Can I please ask what is no sleep as I would love to find out more about it as i am wanting to read pen pal and my favourite book is your true crime about the brother and sister killing spree love you and your amazing channel love your friend John xxxx
Thanks for these. Emotional violence is often more disturbing then some of the most gory stuff out there. So I totally get what you mean. So glad I found your channel!
I found Tender is the Flesh morbidly hilarious. As a vegan, I read it thinking "is it so hard for people to just eat tofu and beans?" The answer is yes, yes it is.
I was thinking the same thing; the horrifyingly hilarious part is, the premise is actually probable; society would actually engage in legal subsidized cannibalism before going vegan on the basis that "plants are gross". (Then proceed to season their long pig with plant matter). Horror and comedy, while not the same genre as mainstream movie critics seem to believe; are two sides of the same coin-- They both represent the life the way it is, in all its horrific absurdity.
I’ve been wracking my brain to remember a book I read years ago that has stuck with me for a very very long time because it disturbed me to my core. It’s different than what would be considered a Thriller or Horror. The prose is incredible and it’s very literary- It got great reviews (if I remember correctly) and was BEAUTIFULLY written- Bastard out of Carolina. Serious TW- child abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse. It’s loosely based on the authors own life and that might have been why I was so disturbed (very realistic because… some of it actually happened). Its hard to recommend (I couldn’t read it again) but for people that can handle the subject matter (I can’t anymore) it’s one of the most beautifully written stories mixed with disturbing/heartbreaking/haunting descriptions of poverty, family dysfunction & child abuse. The writing is on another level. Truly, I haven’t forgotten this book and I read it 20 years ago. I just still haven’t been able to shake it.
omg if your taste is the reality in them, try reading The Red Market by Scott Carney. it’s nonfic about trafficking and what people do with organs and things of the nature. reading was like a car crash i couldn’t look away from and dealing with the horror of this being real. also yes i would love a part two, i’m reading dear laura thanks to you 🥰
Ah I don’t really read non fiction unfortunately!! It’s usually written too densely and boring for my liking. Plus, I prefer to stick to the fiction world when reading about really horrific truly realistic things. My anxiety would sky rocket if I read scary non fiction. 😅 I hope you enjoy Dear Laura!! 🥰🖤
5 most disturbing books i have ever read are Anna Karenina, Oliver Twist , prvi put s ocem na jutrenje, crime and punishment and lolita. I know, those books aren't that disturbing but i find them
I heard "My Dad Finally Told Me What Happened That Day" on NoSleep podcast (still my favorite story from all the seasons so far), then I read PenPal on Reddit, then bought the book and read it. I really crave more of what was done in that story.
Oh, apparently Dear Laura is also adapted to NoSleep. I think I listened to it too but didn't care for it as much because it seemed all over the place and voice acting wasn't as convincing... definitely one I think would be better read, so maybe I'll check that out. Just requested Confessions on hold at my library :)
mmmmm yes!!! I agree with so many of these and added all the ones I haven't read except the resurrectionist (thanks for the animal cruelty TW!)! a few of my favorites were included here including penpal, riverman, and dear laura! would love to see part 2!
I’m so glad!! I always try and remember to add certain TW if I can, I never want someone walking into something that could potentially hurt them! Part 2 is definitely in the works!
I did dnf confessions once, and I only got like ten pages in. It was the writing style that did it for me. But the way you talk about it I kinda wanna try it again.
The writing style is very different at first, it took me a bit to get into! Once I got past it though, I realized I really liked it! I think my brain just needed a bit to adjust.
I totally gets your point about disturbing = realistic on certain level. I remember been totally freaking out over a simple scene in a trashy thriller movie, it's the scene that the heroine's abusive father calmly dumped her wheel chair (she broke her legs in a car accident and need time to recover) into the lake in front of her face, and they lived in the middle of nowhere. I just freaked out like whaaaaattttttt lol. Cannibal scene cannot do a thing to my cold old heart but that did.
So many of those books are on my tbr 😅 I may have to re-evaluate whether I actually want to read them now 😂 This video was super helpful though! I have penpal sitting on my shelf just waiting for me. I'm gonna try to get to it this year! Brother too. I've only read one book from Ania so far but loved her writing style so hopefully I'll enjoy that one too. 🤞 Great video!
just finished Earthlings by Sayaka Murata and that is honestly one of the most disturbing (yet interesting) pieces of media I have ever consumed. Tender is the Flesh is on my priority TBR and I can’t wait to read it!!
Earthlings was wild and I definitely was not expecting it. It was one of those books that really made me think. I can definitely appreciate it and its commentary but it wasnt my cup of tea. Too abstract I think
Not taking much convincing to resort to cannibalism reminds me of that scene from South Park where some of the characters are only trapped in a room for a couple of hours at most, and they’re just like “we’re gonna have to start eating each other to survive!” XD
I have to say the most disturbing books I've read are Stephen kings the dark half and quite recently orochi volume 2 mainly the stories prodigy and key. Which are 2 out of 3 stories. Those 2 stories alone left me with chills down my spine with what orochi and the protagonist had to go through in those stories. With the dark half george stark has to be one of the most disturbing villains I've read about that left me speechless with georges hanious acts towards the people he crosses paths with. Left me 😱😱😱 really enjoyed this vid of yours Erin! 😊❤📚
I saved many of your recommendations but I am especially interested in reading Dear Laura and that one about the woman in love with a serial killer 😳. I find it so interesting how different people define “disturbing.” I would love a part 2!
