Halloween Reads!

Well, it's that time of year to try and find/make the most terrifying outfit to wear on October 31st. For two years now, I have felt robbed. You see, my favourite get-up for any Halloween do was to squeeze into my tattered, two sizes too small 'onesie' and scare the hell out of people on approach. The instant registered look of horror (disgust? disbelief? awe?) on people's faces was reassurance that my plan was super-tight and I was on the winning track. But then what happens? This bloody item of clothing, by some miracle, lands itself on the list of 'no longer horrific items to wear in public' and makes my life miserable. There went my 'foul-proof' costume out the window dropping to zero impact because compared to people wearing it now, I actually don't look too bad if you get my drift. So, here I am again this year, only a few days away and still with NOTHING planned to wear to a party on the night.

Oh well, I can always find solace in the fact that at least my reading list for this week is foul-proof. Every year, a week before Halloween to be exact, I re-visit a few of my favourite titles and discover new ones for that year that I feel are relevant to themes of horror, anxiety, and general disturbance to the psyche.

Here are a few of my favourite titles:

1. 'Christine' by Stephen King

I read this when I was about 14 years old and to this day I always, always, treat my cars nicely because you just never know!!! 'Christine' is a novel about a love triangle involving 17-year-old misfit Arnie Cunningham, his new girlfriend and a haunted 1958 Plymouth Fury. Dubbed Christine by her previous owner, Arnie's first car is jealous, possessive and deadly.

2. 'The Little Stranger' by Sarah Waters

Published in 2009, this I found to be a seriously chilling read. I couldn't put it down once I got stuck into it. The story is that of Dr. Faraday, a working class physician, and his friendship with the residents of Thousand Hall manor. Set in post war Britain, this is a well-knit story that is not only spooky but also reflects the atmosphere of the period brilliantly as regards to the British and the class system.

3. 'Before I Go To Sleep' by SJ Watson

Published in 2011, this novel was a sensation when it hit. It centres around a woman suffering from anterograde amnesia, which means that when she wakes up every morning she will have forgotten everything of her past and has to re-learn about herself and those around her each and every day by use of a journal she has been keeping. As she returns to her journal each day, a terrifying truth emerges that sets her on an impossible quest.

3. 'Little Hands Clapping' by Dan Rhodes

Published in 2010, the story revolves around a very macabre museum in Germany dedicated to suicide. This is a sombre story with characters that have 'interesting' life stories and many secrets. I probably should not have this in my list as there are quite a few brilliantly uplifting and funny moments in the book but it is also a sad story about some very sad people.

And for younger readers (11+ years), here are my recommendations:

1. 'The Long Weekend' by Savita Kalhan

The novel is about two 11-year old boys who think they are about to have the best time of their lives. Read a full review HERE.

2. 'Demon Dentist' by David Walliams

Recently released this is a book that carries a warning by its author that this is a horror story and for any child who hates going to the dentist, this will not make it any easier. My solace is that my 11-year old thought that his ordeal with his dentist was bad until he read this story about Alfie Griffith. Brilliant book with 'quite a lot of made up words'.

It's Great to be Back!

I am finally back from my break and can't wait to let you know of the books that I devoured in this time. So much to write about but the most exciting thing of all is that I have found out just how much I am attached to this blog of mine and that whatever I do now or read or write anywhere, in the back of my mind is the constant question of "How am I going to make this work on my blog?" I am guessing that is a good thing but we'll see.

Well in the movies last week was the showing of Susan Hill's The Woman In Black  so I thought I would give the book a go first. It's been a while since I'd read a ghost story, the last one being The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. Just a quick note: if you liked Sarah Waters' book you will love this one. The book is not a horror story but a ghost story that slowly takes hold of you and will not let go until you have finished the last word on the last page of the book. I like it because the main character is telling you the horrific story of what has happened to him and around him through a letter that he is penning to his family. His idea is that he will share the story once and never again bringing a closure to that part of his life. Although we, the reader, know that he has survived to tell the story it becomes more important to know who didn't and at what expense that survival came.

Funnily enough, after I finished this book I randomly chose Snowdrops by A.D.Miller; a book I have been meaning to read for quite a while now but never really got to. You can imagine my surprise when the main character in this novel also starts out by writing a letter to his fiancee this time telling her the truth about himself during the time he was living in Moscow before they met.  This is a really good book that I think resonates with our economic and social values of this day and age. This is a glimpse into the harsh climate of the new Russia and of the influx of foreigners looking to make a quick buck. Lots of violence, lots of sex and an obscene amount of vodka.

On my kindle I downloaded Stop What You're Doing and Read This which is a compilation of essays written by several prominent writers on why they believe that reading will never cease to be important and presenting their case for or against the rise of e-books and how that will affect the reading generations in the future. Some really good points and it is a book I will probably go back to time and again. A point made in the book and that made me really stop and think was that it is not enough to make books accessible to people but you should also provide the environment that will make time for reading which can only be obtained through better economic, social and welfare conditions. I know you want to argue the point (as did I) and please feel free to do so in the comments below.

On a lighter note I would very much like to one day thank Tara Palmer-Tomkinson for her book Inheritance which I read on the flight back to the UK. I have a ridiculous fear of flying that I ridiculously acquired after the birth of my son. The book was funny, quick paced and it may not be a literary marvel but Tara tells a good story in a captivating and absorbing way and after all isn't that what proper writing should be about? That book got me through an eight hour flight with turbulence thrown in for good measure. I would recommend it anytime :)

mwah!....xoxo