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What are you reading, October 2016?

Does anyone have a great scary story recommendation? My family is all about Halloween and we love scary movies and books. Thanks!

Julie, are you looking for adult horror books, or more kid-friendly scares?

I best Just Elise has some good suggestions; I think she reads more horror than I do!

Some kid ideas at:

Some adult/YA ideas:



"GR List: Best Horror Books of the 21st Century"
/list/show/2...


Here are a few I thought were good (not necessarily in above list):

Zombies/Undead:
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Serial Killers:
(female serial killer)

(true story!)

And these are on my To-Read list:

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Does anyone have a sugggestion for a really creepy audio book?

StarMan wrote: "Julie, are you looking for adult horror books, or more kid-friendly scares?

I best Just Elise has some good suggestions; I think she reads more horror than I do!

Some kid ideas at: The Monster Li..."

Creepy audiobook??!! That gives me chills just thinking about those scary sounds in my ears! LOL

These are great suggestions StarMan! Thank you so much. I am going to go through them as we get closer to October and pick one. I'll let you know how it goes! :-)

A lot of classic horror is kid-friendly, but wonderfully creepy and enjoyable for the whole family. Poe definitely tops my list, and you can't go wrong with any ghost stories from M. R. James. H. P. Lovecraft's writing takes a bit of getting used to, but his stories are excellent, imo. Poe and James are in the public domain. Some of Lovecraft's work is, and some is not. If not Project Gutenberg, then googling should find a bunch.

I'm not a fan of audio books, but look like fun. :)

Thanks for the audiobook links, Elise :)

Finished Ariel by Steven Boyett


(fantasy)

Not a horror book, but some bad critters inside.

StarMan wrote: "Julie, are you looking for adult horror books, or more kid-friendly scares?

I best Just Elise has some good suggestions; I think she reads more horror than I do!

Some kid ideas at: The Monster Li..."

I put "The Girl with all the Gifts" and "The Devil in the White City" on my TBR list. I actually know about the story of the serial killer at the fair. I read about it online one night while searching for something to read. I didn't realize there was a story written about it. I'll have to check it out.

Devil in the White City is a fantastic book! Every word in the book is true, but Erik Larson's narrative style makes it truly read like a novel. It's more about the fair and the construction of it than about the serial killer, but his story is woven in perfectly.

Here's another book along the lines of Devil in the White City:


Thunderstruck

It involves a famous turn-of-the century murder, a trans-Atlantic chase, a Scotland Yard detective, and one of first exciting uses of wireless communications.

Just Elise wrote: "Devil in the White City is a fantastic book! Every word in the book is true, but Erik Larson's narrative style makes it truly read like a novel. It's more about the fair and the construction of it ..."

Awesome! Cant wait to start it. Thanks!

Julie wrote: "StarMan wrote: "Julie, are you looking for adult horror books, or more kid-friendly scares?

I best Just Elise has some good suggestions; I think she reads more horror than I do!

Some kid ideas at..."

Both of these titles are on my TBR! I have a paperback copy of "Devil in the White City" because I love any true crime story. They're the best.

StarMan wrote: "Here's another book along the lines of Devil in the White City:


Thunderstruck

It involves a famous turn-of-the century murder, a trans-Atlantic chase,..."

Being added right now. :-)

Just Elise wrote: "Devil in the White City is a fantastic book! Every word in the book is true, but Erik Larson's narrative style makes it truly read like a novel. It's more about the fair and the construction of it ..."

I can't wait to read it.

StarMan wrote: "Here's another book along the lines of Devil in the White City:


Thunderstruck

It involves a famous turn-of-the century murder, a trans-Atlantic chase,..."

Check! On the list.

Here are some other historical-based books that look good. I haven't read any of them, yet. Most of them are true-crime.


The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Invention of Murder
(a baffling NY murder, and Edgar Allan Poe)


The Father of Forensics: The Groundbreaking Cases of Sir Bernard Spilsbury, and the Beginnings of Modern CSI

(the title says it all)


The Devil's Gentleman: Privilege, Poison, and the Trial That Ushered in the Twentieth Century
(a poisonous death, 1890s forensics, high society intrigue)


The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired Chicago
(Prohibition, murderesses, a girl reporter, Jazz age)


Eiffel's Tower: And the World's Fair Where Buffalo Bill Beguiled Paris, the Artists Quarreled, and Thomas Edison Became a Count

(the extraordinary story of a criticized 1889 World's Fair exhibition that still stands today... though it was only meant to last 20 years)


The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science
(French serial killer verus 1890s science, a celebrated trial)


For the Thrill of It

(a brutal child murder in 1920s Chicago, a confession... and then the story really begins...)


