Book Slayers

Bonny: Have you ever wondered what May and horror have in common?

Well, the flowers are blooming and we decided this was the perfect time to spiral into horror books.

So if you like creepy vibes, unsettling plots and fictional trauma, you're in the right place.

Okay readers, let's slay these books.

Welcome back to Bookslayers!

Bonny: Well, we put dark fiction books on trial and break down whether they committed crimes against their readers or if they get a full acquittal.

We are moving into our horror era.

Let's see what books worked, which ones absolutely did not, and which one had one of us sleeping with the lights on.

I'm not joking.

How was your reading week?

Betty: I don't think I've read a proper horror book.

I'm not even that into, when I was younger, I definitely wasn't into horror films.

So this was a bit like, I'm testing the waters a little bit, but I've actually quite enjoyed my reading week.

I also had a bit of a funny thing that happened to me during my reading week to do with my broken TV.

It's a bit long, well not long, but I won't tell the story on this, but I thought I'll tell you later and we'll stick it on Patreon in the free bit.

So our Patreon links in our description.

Betty: If you want just a silly funny story that happened to me this week, we'll chuck that for free on Patreon, you can have a look.

But yeah, no, reading wise, it was really, I was quite happy with how much I enjoyed the horror vibe.

Are you normally a horror reader?

I know you're quite eclectic with your book genres, but is that one of your...

Bonny: Well, mom always had like Anne Rice and Stephen King books hanging around the house.

So I've always liked because mom always said, don't touch those.

Of course I did.

Well, that was a stupid thing to say.

Stacy, don't do that.

okay, I won't.

Bye.

I've got a lot of Stephen King.

I do quite enjoy horror, but I go through like phases.

And when you were like, let's do a horror month.

And I'm like, okay.

Betty: So you immediately wanted to.

Bonny: And I'm actually like, yeah, okay.

Yeah, okay.

Yeah.

Okay, I'll start with So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison.

Now I picked this one because we have like the dark comedy thing.

That's like something that we quite enjoy together.

And this one was like dark comedy with contemporary horror, but it was like paranormal fiction.

So I'm like, it's a nice one to ease myself back in with.

Betty: Yeah.

What did you read then?

Bonny: as I had quite a heavy month of all kinds of weird books last month.

But the book, okay, so it's like a re-version modern telling of like vampires, but she uses vampires instead of like being blood sucking fiends, they kind of explore female sexual desires.

Yeah, was, it's, they don't go into like, Betty: don't worry, doesn't sound like it's for me.

Bonny: It's not smart.

It's just that they use it as a way of like women empowerment, opposed to just going like where people throw themselves in different blood, which was different.

It wasn't bad.

It was different, but it had like, I don't know you've ever heard of anyone call it like campy horror.

Like if you ever heard, it's sort of, it's, means it's like funny.

It's like funny horror.

So it's, it's to take it seriously, but I love that word campy.

was brilliant.

Betty: I've heard this stuff but yeah I don't Bonny: And they're like toxic best friends.

And they, I don't know, it was different.

Like they had the whole found family trope because they found their coven.

And I was like, okay.

It took me a little bit to get into it, but the storytelling was really good.

I quite enjoyed the storytelling.

The characters were relatable, even though one of them was really fucking annoying.

Now I thought the dialogue was really clever and I did enjoy it, but that ending was pure and utter bullshit.

Okay.

Betty: Oh, here we go.

Bonny: It was like, you know when you're like running and you've got that adrenaline pushing all of a sudden you just go, I don't want to walk anymore.

And you get that like let down feeling.

That's what this book was.

I'm like what?

Betty: Yeah.

no!

Bonny: Yeah, so I wasn't pleased about that.

And they didn't really tell us a lot about where the vampires came from or any of their story.

And I felt like that was a missed opportunity.

They kept everything kind of surface level.

they didn't delve deep enough for me.

And the pacing was crap.

I did the audio book and I think if I had read it, I probably would have stopped reading it.

Like it was, yeah, I had predicted it was going to be 4.5 Sabbaths because I quite liked the author.

Bonny: And I only gave it 3.75 and I thought I was being fairly generous.

Betty: It sounds generous given what you've just said.

Bonny: Like, for the most part, if someone says, you enjoy it though?

Like, the vibes there?

Yeah, the vibes were there.

And I think that's really why I was sad, but there was just something that could have just made it so much better.

