Friday Favorites: Horror with a Dash of Humor

For Friday Favorites, I will be sharing some books or authors or genres that I find interesting and enjoy. Please feel free to leave a book/blog related comment.

This week's subject is Horror with a dash of Humor. 

It seems from time to time that many people like to read a little horror while others prefer a steady diet of it. I  like it now and then, but don't read it constantly. And I prefer my horror to come with the occasional comic relief. It breaks some of the tension and sometimes sets you up for the next scare. 

Why do people like to read horror at all? There are many reasons. The one I found most interesting was that it gives people control. If it's getting too scary, you can close the book for a while. You can decide how scary the book you pick is. And sometimes this is the best thing we can do when the world around us is crazy. 

Some of my favorite horror/humor authors are: Lindy Ryan, Maureen Kilmer, Grady Hendrix, and Christopher Moore. Although Christopher Moore's books I think are more humor than horror. And full disclosure I haven't read Slayers of Old by Jim C. Hines yet nor Anima Rising by Christopher Moore. And I have just dipped into the anthology Blood Lite from time to time.

I'm looking forward to Slayers of Old. Here's a quotation I found on Amazon from it. "As a Hunter, my body reacted to the presence of unnatural threats: monsters and demons and people who hung the toilet paper roll "under" instead of "over." My duty was to track down and end these threats." 

Lindy Ryan's stories of the Evans women - Bless Your Heart and Another Fine Mess were joined by Dollface this year in the horror with a dash of humor category. Dollface is not one of the Evans women, but it is a story about a serial killer killing off people in the PTA of an elementary school.

Christopher Moore's book, A Dirty Job, asks the question what would happen if you had to raise a toddler while perhaps being the personification of death. The Stupidest Angel - "a heart warming tale of Christmas terror" cautions be careful what you wish for and combines the undead with the holiday season.

If you haven't already, do also check out Maureen Kilmer and Grady Hendrix. For more on horror and humor suggestions, my post from this past October is still available to read, Spooky Season Recommendations. 

Do you like to read horror with or without humor? What are some of your favorite authors or books? Drop a line in the comments. Happy Reading!

Book Review: Nightmare of a Trip by Maureen Kilmer

 

From the publisher:

This is one family getaway they’ll never forget . . .

Leigh Somerset wants to spend some quality time with her kids before they grow up, and her husband has always fancied himself sort of a Clark Griswold figure. So the Somersets will be spending their family vacation on the road, driving from suburban Milwaukee to Orlando, Florida. Already off to a rocky start, they stumble upon an abandoned, half-burned down farmhouse in Indiana, and the Somersets inadvertently unleash an eerie history that will follow them the rest of their trip.

From creepy indoor waterparks to paranormally plagued Cracker Barrels, it’s one thing after another in the pursuit of the great American summer road trip. Will the Somersets be able to shake these bad vibes and get on with the family bonding? Or will the road less traveled quite literally become the highway to hell?

Nightmare of a Trip by Maureen Kilmer was released September 10, 2024 from G.P. Putnam"s Sons.

My Thoughts: Any long trip with your family can be a nightmare in and of itself. Then you have the added fun of being haunted by a family. If one doesn't drive you crazy, the other might. I enjoyed the book overall. There were National Lampoon's Vacation references, humor, and creepiness.I like my horror with humor, so this was a good fit for me.

"Every time you are able to find humor in a difficult situation, you win." For the bulk of the book, Leigh, Nick and the kids are able to find the humor when things go wrong. It gets harder and harder as the trip goes on. I felt that telling the story from Leigh's point of view was the best choice. As a parent, I could relate to how a threat to the family would freak her out. My minor complaint is that her husband believes everything she tells him the first time. I really expected some denial there.

The humor and the horror are both low key for the most part. It seems like everything that can go wrong will. It's one of those things where if it happened to you, you would find it funny eventually, but maybe not so much at the time. Still there were a lot of good humorous moments for us as readers. I thought that there would be a little more escalation of the horror as the story progressed. It was still good and creepy though.

