What are you currently reading?

[brlesh]

Am about halfway through Jeff Vandermeer's "Hummingbird Salamander". Adore Vandermeer's previous books, but was very, very close to DNF'ing this one. The first 100 pages are completely bewildering (obviously intentional by the author, but still very confusing as a reader). The sentence structures are also a bit odd and take some getting used-to. Luckily for me, the story seems to have finally taken a turn and I can finally get a sense of what I'm reading and where this one may be going. Think I will finish the one after all.

I tried to read one of Vandermeer’s collections awhile back (probably 15 years ago now - Secret Lives(??)) and couldn’t finish it, which kind of put me off of his writing.

I did like his story in Taverns of the Dead, so I may need to give him another try.

Have to admit, the premise for his Southern Reach trilogy does sound interesting.

B

[brlesh]

About half way through The Bone Weaver’s Orchard by Sarah Read.

Not being invested in either the story line or the characters is making this short novel a slow read to this point.

B

[sholloman81]

I sprung for the rather expensive limited edition of this and have been doubting my decision ever since. Reviews have been middling and it seems like the consensus is that it just isn't that great of a book. It's on my shelf so I'm sure I'll get to one day, but I kinda wish I'd just picked up the trade paperback.

Yeah, having that same expensive limited edition is what I think kept me from DNF'ing it. Luckily, it has gotten a bit better.

[Sock Monkey]

Am about halfway through Jeff Vandermeer's "Hummingbird Salamander". Adore Vandermeer's previous books, but was very, very close to DNF'ing this one. The first 100 pages are completely bewildering (obviously intentional by the author, but still very confusing as a reader). The sentence structures are also a bit odd and take some getting used-to. Luckily for me, the story seems to have finally taken a turn and I can finally get a sense of what I'm reading and where this one may be going. Think I will finish the one after all.

I sprung for the rather expensive limited edition of this and have been doubting my decision ever since. Reviews have been middling and it seems like the consensus is that it just isn't that great of a book. It's on my shelf so I'm sure I'll get to one day, but I kinda wish I'd just picked up the trade paperback.

[sholloman81]

Am about halfway through Jeff Vandermeer's "Hummingbird Salamander". Adore Vandermeer's previous books, but was very, very close to DNF'ing this one. The first 100 pages are completely bewildering (obviously intentional by the author, but still very confusing as a reader). The sentence structures are also a bit odd and take some getting used-to. Luckily for me, the story seems to have finally taken a turn and I can finally get a sense of what I'm reading and where this one may be going. Think I will finish the one after all.

[brlesh]

Just finished Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates.

Started it last night and finished it this afternoon.

Hard to say I liked it, but it was a compelling read.

The only thing I’ve read from Oates in the past has been short stories, and I usually find her work to be some what dense, so Zombie was a complete surprise.

It kind of felt like she was channeling her inner Edward Lee.

Next, back to The Dead Hours of Night by Lisa Tuttle.

B

[TacomaDiver]

I read Mexican Gothic a few years ago and really liked it.

What starts out as a slow gothic noir takes a hard left turn into the supernatural about 2/3 of the way through the story and ends up going in a completely different direction than I expected.

B

I'm excited! I'm about 37 pages into it so far and I'm enjoying it.

[brlesh]

Been trying to read a little more this year - and read some things that aren't my normal go to stories or authors.

Right now, I just started Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I've heard quite a bit about this but just haven't gotten around to it. Similarly, Sadie Hartmann posted something on her instagram about Isabel Canas so I tracked down her debut The Hacienda which I really enjoyed quite a bit.

Also got an early release novella from an author I've never heard of - Kallen Samuels. Called Grasping at Gravity, I didn't hate it and I didn't love it. Set on a planet that has experienced a shift in gravity where part of the world gravity is reversed, and the other part it remains normal. Of course, there are two different peoples that live there. Both peoples have been told stories about each other that you know will be found out to be false. The main characters - Tallow and Sicily - of course see each other once, fall in love, and bring down everything bad in the world. All in about three years. Everything felt rushed, the dialogue was unbelievable (not in a positive way). Apparently it's part of other novels set in this world - the States of Inversion) but it still feels half baked to me. There's promise, but it's not fulfilled.

