What are you currently reading?

[RonClinton]

I finished Brian Keene’s latest non-fiction collection, LOVE AND HATE IN THE TIME OF COVID, and am just starting Jeff Strand’s new one, CREEP OUT — both Thunderstorm releases. This time around, Keene wrote more about personal issues and COVID-related situations, and less about the publishing industry and writing, so I wasn’t as taken with this one as his previous non-fiction collections, but to be fair the title gave me fair warning that the focus this time around would likely be different.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Earthling LE of Jonathan Janz's "Marla". Always enjoy Janz's stuff and this one was no different. Great characters, a great villain, and lots of scary scenes. Truly one of the better entries that I've read in the Earthling Halloween series so far.

Planning to read Kristopher Triana's & Mona Kabbani's "The Dark Embrace" next.

[brlesh]

Finished Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham, a book which I ultimately liked, though I found the first third of the book to be slow and dry.

After Winterset Hollow, I read Children of the Kingdom, the first novella in TED Klein’s Dark Gods.

COTK was a reread for me, though it’s been a while since I last read it. Forgot what a truly twisted story this was.

Lovecraft must have rolled over in his grave with his Mi-go reimagined as rapists!

Right now I’m about 40 pages into Eynhallow, Tim McGregor’s take on Victor Frankenstein creating a companion for his original creation.

First thing I’ve read by McGregor, and so far really enjoying it.

B

[dannyboy121070]

Just read Lisa Morton & John Palisano's novella PLACERITA, which concerns lizard men under 1920's L.A. A fun read, but, man....as a proofreader who CD hasn't used in years, I was aghast to see all of spelling and grammar errors that made it into the finished book. I makes CD look amateur-hour. Really disappointing.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Suntup AGE of Richard Matheson's "Hell House". This was my first time reading Hell House and it was everything that I was hoping for and more. Really strong character work, a great setting, and a willingness to push boundaries. I don't traditionally enjoy haunted house books as much as other horror troupes as I don't find them very scary, but this one worked for me big-time. Everything about the Belasco house/haunting was creepy, and the story was so much meaner that I had expected going-in. Overall, an A+ read for me and perhaps my new favorite haunting novel of all-time!

Am now reading the Earthling LE of Jonathan Janz's "Marla". This was a previous entry in Earthling's Halloween Series that I never got around to; so, I figure now's the time!

[dannyboy121070]

Thanks for the review on STRANGE STONE because, like sholloman, I've been not too sure if I should pull the trigger or not on it. I like Sangiovanni, Lee not so much, and I feel Lovecraft is hit-or-miss.

How's that GHOST RIDER omnibus? I never read the series when it came out, but I know it was hugely popular. I mean, in the 90s every comic had Wolverine, the Punisher, or Ghost Rider guest-starring in it to boost sales. I read a little of the spin-off series SPIRITS OF VENGEANCE when it came out and it was...fine. I find Howard Mackie's work to be VERY hit-or-miss. When it works, it's so much fun. When it doesn't...well, not so much.

You hit the nail right on the head with "fun". The book is, mainly, a lot of fun. Mackie is NOT a skilled writer, and some of the dialogue, MOST of the dialogue, is cringe-worthy. The stories are so gonzo that you can't help but enjoy them. The book is dragged down by dozens of short stories/arcs from MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS that are all uniformly terrible, so I ended up giving the book a 5 out of 10. I'll probably be back for the second volume, though.

After finishing the GR omnibus, I moved on the the slightly better third volume of the SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR omnibus. Stories by Len Wein & Bernie Wrightson and Marv Wolfman & Gene Colan were a real treat.

[Sock Monkey]

Doing my Halloween reading, with some Horror selections perfect for October:
DANNY KETCH: GHOST RIDER OMNIBUS, VOL. 1, STRANGE STONES by Edward Lee and Mary Sangiovanni, MONSTERS AMONG US by Linda Godfrey, and and oldie plucked from the depths of the TBR room, CINEMA MACABRE, a 2005 book from PS that features essays by 50 genre greats, talking about their favorite Horror film. I was especially pleased to crack open this gem and find that I had sprung for the deluxe slipcased limited, which features 6 pages of signature sheets, with 52 signatures, some of which fill holes in my collection. Simon Pegg, Jonathan Ross, Adam Nevill, Les Edwards, Basil Copper, whose work I'm just discovering at this late date....it's a real gem of a book. I miss the days of these books with dozens of signatures.

The Lee/Sangiovanni book started out fun, but soon got too deep into the weeds of the stuff that I find interminable about Lovecraft...the descriptions of odd geometry, weird stones, strange architecture....it just goes on and on. Short novella, but I can't wait for it to end, sadly.

Thanks for the review on STRANGE STONE because, like sholloman, I've been not too sure if I should pull the trigger or not on it. I like Sangiovanni, Lee not so much, and I feel Lovecraft is hit-or-miss.

