@@michaelsamerdyke108 The only way I can find to read that is online as a hideous old fashioned web page that burns the eyes and you can't mark your place. It seems good, but painful to read that way.
I totally agree with your "The Deep" comments. The first 2/3's of the novel scared and enthralled me...the last 1/3 not as much. However, the game was worth the candle. Your video's convinced me to purchase several Catriona Ward" novels. Michael, if you tell me what your scariest book is...I'll buy it. I like scary.
Please, let me know how Catriona Ward works out for you. I wouldn't consider her books to be scary, but interesting and well crafted. I've put out a few videos about my scariest reads. I think in all of them, I put Adam Nevill's The Reddening at the top. Different things scare different people. But for me, I need good writing and compelling characters to get sucked into the story. If that's there, then I'm more susceptible to the scares that come. I think Adam Nevill is a great writer. Also, Clive Barker's Books of Blood, if you like short stories. And one story from Thomas Ligotti called The Frolic! Excellent.
Having read 2 Catriona Ward books now, based on your recommendation, I find her to be the best "horror' writer I've read, by a pretty wide margin. Good writers can be hard to come by in genre fiction. Only Nevill comes close IMHO (also 2 under my belt). But I haven't read any of the 4 you highlighted...........yet. Rawblood is probably next on my list. Blood Kin also looks intriguing. Cheers.
Startlingly high rating: Apologies if I've mentioned this in the past. Penpal (Dathan Auerbach). 3.86. A boy goes into the woods. Then he goes into the woods. He again goes into the woods, but with a friend. He receives an envelope with no postage. Insanely low: A Botanical Daughter (Noah Medlock). 3.72. Eileen (Ottessa Moshfegh). 3.57. (Psychological Drama) Maeve Fly (C.J. Leede). 3.78. (Thriller) Our Wives Under the Sea (Julia Armfield).3.78. (Psychological Thriller). I don't read much Horror. Ratings on GR. My mantra: If Stephen King published a book with blank pages it would get a 4 star rating.
Whenever I think of Penpal (which isnot often) I immediately think of the imagine of a copy of it in the bin that you posted online🤣Yet people do seem to love that book.
@@Michael_Wertenbergoops. Accidentally deleted my comment. Have you read Strega? If you like the movie Suspiria you'll enjoy it. It's beautifully written.
-Great video Michael! Might give Dark Matter a read someday. I think I was a bit harsh on Mr. B Gone first time around. Probably deserves a re-read. Will definitely be reading more Adam Neville in future. I was underwhelmed by The Troop so am hesitant to pick up The Deep. Hope you are keeping well!
Thanks, Cliff. I think Nick Cutter's Little Heaven is his best, so far (and probably the one you would gell with the most, IIMO.) Next month, I'll be reading his latest, Queen. I expect it to be great, too.
You cannot name a book a doll that ate his mother....and then not deliver. The only ones I've read on this list are the Deep & Looking glass sound. The 3rd act of the Deep just left me angry with the book. The first third of looking glass sound was SO amazingly great. I loved it. I thought we had an epic coming of age story. Then the tone changed, and I couldn't shift my expectations. I listened to it, and there were characters being written into books with similar names, gender flipping, and just too much confusion for my little brain to handle while listening to a book. I just wanted it to follow through with the tone of the first third of the book. While I didn't HATE it, it was a let down for me after giving Sundial and the last house on needless street 5 stars. I need to read Rawblood and Little Eve still.
That's a fair point about Looking Glass Sound. I had a similar reaction. I also loved Sundial. But since Rawblood was my first experience with her work, it's special to me.
Star ratings come from other universes only occasionally like ours. Peter Straub takes his time, but I find the mass of detail ends up mattering. Great recommendation of Psycho 2. That rating of Apartment 16 is justification for some competency hearings. I wasn’t super grabbed by Mr. B. Gone, but it was still a darned good book. Early Ramsey Campbell is still a great time. Oddly, both times I’ve read it, it was mostly in waiting rooms and doctor’s offices. I haven’t read that Catriona Ward book yet, but it’s on my list. It sounds like I’ll enjoy it. Maybe those Nevill dislikers are reading some other version of his books. House of Small Shadows is so damn cool. And the dioramas make an interesting pair with one of the ships in Iain M. Banks’ Excession. Dearest is also on my list, and it’s your fault. :) I’m not super into Appalachian and Southern folk horror, but Tem keeps pleasing me. I’ll check out Blood Kin sometime. I’ve somehow missed Toll, but I really like Cherie Priest. Onto the list it goes. The Deep just didn’t work for me. The global crisis stuff at the opening seemed to just completely vanish. The tightly focused seafloor stuff is okay, but it felt like pieces of two almost unrelated stories. But then I just don’t hear the music with Cutter, and I’m willing to consider it’s a me problem. More Ward on my list.
