2024 Challenge Un-alive creatures ( creatures from the afterlife )

[Jalilah]

Here is the place to discuss retellings, traditional tales, or books that contain Un-alive creatures ( creatures from the afterlife ) including ghosts, psychopomps, banshees, La Llorona, black dog, hellhounds, and more.

[Andy]

Hi everyone! I might need some suggestions for this prompt! ;)

My suggestions to you if you need any:
Gods of Jade and Shadow (potentially)
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and the sequel A Psalm of Storms and Silence
Winterwood
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea (potentially)
Longshadow
She Who Became the Sun
Psyche and Eros
Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (potentially)
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

[Asaria]

Does personification of Death count here or for the category 2024 Challenge Creatures from religious mythology?

[Margaret]

Asaria wrote: "Does personification of Death count here or for the category 2024 Challenge Creatures from religious mythology?"

Yes, I think so!

[Asaria]

Then let's go

Personification of Death

Terry Pratchett's subseries about Death within Discworld - Mort, Reaper Man*

Death with Interruptions by José Saramago

Keturah and Lord Death* by Martine Leavitt

The Bear and the Nightingale* by Katherine Arden I have it tagged with Death as one of characters but I don't remember anymore

On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony
(Grim Reapers)

Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom by Tsugumi Ohba (shinigami)

*Books I enjoyed

[Kirsten]

I'm about 75% joking, and maybe looking for a loophole, but do dinosaurs count as un-alive creatures? Because I'm currently reading a book on paleontology (The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World) and it would be really convenient if dinosaurs counted. I am a little serious, though, since dinosaurs, while once real, could certainly be argued to have passed into legend in a big way.

Though I also wanted to read The Keeper of Night at some point, and now might be the time to do so.

[Margaret]

Kirsten wrote: "I'm about 75% joking, and maybe looking for a loophole, but do dinosaurs count as un-alive creatures? Because I'm currently reading a book on paleontology ([book:The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolu..."

I wouldn't personally count it! It could possibly be used for one of your free spots, though if it's not specifically talking about dinosaur legends I'm not sure I would use it. (Again, that's personally!)

[Andy]

Margaret wrote: "Kirsten wrote: "I'm about 75% joking, and maybe looking for a loophole, but do dinosaurs count as un-alive creatures? Because I'm currently reading a book on paleontology ([book:The Fossil Hunter: ..."

Sorry, I would agree with Margaret!

[Kristina]

I believe that The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is perfect for this category.
Also The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. If I remember correctly there were some active ghosts in that book and it was a thrilling and atmospheric read.

[Margaret]

Here are some suggestions that haven't been mentioned yet:

-Unfamiliar, Vol. 1 by Haley Newsome: cozy YA graphic novel with witches and ghosts.
-The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro: A lovely horror La Llorona retelling.
-Los Monstruos: Felice and the Wailing Woman by Diana López: A MG La Llorona retelling.
-White Cat, Black Dog: Stories by Kelly Link: at least one story would qualify, and I think more than one would.
-Harvest House by Cynthia Leitich Smith: YA Indigenous horror
-Ghost Book by Remy Lai: charming MG graphic novel.
-The Reformatory by Tananarive Due: historical horror, very good
-The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero: a lovely YA verse novel
-The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope: historical fantasy heist
-What Stays Buried by Suzanne Young: MG horror with ghosts
-Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters: YA Southern gothic
-Gallant by V.E. Schwab: YA gothic
-Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood: YA horror retelling of Jane Eyre
-A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle: a quiet ghost story
-Through the Woods by Emily Carroll: a really scary graphic novel
-Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol: a YA graphic novel
-House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig: a spooky fantasy
-The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo: historical fiction

I am indubitably missing some I've read. I also second many of the ones already listed!

[Jalilah]

Books I’ve loved in this category:
Mexican Gothic and Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint

[Margaret]

I'm using Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree as one of my picks for this category. It has a necromancer and an animated skeleton as characters.

[Jalilah]

I will be reading The Hacienda for this category

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "I will be reading The Hacienda for this category"

I really enjoyed that one.

[Susan]

I really loved Peony in Love--historical fantasy with a "hungry ghost."

[Margaret]

I'm now finished with this category (I plan to read at least 2 per category). The second book I read was The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines by Mo Netz, which has ghosts in it. I didn't love it, though. I like more world building and nuance. I'm sure lots of kids will enjoy it though (it's middle grade).

