paced reading horror and thrillers discussion

The Traveling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon starting April 1.
Everyone welcome. Use spoilers.

Is anyone ready to start this one? I can start anytime if somene is ready. Let me know.

I loved this one! I didnt expect all the kids to die though, what an awesome ending!

April fools, thats not how it ends. Lol did i get anyone?

LOL Nice!
I have been gotten like 5 times today.
Can I spell gullible???

I am super excited to be reading this book for April! --Jen from Quebec :0) (PS) It is rather hard to even FIND where the group read is happening on the group's main page...

Justin wrote: "April fools, thats not how it ends. Lol did i get anyone?"

LMAO! I was about to scream--I won't be able to start for another day or two!!!
Good one!

Ok, well then I say we start. We can just read at our own pace and use spoilers and page numbers/percentages. A head start might be good because Kimberly usually reads very fast. :)

Vicki Willis wrote: "Ok, well then I say we start. We can just read at our own pace and use spoilers and page numbers/percentages. A head start might be good because Kimberly usually reads very fast. :)"

LOL!! I have to finish a big review, so I'll be behind you on this one... :D

I started it and just read 3 chapters.
I am wondering what year the setting is. I am thinking the late '60's or early 70's.
Already it feels like Laymon with teenaged boys, fascination with breasts, and kids on an adventure
To me his books always FEEL like childhood, not because I ever encountered a crazy killer but because he captures the essence of growing up in the 70's so well.

I'm about where you are, Vicki--same vibe here.

VICKI---

Nevermind about providing me with a link, I found the 'buddy read site' once again!
NOW, fellow buddies, I will finally dive right into this book. I hear nothing but great stuff about Laymon...--Jen from Quebec :0)

End of chapter 11
(view spoiler)[that whole ghost in a sheet walking down the road was scary. (hide spoiler)]
Excellent stuff.
(view spoiler)[I wonder where Rusty and Slim went. (hide spoiler)]

Vicki Willis wrote: "End of chapter 11
[spoilers removed]
Excellent stuff.
[spoilers removed]"

I'm right were you are still! :))

This was my first laymon and i loved it, but other than the MC's being children i dont remember anything. Im reading the spoilers and still have no idea. I bought the audiobook awhile ago and i think its time to listen to it.

Up to chap 39
Damn... the tension is real high for me
Between(view spoiler)[ someone being in the teens house and Slim almost being dragged into the car! (hide spoiler)] i am wound up.
It is reminiscent of a teenage love story from the '70's. It was really like that (view spoiler)[not going in the bedroom of the opposite sex (hide spoiler)] Feels realistic.
Loving this story!
Now worried about(view spoiler)[Lee! Where is she? And which dog was that that caused the crash of Dwight's dad? (hide spoiler)]

I'm dying to talk about this one now--I didn't even leave a written review because I didn't want to spoil anything!!!

Omg
I have more time to read tonight so off I will go!
Will post asap

YAY!

End of chap 53 (85%)
Damn... the show has begun.
Some crazy stuff going on here. I think him (view spoiler)[having to shave his head (hide spoiler)] is the least of his worries.
Now that they have (view spoiler)[found Lee, am wondering if she is involved somehow. Also, what is up with all the crazy dogs? And Rusty and Bitsy seem very odd with the odd relationship. (hide spoiler)]

Going for the end now! Can't stop here!

I finished - LOVED IT
Let's talk!

(view spoiler)[ When Lee was missing, I couldn't put the book down! I was SURE Julian had something to do with it--even her excuse didn't sound "right" for some reason to me. Slim was kick-ass! And I can't help but think that "something else" was going on between Bitsy and her brother..... (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Yes! so many unanswered questions and so many ways they could be answered.
I was sure Julian had her and when her explanation was sketchy it made me think she was in on it.
So crazy at the end... I think Bitsy was taken and is being raised to be a the traveling vampire. She sure is crazy enough to do it! (hide spoiler)]
It was such a good book.

Vicki Willis wrote: "Yes! so many unanswered questions and so many ways they could be answered.
I was sure Julian had her and when her explanation was sketchy it made me think she was in on it.
So crazy at the end......"