I read Mexican Gothic a few years ago and really liked it.

What starts out as a slow gothic noir takes a hard left turn into the supernatural about 2/3 of the way through the story and ends up going in a completely different direction than I expected.

B

[TacomaDiver]

Been trying to read a little more this year - and read some things that aren't my normal go to stories or authors.

Right now, I just started Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I've heard quite a bit about this but just haven't gotten around to it. Similarly, Sadie Hartmann posted something on her instagram about Isabel Canas so I tracked down her debut The Hacienda which I really enjoyed quite a bit.

Also got an early release novella from an author I've never heard of - Kallen Samuels. Called Grasping at Gravity, I didn't hate it and I didn't love it. Set on a planet that has experienced a shift in gravity where part of the world gravity is reversed, and the other part it remains normal. Of course, there are two different peoples that live there. Both peoples have been told stories about each other that you know will be found out to be false. The main characters - Tallow and Sicily - of course see each other once, fall in love, and bring down everything bad in the world. All in about three years. Everything felt rushed, the dialogue was unbelievable (not in a positive way). Apparently it's part of other novels set in this world - the States of Inversion) but it still feels half baked to me. There's promise, but it's not fulfilled.

[TacomaDiver]

Just finished reading my Suntup AGE of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. While I have always loved the film, this was my first time reading the story. Wish I would have been given this one to read as a kid. it was very enjoyable. Really liked how Dahl made an emphasis on Charlie and his family being truly poor & starving and the hardships they faced. Definitely didn't write down to children. The artwork in this edition was also fantastic. Also enjoyed all of the extras and "lost" scenes. It was neat seeing how Dahl evolved his book. Overall, am very happy to add this to my shelf.

I'm fairly certain I've read CatCF as a kid - but it was so long ago that I don't remember much of anything about it. Of course, there are books I read recently that I don't remember much about either.

[brlesh]

A rushed (& somewhat preachy) ending lowered what would have been a great read to a very good read, but overall, still very impressed with Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester.

Next, The Dead Hours of Night by Lisa Tuttle.

B

[RonClinton]

Almost done with Jeff Strand's newest one, DEMONIC. Not one of my all-time favorites by him, but very enjoyable and recommended.

[sholloman81]

Just finished Revenge of the Cannibal Spear Maidens by Shane McKenzie. Would give it a C- grade as I found it to be slightly below average, even for a splatter/extreme horror novel. Had some extremely gruesome kills mixed with the usual perversities; however, the overall story just didn't seem to come together IMO. In fact, the story feels a bit standard, like something anyone who has seen Cannibal Holocaust or similar movies might write. Don't know the backstory for this book but am assuming that it was a round-robin type novel which might account for this. All that aside, I do really love the production values on this one. Thunderstorm really knocked it out of the park. The cover artwork is spot-on. Also really love the end-sheets and hope they use something similar for their upcoming Drive-In anthology.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading my Suntup AGE of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. While I have always loved the film, this was my first time reading the story. Wish I would have been given this one to read as a kid. it was very enjoyable. Really liked how Dahl made an emphasis on Charlie and his family being truly poor & starving and the hardships they faced. Definitely didn't write down to children. The artwork in this edition was also fantastic. Also enjoyed all of the extras and "lost" scenes. It was neat seeing how Dahl evolved his book. Overall, am very happy to add this to my shelf.

Am now starting Revenge of the Cannibal Spear Maidens by Shane McKenzie. Something tells me the feel of this one will be quite different from Charlie!

[brlesh]

About 100 pages into Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester.

So far, liking this one a lot.

At this point, don’t know where she is going with the story.

Has a strong serial murder / werewolf vibe to it.

B