I have horrible anxiety, and I recently discovered extreme horror and splatterplunk helps me a lot with my studies. I freeze up when I have a lot of work to do and I end up putting it off. But while I'm reading extreme horror or splatterpunk I'm so disgusting and/or terrified, when I come back to my regular life my problems seem so small and manageable compared to what I just read. It's such a weird motivator, but it works so well.
awww the cutest lawyers EVER! I loved Maeve fly. My issue with a lot of extreme horror that I've read is that it isn't usually well-written. I want a story, not just words on a page for shock value. When it is done well though....I LOVE it.
That's so awesome! I hope you enjoy your creative writing program! My creative writing classes absolutely shaped the way I write and consume literature.
I tend to avoid these type of books like the plague, and I must say it’s a fascinating experience getting to know them through your videos. Keep up the good work!
Same - I'm weirdly obsessed but don't want to read the stuff myself. I read Playground by the same guy who wrote The Slob and it was just so gross and awful.
As a Brit, Dead Inside reminds me of an actual case that happened in Tunbridge Wells. Except he was a maintenance man rather than a security guard, I believe.
The same way you explain dead inside is the same way I feel about Steven from cows. Hes constantly watching shows about a normal life that he'll never have. His dog is his only friend. I just wonder how many people have actually lived that life in real life.
Absolutely! Me too! I loved the book and I think it was honestly a pretty good introduction to Extreme Horror for Me. Also, no spoilers, but I gasped and then laughed when I came to the realization why Angel wanted "the biggest girl they had". Lol It only clicked with me a day later after I finished reading. It was a great book.
Some of the most horrific books I have ever read are non fiction. I'd recommend either Blood Meridian or Japan's Infamous Unit 731, which both made me realize that reality is more brutal than fiction, specifically because if they were fiction the things they do would make you discount them as " just for shock value" and "unrealistic". Although Blood Meridian is based around real events and has more of a coherent plot than just history and testimonies.
I have a pretty strong steel stomach for the disturbing but distinctly remember The Second World War by Antony Beevor being the only book to make me feel physically sick. When he lays out the number of people being killed by Germany in Operation Reinhard, which lasted from March 42 to November 43. Specifically October to July 42. Germany was murdering about 14,700 people a day for 100 days straight. About 1.47 million in 100 days. Only time I ever decided "Ok, I think that's enough for today."
Sometimes reading in depth stories about events that you have only thought about in passing or on a surface level are truly horrifying. Especially when you think about how other people gloss over it or know nothing because it is not super well known.
Cows was the first extreme horror book I ever read and I read it in one sitting. A very intense one to start with but I enjoyed it too. You’re not alone haha 😂
I really enjoyed The Summer I Died by Ryan C. Thomas. Not the kind of extreme horror novel that just goes for shock value but actually well written with characters I cared about. Which hit harder once the horror starts
I finally summoned the courage to buy Dead Inside by Chandler Morrison and I am equal parts excited and terrified lol. Wish me luck (I'm gonna need it)
@@SilverLovesJesus sure!! I finished it pretty much the same day I started it. It is GRUESOME but also really funny and I agree with what anda is saying about how it’s kind of beautiful in the message it conveys. It’s satirical so it’s not meant to be taken seriously and it totally surpassed my expectation. It’s one of my favorite extreme horror books I read last year. And chandler Morrison had slowly become my favorite extreme horror author. Highly recommend if you’re into this kind of stuff
Thanks for the reviews! Dead Inside is the only one of these I've read, and for me personally it felt like there was potential for an interesting plot between the two main characters, but I couldn't get over the author sounding like a massive edgelord and that grated on me very quickly.
A pioneer of the genre, Poppy Z. Brite, while not full extreme horror, has her moments in her three first novels: Lost Souls, Drawing Blood and Exquisite Corpse, specially this last one. She is the quintessential Goth writer (not Gothic).
I love Poppy Z Brite (he's now identifying as Billy Martin with he/him pronouns but I use the Brite name to talk about those books since that's what they're published under). Lost Souls is my favourite, but I'd argue it's barely extreme horror at all. A case can definitely be made for Exquisite Corpse, but even so, the writing quality distracts from that.
@@bunchoflemons I didn't know he uses a different name name! I have a bunch of books under Poppy Z. Brite name, even as recent as the first decade of the 21st century. Good to know so I can track his newer books!
@@the_eerie_faerie_tales It was the first book I tried to read in English (not my mother tongue). Full of slang and idioms and expressions that were kinda hard for me to uderstand properly, but I carried on and I after a while, context helped me to get through it. The Spanish translation was so bad I didn't even read past page 10 or 15.
@@vagabundorkchaosmagick-use2898 I think all of the books are still published under the Brite name for marketing/ name recognition purposes if you are looking them up.
