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The Fright Stuff

Have a Frightful Feb. with YA Horror by Black Authors

Hi, horror fans! It’s me, Emily, your weird friend who only talks about scary stories and makes everyone uncomfortable.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

If you’re also that person in your friend group, then you’re in the right place. And this week, I’ve got more books by Black authors to recommend to you for Black History Month. Plus, a whole bunch of other fun stuff. Let’s do this.

Bookish Goods

ghostly vanilla soy wax melts

Ghostly Vanilla Soy Wax Melts by PlumTreeIllustration

Want to create the perfect spooky reading vibe? I love these soy wax melts. Yeah, they’re a little scary because they’re ghosts and all. But (correct me if I’m wrong), idk, they’re also really cute. They’re striking a good balance for me. $14

New Releases

out of body book cover

Out of Body by Nia Davenport

YA horror is kinda the focus of this week’s newsletter, if you haven’t noticed. And the release of this new one from Nia Davenport was definitely the inspiration. Seventeen-year-old Megan desperately wants to find a group of friends, but she doesn’t really feel like she fits in with anyone. Until she meets LC. Everything with LC seems so easy, and the two quickly become best friends. Then, one day, Megan wakes up to discover she’s no longer in her own body and that everything she thought she knew about her friend is actually a lie.

Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine cover

Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine

Here’s a horror novel you should add to the top of your TBR pile, especially if you love The Last of Us and/or Bird Box. The world has been infected, and if you look into anyone’s eyes, you will almost certainly face a violent death. Riley hasn’t looked at a human face for a long time, but her desire for connection has her curious, especially when a new neighbor moves in down the street. Ellis seems like the kind of woman Riley could really enjoy getting to know. But the closer Riley gets to Ellis, the more her paranoia starts to take over.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight cover

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

We’re still focusing on Black horror novels for Black History Month, and this week, I have two excellent YA horror books to share with you! This is one I actually JUST FINISHED reading, so this rec is hot off the presses. At Camp Mirror Lake, you can live out your favorite horror movies. Guests pay to be scared at this full-contact horror attraction. For Charity Curtis, it’s the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at the camp and recreating scenes from the classic slasher film Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. But then, on the last weekend of the season, Charity’s co-workers start disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity begins to wonder if she’s becoming a final girl in real life. Now, if Charity and her girlfriend Bezi want to survive the night, they’ll have to figure out who is killing off all the campers and what the killer wants.

delicious monsters book cover

Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury

I am so obsessed with this cover, but guess what? The book is good, too! Bonus! Daisy sees dead people, so in navigating life in Ontario, she’s completely unsurprised by the amount of ghosts she sees walking the city. But her boyfriend breaking up with her? Now that is surprising. So when her mother inherits a secluded mansion, Daisy jumps at the chance for an escape to a quieter life. But the house — and what’s inside it — might be more than all of Daisy’s experiences with the supernatural have prepared her for. Flash forward to ten years later. Brittney’s desperate to get away from her abusive mother, and she’s quite certain that the book her mother wrote about a “Miracle Mansion” is a total sham. So, what does Brittney decide to do? She takes her popular web series Haunted on location to the mansion to find out what happened there ten years earlier and expose her mother’s lies.

See? Isn’t it fun talking about horror for a little bit? Stay weird, friends, and I’ll see you next week. In the meantime, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

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The Fright Stuff

Celebrate Black History Month with Horror Reads!

Happy Monday, Horror Fans! This is the day we talk about all things scary, spine-tingling, and spooky. Some people might dread Mondays, but how can we when we have so much horror content to look forward to? And on that note, let’s see what this week has in store for us, yeah?

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

mary shelley backpack

Mary Shelley Backpack by PenumbraPlace

You love horror, so why not wear the mother of horror on your back? This Mary Shelley backpack features the author’s image and signature on a durable, quality backpack. $78

New Releases

Cover of The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden

The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden

Oooh, I do love a haunted house story, and this one feels like a fresh twist on the genre. American couple Tommy and Kate Puglisi buy a home in a small Italian town called Becchina, but things feel off from the moment they move in. Between the secret rooms, the strange noises, the locked doors, and whispers throughout the village, something just doesn’t seem right in this house. And then they discover the house was once owned by the Church and that strange things happened there.

