It is day 5 of the Books in The Freezer readathon. 5 challenges, 1 down, 1 halfway down.

 

I have read Frankenstein, the original 1818 text by Mary Shelly. Third time reading it. Still a 4 star rating. I have feelings, but I can't get a proper review down for this book. I will say, I am more on the "Monster's" side, though of course I don't agree some of the stuff he did, part of me can understand why he did those things, though.

 

I am 50% into The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

[I usually hate movie covers, and it is weird to have "Harry Potter's" face plastered on the cover, but I kinda like this cover.]

 

Next book on the agenda is Ordinary Souls by J.S. Bailey.

 

---

 

I'm really excited about the idea of reading spooky books during October. I say I love horror books, but my Goodreads would suggest otherwise because it is probably the genre I read the least. I want to broaden my horizons and read more horror and other books I don't automatically reach for.

 

Not related to this readathon, but my copy of Paperbacks from Hell is in at Barnes and Noble. I'm excited to buy it!

[How many books will this book make me put on my TBR?]

 

About the readathon:

Books in the Freezer is a podcast celebrating their 1 year anniversary.

 

A podcast discussing the deliciously disturbing world of horror fiction!

 

Owners of podcast (from their website)

Stephanie lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, son, Beagle and cat. When she’s not working on the podcast, she makes YouTube videos, and watches horror movies (as research for the podcast of course!)

 

Rachel lives in Canada with her husband and hedgehog, Vegeta. She makes YouTube videos on her channel TheShadesofOrange where she reviews horror, thrillers, and sci-fi books.

 

---

 

Books In The Freezer Readathon - Oct 1-15th

 

1. Read a horror book by a female author

[Frankenstein by Mary Shelley]

 

1. Read a horror anthology or short story collection

[Ordinary Souls by J.S. Bailey]

 

1. Read a horror book featuring or by an POC or LGBTQ+ person

[Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde]

 

1. Read a horror book that has a movie adaptation

[The Women in Black by Susan Hill]

 

1. Read a book we’ve recommended on the podcast

[The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson]

(spoiler show)

 

I really enjoyed Mary Roach's more recent book, Packing for Mars. Roach's shtick seems to be pick a subject that the public has a fascination with, and go write a book about it by interviewing various professionals and asking embarrassing questions. It's not clear whether Roach really is as annoying while interviewing people as she seems to be, or if this is just a little narrative embellishment for the sake of making the book more entertaining, but she seems to revel in making people regret they agreed to talk to her. Especially priests and mortuary directors.

So, you can't get much more irreverent than writing a pop science book about corpses. In about a dozen chapters, Stiff covers the history and science of, well, dead bodies. Decomposition, putrefaction, mummification, decapitation, embalming, cremation, organ removal, it's all here. Also, cannibalism, cadavers used as crash test dummies and for studying bullet and explosives injuries, and where the corpses and skeletons used in medical schools come from.

The disposition of dead bodies has been guided for centuries by religious and cultural practices, often based on irrational superstitions or misguided scientific notions, and persists to this day. One wishes everyone could be as flippant about human remains after they've been reduced merely to meat as Mary Roach is, though I'm not sure I'd want her anywhere near my corpse. But this is a pretty interesting book, although if you have a low tolerance for gore and grue, you probably shouldn't read it while eating. Also, if you're one of those people who thinks death is very, very serious and dead bodies shouldn't be joked about, well, the title should warn you that this isn't a book that treats the subject with any degree of solemnity. On the other hand, if you've ever wondered how you'd like your remains disposed of, this book will give you plenty of ideas!