Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Frighteners
The Frighteners: Why We Love Monsters, Ghosts, Death & Gore | Peter Laws
27 posts | 5 read | 58 to read
The Frighteners follows the quest of Peter Laws, a Baptist minister with a penchant for the macabre, to understand why so many people love things that are spooky, morbid and downright repellent. He meets vampires, hunts werewolves in Hull, talks to a man who has slept on a mortuary slab to help him deal with a diagnosis, and is chased by a chainsaw-wielding maniac through a farmhouse full of hanging bodies. Staring into the darkness of a Transylvanian night, he asks: What is it that makes millions of people seek to be disgusted and freaked out? And, in a world that worships rationality and points an accusing finger at violent video games and gruesome films, can an interest in horror culture actually give us safe ways to confront our mortality? Might it even have power to re-enchant our jaded world? Grab your crucifixes, pack the silver bullets, and join the Sinister Minister on his romp into our morbid curiosities.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
blurb
monalyisha
post image

Last one 🙈

1. The Frighteners by Peter Laws
2. From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty
3. Here for It by R. Eric Thomas

#ThreeListThursday #TLT

P.S. Peter Laws is the sweetest person and he‘s going through something fairly heavy right now…so, if you‘re feeling inclined and you need an excuse to make a book purchase, here‘s your sign. 😉

monalyisha This was fun, @dabbe! Thanks. ✨ 3w
Amiable Oh, I love R. Eric Thomas! 3w
dabbe Thank you! Nonfiction is my weakest reading point; you've given me much more to explore! 💚💙💚 3w
See All 10 Comments
Christine Once again I love two of these but haven't read the other. Welcome to the TBR, The Frighteners! 3w
monalyisha @Christine How funny is that?! Just as a potential warning of sorts, The Frighteners was definitely a niche read for me. I majored in Religious Studies (& English Lit) in undergrad, & was obsessed with Practical Magic & Buffy growing up…so the overlap in subject matter was immediately enticing. It might not be so impactful to a reader who‘s not already similarly inclined. 3w
Christine Well, as a former Buffy devotee and someone who's prepping to teach a sociology of religion course (and who inhales any nonfiction that observes religion/Christianity through a critical lens), I'm sold! 😁 3w
monalyisha @Christine THAT‘S what I like to hear! 🤩😉 3w
Texreader Great idea to post it several times!!! 3w
monalyisha @Texreader Not that there were explicit *rules*…but I‘m a natural rule-breaker. 😈😅 3w
42 likes10 comments
blurb
BookwormAHN
post image

Here is my pick for #TrappedOnAnIsland I like to read a few of these but this one definitely.
Thanks for the pick @Emilymdxn 👻
@aperfectmjk
#TeamMonsterMash @StayCurious

blurb
vivastory
post image

Day 19 of #21DaysofHorror
Whether he is talking about watching the blood soaked conclusion of the '13 Evil Dead remake or touring the Paris Catacombs, the unofficial subtitle of Peter Laws book may as well be “Let your freak flag fly.“ This is a manifesto for lovers of a genre that has been targeted & maligned throughout history, but Laws' deep dive into his subject has broad appeal & calls to mind Colin Dickey & Mary Roach.

Reggie I love the Evil Dead remake. They did not hold back whatsoever. 2y
vivastory @Reggie I saw it in the theater with my brother. Afterwards we left in stunned silence until a few minutes later one of us started laughing. Good stuff 🤣 2y
57 likes3 stack adds2 comments
blurb
quietjenn
post image

Oh my goodness, @monalyisha - thank you so much for my #hhs #hauntedhollowswap package.! It is just absolute macabre perfection! The art pieces are amazing, the extras so fun, and the books ones I'm really stoked about! And I think I first became interested in the Frighteners because of your posts about it, so it's so very appropriate. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and for making this dreary day wonderful. Also, your wrapping skills!

quietjenn And I definitely want to know more about the artists, so please email me at jenn.estepp at gmail anything you have to share about them. I so appreciate you! @monalyisha 3y
monalyisha As noted, I think we have really similar taste...so it was a total blast shopping for you! So happy everything was to your liking! I‘m seriously envious of the book cozy (which is one I managed NOT to buy for myself 😅 — but that doesn‘t mean I didn‘t want to!). Happy Hallow‘s Eve! 🍂🎃💀 3y
monalyisha @quietjenn Here‘s the website for the artist who made the print! https://etchedinembers.bigcartel.com 3y
See All 6 Comments
quietjenn @monalyisha than you for sharing! I'm totally looking more at up tomorrow! 3y
quietjenn @wanderinglynn I'm not sure why my tag for you didn't work in the original caption, but thank you so much for organizing this swap! It's been lots of fun. 🦇🎃💀 3y
wanderinglynn Fantastic box! 🎃🖤🧡☠️ 3y
64 likes6 comments
blurb
monalyisha
post image

This is a particular sweet spot for me: spooky + spiritual. Maybe it‘s an unknown sweet spot for you, too!