And it felt like the author was just like, whatever, I'm just gonna throw this shit out there.

But I think she was going for more the comedic value of the horror, opposed to actually really delving into a really complex story, which I guess was fine, but that's not what I was hoping for.

Betty: No.

I know you just look really pissed off like that was not the one.

Bonny: Look at my face.

Bonny: Well, I guess, you know what, if I went in with low expectations, I probably would have said 3.75 and actually was, yeah, but no, because I was expecting better.

Betty: Yeah.

Bonny: Don't displease me, people.

Betty: I also did like a horror comedy.

I didn't actually realize I didn't realize that it was well it says it's that genre and some of it I guess is I wouldn't say it's not like laugh out loud but it's like hmm yeah hmm it's a bit bit silly bit so it was how to sell a haunted house by Grady Hendrix.

Have you read this one?

It was good I did enjoy it.

It did have Bonny: Fuck.

Betty: some what the fuck moments like seriously so when something started happening i was like am i actually because i listened to it as well was like am i hearing this right what on earth so just for anyone who hasn't read it we've got the main characters called louise she lives away from her family her parents have just passed away like both at the same time there was just an accident you don't really know what the accident is she's got a brother called mark who lives there so she flies back to the family home Betty: And it's just basically at the beginning, both of them, well, she thinks that she's being left the house because her brother's like quite irresponsible.

I think it's portrayed as a bit of a drunk.

So she thinks that they're leaving her the house so that she can then kind of drip him money back.

That was kind of the deal.

But it transpires that when they both did their wills, they both left them to different children.

So it depends on who actually died first, which is quite brutal, isn't it?

Bonny: Yeah.

Bonny: Yes, I'll remember that now, yes.

Betty: So Louise's mum passed away second.

So her will was to leave everything to the brother, which I'm still a bit confused as to why.

And then it comes out that Louise gets the art from the house.

There's a lot of art.

I imagine it's like a big house worth a lot of money.

There's a lot of art stuff and I think she's into sort of arty things.

So.

Betty: Her and her brother have obviously got quite a difficult relationship.

She ends up wanting to stay in the house to sort stuff out and he's like don't stay in the house.

You really shouldn't and she's like I'll do what I want.

Even though she's got hotel she stays at the house.

Long story short it starts off with she is attacked in the house and it's a by a kind of it's a puppet which I thought the audio was saying pumpkin but it's actually pumpkin.

Betty: So how I feel is called Pumpkin, which I found it very funny afterwards that I'd completely got the name wrong.

It was on audio.

did they not read it properly?

So basically we've got like a possessed, doll, evil puppet kind of thing.

And then the story progresses from there.

But yeah, there is some horror in there.

There is some like...

Betty: there was parts of the book that I couldn't read it fast enough.

know, like when you sort of get your adrenaline going.

So if he was watching the film and you're like, oh my God, oh my God, he's like, and you get a bit panicky, I was like that reason it and I couldn't read it fast enough.

Some of it, like some of like the horror scenes where there's like a bit of sort of fighting or like running away that kind of vibe.

I was like, oh my God.

And then a lot of the backstory comes out about the family and all of that.

So yeah, it was...

Bonny: Yeah.

Betty: like family drama is a horror, you've got your haunted house vibes, you've your sibling rivalry in there and it's like the family, the whole family thing, I think someone says to her at one point like, yeah, cause your family's always been really weird and she's like, are we?

But it's because they have this kind of legacy of like having weird shit happen around them.

Like I think some of the aunties and stuff are like a bit into like, there's demons and there's ghosts and all this, but it's not like a massive vibe.

You also flip back to like when they're all kids.

Bonny: Yes!

Bonny: You Betty: and like their different experiences with the puppet, including the mum, which is, and there's also a massive bit about when Mark goes to like uni and how puppets play into that, which is actually quite funny.

I won't spoil that, but it's quite like, I was reading it, like am I, I was listening to it I was like, am I hearing this right?

Like at first it was like the book took like a really different turn, because it was like quite political.

And it was like, Bonny: Yes, you know.

Betty: What the fuck is going on?

But it does play into the story well, so do stick with it.

It was my first Grady Hendrix.

I have four stabbed it and that is that is kind of what my estimation was.

It was...

Bonny: Yeah.

You know what, the more you would, because I read this one ages ago and the more you talked, I'm like, my God, it's coming back to me now.