Ah I’m so happy!! 🖤 those are both definitely dark, but really well done in my opinion! I agree, disturbing can be so different for so many people! A part 2 is in the works as we speak!
_Confessions_ is《告白》 by the Japanese author 凑佳苗. I liked it very much too, led me to read her other books too. At a point I got too much of her and stopped 😂
My most disturbing book list is: (All books are really disturbing, yet in order from least disturbing to most disturbing.) 5. Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Brite This book follows two characters Jay Byrne and Andrew Compton. These characters are based on Jeffery Dahmer and Dennis Neilson. You can imagine where this goes. A young Vietnamese man crosses paths with these two killers. 4. Tampa by Alissa Nutting. This is about a teacher who is attracted to 14 year old boys, and the book follows a teacher's relationship with a boy named Jack Patrick. 3. The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. You already know what this one is about, but you decided not to continue reading. Maybe it's because this book is based specifically on the true crime case of Sylvia Likens. 2. Survivor by JF Gonzalez Follows a woman and her husband that go away for their anniversary. The woman is kidnapped and told that she will be the star of a snuff film. It's what she does to try to survive is what makes this book so disturbing. 1. The Groomer by Jon Athan. This book is about a child predatory organization, and a father's little girl is taken by the organization. The father goes on a vigilante rampage to try to get his daughter back home safely. The character development and plot is very well done. There is a really good story that reads like a crazy thriller. This book really scared me This author combines extreme horror and thriller very well.
All of them are on my tbr already!!! I haven’t gotten to them all yet, but I definitely plan to! You’re correct, I decided to stop reading The Girl Next Door. I don’t really find it appropriate that he was retelling Sylvia Likens story as fiction.
@@ErinMegan it says on the book based on a true story so I wouldn't really consider that fiction, maybe true crime with some liberties and I actually liked the fact that he changed names 🤷♀️
@@laurabogan3021 he changed quite a bit, enough that I consider that to be a fictionalized retelling of the true story. Glad you liked it, but it’s not a book I would recommend or include in anymore videos than I already have.
Just found your channel today in the wee hours of the morning and I am really enjoying it! I keep seeing Penpal and Gone to See The River Man I have to read them! Love how you describe the books
I love the ‘disturbing ‘ explanation I think anything that’s possible to happen in my life it’s disturbing to me such as ‘marriage pact ‘ , ‘ child called it ‘ things to do with kids ‘ or torture 😅
I’ve read In The Miso Soup, but it doesn’t really hit me like the others so I didn’t include it. We Need to Talk About Kevin is still on my need to read list!!!
My first thought was "is she going to include Penpal?" I'm so glad you did. It's been over 2 years and I still think about it. I also loved Gone To See The River Man. Best last line ever. You should check out Kristopher Triana's other books but each one is very different. They're all disturbing, some are extreme. A part 2 to this video would be great!!
Hahaha I love that! You know I had to include Penpal, that book is so good!! I’ve read Body Art by Triana and didn’t love it, but I’m definitely going to check out more from him!!
this is my first of your videos and i wasnt expecting your choices! you look so innocent but you know what it said about us quiet ones! lol great selection IMO
Omg this is so funny!! I didn’t think I looked that innocent, but that’s hilarious! Yes, I definitely have a wide variety of reading experience in horror! I try to read a bit of everything! ☺️
This is an amazing list, I subscribed. It's not only popular books and it's not all gore, so I really get what you're saying, we have similar taste because I've read all of these. The things that disturb me in books is when I can imagine something happening as well, when you realize that here are people walking with similar disturbing thoughts. When I saw The Resurrectionist I thought to myself: "Ok, she's not messing around." He was absolutely vile and believe it or not, they even made a B movie based on this book. I really love Kolesnik's Waif which was terrific and it left a stronger impression, but True Crime is definitely more disturbing. Beside Pretty Girls and japanese authors, there is one thriller author that scared me and disturbed me for life and that's Mo Hayder. Karin doesn't shy away from showing violence, but Mo had a way of going under your skin. Tokyo/The Devil of Nanking is her most well known, but I am forever scared by The Treatment.
Thank you so much for the wonderful comment!! I appreciate it so much. I’ve been wanting to read Waif, so I’ll definitely have to move that up on my tbr! Yes! I saw Come Back to Me years ago on Netflix and actually really liked it haha. I didn’t know it was based off the book until a bit ago! Mo Hayder has definitely been on my radar, but I haven’t read anything by her yet! I’ll have to bump that on my tbr too!
Good video and good reference, thanks for sharing. Some I'd like to suggest: "The Decadent Reader" edited by Asti Hustvedt "Dangerous Liaisons" by Choderlos de Laclos "Maldoror" by Comte de Lautréamont "The Bad Seed" by William March "Eden Eden Eden" by Pierre Guyotat "Let's Go Play at the Adams'" by Mendal W. Johnson "The Basketball Diaries" by Jim Carroll Happy Reading. :-)
Good list! I love Pen Pal. It's not disturbing to me, but it's definitely very creepy... it has two of the creepiest moments in anything. Resurrectionist... yeah, no argument there, I can't imagine anybody not finding that one disturbing. :) River Man was good, and Pretty Girls was great. Haven't read some of the others, may have to look into 'em. I've had Brother for a while but haven't gotten around to reading it. I know it'll be good, though - I like Ahlborn.
Confessions- totally agree with what you said. It has stuck in my brain since I read it. I think it was brilliant. Sadly I have gifted this book to several friends who are readers and they did not like it or finish it.
Aw that’s so sad! 😭 I get it though, it’s definitely a different kind of writing style. I’ve heard lots of people say they couldn’t get into it because of that.
