#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway: Reliquary by Hannah F. Whitten

Today I have a an ARC of an upcoming anthology, my review of which is in the June 2026 issue of Booklist. Details below but first, here are the rules on how to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American Library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Last week's winner was Kristin from PA. Now on to this week's giveaway. 

 

Reliquary

By Hannah F. Whitten

Aug. 2026. 432p. Run For It, $30 (9780316579537). First published June 1, 2026 (Booklist).

Best-selling fantasy writer, Whitten, dives head first into Horror with a compelling, unsettling, and entertaining sea monster tale. When she was a teen, an accident at sea killed Claire’s parents and younger sister, but she has found comfort with her fiance Elias, that is, until he drops dead at work. When his mother contacts Claire and invites her to their ancestral home, a castle built into the cliff of an island in Maine, for a funeral, she accepts. As Claire enters the home and descends into its living spaces, deep underground, it begins to feel like there is something much more nefarious planned. Claire’s repressed emotions and memories add a level of disorientation to the story, but as more secrets are revealed, the pressure builds, the force breaks everything open, and the terrifying truth floods all that stands in its way. A novel not just for fans of sea soaked dark fantasy and horror, but also for readers of Gothics with immersive settings and intense dread like Mexican Gothic by Moreno-Garcia and tales of the monsters behind the business success of the uber rich like Fiend by Katsu. 

Three Words The Describe This Book: Sea Soaked Horror, Gothic, Intense Unease

I have a lot more to say about this book here. Please click through and learn more. This one is going to be a big hit. Whitten has tons of fans, many of which may want more horror after they enjoy this one.

Thanks to Run for It for the ARC to giveaway to one of you.

Also heads starting next week and for the next 5 weeks, the giveaway will be 2 books for 1 winner. I have some HUGE titles as well. So you will want to get yourself entered now to be eligible going forward.

I have the new Never Whistle at Night, Rachel Harrison, Alma Katsu, Scott Hawkins, and Eric LaRocca all queued up. As well as a few excellent but lesser known titles. 

Enter today if you want a chance to win.

31 Days of Horror: Day 28-- How NYPL Makes Their Best Horror of the Year List

Back at StokerCon in June, Konrad and I met Kate and Allison from the New York Public Library and began conversations about how the HWA Libraries Committee and NYPL could work together to promote horror.

Then a few months later, when I visited NYPL at Allison's branch as part of my book tour (photos here), they used the opportunity of having 150+ horror fans in one room to unveil their Best Horror of 2025 list.

As we are closing in on the end of 31 Days of Horror we are also entering "Best Books" season. I thought sharing their list here, in these waning days of October made a lot of sense. But I didn't just want to post a list. Yes, best lists are great and Horror Best Lists are even better but what I loved about the NYPL example is not only how they make this list but even, how the Horror Best Books committee broken through to even be a thing the NYPL did.

So today, welcome Kate and Allison as they give you all a peek behind the curtain of the Best Horror of 2025 committee and list from NYPL. I hope you use what they share to think about how you work together with your staff-- no matter how big or small, no matter where they fall on the org chart-- to include everyone who wants to help make best lists, for any genre, whether they are a fan or not.

Take it away Kate and Allison...

💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

It all started with a simple email. Dare to Join Our Horror Committee? We Need Brave Souls!

Kate joined the staff of The New York Public Library in July 2024. In her previous role as an Adult Librarian in Upstate New York, Kate maintained the horror section at her library. This led to the creation of a month-long annual horror reading challenge, to help show patrons that the genre has so much more to offer than one might realize. She wanted to bring her love of the genre to her new role at NYPL. 

Having discovered that the Library already had staff dedicated to producing comprehensive surveys of new romance, comics, and poetry each year, Kate suggested that a committee focused on horror would be an excellent addition. And with that the wheels were set in motion. 

After numerous emails back and forth, a call to staff participation was sent. 

Are you a fan of spine-chilling tales, blood-curdling scares, and the occasional monster under the bed? Do you think your bookshelf could use a few more "creepy" additions? If so, we have an offer you can’t refuse!

Responses poured in from branches and library departments in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, representing the city’s wide array of communities and age groups. We had horror aficionados and those who were just dipping their toes in the vast horror ocean. Ultimately, we were brought together by a love of reading, a love of recommending books to readers, and a belief in the power of good books to fix a lot of what ails us all. 

Allison joined The New York Public Library in spring of 2017, as an Adult Librarian in the St. George Library. There they maintained the branch’s local history and fiction collection, the latter where she enjoyed pulling out material related to the macabre history of the borough for researchers. Moving to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) in fall of 2023 as a Supervising Librarian of Adult Programming, she wanted to find ways to stay connected to the collection aspect of librarianship. When Kate’s email came along asking for volunteers for a newly formed Horror Committee, Allison jumped at the chance to join and meet other horror fans on staff.

