#itridesapalehorse

[thediaryofareader]

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑... The Larkin siblings are known around the small town of Wofford Falls. Both are artists, but Peter is the hometown hero. The one who went to the big city and got famous, then came back and settled down. He’s the kind of guy who becomes fast friends with almost anyone. His sister Betsy, on the other hand, is more…𝕖𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕚𝕔. She keeps to herself. When Lark goes to deliver one of his latest pieces to a fabulously rich buyer, it seems like a regular transaction. Until the guard plays him a live feed: Betsy being abducted in real time. Lark is informed that she’s safe for now, but her well‑being is entirely in his hands. He's given a book. Do what the book says, and Betsy will go free. It seems simple enough. But as Lark begins to read, he realizes that the book might be demonic. Its writer may be unhinged. His sister's captors are almost certainly not what they seem. And his town and those within it are... changing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 This was truly unlike anything I’ve read. It was so weird and disorienting, with a few moments of genuine horror. The story starts like an ordinary abduction and transforms into so much more. The writing was done well, the story itself was unique, and the fact that it kept me on the edge of my seat, guessing what would happen next, was a plus. This by no means was perfect. The ending was so abrupt that it was slightly jarring. This is a multi-POV. We are given the prospectives from Lark, a ghost, and some other loveable characters. The overall feeling was totally immersive while completely feeling uneasy. This won’t be for everyone - at times, it's confusing and all over the place, but it was 100% a five-star read for me. I absolutely loved it. Add this to your TBR. Thank you, @orbitbooks_us for this gifted copy! ⁣ #orbitbooks #orbitbooksus #orbitbooksuk #andymarino #itridesapalehorse #horrorbooks #horrorfiction #bookstagram #instabooks #igreads #horrorbooks #spookybooks #readhorror #readmorehorror #scarybooks #itridesapalehorse #andymarino #apocalyptichorror #spookybooks #bibliophile #oldbooks #bookishcommunity #booknerd https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm1_MZirXuB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[wellreadwyvern]

🐉RATING: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 Is Literary Horror a recognized sub-genre? Because that’s how I would categorize It Rides a Pale Horse by Andy Marino. My only experience with horror writing was reading The Shining as a teen (and I now have teen daughters), but the description of this book intrigued me. And I’m so glad I decided to try something different. I won’t go into too much detail so I don’t spoil anything. The story centers around artist siblings Lark and Betsy, and what happens when they are swept up into the world of extremely rich art collectors. The anticipation builds slowly to allow time for character development, while dropping hints about their past. As the plot unfolds in the present, the reader is treated to flashbacks that provide further depth and understanding of the artists and their relationship. The mood throughout is dark, but thankfully has moments of levity. The action is broken up by large chapters devoted to Rayanne, a spirit who resides in the collectors’ compound. Rayanne, a country music one-hit-wonder, is plucky with a wry sense of humor. It is through her memories and observations that the reader begins to understand the full horror of what Lark and Betsy could face. The book definitely has some gruesome moments, but the way it was described provided enough distance that it didn’t feel overwhelming. Quite a bit is shared as backstory by Rayanne, and her narrating style is light despite the nasty tales she tells. And I much prefer the supernatural horror that infuses this story over the more “real world” settings of many scary books and movies. I found It Rides a Pale Horse to be incredibly engaging, although with its literary style (i.e. big words) and frequent references to the art world, it won’t appeal to every casual horror fan. But for readers like me, who enjoy literary fiction and fantasy, and want to test out their tolerance for horror, this book just might be the perfect fit. ❓QOTD: Do you read or watch horror? Thank you to @redhookbooks @orbitbooks and @netgalley for providing this ARC. #itridesapalehorse #andymarino #literaryhorror #horrorbooks #netgalleyreads #arcreview #spookybooks #scarybooks #bookstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj73fdKLhJQ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=