TW: torture & s3xual abuse The most disturbing book Ive read is a supernatural horror mystery fantasy book called "Threads of Malice" that is about a supernatural detective trying to find a victim by talking to ghosts. It includes a horrible torture scene of a young man (like a teenager) who is an artist, who ends of getting kidnapped by a nobleman who hired him, kept prisoner in a barn and hung from the rafters by his fingers, tortured & r*ped, and gets his fingers graphically sliced off by trying to pull himself up to the rafters by his broken wrists and when he grasps ahold of the beams, there are razors along them. I couldnt get through it, it just upset me way too much. Ive never forgotten that scene, it almost made me throw up. I cant imagine writing such a horrible thing.
I loved “Penpal”. I had no idea it was a thread on Reddit when I read it. My most recently read disturbing book was “Gone To See the River Man”. ‘That one thing’ that you spoke of made me want to vomit. One of my all time favorite books that I found disturbing is “My Sweet Audrina” by VC Andrews.
Ah I’m so glad you loved Penpal!! Yeah, that *part* of Gone To See the River Man is so messed up. Definitely scarred me for life! I have yet to read anything by VC Andrews and I really need to!
I actually think you’ll enjoy it!! It’s very simplistic, but effective! You saying this list is amazing, is actually amazing!!! You always read the most disturbing books!! 🥹
I have Pen Pal, Dear Laura, and confessions sitting on my shelf waiting for me. I want to read Brother and if I can handle it then I might tackle Tender is the Flesh 😂 I also want to read Riverman, but it scares me a bit lol
I think you’d like Brother!! Gone to See the Riverman is a lot! If you have certain triggers or things you’re not comfortable with I would check first!
After watching this vid I read “tender is the flesh” and “gone to see the river man” back to back… maybe not the best decision 😂 but definitely two well written and for sure disturbing books. I also loved how they both leave you thinking about human nature in deep ways instead of just being extreme for the sake of it. Right now I need a break from all the disturbing mess but I look forward to reading penpal and dear laura next!
Ah I’m so glad you enjoyed them, but I completely understand need a bit of a break. 😅 Disturbing horror can really take a lot out of you, especially if you read them back to back! I love disturbing horror that doesn’t rely heavily on shock for shock, it’s always great to find those ones!
I know this is totally random Erin, but I'm just wondering what you think about Clive Barker? Personally, I LOVE his writing. I'm very curious to know what do you think? I've never seen you talk about him. Again, sorry for this out of the blue question. :)
That’s a great question! I actually have only read one Clive Barker story and it was this year. It was The Hellbound Heart and I enjoyed it! I started with it because I already knew I loved the Hellraiser movies. I would definitely read more from him!
GURLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL .... I NEED BROTHER .....Be right back going to Amazon ... OH SNAP It takes place Deep in the heart of Appalachia In a FArmhouse too THIS BOOK WAS SOOOOO WRITTEN 4 ME Thanks for this fabulously awesome You Knock it out the park DIVA much love
I know this video is over a year old but I just recently watched it about a week or so ago and I just wanted to say that as today 10/08/2023 penpal is currently trending on kindle!!!!
Tender is the flesh is a personal favorite of mine as it kindof opened my eyes to the inhumanity of animal agriculture and pushed me to becoming vegan :)
Check out "Into the Wolves' Den" by Jon Athan. Probably his best book. Very gruesome and creepy. Also, "Tamer Animals" by Justin M. Woodward was fantastic.
My Dark Vanessa is still the most disturbing book I’ve ever read. No gore, no horror, just fully detailed grooming from the victim’s POV. Hard to read.
To me, the most disturbing horror book I´ve ever read, is Tintin in the Congo by Hergé. Hergé wrote Tintin to warn future magazine services not to hire journalists like that. And anybody who has read this book agrees it is among the most violent, gory graphic horror stories ever read. We´ve all heard about these thingies called graphic novels. After Hergé published Tintin in the Congo he knew he had managed to hide the truth about Tintin in that book in particular. Absolutely no ´protagonist´ has been as disturbing as Tintin is in this book which nobody realized at the time is not for kids at all. This is a comic book about a psychopath. In 2023, Tintin is still the insaniest of the insane, until I figure out how to create a more mentally disturbed fictional character. The Icelandic translation of Mr. Peter Benchley´s Jaws was seriously disturbing to me, but this goes beyond disturbing. This is so disturbing, even the fictional Sutter Cane could not possibly have come up with an idea of a comic book as disturbing as Tintin in Congo. Tintin is one of the most realistic psychopaths in fiction and also one of the scariest due to his ability to do the things he does and have no remorse for it whatsoever. Thanks for your video. Kind regards from Ásgeir in Iceland.
80% de vos livres ne sont pas traduits en français et je ne lis pas l'anglais...pouvez vous faire une liste sur vos romans les plus pertubants parmi les grands classiques ?
@@ErinMegan Yea I get that, it was more of the writing then the story itself, it was hard to get through. His other books are not as bad, the playground it took a long time to finish. I enjoyed your list thanks again. Gives me some new reads!
I’m well aware, the book wouldn’t be on this list if it was referencing average everyday meat. If you don’t like the wording, take that up with the author, that’s how it’s written in the plot description.
I guess the only disturbing book I've ever read is The Night Inside by Nancy Baker. I don't usually do blind reads but it was one and...yeah I was surprised. The first, I'd say quarter or so, of it is pretty rough to get through but the rest of the book isn't crazy bad.