Vicki (view spoiler)[ that's EXACTLY what I think happened with Bitsy! As for the dog, I had a suspicion they belonged to the vampires (they did act rabid), and were sent out purposely to get certain people (the chief of police) out of the way. I figure they used them later as "food" when they didn't have the carnival.... This one left me emotionally drained. Probably the best one of his books I've read! (hide spoiler)]

Did you think (view spoiler)[ Julian was "part-vampire"??? He did have the strange teeth, I remember a comment about. . . (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[I was thinking he was like the male version for his youth and then got promoted to the manager when he wasn't studly enough anymore. (hide spoiler)]
The dog part was a bit much for me. I had to kind of put that out of my mind. The way Slim described it - ugh.
I just found it interesting the way (view spoiler)[ he used just random details to create his characters. I mean the idea of Slim changing her name based on book characters. I liked it. Gave her depth, but why and how did he come up with tbat? (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[The dog part bothered me a lot--vicious or not, I couldn't take that. However, I was happy to see that Slim (yes, I LOVED how her name changed with the books she read!), couldn't stand it, either, and even after the dog attacked them. It showed the "moral depth" that she had, verses Rusty. That was one of the things that sent triggers my way about him. I honestly expected him to try something with Slim, but when Bitsy came into the picture, it wasn't a far leap to see what was happening. And just throwing in those little details throughout the book was a great technique for telling us about the characters' backgrounds (ex. Slim and her dad), without breaking for a "this is a big lecture/narration in the story". It made the novel flow so well! (hide spoiler)]

Yes agreed!
What did you think about (view spoiler)[The two guys in the car who had tried to kidnap Slim and then the police couldn't find them, but they showed up at the show! How? Why? and then the whole fact about disabling the car so that they are STUCK there WITH the kids!
Who were those guys? (hide spoiler)]

Vicki Willis wrote: "Yes agreed!
What did you think about The two guys in the car who had tried to kidnap Slim and then the police couldn't find them, but they showed up at the show! How? Why? and then the whole fact a..."

ARG! I was going to ask you that one--LOL! (view spoiler)[ My original thought was that they were people Slim's father sent to get her (for payment or something), but I really believed that Slim either killed--or KNEW someone killed him, because she made that comment about him "going up the river" and never coming back... Hmmm?? But Dwayne's dad was the police chief and said people were looking for them. Without the plates on the cars, it was obvious that they were more than "amateurs" trying to grab a girl. I got a serial killer vibe, except for them being portrayed as "young"... THEN, I started wondering if they were "scouts" for Julienne, since this happened shortly before the show came to town. Maybe they were looking for "food", and if not, checking out to see if there were some "likely candidates" for the show. In hindsight, I'm going with that thought because of how well planned everything else was. (Getting rid of the Chief of police with a "dog" accident).... What did you think?? (hide spoiler)]
I originally gave this 4 stars, but after talking about it with you, I feel like I should raise it to at least 4.5--LOL!

(view spoiler)[ I had not idea what to think about it. I thought if they were like hooligans they would have been easy to find. SO I thought it had to do with the father.
BUT, when they showed up on the road to the show, I thought they had to be involved in that. I thought maybe there were procurers of people for the show.
I was dying when they ice picked the tires, because then I knew that would be "stuck" there and I was sure they would have another part in this.
I found it interesting when everyone was gone, they were still up in the stands, so they hadn't even tried to leave, which convinced me they were with the show. (hide spoiler)]

This was a perfect buddy read book! Had a great time talking with you. Let's find another one soon!

EXACTLY how my thoughts kept going! This was an awesome buddy read! Okay, we need some suggestions for another. Anyone else in the group interested??

Hey there! I am reading WAYYYY too many books at once atm, but I *AM* still reading this one. I am at about 54% or so, and I am really enjoying the way that Laymon writes on the concept of childhood. BUT, overall, I am a bit disappointed with this book....It feel like the author is either (a) HINTING at the events of Slim's past with Jimmy, but not actually revealing much (b) HINTING at events that WILL HAPPEN LATER on in the story! So, the actual immediate PRESENT part of the book seriously lacks actual story! Anyone else? No? Just me? --Jen from Quebec :0)

Jennifer Lynn wrote: "Hey there! I am reading WAYYYY too many books at once atm, but I *AM* still reading this one. I am at about 54% or so, and I am really enjoying the way that Laymon writes on the concept of childhoo..."
I felt that the events with Slim that WERE written, were enough, I guess. However, it may have been made more clear AFTER the 54% mark--I can't remember exactly where things were stated. (In some cases, too much information of that sort turns me off).