It's coming back.

I love the book.

I love, I love.

Bonny: Radiotext is great.

Betty: Yeah, yeah, I've the first book that I saw of him was something about witches in the title.

can't remember.

And that's what that's something that I wanted to read.

as we was doing, well, this just come up, I think maybe with me and you in conversation.

Yeah, I 100 100 percent recommend reading that book.

It was good.

It did have the horror vibes, but not too much that you'd be like.

Like, I think it's.

Bonny: Yes.

Betty: because you have got that element of comedy in there as well, which like I say, it's not always laugh out loud funny, it's more like amusing.

Like, you know what mean?

Bonny: Yeah.

You need to read Horror Store.

I own a copy of it just because it looks like an Ikea catalog.

I'm not joking.

And it was probably, it was my first introduction to Grady Hendrix and it was so fucking good that I binged any book I could get hold of.

Betty: Hahaha Betty: yeah, I'll definitely read more, more Grady's.

100 of them.

100.

Bonny: Excellent.

Bonny: Okay, my next book I picked because I wanted to watch the movie on Netflix.

And I'm like, I have the book, I should read the book.

Well, that was what, 2019, I think I got the book.

And I'm like, it's time.

Betty: Yeah, I fucking think so.

It's been a while.

Bonny: It's time.

So I did Bird Box by Josh Malerman.

That's the movie with Sandra Bullock.

I mean, if you've seen it.

Betty: haven't heard of The Box.

Bird Box, yes, I have watched that film a long time ago, but yeah, I have watched the film.

Bonny: bird box.

Bonny: Yeah, well, I was waiting to read the book.

It's sitting right there.

And I look at it and I go, oh yeah, I should grab you.

I haven't.

And I was like, yeah.

So it's one of those like post-apocalyptic horror thrillers.

So it had like some really sexy vibes in there.

And I'm like, okay, I'm ready for this.

Now, I'm not a massive fan of cosmic horror because I don't like unexplained shit.

Betty: I can already feel the suspense coming.

Bonny: I I'm watching the TV show From right now.

I know they're not going to explain fuck all, but I can't stop watching it.

Anyway, back to...

Betty: I've got a quick question.

Cosmic horror?

I've never heard of this.

Can you explain?

Bonny: Okay, so cosmic horror is basically where there's an unknown entity, like there's danger, but you never know what it is, why it's there or...

It's like the unknown.

What did they...

What did I call it?

It's like unforeseen forces, but it's never explained.

They don't give you any explanation.

And what explanations you get are theories that they are coming up with that keep getting like, puffed out.

Like they were like, animals can't be...

Betty: Okay.

Bonny: Like in the book, they're like, animals can't be affected.

Well, that was a lie.

They're like, oh, maybe if we look like if through a camera lens or in a mirror, it won't get us.

I'm like, it's not a fucking basilisk where you can get around corners with a fucking mirror.

It doesn't work that way.

Yeah, Harry Potter in it.

But that's that's how it was.

Right.

So I had like the safe house where they get trying to get people to go there.

And then when people would show up to be like, what the fuck are you here?

So you put an ad out, bro.

Like, I thought that was really funny.

Like, someone put an ad out.

It's like, hey, this is a safe house.

And people show up and they're like, Betty: Harry Potter.

Betty: I'm Bonny: Go away, we don't want you here.

It was weird.

And then it had like the flashbacks.

And I really enjoyed the mama bear vibes that they had going on too with the, I think her name was Mallory.

Yeah, Mallory.

But I really didn't enjoy the fact she was calling the kid boy and girl.

Like she never named them.

Like those poor kids.

Yeah, I was like, do this, girl, do that.

And I'm like, what are their names?

Betty: No for you, bitch.

Betty: was that a thing?

I can't remember the film.

Bonny: She didn't name them because, you know, she was trying to give them like they had like superhuman hearing and shit because she wouldn't let them sit.

God.

Don't even get me started on the fact she was going to blind them.

Fuck!

Anyway.

Betty: yes, I do remember that.

Bonny: It was, yeah, was, yeah, I tell you something, okay?

This book was so fucking intense that I had to take breaks.

I had to take three breaks where I had to stop reading and just go pace for a minute because I couldn't handle it.

I love horror, okay?

Betty: my god, I like this, I like the sound of this.

