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Question 1. Are you new to this genre? If so, what did you enjoy (or not enjoy) about it?
If you‘re not new to this genre, how does this novel compare to others you have read in the genre?
#Helloween #80sParty
I‘m tagging only for question 1 - I will post 4 more additional questions, so look for hashtag 😘

quietjenn, Bookzombie, DebinHawaii, mabell, peaKnit, Kalalalatja, sprainedbrain, AmyG, CarolynM, Sweettartlaura, Robothugs, LeahBergen, MinDea, Reviewsbylola, emilyhaldi, Mdargusch, Pamwurtzler, LouLouLane, Reggie, ephemeralwaltz, Bklover, Balibee146, thereadingowlvina, TrishB, Cailey_Mac, Librarybelle, batsy, toofondofbooks, bookandbedandtea, JaclynW, Cathythoughts, RachLovesTV, BookwormAHN, GripLitGrl

sprainedbrain I‘m definitely not new to horror... I really liked this one! I read a lot of Stephen King, and this was accessible and readable in the same way his books were to me as a kid and continue to be now. I really enjoyed The Elementals. 6y

Cinfhen I‘d say I‘m new to horror @sprainedbrain so I was expecting a scarier read. This book felt campy almost like a spoof or a bad B movie. I thought the characters were cartoonish but entertaining. (edited) 6y

TrishB Not new, I think horror is very subjective too - it will only scare you if it‘s something you‘re scared of - hope that makes sense! So if you‘re scared of Satan, or vampires or ghosts or 30 foot crocodiles - then a book with that focus is going to be very scary! What would have scared you? (edited) 6y

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Reviewsbylola Horror is not really a new genre for me but I don‘t read a lot of it. Im enjoying it more than I thought I would this month though! Once November hits I‘ll be done with horror until October 2019. 😆😆 6y

Reviewsbylola I agree with @TrishB and I‘ve yet to find a horror book that actually scared me. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 6y

Robothugs I‘m not new to it and I have personally read better books. I‘ve also reached Gilded Needles by him and it was much the same, so I am assuming this was his style. I think if the dialogue was perhaps not so over the top (Luker) I might‘ve enjoyed it more, too. 6y

Robothugs @TrishB I totally agree with this. Although I think a good writer can creep you out (not scare) regardless. 6y

Librarybelle I‘m pretty new to modern day horror, as I am such a scaredy-cat, though I can read true crime and gothic horror...go figure! Like @Cinfhen , I thought this was campy, and except for the ending, I wasn‘t exactly on the edge of my seat. But, for an intro to horror, I‘m totally fine with a low impact book! 6y

TrishB @Robothugs agreed - but these tend to be things that are more real for me- serial killers etc. Supernatural etc doesn‘t scare me- but I love reading it. (edited) 6y

TrishB @Reviewsbylola I don‘t get scared - but I still love them and carry on trying!! 6y

quietjenn Not new to horror, although it's not a genre I read often. In part because, as others have said, it is so subjective and I often find things that are supposed to be scary a bit ridiculous and eye-rolling. I think it's one of the hardest things to write, so if I manage to find something that legitimately scares me, I'm super impressed. This didn't quite do it, but I did enjoy it. 6y

peaKnit This didn‘t feel like true horror to me, I enjoy a scarier book I think, grew up on King. I thought the story with the characters was a little hokey at times. And I felt like a lot of the explanation for the elementals was left to the imagination. I‘m not sure I really “got” it. Just ok for me. What really happened to Lawton? Was he in the truck? The 3rd house? Did I miss it?😳 6y

Cinfhen Good point @TrishB I think reading about rape,molestation or abduction would be too much for me to read. Anything involving harm to children (edited) 6y

Cinfhen I agree there were some creepy moments which kept me invested in the story @quietjenn @peaknit @Robothugs @Librarybelle @Reviewsbylola @sprainedbrain 6y

TrishB Exactly why I can‘t read books with certain things in - because they‘re real and have a potential (no matter how small) to happen! 6y

AmyG @TrishB I agree with what you said about what scares you. Bird Box scared the crap out of me because of my fear of not being able to see what‘s coming at me. I also think it has to do with the writer and reader....the picture they paint in your head. For the reader it works or it doesn‘t. I grew up reading horror. This didn‘t scare me one bit, but I still enjoyed it. (edited) 6y

batsy Not so much new to horror as interested in it (horror books often have such cool concepts!), but too afraid to try 😂 But now that I'm slowly easing in, it's not so bad and books like this one are good for scared-cats like me. Great point, @TrishB it really is very subjective! 6y

Reggie @peaknit my theory is that whatever was in the 3rd house took the worst of you after it killed you. Because when they come back to the Savage house after Lawton disappears and the sand starts showing up, someone thinks it‘s as if Lawton got his wish of having that house destroyed so he could proceed with his plans for the oil sale. 6y

Reggie Not new to horror, but I really liked this one. I also think you have to sell a little of yourself to the book and while I read this in the dark, I just kept thinking what if this was happening to me. So I got a little creeped out. 6y

