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What books are you reading/have you recently read? 2023
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inciminci
(last edited Aug 31, 2023 01:22AM)
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Aug 31, 2023 01:22AM
Currently reading A Different Darkness and Other Abominations
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I'm reading
I really don't know what horror to read next. In the meantime I don't want to stop reading
Erin wrote: "Marie wrote: "Currently reading:
and 
Just finished:
, [bookcover:The Box inI love the cover for 1689! ..."
It is a cool cover - has spooky vibes to it. The whole series of books has some type of haunted house on the cover with different years.
about 10% into Looking Glass Sound from Catriona Ward, so far very good! Watched a review from The Nerdy Narrative on YouTube for it, filmed by Lezlie and she really pushed me to read it :)
Looking Glass Sound is the newest twisty psychological horror novel from Catriona Ward, the internationally bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial.
In a lonely cottage overlooking the windswept Maine coast, Wilder Harlow begins the last book he will ever write. It is the story of his childhood summer companions and the killer that stalked the small New England town. Of the body they found, and the horror of that discovery echoing down the decades. And of Sky, Wilder’s one-time best friend, who stole his unfinished memoir and turned it into a lurid bestselling novel, Looking Glass Sound.
But as Wilder writes, the lines between memory and fiction blur. He fears he’s losing his grip on reality when he finds notes hidden around the cottage written in Sky’s signature green ink.
Catriona Ward delivers another mind-bending and cleverly crafted tale about one man’s struggle to come to terms with the terrors of his past… before it’s too late.
---
Link to the video I mentioned, she starts talking about this book about 1 minute 30 seconds in. There's no spoilers :)
The Nerdy Narrative
Friendship. Betrayal. Obsession - LOOKING GLASS SOUND by Catriona Ward || Non Spoiler Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88_MM...
Looking Glass Sound is the newest twisty psychological horror novel from Catriona Ward, the internationally bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial.
In a lonely cottage overlooking the windswept Maine coast, Wilder Harlow begins the last book he will ever write. It is the story of his childhood summer companions and the killer that stalked the small New England town. Of the body they found, and the horror of that discovery echoing down the decades. And of Sky, Wilder’s one-time best friend, who stole his unfinished memoir and turned it into a lurid bestselling novel, Looking Glass Sound.
But as Wilder writes, the lines between memory and fiction blur. He fears he’s losing his grip on reality when he finds notes hidden around the cottage written in Sky’s signature green ink.
Catriona Ward delivers another mind-bending and cleverly crafted tale about one man’s struggle to come to terms with the terrors of his past… before it’s too late.
---
Link to the video I mentioned, she starts talking about this book about 1 minute 30 seconds in. There's no spoilers :)
The Nerdy Narrative
Friendship. Betrayal. Obsession - LOOKING GLASS SOUND by Catriona Ward || Non Spoiler Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88_MM...
Kirsten wrote: "I've been reading Tales of the Dying Earth by Jack Vance"Kirsten, that's one of my favorite books of all time! Not Cugel the Clever for nothing :)
Marie wrote: "Erin wrote: "Marie wrote: "Currently reading:
and 
Just finished:
, [bookcove..."Oh yeah I just looked up the series, that's pretty neat.
inciminci wrote: "Kirsten wrote: "I've been reading Tales of the Dying Earth by Jack Vance"Kirsten, that's one of my favorite books of all time! Not Cugel the Clever for nothing :)"
Kirsten wrote: "Thanks, inciminci. I like the Unavoidable character name."
Yes! Chun the Unavoidable! I didn't really connect with the first book or the fourth book the way I enjoyed the middle books which star Cugel the Clever. But Chun was terrific.
If you end up really liking the collection and want more Dying Earth, I recommend Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honour of Jack Vance which has a lot of other authors writing stories in the Dying Earth universe, including some with Chun and Cugel. Also, you may enjoy A Quest for Simbilis by Michael Shea which is his take on what happened to Cugel after The Eyes of the Overworld. Vance wrote his own sequel to EotO with Cugel's Saga which I think is better than the Shea book, but Shea's book is still an interesting read for fans. It's out of print though, so you have to look around to find a copy.
I find myself on an Ambrose Bierce kick. Like most readers I’m quite familiar with “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” and I’ve read a few others of his stories over the years, but I’ve never actually sat down with his original collections and read them cover-to-cover in a focused way—he was always a bit of an afterthought to me. That was a mistake, I now see. Great writer of what might be called proto-Twilight Zone stories! Much of his work is available free for Kindle.The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce Volume 2: In the Midst of Life: Tales of Soldiers and Civilians
Christopher wrote: "I find myself on an Ambrose Bierce kick. Like most readers I’m quite familiar with “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” and I’ve read a few others of his stories over the years, but I’ve never actu..."Nice job! Caught my interest.
Let's see, I'm in a review group so I'm reading a lot of Indies - Just read "Encounters with Old Coyote" which is short and excellent! I'm reading "Stella Maris" by Cormac McCarthy. It's kind of his final summation, or maybe topics he wanted to talk about. It's short. It's interesting every second and I enjoyed reading it so much that when I finished, I opened it up and started reading it again.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
Neither is horror - BUT - coyote is a few seconds into the afterlife, and Maris is a discussion with a woman who has checked herself into an institution. She discusses cutting edge math, consciousness, and impossible yearnings. Real life on the cusp of cosmic horror.