cover image for Almost Surely Dead

Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar

This horror/psychological thriller novel mixes true crime with South Asian folklore. And it is a book from Mindy Kaling’s new imprint, Mindy’s Book Studio. One year ago, Dunia Ahmed was just a normal New Yorker. She was the daughter of Pakistani immigrants and a successful pharmacist. But then she went missing, and now she’s the subject of a true crime podcast. What really happened to Dunia? It’s not what you’d expect.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

cover of The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

As we all know, February is Black History Month, so all month, I’m going to share some of my favorite horror books written by Black authors. So, if you don’t see your favorite this week, just know there are more recs coming. I feel like first, I have to shout out the latest from Tananarive Due! The Reformatory is set in Gracetown, Florida, in the summer of 1950. Robert Stephen Jones Jr. is sent to Gracetown School for Boys after kicking a white boy’s leg. Robert thinks he’s just being sent to a reform school, but Gracetown is something much more than that. It’s a segregated school that is haunted by the boys who have died there.

Book cover of House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

I don’t feel like this book gets talked about enough, but it is so atmospheric and creepy and such an excellent exploration of classism and poverty (that, unfortunately, feels very relevant to contemporary life). Marion Shaw was raised in poverty. Now, she longs to escape the difficulties of city life, but she sees no way out. Could a newspaper ad searching for a bloodmaid be her way out? Marion knows very little about the position or the far north where she will have to travel, but she applies anyway. As the newest bloodmaid at the notorious House of Hunger, Marion meets Countess Lisavet, who presides over a court of hedonism. Marion is eager to please her mistress, who is both charismatic and terrifying. But when her fellow bloodmaids begin to go missing, Marion realizes she must learn the rules of the House of Hunger, or her own life will soon be at risk.

Thanks so much for tuning in to The Fright Stuff this week! I’m here because you’re here, and I’m so happy we can come together and talk horror every Monday. Until next time, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams!

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The Fright Stuff

Skulls and Cinema and Other Scary Things

Hi, scary story fans! It’s me, Emily, your friend in all things frightful. I’m hot off catching my first Sundance movie of 2024, which was an adaptation of the horror novel Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist. I was so excited to see a horror novel I read years ago finally adapted into a movie. Is there a horror film you’ve been dying to see as a film adaptation? I know I have quite a few, and you know I will share them with you today. But before that…

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

handbook for the recently deceased

Handbook for the Recently Deceased Blank Journal by n3do

Speaking of movies, are you getting excited about the new Beetlejuice sequel? If that’s your thing, then maybe you need to grab a replica of the Handbook for the Recently Deceased. Along with the handmade journal, you’ll get a bunch of other Beetlejuice goodies with your order. $43.

New Releases

bone pendant girls book cover

Bone Pendant Girls by Terry S. Friedman

For this week’s new horror releases, skulls are in. In a big way. Just check out these creepy skull covers. Bone Pendant Girls follows Andi Wyndham, who has communicated with ghosts since she was a kid. But when she discovers pendants made of human bones, Andi will have to use her skills to solve the mystery of many missing girls.

shook book cover

Shook! A Black Horror Anthology, edited by Bradley Golden

Anthology lovers, make sure you pick up this jam-packed horror anthology featuring Black authors and artists. This book includes work from David Walker, John Jennings, Rodney Barnes, and more. And yeah, of course we get more creepy skulls. Why wouldn’t we?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

cover of Mexican Gothic

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Which books am I excited to see turned into adaptations? So many, but Mexican Gothic is up there for me. When I first read this book, I was floored, and I would love to see what this movie would look like. This one is going to have some really eery visuals; I can tell already. Mexican Gothic is being adapted as a limited series for Hulu, but there is no release date yet!

cover of The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

The Last House on Needless Street is a book that I have trouble imagining as a movie, which is why I’d like to see a film adaptation of this one so badly. If you’ve read it, maybe you already know what I mean. If you haven’t read this one yet, you are in for a treat. The film rights for this book were purchased by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish’s Imaginarium Productions back in 2021. Now we’re all just patiently waiting to see what they do with it.

Well, horror fans! I hope to see you at the movies soon. Until next time, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams!

