Halloween Bingo Pre-Party: Book Suggestions for the New Squares

Reblogged from: Obsidian Blue

 

  

 

 

1. Dark Academia: Any mystery, suspense, supernatural or horror that takes place at a

school - high school, college, boarding school, etc.

 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

 

2. Dystopian Hellscape: This is a multi-genre square! Any book that relates to the fictional depiction of a dystopian society, such as The Handmaid's Tale or The Hunger Games, would qualify! 

 

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

1984 by George Orwell

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

 

3. International Woman of Mystery: This one is fairly obvious and is a twist on the "Terrifying Women" of years past - the only question is what does "international" mean? Basically, it means international to you - the reader. I'm in the U.S., so "international" means women mystery authors from Europe, South America, Asia, etc...

 

Still Life by Louise Penny

The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves

In the Woods by Tana French

The Chalk Man by CJ Tudor

Cover Her Face by PD James

 

   

 

4. Psych: Psychological thrillers, plot twists and suspense, unreliable narrators and other mind-fuckery. And, as an aside, any Halloween Bingo book that takes place within or related to an insane asylum, haunted or otherwise, would qualify!

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

 

5. Truly Terrifying: Non-fiction that has elements of suspense, horror or mystery, including true crime, both contemporary and historical. Examples would be The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, or The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson. If you have another idea, run it by me - just remember that it has to fit into the general Halloween Bingo criteria of mystery, suspense, horror or supernatural!

 

The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule

Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule

Bitter Harvest by Ann Rule

The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold 

The Devil in the White City 

 

6. Paint It Black: Any book with a cover that is primarily black or has the word black in the title, was written by a black author, or relates to rock and roll music.

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Dawn (Xenogenesis #1) by Octavia E. Butler

Dark Matter: Reading the Bones by Sheree Thomas (Editor)

 

  

 

 

7. Stranger Things: this is a twist on the past 80's Horror square with elements of the television show  - any horror that has supernatural elements, portal/parallel universes, government plots gone awry or is set or was written in the 1980's. 

 

14 by Peter Clines

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King

The Mist by Stephen King

Watchers by Dean Koontz

Phantoms by Dean Koontz

 

8. Film at 11:  The idea for this new space comes courtesy of Linda Hilton! Generally, in order to qualify for Halloween bingo, all books must fit into one of the general genres of horror, mystery, suspense or supernatural. This space is filled by any Halloween bingo book that has been adapted to film or television. For extra fun, you can watch the adaptation - although this is an optional add on!

 

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (see Netflix series. Seriously though the show messed up the ending of the series, they had some great stuff like the Broken Neck Lady. Shudder).

The Mist by Stephen King (see movie. Seriously though the ending! The ending was a gut punch is went more King than King did!)

It by Stephen King (there's now three movies (It was broken out into two movies for the latest go round). 

The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker (otherwise known as Pinhead or the sexiest voice in horror movie land. Got to say that Hellraiser still holds up.

Books of Blood: Volume 1 by Clive Barker (you got to love The Midnight Meat Train movie. Probably the only time I could stand Bradley Cooper past 30 minutes in a movie that he is not playing a raccoon. 

The Ring by Kōji Suzuki (The Ring movies (American version). I still jump during the well scene. You know which one. 

 

 

9. King of Fear: You can read anything written by Stephen King or Joe Hill, or recommended by Stephen King (as long as the recommendation is otherwise eligible for Halloween Bingo). 

 

Misery by Stephen King

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

Cujo by Stephen King

Needful Things by Stephen King

Revival by Stephen King

 

 

 

19. Stone Cold Horror: this is a late addition because I had too much YA horror, so I combined a couple of categories into Fear Street & needed something else for the horror genre! Horror that takes place primarily in a winter/cold/snow type setting. 

 

Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

White is for the Witching by Helen Oyeyemi

The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories: Volume Two by Allen Grove

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

The Hunger by Alma Katsu

 

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1934764/halloween-bingo-pre-party-book-suggestions-for-the-new-squares

The Haunting of Hill House

Review:

Audience: Adult

Format: Audiobook/Owned

 

No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more.

- opening lines

 

This was an excellent performance by Bernadette Dunne. I enjoyed listening to her read the story and she made me feel like I was right there with the characters staying in Hill House. The book itself is well-written and had me up late wanting to see what would happen next. I felt for Eleanor, cheered for her when she stood up for herself and worried for her as she became more affected by Hill House.

 

I recently watched the Netflix series and loved it, but it seemed like it was more inspired by the book than following the plot at all.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1934715/the-haunting-of-hill-house

Halloween Bingo Pre-Party: second group of prompts!

Reblogged from: Moonlight Reader

Since we are coming to the end of the first round of pre-party prompts, I thought I'd better get the second round up and ready!

 

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1931521/halloween-bingo-pre-party-second-group-of-prompts

Bob by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead

Review:

 

Audience: Grades 3-5

Formate: Audiobook/Library Copy

 

 

I feel bad that I can't remember anything about Gran Nicholas's house.

- first sentence

 

Livy is practically 11, well... 10 & 1/2 (almost). She hasn't been to visit her Gran in Australia for five years. She has forgotten a lot of things: 1) A green stuffed elephant in overalls; 2) A net bag full of black chess pieces; 3) A clunky old tape recorder. But she also forgot something really, really important - Bob. 

 

Bob is a short, greenish creature dressed in a chicken suit. He's been hiding in a closet, waiting five years for Livy to return. She promised him she would help him figure out who he is and find his way home.

 

Together Bob & Livy will try to solve the clues, figure out where Bob comes from, and discover unforgettable magic. The story is told through Bob & Livy's points of view in alternating chapters. It's the story of an unusual friendship that can overcome almost anything.

 

This is a great story and I loved both Livy and Bob. He remembers their early friendship and at first, is upset with her for forgetting. Eventually, we understand why she forgot and it makes perfect sense. Bob's sense of humor is hysterical and a bit sarcastic - it's great. And I wasn't sure what Bob really was or where he belonged until the very end. Though there were clues, they were just beyond my frame of reference.

 

This is another great Sunshine State Award-nominated book, especially good for fans of magical realism, or talking "animals," or even fans of friendship stories. I've seen this book in the library, but I wasn't interested. I'm not sure why. I guess I thought it looked odd. I don't know what I was thinking. That's why they say, "never judge a book by its cover." I'm very glad this book was nominated or I might never have read it.

 

I highly recommend this book!

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1917225/bob-by-wendy-mass-rebecca-stead

Homeroom Diaries

Review:

Audience: Young Adult

Format: Hardcover/Owned

 

 

I'm starting over.

- First sentence

 

Margaret "Cuckoo" Clarke has just been released from a brief stay at a mental institution after she had an emotional breakdown. Now she's starting over with "Operation Happiness." Cuckoo and her friends (who call themselves the "Freakshow") are determined to bring the different factions of high school together and find a way for everyone to get along.

 

The illustrated diary style works well for this book. Cuckoo writes down her thoughts and feelings about high school life, along with illustrations. She also talks to literary characters in an attempt to figure out life. I think this book will appeal to teens and pre-teens, especially those who like the diary format. It's easy-to-read and tackles real-life situations. 

 

I read this for #3 School's Out for Summer

At 272 pages, it's worth  $3.00

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1914515/homeroom-diaries