Over the last few month's I have been spotlighting dual narrators so I decided it was time for a change of pace. For October, I wanted an audiobook with a single narrator who excels in giving voice to multiple characters. And as we head towards Halloween and next month's Presidential election, it seemed like an appropriate time for a Horror tale that explores U.S. history from a unique perspective.
Check the For Listeners tab to find this month's audiobook, and don't forget to scroll up and down the page to find other titles for your listening pleasure.
Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Friday, October 7, 2016
Four4U: Creepy-Crawly Horror
Spiders, and bedbugs, and ants, and ... microscopic alien parasites! OH MY!!!!
As it's October and we are heading towards Halloween, I felt a #44U list of HORROR titles might be fun. Although ... I went in a decidedly 'buggy' direction with four titles (two released this year) that are not only scary but will, quite possibly, cause an eerie itchy sensation. :-)
This creepy-crawly theme offers a broad spectrum of Horror sub-genres: from ancient evil, to genetic engineering, to psychological suspense, and finally science fiction. For insectophobics, these are the stuff of nightmares!
The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone (2016) - "A series of bizarre manifestations around the world, from a human-eating black mass in the Peru jungle and a baffling plane crash in America to unusual seismic patterns in Kanpur and a nuclear accident in China, lead to the discovery of the emergence of an ancient dormant species." (NoveList)
Invasive by Chuck Wendig (2016) - An FBI investigation into a possible terrorist attack by what appear to be genetically engineered ants leads to a billionaire philanthropist, an isolated island laboratory, scientists who resent the implication their work may be responsible, and the release of a highly aggressive bioweapon.
Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters (2011) - A young couple are ecstatic when they find their 'dream' apartment in New York City ... until the wife starts waking up each morning with small bites on her body and is convinced the apartment is crawling with bedbugs despite the fact no one else has been bitten.
Infected by Scott Siegler (2008) - While the CIA and CDC race to stop the spread of a mysterious parasitic disease turning people into raving, paranoid murderers, a former football player 'confronts' the infection and discovers the triangular growths just beneath his skin want something more from him.
Twitter hashtag: #44U or #4-4-U
As it's October and we are heading towards Halloween, I felt a #44U list of HORROR titles might be fun. Although ... I went in a decidedly 'buggy' direction with four titles (two released this year) that are not only scary but will, quite possibly, cause an eerie itchy sensation. :-)
This creepy-crawly theme offers a broad spectrum of Horror sub-genres: from ancient evil, to genetic engineering, to psychological suspense, and finally science fiction. For insectophobics, these are the stuff of nightmares!
The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone (2016) - "A series of bizarre manifestations around the world, from a human-eating black mass in the Peru jungle and a baffling plane crash in America to unusual seismic patterns in Kanpur and a nuclear accident in China, lead to the discovery of the emergence of an ancient dormant species." (NoveList)
Invasive by Chuck Wendig (2016) - An FBI investigation into a possible terrorist attack by what appear to be genetically engineered ants leads to a billionaire philanthropist, an isolated island laboratory, scientists who resent the implication their work may be responsible, and the release of a highly aggressive bioweapon.
Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters (2011) - A young couple are ecstatic when they find their 'dream' apartment in New York City ... until the wife starts waking up each morning with small bites on her body and is convinced the apartment is crawling with bedbugs despite the fact no one else has been bitten.
Infected by Scott Siegler (2008) - While the CIA and CDC race to stop the spread of a mysterious parasitic disease turning people into raving, paranoid murderers, a former football player 'confronts' the infection and discovers the triangular growths just beneath his skin want something more from him.
Twitter hashtag: #44U or #4-4-U
Friday, August 5, 2016
Four4U: A Twist on Austen
It's #Four4UFriday!
The guiding theme for this #44U list is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, although the titles are not simply continuations or spin-offs on Miss Austen's tale. The four titles below offer a different twist on the story of Pride and Prejudice and cross over into a variety of genres: horror, mystery, historical fiction, and contemporary women's fiction.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Graham-Smith (2009) - the mash-up combining classic literature with horror, that kicked off the mash-up craze.
Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James (2011) - six years after their happily ever after, all is not well for Elizabeth and Darcy when the relatives come to visit and a murder occurs.
Longbourn by Jo Baker (2013) - looks at the downstairs life of the Bennett family servants during the time of events related in Pride and Prejudice.
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld (2016) - a fun, 21st Century re-envisioning of the classic with all the same characters in modern day roles and situations.
Give these a try and see if you don't look at Miss Austen's classic in a whole new way. Enjoy! :-)
Twitter hashtag: #44U or #4-4-U
The guiding theme for this #44U list is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, although the titles are not simply continuations or spin-offs on Miss Austen's tale. The four titles below offer a different twist on the story of Pride and Prejudice and cross over into a variety of genres: horror, mystery, historical fiction, and contemporary women's fiction.
Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James (2011) - six years after their happily ever after, all is not well for Elizabeth and Darcy when the relatives come to visit and a murder occurs.
Longbourn by Jo Baker (2013) - looks at the downstairs life of the Bennett family servants during the time of events related in Pride and Prejudice.
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld (2016) - a fun, 21st Century re-envisioning of the classic with all the same characters in modern day roles and situations.
Give these a try and see if you don't look at Miss Austen's classic in a whole new way. Enjoy! :-)
Twitter hashtag: #44U or #4-4-U
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Wide Open / Deborah Coates / 304 pages / Horror
Sergeant Hallie Michaels serving in Afghanistan was killed in action. She was brought back to life with the ability to see ghosts. There is also news her sister has died back in South Dakota. In returning to her town Hallie finds the past isn't always done and finished. What exactly did happen to her sister and why has the town suddenly stopped answering questions? And what are the ghosts doing?A novel with many open ended questions about what the town/people are hiding. There is a bad guy but in my opinion not a fully developed one. What evil does he control and why? The deputy sheriff keeps popping up and is so laconic it is frustrating. What is it with all the elliptical sentences? An interesting tale with great potential but ultimately exasperating. The beginning of a series: Deep Down is second installment.
Some novels with similar themes: American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett and The Red Tree by Caitlin R. Kiernan.
Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling / Michael Boccacino / 239 pages / Horror
A cryptic Gothic horror novel by a debut novelist has a young widow take a governess job with a family dealing with a recent death and a house full of secrets. A deal has been made with an evil being with consequences impacting the present and the future. Will Charlotte figure out the mysteries and keep the family safe?Not a book for the seasoned horror reader but good for paranormal fans. Charlotte is a believable character who has to make some difficult decisions. The manor house with its hidden rooms and revealing cupboards is a great character in itself.
Some comparable novels are: Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield and A Spirited Manor by Kate Danley.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Book Talks Meeting - HORROR
On Wednesday, October 30 (the day before Halloween!) we had our first book talks meeting. Everyone came to talk about the 'other' Horror title they read for this section of the genre study program. Book talks give everyone a chance to learn more about the genre by hearing about other titles representative of that genre. It also gives everyone a chance to practice their book talking skills! :-)
The titles talked about were:
Joyland by Stephen King - Classic Stephen King, similar to his early titles. Listened to it on CD and really enjoyed the narration by Michael Kelly.
Red Rain by R. L. Stine - Yes, the guy who wrote the Goosebumps books! Blurb on the back makes it sound more scary than it is. Might be a good suggestion for someone new to Horror or as an Adult / YA crossover.
Let the Dead Sleep by Heather Graham - First in a series. Some readers might consider it more of a paranormal romance with a Southern setting rather than Horror.
Breed by Chase Novak - Enjoyed the book, although at first wasn't sure would be able to keep reading because the combination of genetic engineering and infertility was creepy. But stuck with the story and glad of it.
Wide Open by Deborah Coates - A murder mystery with some witchcraft and/or an ancient evil and an interesting female leader character. Never really learned what the title meant though ... :-)
Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling by Michael Boccacino - Another interesting female lead and premise but not sure if it completely followed through on it's promise.
The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice - Rice has created another character, like her vampire Lestat, who glories in being a monster; this time - a werewolf!
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King - LOVED IT! The return of Danny Torrance from The Stand, all grown up but still dealing with his 'gift.' Only complaint - that it had to end! :-)
A few of the annotations for these Horror titles have already been posted by the participants. Scroll down to see them and keep watching for the rest! :-)
The next genre, Literary Fiction, was announced and copies of the benchmark title, The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson, were available. Information about this title can be found by clicking on the Benchmarks tab.
The titles talked about were:
Joyland by Stephen King - Classic Stephen King, similar to his early titles. Listened to it on CD and really enjoyed the narration by Michael Kelly.
Red Rain by R. L. Stine - Yes, the guy who wrote the Goosebumps books! Blurb on the back makes it sound more scary than it is. Might be a good suggestion for someone new to Horror or as an Adult / YA crossover.
Let the Dead Sleep by Heather Graham - First in a series. Some readers might consider it more of a paranormal romance with a Southern setting rather than Horror.
Breed by Chase Novak - Enjoyed the book, although at first wasn't sure would be able to keep reading because the combination of genetic engineering and infertility was creepy. But stuck with the story and glad of it.
Wide Open by Deborah Coates - A murder mystery with some witchcraft and/or an ancient evil and an interesting female leader character. Never really learned what the title meant though ... :-)
Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling by Michael Boccacino - Another interesting female lead and premise but not sure if it completely followed through on it's promise.
