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A Head Full of Ghosts
A Head Full of Ghosts: A Novel | Paul Tremblay
A chilling domestic drama that blends psychological suspense with a touch of modern horror from a new, brilliantly imaginative masterThe lives of the Barretts, a normal suburban New England family, are torn apart when fourteen-year-old Marjorie begins to display signs of acute schizophrenia.To her parents' despair, the doctors are unable to stop Marjorie's bizarre outbursts and subsequent descent into madness. As their home devolves into a house of horrors, they reluctantly turn to a local Catholic priest for help. Father Wanderly suggests an exorcism; he believes the vulnerable teenager is the victim of demonic possession. He also contacts a production company that is eager to document the Barretts' plight for a reality television show. With John, Marjorie's father, out of work for more than a year and medical bills looming, the family reluctantly agrees to be filmednever imagining that The Possession would become an instant hit. When events in the Barrett household explode in tragedy, the show and the incidents it captures become the stuff of urban legend.Fifteen years later, a bestselling writer interviews Marjorie's younger sister, Merry. As she recalls those long-ago events from her childhoodshe was just eight years oldpainful memories and long-buried secrets that clash with the television broadcast and the Internet blogs begin to surface. A mind-bending tale of psychological horror is unleashed, raising disturbing questions about memory and reality, science and religion, and the very nature of evil.A Head Full of Ghosts is a terrifying tale told with inventive literary flair and unrelenting suspense that craftily, cannily, and inexorably builds to a truly shocking ending.
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review
Blueberry
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Mehso-so

Contains mental illness, exorcism, death. It was too much for me.

39 likes1 stack add
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Emilymdxn
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Here's my first book rec for #hauntedshelf! A Head full of Ghosts is one of my favourite standalone horror novels of all time. I still find myself staring into space and thinking about it sometimes when I'm on my own or watching a trailer for a horror movie that does the same kind of thing but worse.

#skeletoncrew

Sace I second your recommendation! 2mo
37 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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KateReadsYA
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Mehso-so

This book wasn't awful, but it definitely has me questioning why Stephen King blurbed it, "scared the hell out of me, and I'm pretty hard to scare." I was hoping for that same feeling, but all I got out of this was a dysfunctional family with a mentally ill teen! There are questions left unanswered due to a possible possession, but I will say the ending with Marjories' last "game" made this go from a 2 star to a 3 star. She's a sneaky one.

55 likes3 comments
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KateReadsYA
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2 books I'm hoping to freak me out!!!! 🫣

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Reggie
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Pickpick

This was my 2nd time reading this for a horror bookclub I managed to make. My other group , sadly, was not picked up at the other library I used to go to. 😢. I forgot how devastating this book was. There are 2 sisters, an 8yo who we see the whole book through and a 14yo who might be possessed. And despite there maybe being a possession it‘s more about a dissolution of a family that broke my heart. Love this book and Tremblay as an author. Pick!

Ruthiella So sad and also so creepy! 😱 4mo
Reggie @Ruthiella we were introducing ourselves at bookclub and this young woman introduced herself, said her name, said she worked at the library, said she made candles in her spare time, and that she was a witch. I had to hold myself from laughing. And later when we were discussing the book she said she didn‘t like it because it was told from a kids perspective. That she hates children. And I so wanted to jump in and say that‘s very on brand for 👇🏼 4mo
Reggie your people! Building houses made of gingerbread and candy, luring kids inside so your people can try to push them into ovens. lol it was so funny. I had such a good time with that group. 4mo
Ruthiella @Reggie 😂 That was my first thought too, “of course you don‘t like children (except to eat them!)” 😂 4mo
48 likes4 comments
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Tkimsal
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Panpan

Second #BookTok recommendation I tried was another dud.

monalyisha I read a popular BookTok choice recently, as well, and was also *deeply* disappointed! To be fair, I don‘t have TikTok, I didn‘t know it was popular on the platform, and I have no real sense of the breadth and depth of BookTok. Still. I‘m with you. 🙈😉 9mo
11 likes1 comment
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DaniJ
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Pickpick

It‘s the story of a young girl who spirals into a schizophrenic war with herself, entangling her family every step of the way. The worst part? This book is told from the perspective of her 8-year-old sister, Meredith. Reading about a child experiencing one of the least-understood mental illnesses consuming her sister is both heartbreaking & extremely graphic. Some scenes left me nauseous. Mostly this book is an immensely disturbing rollercoaster.