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "I will be reading The Hacienda for this category"

I really enjoyed that one."

Yes I am really enjoying this one!

[Kirsten]

Ooh, turns out I've been overloading on "un-alive" books so far this year. Last month I read Witches Get Stuff Done by Molly Harper, which takes place in a haunted house (so ghosts). Now I'm about to finish All the Bad Apples by Moïra Fowley-Doyle which deals with banshees, which I thought would fall into another category, but apparently not. Good thing we have free spots.

[Margaret]

Kirsten wrote: "Ooh, turns out I've been overloading on "un-alive" books so far this year. Last month I read Witches Get Stuff Done by Molly Harper, which takes place in a haunted..."

Those both look really fun!

[Margaret]

I just read A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher and it has a ghost! It's one of her fairytale books, not a horror.

[Susan]

Margaret wrote: "I just read A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher and it has a ghost! It's one of her fairytale books, not a horror."

Checking it out.

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "I just read A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher and it has a ghost! It's one of her fairytale books, not a horror."

That does indeed look good! I have not read anything from this author

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I just read A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher and it has a ghost! It's one of her fairytale books, not a horror."

That does indeed look ..."

Oh really! We had some group reads of some of her books back in the group's early days, I believe.

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I just read A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher and it has a ghost! It's one of her fairytale books, not a horror."

That d..."

Yes we did herehttps://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I didn’t take part. I don’t remember why

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "I just read A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher and it has a ghost! It's one of her fairytale books, not a..."

I think you would enjoy A Sorceress Comes to Call! And some of her older fantasies as well, like Bryony and Roses and The Seventh Bride.

[Jalilah]

Because I’d already read 2 books featuring Djinn, I was going to use The Jinn Daughter for creatures from religious mythology, but there are actually a lot of Unalive creatures in it, so I’m using it for this prompt!

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "Because I’d already read 2 books featuring Djinn, I was going to use The Jinn Daughter for creatures from religious mythology, but there are actually a lot of Unalive creatures in ..."

Did you enjoy it? I'm pretty sure I have a copy.

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: " . Did you enjoy it? I'm pretty sure I have a copy.."

I liked it but didn’t love it. It takes place in a made up world and you know me 😉. The main thing was the type of necromancy the author made up, while I give her credit for creativity and imagination, gave me the creeps. You might enjoy it more. It is beautifully written.
As you know it’s not all made up universe fantasy I don’t like. I adore Rebecca Roanhorse’s Between Earth and Sky series. I think it’s partly because I imagine her world looking like Mexico and for whatever reason her magic seems believable to me

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Because I’d already read 2 books featuring Djinn, I was going to use The Jinn Daughter for creatures from religious mythology, but there are actually a lot of Unali..."


But this book checks several of the boxes: Fire creatures ( Djinn), Unalive Creatures ( there are spirits, ghosts and even a character called Death), creatures from religious mythology…

[Margaret]

Have you read the last book in the Between Earth and sky trilogy? I really enjoyed it!

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "Have you read the last book in the Between Earth and sky trilogy? I really enjoyed it!"

Not yet, but I have a library copy with me and will read it as soon as I finish The Fox Wife

I’ll need to read summaries of what happened in the last books as it’s been a while

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Have you read the last book in the Between Earth and sky trilogy? I really enjoyed it!"

Not yet, but I have a library copy with me and will read it as soon as I finish [book:The F..."

I was surprised by how quickly I remembered everything.

[Erin]

For this one, I read The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo. As the title suggests in this historical fiction/fantasy novel, the MC journeys into the spirit world and encounters with many unalive creatures/people along the way.

Other books I've read and would recommend are:
Daughters of Olympus, Hannah Lynn, which is a retelling of the Greek myth of Persephone and Demeter, and therefore includes undead beings in Persephone's foray into the Underworld.

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho is a contemporary fantasy taking place in Malaysia in which there are spirit mediums, ghosts, and spirits aplenty.

[Jamie]

I read Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist and gave it 3.75 stars. A little cheesy but in exactly the right away. A sapphic romance that reminds me of Halloweentown, I loved it.

[Jalilah]

Erin Darrow wrote: "For this one, I read The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo. As the title suggests in this historical fiction/fantasy novel, the MC journeys into the spirit world and encounters with many unalive creature..."

I loved this book! There is a series based on it on Netflix but I haven’t seen it yet