The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice - Rice has created another character, like her vampire Lestat, who glories in being a monster; this time - a werewolf!
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King - LOVED IT! The return of Danny Torrance from The Stand, all grown up but still dealing with his 'gift.' Only complaint - that it had to end! :-)
A few of the annotations for these Horror titles have already been posted by the participants. Scroll down to see them and keep watching for the rest! :-)
The next genre, Literary Fiction, was announced and copies of the benchmark title, The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson, were available. Information about this title can be found by clicking on the Benchmarks tab.
The Haunting of Maddy Clare / Simone St. James / 318 Pages / Horror
The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James is a tale of ghost hunters, murder and vengeance in 1922 England.Sarah Piper signs on as a temporary assistant to aid wealthy, handsome ghost hunter Alistair Gellis in flushing out an angry spirit inhabiting her former employer's barn who will only speak to women. Will Sarah be able to withstand Maddy's horrific powers and find out what is driving her anger?
Not only for fans of Horror, Maddy Clare will also appeal to fans of suspense, mystery, and "Ghost Hunter" TV shows. Similar works are An Inquiry Into Love and Death by Simone St. James and The Woman in Black by Susan Hill.
Let the Dead Sleep / Heather Graham / 331 Pages / Horror
Heather Graham begins a new series named McCafferty and Quinn set in post Katrina New Orleans.Danni McCafferty didn't know her recently deceased father was actively involved in the fight to keep the underworld of crime and evil from overtaking their businesses and way of life in New Orleans. Danni teams up with Michael Quinn, a former super jock and associate of her father to fight an evil spirit awakened from a de Medici tomb. Graham delivers a tame story rather than a thriller but readers will want to see where Danni and Michael go next in their budding romance.
Heather Graham brings together the elements of romance, the paranormal/occult and Southern life . Other similar works include: Blue Dahlia (In the Garden), by Nora Roberts and Fat Tuesday by Sandra Dallas.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Breed / Chase Novak / 310 Pages / Horror
Breed, by Chase Novak, is a darkly disturbing, cautionary tale about infertility and the horrifying consequences of continued genetic engineering in man's never-ending quest to outwit Mother Nature.When they have exhausted all possible treatments in the U.S., Leslie and Alex Twisden journey to Slovenia to visit a mysterious doctor who has achieved startling success for other couples in their infertility support group - although many who undergo his treatments suffer an unspeakable side-effect; the desire to eat their children!
Breed will appeal to those who like creepy, intricately plotted horror stories and possibly also to those who enjoy mystery and suspense. Similar works include: The Literary Werewolf: an anthology and The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice.
20th Century Ghosts / Joe Hill / 316 Pages / Horror
20th Century Ghosts, a collection of short stories by Joe Hill (son of acclaimed master of the horror genre, Stephen King), is a Twilight Zone-like exploration of the legacies of the Twentieth Century that haunt us to this day.Each story explores a macabre facet of life in the last century - from people turning into bugs because of atomic testing to serial killers, child abductions, and our love affair with cinema and Hollywood.
20th Century Ghosts will appeal to lovers of Serling-esque strangeness, suspense and flat-out creepiness. Similar titles include Whispers in the Night and Dark Dreams both by Brandon Massey.
20th Century Ghosts / Joe Hill / 316 Pages / Horror
20th Century Ghosts is a compilation of fantastical short stories from debut author Joe Hill.Those who enjoy fantasy or horror should appreciate this collection of sixteen stories which can be read all at once or individually, one story per sitting.
The stories average about 20 pages but vary in length from short ('Dead-Wood', 2 pages) to long ('Voluntary Committal', 48 pages) and range from downright creepy ('Best New Horror' or 'You Will Hear the Locust Sing') to almost light-hearted ('20th Century Ghost' or 'Pop Art').
Similar reads might include Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link or The Bachman Books: Four Early Novels by Stephen King.
HORROR Book Talks and Annotations
The Horror Book Talks session will be held Wednesday, October 30 in Room 112 at General Administration starting at 9:00 AM.
Please bring a copy of your Horror book talk selection with you to the meeting. Everyone will be talking about their title and we will discuss the new and improved Annotation format which will be used during Round 5. It is the PRES technique based on a management tool developed by Peter and Susan Glaser, http://www.theglasers.com/.
This technique was adapted by Georgine Olson (a Readers' Advisory librarian in Alaska) for creating quick book talks. Click on Resources for an explanation of how we are going to adapt this technique for writing our annotations and for a link to the PRES Book Talk template developed by Ms. Olson.
Please bring a copy of your Horror book talk selection with you to the meeting. Everyone will be talking about their title and we will discuss the new and improved Annotation format which will be used during Round 5. It is the PRES technique based on a management tool developed by Peter and Susan Glaser, http://www.theglasers.com/.
