What are you currently reading?

[dannyboy121070]

If you guys decide to give it a go, I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts.

KING SORROW and Grady Hendrix's WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, which I was reading simultaneously, both failed to really grab me in the way that I was hoping, based on their previous work. Their fault, or maybe I'm in some kind of reading funk?

[RonClinton]

If you guys decide to give it a go, I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts.

KING SORROW and Grady Hendrix's WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, which I was reading simultaneously, both failed to really grab me in the way that I was hoping, based on their previous work. Their fault, or maybe I'm in some kind of reading funk?

Not your fault. WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS was a DNF for me, my first for Hendrix (though WE SOLD OUR SOULS was close) and I sold my signed copy. It’s starting to feel like the ol’ reliable authors are becoming less so.

[dannyboy121070]

Not your fault. WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS was a DNF for me, my first for Hendrix (though WE SOLD OUR SOULS was close) and I sold my signed copy. It’s starting to feel like the ol’ reliable authors are becoming less so.

Yeah, it is starting to feel that way...I'm still slogging through WITCHCRAFT, but I'm almost 300 pages in, and there are so many wayward girls that I can't keep them straight. Just waaaay too many characters.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of The Pink Agave Motel by V. Castro, a first time read/author for me. Got to be honest. Was very close to DNF'ing this book. The first half of the book were very short stories, almost felt like flash fiction, and they were a slog to get through. Each of them seemed to cover a different sort of monster (i.e., vampire, zombie, etc.) and had a bit of a sexual element, but most of them had very little plot. By the time I got to the novella that ends this collection (and is about half of the book), I wasn't feeling too charitable toward this collection. Luckily, the novella is a vast improvement on the first half of the book, but it's not quite enough to save the collection as a whole. Overall, I'm glad to have given this one a try but doubt I will be rereading it any time soon.

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of Ross Jeffrey's "The Devil's Pocketbook". Have had this in my TBR pile for a while and decide now was the time. I generally enjoy Jeffrey's stuff; so, I have high hopes for this one!

[brlesh]

Finished up a reread of Life of Chuck, which I really enjoyed.

I first read it five years ago when If It Bleeds was published, but couldn’t remember a thing about the story.

It’s one of King’s more straight up drama stories, though there is a ghost story element to it (all be it a slight one).

It was an unusually told story (the story was told in reverse) and it will be interesting to see how this works as a movie.

After Life of Chuck I started The Devil by Name, Keith Rosson’s sequel to Fever House.

While The Devil by Name doesn’t open with the frenetic pacing that Fever House did, at 80 pages in I am thoroughly enjoying revisiting the storyline and surviving characters from the first story.

B

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of Ross Jeffrey's "The Devil's Pocketbook". Man did I enjoy this book! Jeffrey writes grief horror very well, but this book was on another level. Maybe my favorite of his works so far, and much meaner than I ever expected! Add in the awesome production values by Thunderstorm, and this was an A+ read for me!

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of "Abhorrent Existence" by John Baltisberger, a first time read and author for me. Not sure what to expect, but the cover sure makes it look like fun.

[RonClinton]

I just finished John Williams' STONER, and it was just the kind of literary book I needed to recalibrate my reading rut from too much horror, too much crime, too much plot. I just needed something that really dived into character in a rich, poignant way, something that created introspection rather than tension, and this book is famously nothing but that.

Now I'm ready to dive into something dark and plot-driven, but not sure yet what that'll be. Maybe some mid-century macabre fiction from Valancourt.

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of "Abhorrent Existence" by John Baltisberger, a first time read and author for me. Book had lots of Kaiju fun, but I've also read a lot of books/stories very similar to it over the years; so, I wasn't quite as impressed as others might be. That being said, there were still lots of neat creatures, cool kills, and deplorable characters dealing with end of the world happenings. The author also seemed to have an underlying theme with each novella. Also, as always, Thunderstorm's production values were top-notch, but I did wish that there was some artwork included as I would have loved to have seen some images of the various Kaiju. Overall, while this story was nothing groundbreaking, it was still fun to read. Happy to have it in my Thunderstorm collection.

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of John Urbancik's "The Secret History of the Palace Theater". Going into this one pretty much blind...

[sholloman81]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of John Urbancik's "The Secret History of the Palace Theater". Not quite sure how to describe the story as it was a strange read for me (in a good way) and there was so much going on that I'm still not quite sure that I caught on to everything all or didn't miss some crucial details. Because of that, it feels like this book almost demands to be read more than once. In a strange way, this book also reminded me a little bit of Gaiman's American Gods as I was reading it. Would love to know what others think about this story but it doesn't look like anyone has reviewed it in Goodreads yet.

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of L.P. Hernandez's "Only Gods No Chaos", a first time author and read for me. Going in blind!

[RonClinton]

Just finished reading the Thunderstorm LE of John Urbancik's "The Secret History of the Palace Theater". Not quite sure how to describe the story as it was a strange read for me (in a good way) and there was so much going on that I'm still not quite sure that I caught on to everything all or didn't miss some crucial details. Because of that, it feels like this book almost demands to be read more than once. In a strange way, this book also reminded me a little bit of Gaiman's American Gods as I was reading it. Would love to know what others think about this story but it doesn't look like anyone has reviewed it in Goodreads yet.

Am now reading the Thunderstorm LE of L.P. Hernandez's "Only Gods No Chaos", a first time author and read for me. Going in blind!

You've been on a Thunderstorm tear lately!

Currently starting a book by a new (to me) author, Celia Dale. Valancourt has reprinted a couple of her "domestic crime/horror" books, and while I have both, the one I'm starting on at the moment is A HELPING HAND. I remain in the mood for something different, a little off-beat, and this one should punch that ticket.

[sholloman81]

You've been on a Thunderstorm tear lately!

Currently starting a book by a new (to me) author, Celia Dale. Valancourt has reprinted a couple of her "domestic crime/horror" books, and while I have both, the one I'm starting on at the moment is A HELPING HAND. I remain in the mood for something different, a little off-beat, and this one should punch that ticket.

Yeah, I've got at least two boxes of unread Thunderstorm hardcovers in my TBR area and was starting to feel a little guilty about that. Figured I should start reducing the size of that stack a little. I think after the current one, I may switch to something else as much like yourself, I'm now in the mood for something different.

Have never heard of Celia Dale or her books and will have to give her a google. Domestic crime/horror sounds fun!

[brlesh]

Finished up The Devil by Name by Keith Rosson, which I Iiked a lot.

Not as fast paced as Fever House, but more intricately plotted.

Really enjoyed both books and Rosson’s definitely an author I will be on the lookout for in the future.

After The Devil by Name I started Grendel & Other Creatures from the Dark, the latest collection from Tony Richards.

So far I’m four stories in, and while the stories aren’t bad, they just aren’t grabbing my attention like Richards has done in previous collections.

Don’t know, maybe I’ll put Grendel aside for now and start my reread of The Stand later tonight.

B

[dannyboy121070]

I'm reading a book called HAMPTON HEIGHTS, which was totally judged by it's cover and the Grady Hendrix blurb when I saw it in the Horror section at B&N a few weeks ago. It's a short novel comprised of 5 interconnected stories about a group of paperboys canvassing a creepy neighborhood for new subscribers. Kind of a Stranger Things vibe, and the author has made me laugh out loud on quite a few occasions so far. I'm just about done, and still not sure if I'd recommend it or not.