Categories
The Fright Stuff

You Got the Fright Stuff, Baby

Oh oh oh… oh oh OH oh… Oh oh oh… The Fright Stuff.

I had to do it once, and now I’ll never do it again, friends. I promise. Now where were we? It’s me, Emily, your friend in all things frightful. Or fiend, if you prefer.

We’re in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month, as you might know. So when we get into our Riot Recommendations, I thought this week would be a great opportunity to shout out some fabulous horror books written by Hispanic and Latine Americans.

But before we do all of that…Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

Halloween Book Sleeve

Halloween Book Sleeve by SciencePlusCoffee

There are a lot of Halloween-themed book sleeves out there on Etsy, but this one is my personal favorite because it’s just sooooo cute. Plus it’s got cats on it. It’s like make it spooky ghosts…but make it cute. And it comes in three different sizes! Starting at $19.

New Releases

a tall dark trouble

A Tall Dark Trouble by Vanessa Montalban

Cults and family drama and dark fantasy and murder? Let’s do this. This YA novel follows the story of twins Delfi and Lela who are haunted by a family curse. In 1980s Cuba, Anita is desperate to rid herself of the magic powers that allow her to speak to the dead. These characters’ stories intertwine to weave together a dark and moving tale of generational trauma and family secrets.

what kind of mother book cover

What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman

The fresh, new, hot-off-the-presses Southern Gothic horror novel is the story of 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, and this 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. Something that will haunt her.

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

Riot Recommendations

our shadows have claws book cover

Our Shadows Have Claws, edited by Yamile Saled Méndez and Amparo Ortiz

It’s time to highlight just a few of the many notable horror books by Hispanic and Latine Americans. This first book is a bit of a cheat because it features a lot of works from a lot of different authors. But it was so hard to narrow down the list! And this anthology’s got 15 great monster stories from some really excellent writers.

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson cover image

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson

This book is a little more light-hearted than the other two books on this list, but it’s soooo much fun. Like, when the book is compared to Veronica Mars and The Craft, how can it not be fun? After Mila’s best friend dies under mysterious circumstances, she casts a spell to bring her friend back to life and find out what happened. But in doing so, she brings back the two other girls who died as well. And so Mila unwittingly creates… (wait for it) an Undead Girl Gang (TM).

her body and other parties

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

If you love horror, you’re probably already WELL AWARE of Carmen Maria Machado’s stunning short story collection Her Body and Other Parties, but if you somehow missed the boat on this one, this month is the perfect time to pick this one up! These stories use horror and dark sci-fi/fantasy to explore women and the violence they face in their everyday lives.

And with that, it’s time to wrap up another installment of The Fright Stuff. See you next week, and in the meantime, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Categories
The Fright Stuff

Feel that Chill in the Air? That’s Horror Season, Y’all

Horror fans, it’s me, Emily, your friend in all things frightful. I’m so excited to be taking up the mantle of The Fright Stuff newsletter right as spooky season is upon us! I mean, yes, for those of us who live, breath, eat, drink, and dream horror, it’s horror time all year round. But we’ve reached that time of the year where the rest of the world gets on our level. Now we can really let the fun begin.

So are you looking for the books that are going to get you in the Halloween spirit this fall? Stay tuned, because I have book recommendations for you, and so much more.

Big first! Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

the shining scarf

The Shining Knitted Scarf by Cultzilla

If you’ve been dreaming about cooler weather but also still having nightmares about Stephen King’s The Shining, this is the scarf for you this fall season. Designed to resemble the carpet pattern of the Overlook Hotel, this scarf is super cozy and warm, perfect for the upcoming fall months. $34

New Releases

together we rot

Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt

This YA novel has it all. Romance. Mystery. Intrigue. Cults. Friendships. And…horror. Lots and lots of horror. When the police refuse to do anything to track down Wil Greene’s missing mother, Wil decides to take matters into her own hands. She knows her mother didn’t just disappear on her, and she’s certain her former best friend Elwood Clarke knows what happened to her. Elwood is tangled up with a cult that plots to use him in their rituals. Unsure of where else to turn, he seeks out Wil, the only one who might believe the strange things that are happening to him. Everywhere Elwood goes, plants come alive, and the forest is calling to him.

looking glass sound book cover

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

Catriona Ward is a forever fave of mine, so I’m so excited to share her latest release with you in this, my first Fright Stuff newsletter. Ward’s latest is a story about a writer trying to come to terms with the horrors of his past. Years ago when Wilder Harlow was young, there was a summer that changed everything. A killer stalked his small town in Maine, and a tragedy bonded Wilder to his friends Nat and Harper in ways that would forever change them. Now, decades later, Wilder has returned to the town in the hopes of making sense of that summer’s events as he writes his memoir. But the longer he spends in the town and the more he writes, the more Wilder feels like he’s losing his grip on reality. And it feels as if the book is somehow writing itself.