This technique was adapted by Georgine Olson (a Readers' Advisory librarian in Alaska) for creating quick book talks. Click on Resources for an explanation of how we are going to adapt this technique for writing our annotations and for a link to the PRES Book Talk template developed by Ms. Olson.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
HORROR - Resources
For your perusal pleasure ...
The Horror Genre Resource Guide for 20th Century Ghosts has been posted under the Benchmarks tab and the Horror Book Talk Titles suggestion list is available under the Book Talk Titles tab.
The Horror Book Talks meeting will be held: Wednesday, October 30, 2013 from 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM at General Administration in Room 112.
You may choose to read one of the suggestions from the list OR select a title on your own but it should be a Horror title; keep in mind how your alternate selection would be a good representative of the Horror genre.
Keep watching for another post about the Annotation format we will be using.
The Horror Genre Resource Guide for 20th Century Ghosts has been posted under the Benchmarks tab and the Horror Book Talk Titles suggestion list is available under the Book Talk Titles tab.
The Horror Book Talks meeting will be held: Wednesday, October 30, 2013 from 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM at General Administration in Room 112.
You may choose to read one of the suggestions from the list OR select a title on your own but it should be a Horror title; keep in mind how your alternate selection would be a good representative of the Horror genre.
Keep watching for another post about the Annotation format we will be using.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
HORROR Book Discussion - Question # 7
And our final question for this collection of short stories ...
Besides Joe Hill's novels or his Locke and Key graphic novel series, what other read-alike titles might you suggest for someone wishing to read something similar to 20th Century Ghosts?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find any previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts or click on the Book Discussions tab to find the full list of questions.
Besides Joe Hill's novels or his Locke and Key graphic novel series, what other read-alike titles might you suggest for someone wishing to read something similar to 20th Century Ghosts?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find any previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts or click on the Book Discussions tab to find the full list of questions.
Monday, September 23, 2013
HORROR Book Discussion - Question # 6
How about we discuss the collection as a whole ...
It is not required, but many short story collections have an overarching theme, sometimes more than one theme. What, if any, is the theme which ties the stories in 20th Century Ghosts together?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts.
It is not required, but many short story collections have an overarching theme, sometimes more than one theme. What, if any, is the theme which ties the stories in 20th Century Ghosts together?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts.
HORROR Book Discussion - Question # 5
Let's continue with the readers' advisory aspect ...
How would you describe Joe Hill's collection to a reader?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find any previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts.
How would you describe Joe Hill's collection to a reader?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find any previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
HORROR Book Discussion - Question # 4
How about we discuss the title from a readers' advisory point of view ...
What type of reader do you think might be interested in this title?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find the previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts.
What type of reader do you think might be interested in this title?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find the previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts.
Friday, September 20, 2013
HORROR Book Discussion - Question # 3
Let's talk about the individual stories again ...
Which story was your least favorite in the collection and why?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find the previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts.
Which story was your least favorite in the collection and why?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down through earlier posts to find the previous discussion questions for 20th Century Ghosts.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
HORROR Book Discussion - Question # 2
Let's try something directed at the genre we are reading ...
In The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (2nd ed, ALA Editions, 2009; p 113), Joyce Saricks says "The atmosphere in Horror novels must, the fans tell us, evoke an emotional response: a chill, a sense of menace, a feeling of supernatural terror. This special atmosphere or setting pervades the novel (or in our case, short stories), and it is what the readers are expecting and looking for when they ask us for Horror fiction."
How do the stories in 20th Century Ghosts meet this expectation?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down to see my earlier post with the 1st discussion question for 20th Century Ghosts.
In The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (2nd ed, ALA Editions, 2009; p 113), Joyce Saricks says "The atmosphere in Horror novels must, the fans tell us, evoke an emotional response: a chill, a sense of menace, a feeling of supernatural terror. This special atmosphere or setting pervades the novel (or in our case, short stories), and it is what the readers are expecting and looking for when they ask us for Horror fiction."
How do the stories in 20th Century Ghosts meet this expectation?
Please enter your responses in the COMMENTS box so everyone can follow the discussion.
Scroll down to see my earlier post with the 1st discussion question for 20th Century Ghosts.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
HORROR Genre Book Discussion - NOW OPEN !!
Okay, here we go with our very first Online book discussion!
Let's start with an easy question for those who read 20th Century Ghosts:
There are fifteen (15) stories in the collection plus one more which is hidden. Which story in the collection is your favorite and why?
Post your responses in the COMMENTS box so that everyone can follow the discussion.
Let's start with an easy question for those who read 20th Century Ghosts:There are fifteen (15) stories in the collection plus one more which is hidden. Which story in the collection is your favorite and why?
Post your responses in the COMMENTS box so that everyone can follow the discussion.
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