What is wrong with me?

Bonny: But it's it's psychologically, like I knew that, I knew that was, I knew that unforeseen stuff was real.

Like these things were really happening.

Even though one guy was like, well actually I think this is mass hysteria.

Like, there's not everybody went like crack pot crazy.

But it's like, the nutty people didn't go crazy.

They're already fucking nuts.

And I'm like, I didn't know what to fucking look.

Like I didn't and I was like, I shut my eyes?

Nope.

Didn't help.

Betty: Yeah.

Bonny: It was really edgy.

really liked that.

The writing was really, really good.

That's one thing I really enjoyed because this was a debut novel.

This was his debut novel.

Yes.

So I was like.

Betty: Wow!

How lucky your debut gets a movie with Sandra Bullock!

Or not lucky, how amazing that that's an achievement.

That's so cool.

Bonny: Yeah!

I did- Bonny: What?

It was clever.

Like it was really clever.

Now I've done the book because I, I can't even say I did it all in one sitting, it has to take breaks.

But I mean, I literally took breaks to like get out of my own head because it was starting to freak me out a little bit.

I was getting claustrophobic.

I went and opened the front door.

Like just give myself like, I'm like, it's okay.

We're not stuck here.

I'm not joking, okay?

My fucking heart was racing.

It might come up behind me and touch my shoulder and I literally ducked.

Bonny: like this on the floor.

He's like, are you okay?

I'm like, yes.

Fuck my life.

But it was, was the psychological like damage that it was, it was hard.

But again, yeah, but the ending sucked.

Betty: known entity has appeared.

Betty: It sounds good.

Bonny: They went through all this hell just for her to turn up at this blind place.

I don't know.

But he wrote another book.

There was another book.

He called it Mallory.

So I don't know if he was like trying not to cliffhanger it because he knew there was another book coming.

I don't know.

I was waiting for this big crescendo of like, oh my God, I'm going to cry because I'm so scared to.

Betty: trying to remember.

Betty: So is there a second...

it doesn't carry on this other book that's not a carry-on Mallory.

Bonny: I haven't read it.

Apparently there's a book about the Czech, the main Czech, Mallory, it's called Mallory.

Betty: Is there a second book too?

Bird Box.

I haven't heard of it.

Even though I'll be really honest, I didn't know it was a book originally because I didn't read at that point.

I just watched the movie.

Oh yeah, the sequel is titled Mallory.

The novel picks up years after the events of the first book and follows Mallory and her now teenage children as they fight to survive in a world still overrun by the mysterious entities.

Wondering if you find out what it is if you read the second one.

Bonny: I had to- Bonny: No.

Bonny: I don't know.

I don't know.

But my point was that usually with horrors, feel like you either get like there's a build up and it's just like, my fucking God, you're so glad that everyone's safe.

No, I didn't want that.

Betty: Why are we like that?

What's wrong with us?

It's so boring when they all are okay.

Bonny: What?

No!

I don't know.

Bonny: But the characters were a little underdeveloped and I think that was one of the, I probably could have gotten over the fact that the ending didn't end quite right for me.

Had the characters been a little less one dimensional, Mallory was really fucking stupid.

She really annoyed me most of the way through the book.

But all in all, I actually really fucking enjoyed this book.

last night, because we're watching that show from, and it's scary as fuck, but I'm laying in bed and I close my eyes and I'm like, this is safe.

Closing the eyes is safe because then you can't see the entity, you can't go crazy.

Betty: Mmm.

Bonny: And that was the thought that went through my head before I fell asleep.

Betty: Did you, did you any nightmares?

Did you wake up in a cold sweat?

Bonny: yeah.

Bonny: Well, yeah, because of the TV show, so it's probably not helping my claws here.

But yeah, I expected to give it 4.5.

I gave it 4.

And I think it's just because of the ending.

But I wouldn't have been happy if it cliffhangered either.

So yeah, I don't know.

I don't think he could have won either way.

Betty: Thank Betty: Yeah, I do.

Betty: Yeah, I do get though, it's really hard to rate a book when the whole way through you've loved it, you've really enjoyed it, but just the end is shit because it does kind of ruin the whole book, but also the enjoyment value of all the beginning of it.

You can't take away from that.

So I find it really hard when that comes in.

I try and rate it of how I felt for most of the time rather than just, the end was shit.

So I'm going to two star it or do you know what I mean?