At our first monthly committee meeting in November 2024, we developed our mission, to curate a comprehensive list of horror books that will captivate, thrill, and inspire readers from all corners of the genre. Our aim was to create a diverse collection that spans all horror subgenres, from psychological terror to supernatural chills, body horror to gothic suspense, ensuring that all horror readers find something that will haunt them long after the last page is turned. Horror, like any genre, is deeply personal and the stories that make a reader’s heart race or give them chills can vary dramatically. Our goal was to honor these varied preferences, finding the common thread of excellence that makes these stories unforgettable.

Our criteria was simple. In order to be considered for nomination, all books must be specifically written and published for adults between Halloween in 2024 and 2025, and must be classified as horror. The titles were to be chosen for their exceptional storytelling, strong narrative drive, well-developed characters, immersive prose, and rich, atmospheric settings. Our hope was that the list would celebrate the genre’s ability to evoke a full spectrum of emotions—fear, fascination, sorrow, joy, and awe.

Committee members were expected to read and review upwards of two books a month. During our monthly meetings, we discussed what we read and why it should or should not be included on our final list. The earlier months of our committee were slower in terms of new horror releases, and we were giving titles a soft yes or maybe. As the months passed, our criteria for nominated titles became clearer and clearer. One of the titles that first caught our attention was the excellent Root Rot by Saskia Nislow. Each member who cracked the cover was immediately enveloped in the stories that ranged from folk horror to body horror and everything in between. 

As the monthly meetings continued, nominated books began to pile up. Before we knew it, it was June and StokerCon was upon us. The committee had the privilege of organizing a group trip to majestic Connecticut to attend Librarian’s Day! Not only did this trip serve as an excellent opportunity to hear from our colleagues in other systems about how they incorporate the genre into their programming and to get a sneak peak at upcoming horror releases we had yet to read, but it was also an excellent bonding opportunity for the group, many of whom had not met in person until this adventure north.

With a new fire lit under us following StokerCon, everyone picked up their reading pace. In August, the group began meeting weekly, and the final list of nominated titles started to take shape. By September the group had a shortlist of 40 books from more than 150 considered for the list, which is where the most difficult part of our work began. Over the month of September, the list was narrowed down to our final 20, which we published in time for Halloween. The meeting before voting took place, members had one last chance to argue to keep any favorites on the list. For The New York Public Library’s blog (where you can also find some helpful read-alikes!) and our own curiosity, we have since narrowed down the list to our top five.

After multiple rounds of voting, our top five selected books became:

5. Root Rot by Saskia Nislow. Chosen for its haunting blend of beauty and unease, Root Rot  is a surreal, fungi-soaked nightmare that lingers long after the final page. Its unsettling imagery, visceral atmosphere, and dreamlike storytelling pushed the boundaries of what horror can be.

4. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter was selected for its fresh and powerful take on vampire lore, blending supernatural horror with rich Blackfeet representation and a gripping historical setting. It’s Stephen Graham Jones at his best and impossible to put down.

3. Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna Van Veen. This haunting blend of history and folklore weaves queer themes and the eerie mystery of bog bodies into a vividly atmospheric tale set in the Netherlands.

2. The Burial Tide by Neil Sharpson. The Burial Tide was chosen for its masterful mix of Irish folklore, psychological tension, and eerie island atmosphere. With its unpredictable twists, haunting body horror, and heartfelt core of friendship, it delivers a uniquely satisfying and unsettling read.

1. The Country Under Heaven by Fredric S. Durbin. The Country Under Heaven was selected for its masterful fusion of western, horror, and fantasy elements, creating a world both eerie and enchanting. With rich prose, a compelling main character, and an atmosphere that feels both vast and intimate, it’s a true genre standout.

Overall, we are incredibly proud of our list, as it not only represents a diverse group of authors , but also spans many subgenres. We guarantee there is something for everyone on this list, whether you like a haunted house, something gruesome and violent, or a classic monster. We invite seasoned readers and new genre explorers to dive in and experience the terror of The New York Public Library’s list of Best New Horror for Adults. 

Get updates from The New York Public Library on book recommendations and a range of upcoming events including—coming soon!—a series of virtual author talks featuring a selection of the authors behind our Best New Horror list! We hope to see you there. To see the official list, please visit our website… if you dare!

Becky's 2024 Horror Book Highlights via The Lineup

I do a column for The Lineup 4x a year with December always scheduled to be a "Horror Book Highlights." I love doing this because both my editor (Lisa Quigley) and I want this NOT to be a traditional best list, rather I use this chance to look back at the trends I have seen in the year that just past. It is a fun exercise and allows me to highlight more titles than a traditional best list (like this one).

Go here to read the full article with graphics and links to more about each book on their site. Below, I have my draft which I turned in. It may have typos, but I want the authors and titles here on the blog for people to be able to search.

From the Haunted Stacks: 2024 Horror Book Highlights

A detailed look at Horror from 2024, from the “library world's horror maven.” 

By Becky Spratford | Published Dec 17, 2024

I know what many of you are thinking: Oh no, not another best list! But don’t worry, that is not what this is.