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

Riot Recommendations

book cover for the weight of blood

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

These book recommendations are bringing the autumnal vibes. Why does The Weight of Blood feel like a fall horror book? Maybe it’s because it’s set in a school so it’s perfect for back-to-school season. Or maybe it’s because it’s a smart, thought-provoking retelling of Carrie by Stephen King, the literal KING of Spooky Season. Either way, it wouldn’t be Halloween season without a Tiffany D. Jackson horror novel. I’m obsessed. And if you haven’t read this yet, just know you will get totally sucked in by this one too!

kill creek cover

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas

What’s more fall than a haunted house story? A haunted house story that takes place on HALLOWEEN NIGHT. In this book, four authors have been invited to spend the night in a haunted house. It’s just supposed to be a publicity stunt for fun and exposure. But as you might have guessed, not everything goes according to plan, and the night of fun turns into something completely horrifying.

dark harvest book cover

Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge

I mean, this one literally has “harvest” in the title, so I don’t think I have to make the argument for this one being fall-appropriate. Dark Harvest is set in a small midwestern town where a strange visitor comes to visit from the cornfields every Halloween season. He’s known by many names. October Boy. Ol’ Hacksaw Face. Sawtooth Jack. Whatever name he goes by, it doesn’t matter. This year, the townspeople plan to kill him.

And that’s all for my first ever Fright Stuff newsletter! Thank you so much for welcoming me. Thanks so much for Jessica Avery for giving us so much horror content over the past few years. I’m excited to see what this horror season (and beyond) will bring! See you next week, and in the meantime, you can follow me on Instagram at emandhercat (yes, I post cat pics). Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Categories
The Fright Stuff

A Fond and Frightful Farewell

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.

My dearest ghosts and goblins, this week makes three years since I took up the mantle of being your friendly neighborhood guide to all things frightful. And it has been an amazing three years. I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it for all the world. Sharing my love of horror with you all every week has been my very great pleasure. But the time has come to pass the burial shroud. I’m moving on to a new and exciting phase in my life, and while I’ll still be contributing posts to the Book Riot website, I will no longer be coming live to your inboxes every week.

However, I am leaving you in the very best of hands! Fellow horror enthusiast Emily Martin will be taking over The Fright Stuff starting the Monday after Labor Day, and you’re going to love all the excellent horror she has in store for you. If you’re curious about your new ghoulish guide in the meantime, you can visit Emily’s page over on the Book Riot website.

For our last week together, I want to leave you with one last round of horror recommendations. As I’ve said many times, we are currently enjoying a veritable explosion of horror fiction. This year alone, there are so many exciting new books being released that it’s all I can do to keep track of them all! This week’s topic, then, is 2023 new releases that I haven’t yet had the pleasure of featuring here on The Fright Stuff. So, for the last time, my ghastly friends, ready those TBR lists!

But first! Looking for even more books to add to your reading list? Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try!

Bookish Goods

goosebumps needle felted book club ghost by needleghosts

“Ghost Book Club” Needle Felted Ghost by NeedleGhosts

For my last Bookish Good, I absolutely have to introduce you to one of my favorite shops on Etsy: Needle Ghosts. Let me tell you, you are not prepared for how cute this freaking shop is. These little felted ghosties have absolutely consumed me. Since this is a book newsletter, I have opted for one of the members of the “Ghost Book Club!” This one is reading Goosebumps, obviously, and you have a choice of four classic Goosebumps titles. But there are several others featuring some of your favorite horror books, new and old! As well as a metric heck ton of other adorable ghost friends of various themes and doing various activities. Please do yourself a favor and go have a browse. (I can’t be the only one obsessed with these ghosts, please help.)

