#RIPXII Peril of the Group Read Discussion Post for Slade House by David Mitchell @estellasrevenge

These are the discussion questions posted on Estella's Revenge.

Thank you for joining us! We'd love to know what you thought of SLADE HOUSE. These questions are just a jumping-off point if you're interested in sharing your answers. Link up down below!

1. Slade House is broken up into five parts and is narrated by five characters. Which one did you like best and why? 

My favourite character is Fred Pink. I thought it was very cool how Mitchell tied him into each part.

2. In my opinion, this is not a traditional "scary" book. Each new guest in the house reveals more about Slade House and the Grayer twins. Did you find any of it unsettling? 

Definitely! The creepiest part for me was when the victim saw their portrait on the wall, before their soul was consumed. Can you imagine how unsettling it would be for them?!

3. This quote, discuss: “Grief is an amputation, but hope is incurable hemophilia: you bleed and bleed and bleed.” 

That is an interesting quote, and I think it's actually quite accurate! When you grieve because of a loss, it's over and you know that the person is not coming back. As painful as it is, you deal with the loss as best as you can and move forward. However, when there is no closure and you remain hopeful that the person is still alive, the pain goes on and on because you don't know what happened to them and therefore cannot move on. The pain is still there, like a bleed that never stops.

4. Norah and Jonah...sympathetic or nah? 

No way! They are soul eaters, and they prey on people. No sympathy from me.

5. We didn't learn much about what Norah and Jonah do between each nine–year cycle, but we do know that they have a lot of freedom and many resources at their disposal. What would you do with a gifted existence like this one?

They can took on any form and be whoever they want, and I assume that they could leave Slade House and go wherever they want after each cycle so I'd travel! I also have a thirst for knowledge, so I'd likely become very well-educated with numerous degrees!

6. The ending. What did you think?

I liked that the tables were turned on Norah and Jonah for once! They thought that they were going to feed and didn't expect that Dr. Marinus-Fenby was going to one-up them. She made a mistake not finishing Norah off, but I guess that leaves the story open for a sequel!

Here's the link to my REVIEW for Slade House.

Thanks for hosting this group read, Andi! I had never heard of this book before and probably never would have picked it up if it weren't for this Group Read. I really enjoyed it!!

Favourite Scary Books and Movies #TopTenTuesday

This is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, they post a new Top Ten list that one of their bloggers will answer. Everyone is welcome to join!

Today's list is a Halloween Freebie. I'm going with Favourite Scary Books and Movies.

The Exorcist
by William Peter Blatty
Hands down, I think this is the scariest book that I've ever read! If possible, get the 40th Anniversary Edition of the audiobook read by the author. If you think the movie is scary, just wait until you read the book!

The Shining
by Stephen King
I have both the paperback and the audiobook, but I haven't read this one yet. I tried to get to it in October and failed, but I'll listen to the audiobook before the end of the year. I find the movie pretty frightening!




This is the scariest of all the slasher flicks, because Halloween was the one that started them all!




This one is pretty grisly, and the sound of his heavy breathing in the gas mask freaks me out!




Movies with a child as the villain, like this one, always scare me!

Pet Sematary

by Stephen King

I read this about 25 years ago, and I absolutely loved it! The whole idea of the dead coming back to life but not quite the same, especially when it involves a child, is terrifying! It was a great scary read, and it's on my re-read list! The movie is equally good:

BoneMan's Daughters

by Ted Dekker

This isn't a horror novel, but it is totally creepy because it involves a serial killer who preys on young girls and kills them by methodically breaking their bones without piercing their skin.

Shattered

by Dean Koontz

This was my first read from Koontz, and then I was hooked. I find his books so terrifying because they could actually happen, since they are usually psychologically based! A man and his girlfriend's brother are driving on a road trip, and they are being followed by a psychopath. It really freaked me out!

The First Days

(As the World Dies, Book #1)

by Rhiannon Frater

Frater made zombies terrifying for me again! From my review: "Frater had me biting my nails with anxiety! What was so scary about her zombies is that they were not slow like they are in the movies; they are fast, especially when they smell fresh meat. Furthermore, some of her zombies appear to be thinkers, who study the environment around them and try to solve the dilemma of how to gain access to buildings or escape confinement."

The Last Bastion of the Living

(The Last Bastion, Book #1)

by Rhiannon Frater

Yes, another Frater favourite! This one has a futuristic sci-fi element in addition to the zombies.

The Little Stranger

by Sarah Waters

This story is not gruesome or gory, but a very eerie story told in a subtle way. Definitely creepy! 

Anna Dressed in Blood

by Kendare Blake

If you are a fan of the television show "Supernatural," then you will enjoy this book! It wasn't as scary as I was hoping for, but I still enjoyed it.

The Haunting of Hill House

by Shirley Jackson

It was good, but I was a bit disappointed that it didn't have the creep factor that The Little Stranger did.

