HA Members' Group Read and Challenge HotLine

[WendyB]

We know you're out there. We hear you breathing. ;)
And we know you have lots of good ideas for Group Reads or Group Challenges.
This is the place to let the mods know those ideas. We'd enjoying hearing your suggestions. We can't guarantee they'll all be used, or we may make small changes to them.
Let's continue to make HA the best place to hang out and discover new and exciting horror.

[C.E.C.]

Eeeeeek! Heck yeah!
I very briefly thought about waiting for a bit before posting myself but hell to the no, we live in the present in this here household.

So, since next year is 2026 and there are 26 letters in the English alphabet, I was thinking we could bring back the A-to-Z challenge from a couple years back? Or at least a version of it?
Like, I had this idea of "levels", where the basic level would be the regular challenge of reading a book for each letter of the alphabet, then the following level could be to read a book for each item of a thematic list that would be along the lines of, say "A - read an alternate history book. B - read a bizarro fiction book. C - read a cyberpunk book..." and so on, and a final level could be to read 26 books of one's favorite horror or speculative subgenre, with those two levels being open to the reader's choice (as in, they could pick which one they'd like to do after finishing the base level, or if they would like to combine either one with the base level).
Of course, another option could be to either go right for "level two" or use those ideas instead of the basic A-to-Z one?

[Netanella]

I really like the A-Z.

How about multiple A-Z challenges?

A-Z based on title of book
A-Z based on author's name (first or last)
A-Z based on character's name (first or last)

How about Horror Around the World?
Read a book set in as many different foreign countries?

How about Horror Around the United States?
Read a book set in as many states as you can.

How about Horror Awards Challenges?
Read as many Bram Stoker Award winners as you can in one year.
Read as many Shirley Jackson Award winners as you can in one year.
Read as many Aurealis Award winners as you can in one year.

[Seb]

I've been trying to host a group around bizarro but after months of deluding myself into thinking it would work, I had to throw in the towel.

I don't know what can be done to highlight the genre but if a group read or a challenge can be set up in HA for bizarro, I'd be more than happy to help in any way I can!

[Netanella]

There are a couple of bizarro groups already on GR, but they aren't very active currently.

I would read more bizarro with others! And I would welcome a new challenge or BR with bizarro.

Let's make it happen!

[Alondra]

As always, I love the lists that you all put, for us to log our books, even though I don't update it. So, please leave those there for us.

Recommendation In one of the groups I moderate, we have an ATW (around the world) challenge and States challenge. I have found it to be interesting to have ATW horror challenge. It has been quite a challenge trying to find horror around-the-world. The states is a bit easier; but not by much.

The parameters are long term for ATW challenges. Currently 8-10 years; since it is considered a side challenge and there are more than 190 countries in the world (this is quite fluid)

Example: This is my current states challenge.


✅Alabama - Gone to See the River Man(horror)
✅Alaska - Bone White 5 Stars
✅Arizona - The Revelation 4 Stars
✅ Arkansas - The Bird Eater (Horror) 3.5 Stars
California - Earth Abides(sci-fi) OR California (Dystopian)
Colorado - The Dog Stars(Sci-Fi/Dystopian) OR When the Wind Blows(horror) OR The Shuddering (Horror)
✅ Connecticut - Outage Boxed Set: Books 1-3 4 Stars
✅Delaware - Hawkes Harbor 4 Stars
✅ Florida - The Reformatory 5 Stars
✅Georgia - Ring Shout 4.5 Stars
✅Hawaii - Bury Me Deep 2 Stars
✅Idaho - The Thicket
✅Illinois - Dark Matter 4 Stars
Indiana - The Wide Game (Horror, Paranormal) OR So Cold the River (Horror, Paranormal)
Iowa - Ashfall*Owned OR 100 Days in Deadland(horror)
✅Kansas - Still Life With Crows 4 Stars
✅Kentucky - Husk 4 Stars
Louisiana - Gone South *Owned OR Marine (Military, Sci-Fi)
✅Maine - Basketful of Heads(Horror, Graphic novel) 3.5 Stars
Maryland - The Last House on Needless Street (Horror) OR Baltimore, Vol. 1: The Plague Ships (Horror, Zombies)
✅ Massachusetts - The Nest 4 Stars
✅Michigan - Suffer the Children 5 Stars
✅Minnesota - The Quarry Girls 3 Stars
Mississippi - Fay (Mystery, Southern Gothic) OR Mississippi Blue
✅Missouri - Clown in a Cornfield(Horror)
✅Montana - Lone Women 5 Stars
Nebraska - The Killing Season (Crime, Mystery) OR Midnight in the Pentagram (Horror, Anthology)
Nevada - Void Moon (Crime, Suspense) OR We Sold Our Souls (Horror)
✅ New Hampshire - The Auctioneer 4 Stars
New Jersey - Chelsea Avenue (Horror, Mystery) OR Midnight Mass(vamps)
✅New Mexico - Cities of the Plain 5 Stars
✅New York - Reliquary 5 Stars
North Carolina - The Twisted Ones (Horror) OR The Harvest (Horror)
North Dakota - Ancient Shores OR My Heart Is a Chainsaw OR I Am Not a Serial Killer OR The Shadows
✅Ohio - Twentieth Anniversary Screening
Oklahoma - The Poor and the Haunted (Paranormal, Ghosts) OR The Dark Lord of Oklahoma: An Unconventional Story
✅Oregon - Heartsick 3.5 Stars
Pennsylvania - Stranger in a Strange Land(Sci-Fi) OR The Book of Accidents(Horror) OR Imaginary Friend(horror)
✅Rhode Island - The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories
South Carolina - My Best Friend's Exorcism OR Lost Gods
South Dakota - The Revenant
✅Tennessee - The Bone Thief 4 Stars
✅ Texas - In the Valley of the Sun 5 Stars
✅Utah - Nocterra, Vol. 1: Full Throttle Dark 4 Stars
✅Vermont - Isolation
✅Virginia - Darkness on the Edge of Town 4-4.5 Stars
✅Washington - Boneshaker 3.5 Stars ....(Steampunk, Zombies)
✅West Virginia - Endurance 3 Stars, but 4 Stars for overall trilogy
Wisconsin - The Bodies Left Behind OR American Gods(Fantasy)
Wyoming - The Totem OR Open Season OR The Nestling OR The Rain *Owned eBook*