Bonny: Yeah.

Bonny: no, I only lost half a star for the end.

Like I think it would have been, I think I would have nailed it then.

What about you?

Betty: Yeah.

Betty: So my next one I don't know which one to do first I'm gonna do this one actually I'm changing tact so I read hell house or I all do it Richard Matheson So it's about four people they're set to investigate this like haunted mansion to prove whether life after death exists So as they explore the house Betty: They're going to experience supernatural events that targets their fears and weaknesses.

Sounds great, doesn't it?

One of the investigators tries to explain everything scientifically, and then you've got another one that believes in spirits and shit.

As the group begins to break down, they start to uncover the dark past of the house owner and the evil force behind the haunting.

Sounds great, doesn't it?

Bonny: Look, you can say what you're gonna say.

I read it too, okay?

Let's see what you have to say.

Betty: I audio'd it.

I am not joking.

I got an hour and a half into that audio.

Bearing in mind I do it two times the speed, so it didn't take me an hour and a half.

I had to start again because I kept zoning out so much that I just started thinking about my day and what I need to do and shit and I was like, shit, I listening to that book.

It was so fucking boring.

It was an actual snooze fest to me.

So was like, right, okay.

Betty: Maybe you just, cause also I didn't really properly read everything.

I just thought, hell house that look, the cover looks good and everything.

That looks like I'll enjoy it.

So I was like, right, read it, read, read like the bit you get on the back of the book and then I'll go in and maybe I can like pick up on what he's talking about because for some reason I'm zoning out.

I did it again.

I listened to another hour and I was like, I've got a little bit more.

And then, you know, like you've said before about DNFing and I really don't do that.

Betty: And I just thought, I don't want to waste my life on this.

I went very dramatic.

I'm not wasting my life listening to a bit.

I was also trying to do it quite quickly because this was yesterday that I DNF'd it.

I'd started it the day before.

I had to restart and I was like, do you know what?

It's not for me.

But it sounds fucking great.

So I don't know if it's an audio problem, but I also...

Bonny: Now cut.

Betty: I also challenged myself, I was like, right, is this me just not in the right head space and I've got too much shit, I've had a really busy week.

So I started listening to a different type of book afterwards.

I know what happened in that fucking book.

I haven't listened to the whole thing, but I knew what was happening.

I was listening, I was like, yeah, I just weren't invested in that book.

It didn't grip me.

I don't think it's the narrator's voice either.

don't know, like some people are just like, you don't know, even though I wouldn't, I don't even know I was gonna say there.

Betty: I was going to sort of try and explain what his voice sounds like, but I can't find the words.

I don't think that that's what bored me.

I think there was it just maybe it was better if I read it, but I didn't.

So I DNF'd.

So it's going to have to be a one stabbing just because I didn't finish it.

I didn't.

Bonny: You didn't finish it.

I did read it.

I tried to get the audiobooks, it would have been quicker and my library didn't have it.

And I already owned a paperback copy.

So I read it.

Now I did enjoy this.

Okay.

Because I usually don't like the ambiguity of endings as you fucking know.

But this one was like a big fuck you.

Like I'm telling you, it was like, it was fuck you ambiguity.

And I was like, I can get on board with this.

This is brilliant.

Bonny: Now, I didn't much care for the fact that they had a really creepy sexual backstory.

Like, I don't, I know you didn't get far enough in to really know what I'm talking about here, but yeah, yikes.

Yikes on a fucking bike.

It was graphic.

If you had got any further in, you probably would have DNF'd it for, my fucking God.

Like, it was graphic.

Betty: Yeah, I did go on Goodreads after, because I was like, is this just a me thing?

Are people saying it about the audio?

Like, should I go back?

And one of them was like, DNF'd at 41%, too many sexually violent scenes against women.

And I was like, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it then, actually.

Bonny: No, and you know what, believe it or not, was pretty much the only thing I didn't enjoy was those parts.

But this is something I was trying to explain to somebody yesterday because they were talking about it in my horror group.

And she was like, oh my God, it's so misogynistic and blah, blah, blah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is.

It was written in the fucking 70s, love.

Like what the fuck did you think was going on back there?

And now you're gonna punish an author for writing a book 50 years ago based on how it was then?

Like, no, you have to.

Betty: Yes.

