Tag Archives: Horror

Candace Bushnell and Stephen King Together at Last, Laurie Halse Anderson

Because this week I read Killing Monica by Candace Bushnell and Finders Keepers by Stephen King. The former could’ve used more scary parts, and the latter needed a lot more sex appeal. And it’s pretty clear to me that a mashup of these two authors would make for a pretty fabulous book. On their own? Two pretty mediocre reading experiences. In Killing Monica, a bestselling author decides the only way to self-actualize is to kill off her most famous creation. Or at least that’s the…

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Revival by Stephen King

Synopsis: When Jamie’s childhood pastor loses his faith a spectacular crash and burn, Jamie’s own life takes a header into addiction and suicidal tendencies, but when the pastor comes back into Jamie’s life promising healing, Jamie takes the proffered gift with devastating repercussions. Review: First of all, I liked Revival better when it was called Needful Things. Secondly, I wish Stephen King would stop basing his interpretation of American Christianity off of one church service he went to back in 1962. Every time he explores…

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Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes

Synopsis: The corpse that kicks off this murder investigation is grosser than gross (think taxidermy and meat glue), and the whole thing goes to a supernaturally dark place for all concerned. Review: Lauren Beukes effortlessly melds the genres of crime and horror in Broken Monsters, to the point where I genuinely had no idea what to expect or how it was going to end. And the ending did blow me away–and haunted me with a nightmare. Eek!

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Dr. Sleep by Stephen King

Synopsis: Danny Torrance from The Shining is now a grown man, an alcoholic that the demons inside him are no match for the demons driving the highways of America, looking for psychic kids so that they can torture them and steal their essence, and a young girl with whom he has a mysterious connection is their next target. Review: Of course I always read a Stephen King novel the minute it comes out, but I harbored trepidation about Dr. Sleep. In the afterword, King astutely…

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The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn

Synopsis: Snowbound in a remote cottage filled with memories, a sister, her brother, her best friendm her ex, and her ex’s new girlfriend realize that something out there wants to eat them. Review: Ania Ahlborn’s The Neighbors was more quirky than horrific, but The Shuddering is straight-up terrifying and I loved every nail-biting moment. I did enjoy trying to guess who would be left for the endgame, given that there was a really great love triangle at play, and the monsters were genuinely frightening. Loved…

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The Shining by Stephen King

Synopsis: Dysfunctional family gets collective ass kicked by haunted hotel. Review: I think The Shining is probably my favorite Stephen King book–and that includes the Dark Tower books. And I’m always tickled at how different it is from the Kubrick movie–and how I can love them both as complete works without needed them to resemble one another. My husband decided he’d give King a try, having never read any of his books, and asked me which one. I didn’t hesitate before recommending this one to…

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The Hoard by Alan Ryker

Synopsis: When Pete discovers his mother is living in a filthy hoard, he tries to get her help–not realizing that her problems may have a supernatural origin. Review: I loved the idea of marrying a zombie story to a hoarder story, but I did feel like The Hoard petered out and ended on an unsatisfactory note. But up until the last few pages, I really couldn’t put it down and even got pretty freaked out–not to mention grossed out. Many thanks to DarkFuse for the…

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The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle

Synopsis: Pepper’s not mentally ill, but he’s in a mental hospital nonetheless, and he wants to get out before his automatic bill payments drain his checking account–and before he’s stalked and destroyed by the devil who lives behind the silver door at the end of the hall. Review: I rarely cry when I read books. Like, I’m talking under ten times in my whole reading life. So when I tell you that the end of The Devil in Silver moved me to tears, you get…

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Lucretia and the Kroons by Victor LaValle

Synopsis: Lucretia, a 12-year-old girl living in the projects in Queens, just wants to spend her birthday with her best friend, but the boarded up apartment on the top floor might be inhabited by people who have a different plan for the girls. Review: Scary, smart, beautiful, haunting, powerful, resonant–can I please have a few more adjectives of praise to apply to this fabulous novella? Victor LaValle might be the most exciting contemporary writer I can think of. He is endlessly imaginative, a brave writer…

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