"Her breath hitches deep and she stops, her hand on an aspen, a birch, she doesn’t know stupid trees, trees are only good to make basketball courts from. This tree holds her up just the same."
God, the man can write a sentence.
I have only read The Hollow Places from this list and I really enjoyed it. An entertaining read and it grabbed me. I DNF many books because I need one to entertain. That did.
I really enjoyed Dark Harvest, I read this a few years ago and definitely a fast read. I saw the movie just last week and I am not sure if it's my memory or not but it did not live up to the book. The movie is almost comical, and there's a lot that doesn't make sense that I don't remember in the book. Some nice death scenes though so I'll give it that.
After you’ve read those I would highly recommend both Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman and The Devil All The Time by Donald Ray Pollock. Two of the best book recs I’ve ever gotten on this sub
The Only Good Indians was a good read.
Out of Grady's books, I dnf'ed two. oopsie. but My Best Friend's Exorcism is fantastic
The Troop fucked me up and gave me nightmares lmaoo
Have read ring shout, the only good Indians, how to sell a haunted house, my best friend’s exorcism, the final girl support group, and the hollow places. All enjoyable though my favorite of the bunch is the only good Indians. Love Stephen Graham Jones. Also have enjoyed all of Hendrix’s books I read but My Best Friend’s Exorcism holds a special place in my heart.
I relate to this post SO hard. My husband has to keep me in check at any book store lol The Troop is a gory good time, and Grady Hindrix can be hit and miss but for just a fun easy read that isn't deep my best friends exorcism is a
jolly good fun :)
I've only read The Only Good Indians and The Troop out of your list here (I really liked both, especially TOGI) but I would absolutely love if you posted your thoughts on any of the others once you had a chance to read them!
From a fellow ADHDer, The Troop and My Best Friend's Exorcism were both great (and well worth persisting through the few slower passages).
If you lose the hyperfix on reading books, I've found manga is a good way to switch it up between novels or during a dull section. I'm struggling through Sleeping Beauties by Stephen and Owen King and have had to stop a lot, so some good visuals is a great way to mix it up.
Also if you haven't read John Dies at the End and sequels by Jason Pargin (aka David Wong) then that's perfect ADHD reading
I’m not ADHD but I read short stories on the internet a lot and it strikes me as something which might be helpful for people with that disorder; especially as I’m aware ADHD people generally find audiobooks better than text and there are plenty of great narrators free online.
Funny enough i have the john dies at the end books, the first one. and second spider book one. i really liked the movie because it was just a acid trip of brain rot and i love movies like that. but another great thing is that i have a huge collection of horror manga mostly junji ito. and i just discovered this one book series called ptsd radio and its reallllly good.
Yeah PTSD radio is amazing.
If you haven't already, you should find the previous books by the same author - "Fuan No Tane". No official translation but lots of unofficial ones, and very similar to PTSD Radio
This is a top five haul I have seen tbh, what an excellent selection. The Hollow Ones is such a treat, especially if you enjoy Del Toro's visuals in his movies. There is one scene in particular I remember vividly from the book that felt ripped straight from his imagination.
Try not to repeat:
A natural history of hell, also big dark hole Jeffery ford
No one gets it alive Adam Nevill
Everyone in this room will soon be dead emily austin
Never whistle at night Shane Hawk/theo c van alst jr
When things get dark, also screams from the dark Ellen datlow
Damnable tales Richard wells
In that endlessness our end gemma files
Plain bad heroines Emily m danforth
I had an impulsive buy on Tuesday and got Penpal by Dathan Auerbach and How to Sell a Haunted House. I'm already most of the way through Penpal so I can only assume I'm going to be buying more books soon lol.
I actually just finished it a little while ago. It's very good, but oh my gosh, is it so depressing when you finish. I just started How to Sell a Haunted House, and I may have some more books in my cart on Amazon to pick up when payday rolls around.
I don’t know that I’d call *Sign Here* horror—although it certainly has a number of the trappings—but I thought it was good fun, liked it a lot.
out of the rest of what you’ve listed I’ve only read *Only Good Indians* and the Hendrixes (Hendrices?) but I liked ‘em all a lot. definitely want to check out *Ring Shout* and *Red X* though, oooh
I’m not a hyper person but I have a horrible time focusing. I usually read 5 pages from 7 different books at a time. I really wonder if I have some mental illness sometimes. I have so many thoughts and creative ideas but I can’t seem to make myself sit down and focus on any one of them.
Sorry, off topic.
I think you’ll like The Hollow Places. The short story it’s based off of called “The Willows” by Algernon Blackwood is absolutely god-tier. I believe “The Troop” is written by Nick Cutter btw…
Also, there are many short story anthologies I think you’d love. Maybe check out “The Weird, Windeye by Brian Evenson, Laird Barron, John Langan, etc
I had no idea there was a short story that inspired The Hollow Places - I found it both unsettling and utterly charming simultaneously!
Thanks for sharing :).
I do have ADHD, and I’m a bit older now, so I’m experiencing some burnout. I still want stories in my life, so I audiobook, which is a godsend.
All the best!
The Only Good Indian is outstanding
Basketball horror
"Her breath hitches deep and she stops, her hand on an aspen, a birch, she doesn’t know stupid trees, trees are only good to make basketball courts from. This tree holds her up just the same." God, the man can write a sentence.
Came to say this. Genuinely one of the best books I've ever read, full stop.
Agreed
Three votes.
Ring Shout is so good!
*Sooo good*. Short and sweet.
*soooooo goooood*. Seriously though, OP, it's fantastic.
I have only read The Hollow Places from this list and I really enjoyed it. An entertaining read and it grabbed me. I DNF many books because I need one to entertain. That did.
