What are you currently reading?

[Sock Monkey]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm Books anthology "Lullabies for Suffering". I really enjoyed this one. Most of the authors were completely new to me and I wasn't sure what to expect, but I trust Thunderstorm to deliver, and they did. I especially loved the stories by John D Taff, Mark Matthews, & Mercedes M. Yardley. Each of their stories wrecked me, and I will be keeping an eye out for more of their stuff! Overall, I would give this anthology a B+ grade as there wasn't a weak sister in the bunch.

Am now reading Ray Garton's "Bestial", the sequel to Ravenous. Have had this on the TBR pile for a while. Figure I better read it now before I completely forget how Ravenous ended, and also because it's never a bad time to read some Garton!

I'm glad you enjoyed Lullabies for Suffering. I really thought this was a fantastic collection. I finished it over a week's vacation, reading a novella each morning over a cup of coffee on my back patio. Like you, I really enjoyed Taff's story, "The Melting Point of Meat." The way this story unfurled and the places it went kinda knocked me back in my seat. Kepnes's story was one of my favorites as well, but I agree with your statement that there isn't a weak story in the bunch. Reviews that I've read tend to criticize Gambino Iglesias's story, but I actually quite enjoyed it. Yardley's story might have been my least favorite, but I believe that had a lot to do with expectations. Each review I read praised the story to high heaven and I had liked the anthology so much up to that point that there was no way that Yardley's tale could live up to those imagined literary heights. It was very good, it just didn't knock me back in my seat as I was expecting, which left me disappointed. This is definitely more of a critique on my own unchecked expectations than Yardley's story since, as I previously mentioned, it was really good. It's also kind of the reason why I don't like reading reviews.

[sholloman81]

I'm glad you enjoyed Lullabies for Suffering. I really thought this was a fantastic collection. I finished it over a week's vacation, reading a novella each morning over a cup of coffee on my back patio. Like you, I really enjoyed Taff's story, "The Melting Point of Meat." The way this story unfurled and the places it went kinda knocked me back in my seat. Kepnes's story was one of my favorites as well, but I agree with your statement that there isn't a weak story in the bunch. Reviews that I've read tend to criticize Gambino Iglesias's story, but I actually quite enjoyed it. Yardley's story might have been my least favorite, but I believe that had a lot to do with expectations. Each review I read praised the story to high heaven and I had liked the anthology so much up to that point that there was no way that Yardley's tale could live up to those imagined literary heights. It was very good, it just didn't knock me back in my seat as I was expecting, which left me disappointed. This is definitely more of a critique on my own unchecked expectations than Yardley's story since, as I previously mentioned, it was really good. It's also kind of the reason why I don't like reading reviews.

Yeah, it really was a great collection. Like others, I too felt the Iglesias story was the weakest, but not because it was bad. It just was the most straightforward of the bunch. I felt like I had read many similar stories in the past, but it was still a good story. I think the only reason why anyone points it out is because the rest of the stories in the collection are such gems. In terms of the Yardley tale, I loved it; however, I can get why others wouldn't as it's not really a horror story at all, just pure tragedy and emotions wrapped up in the bittersweet.

[Sock Monkey]

Yeah, it really was a great collection. Like others, I too felt the Iglesias story was the weakest, but not because it was bad. It just was the most straightforward of the bunch. I felt like I had read many similar stories in the past, but it was still a good story. I think the only reason why anyone points it out is because the rest of the stories in the collection are such gems. In terms of the Yardley tale, I loved it; however, I can get why others wouldn't as it's not really a horror story at all, just pure tragedy and emotions wrapped up in the bittersweet.

Good point in regards to the Iglesias story. I think, once again, due to reviews I had read I was expecting something a lot worse and found myself pleasantly surprised.

On a related note, Lullabies was the middle of a three book run of Matthews's Tales of Addiction Horror series (the first was Garden of Fiends and the third was Orphans of Bliss). I've only read Lullabies, but I've mentioned to Paul at Thunderstorm that he should do the other two collections as limited editions. He didn't completely shoot me down, so I'm hoping one day we'll get those to add to the shelf.

[sholloman81]

Good point in regards to the Iglesias story. I think, once again, due to reviews I had read I was expecting something a lot worse and found myself pleasantly surprised.

On a related note, Lullabies was the middle of a three book run of Matthews's Tales of Addiction Horror series (the first was Garden of Fiends and the third was Orphans of Bliss). I've only read Lullabies, but I've mentioned to Paul at Thunderstorm that he should do the other two collections as limited editions. He didn't completely shoot me down, so I'm hoping one day we'll get those to add to the shelf.

Didn't know these other Mark Matthews anthologies even existed. I think I'll have to track them down at some point & see if they measure up to Lullabies. Would be cool if Thunderstorm published them as that would practically force me to buy them! I did recently read Matthews Thunderstorm novel, "Hobgoblin of Little Minds" but didn't really care for it. It wasn't bad, just a little bloated IMO. After reading "Lizard" in Lullabies, I think he may be better suited to shorts and novellas.

