Three Words That Describe This Book: psychological horror, body horror, heartbreakingly beautifulFurther Appeal This book is emotionally intense, immersive, psychologically difficult and yet, it is a swift compelling read. The prose and the introduction of our Female MC Rabbit flows effortlessly (I mean I know it takes effort to make it look effortless, but still....). I started reading this book and looked up for the first time and I was over 80 pages in.
Look I really like the way Piper writes, but this one is among her best. The blurb is intriguing but once you star reading, the story is so much more.
Excellent character development here as well. Readers feel like they know Rabbit, are emotionally invested in her, even when she is breaking into her ex's townhouse multiple times.
Let's back up a bit....
Rabbit is a nickname and the preferred name for a 30 year old woman born Brittany. The entire story is told from her POV. Readers are told from the start by her that she was abducted by aliens on the night her dad left their family when she was 10 and again when she was 20 (details on that one come later). She is now 30, only 2 1/2 weeks from turning 31 and is waiting for the aliens to come again.
Her 3 yr live-in boyfriend has just broken up with her saying she is too much work and not normal enough. She is struggling with being thrown out of her home, wondering how she could have loved him more and been better for him, and also really upset about why the aliens are not coming for her.
Was she abducted by aliens? maybe. Do we as readers believe her versions-- mostly yes because she is very honest with us. Do we believe she believes-- yes and that is what matters.
On top of the alien stuff, Rabbit is fighting with her reflection-- Brittany. Actively. And again, readers believe that she believes this is really happening, that they are separating into two different humans. We believe her selfie enough that it does not stop the pacing, we keep going. We are hooked.
And Rabbit's body is actively morphing into something else. It starts with bumps on her head and progresses. Here's the thing about that though-- others notice. The bumps are not her imagination, her sudden growth spurt is noticed by others, and the growth of her feet and fine white body hair is NOT her imagination.
This part is why the story is so immersive. Your typical psychological horror keeps readers at a distance. We know not to turkey the unreliable psychologically unravelling MC but here that is not what is happening. Piper draws readers in, she gives us plenty of reason to trust Rabbit.
And as the story spins out of control and gets more and more unmoving, as things happen which cannot possibly be, well, the characters around Rabbit reinforce a what Rabbit is telling readers as well. That was very cool.
And wow! The ending is great. A top notch example of what psychological horror can be at its best.
Readalikes: A great readalike for Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison because both active investigate a female MC who has been told she was too much, who gives her love to someone who doesn't derive it, and who has to fight to find and accept herself.
The intense psychological horror with body horror here is reminiscent of the underrated The Unsuitable by Molly Pohlig.
And this is definitely a great choice for fans of Paul Tremblay who like how he leaves the underlying cause of the horror up to the reader-- All in their head or supernatural? Both work.
Also fans of The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste.
In other words-- hand this out to everyone!
Next up an amazing debut by a critically acclaimed filmmaker..
STAR
Public Access Afterworld
By Jane Schoenbrun
Oct. 2026. 608p. Hogarth, $33 (9780593978382).
First published October 1, 2026 (Booklist).
Filmmaker Schoenbrun makes their print debut with one of the best novels of the year, a love letter to the history of television, which also depends on that adoration for its existentially terrifying, Lynchian horror. The novel’s “Foreword” sets up the epic story, telling readers everything that will happen, who the hero is, and how it will unfold, all without giving anything away. An unnamed narrator lets readers know that everything they are about to read was told to them by a fellow mental hospital patient, as a 30 episode “TV series, that they are now retelling in 10 episodes, featuring unforgettable characters overlapping across time and place. The less readers know about this wildly original take on the haunted media trope before diving in the better; all they need is to trust Schoenbrun's confident hand will guide them through. This is a novel that will suck readers in and not only hold their attention for the full 600 pages, but also possibly, inspire them to add their content to Public Access Afterworld. For fans of immersive horror that keeps readers off-kilter throughout, such as The October Film Haunt by Michael Wehunt, The Library at Mount Char by Christopher Hawkins, and Cassandra Khaw or Hailey Piper.
