September-November: Best and Strangest

Well, it's been a very busy last couple months. As school has been back in full swing, it's been difficult for me to update as much as I would like and to read as much as I would like. Because of that, I've failed to post my best and strangest for each month lately. But not to worry! I am now posting everything that I have read from September through November and choosing the best and strangest of those books.

BEST:

• American Gods by Neil Gaiman - I can't believe I hadn't read this before. It's absolutely incredible! This is without a doubt one of the most beautiful, haunting, and mysterious books I've ever read. Gaiman's characters are wonderful and so memorable, the plotline is beautiful and dark and unexpected, the storytelling so magical. I cannot recommend this book highly enough (but don't bother with the TV series. It's awful).

STRANGEST:

• Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix - This is such a weird book. It's a horror story set in an IKEA that is both terrifying and kind of hilarious. Like, a minor plot point is that an employee has the right screwdriver in their pocket to save them from certain death. It's ridiculous and one of the more bizarre books I've ever read. 

THE REST OF THE BOOKS:

★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★★

★★★★

★★★★

★★★★

(this was a close second for Best book on this post)

★★★

★★★

★★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★

★★★

What have you been reading this month? Have you read any of the book I've read recently? Any suggestions based on what I've been reading?

On my horror picks

Horror is a genre that I’m trying to get into more. But I have to be careful - reading the wrong book at the wrong time will keep me up all night (sometimes because I have to read a much calmer and fluffier book to calm down). For the moment, here are my horror story picks that will keep you on your toes:

• Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix - Dreadful things happen inside a haunted IKEA. This book is both hysterical and terrifying. It's a fun and quick read and definitely worth picking up (for the beautiful artwork if nothing else).

• Red Dragon by Thomas Hardy - This prequel to Silence of the Lambs is horrifying and incredibly memorable. This series is a must-read for those with a dark fascination with serial killers.

• Coraline by Neil Gaiman - A little girl in a new home finds a passage to another world where things seem to be better. But what seems good on the surface might be far darker underneath. This YA horror novel is a great start for any young readers who are interested in the genre.

• Slade House by David Mitchell - Every nine years, someone disappears near an abandoned house. How long will it take before someone can stop the inhabitants of the house from taking more innocent people? This newer horror novel is terrifying and an interesting look at supernatural forces controlling a creepy house.

• The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - This early horror/detective novel is an excellent start to the genre and shows that people can be quite evil without any supernatural assistance.

What horror books have you enjoyed recently? What horror books would you add to this list? How do you feel about horror as a genre?