@@ErinMegan it's a vampire horror novel which is what got me interested. The poor vampire guy is captured by some lunatics who later on end up also abducting the main character. Not going to give anymore away. I'm pretty sure it's not as bad as a lot of the books being recommended on social media lately but it's still messed up in it's own way. Definitely look up the trigger warnings before reading it, I kinda wish I had and I'm surprised that I was able to get through the first of it. Again though, it doesn't stay brutal so there's that at least lol.
Look into "The Doloriad" by Missouri Williams, which is new this year and includes post-apocalyptic incest and rape among mutated relatives (🤢😾), but is very classically written!! Look into it first, that is, and decide if it's for you! "Confessions" will blow readers away with the first chapter alone, and then there are so many more to come!!
I just looked up The Doloriad and added it to my tbr!! It sounds horrific, I can’t wait to read it. 🤣🤣 Thanks for the recommendation!! Agreed, Confessions was just absolutely wonderful!!
Well it is a disturbing book list…I think the word is pretty fitting for each one. 🤔 Also, kinda hard to come up with 10 different synonyms on the fly.
![Top 12 MOST DISTURBING books I've read [& enjoyed] 😫😩 // disturbing book recommendations](/img/n.gif)
I can most definitely do a part 2, so let me know! 👻🖤
Yes!!
Please! Love horror stories but I’ve become jaded so I guess I’m in the market for disturbing 😂
Yes
Yes of course love them.
Can I please ask what is no sleep as I would love to find out more about it as i am wanting to read pen pal and my favourite book is your true crime about the brother and sister killing spree love you and your amazing channel love your friend John xxxx
Thanks for these. Emotional violence is often more disturbing then some of the most gory stuff out there. So I totally get what you mean. So glad I found your channel!
I completely agree! I definitely feel emotional horror much more than gore. Thanks so much for being here! 🖤
I found Tender is the Flesh morbidly hilarious. As a vegan, I read it thinking "is it so hard for people to just eat tofu and beans?" The answer is yes, yes it is.
I was thinking the same thing; the horrifyingly hilarious part is, the premise is actually probable; society would actually engage in legal subsidized cannibalism before going vegan on the basis that "plants are gross". (Then proceed to season their long pig with plant matter).
Horror and comedy, while not the same genre as mainstream movie critics seem to believe; are two sides of the same coin-- They both represent the life the way it is, in all its horrific absurdity.
The character in To Be Devoured sounds like my uncle.
I’ve been wracking my brain to remember a book I read years ago that has stuck with me for a very very long time because it disturbed me to my core. It’s different than what would be considered a Thriller or Horror. The prose is incredible and it’s very literary- It got great reviews (if I remember correctly) and was BEAUTIFULLY written- Bastard out of Carolina. Serious TW- child abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse. It’s loosely based on the authors own life and that might have been why I was so disturbed (very realistic because… some of it actually happened). Its hard to recommend (I couldn’t read it again) but for people that can handle the subject matter (I can’t anymore) it’s one of the most beautifully written stories mixed with disturbing/heartbreaking/haunting descriptions of poverty, family dysfunction & child abuse. The writing is on another level. Truly, I haven’t forgotten this book and I read it 20 years ago. I just still haven’t been able to shake it.
Currently reading "The Girl Next Door" by Jack. Damn, that's some crazy psycho shit. But gotta finish it...
This book blow out my mind 👍
omg if your taste is the reality in them, try reading The Red Market by Scott Carney. it’s nonfic about trafficking and what people do with organs and things of the nature. reading was like a car crash i couldn’t look away from and dealing with the horror of this being real. also yes i would love a part two, i’m reading dear laura thanks to you 🥰
Ah I don’t really read non fiction unfortunately!! It’s usually written too densely and boring for my liking. Plus, I prefer to stick to the fiction world when reading about really horrific truly realistic things. My anxiety would sky rocket if I read scary non fiction. 😅
I hope you enjoy Dear Laura!! 🥰🖤
5 most disturbing books i have ever read are Anna Karenina, Oliver Twist , prvi put s ocem na jutrenje, crime and punishment and lolita. I know, those books aren't that disturbing but i find them
I heard "My Dad Finally Told Me What Happened That Day" on NoSleep podcast (still my favorite story from all the seasons so far), then I read PenPal on Reddit, then bought the book and read it. I really crave more of what was done in that story.
Oh, apparently Dear Laura is also adapted to NoSleep. I think I listened to it too but didn't care for it as much because it seemed all over the place and voice acting wasn't as convincing... definitely one I think would be better read, so maybe I'll check that out. Just requested Confessions on hold at my library :)
I hated dear Laura! It was so anticlimactic in my opinion:(
I love that you hold the books up so I can move around and find the transitions so I don't hear too much about something I want to read!
Wow, thank you so much for the feedback! I never thought about it that way!☺️
Confessions is one of the best books i have ever read, i’m SO happy you mentioned it
Yes!! It’s an all time favorite of mine!!
mmmmm yes!!! I agree with so many of these and added all the ones I haven't read except the resurrectionist (thanks for the animal cruelty TW!)! a few of my favorites were included here including penpal, riverman, and dear laura! would love to see part 2!
I’m so glad!! I always try and remember to add certain TW if I can, I never want someone walking into something that could potentially hurt them! Part 2 is definitely in the works!
I did dnf confessions once, and I only got like ten pages in. It was the writing style that did it for me. But the way you talk about it I kinda wanna try it again.
The writing style is very different at first, it took me a bit to get into! Once I got past it though, I realized I really liked it! I think my brain just needed a bit to adjust.