As I do each year here at The Lineup, I try to give you a more nuanced look at the year that was by walking you through some of the more interesting trends I have noticed accompanied by the example titles that illustrate them best.

But before we even begin, it is important to note one book that stands alone identifying its own trend, Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Film You Are Too Scared to Watch by Emily C. Hughes. Horror is hot right now and everyone wants to jump on the scary bandwagon, but not everyone is ready. This title allows anyone, no matter how big a scaredy-cat, to participate in the larger conversation around Horror, a conversation that  is happening just about everywhere. Hughes’ book has hit a nerve, even making it on the NPR “Books We Love” end of the year list of their favorite books. 

Now on to the trends I saw in 2024.

The Biggest Names Are Not Only Getting Bigger, They Are Getting Better

Over the last 5 years, Horror authors with names other than Stephen King have been making it onto the bestseller lists and/or gaining regular coverage in mainstream media. This year some of those authors had new novels. While that is not a surprise, what I did find noteworthy is that all of these authors churned out excellent works. Not resting on their laurels, these authors, who readers already know and trust, keep raising the bar for the entire genre. From the female vampire rage of So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison to Lovecraftian vengeance in the middle of a hurricane in House of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias to Paul Tremblay’s deeply unsettling Horror Movie (which debuted on the NYT Bestseller list) to two novels by Stephen Graham Jones– the final installment in the Jade Daniels trilogy, The Indian of Angle Lake and a new take on the slasher story in I was a Teenaged Slasher. We also saw the return of Nick Cutter with the wild, terrifying and original wasp infested The Queen, Chuck Tingle proving his first mainstream novel was no fluke in Bury Your Gays, and Josh Malerman somehow managing to freak everyone out even more than he has with his previous excellent novels with a child narrator and the “Other Mommy” in her closet in Incidents Around The House.

These are the novels that set a high bar for Horror in 2024, and as these authors excelled they added new readers, many of whom didn’t consider themselves Horror readers.

But now? They may be hooked.

Women Rule The Best Debuts

That list above was very male heavy; a fact that was upsetting to me. That is until I looked at this year’s top debuts, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I always make a list of the best Horror debuts each year because debut authors serve as a map to see where the genre is going. This year, not only was I blown away by a larger number of debut novels (many were among my favorite reads of the year), but also, I was excited to see they were all written by women. Here are four of my favorite Horror debuts from 2024, and what a wide range of writing styles and scares they offer.

The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim

Ji-Won is a first generation Korean-American, a college student who is sick of the fetishization of Asian women and wants to do something about it. She confidently leads readers through this expertly constructed story, earning sympathy even as readers begin to see they should not trust her. As the novel evolves from domestic drama to one filled with oppressive dread, the palpable anxiety evolves into repulsion and Ji-Won dares readers to avert their own eyes.

This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer

March 2019, four 20 somethings enter the Kentucky woods on a mission to study and scale a never before seen rock formation, except, readers are told immediately, none of them made it out alive.Told from the point of view of each doomed character, and with time frames alternating between the story’s present, and the past, beginning in the 1700s when this land was first discovered, Kiefer masterfully crafts both vivid characters and a visceral place, a land rooted in evil, with a long history of a thirst for human blood.

Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles

Orabella, a half Black orphan, lives under the care of her Uncle in 1840s England where she is hastily married off to the handsome, rich, and mysterious Elias Blakersby. Whisked off to the countryside and separated from everyone and everything she knows, Orabella is sent to a decaying house with shifting hallways, odd family gatherings, and dangerous secrets. Not your grandmother’s Gothic, Coles brilliantly takes recognizable tropes but adds modern sensibilities and original twists.

Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen

Nick returns home to the cruel father he left behind after a hard childhood in Nebraska upon hearing his dad is dying. Nick encourages his estranged brother, Joshua, disowned when he married Emilia, a woman of Chinese descent, to join him. Told from Nick’s point of view in 2 time frames– the present and the year he was 13– Pedersen presents a slow burn, supernatural horror tale, centering family, trauma, and revenge, with unease infused into every detail, which all building to an ending that will leave readers gasping with awe.

Novellas For All Readers

Novellas have been steadily gaining in popularity for a decade now, but previously, the market was dominated by one publisher– Tor.com. While they put out some great stories, the offerings were limited in scope. Now that readers have embraced the novellas as a standalone reading option, more publishers are taking a chance on the format which means there are amazing books for all of us to read. These four books, all under 200 pages, meant to be read in a sitting (or 2 max) showcase the breadth of excellent options available in the format, with not a single title coming from Tor.com

Cranberry Cove by Hailey Piper

Partners Connor and Emberly, the private security partners for a local crime boss,  are called to a “people eating” hotel to try to find out what happened to the boss’ son. The terror seeps through the walls and into the story as Piper employs all five senses to draw readers in and hold them rapt from beginning to end. Think of it as the Law and Order SVU and X-Files crossover episode you never knew you needed in your life.

