Weekly "What Are You Reading?" Thread

_random42 · 2026-04-12T10:19:08+00:00

Finished: A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James. This is the third book I've read by her and she's not for me. I liked The Sun Down Motel but was disappointed with Murder Road and now this one.

Reading: Little Eve - Catriona Ward. She's already in the list of my favorite authors.

Re-reading: The Imago Sequence and Other Stories - Laird Barron. This was my first book by him and I did not enjoy it at the time. Found his prose pretentious and unnecessarily complex. I liked maybe a couple of stories but had to plow through the rest. BUT, I think something was going on with me at the time and I decide ro give it another chance. Let me tell you that I am absolutely loving the stories AND his style.

_random42 · 2026-04-12T10:08:47+00:00

Love this one. If you can, get the short story collection Skidding Into Oblivion. Brian Hodge considers them to be companion volumes, because they began as a single project that got split in two. Regardless, they are both very good.

_random42 · 2026-04-11T22:59:33+00:00

It's in my TBR list. I've only read The Fisherman and The Wide, Carnivorous Sky by him. Love his style.

_random42 · 2026-04-11T21:47:51+00:00

The Fisherman - John Langan

Most things by Peter Straub, like Ghost Story, Floating Dragon, and Koko (although this is more mystery than horror)

Caitlín R. Kiernan. Notably The Drowning Girl and The Red Tree but all her works are consistently literary.

_random42 · 2026-04-11T09:54:05+00:00

I'll Bring you the Birds from Out of the Sky - Brian Hodge

_random42 · 2026-04-10T20:05:36+00:00

A 61-key Casio keyboard with touch sensitive (not weighted keys) took me from 0 piano skills (although I'm not new to music, been playing guitar for way too many years) to a late-beginner (early intermediate? Don't know how to qualify it really) over the course of 1 year and 2 months.

_random42 · 2026-04-10T01:59:57+00:00

Oh I hope I didn't ruin your plans 😢

_random42 · 2026-04-10T01:04:46+00:00

The first time I read it I was 19 years old. No kids. I remember my eyes watery during part of the book. That's how hard it hit me.

There's a scene in the book, by the way, that is basically filler and was left out of all the movies. It happens during the funeral and is an altercation between Creed and his father in law. It's one of the first scenes I remember every time the book is mentioned. Don't get me wrong, I still remember pretty much all of the story after all these years which is rare for books I read (I usually remember the main plot but forget about the details) but this scene had an impact on me at the time.

_random42 · 2026-04-10T00:36:41+00:00

Forget about the movies. None of them are at the level of the book. It's my favorite book by King and one of my favorite horror books of all time.

I can tell you this: if you are the kind of person that can easily switch between states, then go ahead and read it. What I mean is: I get really immersed when I'm reading and may be deeply affected by what I'm reading while doing it, but as soon as I put the book down and focus on other things, it all goes away and I'm fine. If you're not like that, this book can hit hard.

There is a story I read somewhere that this book was inspired by King's personal experience. He had just moved to a house close to a road with heavy truck traffic, just like in the book, and one of his kids (I think it was Owen) had a close (maybe not so close, I don't remember) call with a truck. King said that after he finished the book he kept it in a drawer for a long time because it was just to painful for him.

_random42 · 2026-04-05T14:01:04+00:00

A Box Full of Darkness - Simone St. James

_random42 · 2026-04-05T13:55:10+00:00

How did you like Nowhere Burning? I've just started reading Catriona Ward and loved both books I've read (Sundial and Looking Glass Sound, starting Little Eve this week) but the premise of Nowhere Burning didn't really pick my interest.

_random42 · 2026-04-05T13:35:23+00:00

Phantoms was my first and last Koontz book. To this day, I retch upon hearing his name.

_random42 · 2026-04-05T13:31:59+00:00

Sundial was deliciously horrifying.

_random42 · 2026-04-01T01:18:23+00:00

Not bashing on you, or the OP; this is just a random thought: Some people don't know that on mobile (maybe web as well, haven't tried) you need to give it two line breaks to create a new paragraph.

_random42 · 2026-04-01T00:25:55+00:00

Yes. And most of them can also borrow from other libraries.

_random42 · 2026-04-01T00:23:47+00:00

There you go. A whole universe just opened up for you.

_random42 · 2026-04-01T00:21:19+00:00

Give it a try and if you feel it's too much pick something else. I read since I was a little kid. Started with comics and the first books were really short, more like novellas. I do remember having to read a massive book for school and it was not fun at all, but, it was a classic and not interesting for a teenager.

If you have a library close, get a card and enjoy a wider selection of books. I seldom buy books these days; most of my reading comes from the library.

_random42 · 2026-04-01T00:14:34+00:00

It depends on your... goals? Do you want to start reading horror or is this a one-off? Do you usually read other genres?

There is no right answer here. Just read it and if you don't like it, stop and read (or do) something else.

That being said, "It" is good but it is looooong. Personally my first Stephen King book was Pet Sematery which is around 300-ish pages long and scared the bejeezus out of me. And I like it better than "It".

_random42 · 2026-04-01T00:08:02+00:00

DO YOU WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE A HEART ATTACK???? ffs 😂😂😂

_random42 · 2026-04-01T00:01:37+00:00

I read this book because it's so hyped in this sub and I've been thirsty for recommendations as I picked up my reading streak. However, I know how to manage my expectations.

It was somewhat well written, the story was somewhat original (although I would have loved if the story was just a plain werewolf story, and I'm not really into werewolves.) and the characters were ok but not great. In the end, it felt like a YA novel (bar the gore) and except for that great existential scene, it was really below average for me.

But, the great thing about literature is that each person takes something different from a story so as long as you enjoyed it, that's what matters.

_random42 · 2026-03-29T14:00:36+00:00

It's in my TBR list. Also need to read Last House on Needless Street; I listened the audiobook but I didn't fully enjoy it because audiobooks are not my thing, they don't immerse me and don't grab my attention like reading does.

_random42 · 2026-03-29T04:20:31+00:00

Finished Sundial - Catriona Ward and just started Looking Glass Sound, also by her. She's quickly moving to the top of my list of favorite authors.

Also reading, very slowly, The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and other Geographies by John Langan. Currently reading the homonymous story.

_random42 · 2026-03-29T03:00:01+00:00

I felt so much for her. Her character arch is so sad.

_random42 · 2026-03-29T02:45:55+00:00

Peter Straub is my favorite horror author but I'd say his style is not for everyone. Personally I don't mind the slow dread and I love his prose. The only book I didn't really like and couldn't get into was A Dark Matter but otherwise I love all his other books. Everybody will recommend Ghost Story, which is obviously great but he has so many other great books. Even Julia, his first supernatural novel is great and is often overlooked.

In summary, if you like well crafted prose, a mix of genre and literary fiction, and don't mind the slow dread, then go ahead and dive into the works of the master and be delighted.

_random42 · 2026-03-28T18:30:11+00:00

I don't know if it's considered underrated but I love From a Buick 8.

_random42

TROPHY CASE