This is the master post for horror books or short stories read during Something Wicked Fall. I will be updating this post with my thoughts on stories I've read during the event.
Please share what you've read/your thoughts on what you've read in the comments. I think this will make for some hearty conversation!
There's a tab in the menu for easy access to this post.
If you're still reading Gothic stories in October, the Gothic stories master post is still a available in the menu.
I don't know about you, but if half of what is described about Elizabeth as a child is true, the atrocities she committed are really no surprise. Of course, she had some rather weird adults around her as well. It was a different time, when torture was common place. Ugh.
The story so far has me intrigued...Elizabeth's story. Just wondering where it's going with Drake's story. There is quite a bit of sexual content in this book, which I wasn't really surprised by. Some of the reviews I read mentioned this. I sometimes wonder if it's really necessary. I'm no prude, but still. Ha.
What's interesting is there are not really any definitive biographies of Elizabeth. Tons of fiction. The most prominent one, which has had mixed reviews, is
In Craft's bio, "Craft has spent over a decade researching the life and trial of Countess Báthory and over a year translating original source material into English." I plan on getting this one, but it's pricey. The Kindle edition is $10. I just don't spend that much on Kindle ebooks. The paperback is high as well, so on the wishlist it goes, along with Craft's other non-fiction Bathory book,
The Private Letters of Countess Erzsébet Báthory. This one seems more well-received in the review department. I did check my library for Infamous Lady, and I can get it through MeLCat, but it's not the second edition. I want the most up-to-date information.
What do you think about the reading so far?
Share your thoughts on this week's section in the comments, or leave a link to a post. We'll be back next week for the next section. If you need the reading schedule, find it here.
NEWS!
Our first watch-along is going to be Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) It's available on Hulu (if you're subscribed) or Pluto TV, which is a free streaming service. I'm thinking September 24 or 25 (Friday or Saturday) around 9:00 pm eastern time. Let me know which date would work. I created a Discord for Seasons of Reading, so we will chat on there during the watch-along (typing, not video chat). Here's the invite link for our Discord: https://discord.gg/e6uAmXtGqA
This is the master post for Gothic books or short stories read during Something Wicked Fall. I will be updating this post with my thoughts on stories I've read during the event. Look for the link in the menu above (Gothic Stories 2021).
I have lined up a selection of works and collections by classic authors considered writers of Gothic horror/fiction. I will be picking and choosing from works by M.R. James, Algernon Blackwood, and from this Project Gutenberg collection of works by various authors, Black Spirits and White: A Book of Ghost Stories. I'm also considering The Witch of Ravensworth by George Brewer, The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson, and The Haunted House by Walter Hubbell. This will be time permitting, of course. Oh, and I am currently reading the short story, Jerusalem's Lot by Stephen King (from his collection, Night Shift), which is the basis for the EPIX streaming series, the very Gothic, Chapelwaite. It is excellent!
Please share what you've read/your thoughts on what you've read in the comments, or share a link to your blog post.
If you continue reading Gothic stories into October, please feel free to share in the comments. I'll keep the tab in the blog menu.
💀 Andrei Condrescu's The Blood Countess read-along. We will be reading the book for the entire two months (excluding the week of October 10 - 17 when I will be on my trip...see below). This is another one I've had on my TBR for a LONG time.
Discussions will be held on this blog. I will put a new post up every two weeks on Sunday, with the exception of Sunday, October 10th and October 17th (I am going to Salem, Massachusetts for my birthday week this year...beyond excited!). The final discussion will not be on Halloween, which is on Sunday this year. I will post the final discussion on Monday, November 1st. We will read along according to the schedule below.
My edition is the Simon and Schuster edition, published 1995. 347 pages.
Read-Along Schedule
Week One (start Sept 1): pp. 7 (Prefatory Note) - 42
Week Two (week of Sept 6): pp. 43 - 89 Discussion post over weeks one and two - Sunday, September 12
Week Three (week of Sept 13): pp. 89 - 128
Week Four (week of Sept 20): pp. 128 - 167 Discussion post over weeks three and four - Sunday, September 26
Week Five (week of Sept 27): pp. 167 - 214
Week Six (week of Oct 4): pp. 214 - 258 Discussion post over weeks five and six - Sunday, October 24
Week Seven (week of Oct 18): pp. 258 - 301
Week Eight (week of Oct 25): pp. 301 - 347 (end) Discussion post over weeks seven and eight - Monday, November 1
Note on the schedule: This book does not have any clear chapter numbers, but there are clear breaks in the text at certain points. On sections of the schedule where one week ends on a certain page, and the next week starts on that same page, look for the clear page breaks. Hope this helps.
👻 In September, we're focusing on Gothic stories (Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and others). There's a great list on Goodreads for reference, Best Gothic Books of All Time. I'm not going to set up any read-alongs for this. I'll create a master post and you can stop by and share what you read, and your thoughts, in the comments of that post.
👿 In October, we're focusing on horror stories. There are a couple of great lists on Goodreads for reference...Best Horror Anthologies and Horror Collections (Single Author). I'm not going to set up any read-alongs for this either. I'll create another master post and you can stop by and share what you read, and your thoughts, in the comments of that post.
👹 We're going to have one or two horror movie watch-alongs! I'm thinking Malignant, which premieres on HBO Max on September 10th. We wouldn't necessarily have to watch it on release day. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Any suggestions? Leave me a comment. Since not everyone is on the same social media platforms these days, I have a Seasons of Reading Slack group (I use it for my online book group and it's so much better than Twitter chats) for our watch-alongs. Slack is free so you don't have to worry about that. Stay tuned!
🎃 #FrightFall Readathon, October all month long, at Seasons of Reading. Sign ups for the readathon will be open soon. Reader's Imbibing Peril (R.I.P.) is going on right now as well, and there will be Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon in October too.
😈 I'm hoping to get some of my horror author friends to contribute some guest posts. If anyone else would like to contribute a post or guest review, please let me know. You can send me a message via the contact form here on the site.
I believe I've covered everything. If you have any questions, feel free to comment, or contact me via the contact form (click the image near the top of the sidebar) No official sign-up for this. Just share that you're in by leaving a comment. You can join in as little or as much as you want.