Rik wrote: "Let's see, I'm in a review group so I'm reading a lot of Indies - Just read "Encounters with Old Coyote" which is short and excellent! I'm reading "Stella Maris" by Cormac McCarthy. It's kind of hi..."That’s about the highest recommendation a piece of writing can receive, I think. Can’t do better than starting it over again immediately after finishing it.
Christopher wrote: "I find myself on an Ambrose Bierce kick. Like most readers I’m quite familiar with “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” and I’ve read a few others of his stories over the years, but I’ve never actu..."I love mining old horror stories on Kindle. Ambrose Bierce, Guy de Maupassant, Hawthorne, Poe. Classic writers bring something extra to the table.
Joe wrote: "Christopher wrote: "I find myself on an Ambrose Bierce kick. Like most readers I’m quite familiar with “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” and I’ve read a few others of his stories over the years,..."And they're often free!
New here and currently reading The Broken Places by Blaine Daigle, had me hooked with the first chapter
Got to read the first chapter tonight in The Nightmare Man. Starts out well. Reviews for the book are mixed overall.
Anyone able to suggest any good paranormal or supernatural horror books? Very tough to find a good one.
WendyB wrote: "Got to read the first chapter tonight in The Nightmare Man. Starts out well. Reviews for the book are mixed overall."
I thought The Nightmare Man was a big ol' mess.
I thought The Nightmare Man was a big ol' mess.
A villain in a lavender tutu, talking lions, and a fight to save life as we know it, oh my! This is one weird, delightfully fun book, one that revels in its absurdity and violence, while still raising thought provoking moral questions, such as when, if ever, is taking a human life / "tough love" to the point of abuse, justified?My full 5/5 star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
The Coworker
Just finished The Coworker by Freida McFadden the other day. It was very good! I have read many of her books and recommend them all.
Rosalyn wrote: "A villain in a lavender tutu, talking lions, and a fight to save life as we know it, oh my! This is one weird, delightfully fun book, one that revels in its absurdity and violence, while still rais..."Nice review Rosalyn! I gave it 5 stars also.
I'm working on my spooky season tbr. I just finished Stephen King's crime novel, Joyland. Now I'm working on The Handyman Project by Nick Cutter and Andrew F. Sullivan. I love Nick Cutter to the point where I have a signed copy of Little Heaven haha. I can't wait to read all of his books.
I just finishedContain
I was craving a bunker/post apocalypse scenario. Ended up really liking the book. Enough to start book 2. Main character was a little whiny for my taste.
Just finished Silver Nitrate and honestly I am sad because it I found it very disappointing! The premise sounded so good, but the execution was not fantastic. I REALLY didn't enjoy the characters. I actually had a similar issue with Mexican Gothic, so maybe this author just isn't for me. Next up I am revisiting The Troop by Nick Cutter. I read it last year when I was just starting to read more extreme horror, and I think my 3 star rating and "meh" feeling about it had to do with me not really knowing how I felt about the genre as a whole. When I was just starting to read extremes, I was quick to write off books that didn't trigger a huge disgust response, not really absorbing any of the other merit of the books. I absolutely loved The Handyman Method which isn't nearly as extreme so I wanted to re-look at Cutter's writing with a less silly outlook.
Also books that I have on my TBR that I just borrowed from the library...
I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me
The Last Girls Standing
The Escape Room
The Drift
I just finished The Vet’s Daughter. I really like Barbara Comyns writing style and it was a short book. Not really a horror book in the typical sense, but the author is good at creating a sense of unease throughout the book and the protagonist’s life involves many horrible experiences. There is a paranormal element to it too that seems to not really fit with the storyline at first, but contributes greatly to the end.
I am on a Shirley Jackson kick. I’m reading Hill House and then immediately picked up a few more of her books.
Christopher wrote: "That’s about the highest recommendation a piece of writing can receive, I think. Can’t do better than starting it over again immediately after finishing it."
Last time I felt that with a book was when I finished reading IT by King, and had to immediately start chapter one again. I didn't re-read the whole book but I was not ready to let go just yet.
Last time I felt that with a book was when I finished reading IT by King, and had to immediately start chapter one again. I didn't re-read the whole book but I was not ready to let go just yet.
Melanie wrote: "Finished The Island yesterday. Disappointing unfortunately"
Ah I've heard so many mixed things about it, was kinda intrigued myself.
Ah I've heard so many mixed things about it, was kinda intrigued myself.
Rosalyn wrote: "A villain in a lavender tutu, talking lions, and a fight to save life as we know it, oh my! This is one weird, delightfully fun book, one that revels in its absurdity and violence, while still rais..."
That was such a crazy good story, that metal bull still lives rent free in my brain, years later.
That was such a crazy good story, that metal bull still lives rent free in my brain, years later.
RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "Rosalyn wrote: "A villain in a lavender tutu, talking lions, and a fight to save life as we know it, oh my! This is one weird, delightfully fun book, one that revels in its absurdity and violence, ..."thank you! i'm eagerly waiting for scott hawkins' next book, if there ever will be one LOL
Kasia wrote: "Rosalyn wrote: "A villain in a lavender tutu, talking lions, and a fight to save life as we know it, oh my! This is one weird, delightfully fun book, one that revels in its absurdity and violence, ..."yeahhhh sht was crazy. what is your fave thing to bbq? mine are scallops and shrimp. :)
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Where the Dead Go to Die (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Ramsey Campbell (other topics)R. Chetwynd-Hayes (other topics)
Wilkie Collins (other topics)
Russell James (other topics)
Silvia Moreno-Garcia (other topics)
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