😁Oh, my. Dearest is unconventuonal. We can blame Ciminoly for that; I found out about it from his channel😁If you do give it a go, I'd be curious to hear your take on it.
Who DARES give House of small shadows 3.3 stars! One of my favorite books ever! Actually thinking of a re-read this fall. 🍁📚 I'm just starting Drawing Blood by Poppy Brite. Your hair looks a bit frizzled. Is Latvia a humid climate?😂xx❣️
Very useful reviews. I own some of these titles. Will read The Deep for sure, and soon. Will not read Blood Kin (and what's up with that title? There are at least five other Blood Kin books out there, by different authors. Writers could try to be a bit more original, I think), and I will read the only book by Nevill that I have, Last Days, to check if i like his style. Thanks for the thoughtful list, and your cat is just too beautiful. Happy readings.
Thank you😁I'm really hoping you like Last Days. A lot of people do. Even if it's not one of my favourites of his. Let me know how it goes for you, if you do read it. And don't miss my conversation with Nick Cutter, coming in a few weeks! 😽😺
Hi, Michael. I'm from Brazil and love your videos. Do you know that your book Edifice Complex ins't avaiable to purchase in Kindle format on Amazon US? Bye.
Hi. I'm sorry to hear that. When I Google it, it looks to be available. Amazon US won't sell to Brazil? That is strange. Does this link work? www.amazon.com/Edifice-Complex-Micha%C3%ABl-Wertenberg-ebook/dp/B0D42H7Q3D/ref=sr_1_2?crid=8LCH11856X08&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.X6WKQUtu1ot_joT5DNbz-tAYRf4ND5N2wIligqAT7PqDryplEHrz1DpbCdMSOtXLIVOkQXkt8FjXj2fp6iVMeHW7tdaIJunqo9UwUeZ2tvsD_UJPh3V8h-ugKArSL3KJRSznQ8ZKH8Q2nonGE0tEjA.V60tbmgPpsAC1vuHJNE7TiB9cQUeGuAK9l3ZKRkU8yg&dib_tag=se&keywords=michael+wertenberg&qid=1725066817&s=books&sprefix=michael+wertenberg%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C493&sr=1-2
I just added so many of these books to my TBR.
I hope you enjoy them like I did 😀you'll let me know what you think
I remember liking "the Doll Who Ate HIs Mother" back in the Seventies.
@@michaelsamerdyke108
The only way I can find to read that is online as a hideous old fashioned web page that burns the eyes and you can't mark your place.
It seems good, but painful to read that way.
I think this proves everyone wants something different from a book and all reviews need to be taken lightly
Yep. And I need to break my habit of putting too much weight in them.
Not really into horror but that's what's great about books. So much to choose from. Best wishes with what you choose to read.
Thank you. Right back at you😀
I need to read Rawblood. I love Catriona Ward’s writing and historical horror. I’ll be adding The Toll and a few others to my tbr 👀
First commentor! There should be a prize for that🥳If you read any of them, please let me know how they work out for you.
@@Michael_Wertenberg Maybe my prize will be that I end up with a 5 star read 👀
@@Alicia-606 😁I sure hope so. I've only had 3 so far this year (out of 38). I hope you're doing better than I am on that front. Godspeed!
I'm glad I didn't go by ratings for Strega. It's one of my favorite books of all time.
I totally agree with your "The Deep" comments. The first 2/3's of the novel scared and enthralled me...the last 1/3 not as much. However, the game was worth the candle. Your video's convinced me to purchase several Catriona Ward" novels.
Michael, if you tell me what your scariest book is...I'll buy it. I like scary.