$32

New Releases

cover of i feed her to the beast and the beast is me by jamison shea

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea

You’ve probably heard of this week’s first new release by now. The buzz about I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me is growing by the day, and I have a feeling it’s 100% deserved. Set in the exclusive and cutthroat culture of professional ballet — specifically the elite Parisian ballet — Jamison Shea’s new book is about a young Black ballerina, Laure, who is determined to reach the top in a dance community that’s doing its best to exclude her. So she makes a bargain with — wait for it — a river of blood flowing deep within the legendary Parisian Catacombs. Ugh, I love it. So ominous. So guaranteed to have Consequences. The power that Laure receives quickly propels her to the front of the pack, but every victory has a cost. Laure will have to decide what the life she wants is worth, or whether it’s worth anything at all, and she’ll have to decide before the aforementioned Consequences of her bargain catch up to her.

cover of Night of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror Delight

Night of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror Delight, edited by Shelly Page and Alex Brown (August 29)

New anthology alert! Night of the Living Queers is an anthology of queer horror stories by authors of color, all set on the night of Halloween and that experiment with classic elements of the horror genre. Perfect for the coming fall! Each story features a BIPOC teen discovering, in their own way, the dark and transformative power of the Halloween season, promising thrills and chills enough for any Halloween lover and horror fan. You’ll probably recognize several of the names on the table of contents, including Kalynn Bayron, Ryan Douglass, Kosoko Jackson, Trang Thanh Tran and more!

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

the cover of The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (September 5)

I can’t wait to get my hands on Andrew Joseph White’s new book. You all know how much I love historical horror, the darker the better. Set in 1883, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is about a 16-year-old named Silas Bell, whose violet-eyes have doomed him to a life as a medium for the Royal Speaker Society, married against his will and consigned to the role of Speaker wife. The world is determined to see Silas as a girl, and Silas is determined to do whatever he must to escape the life they have planned for him. But things go from bad to worse when his resistance results in him being shipped off to a “sanatorium” masquerading as a finishing school. It’s really a place full of suffering and the ghosts of those who could not be “reformed” into proper wives. If Silas wants to survive, he’ll have to expose the darkness hiding beneath the school’s respectable facade.

cover of bloom by delilah s dawson

Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson (October 3)

Oh my grimy gods, this book is everything. Bloom packs so much dread and chaotic fallout into its limited page count, and I need you all to read it when it comes out and then come find me where I lie, perishing slowly from how much I am obsessed with this sharp, dark, sapphic disaster. Rosemary and Ash meet at the farmer’s market, where Ash has a stall selling everything from candles and soap to plants and decadent, creatively flavored cupcakes. What starts as a tentative friendship over plant parenthood and Rosemary’s affection for cupcakes quickly becomes a romance. But Ash’s life is full of secrets and lines that she’s determined Rosemary not cross. And Rosemary’s growing obsession with Ash may be blinding her to a dark and frightening truth.

godly heathens book cover

Godly Heathens by H. E. Edgmon (November 28)

H. E. Edgmon is back with a new book this November! Godly Heathens is more fantasy, technically, not horror, but this tale of a war between gods is dark enough that I feel comfortable sneaking it onto this list. It’s about a group of teens who find themselves embroiled in an ancient divine war. Gem has always had violent, frightening dreams, but they had no way of knowing that those dreams were visions of a past life and a precursor of the danger to come. That’s why they’ve never told their friend Enzo about the dreams, even though Enzo knows everything else about Gem. But when Gem is attacked by someone claiming to be the Goddess of Death, they have to face the possibility that there’s more going on than they can see. Meanwhile, Willa Mae, newly arrived in Gem’s tiny town, seems to have the answers and spins a fantastical story about reincarnated gods, a love that spans the ages, and the wrath of enemies determined to destroy Gem for the actions of the god he used to be.

Stay in touch! You can catch me at @JtheBookworm on Twitter and BlueSky, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.

Categories
The Fright Stuff

3 Middle Grade Horror Books to Kick Off the Back-to-School Season

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.

It’s almost hard to believe, but it’s that time of year again! We’re only a few weeks out from fall and soon school doors everywhere will open. In the spirit of the incipient Back-to-School season, this week’s Fright Stuff recommendations are dedicated to just some of the wonderful middle grade horror books that have been, or will be, released this year.

(And I do mean “just some”! Honestly, there’s so much amazing horror being published all across the board lately that I’d need a whole book’s worth of space to cover it all!)

But first! Looking for even more books to add to your reading list? Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try!

Bookish Goods

death by tbr tshirt by nicolesaidwhoa

Death By TBR T-Shirt by NicoleSaidWhoa

“Crushed to death by falling books” is beginning to feel like an increasingly likely option for my cause of death, just saying. Celebrate your own mortality and the likelihood that your piles of unread books will haunt you into the afterlife with this “Death by TBR” T-shirt by NicolaSaidWhoa, available in several sizes and four colors.