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The Fright Stuff

Horror Fans Just Wanna Have Fun

‘Sup, Scaredy Cats? It’s me, Emily, back with more stuff to keep you scared. Hey, here’s a question. Why is being scared so fun? Maybe it’s the adrenaline. It’s like riding a rollercoaster, right? Or maybe we’re just weirdos. Maybe it’s a little bit of both. If you love being scared and you love having fun, do I have some recs for you. Stay tuned.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

horror movie cookbook

Horror Movie Cookbook by Debbie Wubben

What could be more fun than cooking up some recipes inspired by your favorite horror movies? This self-published horror-themed cookbook is limited edition, so make sure to grab yours now! Recipes are all hand drawn and handwritten, using watercolors and ink, and include beverages, appetizers, sides, entrees, desserts, and even pet treats! $49.50.

New Releases

cover of Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase

Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase

Womb City is an Africanfuturist horror novel that’s described as The Handmaid’s Tale meets Get Out. Nelah is trapped in a loveless marriage with a man who monitors her every move using a microchip. When Nelah accidentally kills someone in a car accident, she tries to hide the crime from her husband and the world. But the ghost of her victim won’t let Nelah’s crime remain a secret for long.

Cover of Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu

Not Quite A Ghost by Anne Ursu

If you’re doing the Book Riot Read Harder challenge this year, maybe add this one to your TBR list for middle grade horror. Or, you know, if you’re not doing the challenge, just add it to your TBR list anyway. When Violet moves into her new house with her new family, she’s excited to have a new stepfather and a new sibling. She’s less excited about having a creepy room up in the attic. Especially when she realizes she might not be alone up there.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

cover of the last final girl

The Last Final Girl by Stephen Graham Jones

You’ll probably see Stephen Graham Jones mentioned a lot in this newsletter because he is such a prolific author, and all of his horror novels are so good. But this one is especially fun, as it’s written like a film script, so you experience this slasher story as if you were watching an over-the-top B horror flick. Lindsay is a homecoming princess who barely escaped a bloody death at the hands of a killer wearing a Michael Jackson mask. Now, Lindsay is assembling a group of final girls to replace her original homecoming court. This time, it won’t just be a fight for survival. This is a fight to become the Last Final Girl.

cover of Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

Illustrator Michael Rogalski had a lot of fun with this horror novel, which is designed to look like an IKEA catalogue. This book is about a haunted IKEA-like furniture store called ORSK. To find out what’s going on in their store, a group of employees agree to stay after hours, and…weird stuff happens. The illustrations throughout this one are so great, and they get creepier and creepier as the story goes on.

Have fun being scared, horror fans! See you next week. In the meantime, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams!

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The Fright Stuff

2024 is Already a Good Year for Horror Reading

It’s Monday, which means I’m back, horror fans! It’s time to chat about everything going on in horror at the moment. And I just have to say I’ve already read some really exceptional horror books this year. Which ones, you ask? I will tell you, but first, let’s chat new releases and things.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

horror knife bookmarks

4 Pack Horror Character Knife Bookmarks by BxmbshellCreations

Is your year of reading also off to a great start? You know what thing that could make it better? This 4-pack of horror-themed bookmarks featuring famous slashers in the shape of knives. What’s not to love? $18.

New Releases

a place for vanishing book cover

A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat

If you love gothic horror, this YA novel is going to be for you. After Libby is diagnosed with bipolar III, she and her family are looking for a fresh start and a little normalcy in their lives. But when they move to their new home, it turns out to be anything but normal. Between the rumors about the disappearances connected to the house and the strange boy who lives next door, Libby knows something is wrong. But her mother refuses to accept anything that would thwart their dreams of a new beginning.

cover of This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer; illustration of a mountain climber hanging from a rock face shaped like a skull

This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer

Wilderness horror fans will want to pick up a copy of Jenny Kiefer’s This Wretched Valley. Dylan, Clay, Sylvia, and Luke are determined to be the first people to climb a newly discovered cliff in the Kentucky wilderness. Seven months later, the climbers’ bodies are discovered. Only Dylan is still missing. What happened to the four friends?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Black Paradox cover

Black Paradox by Junji Ito

In the first few weeks of 2024, I’ve already read some amazing backlist horror books, including the manga Black Paradox by Junji Ito. In this book, a group of people meet online and make plans to end their lives together. Instead, they open up a portal to another world, and their lives are changed forever.

this thing between us book cover

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

Here’s another incredible backlist title you should definitely check out if you haven’t already! This cosmic horror story is a poignant meditation on grief and depression. And it all starts when Thiago and Vera get a strange Alexa-like technology called Itza. At first, the Itza just does weird things, like ordering dildos for the house. But then there are weird scratching sounds in the wall. And Thiago starts having strange nightmares about a door.