Let me start off by saying I am so glad I found your channel. I'm the odd ball out in my friends and family. Nobody likes reading horror books and they think I'm weird to do so. Your recommendations have been amazing. And I just added a few more to the list. ✅️
Extreme horror is genre that genuinely piques my interest. But every time I try, it ends up being more cheesy than interesting. Not necessarily that it is not horrifying/disgusting, but it just seems like every sentence is just trying to be shocking. It reminds me of seeing the band Gwar and then finally listening and you’re like, “Oh… They aren’t very heavy at all”. My last attempt was “Tender Is The Flesh”. It was ok I guess. But there were a lot of eye rolls throughout. Great video. Definitely cool to see a different genre represented on book tube. I have a couple friends who have written horror books. Please check them out if you can. “Tearstone” by David Day. And “The Unwelcome” by Jacob Steven Mohr. Would love to hear your thoughts on them. Can’t wait to see your next video. 😊
When I was a kid, I used to read a lot of Goosebumps books and LOVE THEM. Sadly, that passion for horror stories dimmed with the years. BUT, I must admit that thanks to your channel, I reconnected with that part of myself and started to read Extreme horror stories/books.
I thoroughly enjoyed maeve fly! I've read a lot of horror but tend to avoid extreme horror, so maeve fly was a great intro book. It was so well written and the more graphic stuff towards the end didn't feel cheesy (which is my main issue with a lot of splatter stuff).
I’m glad someone else said that dead inside is good, I’ll have to read it soon. Also I feel like a total weirdo for being into extreme horror. I can’t help it. But it is really fun to connect with other weirdos and there’s like a collective understanding. Like a subtle nod, “yeah I get ya.” Like obviously we don’t condone anything that happens, but we want more.
I believe your pronunciation is correct on CJ Leede's name. I must say that Maeve Fly is probably my favorite new book I've read in the last couple years. Hard to believe it's her first.
I’m fairly new to your Chanel and I already love it! Thank you so much for all the great horror recommendations. My grotesque library is growing thanks to you.
Fur babies are always a good/funny time! Never wasted time! I would give Dead Inside a try but I'm really sensitive when it comes to anything dealing with babies. I don't think I could hang in the extreme horror genre, but your reactions are great lol
Matthew Stokoe is great at story structure. His chapters give you enough momentum to get through the most vile of events, then return to protagonist back to a degree of normalcy, after they have changed. His other book, High Life is really good, also his story Empty Mile.
One of the first extreme horror book review that's actually in any way positive. I loved this video you have a great personality and you can explain the books well and in a comprehensive way. Very good video
Saw your other “extreme horror” video and enjoyed it a lot, but it was your dogs in the beginning that made me subscribe 😂 Love it, can’t wait for more videos!
If you want some fun reads that are on the edge of extreme I’d recommend some Shaun Hutson. Slugs and Breeding Ground are super dumb pulp horror novels about killer slugs and I LOVED them. Pretty gnarly but nothing close to the stuff you’ve read so far. Might make for a weird sort of palate cleanser.
I like the style of the last video you made for the extreme horror! Where you showed us you reading a little bit and still gave us a review on the books! Can you please do some more video like that? Do get me wrong, just the review is fine, but I liked it the other way better! It made me feel I little more involved!
These are some I’ve been nervous to read because I’ve expected them to be too much to get through - I might give a few of them a try now, though! Two “extreme” horror novels that I loved but didn’t find too extreme - To Be Devoured by Sara Tantlinger and Reception by Kenzie Jennings!
Maeve Fly is a good place to start, I think. Not too bad but still a bit more extreme than a typical novel. Thanks for the suggestions! I'll have to look into these.
I think the cows are a metaphor for the dehumanization of others that comes when one is desperate for any sort of control or power in the world. Steven sees the cows, who are intelligent, thinking, and feeling social creatures, as just stepping stones to his ultimate goal of living his tv life where he is the main character and everything else bends to his desires around him. A lot of the themes of toxic masculinity and power throughout the book play into this as well. He learns from Cripps that the way to gain power and "become a man" is through the subjugation and killing of others. The metaphors and themes of the book are super tightly woven and obtuse and there's so much to unpack even if you make it through the more disgusting bits, it's a lot of work to put it all together which I honestly loved but I fully understand why someone wouldn't like this book or would have mixed feelings.
What a great comment! Thank you for your interpretation of the book. I kind of want to give it another read to see what else I can find, but I'm not sure I can make it through twice haha.
Thank you! I’m so glad I’m not the only one who thinks there’s a deeper meaning behind cows. No matter how many times I had to pause and take a shot while reading it.
Would you ever consider making videos about some of the books you review with full explanations or analysis, spoilers and all? I fully get the orientation of reviewing and perhaps recommending books for other fans of the genre. But as many others here, I'm someone who will likely never get through one of these books, but is still interested in listening to someone familiar with the genre talking about them in detail. I've watched a ton of video essays on horror movies too, and I find I get to appreciate the stories and the art that way, getting familiar with how the genre works and how the plots are built and tropes and such. It fascinates me but I'm also prone to slipping into dissociative state when my sense of reality is challenged. Horror books especially are a totally foreign world to me. I can't really imagine how a good story is built with those elements in there in written form in a way that makes sense outside shock value. These videos I've seen from you give a hint, but personally I wouldn't mind being spoiled a plot, so if someone like you was willing to make those kind of videos without having to fear spoilers, that'd be great. But again, I'm sure most people drawn to your content appreciate the degree of secrecy and being able to decide for themselves if finding out is worth it for them, and that's totally cool!
