The Gothic Novel Book Club <Hiatus> discussion
What are you reading now?
Amie wrote: "Just finished A Dark Dividing by Sarah Rayne. I really enjoyed it and want to read more of her novels. I'm debating on starting Great Expectations next, or reading something lighter first."I've been dying to read A Dark Dividing! I'm new to this group. *waves* happy to be here!
Well, The Book of Lost Fragrances turned out to be a bit of a disappointment, I think the abrupt ending bothered me the most.I also read a Book of Scottish Ghost Stories since by last posting and it was suspenseful and entertaining. The stories were supposed to be true but I think it was a bunch of folk tales the author gathered from people. "Scottish Ghost Stories" by Elliott O'Donnell (a free Kindle download).
I read The Complete Ghost Stories of Charles Dickens last month. Some were written as stories, while others were pulled from storied told by characters in his novels. Fun! Now I'm just starting The Pickwick Papers, for the first time I'm reading it.
I am not sure if it is appropriate to promote my own book here, but I have just published my book, Just a Vampire and am hoping I can generate some interest. This book has a very different feel than your average Gothic novel. So much so that I am not sure the Gothic community is the best place to advertise. I do hope that my book will teach the average person to see that all people are just people. But how to get this book to the average person? That is the question! Does anyone have a good suggestion? Thanks for any feedback!
Quara
Just a Vampire
Thanks for the heads up on the free kindle download for Scottish Ghost Stories. Just snagged it. :)
I'm reading Irish Tales of Terror. They're not all terrifying; some are more like fairy tales, and one that I read last night, The Canterville Ghost, by Oscar Wilde, was hilarious. They range from the 12th through the 20th centuries, and include many famous authors, such as James Joyc, Ray Bradbury (who also wrote an introduction), H.P. Lovecraft, etc. Some are Irish authors, and others are just set in Ireland. Fun!
I've never read The Castle of Otranto, but I hope to some day. Right now I'm reading A Clash of Kings, the second book in A Song of Ice and Fire, and enjoying it greatly.
Just started The Demon Lover by Victoria Holt for the group read in the VH group.
Valhalla Rising by Clive Cussler and loving it!
A collection of Victorian ghost stories.
Nancy wrote: "Denise wrote: "A collection of Victorian ghost stories."Which one? Can always use recommendations."
Victorian Ghost Stories: An Oxford Anthology
It has a nice range of authors, from anonymous to such authors as Elizabeth Gaskell, Charles Dickens, Henry James, Wilkie Collins, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling, etc.
The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...Might take me several years to finish.....Nice to see it heavily featured at the Gothic Exhibition at the British Library. Goth Lit wouldn't have existed without this monstrously long book....
Susannah wrote: "The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...Might take me several years to finish.....Nice to see it heavily featured at the Gothic ..."
LOL Heather! Despite the lengthy descriptions of the scenery, and the poems (UGH), I ended up enjoying The Mysteries of Udolpho. It sure was a long one though, wasn't it? Good luck! :)
Emma wrote: "Good evening all. My name is Emma and I live in North Wales. My loves are Stephen King, Anne Rice and Clive Barker. But I also enjoy Edgar Alan Poe, MR James and anything that is Gothic. At the ..."Hello and welcome, Emma! I hope you introduced yourself in the Intro thread as well.
I have currently finished reading Carrie by Stephen King, and here is my 4-part review of it! http://romanticsrebelsandreviews.word...I am currently reading Ann Radcliffe's The Italian and Hardy's Desperate Remedies!
The Oxford Book of Gothic TalesSo far my favorite story is Olalla by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Shadows 6
Enjoying this collection of creepy short stories from the 80s.
Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë
Readable fisrt person narrative about the trials of being a governess.
The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft
Loving Lovecraft, so far.
Casually rereading Stoker's "Dracula", but this time in English, not in Polish ^-^ Moreover, "The Bloody Chamber & Other Stories" by Angela Carter. Yup, I've just finished the first tale and I love the vocabulary.
I'm reading Stand, by Becky Johnson. It's a thriller.
I'm reading Stand, by Becky Johnson. It's a thriller.
I am reading Touch Not the Cat, and The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart. They are both Gothic of course! I am also reading The Vanishing by Wendy Webb.
I have two newly published books from the library, and it wasn't intentional, but they both have definite Gothic elements.In House of Small Shadows, a woman working for an appraiser is offered the job of cataloguing the work of a famous taxidermist from the early part of the 20th century, including "his elaborate displays of posed, costumed and preserved animals, depicting bloody scenes from World War I." So far we've got the emotionally vulnerable heroine, the old isolated house, the creepy old lady (the taxidermist's niece), and the rude (when she's not being taciturn) housekeeper.
Sweet Damage is set in Australia and has an interesting gender reversal. A young man takes a room in an old mansion and part of the deal (along with a very low rent) involves looking after a 20-year-old woman with agoraphobia. (More of a Radcliffean gothic, where the evil forces have a definite human face.)