I hope your January has been going as well as mine. Enjoy your reading this week, and I’ll see you next Monday. Until then, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

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The Fright Stuff

New Year, Same You. But New Frights!

Horror fans, it’s been ages, and I’ve missed you over the holidays. Now 2024 has begun, and while it’s a new year, The Fright Stuff will remain the same newsletter you’ve come to know and love. Get ready for another year of thrills, chills, etc. I know I am!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

the black cat candle

The Black Cat Candle by EPluribusLtd

As you set your reading goals for the year and settle in for your next read-a-thon, why not light your way with this eerie candle, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat?” And if you want more candles for your Poe-inspired collection, this Etsy store also makes candles inspired by “The Tell Tale Heart,” “The Raven,” “The Gold Bug,” “Annabel Lee,” and “The Masque of the Red Death.” Each handmade candle is $26.

New Releases

rabbit hole book cover

Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody

Rabbit Hole is a debut horror thriller that looks at the dark side of true crime. Theodora “Teddy” Angstrom’s older sister, Angie, went missing 10 years ago, and the case remains unsolved. Now, Teddy finds herself falling down the Reddit rabbit hole, trying to uncover the truth behind what happened to her sister. But will she be able to find Angie? Or will she self-destruct?

cover of The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan; photo of woman kneeling on pillows with a red veil over her head

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan

This horror fantasy novel takes place in a haunted mansion by the sea, Akbar Manzil. After a painful loss, Sana and her father move into the estate, hoping for a fresh start. But in Akbar Manzil, there is a room that’s been locked for decades, and behind that locked door is a room frozen in time, marred by tragedy.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

cover image of Fever Dream by Samantha Schweblin

Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin, translated by Megan McDowell

Looking for some quick horror reads to get your reading goals off to a good start? Here are some amazing horror novels in translation that are right around 200 pages. Fever Dream is a mind-bending novel that starts with a woman waking up sick in a hospital bed. A young boy sits at her bedside, and she speaks with him, trying to make sense of what happened to her.

cover image for The Hole

The Hole by Hye-Young Pyun, translated by Sora Kim-Russell

The Hole is another novel of psychological horror. Ogi wakes up from a coma following a car accident that killed his wife and left him paralyzed and disfigured. Now, his mother-in-law is in charge of his care. But as she mourns the loss of her only child, she often neglects to care for Ogi and leaves him alone in his bed. The only thing Ogi has left to remember his wife is her garden in their front yard. So when Ogi sees his mother-in-law digging up the garden his wife had spent so much time cultivating, he is confused. And his mother-in-law, digging bigger and bigger holes in the garden, insists she’s simply finishing what her daughter started.

Happy New Year, everyone! I am excited to share more scary reads with you all year long. Until then, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

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The Fright Stuff

All the Best Horror of 2023

Hi, horror fans! Somehow, we’ve made it to the last The Fright Stuff newsletter of the year, so I thought this week would be a good chance to look back at all the wonderful horror of 2023…and everything we can look forward to in 2024! I love a new year. Let’s do this.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for that bookish special someone in your life this holiday season? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! Here at TBR, we pair our customers with a professional book nerd (aka bibliologist) who just gets them. They fill out a survey and then sit back and relax as we pick books just for them. We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift

Bookish Goods

horror movie logbook

Horror Movie Logbook by ArtfulPixels

Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to watch more horror movies in 2024? Grab yourself a copy of this horror movie logbook. You can mark details about the movie, when you watched it, how scary the movie was, and more. Each page provides sections to rate two different movies. $26.