Thank you for the suggestion! I can definitely give it a try and see how people respond. I was planning to do this with more intricate books but then I feel like I need to read them a few times before dedicating a full video to them. I'll see what I can do :)
@@AndaKent Thank you for the response! That'd be great! I can totally see why you would want to put a bit more work into something like that, so no pressure!☺ Also, I obviously don't want you to push yourself with anything that feels too overwhelming to dig deeper into😄
I don't know if you've already talked about it, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on Tender is the Flesh. It's one of those "can't put downers" where you're simultaneously horrified but curious. Really worth reading, but only really doable once for me lol.
I have talked about it before in my one of my monthly reading wrap ups and maybe in a another video but I haven't done a dedicated video to it. Maybe I will one of these days. I really loved that book.
Never clicked on a video SO FAST Anda😅 your other extreme horror reading vlog is one of my favourites, pls keep making content like this😂 and side note...I seriously need an up to date shelf tour from you, we have nearly the exact same taste and they're so pretty that I need the detailed tour😍💓
@@the_eerie_faerie_tales oh yeah, I watch Meg all the time. So funny, but the stuff she reads is a little too much for me😭😅 she’s the reason I read No One Rides For Free by Judith Sonnet because they’re friends and she sings her praises but, um…it was a lot😭
going off the titles you loved in this video and the last, i definitely recommend looking more into the genre of ‘bizarro fiction’. it often overlaps with splatter punk but it’s like the books where they’re almost silly. so gross so weird but so silly. maybe check out ritualistic human sacrifice 🖤
Have you ever looked at the work of Junji Ito? It’s primarily manga with a few short stories, so a bit different than a “standard” book, but the words and images are brutal and gross in the best way. If you venture that way, I’d start with Uzumaki!
I read Woom last week after seeing it on your Instagram story so... thanks for that. It was a lot better than Cows which I DNFed. At least Woom had some decent writing and sections I liked. Cows was just a man hating his mother while pooping and I gave up before anything else happened.
I just watched your other extreme horror video and had to come here once I saw you read Cows! Im so glad you liked it as well, I thought it was so full of meaning and introspection and I wondered if there was something wrong with me after seeing the goodreads reviews lol. But i think its a great example of shock value being used for purpose rather than to upset you and say nothing of value (not that there is anything necessarily wrong with that).
I'm not sure if you've covered it in another video, but my first extreme horror was a little book called Genital Grinder by Ryan Harding. Never had a book make me queasy before, but here I am on the search for more, lol. So glad I found your channel!
Talking about extreme horror, Edward Lee is the first name that comes to my mind. I urge you and everyone to read his novella 'Pig'. That ending was unexpected and hilarious!
COWS is a true masterpiece, and great to see you praising it. Extremely well written and thought-provoking. Stokoe is a consistently excellent writer. His other books are great, too, but not near as audacious.
I remember in 2015 people would say that reading was dying. My response was when did people ever start reading. I was also the only one out of 99% of my friends that read when i was growing up. The cow book sounds horrible, I'm going have to check it out.
I gave Cows a go last year. I had thought I was basically at the end after so much heavy shit, and when I checked, I was only HALF done, and made the choice to stop. Mad me sick and sticks with me today!
Woom is the only extreme horror I’ve ever read and I hated it. 😂😂 it seemed like page after page of really gross nonsense. I recently found your channel and Reading with Meg and now I’m considering trying more extreme horror 😂😂
I haven't finished your video yet, but I immediately wishlisted 3 of these books. I bought Maeve Fly though since you said it is reminiscent of Bret Easton Ellis, who is in my top 5 favorite authors! Not sure when I'll get to it. I spent October reading a bunch of new and old Goosebumps books. I just finished one and was gonna take a break to read a book by my second favorite author, Alex S. Johnson: The Fall Of The House Of Kaimera And Other Stories. He writes some pretty bizarre and disgusting stuff as well. I would recommend Playground by Aron Beauergard. Wife and I read it together and loved it and talking about it. I definitely want to check out more of his stuff! I have also read great things about Judith Sonnet but have yet to read her stuff. :-)
I watched this video a while ago and Maeve Fly stayed in my brain but I never read it, then a couple days ago I saw Dead Inside and Maeve Fly at my local Barnes & Noble so I had to come back to this video and see if I still want to get them after hearing your thoughts 😂
I think I wrote a couple of short stories in college that would fall into the Extreme Horror category…. Maybe I should try to get those published and maybe write more. They’re extremely fun to write.
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish explores the themes of racism, classism, the ultimate futility of life, and the oddly disturbing infinity that is our universe, all from the perspective of a few cartoon fish. Kept me up for a few nights, highly recommend.
I read Dead Inside yesterday on a flight back from Dubrovnik. The scene with the dead baby in the abortion clinic is just revolting. That said, I do see the love story element. The story between Elizabeth and the protagonist is actually quite sweet. The twist at the end is pretty grim.
