Horror Aficionados discussion
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What books are you reading/have you recently read? 2024
N.B. wrote: "Right now reading The Killer Inside Me. Happy to get other Jim Thompson recommendations."
If you enjoyed The Killer Inside Me, you'll also like Pop. 1280.
Timothy wrote: "N.B. wrote: "Right now reading The Killer Inside Me. Happy to get other Jim Thompson recommendations."
If you enjoyed The Killer Inside Me, you'll also like Pop. 1280."
I actually like Pop 1280 better than Killer Inside Me. My favorite by JT is The Grifters (and the movie version is great too). I also really liked After Dark My Sweet. I'm going to read The Getaway in a few weeks - its one of his best known so I'm looking forward to it.
about 100 pages left in "Ruby Holloway Reads After dark" by Abe Moss.giving me a "Rosemary's Baby" kinda feel....
Jeff Mc
I recently read.. James Herbert Haunting
. The Hatching Ezekiel Boone
. Skitter Ezekiel Boone
. The Cabin at the end of the world Paul Tremblay.
Enjoyed them all. All very different but fun non the less
Mod
I have a weakness for the Clifton Heights series. Such a great place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.
I've placed this in the top two of all the Hendrix books I've read, only after Horrorstor. Human possession really gets to me, and one chapter in this book was written so viscerally terrifying in having the perspective of one being in a fugue state, was so dread inducing, not scary as in "jump scare!" but scary as in bleak, depressing, of wanting so desperately to stop but being unable to, the days blurring together with no end in sight, that death would be preferable to this living hell. I saw it like a movie in my mind.full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Horror wise I'm currently making my way through Haunting of Hill House, then I'm gonna finally check out House of Leaves before binging some random Bram Stoker Award Nominee lineups
I can appreciate the amount of research the author must've done to realistically weave entomological and gardening info throughout the book, and the humorous inner dialogue of our main character made me laugh out loud at parts. However, the buildup to the horror was too slow, it was only at 50% when any progress on the plot was made, and even then, the reveal was predictable and anticlimactic.
full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I started Rodawork by King yesterday and am already almost halfway through. Also started Queen of shadows by S. J . Maas
General update for 2024 so far. Reread the delightful Bluets by Maggie Nelson for an online book club on nonfiction.
Heavy dose of speculative fiction, courtesy of SFFBC here on Goodreads, with The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin and the entire Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin.
Several graphic novels:
the new (at the time) Conan the Barbarian book by Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar and Matt Wilson;
La saga di Grimr, historical fiction set in Iceland which won at Angouleme festival;
the superlative Beowulf by Santiago Garcia and David Rubín;
and the final, unfinished work by master Jiro Taniguchi: La foresta millenaria (deluxe edition).
Currently reading Mom & Me & Mom, Maya Angelou's final memoir, soon to be followed by Álvaro Enrigue's Tu sueño imperios han sido.
I just read "Come Closer" by Sara Gran in one night. A really good and creepy novella.
A tragic story where the culprit was also the main victim. A feeling of impending doom pervaded each page, atmospheric, immersive writing, I could feel the lashing wind whipping around me like I was really standing at the cliff of Hope's End.
my full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
These Dark Tide books are worth checking out. Each one has three different stories by three different authors but all are based on a theme. West of Hell is western themed with the first story by James Moore about a creepy character from many of Moore's books, Jonathan Crowley. Loved it.
Still have the next two to read and the bar has been set high.
I finally read The Shining last month and am finishing Doctor Sleep now.
Mod
I've read A Wizard's Guide and thought it was fun and charming. I really enjoyed it.
Reading an oldie but goodie:
Lonely Vigils by Manly Wade Wellman. The book collects the stories of Wellman's supernatural detectives written before he settled on Silver John (Who Fears The Devil?) for a long series of stories and novels.
I finished Through the Night Like a Snake: Latin American Horror Stories ed. by Sarah Coolidge. It was the best book of the year so far.
Hoping to finish this Tim Curran novel today or tomorrow. Good story. Some of the characterizations are not as successful.Dead Sea
I'm re reading Children of the dark by Jonathan Janz.
I have recently finished The Reformatory and Dark Matter. They were both great reads.
Rosalyn wrote: "A tragic story where the culprit was also the main victim. A feeling of impending doom pervaded each page, atmospheric, immersive writing, I could feel the lashing wind whipping around me like I ..."