[Sock Monkey]

Didn't know these other Mark Matthews anthologies even existed. I think I'll have to track them down at some point & see if they measure up to Lullabies. Would be cool if Thunderstorm published them as that would practically force me to buy them! I did recently read Matthews Thunderstorm novel, "Hobgoblin of Little Minds" but didn't really care for it. It wasn't bad, just a little bloated IMO. After reading "Lizard" in Lullabies, I think he may be better suited to shorts and novellas.

I still need to get around to Hobgoblin at some point. I bought it off the strength of "Lizard," so I'm a little bummed to hear that it isn't as good. I heard some buzz around his Milk-Blood series a while back, but I haven't had a chance to pick them up. Frankly, all my book money goes to signed limited hardcovers, so paperback books pop up on my radar, but are always relegated to the "someday I'll pick it up" pile.

[RonClinton]

I tried reading the new Gene Wolfe horror collection from Sub Press, and found about 1/3 of the way in that Wolfe just isn't for me at the moment. My shelves are too tight to try and introduce books that I didn't care for, so I'll probably throw it up on eBay for a hundred bucks and see what happens...if anyone here needs a Fine/Fine, essentially-as-new copy, let me know and I'll do $85 shipped.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Gauntlet LE of Ray Garton's "Bestial", the sequel to Ravenous. Had never read it before, and man was it a blast. A near pitch-perfect sequel to Ravenous. Some of those scenes were quite hard to read and had me cringing, and I've read quite a bit of hardcore horror in the past. Every time that I read a Ray Garton book, I wonder why he doesn't publish more or isn't more known. His stuff is always fantastic.  

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of Stephen Kozeniewski's "Braineater Jones", a first time read/author for me. 

[brlesh]

Half way through Holly by Stephen King and really enjoying it so far.

King really seems to have gravitated to the mystery story (albeit a very dark mystery story) in the latter part of his career, and it is good to get reacquainted with Holly Gibney again.

B

[Ben Staad]

Thank you very the insight. I hadn't read this one yet and was certainly curious about it.

Half way through Holly by Stephen King and really enjoying it so far.

King really seems to have gravitated to the mystery story (albeit a very dark mystery story) in the latter part of his career, and it is good to get reacquainted with Holly Gibney again.

B

[Martin]

Half way through Holly by Stephen King and really enjoying it so far.

King really seems to have gravitated to the mystery story (albeit a very dark mystery story) in the latter part of his career, and it is good to get reacquainted with Holly Gibney again.

B

I thoroughly enjoyed 'Holly' and agree it is a mystery. I will add that I could give or take Holly Gibney in earlier stories, but I liked how King showed her growth as a person in this story.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of Stephen Kozeniewski's "Braineater Jones", a first time read/author for me. Wasn't quite sure what to expect, and it definitely subverted any expectations that I had. At first, the story took me a bit to get into as I couldn't quite tell if the author was playing it straight or as a satire, but once that I finally caught on, I quite enjoyed it. Definitely more of a bizarro novel than a horror novel. The book has lots of fun characters, a bonkers plot, and a few very memorable scenes. Overall, I'm glad that I gave the book and author a try and would love to see further adventures for Braineater Jones.

Am now reading the Centipede LE of Guy N. Smith's "Bats Out of Hell", a first time read/author for me.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Centipede LE of Guy N. Smith's "Bats Out of Hell", a first time read/author for me. This book was so much fun and greatly surpassed any expectations that I had for it. Figured it would just be your usual animal-attack story, but the book was much deeper than the title would have one believe. I never expected it to lean into things like virology, or conservationism. I was also amazed at how large of a story Smith was able to cram into such a short novel. Feel like many authors would have padded the book, but he kept it lean and mean, much to its betterment IMO. Overall, I'm glad that I finally pulled this from my TBR stack and gave it a chance, and I'll definitely be looking for more books from Smith. Hopefully, Centipede will go back to the well and do another!

Am now reading the SST LE of Josh Malerman's "Daphne"

[brlesh]

Finished up Holly & really liked it.

How many authors out there could have pulled off a story about 80 year old cannibals!

The constant covid harping got old, but King addressed this in the afterward (based on the timing of the story & Holly Gibney’s personality quirks, he felt it was appropriate for the story), and his explanation makes sense.

Next up, the Joe Lansdale Drive-in tribute anthology.

I’m a couple stories in and not really into it

B

[brlesh]

Prior to Holly, I read The Longest December by Richard Chizmar (one half of a two story book, along with A Face in the Crowd by King & Stewart O’Nan).

I really liked The Longest December, a tense mystery that kept me guessing throughout.

Another winner from Chizmar.

B

[brlesh]

Just finished up A Face in the Crowd by King & Stewart O’Nan.

It had a Christmas Carol feel it, just set in the summer.

I liked it a lot, though IMO it’s not as strong a story as The Longest December.

B