Definitely check out Exquisite Corpse, it's my favorite extreme horror I've read, but it was published so long ago it may not even count anymore especially compared to some of the stuff that's out nowadays. And also Mukbang Princess, which is also from the publisher Godless
These books aren’t really extreme horror, but Uzumaki and Tomie by Junji Itō are some of the GREATEST horror manga I’ve ever read. Warning for Tomie: Grooming and Manipulation are involved.
I know exactly what you mean by finding a splatterpunk story cute. I cried at the end of Yellow by Aaron Beauregard, I thought it was so beautiful. But I’d never dare tell most people that 😂😂😂
I added Woom to my "to read" list after seeing another channel talk about it after your other extreme horror video sent my recommendations down a rabbit hole. I'd again suggest Garbage Man by Joseph D'Lacy. It's not extreme horror, but really good. Another novel of his I've read, Meat, I would think is pretty extreme. It genuinely made me uncomfortable.
unpopular dead inside opinion. its def vile, but the authour is basically an edge lord looking to shock people vs a craftsman of horror. i low key feel this way about a lot of extreme horror/splatter punk books. people who dont actually have the skill to write something that will truly scare people, so they just go as gory as possible and try to shock people.
I miss the clips of you reading and then getting revolted at the bad parts. Those were great, and you should do those again. Do you think you could write one of these types of books after reading a few?
I'll definitely do another reading vlog type video soon. I get mixed reviews so it's hard to determine what people like so this comment is helpful. I don't think I'll ever venture into writing extreme horror. I don't think my mind could come up with the stuff that's in these books 😂
I have horrible anxiety, and I recently discovered extreme horror and splatterplunk helps me a lot with my studies. I freeze up when I have a lot of work to do and I end up putting it off. But while I'm reading extreme horror or splatterpunk I'm so disgusting and/or terrified, when I come back to my regular life my problems seem so small and manageable compared to what I just read. It's such a weird motivator, but it works so well.
That’s so interesting omg
It's called procrastination.
@@1SpicyMeataball Yeah obviously lol. Just my point is extreme horror/splatterpunk is a good tool for me to stop procrastinating.
BRO SAME
FINALLY SOMEBODY GETS IT
Your husband walking in and seeing the dogs wearing his shirts is so funny lmao
"Is that my shirt? Is he going to work?" 🤣
I genuinely love to listen to people who read extreme horror knowing I'll never read anything like that myself, thank you for your service
I'm glad I can help 😂
awww the cutest lawyers EVER! I loved Maeve fly. My issue with a lot of extreme horror that I've read is that it isn't usually well-written. I want a story, not just words on a page for shock value. When it is done well though....I LOVE it.
I'm currently reading it now and I also love it!
Any recommendations? I’ve only read Dead Inside and The Slob and they were…not exactly classic-worthy 😂
@@a.h.9362 I hated the slob. Exquisite corpse is extreme but well written. I also liked psychic teenage bloodbath and gone to see the river man
In the Miso Soup is a classic. There is a plot, characters, social commentary, and a good build-up to the shock and gore.
@Kritz_Reads Oh, EC is great. Both graphic and compelling.
As a man going into college as a creative writing major looking for new reading material I am glad I landed here and identify with the content.
That's so awesome! I hope you enjoy your creative writing program! My creative writing classes absolutely shaped the way I write and consume literature.
I tend to avoid these type of books like the plague, and I must say it’s a fascinating experience getting to know them through your videos. Keep up the good work!
I can't read Extreme Horror but I still like watching the videos like a weirdo 🤣
Right!!
Tried reading The Slob, refunded it. Couldn't do it, so I totally relate to this!!
Same - I'm weirdly obsessed but don't want to read the stuff myself. I read Playground by the same guy who wrote The Slob and it was just so gross and awful.
Literally the story of my life
I don't even watch horror movies other than Tech horror or read fiction but love knowing what is in them
Extreme horror got us shipping necro cannibals 😂
You think there’s r34?
@@stingerjohnny9951 It exists, therefore ...
i cant believe i wanted them to get together so bad.
As a Brit, Dead Inside reminds me of an actual case that happened in Tunbridge Wells. Except he was a maintenance man rather than a security guard, I believe.
Yeah that was messed up. It was in Kent as well. Got away with it for nearly 40 years and murdered 2 people too. 🤢
The same way you explain dead inside is the same way I feel about Steven from cows. Hes constantly watching shows about a normal life that he'll never have. His dog is his only friend. I just wonder how many people have actually lived that life in real life.
20:00 didnt notice until now but the smushed face of pinhead is absolutely hilarious
😂😂
I absolutely adored Woom. I was not expecting to feel genuine emotion at the end of it.
I also loved Woom and was weirdly moved by it!!
THEY HAD EACH OTHER 😭😭 it was totally moving!
Absolutely! Me too! I loved the book and I think it was honestly a pretty good introduction to Extreme Horror for Me.
Also, no spoilers, but I gasped and then laughed when I came to the realization why Angel wanted "the biggest girl they had". Lol It only clicked with me a day later after I finished reading. It was a great book.