Kalalalatja Relatively new to horror, and the horror I have read have been more classic horror tales. I didn‘t find this scary at all, but I think it might have something to do with what time of day I‘m reading scary books. I read this in the day time, but the times I have been scared by books have mostly been when I was reading at night. Also, I agree with @TrishB real stuff is way more scary than the supernatural stuff 6y

Bookzombie I‘m not new to horror and I agree it‘s very subjective. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I was definitely creeped out several times. For example, when India is first looking through the window of the third house and she sees the door being pulled closed. We know the house is supposed to be empty. I think that creeped me out because I worry about strangers in the house. It‘s not remotely likely, but I check closets occasionally. Lol. 6y

Bookzombie 👆🏻This comes from reading and watching a lot of horror. Lol. I blame movies like When a Stranger Calls and The Strangers for this. 😁 6y

Bookzombie @Reggie I totally agree about having to sell a little of yourself to the book. 6y

Reggie @Bookzombie 😊 6y

Cinfhen I get that you kind of need to let yourself get caught up in the moment @Reggie @Bookzombie and when I wasn‘t “overthinking” I was enjoying 6y

BookwormAHN I'm definitely not new to horror. Their were definitely some creepy parts of this book. I like Mcdowell's writing. 6y

MinDea Unfortunately I am only half way through this book right now. I'll have to join the discussion when I finish. Sorry. A Head Full of Ghosts and Bird Box took over! 😆 6y

Cinfhen No problem!!! Both of those books were wayyyyy more creepier but this book was fun @MinDea 6y

Sweettartlaura Not new to horror - it‘s one of my go-to genres. And I loved this book because it combines 2 of my faves - horror & Southern gothic! I‘ve read gorier, but I‘m never in it for that - I love the creepiness. And any book that starts with a bizarre family funeral ritual has my stamp of approval 🖤 (edited) 6y

bookandbedandtea I agree with those who have pointed out that what frightens us is very subjective and that you have to give yourself over to the story. I seem to be ok with supernatural evil- and I allowed myself to be scared because I don't believe in it- but human evil is a whole nuther thing! It's way too real for me and I tend to avoid those stories. 6y

DebinHawaii I'm not new to horror & spent a lot of the 80s reading paperback horror as I worked at a drugstore with 2 round paperback racks & a LOT of slow night shifts & a pharmacist always on the phone with his girlfriend. 😉I somehow missed this one back then. I found it mild & less scary & gross compared to much of the 80s horror I've read & more Southern gothic, but I enjoyed it. The audiobook gets a big 👍 for making the most of the spooky tone. 6y

Cinfhen I agree @DebinHawaii there wasn‘t any #GrossFactor and I‘m kind of glad about that and yes that opening scene set a good tone @Sweettartlaura 6y

Cinfhen I‘m with you @bookandbedandtea supernatural elements isn‘t what scares me, it‘s real life horrors I can‘t stomach 😥😞 6y

LeahBergen I‘m not new to horror but I don‘t read much of it anymore. My early teens were FULL of this sort of read which is probably why I really enjoyed it. It felt like a walk down memory lane for me. 😆 6y

Bklover Late to the party here, but I didn‘t find this scary. I think for something to even feel a little scary I have to be able to relate to the characters. I think that‘s why I love Stephen King. His characters always feel real to me. These people were just weird. 6y

toofondofbooks I read half of this while we were on vacation in Gulf Shores this month which really added a great feeling to the read for me. I'm not new to this genre and I suppose since I'm from the South I related a lot to these characters. One thing I loved was how the heat and humidity was almost a character as well. To live here is to know how that kind of wet heat can affect you physically and mentally. I loved seeing its effects on the characters. 6y

CarolynM I'm late to the discussion #timezones, but wanted to put my two cents worth in. Very new to the genre, I don't enjoy being scared or grossed out. I agree that real life horrors are far more upsetting than the supernatural. I found the family story part of this one engaging and I liked the atmospherics of the isolated place in the blistering heat. 6y

JaclynW This genre is new to me. I've always been too afraid. But. My kids love this stuff and I am learning to appreciate it and have fun with it. Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought it was the right amount of creepy. I almost always read at night so maybe this contributed. @reggie I agree that totally letting yourself go and immersing yourself in it makes for a more enjoyable experience. 6y

JaclynW @reggie @Cinfhen I've over thought some books too and usually end up not liking them as much. I tear them apart to shreds. 😉 @TrishB @Bookzombie I can see how the horror genre is very subjective. My daughter read this book and was hardly phased. I was pretty darn scared! 😄 I also think the MOST scary stuff is the REAL life horrors - like kidnappings, rapes, abuse, torture, mass killings, etc. (Oh and Trump too.) 6y

JaclynW @toofondofbooks I felt that heat! I've never been to the South but the picture was well drawn by the author. Very atmospheric. 6y

