Horror Aficionados discussion

Naomi wrote: "I've just finished reading The Haunting of Hill House for the first time, I haven't seen any of the films so it was all fresh and new for me. That opening and ending paragraph...

I've..."

Naomi, that book is in my top ten of all time. I think it has the best opening in all of literature.


I've started two: REEK and .

Just started some true horror: Raven: The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People. Creepy AF. Before that, All Heads Turn When the Hunt Goes By and Stonefish. Both were excellent in very different ways.

Naomi wrote: "I've just finished reading The Haunting of Hill House for the first time, I haven't seen any of the films so it was all fresh and new for me. That opening and ending paragraph...

I've..."

I made it through Inferno but haven't touched it since. It's really fascinating but definitely a slog! The images are fantastic though.

Char wrote: "Naomi, that book is in my top ten of all time. I think it has the best opening in all of literature." Definitely, not many opening paragraphs are so memorable as that. Have you read any of her other books? I want to read more of hers but not sure which to read next. I like the look of Bird's Nest.

Krystal wrote: "I made it through Inferno but haven't touched it since. It's really fascinating but definitely a slog! The images are fantastic though.." Yeah it's a bit of a hefty one but it's been sat on my shelf for years and I figured there's no better time than lockdown to crack on with it.

Heidi wrote: "Just started some true horror: Raven: The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People. Creepy AF. Before that, All Heads Turn When the Hunt Goes By and [book:Ston..."

Oooh, I'm a fan of John Farris too. I listened to bio of Jim Jones last year and it was fascinating. At first he was a real force for civil rights.

I started Double Barrel Horror Vol. 3.

The southern book club's Guide to slay Vampires by Grady Hendrix

Lily wrote: "The southern book club's Guide to slay Vampires by Grady Hendrix"

ditto

The Good Girl

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

The Silence

Been working my way through Everything Under the Moon and enjoying the heck out of it. I mean, c'mon... it's werewolf noir, what's not to like?

Ekel wrote: "The Silence"

I really liked this. Has nice creepy vibe to it.

I am about to finish If it Bleeds by King really am enjoying it.

Taking a break from Wellman and Campbell short stories for by Bentley Little, a writer I have never read.

As Time Goes By

Snow

Currently reading a few books.

Hexes by Tom Piccirilli
The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings by Angela Slatter
Collected Fiction Volume 1 (1905-1925): A Variorum Edition by H.P. Lovecraft
Corona-Chan: Spreading the Love: Infectious Tales of Fantasy and Suspense Designed to Spread the Pulpdemic ed. by David V. Stewart

I finished Unravel me and almost done with Ignite me which is probably the best of the 3.

I m also reading

Thor (basis of the movie "Bad Moon") and "The Art of Horror Movies"



Jeff McIntosh

Horror House by J.N. Williamson, a pretty fair ‘80s horror novel with a ridiculously awful cover.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Monica wrote: "I m also reading "

This was VERY intense.

by the awesome John Connolly. I'm also reading some poetry:
by Christina Sng.

Taking a short break from fantasy, picked this up on KindleUnlimited for free today and reads like soemtihng you can finish in one sitting, so far very interesting!

The Odds
by Jeff Strand


After a disastrous evening playing slot machines, Ethan Caustin wonders how he's going to explain his massive loss to his wife and kids. As he tries to find his way out of the casino, sick to his stomach and filled with self-loathing, he's approached by a stranger who offers a solution to his problem.

It's a simple game. A 99% chance for him to win ten thousand dollars. In the remote chance that he loses...well, he'll be strapped into a device that shatters his left arm.

The odds are very much in his favor. But this is only the first round.

As the game goes on, the prizes and penalties keep changing, along with his chances of winning. As the high stakes get out of control and Ethan desperately wants to quit, he'll learn that they've only offered him one means of escape: play the game to the very end...

A thrilling novel of suspense from the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of PRESSURE and MY PRETTIES.

Dracula Cha Cha Cha

Vampires set in Rome in 1959 and it has a vampire character similiar to 007 Bond and so much more.
Helps to read the previous books in the series. I'm enjoying this so much.

Char wrote: "Monica wrote: "I m also reading "

This was VERY intense."
Yes. Made me pretty mad but also think a lot! Some things are unbelievable.