Some of the most horrific books I have ever read are non fiction. I'd recommend either Blood Meridian or Japan's Infamous Unit 731, which both made me realize that reality is more brutal than fiction, specifically because if they were fiction the things they do would make you discount them as " just for shock value" and "unrealistic". Although Blood Meridian is based around real events and has more of a coherent plot than just history and testimonies.
lemme guess, you're a wendigoon fan (no shade, i love him too)
I have a pretty strong steel stomach for the disturbing but distinctly remember The Second World War by Antony Beevor being the only book to make me feel physically sick.
When he lays out the number of people being killed by Germany in Operation Reinhard, which lasted from March 42 to November 43. Specifically October to July 42. Germany was murdering about 14,700 people a day for 100 days straight. About 1.47 million in 100 days.
Only time I ever decided "Ok, I think that's enough for today."
Sometimes reading in depth stories about events that you have only thought about in passing or on a surface level are truly horrifying. Especially when you think about how other people gloss over it or know nothing because it is not super well known.
Blood Meridian is next on my reading list
blood meridian is not non fiction, it is exceptionally historically accurate but still fiction
Cows was the first extreme horror book I ever read and I read it in one sitting. A very intense one to start with but I enjoyed it too. You’re not alone haha 😂
I really enjoyed The Summer I Died by Ryan C. Thomas. Not the kind of extreme horror novel that just goes for shock value but actually well written with characters I cared about. Which hit harder once the horror starts
ANY footage of furbabies is never wasted time! 🐾💛
Don't eat them tho.
@@adrianaslund8605 don't eat the pets??
@@the_eerie_faerie_tales Yeah you really shouldn't do that. Don't put them in a blender either. That really would be a waste of everyone's time.
@@adrianaslund8605 omg no 😭😂
I finally summoned the courage to buy Dead Inside by Chandler Morrison and I am equal parts excited and terrified lol. Wish me luck (I'm gonna need it)
Can we get an update?
@@SilverLovesJesus sure!! I finished it pretty much the same day I started it. It is GRUESOME but also really funny and I agree with what anda is saying about how it’s kind of beautiful in the message it conveys. It’s satirical so it’s not meant to be taken seriously and it totally surpassed my expectation. It’s one of my favorite extreme horror books I read last year. And chandler Morrison had slowly become my favorite extreme horror author. Highly recommend if you’re into this kind of stuff
Thanks for the reviews!
Dead Inside is the only one of these I've read, and for me personally it felt like there was potential for an interesting plot between the two main characters, but I couldn't get over the author sounding like a massive edgelord and that grated on me very quickly.
IM SO GLAD IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO THOUGHT MORRISON SOUNDED LIKE AN EDGELORD. he sounded like he would want to start an internet argument with me
A pioneer of the genre, Poppy Z. Brite, while not full extreme horror, has her moments in her three first novels: Lost Souls, Drawing Blood and Exquisite Corpse, specially this last one. She is the quintessential Goth writer (not Gothic).
I love Poppy Z Brite (he's now identifying as Billy Martin with he/him pronouns but I use the Brite name to talk about those books since that's what they're published under). Lost Souls is my favourite, but I'd argue it's barely extreme horror at all. A case can definitely be made for Exquisite Corpse, but even so, the writing quality distracts from that.
@@bunchoflemons I didn't know he uses a different name name! I have a bunch of books under Poppy Z. Brite name, even as recent as the first decade of the 21st century. Good to know so I can track his newer books!
Omg I loved Lost Souls! Must have read it about 20 or more years ago. Read quite a few of Brite's works, but that was always my favorite.
@@the_eerie_faerie_tales It was the first book I tried to read in English (not my mother tongue). Full of slang and idioms and expressions that were kinda hard for me to uderstand properly, but I carried on and I after a while, context helped me to get through it. The Spanish translation was so bad I didn't even read past page 10 or 15.
@@vagabundorkchaosmagick-use2898
I think all of the books are still published under the Brite name for marketing/ name recognition purposes if you are looking them up.
Let me start off by saying I am so glad I found your channel. I'm the odd ball out in my friends and family. Nobody likes reading horror books and they think I'm weird to do so. Your recommendations have been amazing. And I just added a few more to the list. ✅️
Extreme horror is genre that genuinely piques my interest. But every time I try, it ends up being more cheesy than interesting. Not necessarily that it is not horrifying/disgusting, but it just seems like every sentence is just trying to be shocking. It reminds me of seeing the band Gwar and then finally listening and you’re like, “Oh… They aren’t very heavy at all”. My last attempt was “Tender Is The Flesh”. It was ok I guess. But there were a lot of eye rolls throughout. Great video. Definitely cool to see a different genre represented on book tube. I have a couple friends who have written horror books. Please check them out if you can. “Tearstone” by David Day. And “The Unwelcome” by Jacob Steven Mohr. Would love to hear your thoughts on them. Can’t wait to see your next video. 😊
When I was a kid, I used to read a lot of Goosebumps books and LOVE THEM. Sadly, that passion for horror stories dimmed with the years. BUT, I must admit that thanks to your channel, I reconnected with that part of myself and started to read Extreme horror stories/books.