Check out author Peter Laws‘ new podcast, “Creepy Cove.” 🌒

I recommend waiting until night falls; lighting some incense; lying down on the ground; &, if you‘re in New England like I am, maybe listening to some of that magical thunder that‘s been coursing through our skies all day long as an accompaniment.

Open your ears; open your mind.

monalyisha You can find it on Spotify! But here‘s a link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1128761 4y
FantasyChick Oh I love Peter Laws! Will have to check this out 4y
monalyisha @FantasyChick I love him so much. We‘re friends on Facebook & he‘s been so supportive of my Storytime videos (for my library) & any written assignments that I‘ve posted (in pursuit of my Master‘s degree). It‘s been a huge ego boost, tbh. Just a genuinely kind & cool person. 4y
See All 7 Comments
OhBOOOOK I‘ve been searching for something like this. Definitely going to check this out. 4y
Clare-Dragonfly A podcast in the form of a fictional, spooky church service? Well, if you insist 😆 4y
monalyisha @Clare-Dragonfly Right? Twist your arm! 😅 4y
Clare-Dragonfly EXACTLY 🤣 4y
57 likes7 comments
blurb
monalyisha
post image

Forever-acolyte of Peter Laws. 💘

vivastory 😂😂 4y
62 likes1 comment
blurb
monalyisha
post image

In a surreal, bibliophilic twist of fate...I read this book, fell in love with it — &, by extension, its author — & then became friendly enough with Rev. Peter Laws on social media that we now comment upon one another‘s bubble bath set-ups. Uhhhh, what is this fandom? 😆😍

Also taking this opportunity to plug his criminally under-reviewed non-fic book again: if you like spooky stuff & existential stuff, it‘s well worth the read. 🖤

vivastory I love everything about this, from the Ferrero Rocher to the book. Your posts about this book made me read it last year & I regret leaving it off my #newyearwhodis list. I thought it was excellent! 4y
monalyisha @vivastory Thanks for adding your voice to the enthusiastic review! I wish more people would pick it up! 4y
vivastory I always recommend it to people who enjoyed Mary Roach's "Spook" & 4y
See All 6 Comments
monalyisha I‘ve read the Mary Roach & keep meaning to read “Ghostland”! Maybe this October. 🖤👻 I wonder how the audio is... 4y
monalyisha @LauraJ Bonus #NewYearWhoDis rec up in here! 😉 4y
64 likes6 stack adds6 comments
review
overtheedge
post image
Pickpick

Interesting outlook on fear, why we have it, how we manage it and how we learn to live with it. Many interesting subjects....many you would not expect from a man of the church. This one also has a huge interest and collection of horror, books and movies.
I did not always agree but was interesting to read
#teamslaughter #scarathon @Clwojick

vivastory Recently read,& loved, this one. Glad to see it get more attention. 4y
47 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
vivastory
post image
Pickpick

Announcing his credentials on the first page as a lifelong horror fiend, Peter Laws' book has the impassioned defense of a manifesto. This professed love for the frequently maligned genre is well tempered by researched arguments for the varied social & personal benefits it provides. Although largely accepted into mainstream culture, irrational censorship of it is still an issue. Will appeal to horror lovers & with a style reminiscent of Mary 👇

vivastory Roach & Colin Dickey it would interest readers who aren't normally interested in the genre. A big thanks to @monalyisha whose great posts made me stack this one. 4y
monalyisha Hooray! Spread the love! ‘Tis the season! 4y
58 likes2 stack adds2 comments
quote
vivastory
post image

batsy 😆 4y
39 likes1 comment
quote
vivastory
post image

quote
vivastory
post image

LauraJ I think it‘s funny 😈 4y
LeahBergen 😆😆 4y
youneverarrived 😂😂 4y
See All 7 Comments
rwmg 😂 😂 😂 4y
MariettaSG I would've laughed at this too! 😂 4y
Reggie Lolol 4y
RohitSawant 🤣🤣 4y
72 likes7 comments
blurb
vivastory
post image

Iced coffee with skim milk & sugar free vanilla, my #mondaymorningbeverage My next book peeking over my shoulder.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Great photo! 4y
dariazeoli Happy reading! 4y
LeahBergen 😆😆 4y
Reggie Lolol this is awesome!!! 4y
76 likes4 comments
blurb
monalyisha
post image

tfw an author whose book you totally adored (& who you also follow on Facebook) reads your blog post about your childhood reading memories, shares it on his own page, calls it “wonderfully-written, funny, and touching”, and tells you that you “have a gift.”