Best Horror of 2023

what kind of mother book cover

What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman

There were so many good horror novels in 2023. Here are just a few of my favorites I read this year! What Kind of Mother is a Southern Gothic horror novel that follows Madi Price, who has reluctantly returned to her hometown of Brandywine, Virginia, with her 17-year-old daughter. Madi scrapes by working as a palm reader, which is how she encounters Henry McCabe, whose son went missing five years ago. Everyone assumes Henry’s son is dead, but when Madi reads his palm, she sees something different. This book is so unique and disturbing in the best way. And you will never look at crabs the same way again. Trust me!

don't fear the reaper cover

Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

This is the second book in Stephen Graham Jones’ Indian Lake Trilogy, and we can look forward to the third book in the series, The Angel of Indian Lake, in 2024. Don’t Fear the Reaper sees Jade Daniels return to the rural lake town of Proofrock on the same day serial killer Dark Mill South escapes to exact his revenge. A lot has changed since Jade’s senior year, but after Dark Mill South’s 36-hour rampage and 20 dead bodies, many of the horrors of that year come flooding back.

the cover of Natural Beauty

Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang

Natural Beauty combines horror and humor to tell the story of an unnamed narrator who quits her job as a pianist to care for her parents in New York City. There, she takes up a job at a high-end beauty and wellness store called Holistik and grows close to the owner’s niece, Helen. The two form a friendship that slowly becomes more, and the narrator becomes deeply wrapped up in the products and ideology of Holistik. But underneath its glossy surface, Holistik hides something sinister.

Horror to Look Out for in 2024

horror movie book cover

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay (June 25)

Paul Tremblay is always a must-read horror author every year, but this book looks especially good. Back in 1993, a group of young filmmakers spent four weeks making an art-house horror film that would become a cult classic…even though only a few scenes from the film were ever released to the public. And yet, somehow, the movie became a fascination for film fans everywhere. And now, three decades later, there are talks of creating a major Hollywood reboot. Only one member of the film’s original cast is still alive. The man who starred in the film as “The Thin Kid” has vivid memories of just how strange the filming process was. And just how dangerous. As he attempts to help the big-budget remake get underway, memories of the original filming and all of its mysteries and secrets come flooding back. And the past and the present begin to blur.

the eyes are the best part book cover

The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim (June 25)

This book cover is already haunting my nightmares. When her father leaves unexpectedly, Ji-Won is forced to keep the rest of her family together and care for her grieving mother. Then Ji-Won’s mother tells her eating fish eyes could bring them good luck, so Ji-Won tries it. Now, all she can think about is eating eyes. And not fish eyes this time. Human ones.

the haunting of velkwood book cover

The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste (March 5)

This final book is being described as perfect for fans of Yellowjackets, and it comes from Gwendolyn Kiste, who won a Bram Stoker Award for The Rust Maidens and the Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Fiction for Reluctant Immortals. This book follows the story of three childhood friends who are the lone survivors after everyone else in their town turns into ghosts.

Horror fans, I hope you have a great rest of your holiday season and a happy new year! I’ll see you on the other side! Until then, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

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The Fright Stuff

Have You Read These Jewish Horror Novels?

Happy Hanukkah, horror fans! It’s me, Emily, your friend in all things frightful. In honor of Hanukkah, I thought we could look at a few horror novels from Jewish authors today. But before we get to that, let’s look at what’s new in the world of horror. You know the drill.

The holidays have arrived, and so has our new paperback level at TBR! If you (or a reader you know) are just over-carrying around bulky hardcovers or are looking for a more budget-friendly option, we’ve got you. Check out all the offerings at mybtro.com/gift, and give personalized reading recommendations customized for any and every reader.

Bookish Goods

ghost horror journal

Gothic Journal by CurioPopRelics

Okay, my journaling fiends! If you love horror and you love a beautiful journal, you need this gothic journal with a haunting ghostie pic on the cover. Measures 5.75″x8″, with 150-lined pages. $24

New Releases

where the dead wait book cover

Where the Dead Wait by Ally Wilkes

It’s cold outside, so it’s the perfect time to pick up this chilly, gothic story of Arctic explorer William Day. Thirteen years ago, William was the sole survivor of a failed expedition where men ate each other to stay alive. Now, on a similar expedition, William’s second-in-command, Jesse Stevens, has gone missing. Is this William’s chance to redeem himself? Or is he doomed to repeat the past?

they will dream in the garden book cover

They Will Dream in the Garden by Gabriela Damián Miravete, translated by Adrian Demopulos

This collection of short stories in translation blends multiple genres (horror, science fiction, fantasy, literary fiction) to tell stories of violence, activism, and resistance. This is the first full book in translation from Miravete, translated by Adrian Demopulos. So definitely check it out!