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a good story. It's well written. It kept my attention. And most importantly, there was humor to go with the horror. If you enjoyed her other books, you will enjoy this one as well. It's definitely worth a read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #497: Nightmare of a Trip by Maureen Kilmer

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings. 

From the publisher:

A horror-tinged National Lampoon’s Vacation: This is one family getaway they’ll never forget...

Leigh Somerset wants to spend some quality time with her kids before they grow up, and her husband has always fancied himself sort of a Clark Griswold figure. So the Somersets will be spending their family vacation on the road, driving from suburban Milwaukee to Orlando, Florida. Already off to a rocky start, when they stumble upon an abandoned, half-burned farmhouse in Indiana, the Somersets inadvertently unleash an eerie past that will follow them the rest of their trip.

From creepy indoor waterparks to paranormal-activity plagued Cracker Barrels, it’s one thing after another in the pursuit of the great American summer road trip. Will the Somersets be able to shake these bad vibes and get on with family bonding, or will the road less traveled become the highway to hell?

Nightmare of a Trip by Maureen Kilmer is due to be released September 10th, 2024 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Why am I waiting on this book: I like Maureen Kilmer's work. She does a great job of blending horror and humor. Her previous novels, Suburban Hell and Hex Education were both fun horror reads. And this one sounds like it will be a good read as well. "A horror-tinged  National Lampoon's Vacation" - what fan of horror blended with humor could resist?

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists.Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review: Hex Education by Maureen Kilmer

 

From the publisher:

Nice witches finish last…

A guilt-ridden former coven is forced to tap into the magic of their past . . . if they want to stop their lives from going up in flames again.

On the outside, luxury real estate agent Sarah Nelson looks like every other mom in the suburb. But she has an edge that others don’t: She’s a witch. And no one knows . . . except her estranged ex-coven and college friends, Katrina and Alicia.

One terrible night during their freshman year, the trio accidentally burned down their dorm, and soon after they scattered. Their secret had been safe, until Sarah learns they’ve been invited back to commemorate the anniversary of the fire.

Suddenly, the magic doesn’t want to be controlled. Sarah’s orange tabby cat, Katy Purry, now argues with her. Her broom has become self-brooming, and her fridge somehow restocks thirty pounds of sliced turkey for school lunches. As it grows increasingly difficult to hide the magic and the past, Sarah, Katrina, and Alicia must harness their power together . . . before they find out if polite society still burns witches.

Hex Education by Maureen Kilmer was released September 19th, 2023 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

My Thoughts:

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for a good horror story with some humor, Hex Education by Maureen Kilmer would be a good book for you. 

Three very different friends made up a coven while they were in college. They did get some good out of it, think Sarah being able to communicate with her cat telepathically and use small magics to help her around the house and in her career. The dorm fire was a major drawback. 

Coming back together, their basic personalities haven't changed much. Magic surges and the three of them are caught in the web again. This time they are dealing with a podcast journalist who threatens to upend their lives.

I kind of wish that there was more of how the three women used to be shown. But the story still works. Two out of three of the women show character development. The third one seems stuck out of fear.

The book moves along at a decent pace. I thought the twists were well done. And I thought that the tension in the story was also done well.

Overall, it's worth a read. In particular, if you enjoyed Suburban Hell then you will enjoy this book as well. And if you like your horror with a touch of humor, you will also like this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #456: Hex Education by Maureen Kilmer

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:

Beauty, grace, and a resting witch face…

Bewitched meets Yellowjackets in Maureen Kilmer’s Hex Education when a former coven reunites to stop their lives from going up in flames.

On the outside, luxury realtor Sarah Nelson looks like every other mom in the neighborhood—running errands, navigating the school pickup line, and begrudgingly volunteering at the high school concession stand. Yet she has an edge that others don’t: She’s a witch! She uses light magic in secret, small ways, almost like an enchanted personal assistant. And absolutely no one knows about it.