This was such a nice comment to read. Thanks so much! I'm so glad you've been able to revisit horror again.
Sweeeet another vid on extreme horror books. Can't wait to watch this. Ahhhh your lawyers lmao. "Attorneys at Paw 🐾"
I thoroughly enjoyed maeve fly! I've read a lot of horror but tend to avoid extreme horror, so maeve fly was a great intro book. It was so well written and the more graphic stuff towards the end didn't feel cheesy (which is my main issue with a lot of splatter stuff).
I’m glad someone else said that dead inside is good, I’ll have to read it soon. Also I feel like a total weirdo for being into extreme horror. I can’t help it. But it is really fun to connect with other weirdos and there’s like a collective understanding. Like a subtle nod, “yeah I get ya.” Like obviously we don’t condone anything that happens, but we want more.
I believe your pronunciation is correct on CJ Leede's name. I must say that Maeve Fly is probably my favorite new book I've read in the last couple years. Hard to believe it's her first.
i saw 'cows' in the thumbnail and was immediately concerned for ur wellbeing
WOOM was kind of weirdly cozy horror. Like broken people finding other broken people who kind of learn to understand each other. Weirdly lol.
I got a better help ad at the exact second you began describing what the slaughtermen do to the cows. Great video.
Doggos are the best thing of all time, so I will always be happy to see any amount of time of the video on them! Your two doggos are adorable!
Tender is the Flesh is about as far as i can go into extreme horror. But, go you for making it theough these. I do want to read Maeve Fly though.
The dog’s were so adorable!
I’m fairly new to your Chanel and I already love it! Thank you so much for all the great horror recommendations. My grotesque library is growing thanks to you.
You can have every second of my time as long as I get more cute puppy moments like that 💕
Fur babies are always a good/funny time! Never wasted time! I would give Dead Inside a try but I'm really sensitive when it comes to anything dealing with babies. I don't think I could hang in the extreme horror genre, but your reactions are great lol
Matthew Stokoe is great at story structure. His chapters give you enough momentum to get through the most vile of events, then return to protagonist back to a degree of normalcy, after they have changed. His other book, High Life is really good, also his story Empty Mile.
One of the first extreme horror book review that's actually in any way positive. I loved this video you have a great personality and you can explain the books well and in a comprehensive way. Very good video
Saw your other “extreme horror” video and enjoyed it a lot, but it was your dogs in the beginning that made me subscribe 😂 Love it, can’t wait for more videos!
I don’t think I can watch the video because reasons, but you seem delightful. Also your legal team? Phenomenal.
I absolutely love Maeve Fly! Thank you so much for recommending it!
If you want some fun reads that are on the edge of extreme I’d recommend some Shaun Hutson. Slugs and Breeding Ground are super dumb pulp horror novels about killer slugs and I LOVED them. Pretty gnarly but nothing close to the stuff you’ve read so far. Might make for a weird sort of palate cleanser.
I like the style of the last video you made for the extreme horror! Where you showed us you reading a little bit and still gave us a review on the books! Can you please do some more video like that? Do get me wrong, just the review is fine, but I liked it the other way better! It made me feel I little more involved!
These are some I’ve been nervous to read because I’ve expected them to be too much to get through - I might give a few of them a try now, though!
Two “extreme” horror novels that I loved but didn’t find too extreme - To Be Devoured by Sara Tantlinger and Reception by Kenzie Jennings!
Maeve Fly is a good place to start, I think. Not too bad but still a bit more extreme than a typical novel. Thanks for the suggestions! I'll have to look into these.
I think the cows are a metaphor for the dehumanization of others that comes when one is desperate for any sort of control or power in the world. Steven sees the cows, who are intelligent, thinking, and feeling social creatures, as just stepping stones to his ultimate goal of living his tv life where he is the main character and everything else bends to his desires around him. A lot of the themes of toxic masculinity and power throughout the book play into this as well. He learns from Cripps that the way to gain power and "become a man" is through the subjugation and killing of others. The metaphors and themes of the book are super tightly woven and obtuse and there's so much to unpack even if you make it through the more disgusting bits, it's a lot of work to put it all together which I honestly loved but I fully understand why someone wouldn't like this book or would have mixed feelings.
What a great comment! Thank you for your interpretation of the book. I kind of want to give it another read to see what else I can find, but I'm not sure I can make it through twice haha.
Thank you! I’m so glad I’m not the only one who thinks there’s a deeper meaning behind cows. No matter how many times I had to pause and take a shot while reading it.