Death at the Priory: Love, Sex, and Murder in Victorian England
(an unhappy Victorian marriage, a murder, long list of suspects)


Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam

(a brazen con man, innovations in radio, and a quackbuster)

StarMan wrote: "Here are some other historical-based books that look good. I haven't read any of them, yet. Most of them are true-crime.


[book:The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Inve..."

All of these sound wonderful! Thanks for posting!

Just Elise wrote: "Devil in the White City is a fantastic book! Every word in the book is true, but Erik Larson's narrative style makes it truly read like a novel. It's more about the fair and the construction of it ..."

Agreed! I really loved this book.

StarMan wrote: "Here are some other historical-based books that look good. I haven't read any of them, yet. Most of them are true-crime.


[book:The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Inve..."

Seriously great suggestions.

Julie wrote: "Does anyone have a great scary story recommendation? My family is all about Halloween and we love scary movies and books. Thanks!"

I'm reading Bird Box right now and it's pretty creepy.

I usually have three books going at the same time. I co-teach in a high school reading class and we read for 20-30 minutes a day. I try to read something YA. Right now it is Walk on Earth a Stranger At home I am reading some Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveaways: Look Not Upon Our Sins and Come Twilight.
I have not read a scary book in a while but have been looking through all the recommendations in the thread. Ones I remember in high school (back in the late 70's) that I read was It and Carrie.
Hope everyone is getting some reading time in and enjoying the fall.

I plan on reading Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury. I've had the book for about two years, and every October I've wanted to read it, but haven't had the time, so I'm MAKING myself read it this year! Stephen King and other writers have said it's one of the creepiest books they've ever read, and I guess it really inspired King to write, too, so hopefully it lives up to the hype!

Was that a movie? Sounds evil with the title itself. May have to take a look at that one.

Kelsey wrote: "I plan on reading Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury. I've had the book for about two years, and every October I've wanted to read it, but haven't had the time, so I'm MAKING myself r..."

Kelsey, I love Something Wicked this way comes! I hope you enjoy it. :)

There is a movie adaptation. It creeped me out when I was a kid, and I loved it. :) The title is a Shakespeare quote, from Macbeth.

Teresa wrote: "Was that a movie? Sounds evil with the title itself. May have to take a look at that one.

Kelsey wrote: "I plan on reading Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury. I've had the book for ..."

It was! Bradbury wrote a screenplay, but eventually he and Disney, the producer, came to odds over the direction, and he left. I've never seen the movie though! The title comes from Macbeth, the lines: "By the pricking of my thumbs / Something wicked this way comes".

Just Elise wrote: "Kelsey, I love Something Wicked this way comes! I hope you enjoy it. :)

There is a movie adaptation. It creeped me out when I was a kid, and I loved it. :) The title is a Shakespeare quote, from M..."

Oh, awesome, thanks! I just read about the movie, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to watch it, because I guess there's a scene with a bunch of spiders, and I'm severely arachnophobic :/ but I can't wait to read the book! It's actually because of Macbeth that I saw this, too. I love Shakespeare, and one day at Barnes and Noble, I saw the title and author and it immediately stuck out to me, for obvious reasons :) After reading the description I had to buy it, but it's been sitting on my shelf for two years so.. I have to get on it!

I want to say they were beetles, not spiders. But I could be wrong - it's been a while since I've watched it.

Very cool that the Shakespearean title grabbed you! I love Shakespeare, too, but I was familiar with this book (because of the movie) long before I read Macbeth. So it was the reverse for me - when I read those lines in the play, I had a little epiphany. :)

Wasn't there a thread here somewhere for The Book Thief? I can't seem to find it.

Hi Jill. The threads for The Book Thief are here -
/topic/show/...

...and here - /topic/show/...

On the group page, if you click on the category title ("Books," in this case), you'll find a lot more threads.