$24+

New Releases

cover of what happened at hawthorne house by hadassah shiradski

What Happened At Hawthorne House by Hadassah Shiradski (August 25)

An imaginary game played by a group of girls in a 1920s orphanage dormitory goes terribly wrong in this new historical horror novella by Hadassah Shiradski. Rosalyn was the one who invented the game as a way to entertain herself and the other girls she shared a room within the Hawthorne House Orphanage. But what started as a make-believe game about a royal court soon becomes deadly serious. Desperate to have some kind of control over their lives, the girls vie for power and position in the imaginary court, twisting the rules and driving the stakes higher and higher as the danger grows. And Rosalyn is right there with them, determined to win the game she began and crown herself Queen. At any cost.

cover of the quiet ways i destroy you by jessica mchugh

The Quiet Ways I Destroy You by Jessica McHugh

Jessica McHugh’s new blackout poetry collection is out tomorrow! I’ve been a fan of her work — both her poetry and the accompanying art — since the publication of her Frankenstein collection, A Complex Accident of Life, and I’m really excited for this new book. I’ve never been a fan of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, personally, but I’m really excited to see how McHugh transforms the novel in this 155-poem (one for each year of the book’s publication) cosmic horror collection. (Maybe she’ll even change my mind about the source text!) To hear more about The Quiet Ways I Destroy You from the author herself, check out this interview with Frightful.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

cover of Nightmare Island by Shakirah Bourne; illustration of a young Black girl and boy walking through the woods at night, surrounded by glowing white moths

Nightmare Island by Shakirah Bourne

Nightmare Island is about 12-year-old Serenity who finds herself pitted against an island of faceless monsters with backward feet in an effort to save her little brother. Serenity has always had nightmares, and she’s always hidden those frightening dreams about silver butterflies and shadowy monsters from her parents. But when her younger brother, Peace, starts having nightmares of his own and her parents take him away to the sinister Duppy Island for “treatment,” Serenity starts to question whether the images she’s been seeing in her head were ever nightmares to begin with. Because if she’s suddenly seeing silver butterflies in real life, shadowy monsters can’t be far behind.

the cover of The House That Whispers

The House That Whispers by Lin Thompson

An 11-year-old trans boy, Simon, and his siblings, are sent to stay at their grandmother’s strange old house while their parents have the kind of “talk” about their marriage that you don’t have around your young children. But if the knowledge that things in his family are about to change drastically, and the fact that he’s the only one in his family who actually knows he’s a boy named Simon, weren’t enough for a young boy to handle, there’s also something very wrong with his grandmother’s house. Creepy shadows are gathering in the corners. Something is scratching inside the walls. Determined to discover the truth, Simon recruits his sisters into a ghost hunt. Someone is haunting his grandmother’s home and Simon’s going to find out who and why.

cover of alex wise vs the end of the world by terry j benton-walker

Alex Wise vs. the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker (September 26)

Now, obviously, apocalyptic stories don’t always fall under the horror umbrella. Alex Wise vs. the End of the World is actually a middle grade fantasy novel about rising 7th grader Alex Wise who ends up being gifted with powers and charged with stopping the Horsemen of the Apocalypse from ending the world. But hey, it’s got shadow monsters, and of course, there are the sinister figures of the Horsemen themselves. So I’d argue Benton-Walker’s newest definitely has a place in this newsletter! Alex will have to figure out his new powers quickly if he and his ragtag team of co-heroes are going to manage to not only defeat the horsemen and save the world but also save Alex’s sister Mags from the spirit of Death possessing her. Not what you’d call your average summer vacation!

As always, you can catch me at @JtheBookworm on Twitter and BlueSky, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.

Categories
The Fright Stuff

You Had “Killer Mermaids” on Your Summer Horror BINGO, Right?

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.

I honestly can’t believe it’s been three years and I’ve never done killer mermaids. I feel like that one guy from Cabin in the Woods is super disappointed in me right now. But today I will rectify my grievous misstep! This week’s Fright Stuff is all about the kind of mermaids that are less interested in being a part of your world than they are in making you a part of their lunch.

And really, that’s the best kind of mermaid!

Looking for even more books to add to your reading list? Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try!

Bookish Goods

horror book club tote bag by knockoutfinery

Horror Book Club Tote by KnockoutFinery

If there’s one thing the consummate bookworm needs, it’s bags enough to carry their books in. And this Horror Book Club design by KnockoutFinery was too delightful to pass up on! I love the vintage Halloween art color choices, and the sweetly creepy moon hanging out in the corner. And, if totes aren’t your thing, this particular design is also available as a mug, and two different T-shirt options. Share your love of horror everywhere you go!