Coup de Grâce by Sofia Ajram

Vicken is on the Montreal subway with plans to get off at the last stop and throw himself in the river, ending his life. However, upon exiting the train, he finds himself trapped in a never ending labyrinth of corridors. As Vicken continues to wander, Ajram cleverly transforms what seems like a deceptively simple plot into a complex, moving and immersive contemplation of the very real horror of living with severe depression.A tale that is as brutal as it is beautiful, readers need to prepare to become emotionally invested in this one.

Eynhallow by Tim McGregor

Set on the very real uninhabited Scottish island of Eynhallow, McGregor uses its eerie history as fodder for his atmospheric and compelling retelling of Frankenstein. Told from the point of view of Agnes, in 1797, as her husband hires her out to help the rich, reclusive stranger (Victor Frankenstein) who has come to hide himself away from the world. As Agnes gets to know him better, the tension, unease, and danger build, sightings of a monster lurking in the darkness increase, and Frankenstein’s curse becomes Agnes’ burden.

Kill Your Darling by Clay McLeod Chapman

Glenn’s son Billy died 40 years ago, at the age of 15, the victim of a brutal murder. The case was never solved and Glenn’s grief has not ebbed at all. Glenn signs up for a writing class at the local library. Hoping to work through his pain and turn it into a book, but will that lead him even further into despair? An unflinching tale of grief, pain and obsession, that will leave readers gasping for air.

Not Your Parent’s Short Stories

This final trend was one I saw emerge in real time as I was working my way through my favorite reads of 2024, as I saw that many of my favorite short story collections and anthologies all took the well worn concept of a single volume full of stories and did something original or surprising with it.

Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima

One of my favorite reads in any genre this year, Lima presents a novel in stories that is exactly what it claims to be–  a collection of stories the main character wrote after meeting the Devil in her 20s and hooking up with him. The stories themselves, separated by interludes when the narrator and Devil check in with each other over her life, range from weird and creepy to surrealist and existentially terrifying. Captivating, alluring, and even a little illicit, this book makes for an extraordinary reading experience.

Fragile Anthology edited by Michael Allen Rose

An unsuspecting employee of a moving company is handling a box, when he notices that it moves on its own. What could be in there? Wonderland Award winning author Rose decided to let the 20-sided die decide, as he solicited 20 all new stories by authors well known (Brian Keene and Cynthia Pelayo) and up and coming and asked them each to answer the question. Readers are treated to tales from Horror to Bizarro to Science Fiction and more with each role of the die. What could have been a gimmick instead showcases how an original idea can make for one of the best and honestly, most enjoyable, anthologies of the year.

No One is Safe! By Philip Fracassi

Fracassi’s small press collection of 14 speculative stories, all underpinned with unease, feature fascinating characters in original situations working in tandem to present fascinating stories that explore topics such as filial love, AI, alien life, Hollywood, a bestselling book, a haunted house as the narrator of its own killing spree, and more. Thought provoking, imaginative, and stunning, Fracassi's stories stand out not only because of his range, but also because it is the rare collection without a miss– every story, start to finish- is not to miss.

This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances by Eric LaRocca

The fact that LaRocca is on another year end best list for his short fiction, is not a surprise in any way; however, the fact that he continues to find new ways to invoke a mixture of disgust and wonder as he presents stories filled with the pain, trauma, and violence at the center of our most intimate relationships, is remarkable. Too often Horror authors exploit depravity for cheap thrills, and yet LaRocca instead is able to use extreme horror to reveal the most universal truths. On a side note,the last scene of the last story may be the best ending to a collection I have ever experienced.

Click here to read the full article over on their site, with links to every title. Feel free to search any of these on Goodreads as well to find my reviews.

Come back tomorrow, when I will be posting about 2025's upcoming Horror books!

Best Horror of 2024 via Library Journal w/ Input and Annotations By Me

 Head on over to the main blog to see the entire LJ Best Books portal, but here on the Horror blog, I wanted to make sure the Horror list got posted here so that it was searchable as a resource. Please note, that main blog post also has easy backlist access.

I am very happy to have been part of the team who looked at the year that was and prioritized the reading experience of these titles as we weighed their status as best. It is a refreshing way to look at the "best" tag. As I went through the Horror selection experience over a couple of meetings with my editor and list mate, Melissa DeWild, the conversations we had about all of the titles we considered was enlightening.

Please note, this is the LJ Best Horror list. It is similar to, but not exactly, my personal Horror Best List for 2024. As we look at the genre, only titles that got a star in the Horror category in LJ can be considered. The experience of working on this list is very fulfilling. Plus, I had the pleasure of writing all the annotations for the Horror list.

My personal Best Horror of the Year list will be posted here later this month. But for now, enjoy this great list of Horror books that were an exceptional reading experience.

Go here or see below [minus the covers] for the Library Journal Best Horror 2024. 

Ajram, Sofia. Coup de Grâce. Titan. ISBN 9781803369624.