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CuriousG
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Pickpick

I decided to skip my usual Halloween Eve/Halloween movie nights to read this #HHS23 book I received. Some sections I loved, some irritated me, but overall still a pick for me. The blog sections were written in a very annoying voice (which I'm guessing was intentional), but they just didn't land for me. The rest of it hit the super weird, screwed up, vibe I go for at Halloween, so they were perfect!

ShyBookOwl Yeeeaaahh.. this was a tough one for me. I had mixed feelings about it throughout, but disliking the end tipped the scale towards pan for me. Loved the premise though! 13mo
Tkimsal On my tbr list. 13mo
CuriousG @Tkimsal if you like something a little over the top with an unreliable narrator, this will check those boxes. The ending could be a bit much for some people, but it definitely had the shock factor. I usually skew towards more realistic things, but during my creepy fall reading I'm all in for this! 13mo
23 likes3 comments
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CuriousG
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The day I've been looking forward to for way too many days (months?) - #HauntedHollowSwap opening day!!! @ShelleyBooksie - this is an amazing package full of spooky goodies. You are so good at this. The fact that you even found the little brain that matches my brain candles. So, so good. Thank you for including something from an author local to you - can't wait to experience a new to me author. #HHS23 @wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn Love it! 🎃🖤👻🧡 13mo
ShelleyBooksie Yay!!! So glad you like it ♡♡♡ I had so much fun shopping for you. 13mo
CuriousG @ShelleyBooksie I absolutely love all of it! 13mo
18 likes3 comments
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intothehallofbooks
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Pickpick

I previously said How To Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix was the scariest book I‘ve ever read, but I‘m bumping that one down to second and declaring this one THE SCARIEST. It was terrifying. I have discovered that “possession” stories completely freak me out.

That being said: it was good! Very much a Tremblay book. I‘ve loved everything I‘ve read by him and this makes me want to read more. But I need a little break from possession stories.

39 likes1 stack add1 comment
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intothehallofbooks
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I just realized I‘ll have the next 5 or 6 hours to myself!! So I put on my comfy pants, grabbed my book, and snuggled up to the pup 🙌🏻

I‘m a huge fan of Paul Tremblay. This one is pretty creepy!

dabbe Hello there, snuggly pup! 🖤🐾🖤 13mo
ravenlee Enjoy! Quiet time is the best. 13mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Yay!! 🐶 📚 13mo
51 likes1 stack add3 comments
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bekakins
Mehso-so

So apparently I‘ve read this before and couldn‘t remember any of it which is never a good start! It‘s all a bit to try hard and “meta” for me… which I think is probably the conclusion I came to last time!

#scarathlon #mischiefandmayhem

PuddleJumper 🖤🧡🖤 13mo
7 likes1 comment
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BoleyBooks
Head Full of Ghosts | Paul Tremblay
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Bklover Fairy Tale, by Stephen King ❤️❤️❤️ 13mo
BoleyBooks @Bklover I need to grab a copy. I have seen several covers, not sure which one I want. Enjoy! 🙌😊 13mo
40 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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amdsarahjenkins
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Pickpick

Interesting read. Sharp and atmospheric. Strong ending.

7 likes1 stack add
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Ruthiella
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Pickpick

Chipping away at my #14Books14Weeks2023 stack.

What really happened 15 years ago when 10 year old Merrie‘s sister was exorcised by a Catholic priest? Was she possessed or was she schizophrenic? How complicit were her beleaguered parents and the TV production who filmed and broadcast it?

I was occasionally genuinely creeped out by the book and the author did a good job of keeping it on the edge of supernatural vs explainable.

Reggie I love Paul Tremblay. Im read the one of his that just came out. His 2nd book of short stories and just loving them. 1y
Ruthiella @Reggie Good to know! 1y
70 likes2 comments
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keithlafo
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Mehso-so

One of the main frustrations I have with Tremblay‘s work is how often his final acts rely on ambiguity. That‘s a tool which can be incredibly effective, but I prefer it wielded as a scalpel rather than a worn hammer. Here, I think that tactic is somewhat effective, but I can‘t help but be a little let down by so little catharsis after so much build up.

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Clwojick
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Im right on schedule with my #14booksin14weeks! Im not exactly sticking to one a week, but instead trying to finish x-amount by the end of each month. Hoping to read 4-5 more in July! ❤️💥

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BarbaraBB
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Pickpick

There is a lot of room for interpretation in this book and I really don‘t know what to think. The narrator is an unstable 8 year old telling about her 14 year old sister who might be demonized, her suddenly bizarre religious father, her depressed mother, an exorcism and a tv crew who makes a reality show about it.

