Got any recommendations?

[Guido]

I was reading "Dandelions in the Garden" but it turns out the book is so abysmally defective that I have given up on it. The book is so amateurishly put together that it really puts into question my appreciation of independent authors.

Now I'm unexpectedly stuck with no to-read books in my queue but, since this was the second major reading disappointment in a row, I need something to really pick me up, something that makes me perk up and go "Wow!"

I was wondering if anyone has some recommendations for me. I love thrillers, mysteries, suspense and horror, and I am really looking for something that is not just good, but, in fact, absolutely outstanding. It can be an old book, a new release, an indie book and major title, I don't care; as long as it really makes me want to turn the pages.

I swear, if I have to read another line like "I can't bare it if you leave" or "a shutter went down her spine" I'm going to puke!

Please, bring on some of the good stuff by people who really understand spelling, can write and care about their work.

[Scott]

[[deleted user]]

I thought 'The shadow killer' was a great read. It's not a romance and it's not YA.
It is quit good, I thought it was a page turner.
It is about a bigfoot that goes on a killing spree.
Good writing, etc. The Shadow Killer

[Scott]

I hate it when you spend the money on a book and it disappoints. If by page 50 it hasn't grabbed my attention, I throw it on the floor and let the rabbits shred it.

A good book is ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER. It's much better than I expected. Reads like a history, and unique. The way the author links vampires to the South and the Civil War in a fascinating way. Plus a good amount of action and gore. Definitely worth the read. And Tim Burton has already picked up the movie rights.

[Lori]

If I start something that sucks so bad I have to put it down, I like to go back to old school stuff. Like Stephen King's The Stand, or IT. They always cheer me up, and then I can go back to something new.

[Guido]

Yeah, I've been thinking that too. Maybe I'll do something like that, but let's see what other cool stuff comes up on this thread.

[Lori]

You know this group will have lots of suggestions. ;-)

[Jerrod]

Frostbite and Scar Night might interest you. I enjoyed them both. If anything I think you would enjoy the environment of Scar Night.

[Tressa]

LOL, Guido. ;-)

My favorite 5 star books:

The Summer I Died (unrelenting!)
The Gargoyle
World War Z
The Haunted Vagina
Let's Go Play at the Adams'
Stitches: A Memoir
Her Fearful Symmetry
The House Next Door
Infected; Contagious
Blackbird House
The Ruins
Me Talk Pretty One Day
Passage
Lonesome Dove
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Abandon
The Boys from Brazil
Gone, Baby, Gone
The Great Santini
Under the Skin
Katie (by Michael McDowell; hard to find)
The Pilo Family Circus (outstanding!)

[Maicie]

Some of my faves:
Geek Love
Meat
The House of Spirits
Of Bees and Mist
Shutter Island

Meat and Geek Love both blew me away.
The House of Spirits and Of Bees and Mist are mystical rather than horror.

[Lee]

I see Tressa, Let's Go Play at the Adams....moved right in the list! :)

[Tressa]

Heck, yeah, Lee. Why not? It's fabulous.

[Rusty]

Can we make this the recommendation thread? Or would that just get confusing? Anyway, could someone recommend a book that’s as intense and relentless as Afraid, but with vampires or werewolves, or ghosts or something supernatural? Something with a high body count? And I don’t care if the good guy wins in the end. Thanks.

[Tressa]

Do you want me to change the title of the thread? It's already called "Got any Recommendations"?

The vampire story The Strain is almost as intense as Afraid. Afraid is in a league of its own, though.

[Rusty]

The title of the thread is good for me, Tressa. By the way, is my OCD showing? I’ll definitely check out The Strain. It’s funny, I checked that out from the library a month ago, but never got to it.

[Tressa]

It's showing a little. ;-) But I can change it if you think there's a better descriptive title.

The Strain is fantastic. Can't wait for the next one to come out.

Most ghost stories are more gentle than Afraid. And the werewolf books I've read have a high body count but aren't as intense as Afraid. Hopefully you'll get plenty more recommendations.

[Guido]

Okay, I started reading "World War Z" over the weekend, as it is next month's group read and sounded interesting enough to participate. :-)

Thanks for all the interesting titles. I'll certainly check out some of these as the months go by.

[Kyle]

I just started reading "The Son of Rosemary" yesterday, and it is excellent to far! I would recommend it.

[Tressa]

Hey, Kyle. I was always curious about what happened to Rosemary's son, but never felt the desire to read it. Might check it out one day. Does he go into politics? Seems like a lot of literary devils do, lol.

[Scott]

I've never read it, but somehow I heard about the twist. I won't spoil it. :)

[Kyle]

Tressa wrote: "Hey, Kyle. I was always curious about what happened to Rosemary's son, but never felt the desire to read it. Might check it out one day. Does he go into politics? Seems like a lot of literary devil..."
Well, I may be the only one that likes this book it seems... I've just checked the reviews on this site and on Amazon and they are terrible! I'm standing by my statement however. I do like the book a lot so far.

[Kyle]

I also started reading "The Exorcist" again last night. Man, that book is just creepy and eerie and freaky... I love it and it gives me the serious creeps!

[Scott]

Yes, it was much better than the movie.

[Guido]

That's a good idea... I've never read the actual book and I can imagine that it must be a REALLY creepy read.

[Kyle]

Guido wrote: "That's a good idea... I've never read the actual book and I can imagine that it must be a REALLY creepy read."

The book is very good. I think you'll enjoy it. William Peter Blatty seems to know human psychology pretty well.

[Guido]

You guys got me really interested now... too bad it's not available on the Kindle. :(

[Shawn]

Kyle wrote: "I just started reading "The Son of Rosemary" yesterday, and it is excellent to far! I would recommend it."

I'm torn over this book as I love the original movie and can't conceive of anything a sequel might add, but still....

Kyle, it's not easy to find but there was also a Made-for-TV-movie sequel made in the mid-70's called LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ROSEMARY'S BABY (like most mftv movies of this time, it seems to be a pitch for a tv series that never materialized). Good luck with the book!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

There's an anthology coming out that sounds interesting:

[Kyle]

Well Guido, did you check out "The Exorcist"? I know you mentioned that it isn't available on the Kindle (which is a shame).

[Guido]

Haven't had the chance yet. I'm reading "World War Z" right now and am in the process of the releasing the latest adventure in my Jason Dark series, which keeps me pretty busy.

[Carlie]

i second the world war z rec
cant wait for the movie

[Kimberly]

Guido, I recommend "Phantoms" by Dean Koontz. It's very well done classic 80s horror. Was recently recommended to me and I loved it.

[Fhiona]

I'm reading "Rosemary's baby" right now which I am enjoying. Read " off season" and " the girl next door" by Jack ketchum very recently. Really horrific book "the girl next door" very disturbing.
Has anyone here read any Mo Hayder? Some of her books are excellent, Birdman, The Treatment, ...or Poppy Z Brite? "Exquisite corpse" is pretty gory.

[Eric]

Could anyone recommend a good vampire horror novel, one which doesn't try to be creative and is more run-of-the-mill (but still good). By that I mean, something which doesn't try to reinvent the genre. I'm looking for something along the lines of They Thirst or 'Salems' Lot. And, yes, I'm aware of Wilson's Adversary Cycle and Lumley's Necroscope series (started the former, the latter is on my shelf). And, I've tried to trudge through The Passage and Ghost Road Blues...weren't to my taste. Others?