$19

New Releases

vampires of el norte book cover

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

Happy Vampires of El Norte day! It’s got vampires! It’s got romance! It’s the epitome of Gothic Romance Western Horror and it should definitely be on your August reading list. Nena and Néstor were childhood sweethearts growing up on her father’s ranch until the night that Nena was attacked by a terrifying winged creature and Néstor vanished into the night, sure that Nena was dead and that he would be blamed. Years later, they’re brought together as war with the United States looms. They find themselves having to set aside their past in order to survive when the violence of the battlefield gives way to an even more horrifying, unnatural violence in the form of the same monsters that once attacked Nena. The only way for Nena and Néstor to protect their home and the ones they love is to work together, or everything will be lost, including their second chance to be together.

the last girls standing book cover

The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan

What can I say? There’s just something so classic about a summer camp slasher. The smell of sunblock, the lake shining in the sun…the conveniently available wood axes. It’s the chef’s kiss of slasher subcategories! So if you wanted a little massacre (or a lot of massacre) for your end-of-summer reading, look no further than Jennifer Dugan’s The Last Girls Standing. Cherry and Sloan are the only survivors of a massacre that killed all the other counselors at the summer camp where they worked, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Now, months after the killings, Sloan has discovered new information about the motives behind the attack. Information that suggests her girlfriend, the only other person who knows and understands what Sloan survived, may have been involved in the horrific ritual murders. The only way that Sloan can know for sure if Cherry was involved, and why, is to uncover the truth about that night before her world comes crashing down a second time.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

cover of the reyes incident by briana morgan

The Reyes Incident by Briana Morgan

You know what is always a terrible idea? Exploring an abandoned military bunker rumored to have been used for top secret scientific experiments. (She says, knowing that she’d probably do it anyway if given the chance.) Because, I mean, even if the local legends are wrong, you’re still going to be underground in a creepy, abandoned bunker. I’ve seen that horror movie. It seldom ends well. It certainly didn’t end well for Liv, who led her friends on a trip to a former military bunker that, so the stories say, is inhabited by monsters. But it’s just a story, right? Where’s the danger? Well, apparently it’s in that bunker. Because Liv is the only one who gets out alive. She turns up at the local police station, covered in blood, raving about — of all things — killer mermaids.

the cover of Chlorine

Chlorine by Jade Song

This book. Ya’ll, seriously. It’s so good. It fulfills all the dreams of the little mermaid loving horror fan I once was (and still am, let’s be honest). All Ren Yu wants is to become a mermaid. (And feast on the flesh of tasty sea goers.) She’s already a swimmer, whose love of being in the water butts up against the expectations that she’ll use her skill at swimming to advance in life. Get into a good college on an athletic scholarship. Be successful — a state of being highly defined by everyone in Ren’s life except herself. When really all she wants is to escape from landlocked concerns and sink deep into the ocean until she’s nothing but fins and teeth. She wants to be free, and she’ll stop at nothing to make it happen.

cover of Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Now Into the Drowning Deep is the obvious pick for this list, I know. It’s a fantastic bit of ocean horror, killer mermaids included, and I’ve actually never featured it in The Fright Stuff before now! So I’d say it’s about time. Seven years before the story begins, a cruise ship called the Atargatis set out for the Mariana Trench with a film crew on board. Their plan was to acquire enough footage and eyewitness testimonies to slap together a “mockumentary” on mermaids, but they found much more than they bargained for. Now a second crew has been brought together to research the fate of the Atargatis, among them Victoria Stewart whose sister was lost when the Atargatis went down. The truth about what happened to her sister can only be found on that same stretch of ocean above the trench, the Atargatis’ last known location, and Victoria isn’t going home without answers. No matter what secrets might lurk beneath the waves.

Bonus Recommendation!

Cover of Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For ed. by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. Parker

Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For ed. by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker (September 26)

I have chosen to include Mermaids Never Drown in this week’s list with the caveat that it is an anthology that is not exclusively horror. I’m willing to lay odds that there’s more than one dark and horrifying twist on the mermaid mythos in this collection of 14 stories, given that a few of the authors included frequent the horror genre. However, I cannot promise you an anthology full of JUST flesh eating and bloodied waters. That being said, I’m so beyond excited that Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker are editing another collection like Vampires Never Get Old, and this time around, centering the history of merfolk in folklore and storytelling. And with authors like Kalynn Bayron, June Hur, Kerri Maniscalco, and many others on board, you just know that Mermaids Never Drown is going to be fin-tastic. (I won’t apologize for that, you can’t mako me.)

