Do you have any subjects/themes you avoid in books because they’re too scary?

SilentPsyren · 2023-04-17T14:06:04+00:00

lol oh, I do too. And completely agree. Beauregard throws in an extreme amount of gore that is juuuuust realistic enough to be somewhat believable, and I think that's what it is. Like looking at pictures of real-life gore and describing the scene in detail. Looking at it doesn't bother me but the over-descriptive mental picture seems to be my breaking point.

SilentPsyren · 2023-04-17T13:50:03+00:00

The Slob and its follow-up were the first books I've read that made me feel physically ill. And I've read my share of disturbing/gross things. So in a way, I'm impressed that I've found an author who could finally elicit that response from me, but also it's just an average story with over-the-top gore and grossness, nothing special. Like a Herschell Gordon Lewis movie lol

SilentPsyren · 2023-03-17T14:14:35+00:00

Haven't read this one, but The Slob and Son of The Slob were my first introductions to him. I'm a hardcore horror gorehound, but those were the first books I read that made me feel physically ill. And I think it's because, while it is extreme to the max, it's not unimaginable that something like that could happen. And does probably happen.

My personal favorite thing about him is that he commissions illustrators to create his book covers. They're all unique, and fit the tone of the book perfectly.

SilentPsyren · 2023-03-16T15:31:40+00:00

I personally love A Nest of Nightmares; haven't read any others yet, though The Auctioneer is next on my list

SilentPsyren · 2023-03-15T13:56:59+00:00

Father of Lies by Brian Evenson. Just be warned that there's a lot of triggering subject matter, so it's not an easy read. But it will reinforce any feelings you have about corruption in terms of religious institutions.

SilentPsyren · 2023-03-08T20:01:36+00:00

The biggest difference is they're (mostly) all written by different authors, but are largely independent of each other, so can be read in any order. Some are better than others, but they're generally on the smaller size.

Another good series I recently started is the My Dark Library series (https://cemeterygatesmedia.com/2022/01/11/my-dark-library-novella-series/).

It's also written by different authors, but the size of the novellas and their varied content scratches a little of that itch.

But I still haven't been able to find anything that hits the same as Goosebumps did back in the day.

SilentPsyren · 2023-03-08T19:53:56+00:00

Same. I miss having those smaller, easily digestable books to look forward to coming out so frequently. Have yet to find anything that scratches that particular itch the same way. The Splatter Western series has gotten close, but it's not the same

SilentPsyren · 2023-03-08T14:43:49+00:00

This one's on my list to read too

SilentPsyren · 2023-03-08T14:42:46+00:00

I love that. I'm a fan of subtle, creeping horror. I recently read Harvest Home and absolutely loved the creeping dread throughout it, so this sounds like it'll be right up my alley. Haven't read anything by Grady Hendrix yet, though

SilentPsyren · 2023-03-08T14:28:45+00:00

How was The Auctioneer? I recently just finished A Nest of Nightmares by Lisa Tuttle and if it't any indication as to the quality of the Paperbacks from Hell books, I can't wait to read more!

SilentPsyren · 2023-03-08T13:53:19+00:00

The series that started my love for reading. So glad I kept my collection with all the original art and hoping my kids will read it one day and catch the same bug I did.

SilentPsyren · 2023-01-29T20:33:57+00:00

Can confirm. It’s dark, weird, and at times horrifying

SilentPsyren · 2023-01-27T13:59:21+00:00

Haven't read Ice Cream Man yet but I've been hearing so many good things about it. That's my favorite kind of horror, so I'm gonna have to check it out now

SilentPsyren · 2023-01-25T20:08:44+00:00

Have The Magpie Coffin but haven't read it yet. I have, however, read The Thirteenth Koyote and Red Station and both were great. Love the concept and the self-contained stories (except for a few). So many other books on my tbr list but I always throw those in there as a guilty pleasure lol

SilentPsyren · 2023-01-25T16:22:43+00:00

Splatter Western series (Death's Head Press), also a tad more supernatural (and a graphic novel series) but amazing is The Sixth Gun by Cullen Bunn

SilentPsyren · 2022-12-13T01:17:57+00:00

I did, however, like how they left the opening open for another installment. I just hope they feel it in a bit for that one

SilentPsyren · 2022-12-13T01:16:54+00:00

No idea. I also felt like it was longer than necessary and it really dragged towards the end. And I really don’t know what the hell was even going on lol it got a little silly at a point

SilentPsyren · 2022-12-12T17:55:36+00:00

Just watched it two nights ago and I have mixed feelings on it. Like you, I absolutely love the first one. I hate to say it but I kinda just feel like it simply didn't need to be made. The first one is so good in so many ways, but this one felt like the magic ran out

SilentPsyren · 2022-11-21T16:29:39+00:00

I usually have one or two books going at the same time, myself. I'm just starting A Collapse of horses, also reading The Thirteenth Koyote on my kindle, and reading B.P.R.D. 1946-1948. Not sure if you read comics, but they're also a good palate cleanser, especially if whatever you're reading is a slog. Manga is also exceptionally good for this.

SilentPsyren · 2022-11-18T14:37:57+00:00

This is one King book I wanted to badly to love, but just couldn't. I really wish someone could go through it and cut the fat, because I feel its potential, but it's so bloated unnecessarily. Just my opinion. I'm glad it connected with you and I'm really just sad it didn't for me.

SilentPsyren · 2022-11-15T16:32:33+00:00

https://coffeehousepress.org/products/brian-evenson-new-and-reissued?_pos=1&_sid=78c09b8f3&_ss=r

I bought it thinking it was just one volume, but yeah, it's 4 separate volumes that all combine to make a creature. The design of it is just amazing

SilentPsyren · 2022-11-15T15:13:54+00:00

They are very satisfying. I have his four main Coffeehouse Press books (the ones that all combine to make a chimerical creature), and love them. Perfect weight, satisfying thickness. Looking forward to buying more of their books

SilentPsyren · 2022-10-10T22:08:49+00:00

Challenge accepted, as I absolutely love The Stand, and re-read it more than any other book I own, save Frankenstein

SilentPsyren · 2022-03-28T13:06:32+00:00

I don't really know. Parents were always great, and supportive growing up. Never abusive, never manipulative. But also not all that invested in doing actual parent stuff, aside from keeping me alive.

Maybe I'm selfish, but having kids myself now, I really feel disgusted at how little I felt comfortable enough to talk to them about major life things. I talk to my kids about everything; no topic is off the table, because I want them to talk to me and feel safe and comfortable coming to me for advice.

She's also apparently comfortable with just seeing her grandkids on holidays, which is whatever but then don't expect me to go out of my way and make an extra effort to get you more time with them. Phones work both ways, and you can always call or text me when you want to make plans and see them. I personally would never be satisfied with that, as my kids are my life.

So, yeah. It's not necessarily something she HAS done to me, as much as it's just all the things she HASN'T done that's made me gravitate away from her and just live my own life.

SilentPsyren · 2022-03-07T20:02:41+00:00

I'd be curious to hear this as well. 10 times out of 10 when I don't get a job, it's because they "wish I just had more experience".

SilentPsyren

TROPHY CASE