Please, let me know how Catriona Ward works out for you. I wouldn't consider her books to be scary, but interesting and well crafted. I've put out a few videos about my scariest reads. I think in all of them, I put Adam Nevill's The Reddening at the top. Different things scare different people. But for me, I need good writing and compelling characters to get sucked into the story. If that's there, then I'm more susceptible to the scares that come. I think Adam Nevill is a great writer. Also, Clive Barker's Books of Blood, if you like short stories. And one story from Thomas Ligotti called The Frolic! Excellent.
Thanks Michael, there's a lot of stuff I haven't read on this list, Catriona Ward has especially peaked my interest.
Hi Paul. If you ever give her try, please let me know how it works out for you.
Having read 2 Catriona Ward books now, based on your recommendation, I find her to be the best "horror' writer I've read, by a pretty wide margin. Good writers can be hard to come by in genre fiction. Only Nevill comes close IMHO (also 2 under my belt). But I haven't read any of the 4 you highlighted...........yet. Rawblood is probably next on my list. Blood Kin also looks intriguing. Cheers.
Great minds think alike😁You're right, good writers are hard to come by in genre fiction, but I'm determined to find them!
@@Michael_Wertenberg They're all over in literary fiction raking in the big bucks. 🙂
Got my kitty fix - thank you, sir! Mister B. Gone and The Toll have aroused my interest. Will t.b.r. them.
😽I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Let me know if you get around to them.🐱
@@Michael_Wertenberg Sure thing.
@@Michael_WertenbergOnly a few chapters in, but enjoying Mister B. Gone. Clive Barker is truly possessed of genius.
@@BrentDavis75 Agreed!
Startlingly high rating: Apologies if I've mentioned this in the past. Penpal (Dathan Auerbach). 3.86. A boy goes into the woods. Then he goes into the woods. He again goes into the woods, but with a friend. He receives an envelope with no postage.
Insanely low: A Botanical Daughter (Noah Medlock). 3.72.
Eileen (Ottessa Moshfegh). 3.57. (Psychological Drama)
Maeve Fly (C.J. Leede). 3.78. (Thriller)
Our Wives Under the Sea (Julia Armfield).3.78. (Psychological Thriller).
I don't read much Horror. Ratings on GR. My mantra: If Stephen King published a book with blank pages it would get a 4 star rating.
Whenever I think of Penpal (which isnot often) I immediately think of the imagine of a copy of it in the bin that you posted online🤣Yet people do seem to love that book.
@@christine7956 Great title!
@@Michael_Wertenbergoops. Accidentally deleted my comment. Have you read Strega? If you like the movie Suspiria you'll enjoy it. It's beautifully written.
@@christine7956 I hadn't heard of it. It's on my radar now. Thanks
-Great video Michael! Might give Dark Matter a read someday. I think I was a bit harsh on Mr. B Gone first time around. Probably deserves a re-read. Will definitely be reading more Adam Neville in future. I was underwhelmed by The Troop so am hesitant to pick up The Deep. Hope you are keeping well!
Thanks, Cliff. I think Nick Cutter's Little Heaven is his best, so far (and probably the one you would gell with the most, IIMO.) Next month, I'll be reading his latest, Queen. I expect it to be great, too.
@CliffsDarkGems I liked The Deep better than the Troop. I think you'll like it Cliff, it's very different from the Troop. xx
@@angelwalker979 Thanks Angel, might just give it a read.
You cannot name a book a doll that ate his mother....and then not deliver. The only ones I've read on this list are the Deep & Looking glass sound. The 3rd act of the Deep just left me angry with the book. The first third of looking glass sound was SO amazingly great. I loved it. I thought we had an epic coming of age story. Then the tone changed, and I couldn't shift my expectations. I listened to it, and there were characters being written into books with similar names, gender flipping, and just too much confusion for my little brain to handle while listening to a book. I just wanted it to follow through with the tone of the first third of the book. While I didn't HATE it, it was a let down for me after giving Sundial and the last house on needless street 5 stars. I need to read Rawblood and Little Eve still.
That's a fair point about Looking Glass Sound. I had a similar reaction. I also loved Sundial. But since Rawblood was my first experience with her work, it's special to me.