JaclynW @Cinfhen I wish there were more real 80's references in this book. I actually couldn't exactly place the era because there are few references in that way. It seemed like it could have taken place any time. I knew when the book was written, so assumed that era. But. Darn. A missed opportunity. 6y

JaclynW @LeahBergen @Bklover @DebinHawaii @Sweettartlaura @BookwormAHN @Bookzombie @Reggie @amyg @trishb @peaknit @quietjenn @Robothugs @Reviewsbylola @sprainedbrain @Cinfhen Those of you not new to horror, what are some books you'd recommend to a newbie like me? 6y

peaKnit @JaclynW I always recommend the gold standard Stephen King, his old stuff tends to be true horror. The more recent Mr. Mercedes trilogy is creepy. I also like Dean Koontz. I just read The Watchers after it made the great read list, very good. (edited) 6y

toofondofbooks @JaclynW I think Stephen King is good to start with. Some of his stuff can be a little gory but not all. Cujo, The Stand, It, Salem's Lot, The Shining ... His older stuff is excellent. Say what you will, the man is a great story teller 6y

peaKnit @toofondofbooks great minds think alike, we must have written our answers at the same time! ❤️King! 6y

toofondofbooks @peaknit I know! Lol 6y

Reggie @JaclynW try Nick Cutter‘s The Troop (he‘s the king of the creepy crawlies), there‘s Mira Grant‘s Into the Drowning Deep (Killer mermaid goodness!!!), or Alma Katsu‘s The Hunger (A Donner Party retelling full of supernatural goodness.) And if you‘re feeling brave, there is Ania Ahlborn‘s Brother (a final boss level kind of horror that will leave a hole in your soul filled with sadness.) 6y

sprainedbrain @JaclynW Like others have said, Stephen King for sure. I‘m also pretty fond of Grady Hendrix... horror that‘s also edgy and funny. 6y

Sweettartlaura @JaclynW @Reggie Ania Ahlborn might be too much for a novice 😳😱. I really, really like her, but she‘s terrifying AND gory! And @Reggie Brother is the scariest 😱😱😱! 6y

Sweettartlaura @JaclynW King for sure - the first I read by him was more like a fairy tale - The Eyes of the Dragon. His short story collections are SUPERB, as are his collected novellas. Some of Neil Gaiman‘a work falls into this niche as well - particularly

Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances

Sweettartlaura I second Grady Hendrix - just finished My Best Friend‘s Exorcism - see my review from a couple days ago - I adored it 😍 6y

BookwormAHN @JaclynW I love Stephen King and Joe Hill also recently started reading Darcy Coates. 6y

Sweettartlaura @JaclynW try Paul Tremblay, especially

A Head Full of Ghosts: A Novel

Sweettartlaura I second Joe Hill ❤️ 6y

emilyhaldi I'm in agreement with a lot of the above... Reality / believable / true events scare me far more than horror of this genre! 6y

Sweettartlaura @JaclynW Adam Nevill‘s The Ritual might be too scary for a novice, but put it on your list to work up to, like Ahlborn. 6y

Sweettartlaura @JaclynW Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt - Harrowgate by Kate Maruyama - Library at Mt Char by Scott Hawkins 6y

Mdargusch I‘m not a big horror book fan and can‘t remember the last time I read one...until this book. I thought this was a great book to read when dipping my toe into the horror genre pond. 6y

Bklover @JaclynW Try Insomnia by Stephen King. His books are frightening not because of gore but because his characters seem like people you know. Insomnia is one of my favorites of his. 6y

JaclynW @peaknit @toofondofbooks @sprainedbrain @Sweettartlaura @BookwormAHN @Bklover @Reggie It sounds like Stephen King is a definite must from almost everyone. And so many authors that I've never heard of! Yay! I'm glad to have a good horror list. Thanks to all of you! 😘 I've screenshot all of your suggestions and will dive in. 👻👻👻 (If I dare!) 6y

JaclynW @Sweettartlaura I have read Trigger Warnings. I ❤ Neil Gaiman! 6y

Sweettartlaura Yay, @JaclynW ❤️. One more thing... GR has a list of their most popular horror novels. That is an excellent place to start as well 👍🏻 6y

Cinfhen Great question @JaclynW LOVE all the suggestions!! I‘ve made notes as well!!! Not ready to try Ahlborn but I will try some of the others. 6y

Cinfhen Thanks for all those suggestions @peaknit @toofondofbooks @sprainedbrain @Sweettartlaura @BookwormAHN @Bklover @Reggie lots of good reading choice for #90sSpringFling 📚💚🎉😁 6y

JaclynW @Sweettartlaura Awesome! Thanks! 6y

GripLitGrl Late to finishing the book but bett then never 😉 I'm a fan of the genre thought it was a good build up to a good ending enjoyed the writing style & appreciated the length. Short eno 6y

Cinfhen I agree the length was just right!!! @GripLitGrl 6y

Balibee146 Not totally new to genre but this was refreshing..... Shortish, set in a sunny climate, brave enough not to do a tidy wrap up 👍 6y

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