Three Words That Describe This Book: immersive*, haunted media, Lynchian
*(pun is intended after you read the book)
Further Appeal: There are so many more words, but I think Lynchian helps get a few of them. More words, off kilter, overlapping and meshed together storylines and time frames, every detail matters, unsettling, entrancing, a love letter to the early days of the internet and television in general-- but also that's where the horror comes from, episodic (which breaks up the 600 pages) nicely, amazing, diverse, and unforgettable cast of characters, widely original, compelling, fascinating, cinematic, worth every second.
This novel spans decades but the storylines all work together and overlap in ways that are easy to follow.
This is one of the best debut novels I have ever read. Full Stop. I do not take recommending a 600 page book likely. Most are not worth your time. This one is.....every second of it is, or should I say every episode.
To be fair Schoenbrun is a filmmaker and this is not their first go round telling a complete story, but still. Debuts are hard. This one makes it look easy.
I don't suggest you read a 600 page book lightly, but READ THIS BOOK if you like Horror. It is that good.
I am also not going to give away much about this book and I really love how the cover copy really doesn't either. It makes it clear that there are multiple time frames and some kind of world called Public Access Afterworld.
Then in the excellent "Foreward," Schoenbrum sets up the entire books, really tells you everything that is going to happen while somehow giving nothing away. They set up the story, how it will be told, and both get readers hooked and also sets the stage for the wild ride to come.
This book does a few things I demand in books I rate so highly-- every detail matters. Things come up, even small things like an HBO Game of Thrones (fake) spin off that is the favorite show of Bethany-- the hero's (which we are told in that forward that she will be our hero) boyfriend. Th boyfriend wants to stay home one night and watch it together. And then--- said TV show is important later!!!! This is but one large example, but it happens over and overagain.
And the final thing I demand-- a satisfying ending, one that wraps up lose ends, makes sense for the sotyr, but leaves enough open for interpretation.
All I will share is that the entire novel is framed as someone telling their version of a story that has been passed down as a "tv series," told and retold. The one our narrator was told was in 30 episodes, of which they were told 29. Their's is 10 episodes. But it involves the episodes of others. As I type this you make be like- Becky none of this makes sense, but I promise you it does. Trust Schoenbrun; they will get you invested and immersed and following their lead immediately.
And even as you get lost in the characters of our unnamed narrator's first season of her TV show, that narrator is brought back enough times, speaking to the reader directly, to remind us-- even in the final lines.
BRAVO!
Readalikes: This is a book for people who like the epic and grand storytelling of Joe Hill's King Sorrow, Haunted media in the vein of The October Film Haunt by Michael Wehunt or Night Film by Pessl, and especially those who love The Library at Mount Char and have never found a story as wild but satisfying and cohesive. and with great characters. READ THIS.
Other readalikes-- Hailey Piper's Queen of Teeth, Or just Hailey Piper in General, also Chuck Tingle's Horror novels. Although there are not obvious overlaps, I think Chlorine by Jade Song is a good readalike for the type of storytelling and anything by Cassandra Khaw.
I also had Booklist add King Sorrow by Joe Hill to the sidebar of the online version of the review. Not just because of the length though. The episodic storytelling and the length of time and how all of the time frames inform the others. The Hill is more linear though and less "weird."
Again, this book is for SO many different types of readers, hence it earns a star.
Next up a book for ALL of those new Interview with the Vampire fans (and the old ones too)...
