I know King says Pet Sematary is his scariest book because of the subject matter of losing a child, but I think it has his best and scariest horror elements as well. The part where Louis is carrying Gage to the burial ground and being stalked by the Wendigo is one of the coolest, creepiest things I've read.
Currently reading this and just got past the nighttime paranoia scene with Don. It will be more difficult for me to stay up late at night from now on.
Today I’ve announced my next novel, which drops this summer, something I’ve been working on persistently and extremely hard since late last year! It has been a WILD experiment, what with the deadline and the fact that it was a uniquely collaborative effort. My announcement below and the preorder link below that. Side-note of transparency: it would be so truly appreciated if you could support and buy a copy. Because this was such a unique opportunity, and the fact that there were two other trios publishing novels in this same series, the (super small) publisher didn’t foresee how expensive it all would be — so long story short, authors won’t make any royalties unless presales do really well. So support your chorus fam and get a copy or two if the story / experiment itself interests you. SPARK BIRD by Jonathan Koven, Danny DeRock, and Julian Shendelman
Oh and here is the book description After being fired from Saint Pluvia's most powerful tech company, Simón, a burned-out experimental musician, falls into a catatonic depression. When his old friend, Chanda, convinces him to join a bird-watching club, Simón discovers a world of hidden waveforms within bird songs. His quest to understand the phenomenon plummets him into an existential mystery of ecological mayhem, an untrustworthy chemistry teacher, an accidental pigeon rehabilitator, and dangerous passion projects. Equal parts reflective and satirical, Spark Bird is a dreamlike saga of intergenerational trauma, the fine line between support and enmeshment, and the rewards and risks of creative obsession.
I'm reading Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air and it is probably the most scary and haunting thing I've ever read. And just solidifies the absolute hubris of so many ppl who climb Everest. Reading how they came across bodies buried in snow with several inches of ice on them only to discover they were still alive and breathing and in some cases still rambling is so terrifying and I can only take solace that they were prob in shock and in hypoxia that they were completely unaware of what was happening to them. Not that I ever considered climbing Everest but def solidified I'll never even pretend to entertain the thought
I’ve been really wanting to read this and somehow I always forget about it. But it’s been on my list for a long time.
Starting war and peace and I forgot how much I hate starting Russian novels and trying to figure out everyones nicknames
There are a lot of characters introduced early in W&P as well. Don't fret about perfectly and instantly distinguishing everyone. They separate beautifully as you move along. What translation are you reading?
My next book officially drops THIS month! Once again confessing that presales are extremely important for this project as it may determine whether or not I’ll ever see royalties for this thing, and beyond that, the survival of the publisher itself. PLEASE support your chorus fam and preorder at the link below! Spark Bird - Koven, DeRock, Shendelman
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay was super solid. The supernatural horror elements are a little standard, but the narrative shifts are cool and I was not prepared for that ending. It really saved the book for me.
Almost done with Where Are Your Boys Tonight and I’m glad I gave it a chance. I almost didn’t want to read it because of how it was marketed to me on Instagram, I felt like it was gonna be some like half assed Amazon digital type book. But it’s fun to relive so much of this shit and get backstory to all the rumors back then. My only criticism so far is these last few chapters toward the end seem kinda rushed. I wish there was a book like this about Drive Thru Records
I loved it and I agree with what you said about being hesitant. I didn't know how in depth it would go. I did the audiobook and loved to listen to the stories while I drove.
Finished Someone Who Isn’t Me by Geoff Rickley last night. For a first novel, I thought it was pretty good. Obviously took a lot from his own experience to the point that it seemed mostly like an autobiography. I also found, similarly to Thursday’s lyrics, that it’s a bit wordy and descriptive almost to its detriment. Especially in the beginning of the book. Took a while to get going but once it went, it was good. 7.5/10
I love poetic novels, so the lyrical voice was up my alley. I rated it an 8.5 when I first read it but found myself constantly thinking back to it that I went and reassessed to a 9.
I did love the ending. I feel like the last third really brought it all home and made me appreciate the journey. Specially as a therapist, it was very fascinating watching someone recover.
I recommend, if you get a chance, listening / reading the interviews Geoff did around the time of its release. They really opened up my appreciation for his storytelling approach, how he balanced truth with fiction, his relationship with sobriety now, etc. I guess in hindsight that’s probably what made it grow for me and kept it swirling in my brain long after I finished it.
I listened tot he 24 question party people which was sick but wasn’t specifically about the book. I did learn that Thursday turned down a million dollars to be in a print American Express ad though. Hoobastank took the money.