Backlogbooks Bingo Challenge - Horror Recommendations (part 2)
I'm back! There was a longer pause between part 1 and part 2 than I intended because job application and stress, but here we go with 2015 (actually 2016, horror didn't exist in 2015 according to my storygraph reads) to 2019
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix -- The heart of this story is the friendship between Abby and Gretchen, who starts to lash out at her friends after a traumatic summer experience. As with most Grady Hendrix horror novels, this one combines comedy with some truly gruesome moments, and very 80s vibes.
Your Favorite Band Cannot Save You by Scotto Moore -- One of my beloved weird little horror books! It's 128 pages of a music blogger who's taken in by an absolutely magical song from a band that may be using some less-than-ordinary methods to capture listeners' attention (and.... souls??? maybe. who's to say it's been a few years since I read it). It's not the scariest nor the best book I've ever read, but it's a fun romp.
A House at the Bottom of a Lake by Josh Malerman -- Second weird little horror book! This one is more of a vibes horror than an outright horror--think unsettling moments rather than jump scares or outright threats. I loved the combination of the eerie tone with the realistically awkward teenage dating stuff, and the way the impossibility of the house at the bottom of the lake draws the reader in just as much as the characters.
Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones -- A haunted house novella about a boy who sees his long-dead father in his house. Jones's writing style works so well in the shorter form, and the character work in this one Broke Me.
There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins -- A YA slasher in which the manner of the kills take center stage (I don't remember the specifics but I remember the Theatricality). This isn't my favorite slasher, but it's great for a quick read.
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica -- A horror dystopia about a world in which human beings have been bred and raised specifically to be eaten by other humans, after some kind of animal plague. This novel follows a character who works at a processing plant, focusing on the way he interacts with the world and his own internal conflicts (or lack of them, depending on the moment). This book is brutal, and so well written; it was the overwhelming favorite for the first year of our horror book club.
The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson -- An iconic weird little horror book! Every time Molly Southbourne bleeds, another Molly is born, and she's been trained since she was young to kill them before they can kill her. This book Commits to its premise, and I love it for that.
The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay -- A couple are on vacation with their child when four strangers show up, take them hostage, and insist that they must choose to sacrifice someone to save the world from apocalypse. This is a home invasion horror story and a meditation on violence, religious fanaticism, and the concept of sacrifice / self-sacrifice.
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand -- A YA horror novel set on an island where girls have been disappearing for decades, focusing on three girls who seem to have nothing in common. I don't remember much about this one, but I did enjoy it!
Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink -- This isn't a story. It's a road trip. I would die for the book and podcast version of this story; it's such a perfect portrait of American highways through a horror lens, and the main character, Keisha, is a very compelling narrator. I do probably love the podcast more than the book, but if you're not a podcast person, this is an excellent choice for you.
The Hunger by Alma Katsu -- This is a historical horror about the infamous Donner Party that spans most of the fateful trip. The strength and weakness of this book is the fact that it follows so many of the characters, and they're all varying levels of unsympathetic. I loved that aspect, but I know many readers have been put off or dnf'd--but if you're in the mood for a slow burn, tense, atmospheric read where you can see the whole party fall apart from the inside out, definitely pick this one up.
Bunny by Mona Awad -- A loner is invited to the rich, pretty, popular clique's get together, and everything starts to go wrong. A tale as old as time, and Bunny tells it very effectively (with a twist, or two, or many). Usually I have trouble with books where it's unclear what's real and what's the protagonist losing it, but I loved the sense of unreality in this novel. I was about two seconds from making a conspiracy board to figure out What Was Going On lmao. Also, some great freaky gore.
Wilder Girls by Rory Power -- Don't go in for answers, go in for body horror and character dynamics, and maybe questions, and body horror again. This story centers around girls at an isolated school which has been put under quarantine because of the Tox, which has infected everything on the island, including them.
Pearl by Josh Malerman -- First and foremost, I have to say that this should've never been retitled from On This The Day of the Pig. That's the title that tells you what to expect more than "Pearl"; and what you should expect is a psychic pig, which compels violence from those around it. The dread I remember feeling in this one is so strong, and I might have to reread it soon.
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez -- This is a multigenerational story of a cult, a curse, and the price of having powers without being powerful. Very lyrical writing style and non-linear story telling, which I think added to the feeling of everything in the family being intertwined (for good and bad, mostly bad). Another favorite from horror book club!