I totally gets your point about disturbing = realistic on certain level. I remember been totally freaking out over a simple scene in a trashy thriller movie, it's the scene that the heroine's abusive father calmly dumped her wheel chair (she broke her legs in a car accident and need time to recover) into the lake in front of her face, and they lived in the middle of nowhere. I just freaked out like whaaaaattttttt lol. Cannibal scene cannot do a thing to my cold old heart but that did.
Exactly!! Sometimes the most disturbing stuff isn’t even the gory or bloody stuff. It’s crazy how the brain reacts to certain things!
So many of those books are on my tbr 😅 I may have to re-evaluate whether I actually want to read them now 😂 This video was super helpful though! I have penpal sitting on my shelf just waiting for me. I'm gonna try to get to it this year! Brother too. I've only read one book from Ania so far but loved her writing style so hopefully I'll enjoy that one too. 🤞 Great video!
I’m glad you found the video helpful! I hope you end up enjoying Penpal and Brother! 🥰🖤
I loved Penpal. The ending sent chills down my spine, really disturbing to me.
Gone to See the River Man left my jaw on the floor. Superb book.
Omg yes!!! The ending of Penpal was so chilling. I was in awe of both at the end!
Totally agree 💯
just finished Earthlings by Sayaka Murata and that is honestly one of the most disturbing (yet interesting) pieces of media I have ever consumed. Tender is the Flesh is on my priority TBR and I can’t wait to read it!!
That one is on my tbr!! I have it sitting on my shelf waiting for me, I’ve heard it’s a wild ride! I hope you enjoy Tender is the Flesh!!! 🖤
Earthlings was wild and I definitely was not expecting it. It was one of those books that really made me think. I can definitely appreciate it and its commentary but it wasnt my cup of tea. Too abstract I think
There’s so many of these on my tbr!!! Great video!! 🖤💀🤍
Ah yay!! Thanks so much! 🥰🖤
I remember reading Penpal on nosleep when it was being posted!!!!
NEED a full fleshed novel of Left Turn Right Turn
Not taking much convincing to resort to cannibalism reminds me of that scene from South Park where some of the characters are only trapped in a room for a couple of hours at most, and they’re just like “we’re gonna have to start eating each other to survive!” XD
I have to say the most disturbing books I've read are Stephen kings the dark half and quite recently orochi volume 2 mainly the stories prodigy and key. Which are 2 out of 3 stories. Those 2 stories alone left me with chills down my spine with what orochi and the protagonist had to go through in those stories. With the dark half george stark has to be one of the most disturbing villains I've read about that left me speechless with georges hanious acts towards the people he crosses paths with. Left me 😱😱😱 really enjoyed this vid of yours Erin! 😊❤📚
Ooh I’m glad you enjoyed volume 2 of Orochi! I’m definitely going to be picking that one up! 🥰
I saved many of your recommendations but I am especially interested in reading Dear Laura and that one about the woman in love with a serial killer 😳. I find it so interesting how different people define “disturbing.” I would love a part 2!
Ah I’m so happy!! 🖤 those are both definitely dark, but really well done in my opinion! I agree, disturbing can be so different for so many people! A part 2 is in the works as we speak!
I think I remember reading penal when it was a creepy pasta
It was a Reddit no sleep! There’s a podcast for it too.
_Confessions_ is《告白》 by the Japanese author 凑佳苗. I liked it very much too, led me to read her other books too. At a point I got too much of her and stopped 😂
My most disturbing book list is: (All books are really disturbing, yet in order from least disturbing to most disturbing.)
5. Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Brite
This book follows two characters Jay Byrne and Andrew Compton. These characters are based on Jeffery Dahmer and Dennis Neilson. You can imagine where this goes. A young Vietnamese man crosses paths with these two killers.
4. Tampa by Alissa Nutting.
This is about a teacher who is attracted to 14 year old boys, and the book follows a teacher's relationship with a boy named Jack Patrick.
3. The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum.
You already know what this one is about, but you decided not to continue reading. Maybe it's because this book is based specifically on the true crime case of Sylvia Likens.
2. Survivor by JF Gonzalez
Follows a woman and her husband that go away for their anniversary. The woman is kidnapped and told that she will be the star of a snuff film. It's what she does to try to survive is what makes this book so disturbing.
1. The Groomer by Jon Athan.
This book is about a child predatory organization, and a father's little girl is taken by the organization. The father goes on a vigilante rampage to try to get his daughter back home safely. The character development and plot is very well done. There is a really good story that reads like a crazy thriller. This book really scared me This author combines extreme horror and thriller very well.
All of them are on my tbr already!!! I haven’t gotten to them all yet, but I definitely plan to! You’re correct, I decided to stop reading The Girl Next Door. I don’t really find it appropriate that he was retelling Sylvia Likens story as fiction.
@@ErinMegan it says on the book based on a true story so I wouldn't really consider that fiction, maybe true crime with some liberties and I actually liked the fact that he changed names 🤷♀️
@@laurabogan3021 he changed quite a bit, enough that I consider that to be a fictionalized retelling of the true story. Glad you liked it, but it’s not a book I would recommend or include in anymore videos than I already have.
Just found your channel today in the wee hours of the morning and I am really enjoying it! I keep seeing Penpal and Gone to See The River Man I have to read them! Love how you describe the books
Ah well thank you so much for watching!! I hope you enjoy them both! 🥰🖤
What s PENPAL about and who is the author?