Also there are many references and similarities with classic horror stories. I kind of enjoyed it, I think.
#roll100

BarbaraBB Thanks for sending me this ages ago @Cinfhen ❤️ (when mail still worked 🤣) 2y
See All 18 Comments
BookishTrish This is one of my favourite favourites 2y
vivastory I'm happy that you didn't pan this one. Tremblay is one of my favorite living horror authors. I have tickets to see the adaptation of Cabin At the End of the World on Saturday. 2y
BarbaraBB @vivastory I didn‘t enjoy Cabin much, I think this one‘s much better - fortunately! 2y
Ruthiella Cool! 😱 I just got a used copy of this title for $1. Hoping to get to it this year. 🤞 2y
Cinfhen The good old days☺️ 2y
squirrelbrain Hmm, doesn‘t sound like my kind of book. Great review though! 2y
vivastory I did like this one a bit more than Cabin etc but I still loved Cabin. I think you might like his shirt story collection. It's the most cerebral of his works I think 2y
BarbaraBB @vivastory Thanks, that sounds good! I‘ll stack it! 2y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain People like @vivastory @Reggie and @TrishB have made me appreciate horror at times! 2y
vivastory @BarbaraBB That's a big compliment 😀 2y
TrishB I‘m glad you give it a go 😁 I‘ve tried so many things because of Litsy! @vivastory let me know what the film is like- I may even venture to the cinema 😱 2y
Reggie 🖤🖤🖤She was possessed, right? Lol 2y
BarbaraBB @TrishB That‘s a whole other league 😉 2y
BarbaraBB @Reggie I‘m still not sure. Such a mindf*ck! 2y
Librarybelle Great review! 2y
73 likes2 stack adds18 comments
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BarbaraBB
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#WeeklyForecast 05/23

Ambitious plans… I am still reading Babel for the #ToB23, switching between audio and print. It‘s an enjoyable read. My next one for the tournament will be The Passenger 🤞🏽 but first I am starting Last Night at the Lobster. I enjoyed Ocean State and wanted to read another book by O‘Nan and then @DreesReads called it one her best reads of ‘22 on Instagram (still missing her on Litsy!). The tagged book is my #Roll100.

RebelReader I loved Ocean State so I‘m anxiously awaiting your review on Lobster! I‘ve been eyeing it as my next read by this author. 2y
squirrelbrain I‘m doing the same as you with Babel, although actually it‘s mor reading than listening as I haven‘t driven far this week. I‘m getting quite bear the end…. 2y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I have another 100 pages left. It‘s still an interesting read. Will you finish today, while ironing? 2y
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BarbaraBB @RebelReader I‘ll let you know! 2y
squirrelbrain I hope so Barbara. 🤞 How about you? (And I just noticed the appalling typos in my last message - work is *really* getting to me! 🤣) 2y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I hope to finish it later this week. I have to drive quite a bit (working on a project in the south of the country) and it‘s been a good companion while driving! 2y
BkClubCare I‘ve had Last Night at the Lobster on my tbr for…. years. Looking fwd to your review 2y
DreesReads I popped in here because now, 3 months after you posted this, I got/noticed the notification! Maybe I will try Litsy again at some point (it is still on my phone!). 2y
BarbaraBB @DreesReads I hope you will! We‘re about to have #CampLitsy23 which I‘m sure you‘d love. Check the hashtag 😉🤍 2y
66 likes9 comments
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Megabooks
Head Full of Ghosts | Paul Tremblay
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Pickpick

That ending! 😱 Thanks to @Emilymdxn for sharing this great #ALSpine horror rec! I loved the framing with Merry‘s retrospective thoughts and the exploitative nature of reality TV.

Teenage Marjorie is having mental problems. Mired in medical bills and an increasing religious zealotry from her dad leads them to contact a priest and have a reality show about her possible “possession” taped. But after the cameras are gone things get even worse.

LeahBergen This was a fun one! 😬 2y
Johanna414 I read this one years ago, and didn't think i really liked it at the time. But i still think about the ending to this day, so apparently it was effective! 2y
Megabooks @Johanna414 that ending was crazy, but yet it fit with the characters and situations he had established. 2y
See All 9 Comments
Megabooks @LeahBergen agreed! 😱 2y
Cinfhen Had you never read this one??? I remember when a bunch of us read this…I LOVED it!!! We had lots of good discussions!!! 2y
Megabooks @Cinfhen I don‘t remember that at all, and it‘s a good one for discussion! 2y
Emilymdxn I‘m so glad you loved it as much as me! I literally can‘t stop thinking about the ending 2y
Megabooks @Emilymdxn the ending was 🍌👖 but it still totally fit with the world and characters he created. Really brilliant! 2y
BarbaraBB I still need to read it. @Cinfhen sent it to me a long time ago. I will read it soon, this might be the encouragement I needed! 2y
93 likes6 stack adds9 comments
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plemmdog
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Mehso-so

My book club picked this for Halloween. I liked some of it, but ultimately I found the child-narrator voice annoying.