Vicken enters the Montreal subway system with a plan to get off at the final stop and walk to the Saint Lawrence River to end his life. But when he arrives, he finds himself trapped in an underground maze with no exit. This immersive liminal-space novella illustrates, brutally and beautifully, the horror of mental illness and compels readers to finish the story in a single sitting.

Harrison, Rachel. So Thirsty. Berkley. ISBN 9780593642542.

Millennial Sloane is struggling after her husband cheats on her. But when he gifts her and her best friend a spa weekend for her birthday, she happily accepts. While living it up at the spa, the two women meet a group of eccentric Europeans, and their lives are changed forever. Readers will be delighted to sink their teeth into Harrison’s nuanced and thought-provoking take on the vampire trope.

Iglesias, Gabino. House of Bone and Rain. Mulholland. ISBN 9780316427012.

As Hurricane Maria bears down on Puerto Rico, childhood best friends Gabe, Xavier, Tavo, and Paul join Bimbo in his quest for revenge against the drug lord who gunned down Bimbo’s mother. Told with an engaging and honest narration, Gabe walks readers through the visceral monsters, both real and supernatural, that haunt the island, its history, and its people, as he repeatedly reminds readers, “All stories are ghost stories.”

Jones, Stephen Graham. I Was a Teenage Slasher. Saga. ISBN 9781668022245. 

Tolly recounts the summer of 1989, when as a 17-year-old living in Lamesa, TX, he killed several of his high school classmates. Beginning with the fateful night Tolly and his friend Amber attend a house party, Jones’s novel presents Tolly as the yin to “Indian Lake Trilogy” star Jade’s yang, delivering a highly entertaining, if chilling tale, and lays down new ground rules for the entire slasher genre.

Kiefer, Jenny. This Wretched Valley. Quirk. ISBN 9781683693680. 

Four twentysomethings entered the Kentucky woods on a mission to scale a newly discovered rock formation, except, as readers know from the novel’s opening pages, they were never seen alive again. Told from the point of view of each doomed character, Kiefer’s debut presents a terrifying tale of a land deeply rooted in evil, with a long-held thirst for human blood.

Kiste, Gwendolyn. The Haunting of Velkwood. Saga. ISBN 9781982172374. 

 Twenty years ago, one suburban block slipped into its own dimension. Everyone was lost except three girls who returned to college the night before. One of those girls, Talitha, now 40, is enticed to return in order to make contact with the little sister she left behind. Atmospheric and riveting, Kiste’s novel exposes the horror of suburban malaise and reminds readers that young women, if given the chance, are powerful enough to save the world.

Lima, Ananda. Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil. Tor. ISBN 9781250292971. 

 Lima’s debut is exactly what the title proclaims it to be, a novel in stories that “the writer” creates for the Devil throughout her life. The stories themselves range from weird and chilling to emotionally devastating; however, it is in the chapters between the stories (where the writer describes her lifelong interactions with the Devil) that unite the entire volume, making it an original, captivating, and unforgettable read.

McGregor, Tim. Eynhallow. Raw Dog Screaming. ISBN 9781947879676. 

 It’s 1797, and Agnes is one of 20 souls living on Eynhallow in the Orkney Islands. Life is hard, and visitors are rare. The sudden arrival of the rich Dr. Frankenstein upends everyone’s lives, especially that of Agnes, whose husband hires her out to be the stranger’s housekeeper. As Agnes gets to know Frankenstein, the tension, unease, and danger build, sightings of a monster lurking in the darkness increase, and Frankenstein’s curse becomes Agnes’s burden.

Tingle, Chuck. Bury Your Gays. Tor Nightfire. ISBN 9781250874658. 

 Misha is a semi-closeted horror screenwriter whose impressive career is peaking with an Oscar nomination, but then the algorithm that dominates this near-future Hollywood demands he kill off his women leads right after they kiss. Misha refuses, which turns him into the protagonist of a very real and extremely dangerous story. Tingle takes readers on an existential thrill ride filled with satire and original monsters, ultimately reminding them that horror is, at its core, a celebration of life.

Tremblay, Paul. Horror Movie. Morrow. ISBN 9780063070011. 

 “The Thin Kid,” the only survivor from the 1993 film Horror Movie, a never-fully-released cult sensation, is asked to work on the movie’s reboot 30 years later. Moving between 1993 and 2023, framed as an audiobook confessional by “The Thin Kid,” and including the full screenplay of the original film, the novel is not only unsettling from every angle, but it will also alter the way its readers interact with any horror movie ever again.

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway: A Raw Dog Screaming Press 2-pack

Today I have 2 finished copies of titles from one of my favorite small presses. I have reviewed both books, one in Booklist [STAR] and one in Library Journal. Details below but first, the rules on how to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see the previous giveaway. Our winner was Ashley from Fitchburg [MA] Public Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

Jennifer at Raw Dog Screaming Press sent me FINISHED copies of two of their most recent releases, both of which I reviewed and LOVED. Because they are finished copies, you can put them into your collections immediately. And one of you is going to win BOTH.