I love the ‘disturbing ‘ explanation I think anything that’s possible to happen in my life it’s disturbing to me such as ‘marriage pact ‘ , ‘ child called it ‘ things to do with kids ‘ or torture 😅
Yes! Anything I can actually imagine going through is terrifying to me!
In The Miso Soup has one of the most disturbing scenes I’ve ever read.
We Need To Talk About Kevin would also be pretty high on my list.
I’ve read In The Miso Soup, but it doesn’t really hit me like the others so I didn’t include it. We Need to Talk About Kevin is still on my need to read list!!!
My first thought was "is she going to include Penpal?" I'm so glad you did. It's been over 2 years and I still think about it. I also loved Gone To See The River Man. Best last line ever. You should check out Kristopher Triana's other books but each one is very different. They're all disturbing, some are extreme. A part 2 to this video would be great!!
Hahaha I love that! You know I had to include Penpal, that book is so good!! I’ve read Body Art by Triana and didn’t love it, but I’m definitely going to check out more from him!!
The butterfly garden by dot Hutchison was fairly disturbing and a very real feeling story.
Ooh yes! I loved that one too!
this is my first of your videos and i wasnt expecting your choices! you look so innocent but you know what it said about us quiet ones! lol great selection IMO
Omg this is so funny!! I didn’t think I looked that innocent, but that’s hilarious! Yes, I definitely have a wide variety of reading experience in horror! I try to read a bit of everything! ☺️
Thanks for this! Added a couple more to my want to read list. Just found your channel and have subscribed! Looking forward to your other videos!
Ah so glad you found the video helpful! I appreciate it! 🖤
Same here. Will soon start with Confessions.
This is an amazing list, I subscribed. It's not only popular books and it's not all gore, so I really get what you're saying, we have similar taste because I've read all of these. The things that disturb me in books is when I can imagine something happening as well, when you realize that here are people walking with similar disturbing thoughts. When I saw The Resurrectionist I thought to myself: "Ok, she's not messing around." He was absolutely vile and believe it or not, they even made a B movie based on this book. I really love Kolesnik's Waif which was terrific and it left a stronger impression, but True Crime is definitely more disturbing. Beside Pretty Girls and japanese authors, there is one thriller author that scared me and disturbed me for life and that's Mo Hayder. Karin doesn't shy away from showing violence, but Mo had a way of going under your skin. Tokyo/The Devil of Nanking is her most well known, but I am forever scared by The Treatment.
Thank you so much for the wonderful comment!! I appreciate it so much. I’ve been wanting to read Waif, so I’ll definitely have to move that up on my tbr!
Yes! I saw Come Back to Me years ago on Netflix and actually really liked it haha. I didn’t know it was based off the book until a bit ago!
Mo Hayder has definitely been on my radar, but I haven’t read anything by her yet! I’ll have to bump that on my tbr too!
@21:50 just like home by Sarah gailey came to mind when you spoke about loving monsters
Ooh yes! Just like Home was definitely an interesting one!
Good video and good reference, thanks for sharing.
Some I'd like to suggest:
"The Decadent Reader" edited by Asti Hustvedt
"Dangerous Liaisons" by Choderlos de Laclos
"Maldoror" by Comte de Lautréamont
"The Bad Seed" by William March
"Eden Eden Eden" by Pierre Guyotat
"Let's Go Play at the Adams'" by Mendal W. Johnson
"The Basketball Diaries" by Jim Carroll
Happy Reading. :-)
I’ll check out gone to see the river man because I’ve seen so many recommendations of this book! Thanks for the video ❤
Ah I hope it works out for you!!
@@ErinMegan Update: My favorite read of 2024 so far 🏆✨🥵
Good list! I love Pen Pal. It's not disturbing to me, but it's definitely very creepy... it has two of the creepiest moments in anything. Resurrectionist... yeah, no argument there, I can't imagine anybody not finding that one disturbing. :) River Man was good, and Pretty Girls was great. Haven't read some of the others, may have to look into 'em. I've had Brother for a while but haven't gotten around to reading it. I know it'll be good, though - I like Ahlborn.
Just by your description I knew Pretty Girls was coming up. Honestly one of my favorites.
Yes! It’s so good!
Confessions- totally agree with what you said. It has stuck in my brain since I read it. I think it was brilliant. Sadly I have gifted this book to several friends who are readers and they did not like it or finish it.
Aw that’s so sad! 😭 I get it though, it’s definitely a different kind of writing style. I’ve heard lots of people say they couldn’t get into it because of that.
Another UA-camr said that “Notice” by Heather Lewis was the most disturbing book he’d ever read. I have not read it
That’s on my to read list! I’ve heard a few people mention it!
You've gained a subscriber! I love how...idk, cheery I guess, you sound!
Aw thank you so much!!! I appreciate your kind words. :)
TW: torture & s3xual abuse
The most disturbing book Ive read is a supernatural horror mystery fantasy book called "Threads of Malice" that is about a supernatural detective trying to find a victim by talking to ghosts. It includes a horrible torture scene of a young man (like a teenager) who is an artist, who ends of getting kidnapped by a nobleman who hired him, kept prisoner in a barn and hung from the rafters by his fingers, tortured & r*ped, and gets his fingers graphically sliced off by trying to pull himself up to the rafters by his broken wrists and when he grasps ahold of the beams, there are razors along them. I couldnt get through it, it just upset me way too much. Ive never forgotten that scene, it almost made me throw up. I cant imagine writing such a horrible thing.
I loved “Penpal”. I had no idea it was a thread on Reddit when I read it. My most recently read disturbing book was “Gone To See the River Man”. ‘That one thing’ that you spoke of made me want to vomit. One of my all time favorite books that I found disturbing is “My Sweet Audrina” by VC Andrews.
