Hey there horror fans, I’m Jessica Avery and I’ll be delivering your weekly brief of all that’s ghastly and grim in the world of Horror. Whether you’re looking for a backlist book that will give you the willies, a terrifying new release, or the latest in horror community news, you’ll find it here in The Fright Stuff.
Somehow I have been writing The Fright Stuff for 2+ years and yet have never done a werewolf newsletter? Oh the shame. Because werewolves are freaking awesome! I mean, come on, what’s better than a monstrous transformation? Are they cursed? Are they blessed with an ability some people would kill for? Do they use their teeth and claws for good? Or do they prefer to terrorize the countryside, and stalk the unwary? Hero or villain, fluffy or terrifying, there’s a lot to love about werewolves.
So this week we’re going to have a little fun with teeth and claws, and celebrate one of the classic monsters of the horror genre.
Bookish Goods
Werewolf Chain Bookmark by BookishTrinketsCo
Now, normally I don’t go in for fancy bookmarks because I have a, uh… not so great track record of losing them. Or accidentally destroying them. I usually prefer paper bookmarks that die a slow, wrinkled, crumpled death over time. But a girl might just make an exception for this gorgeous werewolf chain bookmark. It’s just so pretty! And it has a tassel! Who doesn’t love a good tassel?
$19
New Releases
Extended Stay by Juan Martinez
Speaking of creature features, Juan Martinez’s Extended Stay is about a killer hotel that is actually just a small part of a massive creature that feeds on those who stay within its walls. Located in a rundown corner of Las Vegas, the Alicia hotel preys on the vulnerable and lost. It hungers for their secrets. Alvaro and his sister Carmen end up at the Alicia when they flee Colombia after the brutal murder of their parents. All he wants is to start over. When he gets offered a management position at the Alicia, and a place to live inside the hotel, it’s his chance at a new beginning. Until it becomes clear that something is not right about the Alicia, and Alvaro’s new dream plunges into nightmare territory.
Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt
YA’LL. Ya’ll I just… oh my gosh where do I even start? This book was disgusting, horrifying — reading it was like cheese grating my nerve endings, and at times, I felt genuinely queasy. All of which is meant as a compliment, because when it comes to queer horror, and particularly trans horror, Alison Rumfitt has raised the bar clear into the stratosphere. I’m wrecked. In loving conversation with Shirley Jackson’s legendary The Haunting of Hill House, and yet so much its own invention, Tell Me I’m Worthless is a harrowing, unforgettable work of fiction and you are going to want it on your January reading list.
Three years ago, three girls spent a night in an old, abandoned house. Only two came out again. Since then, Alice’s life has been haunted. She does everything she can to keep the memories and the ghosts at bay, until her ex-friend Ila turns up and asks Alice to go back into the House with her. It’s the only way they’ll ever really know what happened on the night that sent their lives careening in such tragically different directions. It’s the only chance they have to try and save the friend they lost.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison
I love Rachel Harrison’s books. So when I found out that her next novel, Such Sharp Teeth, was going to be a werewolf story I knew I had to add it to my reading list. When an animal strike during a late night drive turns into a vicious attack, Rory Morris counts herself lucky to have gotten away with her life. But soon after the attack, Rory starts to notice strange changes in how she looks and acts: unnatural strength, an aversion to silver, and a fixation on the moon. Rory reluctantly returned to her hometown to help her struggling sister, but now she’s turning into a monster and even those she loves most may not be safe around her.
Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline
Dimaline’s Indigenous horror novel isn’t technically a werewolf story, it’s a Rogarou story (like the ones that Dimaline learned from her family). And a Rogarou isn’t exactly the wolfman-type monster we often associate with the concept of werewolf. It’s a trickster figure in Métis stories, actually, but it does bear some resemblance to the figure of the werewolf. Empire of Wild is about a woman, Joan, who is searching for her lost husband when she suddenly stumbles upon a man in a revival tent who looks and sounds just like Victor… but doesn’t have any of his memories. The man claims to be a charismatic preacher called Eugene Wolff, who has been ministering to the local Métis population, and he’s never heard of Victor. If Joan wants her husband back, she will have to find a way to remind him who he really is, before the sinister mission behind Wolff’s ministry comes to light.
Blackwater by Jeannette Arroyo & Ren Graham
Blackwater is so queer, and so delightful, and I love it to pieces. True, it’s not going to be the scariest werewolf story you’ll ever read. But it definitely has its moments, and the art styles and color choices really set the mood for this creepy, atmospheric graphic novel. The story takes place in the haunted town of Blackwater, Maine where strange, supernatural happenings are an every day occurrence, if you know where to look. Two teenagers, Tony Price and Eli Hirsch, who couldn’t be more different, become unlikely friends (and a whole lot more) as they set out to solve the mystery surrounding Blackwater. But when Tony is bitten by a monster, he finds himself busting out in teeth and fur, and it suddenly becomes clear just what kind of creature has been stalking the woods around their small town.
As always, you can catch me on twitter at @JtheBookworm, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.