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BC_Dittemore
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Pickpick

Whoa… This book wrecked me. In a good way. I‘m a bit at a loss for words. Um…

Legitimately scary. Well structured and written. I blew through the last 100 or so pages in record time (for me) because it does such a darn good job of getting your heart palpitating. Those easily frustrated by ambiguity may be turned off by this one though. Tremblay leaves a lot open for interpretation, which, personally, I think is one of its strongest aspects.

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StellaDz
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Pickpick

A perfect spooky read! Ambiguous enough so the reader is unsure if the issue is psychological, paranormal, or completely fake. Did it scare the hell out of me? No. But I did close the book multiple times and look at the dark corners of my room for shadows. It‘s unnerving.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Nessavamusic
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Pickpick

I‘m giving this a borderline pick. It is an interesting possession story being told by the younger sister of the supposedly posed girl. It tries to make interesting points about religion, extremists and the media. However, none of them feel very substantial. Still a quick easy spooky listen. 3⭐️
#Scarathlon2022 #TeamMonsterMash #bookspinbingo #31in31 #bodycountbingo #spookathon #Scarathlonwordsearch 43 words

41 likes2 comments
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MommyOfTwo
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I find it strange that my current book mentions the book I am planning to read next😱

Gissy Spooky👻🧡🖤 2y
20 likes2 comments
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Nessavamusic
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Getting caught up on #ScarathlonDailyPrompts Oct 5 #Ghost
This one is on my #TBR
#Scarathlon2022 #TeamMonsterMash

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StellaDz
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Alright, I slept on it, and I‘m going to stick with Hyperion, but I need a break. I think I‘m just in full spooky mode that it wasn‘t jiving. October is for 👻👻! So here are my two choices to get me in the mood for 🎃🎃.

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Shawna
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A Head Full of Ghosts
Joe Hill
Hush
Hozier
Helmethead (Great Big Sea)

#manicmonday
#LetterH

CBee Hi! Thanks for playing 😊 2y
8 likes1 comment
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Emilymdxn
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Pickpick

Im still struggling to read much that isn‘t for work or the masters course but I did really love this very creepy horror novel on audio. It mixes family dynamics and genuine ‘what is it that‘s real here‘ horror. I listened to it in less than a day and I really couldn‘t stop listening. Very dark but beautifully written - do not recommend if you have mental illness or religion related trauma

58 likes1 stack add
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Legendofcool
Mehso-so

This book had a slow build that kept you guessing throughout. The ending is what made it all worth the listen. When you think you know you dont. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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Legendofcool

So far pretty good book!

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ShyBookOwl
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Me reading A Head Full of Ghosts 😅 Some parts are really disturbing!! Definitely getting in my horror fix this week. #catsoflitsy

Leftcoastzen So cute!😻 3y
RaeLovesToRead Awww, hidey kitty 🥰🥰🥰 3y
70 likes2 comments
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ShyBookOwl
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“THIS MUST BE so difficult for you, Meredith.”

#firstlinefridays

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ItsAnotherJen
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Pickpick

This would be a great book to read around Halloween! Plenty of creepy and rather scary elements in this one. A 14 year old girl may be possessed by a demon (or perhaps is schizophrenic who knows) and the family decides to have a TV show taped in their home showing her behaviors and filming the exorcism. We see much of this through her 8 yr sister's point of view.
I like the elements of using a podcast to go over events, and the unexpected twists.

BookDragonNotWorm But that ending though! 🤯🤯🤯 I'm still not entirely sure what I think happened! 3y
ItsAnotherJen @BookDragonNotWorm I know, right!? I mean..I *think* I know what happened, but it's not for sure. You kind of have to take a guess. 3y
Legendofcool Still wondering about that ending myself, just finished the audio this morning. 2y
85 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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KristenDuck
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Pickpick

A Head Full of Ghosts is told by alternating timelines of past, when the younger sister, Merry witnessed firsthand the terror her older sister Marjorie had to endure, and also present, as Merry verifies the story with an author willing to write a book about the family.

Readers are consistently questioning if the story we are being told is real or embellished. Was Marjorie really possessed or schizophrenic?