'Salem's Lot

by Stephen King

Another King story with lots of disturbing scenes involving children. I still remember watching the 1979 mini-series on television when I was just a kid, and that infamous window scene with Danny Glick!

The Haunted

by Bentley Little

I have a thing for haunted houses, and this is another good one.

Burnt Offerings

by Robert Marasco

Another really good haunted house story, which I just finished.

Slade House

by David Mitchell

This was a Group Read for the RIPXII challenge, and I really enjoyed it! It's more than just a haunted house story.

The Troop

by Nick Cutter

I'm reading this one now, and I'm really enjoying it!

The Hatching and Skitter

(The Hatching, Books #1 and 2)

by Ezekiel Boone

Spiders taking over the world? Yup, these books will leave you feeling those critters crawling all over you.

Here are a some horror books that I have on my TBR mountain:

So, what are your favourite scary books or movies? Please let me know in the comments, or leave me a link to your blog post if you are also participating in the meme!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This weekly meme is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.

I'm reading: 

Something from my dusty bookshelf, and it's a good choice for RIPXII and Frightfall Read-a-Thon!

TITLE: The Troop

AUTHOR: Nick Cutter

PUBLISHER: Pocket Books

PUBLICATION DATE: July 22, 2014

FORMAT: Mass Market Paperback
LENGTH: 520 pages

GENRE: Horror

ISBN: 9781476717722

Once a year, scoutmaster Tim Riggs leads a troop of boys into the Canadian wilderness for a three-day camping trip—a tradition as comforting and reliable as a good ghost story and a roaring bonfire. But when an unexpected intruder—shockingly thin, disturbingly pale, and voraciously hungry—stumbles upon their campsite, Tim and the boys are exposed to something far more frightening than any tale of terror. The human carrier of a bioengineered nightmare. An inexplicable horror that spreads faster than fear. A harrowing struggle for survival that will pit the troop against the elements, the infected...and one another.

I am taking this nine-week course with a group of people, which features DVD Study sessions and a Participant Guide with study questions (homework!) for discussion each week. I'm looking forward to this! I've heard the book is great.

TITLE: Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life

AUTHORS: Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend

PUBLISHER: Zondervan

PUBLICATION DATE: November 2, 1992

FORMAT: Hardcover
LENGTH: 314 pages

GENRE: Nonfiction, Psychology, Self-Help

ISBN: 9780310585909

Having clear boundaries is essential to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. A boundary is a personal property line that marks those things for which we are responsible. In other words, boundaries define who we are and who we are not. Boundaries impact all areas of our lives: Physical boundaries help us determine who may touch us and under what circumstances -- Mental boundaries give us the freedom to have our own thoughts and opinions -- Emotional boundaries help us to deal with our own emotions and disengage from the harmful, manipulative emotions of others -- Spiritual boundaries help us to distinguish God's will from our own and give us renewed awe for our Creator -- Often, Christians focus so much on being loving and unselfish that they forget their own limits and limitations. When confronted with their lack of boundaries, they ask: - Can I set limits and still be a loving person? - What are legitimate boundaries? - What if someone is upset or hurt by my boundaries? - How do I answer someone who wants my time, love, energy, or money? - Aren't boundaries selfish? - Why do I feel guilty or afraid when I consider setting boundaries? Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend offer biblically-based answers to these and other tough questions, showing us how to set healthy boundaries with our parents, spouses, children, friends, co-workers, and even ourselves.

Another one from my bookshelf. I am reading this book aloud to my younger daughter. We both loved the 2017 movie remake with Emma Watson.

TITLE: Beauty and the Beast

AUTHOR: Elizabeth Rudnick

PUBLISHER: Disney Press

PUBLICATION DATE: January 31, 2017

FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 288 pages

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy

Belle has dreamt of adventures like the ones she reads in her books, of traveling the world outside her small town. When Belle's father is captured, she takes his place as a prisoner of a fearsome Beast. But life in the enchanted castle isn't as terrible as Belle imagines, and she ultimately finds friendship and love. Enjoy this tale as old as time about adventure and love, about looking past first appearances, and about the inner Beauty and Beast in all of us in this beautiful novelization of the upcoming star-studded film!

I'm listening to:

From my bookshelf, and another good choice for RIPXII and Frightfall Read-a-Thon!

TITLE: Burnt Offerings

AUTHOR: Robert Marasco

NARRATOR: R.C. Bray

PUBLISHER: Blue Heron Audio

PUBLICATION DATE: March 25, 2016 (first published 1973)

FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook

LENGTH: 7 hrs and 45 mins

GENRE: Horror

Ben and Marian Rolfe are desperate to escape a stifling summer in their tiny Brooklyn apartment, so when they get the chance to rent a mansion in upstate New York for the entire summer for only $900, it's an offer that's too good to refuse. There's only one catch: behind a strange and intricately carved door in a distant wing of the house lives elderly Mrs. Allardyce, and the Rolfes will be responsible for preparing her meals.