First up, Eynhallow by Tim McGregor. From my draft STAR review in Booklist:

Eynhallow, an uninhabited island in the Orkney Islands, long considered haunted by Trolls and Finfolk, was home to a few hardy families until 1851. McGregor (Wasps in the Ice Cream) uses the real place and its eerie history as the atmospheric setting for his compelling and convincing retelling of Frankenstein. 1797, Agnes is one of 20 souls living on Eynhallow. She spends her days caring for her children, avoiding her husband’s wrath, and gossiping with her pregnant neighbor. Life is hard and lonely on the windswept island. Visitors are rare. When a rich foreigner arrives to hide himself away, it upends everyone’s lives, especially Agnes’, whose husband hires her out to help keep house for the mysterious stranger. Told exclusively through Agnes’s strong narrative voice, readers are immersed in the plot and the place, even before Frankenstein arrives, but as Agnes gets to know him better, the tension, unease, and danger build, sightings of a monster lurking in the darkness increase, and Frankenstein’s curse becomes Agnes’ burden. An excellent example of the very best of the popular Historical and Retelling Horror tropes, this unsettling novella will be eagerly devoured by fans of Alma Katsu and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

I have a lot more to say about this book on my blog here. I cannot stress enough how good this book is on its own as historical horror, and how important it is as a part of the Frankenstein universe. You should all be adding it to your collections today. 

Next, 12 Hours (Selected Papers from the Consortium for the Study of Anomalous Phenomena #2) by L. Marie Wood. From my draft Library Journal review and some bonus notes:

Three Words That Describe This Book: engaging narration, beautiful and brutal, intense unease

Also for those who like Stephen Graham Jones' shorter work.

I need to note somewhere that this book has a perfect ending. Sticking the landing on this one is key to the story.

Draft Review: The last thing a cab driver remembers is pulling over to take a short break during his late night shift in a rough part of town where he regularly offers his services to those at the margins of society. As the story opens, he has been robbed and cannot move. What follows is a thoroughly absorbing, emotionally compelling story told with a conversational, first person narration. As he awaits rescue, readers stay with the unnamed narrator during his worst moments, and once his fate is realized, eagerly follow him as he comes to terms with his life’s choices. Filled to its brim with heart, this intensely unsettling and unflinchingly honest tale, meant to be read in a single sitting, will not only introduce readers to an unforgettable character at his worst moment, but it also demands that they take a long hard look at themselves especially after reaching the book’s perfect ending.

Verdict: Wood masterfully showcases the strengths of the novella as the perfect vehicle for Horror storytelling as she holds readers hostage for the duration of this captivating story that is in equal measures, beautiful and brutal, presenting terror both real and supernatural similar to the work of Gabino Iglesias and V. Castro.

I know not every library buys novellas, but in this case, I would suggest you get this book and the first one in the series. I would then suggest shelving them under the title. There are more to come and novellas do better if they can be shelved together. Trust me, these are worth it. If I were forced to only recommend one independent horror press, RDSP would be the one and these novellas are excellent with appeal to a wide audience. 

Enter now and you are entered going forward. Next week I have an early ARC of Cynthia Pelayo's March release. But that is next week. Get in on the giveaway now.

Good Luck!

2023 Horror Book Highlights by Me via The LineUp

One of my favorite writing gigs is my 4x a year column for The LineUp. I love it because it is one of the only times I can write directly to readers. Just about everything I am paid to write is meant to be read and used by library workers. But 4x a year, I get to speak to voracious readers directly.

Two columns a year are my choice. In 2023 I did a preview of the first ever Middle Grade Stoker Award by highlighting the finalists and giving them adult readalikes in the Spring, and in the Fall I highlighted some of the best Horror cover artists.

My other two columns are wrap-up pieces. Every Summer I do a post about the Bram Stoker Award winners with readalikes, and that brings us to today and my piece for December. I love that this year end "wrap-up" is not another "Best" list. Instead, I pick 4 trends I saw over the year and pick titles that best present it.

Click here to read my brand new 2023 Horror Book Highlights. Or see below where I have reprinted my draft, plain text, but honestly, the version that Lisa Quigley put up on the site is much prettier and more fun to read, and it has the links to buy the books.

I am particularly proud of my final trend. Also one of the things I loved about the trends this year is that many of the books could have fit in multiple categories. One in particular makes me giggle every time I see my column because it would be a HUGE spoiler if I had put it in a different category.

For those who are interested, here is the link to all of my columns in one place. But you should be promoting The LineUp and the entire family of Open Road Media sites. Their focus is on readers and promotion of backlist titles. They also have A Love So True (Romance), The Archive (History), Murder & Mayhem (Crime Fiction), The Portalist (SF/FSY), and more. 

This is the last post here on the Horror blog for 2023. Have a safe New Year and see you on 1/11 with a #HorrorForLibraries giveaway of this book. Click here for the latest giveaway post with details on how to enter.

From the Haunted Stacks: 2023 Horror Book Highlights 

A detailed look at 2023's wide range of horror fiction, from the "library world's horror maven."