By Caitlin Starling
Starling’s (The Graceview Patient, 2025) latest genre-defying novel is not your mother’s vampire story; or, maybe, that’s exactly what it is. Readers meet Beatrice as she leaves her underground city lair to attend the hospital’s lactation support group. Beatrice is a broodmother. Her job, to feed newly turned vampires because if these nurslings drink human blood too soon, they will turn into monsters. Presented with a third nursling, Beatrice is struggling to keep up, but that evening, she begins a partnership with a doctor, allowing them to experiment, together, on her body. Beatrice’s narration, framing this slow burn as a bedtime story being told to her current nursling, quickly ropes readers in, earning their trust even as Beatrice makes numerous bad decisions. Starling builds a strong world and steadily pushes the initial unease toward intense discomfort before a final act that will leave all shaking with terror. While this will appeal to fans of Interview with the Vampire, also hand with confidence to fans of brutally honest, visceral feminist horror like those by Rachel Eve Moulton and Hailey Piper.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Slow Burn, Storyteller Narration, Maternal Macabre
Further Appeal: This is not your mother's vampire novel, actually maybe that is exactly what it is. Beatrice is a vampire brood mother whose job is to raise and feed new vampires.
In this world-- and the world building is fairly strong here-- newly turned vampires cannot eat human blood yet. Otherwise it will turn them into monsters. Beatrice works for a rich female vampire and raises her specific vampire while other vampires go through this patron to have Beatrice raise theirs.
The metaphor that Beatrice is like a human mother of a newborn, over tired, unthanked, spending all her energy making the sustenance her nurslings need, no one to turn to for help or advice.....all of it is not thinly veiled by Starling, it is right in your face on purpose because Beatrice -- early in the book-- goes to a human lactation evening support group. To ask for advice about nursing multiple babies. And there she meets a doctor who she works with.
The entire story is told to the reader as if Beatrice is talking to her newest nursling. It has an interview with the Vampire feel in how the story unfolds. There are times Beatrice foreshadows the story herself referring to the person she is telling it to who is asking questions who knows the answers.
This story has a slow burn. But when you get to the coda at the end....everything changes.
It was an original vampire story and not just because of the breasfeeding. There is medical/anatomy discussions here, new things to add to the vampire storytelling lore, and a fascinating world with interesting characters. Even some body horror.
This all starts off uneasy, but Beatrice slowly ropes the reader in, lulling them with the storytelling narration, like a bedtime story, slowly ratcheting up the unease to unsettling to discomfort to fear and finally terror.
You will feel sympathy for Beatrice and be terrified of her.
Readlikes: For fans of Interview with the Vampire for sure. Also visceral and terrifying maternal horror written by women who understand what is monstrous and horrific about motherhood like Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton. Also fans of Hailey Piper would love this story.
Fourth review is actually 4 more books-- the conclusion of a duology for which I reviewed the first book...
By Craig DiLouie
Nov. 2026. 368p. Run For It, paper, $19.99 (9780316578370); e-book (9780316578387). First published October 1, 2026 (Booklist).
Three years after the 1993 massacre at Summer Fun Camp, which itself was a reprise of a similar event 10 years before, readers now follow two perspectives, Tom the sole narrator form the first book, who is now Sheriff, and that first novel’s final girl, Laura, who has become a deputy to help stop to the cyclical violence. Sure the murders were pinned on a human last time, but that was because the community was not ready to understand the truth– that there is a monster in the woods, one who has been nursing a very personal grudge against Ledger, TX, and this time, he isn’t waiting ten years to enact his violent revenge on as many residents as possible. With more beheadings, dismemberments, and terror, readers should come ready to for visceral action and to feel many emotions as they race to this duology’s conclusions. For fans of slashers like I Was a Teenaged Slasher by Stepehen Graham Jones and folk horror focused on small towns over generations like Stay Buried by Jennifer McMahon.
Three Words That Describe This Book: cinematic, slasher w/ folk horror roots, duology
Further Appeal: I reviewed the first book in this duo logy and LOVED it -- Summer Fun Massacre: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8390426840
What I loved it about was the new perspective on the typical slasher-- having the normally bubbling police office who hinders rather than helps be the hero, the one who believes the final girl and fights like hell to stop the monster. I also loved the Hungry Hare, a true folk horror monster.
However, this time, while I enjoyed the conclusion, it did not feel it was as strong. First, I know this was always marketed as a duology but I think if the author allowed for a trilogy the second book wouldn't feel as rushed. And that made the ride to the conclusion less satisfying. But the conclusion itself was good.
