Horror Aficionados discussion

Our Runner-up for July is The Invited by Jennifer McMahon!
Please use spoiler tags so that everyone can read and comment at their own pace!

Happy reading!

Great!! I’ll be along for this group read. Looking forward to it!

I just read this a few months ago. Very good!! I really liked it! Enjoy the fun book!

I’ll be joining in for this one. I haven’t read it yet, only The Winter People and I loved it.

Hi all, I'm new to this group. I just put this book on reserve at the library and look forward to reading it with you.

I'm going to try and make time for this one too!

Vickie wrote: "I'm going to try and make time for this one too!"

Awesome!! Can't wait to read this with you Vickie. :D

Ginger wrote: "Vickie wrote: "I'm going to try and make time for this one too!"

Awesome!! Can't wait to read this with you Vickie. :D"

Me too!🥰

Sweet, I have this one already own my kindle.

I tried to read this one. I am interested in reading all of your thoughts.

Not sure if I'll have the time or be able to get this one in July, but I think I'll try!

There's a long wait for this from my library. >:(

If anyone has Scribd, they have the audiobook (or my account does at least)!

Waiting for my copy. When I get it, I'll join in.

I have my book and will start this week. Should be a nice long relaxing week to get a lot of reading done. Hope I haven't jinxed myself now. :)

i reserved my copy at the library saturday. as well as The Night Sister their website said both was in so i should get them this week..i think.

Somehow I went from On Reserve #14 to having the book ready for pick up at the library! I be getting this tomorrow!

Alan wrote: "Somehow I went from On Reserve #14 to having the book ready for pick up at the library! I be getting this tomorrow!
"

Nice! It was meant to be :)

I read this last week (couldn't wait until official July 1st group read start date 😁) and thought it was a perfect summer read.

While it's not super scary, I liked its slow burn style and the pervading sense of foreboding, from the get-go right up till the climax. And I loved the twist on traditional haunted house tales (view spoiler)[this couple, Helen really, intentionally haunted their new home by incorporating "infected" items into the house during its build (hide spoiler)]. The mystery itself isn't too tricky to solve but I had fun nonetheless.

Side note: If you read and enjoy The Invited, I recommend checking out the shamefully overlooked and underrated classic The House Next Door.

Well, I'm the first two sections in. So far, it's kept me guessing and wanting to know more about where the story is going. There's definitely a palpable foreboding feeling building. Wish it wasn't so late and I wasn't tired so I could keep going.

Leah wrote: "Side note: If you read and enjoy The Invited, I recommend checking out the shamefully overlooked and underrated classic The House Next Door. "

I second this with my whole heart!

Leah wrote: "Side note: If you read and enjoy The Invited, I recommend checking out the shamefully overlooked and underrated classic The House Next Door. "

I read this last year and it was one of the best horror books I read in 2018, and probably ever. It really crawled under my skin like very few books ever have.

Wow!! Thanks the recommendation guys. I’m adding The House Next Door to my TBR list!

Me too, it sounds interesting. 😊

Vickie wrote: "Me too, it sounds interesting. 😊"

Maybe we can do a BR on that in the next month or two? Would you be up for it?
I still need to get started on this one. I’m hoping to start on it sometime next week! 🤞

I’m still waiting on the call from my library.

Latasha wrote: "I’m still waiting on the call from my library."

I’m glad I’m not the only one that hasn’t started on this!

No, I’m late too but I have so many to read in July. It’s a bit crazy.

Latasha wrote: "No, I’m late too but I have so many to read in July. It’s a bit crazy."

Same and it’s making me crazy!! 🤪🤣

Yeah I have 2 to read and I just don’t know where or how to fit them in. I’m going to try but !!

omg my library card expired and it didn't reserve the books for me! i'm glad i'm off friday, i can go fix this then and check out the books.

Latasha wrote: "omg my library card expired and it didn't reserve the books for me! i'm glad i'm off friday, i can go fix this then and check out the books."

OMG! 😱
You’ve got to get that resolved fast!

Ginger wrote: "Latasha wrote: "omg my library card expired and it didn't reserve the books for me! i'm glad i'm off friday, i can go fix this then and check out the books."