Thanks!

(Edited because I forgot there was more than one thread.) You're welcome. :)

I am making it my mission this month to finish Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke! It has just enough of a magical, yet creepy vibe for me and... I've only been putting it off for ages. Has anyone read that? Or perhaps some shorter novellas for fun?

I plan on reading and in October.

Kelsey, I read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell earlier this year and I loved it! I not only ranked it high on my favorites list, but I felt the need to vote for it on some lists (e.g., best books of the 21st century). I love Susanna Clarke's writing style, the humor and the way the story builds ever so slowly and steadily.

Ratings for it are very split - people seem to either love it or hate it. The things I love about it seem to also be the things a lot of people hate about it - they think it's too slow, and/or they don't catch or appreciate the humor (it's extremely dry and often dark).

In my review, I tried to offer a little guidance about different things people love/hate about it (without any spoilers). It may be helpful.

I hope you enjoy it! (the book, not my review) ;)

Kelby wrote: "I plan on reading and in October."

That looks like an excellent plan, Kelby :)

I've also read The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America and really enjoyed it!

I don't think I've ever read a book that really scared me... I'll definitely be adding Something Wicked This Way Comes to my TBR list. Not for this month though as I've already got quite a few books lined up.

I've had Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell sitting on my bookshelf for about 4 years now and haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I definitely want to tackle it soon. I actually tried to see if I could get the ebook from my library, but it's not available. For the longest time, I vowed I wouldn't read an ebook. But since my son was born, I've fully embraced them and now I greatly prefer them over actual books!

My lineup for this month is:


It's a lot for me, but I plan on easing up after this month.

I'll definitely be checking out those threads for The Book Thief as I progress through it.

I read Stephen King's Cujo at a very young age, and it was mildly/temporarily scary.

King himself has been quoted as saying Pet Sematary is the one book he wrote that actually creeps him out a bit.

Just Elise wrote: "Kelsey, I read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell earlier this year and I loved it! I not only ranked it high on my favorites list, but I felt the need to vote for it on some lists (e.g., best books of..."

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Like you say, a lot of people don't like this one. I have a copy and have been waiting for a good time to start it. Perhaps I'll get around to it sooner rather than later. Thanks for the glowing recommendation; it makes this one less daunting for me!

Erin wrote: "I've also read The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America and really enjoyed it!

I don't think I've ever read a book that really scared m..."

Some good choices, Erin!

StarMan wrote: "I read Stephen King's Cujo at a very young age, and it was mildly/temporarily scary.

King himself has been quoted as saying Pet Sematary is the one book he wrote that ac..."

Wow, really?! It's cool that Stephen King is actually creeped out by one of his own books. Would NOT have thought that.

Sometimes I really wonder about the GoodReads recommendation algorithm:



I guess that's what I get for having an eclectic reading history?

"King himself has been quoted as saying Pet Sematary is the one book ..."

I may have misquoted Mr. King:

Stephen King answers some questions about Pet Sematary:



And if you're a King fan, here's a fun Rolling Stones interview from 2014:

StarMan wrote: "Sometimes I really wonder about the GoodReads recommendation algorithm:





I guess that's what I get for having an eclectic reading history?"

Haha!

StarMan wrote: "Sometimes I really wonder about the GoodReads recommendation algorithm:


I guess that's what I get for having an eclectic reading history?"

As long as I am not the roadkill maybe??? I am with you on this one for sure!! LOL Good catch!

StarMan wrote: " "King himself has been quoted as saying Pet Sematary is the one book ..."

I may have misquoted Mr. King:

Stephen King answers some questions about Pet Sematary:

..."

Thanks! This is awesome stuff!

I just finished reading Emily Carroll's creepy "Through the Woods." Pretty darn spooky. Highly recommend for Halloween and graphic novel lovers!

Here's a Halloween freebie for y'all to enjoy. It's a short fantasy / paranormal fairy tale from Leigh Bardugo, and is about 30 pages long:

The Too-Clever Fox


Read free online:



And remember: if you are trick-or-treating tonight, don't be mean to any sidewalk snails. On Halloween only, they grow venomous fangs, and will bite at the least provocation.

Of course, actually catching someone slow enough to kill is a bit of a problem. *sigh*