, I've always liked DK but sometimes it seems he has "filler" books, like he just put one out just for the sake of it.

Recently read "The Other Emily" and "Elsewhere" though and both were fantastic.

[WendyB]

Seems to be my year for reading really long books... starting The Patience of a Dead Man: Complete at well over 700 pgs.

[Richard]

"Insomnia" by Stephen King and "False Memory" by Dean Koontz are both marathon books clocking in at 650-700 pages or so each. Both pretty good though.

[WendyB]

Richard wrote: ""Insomnia" by Stephen King and "False Memory" by Dean Koontz are both marathon books clocking in at 650-700 pages or so each. Both pretty good though."

I'll be tackling Fairytale by King later this year.
For now, I've given up on Koontz after reading his book Intensity. It could have been condensed down to about 20 pages that were worth reading and the rest was filler. Hated it.

[Bo]

WendyB wrote: "Richard wrote: ""Insomnia" by Stephen King and "False Memory" by Dean Koontz are both marathon books clocking in at 650-700 pages or so each. Both pretty good though."

I'll be tackling Fairytale b..."

Yeah, Fairy Tale is a hair over 600. After that, finishing Bel Canto, which is decidedly, non-horror.

[WendyB]

Bo wrote: "Yeah, Fairy Tale is a hair over 600. After that, finishing Bel Canto, which is decidedly, non-horror."

I've seen the movie based the Bel Canto book. It's an interesting story.

[Bo]

WendyB wrote: "Bo wrote: "Yeah, Fairy Tale is a hair over 600. After that, finishing Bel Canto, which is decidedly, non-horror."

I've seen the movie based the Bel Canto book. It's an interesting story."

I had no idea there was a movie. I'll have to watch it after the read.

[Richard]

WendyB wrote: "Richard wrote: ""Insomnia" by Stephen King and "False Memory" by Dean Koontz are both marathon books clocking in at 650-700 pages or so each. Both pretty good though."

I'll be tackling Fairytale b..."

Wow, I loved Intensity. Think it's one of Koontz's better ones. Everyone has their own tastes =)

[WendyB]

Richard wrote: "Wow, I loved Intensity. Think it's one of Koontz's better ones. Everyone has their own tastes =)"

That's what makes reading such an adventure best shared with others. I love hearing from other readers because we all have our own unique tastes.

[Erin]

I used to be a big Koontz fan but then I felt his books became a rinse and repeat of the same old formula. I personally think his biggest achievement was the Odd Thomas series.

[Bo]

Erin wrote: "I used to be a big Koontz fan but then I felt his books became a rinse and repeat of the same old formula. I personally think his biggest achievement was the Odd Thomas series."

I was a bit put off by the movie and never read the series. I may give those a whirl this fall.

[Richard]

Erin wrote: "I used to be a big Koontz fan but then I felt his books became a rinse and repeat of the same old formula. I personally think his biggest achievement was the Odd Thomas series."

I agree some of his more recent work does seem like a rinse and repeat formula. I did, however, enjoy "The Other Emily" which had some genuine creepy moments and "Elsewhere" which was a neat multi-dimensional adventure.

Recently, "Big Dark Sky" seems to have some of those "rinse and repeat elements though.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

WendyB wrote: "...I've given up on Koontz after reading his book Intensity. It could have been condensed down to about 20 pages that were worth reading and the rest was filler...."

I didn't hate it but I thought it was just OK. It was very predictable. I'm curious, are there other Koontz books you enjoyed more? I have heard fans say his older works are better and his more recent books have become formulaic.

[Richard]

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "WendyB wrote: "...I've given up on Koontz after reading his book Intensity. It could have been condensed down to about 20 pages that were worth reading and the rest was filler...."

I didn't hate i..."

Hmmm, a long time ago I read "Winter Moon" and "False Memory" and remember those both being great DK reads. If you like a fast-paced DK novel with minimal characters, then try "Shattered". It's basically a cat-and-mouse game between the antagonist and protagonist. Very quick-paced!

[WendyB]

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "WendyB wrote: "...I've given up on Koontz after reading his book Intensity. It could have been condensed down to about 20 pages that were worth reading and the rest was filler...."