dazzling book cover

Dazzling by Chikọdịlị Emelụmadụ

This debut novel mixes horror with fantasy and West African mythology. After Treasure’s father died, her family lost everything. So when she meets a spirit who promises to bring her father back, she’s eager to do whatever he asks, even when it’s the most terrible thing imaginable. Meanwhile, Ozoemena is just trying to fit in at her new boarding school, but when her fellow students start to disappear, her destiny to become a Leopard and the protector of her people collides with Treasure’s mission to get her father back.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

the tribe book cover

The Tribe by Bari Wood

Let’s highlight some Jewish horror, starting with the iconic Paperbacks from Hell novel The Tribe. Back in 1945, Jewish captives were liberated from the Belzec concentration camp, but no one could understand how they survived. Thirty-five years later, in 1980, a rabbi’s son is murdered, and those responsible are found slaughtered and covered in a strange gray substance. Now, Rachel Levy and Detective Roger Hawkins are determined to uncover what happened in both cases and how they’re connected.

36 righteous men cover

36 Righteous Men by Steven Pressfield

The Tzadikim Nistarim, or Lamed Vav Tzadikim, is a Jewish legend that says that in each generation there exist 36 righteous people. But when detectives James Manning and Covina “Dewey” Duwai are called to investigate a series of brutal murders, they discover that the 36 righteous men are not a myth at all.

Well, everyone. My cat has fallen asleep on my arm, and I’m typing one-handed, so I guess that means it’s time to wrap this up. Thanks so much for joining me. If you celebrate, I hope you have a happy Hanukkah. And until next time, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

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The Fright Stuff

New Beginnings are Always Scary, Especially in Horror Novels

Hi horror fans! It’s me, Emily, your friend in all things frightful. It’s finally December, which is pretty much my second favorite month after October. What, a horror girlie who loves the holidays? Yes, ma’am, that is me.

(Speaking of holidays! We have a new paperback level at TBR. If you (or a reader you know) are just over-carrying around bulky hardcovers or are looking for a more budget-friendly option, we’ve got you. Check out all the offerings at mybtro.com/gift, and give personalized reading recommendations customized for any and every reader.)

But more than Christmas, do you know what I love? New Year’s Eve.

Apparently this is weird, but New Year’s Eve is right up there with Halloween for me. Like Halloween, NYE is a chance to get dressed up and have fun without all the familial pressures. And on top of that, I love how optimistic NYE is. It’s about fresh starts and looking to a new year with a fresh perspective. So in honor of my favorite holiday coming up in just a few more weeks, we’re going to look at some horror that’s also about fresh starts today. Are you with me?

Bookish Goods

scaredy cats calendar

Scaredy Cats Calendar by BeccabyHandStudio

Speaking of the new year, it’s time for a new calendar. And I love this one because it brings together my two loves: cats and horror. This 12-month calendar includes 12 original hand-painted horror cat images, including The Bride of Chewy, Dracuclaw, Friday The Purrteenth, The Exorhiss, Krampuss, and more! The calendar is 12×18″ and includes a small hole for hanging. $25.

New Releases

cover image for Perfect Little Lives

Perfect Little Lives by Amber and Danielle Brown

This horror/thriller follows Simone, whose mother was murdered when she was only 13. Her father was convicted of the crime, and Simone’s life was turned upside down. Ten years later, Simone is trying to move on with her life. She makes a living writing book reviews and is starting to get involved in a serious relationship. But she still believes in her father’s innocence, and when her childhood next-door neighbor Hunter approaches her with new information — that Hunter’s father was having an affair with Simone’s mother — Simone becomes convinced Hunter’s father is to blame for her mother’s death.

the folly book cover

The Folly by Gemma Amor

Gothic horror fans, take note: this one is for you. And it’s another one about a father wrongfully(?) convicted. Morgan knows that her father didn’t murder her mother, so when he is finally released from prison, Morgan is overjoyed. Looking for a fresh start (this is going to be a theme this week), Morgan and her father become caretakers at a castle on the Cornish coastline known only as “The Folly.” But their peaceful existence is quickly destroyed by a new visitor: a woman who looks, acts, and speaks exactly like Morgan’s mother.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

The Spite House cover

The Spite House by Johnny Compton

New beginnings are always scary, and that’s why a family looking for a fresh start is a pretty standard trope for horror fiction. Here are a couple of novels that do it well. Eric Ross is looking for a fresh start after a family trauma sent him on the run with his two daughters. Unsure of where to turn and desperate to find a job, Eric feels like his prayers are answered when he sees a position advertised for a caretaker of the Masson House. The Masson House is notoriously haunted, but this only draws Eric to the house more. His family has their own ties with the supernatural, and Eric is looking for answers.