Would you ever consider making videos about some of the books you review with full explanations or analysis, spoilers and all? I fully get the orientation of reviewing and perhaps recommending books for other fans of the genre. But as many others here, I'm someone who will likely never get through one of these books, but is still interested in listening to someone familiar with the genre talking about them in detail. I've watched a ton of video essays on horror movies too, and I find I get to appreciate the stories and the art that way, getting familiar with how the genre works and how the plots are built and tropes and such. It fascinates me but I'm also prone to slipping into dissociative state when my sense of reality is challenged. Horror books especially are a totally foreign world to me. I can't really imagine how a good story is built with those elements in there in written form in a way that makes sense outside shock value. These videos I've seen from you give a hint, but personally I wouldn't mind being spoiled a plot, so if someone like you was willing to make those kind of videos without having to fear spoilers, that'd be great. But again, I'm sure most people drawn to your content appreciate the degree of secrecy and being able to decide for themselves if finding out is worth it for them, and that's totally cool!
Thank you for the suggestion! I can definitely give it a try and see how people respond. I was planning to do this with more intricate books but then I feel like I need to read them a few times before dedicating a full video to them. I'll see what I can do :)
@@AndaKent Thank you for the response! That'd be great! I can totally see why you would want to put a bit more work into something like that, so no pressure!☺ Also, I obviously don't want you to push yourself with anything that feels too overwhelming to dig deeper into😄
Love that I recognize Maeve Fly from the thumbnail alone!
I don't know if you've already talked about it, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on Tender is the Flesh. It's one of those "can't put downers" where you're simultaneously horrified but curious. Really worth reading, but only really doable once for me lol.
I have talked about it before in my one of my monthly reading wrap ups and maybe in a another video but I haven't done a dedicated video to it. Maybe I will one of these days. I really loved that book.
Great video! Thanks for reading woom! :) Also, is your lawyer a schnauzer? They're my favorite dogs.
Never clicked on a video SO FAST Anda😅 your other extreme horror reading vlog is one of my favourites, pls keep making content like this😂 and side note...I seriously need an up to date shelf tour from you, we have nearly the exact same taste and they're so pretty that I need the detailed tour😍💓
You also watch Reading with Meg? She does Extreme Horror vlogs. I can't read that ish lol but I love watching vids about it 😆
@@the_eerie_faerie_tales oh yeah, I watch Meg all the time. So funny, but the stuff she reads is a little too much for me😭😅 she’s the reason I read No One Rides For Free by Judith Sonnet because they’re friends and she sings her praises but, um…it was a lot😭
@@lizziejackson2529 oh cool! Yea that one definitely not tryin lol
The lawyer bit was hilarious 😂
going off the titles you loved in this video and the last, i definitely recommend looking more into the genre of ‘bizarro fiction’. it often overlaps with splatter punk but it’s like the books where they’re almost silly. so gross so weird but so silly. maybe check out ritualistic human sacrifice 🖤
1:08 may I have their contact info in case I ever need Representation? 🐶🐶😹
Best 5 seconds of my life
Your humor is my type of humor 😂 the dogs, the moo at the end lolol 👌
Have you ever looked at the work of Junji Ito? It’s primarily manga with a few short stories, so a bit different than a “standard” book, but the words and images are brutal and gross in the best way. If you venture that way, I’d start with Uzumaki!
I can’t do extreme horror or even regular horror tbh but you’re so cute and I love your passion 😭🙏🏻
I love you for recommending Dead Inside book. Thank you so much 😘
I read Woom last week after seeing it on your Instagram story so... thanks for that. It was a lot better than Cows which I DNFed. At least Woom had some decent writing and sections I liked. Cows was just a man hating his mother while pooping and I gave up before anything else happened.
Sounds like fun! From what other people online have said I was surprised you liked Woom and Cows. Might have to try them myself
I just watched your other extreme horror video and had to come here once I saw you read Cows! Im so glad you liked it as well, I thought it was so full of meaning and introspection and I wondered if there was something wrong with me after seeing the goodreads reviews lol. But i think its a great example of shock value being used for purpose rather than to upset you and say nothing of value (not that there is anything necessarily wrong with that).
I'm not sure if you've covered it in another video, but my first extreme horror was a little book called Genital Grinder by Ryan Harding. Never had a book make me queasy before, but here I am on the search for more, lol. So glad I found your channel!
Dogs: bark
Anda: my husband’s home
The Autism: ah. Her husband is a dog.
Brillant! got some of them already on my TBR. Can't wait to read them for my own book channel. Subscribed.
I love extreme horror. Definitely gunna pickup Dead Inside that sounds fu*cked up. Subscribed too 👻💯
I’m a bit late to the party, but Horror in the Woods is another extreme horror novel that’s overlooked. Probably because of its title.
Talking about extreme horror, Edward Lee is the first name that comes to my mind. I urge you and everyone to read his novella 'Pig'. That ending was unexpected and hilarious!
ok i was having a real bad day and was tryna distract myself, the surprise lawyer dogs have lifted my mood
COWS is a true masterpiece, and great to see you praising it. Extremely well written and thought-provoking. Stokoe is a consistently excellent writer. His other books are great, too, but not near as audacious.
I watch no book content. But I love your stuff, its extremely entertaining.
I remember in 2015 people would say that reading was dying. My response was when did people ever start reading. I was also the only one out of 99% of my friends that read when i was growing up.
The cow book sounds horrible, I'm going have to check it out.