SORRY, WHAT?!
I‘m dead now. 😭🖤💀 DEAD. I‘ve been killed by authorial kindness. RIP, me. ⚰️

Redwritinghood Nice! 👏🏻👏🏻 5y
BarbaraBB That is so cool! 👊🏼❤️ 5y
Butterfinger That is wonderful. 5y
See All 6 Comments
Clare-Dragonfly ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 5y
Birdsong28 😍😍😍😍📚📖 5y
vivastory This is fantastic!! 4y
89 likes1 stack add6 comments
quote
The.Intentional.Reader
post image

Love this quote...Halloween is Christmas for spooky folks 😂 so true! Halloween is my favorite time of the year

blurb
monalyisha
post image

This one time, the author of one of my favorite non-fic books of ALL TIME sent me a private message on Facebook to ask me what it was like to live in Providence & what the Lovecraft scene was like here...&, uhhhh, I‘ve never read any Lovecraft. None. Nor have I visited any of the local landmarks.

YEAH. That just happened. 🙈😳😭
#fail

LiteraryinLawrence Hey, I lived in Providence for years and never heard anything about Lovecraft. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It‘s still so cool that he messaged you! 5y
Norlad The universe is telling you to read HPL 😬 5y
monalyisha @LiteraryinLititz I know his grave‘s around here somewhere but his work‘s never really appealed to me. I even lived in Salem for a few years, which is the site of “The Witch House.” I offered to take a day-trip & tag him in some pics (I think we live suuuper close to his grave). I also had gems like, “Uhhhh, I‘ve drank Lovecraft-inspired beer?” to offer. Hahaha. Oh god. 😳😅 5y
monalyisha @Norlad The universe has terrible timing! 5y
Birdsong28 So cool. 😀 5y
75 likes5 comments
blurb
monalyisha
post image

I mean, I think he‘s going to be disappointed, as my Instagram is mostly selfies, & pictures of my bunny & my husband. BUT LOOK WHO‘S FOLLOWING ME RN!

#authorcrush #dead

(Oh, and if you haven‘t read the tagged book yet & you‘re interested in spookiness & spirituality (intellectually or personally), add it to your TBR stat!)

Clare-Dragonfly I have added SO MANY books to my TBR because you posted about them. 5y
monalyisha @Clare-Dragonfly 😂😍 I love that!!! 5y
RainyDayReading I‘ve had this one on my TBR for ages!!! Can‘t wait until I can finally get my hands on a copy! 5y
Clare-Dragonfly AS A MATTER OF FACT I already stacked a different edition of this from your review 😂😂😂😂 5y
monalyisha @Clare-Dragonfly At least we‘re consistent! 5y
68 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
monalyisha
post image
Pickpick

While I LOVE the supernatural & mildly-spooky, I‘m actually not that into the horror genre (movies or literature). I don‘t enjoy being scared & I wouldn‘t say I have an interest in the “macabre,” just in the “otherworldly.” Regardless, so many aspects of this book SPOKE TO MY SOUL.

Glowing review continued below👇🏻

monalyisha 1/4: The way that the author — an ordained Christian minister, strangely (or maybe not so strangely) enough — navigates the terrain between religion & lore totally captivated me. I‘m equally interested (in a theoretical way) in the idea of god & in the idea of werewolves, so, like, “Hi, perfect book!” 👋🏻 (edited) 5y
monalyisha 2/4: Not only does Rev. Peter Laws explore the (he says natural) interest in “monsters, ghosts, death & gore,” but he delves into controversial topics like video game violence & “morbid play” (particularly in children who are trauma-survivors) &, given his profession, he comes down on the issues in ways that may surprise you! He‘s funny, & smart, & WEIRD AF, &, full disclosure: I definitely developed a teeny-tiny author crush. (edited) 5y
monalyisha 3/4: If I have any complaint about the book, it‘s that he could‘ve gone deeper into “scary” issues like race & gender. For instance, despite a chapter entitled “Sister,” there‘s no discussion of society‘s fascination with witches (& witchcraft‘s recent resurgence & link with feminism & politics). The chapter on ghosts is a bit threadbare, too (#verybadpunintended... y‘know, ‘cause sometimes ghosts are sheets 🤷‍♀️👻). Also, there are a few typos. (edited) 5y
monalyisha 4/4: But GODDAMMIT (heh), I loved this book & will definitely be purchasing a copy for my shelves (an honor I bestow only upon titles I truly love). The attention paid to both darkness & light - & the genuine reverence shown for both - is worth *your* attention. (edited) 5y
92 likes13 stack adds4 comments
quote
monalyisha
post image

