Challenge Corner discussion

From the author of the “exciting, suspenseful, horrifying” (Stephen King) Fever House, a Vietnam veteran and his adopted niece hunt—and are hunted by—the vampire that slaughtered their family.

It’s the winter of 1975, and Portland, Oregon, is all sleet and neon. Duane Minor is back home after a tour in Vietnam, a bartender just trying to stay sober; save his marriage with his wife, Heidi; and connect with his thirteen-year-old niece, Julia, now that he’s responsible for raising her. Things aren’t easy, but Minor is scraping by.

Then a vampire walks into his bar and ruins his life.

When Minor crosses John Varley, a killer who sleeps during the day beneath loose drifts of earth and grows teeth in the light of the moon, Varley brutally retaliates by murdering Heidi, leaving Minor broken with guilt and Julia filled with rage. What’s left of their splintered family is united by only one desire: vengeance.

So begins a furious, frenzied pursuit across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. From grimy alleyways to desolate highways to snow-lashed plains, Minor and Julia are cast into the dark orbit of undead children, silver bullet casters, and the bevy of broken men transfixed by Varley’s ferocity. Everyone’s out for blood.

Gritty, unforgettable, and emotionally devastating, Coffin Moon asks what will be left of our humanity when grief transmutes into violence, when monsters wear human faces, and when our thirst for revenge eclipses everything else.

through Part 1

(view spoiler)[ wow, I can't believe they just murdered them - and left them dismembered! and left HIM. I knew it was in the synopsis but it was still a surprise how early it was.

I guess Joanne was trying to get Ed turned into a vampire? what an odd move. . .

and wow, Julia- I don't blame her for being angry either. what a crap beginning she got . . (hide spoiler)]

through Part 2 / 48%

(view spoiler)[
wow, I really did think it would be Duane that was turned - I hadn't anticipated it would be Julia! What a surprise but she's definitely determined to kill John. . .

and wow! John found a very scary companion that - I assume he will turn. Will they really be able to fight them both?

oh and the children in the house - that sounded terrible! why would you turn so many so young? (hide spoiler)]

through Part 3 / 79%

(view spoiler)[ omg Duane doesn't die here, right?
I'm hoping Julia saves him but. . .also, I'm not sure how else this could end.

this has been so compelling - I'm completely sucked in!

crazy - that blood calling, the history of John and why he does this. I'm glad Johan didn't make it out alive- what a terrible person he was. glad he didn't turn him

absolutely heartbreaking, that phone call Duane made to his dad (hide spoiler)]

and done

WOW, that was an amazing story!

(view spoiler)[ I was so sad, in the end. sad but in awe of just how terrible and tragic it all was. but that Julia was so strong for what she'd been through. That Duane missed his wife so much, he was taking just a moment with her before he decided.

that John had finally found love but had to atone for the terrible things he'd done. Ugh, it was all so good!

what do you think? Do you think Duane chose to walk into the sun, to be with his wife? or do you think he stuck around? (hide spoiler)]

I can't wait to see what you think!

OMG -- you finished and you gave it 5-stars!?!?

Okay, definitely prioritizing this!!!

Still high on my list!!

...getting closer...

i finally got my copy,,, yeah

I loved this one! can't wait to see what you guys think!!

I just downloaded it off hold so starting it soon!

megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) wrote: "...getting closer..."

message me when you are ready to start this one and I will have the mods reset the date

Carrie wrote: "megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) wrote: "...getting closer..."

message me when you are ready to start this one and I will have the mods reset the date"

I think we can still use this thread at the moment, because comments have been made pretty continuously, unless you have info I don't have. I believe it's 14-days from last comment?

megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) wrote: "Carrie wrote: "megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) wrote: "...getting closer..."

message me when you are ready to start this one and I will have the mods reset the date"

I think we can still..."
I think we will be ok regardless if we are both commenting currently anyway. I was just worried because there was a slight break before sept 10. After that we both have kept it active. Are you reading both or want to do no rest first?

Trisha wrote: "through Part 1

wow, I can't believe they just murdered them - and left them dismembered! and left HIM. I knew it was in the synopsis but it was still a surprise how early it was.

I guess Joanne..."
I agree Trisha! Wasn't expecting it so early, but (view spoiler)[ guessing most of the book is going to be spent on venegeance! and poor kid Julia. she is so young and got a crap deal!

and...how bad to do you have to be to be labeled a "psycho" in the vampire world, this guy has to be pretty terrible for sure! (hide spoiler)]

ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH-why do I do this to myself? I know I don't like Vampire books, lol, and this one pretty horrific!

megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) wrote: "OMG -- you finished and you gave it 5-stars!?!?

Okay, definitely prioritizing this!!!"


LOL and I am struggling through it. But I knew better! Can't wait to see what you think of it, Megs!

finished-I have really liked the fact (view spoiler)[ that they all seem to be related to their trauma. They are "real" characters and not so much supernatural as most vampire books! They have self-destructive behaviors that lead to many of their horrific events. I thought that Julia was a bit young for most of what she "decided" to do to escape. Although this book is not written for me, (really need to try to read summaries before starting a book, lol), it was a totally different take on shiny glittery sci-fi vampires of other books. I would give that a plus. (hide spoiler)]

Carrie wrote: "finished-I have really liked the fact [spoilers removed]"

hahah!! I'm so sorry you didn't love this one and you keep having to read all this horror with the buddy reads!