Rosalyn, good review. I loved this book though because it was mindboggling for me (in a good way lol) and I literally had lots of funny debate with a couple friends in book club about the various character mix-ups/shockers, for lack of better words and so as not to spoil! I was writing notes incessantly making a family tree sketch XD
Due to this fun it gave me, it was a 5 for me!
Erin wrote: "Verity"Omg one of my friends gave me a copy of this for Christmas! I was very anti CoHo for a bit after reading It Ends with Us and she knew it, I was so critical about this author based on the one read Lol. So I love that she gave something by her anyway. She likes CoHo and said this is one of the best. (And Layla) I'm going to read it soon!
Erika wrote: "Erin wrote: "Verity"Omg one of my friends gave me a copy of this for Christmas! I was very anti CoHo for a bit after reading It Ends with Us and she knew it, I was..."
I have not read this author before. I know this book is supposed to be a big departure from what she normally does.
Got all my old books out of storage boxes and onto bookshelves so decided to re-read some old favourites. Started with Richard Laymon In the Dark a classic love Laymon.When i have finished I am going to move onto Brian Lumley Necrocope series.
It has two of the best vampire characters I have ever read even though they are already dead as the main character can talk to the dead.
The pair of them still manage to cause some amount of mischief even from the grave.
Mod
Beneath the Skin: The Sam Hunter Case FilesI've had this book on my kindle for far too long. I read a Sam Hunter story in Maberry's book Long Past Midnight and really liked it. Bring on some werewolf mayhem!
Tantalizing, dread inducing buildup, but a severely disappointing reveal, ending with some weird, confusing, spiritual, "it was all a dream/sharing a consciousness"-like situation, where the satisfaction of a resolution was snatched from the reader.
full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Erika wrote: "Rosalyn wrote: "A tragic story where the culprit was also the main victim. A feeling of impending doom pervaded each page, atmospheric, immersive writing, I could feel the lashing wind whipping a..."
i agree, the only one left is so twisty turny it'd be a great book club pick, glad u had fun! r u planning on picking up "middle of the night" later this yr? have u read riley sager before, if so, which of his books is ur fave so far?
Mod
Just wow.
Rosalyn wrote: "glad u had fun! r u planning on picking up "middle of the night" later this yr? have u read riley sager before, if so, which of his books is ur fave so far?"Yes, his upcoming book is on my TBR! I've also read Lock Every Door which I really enjoyed also--it gave me some Rosemary's Baby vibes as far as the atmosphere. So, those are the only two I've read--how about you? And your fave?
Rosalyn wrote: "Tantalizing, dread inducing buildup, but a severely disappointing reveal, ending with some weird, confusing, spiritual, "it was all a dream/sharing a consciousness"-like situation, where the sati..."
I just read your review of The Last House on Needless Street...another 3 for you, and another 5 for me :P
If interested, here's mine for that one https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
To give a new perspective or in case you weren't aware (view spoiler) The character pulled my heartstrings so much!!
Mod
Started Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: The Novelization by Jeff Strand - damn funny so far!
tacking book 2 of the "David Ash" series by Herbert..."Ghosts of Sleath"...Jeff Mc
Worm by Tim Curran 
Hate to say it, but I’ve liked each Curran book I’ve read less than the previous one. I really did enjoy The Brain Leeches and Other Eldritch Phenomena, but this was dumb even for a creature feature. I think I’m moving on.
I am currently reading The Troop by Nick Cutter. It's actually a bit disturbing but surprisingly also sad. I am almost half way through the book.
I am currently reading "The Stand".Great so far. Not sure why I waited so long to read this Stephen King classic.
Better late to the party than never showing up I guess.
I’m in the middle of Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig, and my god it’s so good. I can envision it becoming a limited series directed by the likes of Flanagan. A slow burn, but great storytelling. Black River Orchard
Horror Aficionados
Books mentioned in this topic
Within The Fog (other topics)Nemesis (other topics)
At Dark, I Become Loathsome (other topics)
Reap, Sow (other topics)
Dead of Winter (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jean Ray (other topics)Nick Clausen (other topics)
Russell James (other topics)
Jean Ray (other topics)
Daniel Church (other topics)
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I'll stick with this for now because I'm interested in where it might go.