#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway: Japanese Gothic and The Glowing Hours (2 Winners)

The giveaway is back for 2026. Today I have 2 ARCs from my January 2026 LJ Horror Review Column available for 2 winners. 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.

The most recent winner was Krista from IL. Now on to this week's giveaway.

I have two books from my January Horror Review column in Library Journal to offer up to 2 winners today. You can use the links below to read my full draft reviews.

First up, Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker (two time frames, dreamlike/nightmarish, strong sense of place), a title that was an unequivocal star for me. The only problem with this book is that the title is not great. I know they did it to make reference to Mexican Gothic, but here's the thing, this book is not a readalike for that book. Baker's novel is a spectacular, thought provoking, and chilling story about how the past ties itself to the present in ways humans cannot comprehend or explain, and that may be the most terrifying realization of all. There is also an interview by me with Baker in the print issue. I will add the link to my review when it comes up online.

The second name I draw will win a copy of The Glowing Hours by Leila Siddiqui (Gothic, retelling, menacing). This novel injects supernatural horror and very real danger into the story of the creation of Frankenstein, the novel, as it tells the "real" story behind a minor character in the source material-- Safie an Arabian maid. Retellings are popular in Horror, especially those that tell the classic's story from a marginalized perspective (and this one even put s twist on "marginalization" as Mehr is rich, but because she is brown, she is not equal), but The Glowing Hours is not a product of simply following a trend. This is a solid horror novel that will find a wide audience, especially as we enter Oscar season and del Toro's Frankenstein film will be up for awards.

Winners will be drawn for the books in the order they are listed here. Remember, if you enter once, you are entered going forward.

Good Luck!