I'm reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. It's non-fiction, but it reads like fiction and I find it utterly fascinating. Fiction will be up next tho :)
If you'd like to read a gothic mystery, I've just released THE SHIMMERING STONES OF WINTER'S LIGHT on Amazon. This is the blurb:THE SHIMMERING STONES OF WINTER'S LIGHT
“Ye have been here before, child. Ye cannot deny it.”
As an infant, Gwynneth Morys was left in a basket on the steps of a simple cottage in the South of Wales. Now, the kindly couple who raised her have died; she is an orphan once again, totally alone in the world with only her odd, recurring dreams—dreams of a towering mansion on the moors…a beautiful lady in a pale green gown…a tall man whose dark eyes speak of love.
Bereft of funds and family, Gwynneth has no choice but to accept the only offer of work to come her way—a position as a companion to an elderly woman in the North of Wales. And as Gwynneth approaches the many-turreted manor house rising out of the mist, close by the fog-enshrouded moors and still closer to the roiling sea, she knows that this is the place she has dreamed of all her life.
But not even in her dreams was Gwynneth aware of the tragic death of Lady Jane’s only daughter, or the dark desire for vengeance that still burns in the old woman’s heart. Nor does she guess that an enemy—her enemy—lurks among the shadowy towers, waiting for her to climb a certain flight of stairs to the one turret from which there could be no escape…and no one to hear her plea for mercy.
The Shimmering Stones of Winter's Light - Kindle edition by Constance Walker. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Mod
THE SHIMMERING STONES OF WINTER'S LIGHT
“Ye have been here befor..."
That sounds fantastic! May have to read it :)
Mod
The Eye of the World
The Blade Itself
The Magicians' Guild
Stone of Tears
Mod
Trinity wrote: "Okay, so my first love is Horror but lately I have been reading A LOT of fantasy novels. I was introduced to them last year and I can't get enough. The Eye of the World
[book:The Bla..."
Trinity I have The Magician's Guild on my list to read very soon! Have you started it yet?
I am reading Stephen King's The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower#2)series.
First Family by David Baldacci (Sean King and Michelle Maxwell #4)series
only one more book and I will be done with this series.
Really good series!
The Kingdom of Darkness which is a book giveaway that I won! It is good!
Also Einstein's Beach House:Stories
By Jacob M. Appel
Which are short stories that are pretty good!
Mod
[book:The Eye of the World|22866..."
I have started it but I'm not very far. I do like it so far. Very interesting beginning, really sucks you in.
Mod
just thinking of the recommnedations. wish it had a better fillter. it keeps rec. bo..."
Thank you! Happy to do it!
"Haunted Heartland" by Beth Scott and Michael Norman. Creepy collection of ghost stories.
I finished The Winter People, really enjoyed the descriptive prose and the story. I just started The Thief Catcher, a historical mystery set in London at the time of the bubonic plague. Not a great book but the writer did do a great deal of research.
Started Ron Rash's, The Cove. I've not read him before but have read good things about his books.
Mod
when i started college, an eon ago. i realized i would never be able to read al..."
That's why I like challenges. They keep me on task. Also, setting a reading goal at the beginning of the year. Then, if I'm offered a read to review, I take it. Keeps my reading balanced and makes me stick to my goal.
hi, im adriana im 20 years old, im from portugal but i live in canada,quebec and i want to know people who read just like me but here on quebec, canada where i live, so i could be friends with them and meet and be friends in real life not just on internet.. so we could talk about books and go shopping for books etc because i dont have any friends who like to read :s and i cant find people who like to read like me so im just writing here to know if any of you likes to read and lives in quebec- montreal,canada just send me a message and add me :)
Mod
Mod
Love Tolkien and Harry Potter. I'm in the midst of Game of Thrones now. Also finishing up A Wrinkle in Time. Never read it as a kid.
Mod
The Novice because I started the series and can't put it down.
Shadow Spell because I am a sucker for her trilogies... don't judge me... LOL
Queen of Fire and I just don't want it to end... I love Anthony Ryan!
Bellman & Black for obvious reasons.
Lord of Snow and Shadows because I've put it off for too long.
Soulless because it's the one I am reading on my nook...
Mod
The Novice... scribd
Shadow Spell, Bellman & Black and Lord of Snow and Shadows... actual book
Queen of Fire... audible
Soulless... nook
Right now I'm reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I can't believe I've waited so long to read this series! I'm trying to get my kids to read them, but they are just not interested. :-(
Trinity, because of one of your earlier comments about books that made a lasting impression, I've started The Bean Trees. This will be my third book by Barbara Kingsolver, very talented author and I loved the other two: The Poisonwood Bible and The Lacuna.
Trinity & Michelle - I've never read anything by Kingsolver, but my book club is planning to read The Poisonwood Bible in December. Glad to hear that you enjoy her books!
Mod
The Gothic Novel Book Club <Hiatus>
Books mentioned in this topic
Wizard's First Rule (other topics)Soundless (other topics)
Stone of Tears (other topics)
Boneshaker (other topics)
Stone of Tears (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Robert Galbraith (other topics)Anne Brontë (other topics)
Mary Elizabeth Braddon (other topics)
Toby Barlow (other topics)
Ben Aaronovitch (other topics)
Check-out my Gothic Lit Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/ADarkAndStor...