It is time for a Halloween trip to my Decades Library.

Welcome back to my ongoing quest to assemble the ultimate reading experience – my Ulitmate Library curated by book lovers, readers, authors, bloggers, journalists and publishers. In January 2021 I set out to fill the shelves of a brand new Library. I felt it an almost impossible task; to be faced with rows and rows of empty shelves and challenged with filling those empty spaces with briliant reads.

As I knew I could not possibly hope to fill the empty library alone I invited friends to help me put their favourite books onto those shelves. I ask them to nominate books which they feel should be included in the Ultimate Library – the not to be missed books they loved or that influenced them. So why is my Ultimate Library a Decades Library?

When my guest curators nominate the books to add to the Library shelves they have just two rulest to follow:

1 – You May Select Any Five Books
2 – You May Only Select One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades

The Decades Library.

If you have not visited the Library before today this site is fully searchable and, as I am approaching the one hundredth instalment of Decades, there are lots of amazing book recommendations and nostalgic reads to catch up on.

As this is Halloween week I am delighted to be able to welcome Dark Bloom author, Molly Macabre to Grab This Book. As ever I pass the Curator Hat to my guest and I take a back seat:

 

Molly Macabre has been writing since middle school, working in genres that explore the dark crevices of mental health. After years of writing short stories and poetry, her debut novel released in 2024. A lover of all things spooky, Molly enjoys horror movies and books, noting Stephen King as her biggest literary influence. When Molly is not writing the darkest things her mind can conjure, she enjoys exploring dungeons, preferably ones rich with loot and guarded by dragons, playing video games, or listening to face-melting metal breakdowns.

You can catch up with Molly through her linktree: www.linktr.ee/mollymacabre

 

 

 

 

DECADES

1986

It by Stephen King

 

It is a creepy adventure and a brilliant tale about facing our fears. King does an incredible job building the lives and emotions of the characters. We watch them endure the ultimate tests of chilling events, and cheer them on in their resiliency.

 

 

 

 

 

1991

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

 

This is not a book I recommend lightly. It is, by far, one of the most difficult books I have ever read regarding gore and torture. It is also one of the most unique books I have ever read. The narrator is unhinged and unpredictable. The events are wild and interesting. I spent the entirety of the book wondering if it was all a metaphor and came up with no answers but the certain feeling that sometimes trying to conform can drive a person utterly insane.

 

 

 

2008

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

 

I loved this series as a young adult. Featuring strong characters and an in-depth dystopian world, the Hunger Games revived my reading hobby after a long hiatus. I devoured this book, loving everything from the intense action to the heartwrenching emotions to the well-earned romance.

 

 

 

 

2016

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

 

A dark tale with many twists and turns, this book was one of the first that got me into eerie thrillers. A man collects women he finds beautiful, hoping to preserve them and accentuate his garden. So many secrets and questions.

 

 

 

 

2024

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

 

This book is told from the point of view of an eight-year-old girl. I listened to this one as an audiobook, and the narrator actually performed as a young girl which only added to the creepyness. The very first chapter sets the pace for this chilling ghost story, putting me on the edge of my seat and leaving me there for the rest of the book. Malerman uses all the right techniques to spook the reader and I loved every minute. I was so curious how it could possibly end after delivering such a well-paced, terrifying narrative. The ending blew me away.

 

 

 

 

My thanks to Molly for making these selections. I have never made my own Decades choices but if (or when) I finally do I will start in 1986 with IT – my favourite book. I actually whooped when I saw Molly had selected It to be added to the Library Shelves.

I am also extremely excited to see Incidents Around The House – the June 2024 publication date makes this the newest of all the titles which can be found in my Decades Library…the previous “newest” book was published in 2022. In chronological order the Library begins with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and culminates with Incidents Around The House. How long until those two books are replaced at the start/end points?

 

Dark Bloom is available in digital and paperback format:

DECADES WILL RETURN