White Smoke cover image

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

You’ll probably see me recommend this book a lot because I love it so much, so listen up and read it! You won’t regret it! Marigold’s family moves to a new place in a new town in the hopes of starting over (seeing a pattern here?). At first, when Marigold and her family move to the picture-perfect house on Maple Street, it seems too good to be true. But Marigold can’t help but overhear the whispers about her neighborhood at her new school. And then there’s the house itself, where things keep disappearing, and the family feels strange presences watching them around every corner.

Happy December! Thanks so much for tuning in, and I can’t wait to share more horror with you next week. Same time, same place? In the meantime, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Categories
The Fright Stuff

’90s Horror is All That and a Bag of Chips

Horror fans, it’s me, Emily, here to lead you through another week of all things scary! I’ve been watching a lot of Friends over this holiday week, and I went to a ’90s trivia night last night, so I’m feeling inspired to talk about all things ’90s. So with that in mind, I’m going to share some ’90s and ’90s-inspired horror recs this week. I hope you enjoy.

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Bookish Goods

louis and lestat earrings

Lestat and Louis Pendant Earrings by Chaos Theory Designs

Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire was originally published in the ’70s. But the iconic film adaptation starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, and Antonio Banderas was released in 1994. Celebrate this horror story that definitely left its mark on the 1990s with these earrings, featuring pages from the novel. $18.

New Releases

the fiction writer book cover

The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor

Let’s take a pause on looking back and look ahead to new releases. We have a couple of exciting ones out this week. After writer Olivia Fitzgerald’s retelling of Rebecca is a major flop, she finds herself battling a horrible case of writer’s block. So when she’s offered a high-paying ghostwriter job, Olivia is more than happy for the opportunity. All she has to do is interview mega-billionaire Henry “Ash” Asherwood, who is eager to spill all of the secrets about his late grandmother. Ash claims the story of Rebecca is actually his grandmother’s life story and Daphne du Maurier stole it from her. But the more Olivia digs into Ash’s family’s past, the more horrifying the truth turns out to be.

godly heathens book cover

Godly Heathens by H. E. Edgmon

Godly Heathens is the first book in a brand-new dark fantasy series with many horror elements. Gem is a nonbinary teen living in the small town of Gracie, Georgia. No one knows the real Gem, not even their trans friend Enzo, who lives far away in Brooklyn. Gem keeps having these haunting visions of dark magic and violence that they feel like no one else would ever understand. But then, new girl Willa May Hardy moves into town. She claims that she and Enzo have known and loved each other for many lifetimes. Gem isn’t sure she can be trusted, but when the Goddess of Death comes searching for them, she might have to be.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

book cover of southern book club's guide to slaying vampires by grady hendrix

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

This first book probably seems like an obvious pick for ’90s-inspired horror. But if you have somehow not read this book from Grady Hendrix, maybe you didn’t know it takes place in the ’90s! The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires pits a true crime-loving book club against an actual vampire. Get ready for one of the scariest vampire stories you’ve ever read.

ahh that's what i call horror book cover

Ahh! That’s What I Call Horror, ed. by Chelsea Pumpkins

I love that the title of this horror anthology is a cross between two ’90s staples: Ahh! Real Monsters and Now That’s What I Call Music. If you don’t know these references, then congrats. You’re young, and I’m old. If you do get them, then you’ll probably love this anthology of 14 short stories set in the ’90s.

ring book cover

Ring by Koji Suzuki, translated by Glynne Walley

Here’s another book you’ve likely heard of before, but as one of the most terrifying horror novels released in the 1990s, it has to be mentioned. In this story, teens watch a videotape and then mysteriously die. But what’s on the viral videotape that everyone is watching? If you’ve only seen the movie, the real answer might surprise you.

That’s it, friends! Until next time, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!