By Becky Spratford | Published Dec 21, 2023

While there are many best lists out there for you to peruse this time of year, in true librarian fashion, I thought I would give you a more nuanced look at the year that was by taking you on a walk through some of the most interesting Horror trends I have noticed accompanied by 2023 titles that illustrate them best.

Siblings Steer Some of the Best Stories of the Year: In 2023, many of the very best novels focused on sibling relationships, but not as the cause of the terror, rather as the very reason that the characters were able to triumph over the monsters, ghosts, or evil puppets.

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due 

Jim Crow Florida, 1950. Gloria and Robbie Stephens Jr, 16 and 12 respectively, are left behind after their mother dies from cancer and their activist father is forced to flee North to Chicago. When Robbie kicks a local white boy in the knee to protect his older sister, he is sentenced to 6 months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory with a notorious history. Told in the alternating perspectives of Gloria and Robbie, readers follow the action, set over 2 weeks, as Goria works to set Robbie free. The timeline may be short but the history of the horror that imprisons Robbie is long and the ghosts who live on the school’s grounds are unwilling to wait any longer for justice. An engrossing and heartbreakingly beautiful story that speaks to all situations where injustice occurs and compels its readers to act.

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Perennial bestseller Hendrix’s early 2023 release navigated the well worn haunted house trope, inserting fresh horrors into its pantheon (including a terrifying puppet), while also crafting an emotional and thought-provoking story about trauma and loss. Louise, a single mother, lives in California with her 5 year-old daughter Poppy, a continent away from her hometown, Charleston, SC. She has spent her life trying to keep as much distance, physically and emotionally, as possible from her family, especially her overly indulged brother, Mark. But when their parents die suddenly, Louise is forced to return home and reckon with the secrets that have been haunting their family for generations, secrets that not only may be responsible for her estrangement with Mark, but may also be actively trying to kill them.

The Insatiable Volt Sisters by Rachel Eve Moulton B.B. and Henrie, the Volt Sisters, are the last in the line of the founding family of Fowler Island in Lake Erie, macabrely famous for the mysterious disappearances of its female visitors. Opening in 2000, as B.B. contacts Henrie about the death of their father. Henrie agrees to return home with her mother, Carrie. Told in two time frames, 2000 and 1989– the year Henire and her mother escaped the island– and from the perspective of four realistically flawed women-- B.B. Henrie, Carrie, and the island’s museum curator, Sonia, readers will be immediately hooked by their voices, the place, and the dark, mysterious history that surrounds it all. Think Shirley Jackson channeling HP Lovecraft and you get an idea of what to expect. 

Centering Love: Horror is a genre that purposely provokes terror in the reader. These are stories where terrible things can and do happen, but these three books excelled at invoking palpable fear while also allowing love, and the hope that stems from it, to blossom at the heart of these emotional tales. 

Lone Women by Victor LaValle 

The year is 1915. Adelaide Henry, 31 has lived her entire life in a California, Black farming community with her parents, but as the novel opens, Adelaide places her murdered parents in bed, burns the house down, and heads to catch a train to Montana, a territory that allows unmarried, Black women, the opportunity to claim a homestead. Taking only an overnight bag and a heavy, securely locked trunk containing her family’s curse, one that she is now solely responsible for controlling, Adelaide attempts to flee her past while still literally shackled to it. Readers follow Adelaide to the edge of civilization, Big Sandy, MT, to meet its marginalized and outcast citizens, feel the wide open, unforgiving landscape, and watch the captivating drama, both real and supernatural, unfold. This Horror-Western hybrid will grab readers from the start and threaten to never let them go. It is also my personal pick for the best Horror novel of the year.

A Light Most Hateful by Hailey Piper

If Neil Gaiman, Mary Shelley and Shirley Jackson could birth a book baby, this stunning novel would be the outcome. Olivia, 18, lives in Chapel Hill, PA, the small town she settled in 3 years ago, after running away from home when her father caught her kissing a girl. Even though the town is not fond of outsiders, she has found her place living in best friend Sunflower’s orbit. As the novel opens, a fierce storm brings torrential rain and what sounds like human screams from the hills. Olivia is working at the Drive-In as an angry monster emerges from the ground and most of the townsfolk enter a zombie-like trance. Olivia runs for her life, looking for Sunflower, trying to save them both, but what exactly is she running away from, and where is she running to? Olivia is about to have the longest night of her life; one that will change her world forever.

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle 

Rose, a senior in high school, is a member of the Kingdom of the Pines, a church with deep ties to her local community and a national reputation for running Camp Damascus, a LGBTQ conversation camp with a 100% success rate. While hanging out with friends, Rose sees a decaying woman at the edge of the wood, wearing a red polo and nametag, staring straight at her. Engaging, curious, kind, and proudly neurodiverse, Rose carries the story as Tingle meticulously introduces distrust and confusion, even going so far as to sew unease with single word choices. As Rose’s situation gets more dire, she gathers her found family, embraces love, and fights against the monsters threatening to destroy everything Rose holds dear. 