OMG! 😱
You’ve got to get that resolved..."

tell me about it :(

Well, I'm about 44% done, up to section "Mechanical". I thought the book started off really good, but the story's getting a bit weak. The mystery of the possibly haunted bog is fine, but I found (view spoiler)[how quickly the couple forgave and accepted Olive after catching her stealing from them and trying to scare them away to be pretty damn contrived. And now she totally digs them. That was such CBS lame TV drama convenience there. And I think by this point we all know what's really happened to Olive's mom. (hide spoiler)]

I was raised way out in the countryside but I've lived in cities since I was in my early 20s. I don't understand why this couple wants to live not just in the suburbs or even just the country but way out where almost no one else is around. No thank you. I've always thought being way out in the country is too quiet and too creepy and stories like this remind me why I think that.

my aunt lived far out in the country like that too. i don't like being that far from everything either.

I got my card fixed but still didn’t get the book! 😒

I'm on the "Mechanical" section. It's an intriguing read so far. I'm more invested in Helen's viewpoint than Olive's. I feel like I know where Olive's is going whereas I think Helen's story is just getting started. I'm really curious/worried about (view spoiler)[ Nate chasing after the white doe. (view spoiler)[

Also, I agree about living the country life. I understand how easy it is to romanticize the so-called simplicity and quiet. But as much as I don't like living on top of neighbors in the suburbs or cities, I hate being remote and away from others even more. I feel like living so far out and away from people is so risky. And the quiet makes one more aware of things that go bump in the night. Was that creak the house settling or someone taking a step up the staircase? O.o (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Finished it tonight. Have to admit that with about 120 pages or so left I felt the story was dragging out too much. But, not too long after that finally secrets were coming to light, things began to resolve differently than they seemed to be leading. I was quite sure I had everything figured out long before the end, and then.....that one big twist. And then that other big twist. And then that biggest twist of all that made me do this:


So, just when I was becoming less enthralled with the book, the ending caught me quite off guard and made me like it much better.

finally got around to starting it today, and have say it's off to a good start

Have to admit to being skeptical about this couple building their own house, even if it is small. What about the plumbing and electrical work? How are they qualified to do things like that and get the work to pass inspection? This would be more believable if they were working with a contracter.

WendyB wrote: "Have to admit to being skeptical about this couple building their own house, even if it is small. What about the plumbing and electrical work? How are they qualified to do things like that and get ..."

Some of that is addressed in, like, a sentence late in the book.

I would have preferred a sentence early in the book.
Is there some reason for not explaining it sooner?

WendyB wrote: "I would have preferred a sentence early in the book.
Is there some reason for not explaining it sooner?"

I think the author just expected you to buy into the fact that these two people were capable of building nearly everything in the house on their own. Just the two of them. In the middle of the woods.

Alan wrote: "WendyB wrote: "I would have preferred a sentence early in the book.
Is there some reason for not explaining it sooner?"

I think the author just expected you to buy into the fact that these two peo..."

Honestly, so far (at about 110pages) they seem barely capable of wiping their own... ummm... noses, so the thought of them out in the woods building a house AND doing it in one summer, well color me not buying it. Still interested in the story though.

Locals don't like people who drink craft beer, join book clubs, or complain about impassable roads. If I didn't know better, I would swear this book took place in good ole Pennsylvania

Cujo wrote: "Locals don't like people who drink craft beer, join book clubs, or complain about impassable roads. If I didn't know better, I would swear this book took place in good ole Pennsylvania"

As someone who grew up in PA, I couldn't agree more.

Cujo wrote: "Locals don't like people who drink craft beer, join book clubs, or complain about impassable roads. If I didn't know better, I would swear this book took place in good ole Pennsylvania"

I have family in PA. I concur! Hahaha!

WendyB wrote: "Have to admit to being skeptical about this couple building their own house, even if it is small. What about the plumbing and electrical work? How are they qualified to do things like that and get ..."

Totally agree WendyB. I thought the same!
I just started this and that’s the only thing that bugs me so far about the book.

Alan wrote: "WendyB wrote: "Have to admit to being skeptical about this couple building their own house, even if it is small. What about the plumbing and electrical work? How are they qualified to do things lik..."

I was wondering the same thing, plus what are they gonna do about sewage? I highly doubt they're on "City" sewer and I can't see them digging a septic tank because it's close to a natural water supply, plus be a PIA to empty...Maybe they'll build an outhouse