Just finished Burnt Orange Heresy and loved it, well written noir with a very bad believable anti-hero

The Stranger

I m reading In cold blood and really enjoying the way the story is told.

In Darkness, Delight: Creatures of the Night

I'm about 1/3 of the way in and the stories have been solid. Good stuff.

Had to get one more Strand book into my life, the guy makes reading so fun, very talented at crazy twists.

Ferocious by Jeff Strand


Basically a cabin surrounded by zombie wood creatures and ppl inside trying to defend or get out, my kind stuff.

Christopher wrote: "Horror House by J.N. Williamson, a pretty fair ‘80s horror novel with a ridiculously awful cover.

"

This is one of those books that they seem to have a copy of at every used book store I go to. I've never read it, however.

Dark Encounters: A Collection of Ghost Stories. Decent collection of M. R. James style ghost stories.

My second Bentley Little, after having really liked The Ignored...


Dispatch

Back into the Dark Descent for what I hope will be my second full read through.

Also reading Lovecraft Country

The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear

Walter Moers is Germany's best active fantasy writer, possibly even the best German fantasy author of all time, although it is probably a close race between him and Michael Ende then. Moers's fantasy novels are (very roughly) comparable to those of Terry Pratchett.

Currently reading Rosemary's Baby and listening to The Crimson Petal and the White on Audible. Question: does audible count as "reading or read" a book.

Emma audio is valid.

Emma wrote: "Currently reading Rosemary's Baby and listening to The Crimson Petal and the White on Audible. Question: does audible count as "reading or read" a book."

Yes.

Donny wrote: "Back into the Dark Descent for what I hope will be my second full read through.

Also reading Lovecraft Country"

Are you talking about The Dark Descent ? If so, what a fantastic collection.

The Wives

After about a 9 or 10 year hiatus from it, I've picked up again.
I had abandoned it about halfway through last time because I just wasn't enjoying it. The book was ridiculously sadistic and depressing. I have discovered after all this time......that nothing has changed. I still feel the same. But I'm determined to finish it this time so I can say i did.

From what I remember, the ending is a little bananas, but I also recall thinking "There is no way to end this in a satisfying fashion" while I was reading it. I've been thinking about rereading it, but I don't think I can at this point in time, your reminder that it's ridiculously depressing...I remember no one would listen to the sane people as horrible things kept escalating...it is too much like every day this year.

Susan wrote: "I remember no one would listen to the sane people as horrible things kept escalating...it is too much like every day this year.."

Oh, dear. I'm afraid what it says about me that I laughed on reading this.

Anyway, currently reading an associational book: by S. T. Joshi.

This is a collection mainly of reviews. Joshi has been the foremost apologist for H. P. Lovecraft, writing books and articles and reviews of many if not all things Lovecraftian for over 40 years. He is controversial since he doesn't hesitate to criticize directly and with vigor (if not occasionally with venom). But I find him entertaining in this format, less likely to get into the abstracts that bog me down in his longer critical work (like The Weird Tale: Arthur Machen, Lord Dunsany, Algernon Blackwood, M.R. James, Ambrose Bierce, H.P. Lovecraft).

Ctgt wrote: "Donny wrote: "Back into the Dark Descent for what I hope will be my second full read through.

Also reading Lovecraft Country"

Are you talking about The Dark Descent [bookcover:The D..."

That collection is HUGE! I have it, and the pages are paper thin, but man, are there ever some great stories in there!

Susan wrote: "From what I remember, the ending is a little bananas, but I also recall thinking "There is no way to end this in a satisfying fashion" while I was reading it. I've been thinking about rereading it,..."

Your description of the situation today is spot on!

I seem to be on a Strand-a-thon lately, my 3rd Strand in a row.. I finished Ferocious and didn't love it only because of the pacing for its length but when I got to the ending he had links to other books of his and I already got 3 more, of course had to start reading right away, I actually wish this one was longer haha, its super good so far, the pace is 10 stars!..

Cold Dead Hands by Jeff Strand ( Free for Kindle Unlimited currently too)


A vicious attack on a grocery store has turned into a hostage situation. But things are much worse for the ten people hiding in the walk-in freezer...

From the four-time Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of PRESSURE and BLISTER comes a tension-filled tale of survival laced with his trademark macabre sense of humor.