Ah I’m so glad you loved Penpal!! Yeah, that *part* of Gone To See the River Man is so messed up. Definitely scarred me for life! I have yet to read anything by VC Andrews and I really need to!
This is an interesting list! I don't really know anyone else who read True Crime or even Dear Laura.
Ah really?? I’ve seen a few other booktubers mention them!
To Be Devoured is so beautiful! I need to read Gone To See The River Man! What a great list!
I think you’d really like Gone to See the River Man!!
I really need to push Penpal up on my TBR I have owned it on kindle forever and idk why I never read it lol
This is the most amazing list I’ve ever seen yessss 😍😍😍
I actually think you’ll enjoy it!! It’s very simplistic, but effective! You saying this list is amazing, is actually amazing!!! You always read the most disturbing books!! 🥹
@@ErinMegan 🥹🖤🖤
I have Pen Pal, Dear Laura, and confessions sitting on my shelf waiting for me. I want to read Brother and if I can handle it then I might tackle Tender is the Flesh 😂 I also want to read Riverman, but it scares me a bit lol
I think you’d like Brother!! Gone to See the Riverman is a lot! If you have certain triggers or things you’re not comfortable with I would check first!
Definitely adding some of these to my tbr
Ooh yay! I hope you enjoy them! 🖤
I just ordered Brother before watching this video…now I’m even more excited to read it!
Ahh I hope you love it!!! 🥰🖤
After watching this vid I read “tender is the flesh” and “gone to see the river man” back to back… maybe not the best decision 😂 but definitely two well written and for sure disturbing books. I also loved how they both leave you thinking about human nature in deep ways instead of just being extreme for the sake of it. Right now I need a break from all the disturbing mess but I look forward to reading penpal and dear laura next!
Ah I’m so glad you enjoyed them, but I completely understand need a bit of a break. 😅 Disturbing horror can really take a lot out of you, especially if you read them back to back!
I love disturbing horror that doesn’t rely heavily on shock for shock, it’s always great to find those ones!
I already knew about a lot of these but for those that I didn't... Thank you! I will stay away from them all. 😄
Glad I could help you know which ones to avoid!! 🥰🖤
The End of Alice and Child of God are pretty disturbing.
I purchased "Penpal" earlier today. Now I'm even more excited about reading it.
Ah I hope you enjoy it!!
Read Penpal because of this. It was creepy and heartbreaking.
Yes! So so sad, but absolutely loved it!
Been waiting for a video like this from you!!
You’re the best! 🥰🖤🖤🖤
Great review.
What is the book right above Lighting the Wick? Horrors? Looks interesting.
The title is “At Home With the Horror”
Adding these to my wishlist 🙌🏼
Ohh I loved confessions
Confessions was amazing! I hope you find something wonderfully disturbing to read! 🖤
I know this is totally random Erin, but I'm just wondering what you think about Clive Barker? Personally, I LOVE his writing. I'm very curious to know what do you think? I've never seen you talk about him. Again, sorry for this out of the blue question. :)
That’s a great question! I actually have only read one Clive Barker story and it was this year. It was The Hellbound Heart and I enjoyed it! I started with it because I already knew I loved the Hellraiser movies. I would definitely read more from him!
GURLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL .... I NEED BROTHER .....Be right back going to Amazon ... OH SNAP It takes place Deep in the heart of Appalachia In a FArmhouse too THIS BOOK WAS SOOOOO WRITTEN 4 ME Thanks for this fabulously awesome You Knock it out the park DIVA much love
YES!!! Brother is phenomenal, you need to read it!!!! Appreciate you!!!! 🖤🖤
Thank you, great video
I seriously need to read Brother this year
I think you do need to read it!!
I know this video is over a year old but I just recently watched it about a week or so ago and I just wanted to say that as today 10/08/2023 penpal is currently trending on kindle!!!!
That’s amazing!!! It deserves the love!
Tender is the flesh is a personal favorite of mine as it kindof opened my eyes to the inhumanity of animal agriculture and pushed me to becoming vegan :)
Woah, that’s amazing!!!
Check out "Into the Wolves' Den" by Jon Athan. Probably his best book. Very gruesome and creepy. Also, "Tamer Animals" by Justin M. Woodward was fantastic.
I read a previous Jon Athan and didn’t like it, but I’ll look into them!!
@@ErinMegan Ah okay :) Tamer Animals you may enjoy. I remember it quite well and I read it a while ago
@@j.a.flynn-author ooh okay!! I’ll definitely look into it, thank you so much for the recommendations!! :)
Take a shot every time Erin says Disturbing 🤣
Omg please don’t, you won’t survive that!! 😭😂😂😂
Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum was disturbing so disturbing
I DNF’d that! Wouldn’t ever try it again hahah, 100% not for me!
Currently reading Tender is the Flesh.
Ooh are you enjoying it??
Thank you!!
My Dark Vanessa is still the most disturbing book I’ve ever read. No gore, no horror, just fully detailed grooming from the victim’s POV. Hard to read.
I own it, but haven’t read it yet! I’ve read Tampa so I think I’m a little bit prepared for the content!
Tampa is on my TBR, but if it’s anything like MDV… it’ll take me a while to get through lol. MDV is definitely a day ruiner imo
I just read Gone to See the River Man and wow 😂 I gave it 5 stars but 😅 it was a lot.