I didn't hate i..."

I liked the Odd Thomas series, and I have a few of Koontz's other books sitting on my shelves but after reading (and really disliking) Intensity, I've haven't been too inclined to pick any of them up.

[destiny ♡]

Chiming in on the Dean Koontz convo to say I loved Phantoms best out of all of the books of his I've read! Intensity was my least favorite. 🙈

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Richard wrote: "...I read "Winter Moon" and "False Memory" and remember those both being great DK reads. If you like a fast-paced DK novel with minimal characters, then try "Shattered"..."

Thank you Richard, I will look into those. I've heard good things about Winter Moon especially.

WendyB wrote: "I liked the Odd Thomas series..."

I have the first one on my shelf. That will probably be the next one of his that I try.

destiny ♡ wrote: "Chiming in on the Dean Koontz convo to say I loved Phantoms best out of all of the books of his I've read! Intensity was my least favorite. 🙈"

I keep hearing that. I'll look for it.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I kicked (stopped reading) this one because it was somewhere between depressingly mediocre and insultingly awful


The Wolf's Hour by Robert R. McCammon
Rating: 1 star
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading


The Witching Hour by Anne Rice

Rice is a little long-winded and this 1000+ page beast is no exception, but at least we get right to the Talamasca in the first chapter so I'm hopeful that she's on the right track. Her Vampire series failed to capture my attention much after the first three installments.

[Christopher]

Just finished The Crook Factory—not horror, but Dan Simmons is surely familiar to most horror readers. Read a few Elizabeth Gaskell ghost stories, and now I’m on to The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas to see what all the shouting is about there. It seems to often get compared to Rebecca, which I liked a lot, and to Mexican Gothic, which I didn’t, so…?

[Kirsten]

Bo wrote: "WendyB wrote: "Richard wrote: ""Insomnia" by Stephen King and "False Memory" by Dean Koontz are both marathon books clocking in at 650-700 pages or so each. Both pretty good though."

I'll be tackl..."

One of my favorite books of all time! I haven't seen the film, but I did listen to the opera on radio a few years back.

[Bo]

WendyB wrote: "RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "WendyB wrote: "...I've given up on Koontz after reading his book Intensity. It could have been condensed down to about 20 pages that were worth reading and the rest wa..."

Phantoms is soooo good! That has become a comfort food book I read every couple of years.

[Richard]

I know lots of people are hating on DK lately, but recently read these two and both were fantastic reads !

The Other Emily
Elsewhere

[sonya]

Rememberings by Sinead O'Connor. 5*

[Richard]

sonya wrote: "Rememberings by Sinead O'Connor. 5*"

RIP Sinead O'Connor.

[Christopher]

Birthday present!

The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft
Have I got a great wife or what?

[WendyB]

Christopher wrote: "Birthday present!

The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft
Have I got a great wife or what?"

Happy Birthday! A book is the perfect gift. :)

[destiny ♡]

Christopher wrote: "Birthday present!

The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft
Have I got a great wife or what?"

Ohhh that is stunning! Happy birthday!!

[Christopher]

WendyB wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Birthday present!

The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft
Have I got a great wife or what?"

Happy Birthday! A boo..."

Thank you. 900 pages of well-annotated Lovecraftian goodness!

[Christopher]

destiny ♡ wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Birthday present!

The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft
Have I got a great wife or what?"

Ohhh that is stunning..."

Thank you for the birthday wishes. It’s a brick of a book!

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Bo wrote: "Phantoms is soooo good! That has become a comfort food book I read every couple of years."

I'll keep an eye out for that one.

Richard wrote: "I know lots of people are hating on DK lately, but recently read these two and both were fantastic reads !

The Other Emily
Elsewhere"

Thanks, I'll make a note of those.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Christopher wrote: "Birthday present!

The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft
Have I got a great wife or what?"

I hadn't even heard of this edition but I'm going to have to look it up.

[Erin]

Survivor Song

[Kimberly]

I just finished Boys in the Valley !

[Erica]

I am reading Randalls Round by Eleanor Scott. It's a 1920s anthology with loads of folk horror in it!