Betty: I've read, yeah, I've read comments similar and I was like, I didn't know what year it was, but I was like, clearly it's an old book.

You have to look into it and be like, okay, that explains it.

So that sort of wouldn't have put me off.

I did find one other Goodreads comment though, which I found a little bit funny, not laugh out loud funny, I don't know, you might find it funny.

And it just says, the haunting of Hill House's stupid younger cousin.

Bonny: Yeah.

Bonny: Probably.

Bonny: You know what, somebody else said that it was like a poor man's house on hill.

Yes, house on.

But you know what I mean?

The haunting appeal house.

Jesus fuck.

I just did that book.

Betty: which tickles me a little bit.

Betty: Yeah, that one.

Betty: So yeah, it's a shame.

And I do think sometimes with audio books, you do wonder if I'd read it, but I will never go back and read that now, but you do wonder if I'd read it, I have been more, was I just losing it with the audio and it just wasn't gripping me enough?

If I was sat and all I was doing was reading, cause I audio while I'm like driving and maybe shopping sometimes.

So maybe that might've been part of it, but yeah, I don't think I would enjoyed it based on your comments as well.

Bonny: No, you know what?

Bonny: No, I don't think you would have either.

Like I gave it 3.75 stabbies and it was just the violent sex crimey stuff in there that really put me off.

But I also had to look at the fact that it was written in a time where these things were said to shock us.

Like these things were supposed to horrify you.

He was one of those pioneers of writing that pushed the boundaries to see what he could get away with.

And I actually quite enjoyed the fact the house was the villain.

Betty: Yeah.

Bonny: thought that was very clever.

Now I know you didn't get far enough in to know what I'm even talking about at this point, but the pacing was probably the best thing about the whole book because he started right out the gate.

I know that you didn't enjoy it, but he did not like slow burn us up to that house.

Like he threw us right into the fucking deep end, right at the beginning.

And I really enjoyed the paranormal stuff and the science trying to explain it.

And you get to kind of pick a side.

But I did, I think as far as horror books go, Betty: Yeah, that sounds good.

Bonny: If the sex stuff had been removed, would have been 4.5 stabbies.

It would have been.

The sex stuff really dragged it down.

His writing was very clever.

The talking in it was a bit one dimensional, but you kind of expect that from the 70s.

So I took it with a grain of salt.

I probably wouldn't recommend the book to anybody that's not hardcore on horror, but I actually kind of did enjoy it.

Betty: wow.

Bonny: Yeah, both of you.

Betty: Wow, what's your last book?

Bonny: Okay.

My last book was The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig.

It's a paranormal mystery thriller.

So it was a little less horror and a little bit more paranormal.

I was really excited for this fucking book.

I waited ages for it because someone said it was elite.

Fuck that.

was not.

Okay.

So I can literally save you about three and a half hours of your fucking day if you want to read this book.

Teenage friends?

Bonny: all grown apart as adults come together because somebody says they're sick and they're dying and they literally snigger at each other like they're fucking teenagers again for the first 50 % of the book.

That's it.

What happens?

And when they were kids, they had this teenage friend go missing.

Like he was went off walking in the woods and the main guy wanted them to all come back to work out what happened.

That's it.

I just explained 50 % of the fucking book in seven sentences.

Betty: Wow, what a time saver.

Bonny: And I, yeah, and I pushed through it.

I pushed through it because someone's like, it's the stuff that happens in the woods when they're in that fucking house.

I'm like, okay.

So I did push through it.

Now there's missing time.

There's port to other places, that's what happens.

They're in the woods, they find this staircase and now they're stuck in this fucking house where all these horrible things have happened in each room, but it's real life crimes that have happened outside.

But somehow they're all in this house.

Betty: Thank Betty: Cool.

Bonny: and the people in it are reliving what's been happening.

Childhood trauma, which I don't really enjoy much of.

Psychological horror, which I did enjoy.

Body horror, I don't think that trope really worked because there wasn't enough of it to really say that.

And every single person in that fucking book was bullshit.

Bonny: Bullshit.

Now the stuff that happened in the house was absolutely terrifying.

Terrifying.

Like every fucking new room, I'm like, what horror is next?

How much worse is this gonna get?

And yeah, fucking worse.

Every fucking room was worse.

And I'm like.

Betty: Was it like graphic?

Was it like just scary?

Bonny: No, it's not.

Okay.