But Mrs. Allardyce never seems to emerge from her room, and it soon becomes clear that something weird and terrifying is happening in the house. As the suspense builds toward a revelation of what really lies behind that locked door, the Rolfes will discover that their cheap vacation rental comes at a terrible cost....

The basis for a classic 1976 film adaptation and an acknowledged influence on Stephen King's The Shining, Burnt Offerings is one of the most original and scariest haunted house novels ever written. This edition, the first in decades, features a new introduction by award-winning author Stephen Graham Jones.

I just finished:

TITLE: Dust

SERIES: The Resurgam Trilogy, Book #1
AUTHOR: Joan Frances Turner

PUBLISHER: Ace

PUBLICATION DATE: October 4, 2011

FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 384 pages

GENRE: Horror/Zombies, Young Adult

ISBN: 9780441020690

Nine years ago, Jessie was in a car crash and died. After she was buried, she awoke and tore through the earth to arise, reborn, as a zombie. And there were others-gangs of undead roaming the Indiana woods, fighting, hunting, hidden. But when a mysterious illness threatens the existence of both zombies and humans, Jessie must decide whether to stay and fight or flee to survive...

TITLE: Two Nights

AUTHOR: Kathy Reichs

NARRATORS: Colleen Marlo and Kim Mai Guest

PUBLISHER: Random House Audio

PUBLICATION DATE: July 11, 2017

FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook

LENGTH: 9 hrs and 6 mins

GENRE: Mystery, Thriller/Suspense, Crime, Mystery & Detective/Women Sleuths

A standalone thriller featuring a protagonist whose thirst for justice stems from her own dark past, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Temperance Brennan series, the basis for the hit Fox show Bones.

A private investigator driven by the ghosts of her childhood to bring justice to the helpless is contacted by a woman who insists she track down and kill the people responsible for her granddaughter's death. Initially suspicious of the case, her quest for the truth eventually propels her headlong into a web of violence and intrigue she must unravel with help from the twin brother who is her only connection to the past.

TITLE: Slade House

AUTHOR: David Mitchell

NARRATORS: Thomas Judd and Tania Rodrigues

PUBLISHER: Random House Audio

PUBLICATION DATE: November 17, 2015

FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook

LENGTH: 6 hrs and 54 mins

GENRE: Horror, Fantasy/Paranormal

Keep your eyes peeled for a small black iron door.

Down the road from a working-class British pub, along the brick wall of a narrow alley, if the conditions are exactly right, you’ll find the entrance to Slade House. A stranger will greet you by name and invite you inside. At first, you won’t want to leave. Later, you’ll find that you can’t. Every nine years, the house’s residents — an odd brother and sister — extend a unique invitation to someone who’s different or lonely: a precocious teenager, a recently divorced policeman, a shy college student. But what really goes on inside Slade House? For those who find out, it’s already too late...

Spanning five decades, from the last days of the 1970s to the present, leaping genres, and barreling toward an astonishing conclusion, this intricately woven novel will pull you into a reality-warping new vision of the haunted house story—as only David Mitchell could imagine it.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these books and, if so, what did you think? Please let me know in the comments and, if you are also participating in this meme, leave me a link to your blog post so that I can stop by!

Stacking The Shelves and Sunday Post

This meme is hosted by Tynga over at Team Tynga's Reviews, which she describes as follows:

"Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!"

Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Alright, so it's not quite that bad (yet!) but our temps are barely above zero and the snow is back. Thankfully, I did put my snow tires on last Sunday and filled up my bird feeders and bagged ten more bags of leaves. I overdid it a bit, though, and I was mighty sore. If the snow melts so that I can rake, then I can resume bagging leaves but otherwise that may be it! I added weatherstripping to my door, which is quite drafty, so hopefully that helps a bit.

This was an Audible Daily Deal that I bought this week:

The Girl Who Was Taken
by Charlie Donlea


I bought these at Audible's 2-for-1 sale:

 In the Woods
(Dublin Murder Squad, Book #1)
by Tana French

Shadow of Night
(All Souls Trilogy, Book #2)
by Deborah Harkness

Beautiful Oblivion
(The Maddox Brothers, Book #1)
by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Redemption
(The Maddox Brothers, Book #2)
by Jamie McGuire

 Beautiful Sacrifice
(The Maddox Brothers, Book #3)
by Jamie McGuire

Huntress Moon
(The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, Book #1)
by Alexandra Sokoloff


This was Penguin Random House Audio's free monthly download, which was available for 48 hours:

The Best of Edgar Allan Poe
by Edgar Allan Poe


I received this audiobook for review:

Fragments of the Lost
by Megan Miranda

Thanks again, Listening Library!


Recap: Last Week On The Blog

Sunday: Stacking the Shelves and Sunday Post

Sunday: Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Challenge: 10 Years in 10 Books

Monday: It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Unique Book Titles

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Thursday Audiobook Review: Slade House by David Mitchell

What books have you added to your shelves this week? If you are also participating in either of these memes, please leave me the link to your blog post in the comments so that I can come and drool over all your goodies!