Also there was a lot of time spent recapping what happened int he first book and the story behind the Hungry Hare that happened in the first book. The recaps at the beginning were great but there was a lot of repetition. With only 2 books to complete the story, there needs to be time to let the readers do some of the work.
Finally, the rushing also led to the time frame for the Hungry Hare's return -- historically over generations as every 10 years to be sped up to 3-- with never really a reason given. I didn't love that. The spacing could have been ten years here, easily. I understand why it would be a different book and the character development and some of the resolutions wouldn't make sense the way they are so then we need a better reason as to why the Hungry Hare was back so soon.
Here is what I did still really enjoy-- Keeping Tom the now Sheriff as a POV from the first book and then adding in Laura our finals girl from last time as she is a deputy only until the Hungry Hare issue is resolved. And this point which I liked- their dual perspectives and what they have learned about themselves and how they have grown in three years was great and would not make sense if there was a 10-year break.
The pace and action is faster here. The Hungry Hare attacks multiple times in this book and kills A LOT of people. The stakes are raised, the danger more palpable, and the terror more immersive. I think it might have been too much.
But also, it means people finally start to believe what Tom spent so long researching in the first book -- that the Hungry Hare is real, he is a ghoul, he is undead but he is also tightly connected to the community. That back story was great. And the fact that this slasher is 100% supernatural based, that the story as to why the Hungry Hare stalks and kills has an emotional connection to the town and who he targets, etc.... all of that makes this better-- in my opinion than a human killer with a vendetta.
The conclusion here is emotional and honest. Not everyone survives and no one is left unscathed. I did appreciate that.
Readalikes: This is a slasher for fans of I Was a Teenaged Slasher by SGJ. Books like that which understand that the best slashers don't make sense without some supernatural. But ones that also have 360 degrees of emotional connection, for the victims, the town, and the killer.
And it is a Folk Horror for people who like Jennifer McMahon's Stay Buried. There is town history, great characters, lots of emotions, and some supernatural.
Overall this duloagy is worth your time. Read them close together because as 1 book it works better.
Finally, I was able to give a new series of Bizarro novellas (dropping all at once) a single oversized Booklist Online review. Each title got its own entry on the site but the review is the same for all 4...
Bizarro fiction is horror’s lesser-known cousin. Authors in this genre use elements of absurdism, satire, and the grotesque to weave speculative tales that are subversive and accessibly surrealist. It must be acknowledged that these weird works can be shocking at times, but they are also wildly entertaining and, beneath the outrageousness, deadly serious. Award-winning bizzaro author and publisher Michael Allen Rose (Stories from the Motel Sick, 2025) has revived the “New Bizarro Author Series” of novellas which, in its first incarnation, launched authors such as Gabino Iglesias. With four novellas being simultaneously published, the authors, all new to bizarro, work together to promote each other’s books, while Rose’s contribution as publisher and editor is to ensure that readers not only get quality examples of the genre but are also presented with the full range of what bizarro has to offer new and old readers.
“A Pox Upon the Heart,” by A.E. Hofmockel, has a romantic-comedy feel: a meet-cute between a barista and the grim reaper of E.coli. “Brick-Built Dad,” by Jonathan Gensler, examines intense grief, obsession, and definitely not brand-name interlocking blocks, while P.J. Bresnahan’s “Joy Machine” is a bleak anti-capitalist satire underpinned with heart and humor. The fourth novella comes from an author libraries may already have on their shelves, Bitter Karella, whose first stab at bizarro, “Monoceros,” is the best entry point here: an over-the-top, wordplay-infused, tongue-in-cheek tale that actively addresses gender performance in the world of “Princess Puffy Pony” fandom. Taken together, these four novellas offer libraries the perfect avenue to highlight this popular indie genre to their numerous fans of thought-provoking speculative fiction that actively challenges the status quo without ever sacrificing the fun.
Come back Thursday to the Horror blog for a giveaway if the Piper and Starling from this post.