“In Denmark, corpses had their toes tied together so that, if they tried to rise, they‘d trip over like dead nerds.”

BeansPage 🤣🤣🤣 5y
79 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
monalyisha
post image

If Peter Laws doesn‘t specifically mention Buffy in this section about vampires, we‘re gonna be in a fight.

Also, someone was snacking (not on human blood) while reading this library book before me & there‘s some schmutz on the page. Actually, upon second-look, I think it might be a booger. 😷 I love libraries (clearly) but this is my least-favorite aspect of borrowing books.

julesG 😰 5y
ravenlee The worst is library cookbooks (especially from the kids‘ section). 😣 5y
See All 8 Comments
Librariana Oh yuckies! On behalf of library staff, my apologies. I promise that when we get books back, we do inspect them, especially for things that could prove hazardous down the line, like water damage, etc.... but we don't always catch every little thing 😕 I do hear ya, tho, as even we as employees and borrowers worry. 5y
LeahBergen 🤮 5y
monalyisha @Librariana I‘m also library staff & we totally don‘t inspect for (internal) gunk/boogies (especially since we have mostly children‘s items. I think we‘d have to get rid of 3/4 of our collection 😅). 5y
CouronneDhiver Charming. That‘s happened to me a time or two... yuck 5y
63 likes8 comments
blurb
monalyisha
post image

The view from here:

Cozy sweater? ✅
Hag stone? ✅
Totally icky chapter on murderabilia? ✅😱

Jess_Franzino Love the stone! 5y
67 likes1 comment
quote
monalyisha
post image

“A 2014 Dying Matters survey found that only 21% of adults have spoken to someone else about their end of life wishes.”

For the record, I want my tombstone to read, “Late to her own funeral.”

There, now I‘m part of the solution.

laurieluna My partner and parents know I'm on the organ donor register (can't take em with you!), and that I want to be cremated. Not sure what I want doing with my ashes yet. All a bit morbid but important! 5y
monalyisha @miralunasbooknook I weirdly just found out that you can be made into a record? 🤷‍♀️: http://www.andvinyly.com 5y
See All 13 Comments
laurieluna @monalyisha Well that's that sorted. Just need to figure out the song! 5y
laurieluna Also great song choice! Mine would be something by Tori Amos. 5y
TrishB My Mum paid for hers and left instructions as to what she wanted to wear, music, readings etc and what she wanted everyone else to wear! We didn‘t know until we found the big envelope marked ‘funeral‘ when she died. It sounds morbid but it really helped..... 5y
monalyisha @TrishB That sounds really considerate, actually... both financially & in terms of making you feel like you were making the right choices, because she already made them. I‘m sure it was comforting that certain things felt “right” during a time when so much probably felt wrong. 🖤 Love the idea. She sounds like she was a smart woman. 5y
TrishB She was very organised!! ❤️ 5y
night_shift @miralunasbooknook organ donation has very specific parameters and if you plan on living to a ripe old age and die anywhere other than a hospital, there's a very good chance that they won't accept your organs. It's a great sentiment, but any number of things can exclude a person, unfortunately. I work for a whole body donation program and our restrictions aren't as tight (plus we pay for cremation). That's my plan as of now. 5y
laurieluna @UnidragonFrag Is it the same in the UK? Still happy to be on the list, as if I shuffle off this mortal coil any earlier than average then I would like to go knowing I opted in to save others. ^_^ 5y
night_shift @miralunasbooknook organ donation parameters are pretty universal. They're just unusable in certain situations and while i'm not 100% on the qualifications in the UK, it's likely it's similar if not the same as in the US. My company doesn't branch out of the country (yet), but there are tons of whole body donation programs. It's just little known, I guess? People may not think about it. 5y
79 likes1 stack add13 comments
quote
monalyisha
post image

“These female heroes frequently defeat the villain in gruesome fashion too. They deliver machetes to the head or axes to the face. Where else in culture are such actions by women seen as positive & appropriate? Horror & crime fiction can give women a chance to face their fears, but also a way to defeat & control them, by using not only their intelligence, but also the aggression society tells them to hide.”