I thought this was such a unique vampire read (view spoiler)[ because even though they are going after the vampire, the fact that SHE is one is only a blip - or it felt like one
it's really a tale of vengeance. that she was so mad that she lost her chance at happy family that she wouldn't let him go

and I agree, they each had their trauma to work through. it felt so realistic with these characters (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "Carrie wrote: "finished-I have really liked the fact [spoilers removed]"

hahah!! I'm so sorry you didn't love this one and you keep having to read all this horror with the buddy reads!

I thought..."

No sorries, lol...if anything I totally enjoy the buddy reads WITH buddies! I have plenty of non-horrors with just me :(

This was a very interesting perspective!

Carrie wrote: "megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) wrote: "OMG -- you finished and you gave it 5-stars!?!?

Okay, definitely prioritizing this!!!"


LOL and I am struggling through it. But I knew better! Can..."
Oh mannnnnn, I have one I am trying to finish right now and then I will get to this one, because now I am curious too!

Carrie wrote: "ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH-why do I do this to myself? I know I don't like Vampire books, lol, and this one pretty horrific!"

OH nooooooo, you don't like vampire books. LOL

megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) wrote: "Carrie wrote: "ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH-why do I do this to myself? I know I don't like Vampire books, lol, and this one pretty horrific!"

OH nooooooo, you don't like vampire books. LOL"

Not my favorite, nor horror, lol. I don't read summaries before reading so I don't talk myself out of anything! I love talking about books with others so I am williing to read any buddy book :) I like to still read your insights on things I might not like giving me a broader insight than my own narrow mind, lol

Carrie wrote: "megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) wrote: "Carrie wrote: "ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH-why do I do this to myself? I know I don't like Vampire books, lol, and this one pretty horrific!"

OH nooooooo..."
I see, I see. Yeah, Horror is my favorite genre, so that does make up the majority of my TBR. LOL

Starting this weekend! I can't wait to be able to read both of your comments!

...and by this weekend, I mean this weekend...

oooh getting closer! 😊

Trisha wrote: "oooh getting closer! 😊"

Hahahha, story of our lives!
I think we overshot in August...well, by 'we' I really me 'I'...LOL

Oh, I thought I had been updating here. Wow, I'm getting so bad at Buddy Reads -- I'm at 49%, which I believe is in Part III, maybe the very start.

(view spoiler)[Not surprised that Julia is hellbent on revenge, as she should be, but turning is forever. I like the two of them are still together. It's been 18-months, and it seems it's been a rough road. They're at a cabin and she just killed a guy, possibly the owner. Whoopsie. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, I am really digging the vibes. It's definitely channeling 1970s-Crime Noir with a supernatural twist. Very cool.

Trisha wrote: "through Part 1

wow, I can't believe they..."

Yeah, I was confused about Joanne's (view spoiler)[motives. Like was she trying to get him changed into a vampire so that he would live forever, or did she not really know about the vampire thing, but maybe they were making promises of some sort and they were going to trick her...I don't know. I guess she must have known, but how? And I was also surprised that they were all killed. Poor Heidi. I mean, poor all of them, but I felt particularly bad for Heidi, so unsuspecting, cause she didn't even know all the drama going down with Joanne and Ed (was that his name)? (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "through Part 2 / 48%


wow, I really did think it would..."
The house with the (view spoiler)[kids reminded me of Manx's place in NOS4A2 -- it was giving those vibes. I think maybe she turned them when they were that young, because that's when she was turned. Like she looks like a child, so probably had easier access to individuals who looked more her age, than she would with adults? If that makes sense. That's how I'm thinking of it anyway... (hide spoiler)]

Done! This was soooo good. I loved the tone and the setting. I'm already planning to read it again someday and annotate it. I think I'll get a copy from Aardvark, because I know they offered it last month.
The conclusion made me sad, the fact that (view spoiler)[they had separated, but they each had their own journeys they needed to pursue. I still sort of wish they would have continued on together. (hide spoiler)]

YAY! So glad you loved this one too! I will definitely read this one again! I think I'll do audio next time. so so so good!

Trisha wrote: "YAY! So glad you loved this one too! I will definitely read this one again! I think I'll do audio next time. so so so good!"I feel like I missed things because I was so desperate to know how it was going to turn out. I'd love to reread and really focus more on the relationships. I like how it read like a classic Horror novel even though it just released. Rosson definitely kept it true to that 1970s time period.

Trisha wrote: "and done

WOW, that was an amazing story..."

It was an incredibly (view spoiler)[tragic ending. I was super sad too. I wish they would have stayed together. I'm thinking Duane walked into the sun to be with Heidi. I feel like he felt he had cared for Julia as long as she needed him and now she was strong enough to be on her own, and she made her own choices and had her own path. I also grew to have a lot of compassion for Varley as well. He did love, but circumstances made him that was and yeah, he needed to pay. I liked how Rosson gave us his perspective. It showed his humanity and how that had all played out for him. (hide spoiler)]