I knowwww! 😂😂 it traumatized me, but it was a 5 star read. 😭
To me, the most disturbing horror book I´ve ever read, is Tintin in the Congo by Hergé. Hergé wrote Tintin to warn future magazine services not to hire journalists like that. And anybody who has read this book agrees it is among the most violent, gory graphic horror stories ever read. We´ve all heard about these thingies called graphic novels. After Hergé published Tintin in the Congo he knew he had managed to hide the truth about Tintin in that book in particular. Absolutely no ´protagonist´ has been as disturbing as Tintin is in this book which nobody realized at the time is not for kids at all. This is a comic book about a psychopath. In 2023, Tintin is still the insaniest of the insane, until I figure out how to create a more mentally disturbed fictional character. The Icelandic translation of Mr. Peter Benchley´s Jaws was seriously disturbing to me, but this goes beyond disturbing. This is so disturbing, even the fictional Sutter Cane could not possibly have come up with an idea of a comic book as disturbing as Tintin in Congo. Tintin is one of the most realistic psychopaths in fiction and also one of the scariest due to his ability to do the things he does and have no remorse for it whatsoever. Thanks for your video. Kind regards from Ásgeir in Iceland.
Tintin pure filth
Is "Gone To See The River Man" a Nick Drake reference? I feel like it has to be.
I have no idea! I’m not familiar with Nick Drake.
Is the riverman science fiction?
Nope, it’s splatterpunk horror!
80% de vos livres ne sont pas traduits en français et je ne lis pas l'anglais...pouvez vous faire une liste sur vos romans les plus pertubants parmi les grands classiques ?
I love your passion and love for reading and horror! John-Paul from ATL! =^,,^=
Ah thank you so much! You’re too kind! :)
Cows is probably the most disturbing book I’ve read. It made me do actual 🤮
Yeah that’s one I will probably never read haha I’ve heard it’s disgusting!! 😭
I would say the worst I read but like is Dead Inside, Playground and The Slob.
Ugh I hated Dead Inside! I’ve heard a lot about The Playground and The Slob. I don’t read too much extreme horror, it just doesn’t do much for me.
@@ErinMegan Yea I get that, it was more of the writing then the story itself, it was hard to get through. His other books are not as bad, the playground it took a long time to finish. I enjoyed your list thanks again. Gives me some new reads!
Was a part 2 ever made? 😢
Not yet! I had to read enough books to make a part 2 haha
@@ErinMegan 🖤
can't wait to read them myself
Hope you enjoy them!!
You should read Red by Ketchum.It's about teens with no empathy.
Oooh, I’ll have to look into that one!
Just read The Girl Next Door last night haha
@@laurabogan3021 The Girl Next Door is good but I liked Red better. =)
@@SuperStrangSshadow I will def check that out 😍
@@laurabogan3021 let me know what you think when you're done.😀
YES part 2
It’s in the works!!! 🖤
Im Thinking of Ending Things. Very disturbing.
Yes! That’s a great one!
I neeeeed to read Penpal!
Yes yes yes to confessions!
Yes to Pretty Girls!
You need Penpal!!!
The long walk
I enjoyed that one!
Brother was brilliant
try Exquiste Corpse. Poppy Z. Brite
Yup, it’s on my list to read!
Take a shot every time you hear disturbing 😂 also I’m gonna be broke by the end of this video 😅
😂😂😂 I really forget every synonym in the English language when I film.
You convinced me to read penpal
If you hate it….I’m sorry 😂
@@ErinMegan it’s Ok reading is subjective not everyone’s gonna love or hate the same books
The Bible
🤣🤣🤣
Ok... So when you went on about in To Be Devoured, you mentioned "dead flesh". Meat is dead flesh.
I’m well aware, the book wouldn’t be on this list if it was referencing average everyday meat. If you don’t like the wording, take that up with the author, that’s how it’s written in the plot description.
I guess the only disturbing book I've ever read is The Night Inside by Nancy Baker. I don't usually do blind reads but it was one and...yeah I was surprised. The first, I'd say quarter or so, of it is pretty rough to get through but the rest of the book isn't crazy bad.
Ooh I’ve never heard of that one!
@@ErinMegan it's a vampire horror novel which is what got me interested. The poor vampire guy is captured by some lunatics who later on end up also abducting the main character. Not going to give anymore away. I'm pretty sure it's not as bad as a lot of the books being recommended on social media lately but it's still messed up in it's own way. Definitely look up the trigger warnings before reading it, I kinda wish I had and I'm surprised that I was able to get through the first of it. Again though, it doesn't stay brutal so there's that at least lol.
You sold Penpal to me, I'll get it asap
I hope you love it!!
Exquisite corpse
Blood Meridian
Look into "The Doloriad" by Missouri Williams, which is new this year and includes post-apocalyptic incest and rape among mutated relatives (🤢😾), but is very classically written!! Look into it first, that is, and decide if it's for you! "Confessions" will blow readers away with the first chapter alone, and then there are so many more to come!!
I just looked up The Doloriad and added it to my tbr!! It sounds horrific, I can’t wait to read it. 🤣🤣 Thanks for the recommendation!!
Agreed, Confessions was just absolutely wonderful!!
@@ErinMegan Very good then, I think you will like it, and be prepared for an ending that goes off any known charts of weirdness 😄😸
who can count how many times she says disturbing?
Well it is a disturbing book list…I think the word is pretty fitting for each one. 🤔 Also, kinda hard to come up with 10 different synonyms on the fly.
The Poison Tree really messed with my head. It was so realistic in the realm of human nature.
I’ve never heard of this one!! I’ll have to check it out!
It's by a author named Erin Kelley, I think. I might have the name wrong