Have You Read This? A Podcast for Bookworms

If our current political climate isn't enough to drive you to tears, you may find yourself looking for a novel to read that will break your will to live and crush your soul. Here are three books that pushed my emotions over the edge. More details at haveyoureadthispodcast.com .

If non-fiction, especially true crime, is not your thing but you want to dip your toe in the waters, this episode is for you. I went through my favorites list and found 5 true crime books that I believe anyone should start reading. Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon, Confession of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer by Katherine Ramsland, The Blood...

Without question, The Groomer by Jon Athan is a controversial book and one that so many DNF due to the graphic nature. Just how extreme is the book and is it worth reading? Can we separate the monsters in our art from those that create it? Can you make it through this episode without pounding energy drinks and Ibuprofen?

Some of my favorite short fiction reads lately. Books from Jorge Luis Borges and Philip Fracassi and stories you might not have read yet, such as The Necrophiliac and A Short Stay In Hell. Just about everything on this list is at or under 100 pages and all but one I would recommend.

"Why do you only read dark books?" Plot twist: I don't. To prove you all wrong, here are my top 10 favorite memoirs that I have read to date. Bonus points for hitting the website and checking out the honorable mentions.

Do you love dystopian fiction? If the answer is yes, and even if the answer is no, Jacqueline Harpman's I Who Have Never Known Men will not disappoint.

Alissa Nutting's debut novel Tampa is one that many love to hate. The topic of a female teacher taking a job at a middle school to groom and abuse boys is not an easy read. The subject matter coupled with graphic language and situations is usually why many DNF it, discarding it as smut. I got something different from this entirely and I also think everyone who hates it is wrong. Check the webs...

Who the hell is David Joy and why should you care? I am so glad you asked because I have prepared a 15 minute rant on why you should have been reading all of David's books by now. Check out haveyoureadthispodcast.com for all of the links mentioned in this episode as well as some bonus videos.

A small-time criminal. A has-been rock star. A shadowy government agency. And a severed hand whose dark powers threaten to destroy them all. Oh, don't forget zombies. Keith Rosson's book Fever House was a wild ride.

HBO just released a new documentary that caught my eye: The Truth vs. Alex Jones. While a great doc, this is a perfect time to discuss Sandy Hook by Elizabeth Williamson and why the book and documentary are worth your time.

“Saving Noah challenges everything you think you know about teenage sexual offenders. It will keep you up at night long after you've read the last page, questioning beliefs you once thought were true.” Goodreads wasn't lying. Lucinda Berry's book was powerful with an ending like a sledgehammer.

What is splatterpunk? Are these books interesting at all and worth reading or is this a genre you should avoid at all costs? In this episode, I talk about Talia by Daniel J. Volpe, Gone to the See the River Man by Kristopher Triana, My Vice Is Your Unfathomable Agony by Otis Bateman, Playground by Aron Beauregard, Cows by Matthew Stokoe, and Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica.

What is the darkest book you have ever read? What actually makes a book dark in the first place? Up until this book, I am not certain what my answer would have been. The story is powerful, difficult to read, important to experience, and well worth your time and attention.

In this episode, you will be relieved to know I have a co-host and we discuss a new challenge: My oldest daughter and I are broadening our reading horizons and are taking turns suggesting books for the other read. The idea is to have the other read a book that we think the other would enjoy, but more importantly, one that would never show up on the other person's radar. I went first and read I...

This book by Luis Alberto Urrea follows the brutal journey a group of 26 men take to cross the Mexican border. Only 14 make it. The Atlantic referred to this book as "the single most compelling, lucid, and lyrical contemporary account of the absurdity of U.S. border policy". Urrea's book has been a national bestseller, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a "book of the year" in mult...

Blindness by Jose Saramago is a dark read, however, it holds a great plotline told by a talented and creative writer. Have you read this?

This year I listened to quite a few audiobooks and picked out some of my favorites, along with a couple honorable mentions. Hit up the website for links to all of the resources mentioned in the episode.

The names Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold will forever be attached to one of the most horrific and terrible events to have happened. I had read Dave Cullen's book, Columbine, but was surprised to later learn that Sue Klebold, the mother of Dylan Klebold, wrote a book in 2016. In this episode, I discuss A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy and why it is an important read....

Just before the release of Ben Bookman's latest horror novel, terrible crimes are happening in the exact fashion as described in his new book. A vet detective and his rookie daughter jump on the case as they discover some grisly murders. But that is only the beginning of the story. I loved reading The Nightmare Man and think you will, too, so much so that I thought I would dedicate about 20 mi...

Would you believe me if I told you that a police department dropped a bomb on its own citizens? Would you believe me if I told you this happened in the mid-80s? Would you believe me if I told you that couldn't find any book about this in your library? Episode 5 is out and the subject is the MOVE bombing in Philadelphia in 1985. SOURCES: Let It Burn: MOVE, the Philadelphia Police Department, an...

Just a little overview on some of the books I read over the last month and which ones I think would be worth checking out. I also ventured out of my comfort zone and attended a local book club social, so naturally, I just had to share my thoughts on that. Book Social Links David Domine Official website Instagram Facebook Goodreads A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City: Murder, Secrets, and Scandal in O...

The Painted Bird is one of those books that has stuck with me well after reading. It is one you cannot forget, powerfully violent, and full of symbolism while also being wrapped in controversy. Links of Interest: Article: " Read At Your Own Risk: 27 Of The Darkest Pieces Of Fiction Ever Published " For Sale: First edition, autographed edition of The Painted Bird Wikipedia: The Painted Bi...

If you launch a podcast about your love for books, it seems only right to make the inaugural episode about the book that officially turned you into a reader. For me, that book was Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. This book chronicles the disastrous 1996 Mt. Everest expedition where many died attempting to reach the "roof of the world". It was, and remains to this day, one of my favorite bo...

Welcome to "Have You Read This?" where I will do my best to mix in book suggestions and reviews among the muddy waters of sarcasm and dry humor. This episode is my introduction, how I managed to read nearly 300 books over the past few years (all by myself, I might add), how this podcast came to be, and what to expect. Book suggestions: reviews@haveyoureadthispodcast.com Instagram: www.in...