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Tuesday, September 19, 2017

#allthebookreviews: Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix @quirkbooks @grady_hendrix

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Paperbacks from Hell
by Grady Hendrix
Quirk Books
🔥 Happy Launch Day From Hell 9/19/17 🔥

A must read for lovers of horror!


Big thank you to Quirk Books for our copies in return for our honest reviews.


Take a tour through the horror paperback novels of the 1970s and ’80s . . . if you dare. Page through dozens and dozens of amazing book covers featuring well-dressed skeletons, evil dolls, and knife-wielding killer crabs! Read shocking plot summaries that invoke devil worship, satanic children, and haunted real estate! Horror author and vintage paperback book collector Grady Hendrix offers killer commentary and witty insight on these trashy thrillers that tried so hard to be the next Exorcist or Rosemary’s Baby. It’s an affectionate, nostalgic, and unflinchingly funny celebration of the horror fiction boom of two iconic decades, complete with story summaries and artist and author profiles. You’ll find familiar authors, like V. C. Andrews and R. L. Stine, and many more who’ve faded into obscurity. Plus recommendations for which of these forgotten treasures are well worth your reading time and which should stay buried.

My Thoughts: 


When I received this book in the mail, I may have squealed just a little bit.  Ok, I'm lying, I squealed a LOT!  As a huge lover of horror, I dropped everything I was doing and started flipping through this book and could NOT stop!  I finally put it down and then kept picking it back up and running my fingers through the pages and devouring each page with my sharped toothed eyes. 

The '70s and '80s were prime with paperback horror novels that you don't see many people reading anymore these days.  I had even forgotten about some of these until I was reading this book.  I can hear my bank account emptying further with purchases I should NOT be making (but won't be able to help myself).  Chapters separate into Satan (including a section on Porn Country because hello, Satan's a player!), evil children, creepy animals, science, gothic and inhumanoids.  Really, this is a feast for the eyes with all the covers.  THE COVERS!!  We also get a history lesson about where some of the stories came from (true stories and/or based upon) and how no subject was left behind.  I mean, he makes a point about how it's not just people, monsters, animals, etc. that hate us, but also vegetables! OMG, some of the books in here! 

I could go on and on and on about everything I love about this book, but I'll just say this - you love horror?  Have an affinity and want to know more?  You need to pick this up.   I'll be picking this up repeatedly for quite some time.


★★★★★

Jessica's Thoughts:

Are you a fan of horror? Specifically the awesome 70's and 80's decades of horror? Well, PAPERBACKS FROM HELL by Grady Hendrix (author of MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM and HORRORSTOR) is everything you've been looking for.
With his witty and hilarious commentary, readers are brought through the iconic 70's and 80's horror stories, but these are the ones that flopped. I really enjoy the term "trashy thrillers" that was used to describe these - because it's completely accurate. These are all books that thought they'd be the next EXORCIST or ROSEMARY'S BABY but fell a little short. The book is divided into chapters based on subject - "When Animals Attack" and "Creepy Children" to name a couple - that really illustrated how many horror books were written on these common topics and the authors' takes on them.
Hendrix offers great insight and some history on the books and genres within horror. Since these were all before my time it was fun learning more about this boom in the horror genre. Even if you're just flipping through this one, you'll see some great books that you'll find yourself wanting to track down! Everything from possessions, Satan worshiping, animals, dolls, and children, Grady Hendrix covers them all.
If you want a stroll down memory lane, to learn more about 70's and 80's horror, or to find some vintage books, then you'll have to pick this up! It would make for a great coffee table book - something to flip through and share with other fans.
I give this 5/5 stars!





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