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Joined: 2/9/2012
Posts: 427
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For the month of October Lucy and I have a lot of scary/spooky/paranormal things brewing for the blog. But we're also reading a lot of Halloween-themed books. Here's my line-up for the next two weeks:
Finish THE CREATURE DEPARTMENT, a middle grade book about the creatures hidden in an electronics factory, who come up with all kinds of cool inventions.
Then, I will proceed to read SOME GIRLS BITE by Chloe Neil, a popular vampire urban fantasy I've been meaning to check out!
And after that, I'm going to treat myself to A LOCAL HABITATION, the second book in the October Daye series. It's a really great urban fantasy series set in San Fran and with cool faery mythology.
How about you? Any fun Halloween reads in your future? --edited by Nevena Georgieva on 10/17/2013, 8:53 PM--
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Joined: 6/18/2012
Posts: 228
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Fun thread!
SOME GIRLS BITE is seriously addicting. (One of the books ends in a serious cliffhanger -- that was the day Nevena introduced me to the editor so I could beg for the next one on in the series.)
I just finished HEART SHAPED BOX and thought it was great (and really scary!).
I'm going to read THE CREATURE DEPARTMENT this weekend.
And Book Country member Lisa Graziano's PARALLEL DIMENSIONS is on my to-read list before the end of the month.
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Joined: 8/18/2013
Posts: 31
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I just got done reading Dr. Sleep by Stephen King. Dr. Sleep revisits Danny Torrance from The Shining as an adult. I have seen the reviews and yes it does start out slow, but when it picks up it is far from disappointing. I'm a big Stephen King fan, but not a fan of all his books. Dr. Sleep has my thumbs up for a Halloween read.
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Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356
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@Aira--my Halloween reads is also Stephen King--CUJO! Very scary!
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Joined: 8/18/2013
Posts: 31
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I remember the first time I read Cujo, oh my! It will scare you on dogs the same way jaws did with the ocean. After I had kids I could not read Cujo or Pet Cemetery. I'm going to re-read Bag of Bones next. If anyone has an interest in Dr. Sleep be sure to read The Shining first. It's nothing like the movie but spot on with the TV mini series.
--edited by Aira Philipps on 10/19/2013, 7:49 PM--
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Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356
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I am not sure if I can hang with CUJO, at least not this late at night. I am also reading GONE GIRL, which I know Nevena really liked, and I am finding compelling but not altogether absorbing, not sure why.
I might try WORLD WAR Z for now; just downloaded it from the library.
Aira--a good friend of mine just read DOCTOR SLEEP and recommended it, too. You must be a big Stephen King fan. Have you read UNDER THE DOME? Do you watch the show? (We on the BC staff watched all 13 episodes--we were addicted!)
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Joined: 8/18/2013
Posts: 31
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I have read everything including Under the Dome. I know many people enjoyed it, but it was not a favorite of mine. Too much like his Richard Bachman books and Tommy Knockers. My sister who isn't a real fan loved it though. So no I didn't watch the show. I'm a huge fan from the time I read my first book Carrie. I remember saving money years ago (hoping not to show too much of my age) to buy each one in hard back the second they hit the shelves. I have a book shelf dedicated just to his books. I have read The Stand so many times I have had to buy several over the years to read and one first edition just to look at.I have two of a few I read over and over again. Yeah I'm weird 
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Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356
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Ain't nothing wrong with being a fan!!
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Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356
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Once I got about 1/2 way thru GONE GIRL, I got hooked--so much, in fact, that I stayed up late last night so I could finish it!
While I ate lunch I revisited Nevena's blog post about the book from this summer. Great analysis!
Who else has read it? What'd you think of the genre-bending?
(Alert: the post has SPOILERS in it!!)
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Joined: 2/9/2012
Posts: 427
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@Aira, I was on the fence about reading UNDER THE DOME (something about really long and dense sci-fi books rubs me the wrong way), and you're making me think that it's not really worth the investment.
I also have a confession to make... I read CARRIE for the first time just a few months ago! I loved it--in a short book, King has packed so much. I definitely need to read more of his ouevre. What are your top 3 King favorites (the only other book by him I've read is The Shawshank Redemption)?
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 608
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@Nevena: My god! I've got to jump in here with my own top three SK picks (chosen for their can't-put-the-book-down, breathless page-turning quality):
1.) Salem's Lot
SK's own mother read the manuscript and pronounced it trash. Then--a half-second later--a slow, sly smile: "But good trash, Stephen." [As reported by SK.]
2.) The Shining
All-out atmospheric creep-fest. How can you not love a novel whose first line reads: Officious little prick.
3.) Needful Things
The best "the whole town goes absolute bat-shit crazy" novel ever written. By turns horrifying and hilarious. Now that's a tough combo to pull off!
Runners-up: Misery, Cujo, The Dark Half, the first 100 pages of The Stand, Night Shift, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Black House (in collaboration w/ Peter Straub) and Insomnia.
--edited by Carl E. Reed on 11/14/2013, 8:31 PM--
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Joined: 2/9/2012
Posts: 427
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That's awesome, Carl - thank you!!
In fact, I vow to read the top recommendation the BC members give me.  Though it seems like SALEM'S LOT is off to a good start: I love good trash!
Btw, Carl, how many Stephen King books have you read *exactly*?
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 608
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@Nevena: I believe I've read everything SK has written (with the exception of the Dark Tower series--and I mean to get around to that once it's finished.)
I am, indeed, one of his "constant readers". --edited by Carl E. Reed on 11/15/2013, 3:35 PM--
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Joined: 8/18/2013
Posts: 31
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I only get to pick three!!?? Well The Stand is a Must read, and The Shining, and continue with Dr. Sleep. I would say my top three are..The Stand, Bag of Bones and Rose Madder. My list of what I don't like is short.
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Joined: 2/9/2012
Posts: 427
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Wow, Carl, that is a *serious* achievement!
And 3 is enough for now - totally! I feel like if I embark on Stephen King's whole list, I will just have to read him for the next couple of years.
Thanks, Aira - so curious to see everyone's favorite Stephen King.
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Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356
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Anybody doing any theme reading for Halloween this year?
I haven't delved into anything gory or supernatural yet, but I am reading a book about fear--it's called SHE LEFT ME THE GUN, by a British memoir writer named Emma Brockes. It's about a daughter who uncovers her mother's sad and terrifying secret past after her mother dies. Her mother was South African so I am learning a lot about South Africa in the first half of the 20th century.
The memoir is a study in how to write with tension! A great Halloween tutorial if there ever was one!
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 608
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I'm currently reading (among other books) Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King and The Horror Hall of Fame: The Stoker Winners, edited by Joe R. Lansdale. Good reads both!
On my list to be read next: Searchers After Horror: New Tales of the Weird and Fantastic and Unutterable Horror: A History of Supernatural Fiction Vol. 2., both books edited by that prolific, indefatigable and awesomely-erudite scholar, literary critic and historian of the weird tale: S. T. Joshi.
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Well, it's not a published book, but I just got done reading and reviewing Samhain Eve by Carl E. Reed. It's a short story, nicely executed, and perfect for a Halloween read.
This is the link for any who might be interested; http://www.bookcountry.com/Bookdetail.aspx?BookId=7293
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