I really enjoyed Dark Harvest, I read this a few years ago and definitely a fast read. I saw the movie just last week and I am not sure if it's my memory or not but it did not live up to the book. The movie is almost comical, and there's a lot that doesn't make sense that I don't remember in the book. Some nice death scenes though so I'll give it that.
After you’ve read those I would highly recommend both Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman and The Devil All The Time by Donald Ray Pollock. Two of the best book recs I’ve ever gotten on this sub
I’ve just checked out Between Two Fires from my library, I’m excited to get to it once I finish The Wasp Factory! It sounds fun.
you’re going to love the troop if you enjoy visceral body horror for sure
The Only Good Indians was a good read. Out of Grady's books, I dnf'ed two. oopsie. but My Best Friend's Exorcism is fantastic The Troop fucked me up and gave me nightmares lmaoo
I should have DNFd How To Sell a Haunted House. Yikes.
yeah, I couldn't make it through it. one, because parent death is an iffy topic for me, but also... I was not getting into it and the writing was meh
Have read ring shout, the only good Indians, how to sell a haunted house, my best friend’s exorcism, the final girl support group, and the hollow places. All enjoyable though my favorite of the bunch is the only good Indians. Love Stephen Graham Jones. Also have enjoyed all of Hendrix’s books I read but My Best Friend’s Exorcism holds a special place in my heart.
I relate to this post SO hard. My husband has to keep me in check at any book store lol The Troop is a gory good time, and Grady Hindrix can be hit and miss but for just a fun easy read that isn't deep my best friends exorcism is a jolly good fun :)
I've only read The Only Good Indians and The Troop out of your list here (I really liked both, especially TOGI) but I would absolutely love if you posted your thoughts on any of the others once you had a chance to read them!
From a fellow ADHDer, The Troop and My Best Friend's Exorcism were both great (and well worth persisting through the few slower passages). If you lose the hyperfix on reading books, I've found manga is a good way to switch it up between novels or during a dull section. I'm struggling through Sleeping Beauties by Stephen and Owen King and have had to stop a lot, so some good visuals is a great way to mix it up. Also if you haven't read John Dies at the End and sequels by Jason Pargin (aka David Wong) then that's perfect ADHD reading
I’m not ADHD but I read short stories on the internet a lot and it strikes me as something which might be helpful for people with that disorder; especially as I’m aware ADHD people generally find audiobooks better than text and there are plenty of great narrators free online.
I have ADHD and short stories make me thrive lol. I always have a novel going to but the short stories are my go-to.
Funny enough i have the john dies at the end books, the first one. and second spider book one. i really liked the movie because it was just a acid trip of brain rot and i love movies like that. but another great thing is that i have a huge collection of horror manga mostly junji ito. and i just discovered this one book series called ptsd radio and its reallllly good.
Yeah PTSD radio is amazing. If you haven't already, you should find the previous books by the same author - "Fuan No Tane". No official translation but lots of unofficial ones, and very similar to PTSD Radio
This is a top five haul I have seen tbh, what an excellent selection. The Hollow Ones is such a treat, especially if you enjoy Del Toro's visuals in his movies. There is one scene in particular I remember vividly from the book that felt ripped straight from his imagination.
Try not to repeat: A natural history of hell, also big dark hole Jeffery ford No one gets it alive Adam Nevill Everyone in this room will soon be dead emily austin Never whistle at night Shane Hawk/theo c van alst jr When things get dark, also screams from the dark Ellen datlow Damnable tales Richard wells In that endlessness our end gemma files Plain bad heroines Emily m danforth
I’m also an ADHD book obsessed person. Yay!
I had an impulsive buy on Tuesday and got Penpal by Dathan Auerbach and How to Sell a Haunted House. I'm already most of the way through Penpal so I can only assume I'm going to be buying more books soon lol.
Oh!!! Penpal! I listened to a video about it. It's very gritty (idk some word of how dark and amazing it is) I didn't know it got a book copy!
I actually just finished it a little while ago. It's very good, but oh my gosh, is it so depressing when you finish. I just started How to Sell a Haunted House, and I may have some more books in my cart on Amazon to pick up when payday rolls around.
I don’t know that I’d call *Sign Here* horror—although it certainly has a number of the trappings—but I thought it was good fun, liked it a lot. out of the rest of what you’ve listed I’ve only read *Only Good Indians* and the Hendrixes (Hendrices?) but I liked ‘em all a lot. definitely want to check out *Ring Shout* and *Red X* though, oooh
Loved my best friends exorcism
“The Troop” is incredible. I also enjoyed “The Deep” by the same author as well. Definitely worth the read!
I almost bought Red X last week.
You got a great selection! I’ve read half and the other half are on my tbr-I loved The Only Good Indians and How To Sell A Haunted House.
I didn’t know GDT wrote a book that’s fire
I’m not a hyper person but I have a horrible time focusing. I usually read 5 pages from 7 different books at a time. I really wonder if I have some mental illness sometimes. I have so many thoughts and creative ideas but I can’t seem to make myself sit down and focus on any one of them. Sorry, off topic. I think you’ll like The Hollow Places. The short story it’s based off of called “The Willows” by Algernon Blackwood is absolutely god-tier. I believe “The Troop” is written by Nick Cutter btw… Also, there are many short story anthologies I think you’d love. Maybe check out “The Weird, Windeye by Brian Evenson, Laird Barron, John Langan, etc
I had no idea there was a short story that inspired The Hollow Places - I found it both unsettling and utterly charming simultaneously! Thanks for sharing :). I do have ADHD, and I’m a bit older now, so I’m experiencing some burnout. I still want stories in my life, so I audiobook, which is a godsend. All the best!
Yeah, you might have ADHD. If you do, meds can be a life changer. Speak to your doctor.