Joy0201 How is the tone of this? It intrigues me, but I don‘t want I feel judged for my own love of horror. 5y
monalyisha @Joy0201 If that‘s your concern, you are 100% safe. The author LOVES horror! 5y
monalyisha @Joy0201 He‘s all about horror entertainment being a safe outlet for the darker feelings of humanity. 5y
54 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
monalyisha
post image

Do I recognize that Peter Laws, aka “The Sinister Minister,” has way too many selfies on his Instagram page for a respectable man of the cloth & that he‘s probably kind-of an arrogant prick? I mean, yeah. Of course. But am I also crushing pretty hard on my brand-new author crush? YES. 🙌🏻😅🔥

monalyisha Follow-up question: Is that a Centipede mug?! Answer: Yes. 5y
Chrissyreadit No I‘m completely intrigued. How would this be on audible? 5y
monalyisha Hmmm... @Chrissyreadit it might be okay! His writing style is pretty conversational, so that would work. It‘d depend on the reader! 5y
48 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
monalyisha
post image

I fell in insta-love with this book & I‘m praying it lasts! 😍🙏🏻

It‘s an investigation into the macabre by an ordained minister who‘s a HUGE horror buff. His contention is that faith & fright *aren‘t* incompatible. He asserts that the common vicar‘s message that “spooky things are a no-no” “ironically suggests that God has no interest in the supernatural.” (Also, he‘s *hilarious!*)

Musings cont‘d below 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/2: As a fan of fantasy (especially ghosts, witches, & magic) *and* as someone with a degree in Religious Studies (as well as English Literature), I can‘t even begin to tell you how up my alley this book is! (edited) 5y
monalyisha 2/2: We had a Halloween party at the library where I work recently. When my coworker was promoting it, one little boy raised his hand & explained (huffily, which was kinda cute... but only ‘cause he‘s a kid) that he wouldn‘t be coming because — & I quote — “I believe in God!” I run into the line between faith & fright pretty frequently & I‘m OVER THE MOON to be reading an educated & passionate investigation into it! 🖤👻 (edited) 5y
kyraleseberg Wow! Stacked! 5y
FantasyChick I absolutely loved this book! Laws' look into the dark and macabre is fascinating!! 5y
66 likes8 stack adds4 comments
blurb
monalyisha
post image

What season is it again?

This is pretty much where I‘m at right now. Tying up loose #WitchPleaseSwap ends, refusing to let Halloween go, secretly stalking my #StuffedStockingSwap match, & just tryin‘ to keep my tootsies warm!

(I miiiiight also be avoiding a family party. My uncle got promoted to lieutenant of the state police, which is a pretty big deal...but I just want to stay home & read! 😩)

😅💀❄️

monalyisha Note: I did not buy these socks for myself (they were a gag gift from my dad) & I am not the kind of person who starts celebrating Christmas this early... they were just readily-available in my sock drawer. 😆 I feel like this is important. 5y
laurieluna @monalyisha We definitely differ on this. I may have been watching cheesy christmas films while the youngest napped on me... 5y
Clare-Dragonfly I see Moxie is helping with the warm tootsies 😍🐰 5y
See All 6 Comments
monalyisha @miralunasbooknook Ohhh man. Haha. I try to avoid the songs, too. I like the occasional “So This is Christmas” or “Silent Night” but I get easily tetchy by the onslaught. Ultimately, it‘s a cozy, pine-scented family time, though. Can‘t be mad about that (she says, as she continues to read instead of departing for family time). 💖 (edited) 5y
monalyisha @Clare-Dragonfly I‘d say “she lives to serve” but it‘s so blatantly untrue... 😅 I definitely owe her one now, & she knows it. 5y
Lreads Moxie is so cute! Can you smuggle a book into the party? Maybe sneak off for a bit and read? 🐰 5y
78 likes2 stack adds6 comments
blurb
FantasyChick
post image

Getting a deeper look into the dark and twisty tonight. I don't want to put this one down! Such a fascinating read so far 😈
#netgalley #darkandtwisty #arc #horrorculture

DiruVamp Ohhhh this sounds fabulous! @callunakeep (edited) 6y
FantasyChick @DiruVamp it is so interesting! I'm about half way through but I'm thinking this is a must read for anyone who loves the dark and macabre! 6y
Reviewsbylola Love the creepy cover! 💀 6y
46 likes3 stack adds3 comments