I gave Cows a go last year. I had thought I was basically at the end after so much heavy shit, and when I checked, I was only HALF done, and made the choice to stop. Mad me sick and sticks with me today!
Woom is the only extreme horror I’ve ever read and I hated it. 😂😂 it seemed like page after page of really gross nonsense. I recently found your channel and Reading with Meg and now I’m considering trying more extreme horror 😂😂
watching your descent into extreme horror fandom is entertaining
Here's a couple of my favorite authors, Edward Lee and Richard Laymon.
I haven't finished your video yet, but I immediately wishlisted 3 of these books. I bought Maeve Fly though since you said it is reminiscent of Bret Easton Ellis, who is in my top 5 favorite authors! Not sure when I'll get to it. I spent October reading a bunch of new and old Goosebumps books. I just finished one and was gonna take a break to read a book by my second favorite author, Alex S. Johnson: The Fall Of The House Of Kaimera And Other Stories. He writes some pretty bizarre and disgusting stuff as well. I would recommend Playground by Aron Beauergard. Wife and I read it together and loved it and talking about it. I definitely want to check out more of his stuff! I have also read great things about Judith Sonnet but have yet to read her stuff. :-)
I watched this video a while ago and Maeve Fly stayed in my brain but I never read it, then a couple days ago I saw Dead Inside and Maeve Fly at my local Barnes & Noble so I had to come back to this video and see if I still want to get them after hearing your thoughts 😂
I absolutely loved Dead Inside! 😍 Maeve Fly didn't end the way I wanted it to but it was quite good! My favorite is definitely Dead Inside 🖤🖤🖤
dead inside's ending had my jaw lower than the submarine.
@@BalorBallora’I hope he likes sloppy seconds 😏’ hahahaa
I just came across your channel and I love these extreme horror book vids! lol. Just spent too much money buying some on amazon
Sorry for being a bad influence but hopefully you'll enjoy them!
@@AndaKent Im sure I will. Horror is fabulous
the second you said a mix between Bret Easton Ellis and Chuck Palahniuk...immediately ordered
Right? I was pleasantly surprised and impressed it was her first novel.
I loved Cows as well and also wondered "what's wrong with me?!" 😂
The t-shirt alone made me hit the subscribe ❤
I want to read all these books.
And I absolutely adore your lawyers 😂😊
Your lawyers are adorable! ❤
I think I wrote a couple of short stories in college that would fall into the Extreme Horror category…. Maybe I should try to get those published and maybe write more. They’re extremely fun to write.
You're the only book reviewer I can watch! Love the horror reviews
Thanks so much for watching!
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish explores the themes of racism, classism, the ultimate futility of life, and the oddly disturbing infinity that is our universe, all from the perspective of a few cartoon fish. Kept me up for a few nights, highly recommend.
I read Dead Inside yesterday on a flight back from Dubrovnik.
The scene with the dead baby in the abortion clinic is just revolting.
That said, I do see the love story element. The story between Elizabeth and the protagonist is actually quite sweet.
The twist at the end is pretty grim.
Definitely check out Exquisite Corpse, it's my favorite extreme horror I've read, but it was published so long ago it may not even count anymore especially compared to some of the stuff that's out nowadays. And also Mukbang Princess, which is also from the publisher Godless
Omgggggg the lawyer 😂😭 your dogs are literally my favorite thing in the entire world
These books aren’t really extreme horror, but Uzumaki and Tomie by Junji Itō are some of the GREATEST horror manga I’ve ever read. Warning for Tomie: Grooming and Manipulation are involved.
I know exactly what you mean by finding a splatterpunk story cute. I cried at the end of Yellow by Aaron Beauregard, I thought it was so beautiful. But I’d never dare tell most people that 😂😂😂
The lawyers better make more appearances in the future because I love them lmao
I added Woom to my "to read" list after seeing another channel talk about it after your other extreme horror video sent my recommendations down a rabbit hole. I'd again suggest Garbage Man by Joseph D'Lacy. It's not extreme horror, but really good. Another novel of his I've read, Meat, I would think is pretty extreme. It genuinely made me uncomfortable.
The ending of woom had me crossing my legs but definitely a book would read again lol
That shirt is awesome !
I skipped ahead, the first thing I heard was: “This book made me loose my will to live.” 🤣
“This book is vile.” *instantly adds to cart*
Omg you quoted my favorite poem!!
unpopular dead inside opinion. its def vile, but the authour is basically an edge lord looking to shock people vs a craftsman of horror. i low key feel this way about a lot of extreme horror/splatter punk books. people who dont actually have the skill to write something that will truly scare people, so they just go as gory as possible and try to shock people.
Ok a couple more recommendations
-Gone to see the river man
-Mary an awakening of terror
I miss the clips of you reading and then getting revolted at the bad parts. Those were great, and you should do those again. Do you think you could write one of these types of books after reading a few?
I'll definitely do another reading vlog type video soon. I get mixed reviews so it's hard to determine what people like so this comment is helpful. I don't think I'll ever venture into writing extreme horror. I don't think my mind could come up with the stuff that's in these books 😂
@@AndaKent Awesome! I have faith you could pull off writing it!