How's that GHOST RIDER omnibus? I never read the series when it came out, but I know it was hugely popular. I mean, in the 90s every comic had Wolverine, the Punisher, or Ghost Rider guest-starring in it to boost sales. I read a little of the spin-off series SPIRITS OF VENGEANCE when it came out and it was...fine. I find Howard Mackie's work to be VERY hit-or-miss. When it works, it's so much fun. When it doesn't...well, not so much.

[dannyboy121070]

Thanks for your review of Strange Stones. Been on the fence about picking that one up.

Your mileage may vary. The story is basically a trip through some of Lovecraft's most famous locales and situations, so enjoyment will hinge on your tastes regarding Lovecraft. I'm a big fan of his straight Horror stories, but when he gets bogged down in descriptions of strange stones, buildings, dimensions, etc., my eyes gloss over. There's a lot of that here.

[sholloman81]

Doing my Halloween reading, with some Horror selections perfect for October:
DANNY KETCH: GHOST RIDER OMNIBUS, VOL. 1, STRANGE STONES by Edward Lee and Mary Sangiovanni, MONSTERS by Linda Godfrey, and and oldie plucked from the depths of the TBR room, CINEMA MACABRE, a 2005 book from PS that features essays by 50 genre greats, talking about their favorite Horror film. I was especially pleased to crack open this gem and find that I had sprung for the deluxe slipcased limited, which features 6 pages of signature sheets, with 52 signatures, some of which fill holes in my collection. Simon Pegg, Jonathan Ross, Adam Nevill, Les Edwards, Basil Copper, whose work I'm just discovering at this late date....it's a real gem of a book. I miss the days of these books with dozens of signatures.

The Lee/Sangiovanni book started out fun, but soon got too deep into the weeds of the stuff that I find interminable about Lovecraft...the descriptions of odd geometry, weird stones, strange architecture....it just goes on and on. Short novella, but I can't wait for it to end, sadly.

Thanks for your review of Strange Stones.  Been on the fence about picking that one up.

[dannyboy121070]

Doing my Halloween reading, with some Horror selections perfect for October:
DANNY KETCH: GHOST RIDER OMNIBUS, VOL. 1, STRANGE STONES by Edward Lee and Mary Sangiovanni, MONSTERS AMONG US by Linda Godfrey, and and oldie plucked from the depths of the TBR room, CINEMA MACABRE, a 2005 book from PS that features essays by 50 genre greats, talking about their favorite Horror film. I was especially pleased to crack open this gem and find that I had sprung for the deluxe slipcased limited, which features 6 pages of signature sheets, with 52 signatures, some of which fill holes in my collection. Simon Pegg, Jonathan Ross, Adam Nevill, Les Edwards, Basil Copper, whose work I'm just discovering at this late date....it's a real gem of a book. I miss the days of these books with dozens of signatures.

The Lee/Sangiovanni book started out fun, but soon got too deep into the weeds of the stuff that I find interminable about Lovecraft...the descriptions of odd geometry, weird stones, strange architecture....it just goes on and on. Short novella, but I can't wait for it to end, sadly.

[dannyboy121070]

Next up, starting Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham.

Pretty much going into this blind, so here’s hoping for something good.

B

Funny you say that, because I recently picked the same book up blindly at B&N. Seemed like my cup of tea.

[brlesh]

Finished up Limelight by Lyndsey Croal, a collection of speculative fiction stories I liked quite a bit.

Next up, starting Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham.

Pretty much going into this blind, so here’s hoping for something good.

B

[RonClinton]

Finished up Into the Wild Green Yonder by Crowther and Lebbon.

Not what I was expecting, unfortunately.

B

I just read the positive CD review on it this morning. It sounds interesting, if all a bit familiar.

One Lebbon work that I keep meaning to read is THE LAST DAY AND THE FIRST...that one sounds original, poignant, and thoughtful. Why I haven't pulled the trigger on a copy yet escapes me...but I will.

[brlesh]

Finished up Into the Wild Green Yonder by Crowther and Lebbon.

Not what I was expecting, unfortunately.

Next up, back to Limelight, the collection by Lyndsey Croal.

B

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the hardback LE of Aron Beauregard's "Wet Market and Other Stories". This was my first read by Beauregard and will not be my last. This book was five or six short stories along with an essay, and each story had one illustration to accompany it. Like most collections, the stories were a mixed bag, but all of them were solid and a few were fantastic. My favorites we're "A Muffin in the Oven"- a mean little take on the UFO visitation/pregnancy troupe, "Carla's Conundrum"- a story about a women's obsession with hand-puppets and her slip into madness, & the title story "The Wet Market"-which might have the single most disgusting/messed-up scene that I have ever read in it, and I've read pretty much everything by Edward Lee & other extreme horror masters. Overall, I'm glad to have finally read something by Beauregard and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys extreme horror or is a fan of authors such as Edward Lee or Wrath James White.

Am now reading the LE pocketbook of Aron Beauregard's "A Life of Crime".