So when you talk about psychological horror, you don't think like, there's some entrails slipping down the wall.

No, it's the, she could feel someone watching her at the back of her neck.

She turns around and she catches something out the corner of her eye and there's a smell.

like, they described it.

It's psychologically impacting you as a person, even though it's not really anything going on.

You can feel it.

And I felt like I was in the book in the last 50%.

Bonny: The first 50 % I came close to like just saying, fuck it, I'm done.

I've had enough of this shit.

I don't care.

The chick that's like, man, you don't like me because I'm fucking trans and I like I'm pansexual and she spent like a whole car ride literally berating this guy.

She doesn't know anymore.

She doesn't know him.

And he's like.

Betty: No.

Bonny: No, I like, I hope you die first.

I hope you die first!

But if you wanna read it, you wanna read it, start in the middle.

When they climb up those fucking stairs, that's...

Fuck, I believe I only...

Betty: to just cut out the first 50%.

Bonny: Yeah, I would, because you don't, just, told you everything you need to know in seven sentences.

The bitchy friend group from when they were kids.

Betty: So what did you rate it, if you said?

Bonny: 2.5.

Betty: Ooh, that's really low for you.

Really.

Bonny: Yeah, so I honestly, and I don't know if it's because I just couldn't get over the fact that the first part of it just seemed so stupid.

Like he just was like, I want to make this into a full-size novel.

I'm going to add a bunch of shit on the front.

Betty: Yeah, tried to make a build up, they didn't build up.

Bonny: That's what it felt like.

It felt like he had a novella and it should have started up the stairs and that book would have been elite.

But I can't, no, just, I don't know.

And I think it's because they gave me all these characters and he made sure I hated every single fucking one of them.

And I'm like, I hope you die in that room.

You're annoying.

I fucking hope you die in that room.

I'm like, you're still alive?

Fuck you.

Die.

I don't know.

No, I just, I don't recommend it.

Bonny: Sorry.

Sorry Chuck.

Betty: Wow, that was a waste of your life, wasn't it?

See, it doesn't feel so dramatic now, does it?

A waste of your life.

So my last one, I did actually enjoy this one.

So I read this one.

This is Whispers in the Dark by Alison Gumm.

So psychological horror.

We follow Rachel, who lives in this sort of small religious, like, abolition town.

Bonny: Wasted.

Betty: She's the police chief.

I can't remember if they've just moved from somewhere, but they're not from there.

They're like small towns.

kind of look after it.

Like they're new, not new right now, but they didn't originally live there.

However, our Finn, he's like a writer, but he's also has been an alcoholic.

But we find out quite quickly that they've got three children, but they lost their son when he had a car accident and he'd been drinking and he drove, car went over into water.

The son's gone, never found him.

Betty: So quite, like for kids stuff, it can be a bit triggering, not because it's like really graphic or anything, but just like if that stuff gets to your heartstrings, maybe not for you.

But anyway, so that's the sort of lead up to the story.

Then it starts off with Rachel investigating, like a man's been found in the woods and he's kind of not hung, but he's kind of up in the trees, sort of maybe a bit Jesus style, like he's a bit stuck onto the trees.

Betty: So she started investigating that and then soon after that a couple of kids start disappearing in this small town so people start knowing.

Then some things start happening with her other two girls.

Betty: It was again very gripping, very can't read it fast enough in some places.

We obviously, they live near sort of some woods and as the story builds you start to learn things about the woods and it's a bit sort of folk-lory.

It's a bit sort of that vibe.

There's also like are things really happening, are they not really happening?

Like one of the, for their oldest daughter Charlie.

Bonny: Yeah.

Betty: She kind of goes out with her friends and she shouldn't have been out of the house.

When she comes back, she's just like been sick everywhere.

Her dad thinks that she's done drugs or something.

He's now sober and he's like, what have you taken?

Like, just tell me what you've done.

And he's like, has to sort of almost like get a sort of wash in bed and then she seems okay.

But then she starts acting really, really fucking strange.

And it's like, it's like normal, but it's not her personality.

It's that sort of thing.

So it's all a bit like, is this real?

Is this not real?

Bonny: Hmm.

Betty: don't really get It's a bit like creepy kids vibe.

Lots of trauma in there because obviously this couple, she obviously blames him, but they stayed together for the other two kids.

Yeah, I did have that.

You know you've said to me before, is the door locked?

