What are you currently reading?

[c marvel]

I'm still reading Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau. I'm also enjoying The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich-It's a Dell Great Mystery Library vintage paperback (#1 in the series). ~Cap

[Lincoln]

My third attempt at Straub's 'Shadowland, over the past 25 years. This time it has really worked for me, so far. The first section of the book, set in the school, is one of the best things I've read. After some mediocre 80's paperbacks to kick off 2021, this is a real step up in quality.

[Sock Monkey]

My third attempt at Straub's 'Shadowland, over the past 25 years. This time it has really worked for me, so far. The first section of the book, set in the school, is one of the best things I've read. After some mediocre 80's paperbacks to kick off 2021, this is a real step up in quality.

I need to revisit Shadowland. I remember liking it quite a bit but not as much as Ghost Story or Floating Dragon. I don’t think I gave it a fair shake though because after those two, my expectations for Shadowland were sky-high.

I’ve been seriously considering doing a complete revisiting of all of Straub’s work. He’s not the most prolific writer (in comparison to say King or Koontz), but the idea is still kind of daunting to me.

[sholloman81]

Just finished Joe Lansdale's "For a Few Stories More". Was able to score a limited edition of it from Kasey Lansdale's pandipress website for 25 bucks. If you haven't checked out that site, I would do so as they have some good deals, www.kaseylansdale.com/pandipress/ . These lost Lansdale collections can be hit or miss, but, I actually enjoyed this one, especially the Ray Slater novella. Am now going to begin Ramsey Campbell's "The Searching Dead". Have never been a huge Campbell fan; however, the description for this book sounded interesting; so, I figured I would give him another try. Hopefully, his stuff will click with me this time around.

[TacomaDiver]

^^^ I don't think I realized Kasey's site sold Joe's books too or just forgot about it. Thanks for the link!

[khaos]

I'm reading the new Kelli Owen book, The Headless Boy. I'd probably be done if I wasn't playing so much more video games than recently. Hooked on Animal Crossing and Final Fantasy 7.

[RonClinton]

Starting on Adrian Walker's THE HUMAN SON. New author to me (though he's done several post-apocalyptic-themed books), but the themes of what it truly means to be a parent and the bittersweet pangs of eventually letting go (amid a sci-fi plot r.e. alternative intelligence)...well, that book wasn't going to stay on the shelf, not while this emotional slob of a Dad was around.

[c marvel]

I finished reading The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich. It was really good. I ordered another vintage paperback Deadly Night Call aka Somebody On The Phone by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich). It's a collection of six short stories. ~Cap

[brlesh]

Finished That Which Grows Wild, a short story collection by Eric Guignard. This was the first thing I've ever read by Guignard. It had some hits and some misses. He recently published a novella that has peaked my interest, so I will probably give that a try also.

Started House of Skin by Jonathan Janz last night. 70 pages in and liking it a lot so far.

B

[khaos]

Just started The Only Good Indians. Haven't read enough to know what the book is about. I don't think I even read the synopsis, just heard it was good.

[sholloman81]

Just finished Caitlin R. Kiernan's "Alabaster". Enjoyed the heck out of it. Have never had a chance to read Threshold; so, this was my first run in with her awesome character, Dancy Flammarion, the albino monster killer. Love interconnected short story collections like this. Also loved the way Kiernan went about world building in this collection. Am glad I picked-up the second collection of Dancy Flammarion stories, Comes a Pale Rider, and will probably read that next.

[TacomaDiver]

Just started The Only Good Indians. Haven't read enough to know what the book is about. I don't think I even read the synopsis, just heard it was good.

This was my first book from SGJ (got a signed copy at a local bookstore since he lives here) and I enjoyed it, but it was a little hard to read at times. Something about the language or something. There were some definitely holy shit moments though!

[TacomaDiver]

Just finished Caitlin R. Kiernan's "Alabaster". Enjoyed the heck out of it. Have never had a chance to read Threshold; so, this was my first run in with her awesome character, Dancy Flammarion, the albino monster killer. Love interconnected short story collections like this. Also loved the way Kiernan went about world building in this collection. Am glad I picked-up the second collection of Dancy Flammarion stories, Comes a Pale Rider, and will probably read that next.

Did you pick up the deal from CD for those? I did - but haven't gotten to them yet. I've only read one (maybe two) things from them.

[brlesh]

This was my first book from SGJ (got a signed copy at a local bookstore since he lives here) and I enjoyed it, but it was a little hard to read at times. Something about the language or something. There were some definitely holy shit moments though!

I had a similar issue when I read All the Good Indians (it was also my first read by SG Jones). I found myself having to go back & re-read lines multiple times to try & follow the story. It got better in the second half (maybe I just used to Jones' writing style).

B

[brlesh]

Finished House of Skin by Jonathan Janz last night.

Overall I liked it. I thought it was a well paced, very dark story, about revisiting a family curse.

I just wish Janz had fleshed out the supernatural aspects of the story a little more than he did.

After House of Skin, started the Valancourt Book of Horror Stories, Vol. 4.

Three stories in so far. Two I liked (the opening story was an original story from Elizabeth Engstrom); one was a translation of a 1940's story from a Belgium writer that I found to be a little plodding.

B