Dazzling Debuts: While an author could write many books over their career, they can only have one first novel. Some are good, some meh, and then there are those that shine so brightly, it is hard to believe this is their first go at it.

Everything the Darkness Eats by Eric LaRocca

Henley’s Edge is that kind of small New England town where everyone knows each other, but it is also a place where evil, both human and supernatural, has taken hold. Senior women have been disappearing without a trace. The local cop, Malik, is unable to find any leads, while simultaneously facing violent, homophobic attacks in his own home. Heart Crowley is a rich, funeral plot salesman who wants to help people find everything they are looking for in this life, if only they will go into his basement first. And then there is Ghost, an unlikely hero, a young man grieving a huge loss, literally stalked by guilt. LaRocca doubles down on everything that has made his shorter works a viral success, enhancing the dread with scenes of palpable fear, deep-seated trauma, and visceral villainy, using his expertly built, messily realistic characters to move readers through every possible emotion.

Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede

Maeve spends her days performing as the famous ice princess at “the happiest place on earth,” while her nights are spent brazenly murdering people and hiding her crimes in plain sight. But when Maeve meets her best friend’s gorgeous brother, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about herself. Unapologetically dripping with graphic sex and violence, Leede is actively working every angle in an attempt to disgust and disturb her readers, balancing extreme scenes with dark humor and Maeve’s engaging narration. As sympathy builds for Maeve, readers will squirm even more, realizing just how much they are enjoying this illicitly alluring tale.

Chlorine by Jade Song

Speaking from adulthood, Ren recounts the pivotal year, when she exchanged her life as a good Chinese daughter, working hard to get into a top college, competing as an elite swimmer, for a life without terrestrial concerns, as a mermaid. No longer human, Ren shares her memories with a direct, confessional narration, effortlessly drawing readers in from the first lines. As Ren struggles with the pressures of her sport, the obsession of her coach, her feelings for her best friend Cathy, and her experiences as an immigrant, the rawness and pain are familiar, but it is Ren’s insistence on becoming a mermaid, where this tale leaves a lasting mark. Full of contractions, magnificently balancing and remarkably sustaining wonder and dread, magical realism and harsh reality, this is a story that will hold readers in its thrall, squirming with discomfort, yet, unable to look away from the page. This first novel is also one of the most spectacular novels I have read in recent years.

WTF For the Win: Maybe it is because we have all lived through some wild times recently, but this past year, there were a handful of books that took a left turn, sending the story down a path that, in less talented and imaginative hands, could have been disastrous. Instead, in these novels, it is exactly the authors’ willingness to take those risks that made them some of the most memorable reads of the year.

The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey

 Kadrey, Urban Fantasy mainstay, and Khaw, a Horror rising star, team up for a cinematic and immersive “eldritch whale” of a duology opener. Julie, 29, is starting to feel the aches and pains of her job, using her small, magic packed body to help keep NYC clear of monsters. She recovers with booze and drugs, barely making enough money to cover the rent. But when an old flame, the head of “Excision” for one of the top Wall Street firms, comes asking Julie for help, she starts a chain of events that threatens to eat up the whole world in its wake. Filled with monsters, action, and situations that are bonkers in all the right ways, this is a crowd pleasing, visceral, Cosmic tale worthy of a wide audience.

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus 

One of the most beautiful and moving novels of the year is disguised as a riveting, cinematic, survival thriller. Jay is a high school senior dealing not only with the loss of his local hero and diving legend father, Mitt, but also his unresolved anger with their complicated relationship. In an attempt to come to terms with his grief, Jay attempts a dangerous, solo dive that is cut short when he is swallowed by a sperm whale. Told from Jay’s point of view in short, alternating chapters set in the present from inside the whale’s stomach with chapter headings that note how little air is left in his tak, and the past, mostly between 2015 and 2021. The pacing is relentless, the awe, astounding, and the tension, palpably constricting, even as Kraus takes time to add the necessary scientific details. However, it is Jay’s growth throughout the story where this novel shines, allowing its beauty to emerge, and leave its mark on all who encounter it.

What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman

Madi, a palm reader in Brandywine, VA, may have just returned to town with her 16yo daughter, after fleeing as a pregnant teenager, but her roots run deep in the Chesapeake Bay region. While plying her trade at local farmer’s market, she sees her high school boyfriend, Henry, who has spent the last 5 years searching for his missing infant while mourning the suicide of his wife. When Henry, still a person of interest in these cases, gives his palm to Madi, she experiences disturbing images of the water and the boy, visions that have physical manifestations. Chapman immediately introduces suspense, hooking readers with Madi’s engaging but increasingly unstable narration, confidently and deliberately steering the tone from uneasy to weird to absolute terror with a twist so shocking, no one will see it coming. A disorienting, immersive, and thought provoking contemplation of hope, grief, and guilt, Chapman traps readers in a net of visceral Horror from which they cannot look away no matter how much detritus bursts forth. But beware, readers may never look at a crab the same way again.