The Official IT Horror Readathon

Hi all!

Yesterday I shared the link to my official IT themed readathon. You can learn how it works and about the different challenges here. Today, I am going to be giving you my personal TBR for the entire month of July. I’ve selected good ol’ Richie Tozier (beep beep Richie!) from The Losers Club and am really happy with my selection of stories below. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

MY TBR

Challenge #1 – Read a horror comedy novel = Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

I am a massive Grady Hendrix fan. His novel, The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires, was my favourite read of 2021. I have been meaning to read Horrorstör for the longest time. It’s basically a spooky story set in an IKEA type store. After some strange and unusual activity, three employees volunteer to work a dusk-till-dawn shift and uncover the mystery. What they find is nothing short of terrifying. It’s said to contain comedic elements, as is the way with this particular author. I am excited to check it out!

Challenge #2 – Read a horror novella = The Worm and His Kings by Hailey Piper

This horror novella is approximately 116 pages. It follows Monique, whose girlfriend Donna, vanishes without a trace in New York City.
Only after the disappearances of several other impoverished women does Monique hear the rumors. A taloned monster stalks the city’s underground and snatches victims into the dark. Donna isn’t missing. She was taken. To save the woman she loves, Monique must descend deeper than the known underground, into a subterranean world of enigmatic cultists and shadowy creatures. But what she finds looms beyond her wildest fears – a darkness that stretches from the dawn of time and across the stars.

Challenge #3 – Read an LGBTQ+ horror novel – The Worm and His Kings by Hailey Piper

As I mentioned in my announcement post, you can use multiple prompts to cover one book. The Worm and His Kings features a sapphic relationship between Monique and Donna. We love some female/female representation anywhere, but especially horror, where it is usually quite scarce. I also used this novella in my Breath of the Wild Readathon TBR, which you can check out here.

Challenge #4 – Read a Stephen King novel – Gerald’s Game by Stephen King

I picked up a secondhand copy of Gerald’s Game by Stephen King in a book exchange store recently and I am very excited to read it. I absolutely love the 2017 film adaptation. It follows a couple who travel to a cabin in the woods to spice up their marriage. After being handcuffed to her bedposts, Jessie tires of her husband’s games, but when Gerald refuses to stop, she lashes out at him with deadly consequences. Still handcuffed, she is left trapped and alone, with her husband’s corpse on the floor. Painful memories from her childhood begin to consume her, as dehydration and hysteria takes over. Her only company is a hungry stray dog and the sundry voices that populate her mind. As night comes, she is unsure whether it is her imagination or if someone is watching her from the corner of her dark bedroom. I have no doubt it will be incredible.

Pennywise Challenge – Watch a horror movie you swore you never would – Funny Games (2007)

In the movie IT, we learn that the only way to defeat Pennywise, is to diminish the fearful hold he has over his victims. Therefore, the final challenge asks that you watch a horror movie you swore you never would. By finally watching it, you can put it to bed and vanquish the twisted dancing clown we love so much. I wrote up a blog post in 2021, listing five horror movies I will probably never watch. You can check that out here. I’ve decided I’m going to finally tackle the 2007 remake of Funny Games. All I know is it’s a sadistic/torturous home invasion film. It will be interesting to see what I think of it by the end of the month. If you feel uncomfortable by this challenge, pick a horror movie you normally wouldn’t watch because you believe it isn’t your thing. It might surprise you!