I was in bed reading it one night, so I do read for a go to sleep and I was laying there and I can't remember what bit it was.

in my head I went, did I lock the door?

Am I sure?

Did I lock the front door and the back door?

Did I check?

And I was like, Bonny: You Betty: I can't even get up to check.

I was like, yeah, I'm not getting out of my bed now.

So yeah, it was really creepy.

Good sort of setting because it is like this small town and then there's these woods and the woods play a big part of it in this sort of creepy vibe.

But yeah, I did quite enjoy it as a horror.

Four Stabbies.

It was good, I liked it.

The editing.

Bonny: Love it.

Bonny: that's high fucking praise.

Betty: When it was getting near the end, I was like, how are they gonna do this?

Are they gonna go, it's literally two totally different directions you could go.

And I think they picked, I think she picked the right one.

And I'm just gonna leave it there, because I think people should read it.

I did enjoy it.

It was good, yeah, it was good.

I liked it.

Bonny: I'm going to read it.

Bonny: It's funny because you were talking and I'm like, I had to Google it real quick.

I'm like, this book is ringing a fucking bell.

It was, it was on Netgalley and I was gonna grab it last year and I didn't get around to doing it before it got, before they took it off there.

I'm like, this is ringing a bell, but I know I hadn't read it.

Betty: okay.

Betty: I'm sure it's KU.

Yeah.

Bonny: Yeah, I might have to grab it then.

I tried to find the audio, but when you mentioned that you were gonna read it, but it's called something else, it's called Nowhere.

Bonny: That was a UK title, Whispers in the Dark, yeah.

Betty: Is it?

Betty: I've never heard of books having two different titles in different countries.

That's so weird.

Bonny: fuck yeah, we get different covers, different titles.

No, we get titles, especially when they think it won't translate correctly across transatlantic.

No, it happens more frequently than you know.

Betty: I've heard of different covers which still baffles me.

Betty: Yeah, that's weird but yeah the word nowhere does play quite a big part in the book so yes yes definitely recommend definitely give it a try.

Bonny: I'm gonna add that to my TBR.

I'm actually quite enjoying our May is horror era.

I don't know about you, but I really push my comfort zone a bit.

Betty: Yeah, like I said, I've not really done a lot of horror.

I have stuck to lot of thrillers.

yeah, this was a good couple of reading winks for me.

Bonny: I it.

I know we're going a little different, we're moving away from horror for our deep day next week.

We're going to be doing the Da Vinci probe by Dan Brown.

I'm actually really fucking excited for that because I want conspiracy.

I love conspiracy.

It's been a while.

I'm really excited to get back to Robert Langdon.

Betty: Hmm?

Betty: Yeah, I'm excited.

I'm pretty sure I've watched that film at some point, but I reckon it's before I even had kids.

I can't remember the film.

And I don't know if I ever read it.

I don't know if I said this on the last pod, but the copy that I've got of it is what you left me before you moved to Canada.

So this is how old this book is that I'm reading.

So yeah, I'm excited.

And I've got the paper, like it's a paperback.

So I'm like, yay, I'm going to enjoy.

I'm going to start this weekend.

Bonny: Yeah.

Bonny: Yeah, I cheated.

I have the whole book series because it's quite a big book series and I got the audio book.

Still 17 fucking hours.

Betty: shit, my god.

Lucky it's bank holiday Monday.

Bonny: It's a big book.

Bonny: Oh, is it for you?

Or maybe it is for us.

I don't know.

Betty: Yeah.

Betty: Do you not get early Maybank holiday?

Bonny: I thought we do get May long, but that might be at the end of the month.

Betty: Well, we get two in May, don't we?

We get one at the beginning, first Monday of the month, last Monday of May.

Two bank holidays for England.

Yeah.

Well, we look forward to that one next week.

Bonny: I know.

Bonny: We will.

Guys, don't forget to be following, liking, commenting, sharing wherever you find podcasts.

Don't forget to find us on our Patreon.

We're at Betty and Bonnie Book Slayers.

We have our link tree.

Everything is in the comments.

We hope that you have the reading week that you deserve and you will join us for some more horror exploits in a couple of weeks.

Take care, readers.

Betty: Catch you next week.

Book Slayers

Horror Era Month 👻 | Hell House Review + Best & Worst Horror Reads 😱 | Book Slayers Podcast

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