I could listen to you say your cat’s name all day. How do you spell it?
😊Zvyezda🐱
Star ratings come from other universes only occasionally like ours.
Peter Straub takes his time, but I find the mass of detail ends up mattering.
Great recommendation of Psycho 2.
That rating of Apartment 16 is justification for some competency hearings.
I wasn’t super grabbed by Mr. B. Gone, but it was still a darned good book.
Early Ramsey Campbell is still a great time. Oddly, both times I’ve read it, it was mostly in waiting rooms and doctor’s offices.
I haven’t read that Catriona Ward book yet, but it’s on my list. It sounds like I’ll enjoy it.
Maybe those Nevill dislikers are reading some other version of his books. House of Small Shadows is so damn cool. And the dioramas make an interesting pair with one of the ships in Iain M. Banks’ Excession.
Dearest is also on my list, and it’s your fault. :)
I’m not super into Appalachian and Southern folk horror, but Tem keeps pleasing me. I’ll check out Blood Kin sometime.
I’ve somehow missed Toll, but I really like Cherie Priest. Onto the list it goes.
The Deep just didn’t work for me. The global crisis stuff at the opening seemed to just completely vanish. The tightly focused seafloor stuff is okay, but it felt like pieces of two almost unrelated stories. But then I just don’t hear the music with Cutter, and I’m willing to consider it’s a me problem.
More Ward on my list.
😁Oh, my. Dearest is unconventuonal. We can blame Ciminoly for that; I found out about it from his channel😁If you do give it a go, I'd be curious to hear your take on it.
Who DARES give House of small shadows 3.3 stars! One of my favorite books ever! Actually thinking of a re-read this fall. 🍁📚 I'm just starting Drawing Blood by Poppy Brite. Your hair looks a bit frizzled. Is Latvia a humid climate?😂xx❣️
Yes, actually it has been a bit humid lately🙃Let me know what you think of Drawing Blood. I need to read more from her.
Very useful reviews. I own some of these titles. Will read The Deep for sure, and soon. Will not read Blood Kin (and what's up with that title? There are at least five other Blood Kin books out there, by different authors. Writers could try to be a bit more original, I think), and I will read the only book by Nevill that I have, Last Days, to check if i like his style. Thanks for the thoughtful list, and your cat is just too beautiful. Happy readings.
Thank you😁I'm really hoping you like Last Days. A lot of people do. Even if it's not one of my favourites of his. Let me know how it goes for you, if you do read it. And don't miss my conversation with Nick Cutter, coming in a few weeks! 😽😺
@@Michael_Wertenberg Thanks for responding. I will do my best to catch on your conversation with Cutter.
So glad I found your channel and through your channel your books!
😊I love the comment! Thank you😊
Hi, Michael.
I'm from Brazil and love your videos.
Do you know that your book Edifice Complex ins't avaiable to purchase in Kindle format on Amazon US?
Bye.
Hi. I'm sorry to hear that. When I Google it, it looks to be available. Amazon US won't sell to Brazil? That is strange. Does this link work? www.amazon.com/Edifice-Complex-Micha%C3%ABl-Wertenberg-ebook/dp/B0D42H7Q3D/ref=sr_1_2?crid=8LCH11856X08&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.X6WKQUtu1ot_joT5DNbz-tAYRf4ND5N2wIligqAT7PqDryplEHrz1DpbCdMSOtXLIVOkQXkt8FjXj2fp6iVMeHW7tdaIJunqo9UwUeZ2tvsD_UJPh3V8h-ugKArSL3KJRSznQ8ZKH8Q2nonGE0tEjA.V60tbmgPpsAC1vuHJNE7TiB9cQUeGuAK9l3ZKRkU8yg&dib_tag=se&keywords=michael+wertenberg&qid=1725066817&s=books&sprefix=michael+wertenberg%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C493&sr=1-2
Typically, I pronounce the area "apple-at-cha."
I say apple-A-sha 😅
You are not alone. I've received many 'passionate' comments about that pronunciation😁
Yay another person who likes A Dark Matter! 😀
It took me a while, but I got there eventually🙂
I hit the subscribe button when I heard Bill's voice at the start and thought I was in a waffle house ❤
😁
subbed
Thanks for the support! Welcome aboard.