Except her estranged ex-coven. In college, when she and two friends, Katrina and Alicia, first uncovered the magic, it didn’t take long before they used it to improve their lives. Yet, they made a mistake one night, and their dorm went up in flames and burned to the ground. After that terrible night, the coven scattered. And no one ever found out that the fire was their fault. Their secret was safe, until the three reunite at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the fire. Suddenly, the magic doesn’t seem to want to stay small any longer. Her familiar—an overweight orange tabby cat named Katy Purry—begins to argue with her. Her self-brooming broom goes full Martha Stewart. Her fridge overdoes it and stocks thirty pounds of sliced turkey for school lunches.

As it grows more and more difficult to hide the magic and the past, Sarah, Katrina, and Alicia once again gather to harness their power, and keep their secrets safe…before they find out if polite society still burns witches.

Hex Education by Maureen Kilmer is expected out September 19th, 2023 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Why am I waiting on this book? I think it sounds interesting and potentially humorous. An overweight familiar named Katy Purry and 30 lbs of turkey in the fridge are a couple of the things that sound like they might be funny. I'm also interested in how their magic is supposed to work and what they want to use it for. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review: Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer

 

From the publisher: 

A Chicago cul-de-sac is about to get a new neighbor...of the demonic kind.

    Amy Foster considers herself lucky. After she left the city and moved to the suburbs, she found her place quickly with neighbors Liz, Jess, and Melissa, snarking together from the outskirts of the PTA crowd. One night during their monthly wine get-together, the crew concoct a plan for a clubhouse She Shed in Liz’s backyard—a space for just them, no spouses or kids allowed.
 
    But the night after they christen the She Shed, things start to feel . . . off. They didn’t expect Liz’s little home-improvement project to release a demonic force that turns their quiet enclave into something out of a nightmare. And that’s before the homeowners’ association gets wind of it.
 
    Even the calmest moms can’t justify the strange burn marks, self-moving dolls, and horrible smells surrounding their possessed friend, Liz. Together, Amy, Jess, and Melissa must fight the evil spirit to save Liz and the neighborhood . . . before the suburbs go completely to hell.

My thoughts:

The story is told from Amy's point of view. Once Liz has been possessed, it's Amy's drive that keeps the ladies going seeking a way to save her. And while all this is going on, she somehow volunteered to organize a school carnival. Amy is a devoted parent, spouse, and friend. 

The book is well-written. The plot moves along at a good rate. There's plenty going on. And in addition there is building suspense and a good dose of humor.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I love the combination of horror and humor. It made me think of both The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix and the program Desperate Housewives. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy light horror with a good infusion of humor. I will definitely be looking for Maureen Kilmer's next book.

Suburban Hell is expected out August 30th, 2022 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #410: Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: 

Bad Moms meets My Best Friend’s Exorcism in this lite-horror-comedy about a group of women in the Chicago 'burbs, whose cul-de-sac gets a new neighbor: a demon. 

Amy Foster considers herself lucky. After she left the city and went full minivan, she found her place quickly with neighbors Liz, Jess, and Melissa, together snarking the “Mom Mafia” from the outskirts of the PTA mom crowd. So, one night during their monthly wine get-together, the newfound crew concoct a plan for a clubhouse She Shed in Liz’s backyard – the perfect space for just them, no spouses or kids allowed.
 
But the night after they christen the space with a ceremonial drink, things start to feel…off. What they didn’t expect was for Liz’s little home improvement project to release a demonic force that turns their quiet suburban enclave into something out of a nightmare. And that’s before the Homeowners’ Association gets wind of it.
 
Just as Liz is turned into a creepy doll face overnight, cases of haunting activity around the neighborhood intensify, and even the calmest moms can’t justify the strange burn marks, self-moving dolls, and horrible smells surrounding their possessed friend, Liz. Together, Amy, Jess, and Melissa must fight back the evil spirit to save Liz and the neighborhood…before the suburbs go completely to hell. But at least they don’t have to deal with the PTA, right?

Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer is expected out September 27th, 2022 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Why am I waiting on this book?  I like that this book is a lite horror comedy. That's an interesting description. It sounds like it will be fun to read. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!