Couldn‘t put this one down! That end😳

jb72 I‘ve been wanting to read this one. 3y
BookDragonNotWorm That ending did my head in! 🤯 3y
KristenDuck @jb72 Worth the read in my opinion! 3y
KristenDuck @BookDragonNotWorm Eek I was so conflicted with what actually happened!! I think I have it all figured out though. 3y
76 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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DrLReads
Head Full of Ghosts | Paul Tremblay
Pickpick

While I feel uncomfortable with the author drawing a parallel between mental illness and possession (the ambiguity is a crucial question in the novel) this was a compulsive read—and the twist…. 😮I could have done without the blog posts embedded throughout, but otherwise, a strong pick.

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Redfern85
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Pickpick

Intense read told from the point of view of a second grader whose 14 year sister may or may not be possessed by a demon.The family signs on to have their lives taped for a paranormal TV show in which an exorcism will be performed.

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DarkMina
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Eggs Tremblay!!! Great choice 😱🖤👍🏼 3y
DarkMina @Eggs Thanks! 3y
17 likes2 comments
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OutAndAbout
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Pickpick

I love when a book lives up to the hype. Excellent writing - “glasses with thin silver frames that boxed in his nervous eyes”. Compelling plot - the exorcist as told by a little sister. And the little sister is a character development trilogy - shows 3 sides of her, a nod toward the holy trinity and a hint that perhaps she‘s a bit of an unreliable narrator. (Picture of Jesus of the Ozark for attention, taken as we left Eureka Springs today.)

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AFrostCauseReads
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Pickpick

Wow, I loved this book! It walked the line of real possession vs mental illness, and I loved the balance of different times (being in the past as it happened, and current time of the interview of what happened). I also adored the nerdy blog posts analyzing everything. I def have to read more by this author!

#wickedathon #scarathlon2021 @StayCurious
#screamathon @4thhouseontheleft
#RoaringWolf (Family Affair) @Roary47 @Littlewolf1

Roary47 Awesome! 3y
26 likes1 comment
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OutAndAbout
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Gorgeous fall day in the woods, reading the tagged book. It‘s a lot of scare for a chilly October day. Excellent afternoon. #13 #halloween

35 likes1 stack add
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OutAndAbout
Head Full of Ghosts | Paul Tremblay
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Staying in a cabin in Eureka Springs this weekend for a wedding. (Picture - every girl obviously wants a dead deer watching her in the hot tub.) Gorgeous area and beautiful cabin. But so many dead animals! Fortunately I didn‘t bring a scary book to read or anything. 😏 (see tagged book for irony). Bring on Halloween!

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego 😆 very relaxing. 🦌 3y
kplovesbooks I mean the deer display is gorgeous...but WHY THERE?! 🤦😂😂 3y
OutAndAbout @kplovesbooks I know right? Probably should be rereading The Only Good Indians! 3y
36 likes3 comments
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DebinHawaii
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#haunted

I read them years apart but I feel there is a similarity in these books with whether the #ghost or spirits haunting the houses are real or not, so I‘m picking them both for today‘s prompt.

Eggs Really like Tremblay 🖤👻👏🏻 3y
55 likes1 comment
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Booknerd222
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20 likes1 stack add
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Booknerd222
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Booknerd222
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DGRachel
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Bailedbailed

This started off super creepy (possessed kids scare the 💩 out of me), but now I‘m bored. The narrator is becoming less reliable and I really hate Marjorie. I think there‘s a twist coming but I‘m no longer interested in seeing what that is. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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BookDragonNotWorm
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Pickpick

A family falling apart. A teenage girl who descends into madness – or not. Because she might be possessed – or not. Luckily, it was all documented by a reality TV show. Now, fifteen years later, the girl‘s younger sister struggles to reconcile what she thought she knew with what happened – or not! Suspenseful & chilling in that ‘is it or isn‘t it?‘ way that crawls under your skin & gives you chills!

Johanna414 This book really stuck with me - I read it a few years ago and still think about it frequently. 3y
47 likes1 comment
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3CatsAndABook
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Pickpick

I didn't find this Scary but it was definitely Creepy. I felt Full Moon Tea and Skull Cookies was Perfect to Pair with the Book 🤣

reluctantangeleno Those cookies 😍 4y
ajmayorquin I love tame wild tea! The cookies are so cute! 4y
3CatsAndABook @reluctantangeleno delicious too lol 4y
3CatsAndABook @ajmayorquin ikr it's my favorite blend of all their teas ❤️ 4y
93 likes1 stack add4 comments