As always, you can catch me at @JtheBookworm on Twitter and BlueSky, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.

Categories
The Fright Stuff

There’s No Horror Like Family

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.

Families are…complicated. Even people who have a good relationship with their family know that no one cuts deeper, or has an easier time getting under your skin. At least with family you know which of the closets have skeletons (usually) but it doesn’t change the fact that those skeletons are always there, even when everyone is pretending they’re not. Secrets. Lies. Horrors in the basement. Memories too painful to revisit that roam the hallways of childhood homes like so many ghosts.

It’s no wonder that the family and the home are such a rich source of material for the horror genre, and why our fascination with them persists. This week’s picks are all about the horrors of home, generational secrets, and the kind of fear that only family can inflict.

Looking for even more books to add to your reading list? Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try!

Bookish Goods

haunted library cross stitch pattern by lolacrowcrossstitch

Haunted Library Cross Stitch Pattern by LolaCrowCrossStitch

Knowing that fall is near always makes me eager to pick up a needle and thread and create. There’s just something perfectly cozy about curling up on a cool, rainy day, with a cup of tea steaming on the side table, and stitching something. So for my fellow dual class bookworm-stitchers, this week’s bookish goods pick is for you. After all, is your home library really complete without a hand-stitched haunted library to hang on the wall?

$16

New Releases

cover of mister magic by kiersten white

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

It’s Mister Magic week! I’m so excited for this book. There’s nothing better than a creepy “cult classic” children’s program that, while it lives on in the memories of its generations of devoted fans, mysteriously vanished without a trace after being shut down by a tragic accident. No recordings of Mister Magic survive, nor do any clues as to who created it or why. The remaining members of its cast remember, though, and they hold tightly to the happiness they felt when all five were part of Mister Magic’s Circle of Friends. When they belonged. Thirty years after the accident, the five are reunited at a remote compound in the desert and it’s like they were never apart. But there’s a lot about that tragic day they don’t remember, and secrets about Mister Magic that they may have chosen to forget.

cover of The Dark Place by Britney S. Lewis

The Dark Place by Britney S. Lewis

Your life can turn upside down in the blink of an eye on a bad day. Hylee Williams has had two very bad days: the day her brother went missing, and the day she disappeared from our reality. Hylee suddenly finds herself back on the night her brother went missing, but something is different. Wrong. All twisted up. But before Hylee can figure out why, and what it means about her brother’s disappearance, she’s dumped back into our reality. But it won’t be the last time she finds herself unceremoniously deposited in that strange other world. With the help of an oddly familiar new friend, Hylee begins to investigate her new abilities and the truth (or lack thereof) about reality in hopes of finding a way to rescue her brother, before the darkness in that otherworld, and this one, can consume her entirely.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

My Dear Henry cover

My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron

The damage that family can do when they don’t love you the way they should, just the way you are, is at the heart of this gorgeous retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. When Gabriel Utterson was sent to London by his father to study medicine he fell head over heels in love with fellow medical student Henry Jekyll. But it’s hard to hide a love that burns that brightly, and before long rumors and whispers begin to follow Henry and Gabriel, forcing them to separate. When Gabriel returns to London after a long summer away, it becomes instantly clear that something is wrong with Henry, and Gabriel is certain that it has to do the with the strange young man, Hyde, who has been seen coming and going from the Jekyll household. If Gabriel cannot discover the truth about what has happened to Henry, he may be at risk of losing the boy he loves forever.

just like home book cover

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

This book, y’all. The slow, unfolding realization of the horrifying truth at the heart of Vera’s childhood. The eerie almost-haunting rooted in the things she doesn’t want to remember. Just so good. Vera returns to her childhood home — the home that her father built — at the behest of her dying mother. But any hopes Vera might have had of loving, tearful reconciliations are dashed soon after she arrives. Her mother is as caustic and distant as ever, and her serial killer father’s ghost lurks around every corner. Possibly literally. Add to that the artist with avaristic intent, and a lascivious interest in Vera’s bloody past, who is currently squatting in the converted garden shed in the backyard, and is it any wonder that all Vera’s darkest memories are coming home to roost?

cover of black sheep by rachel harrison

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison (September 19)

Speaking of books that fall into the category of “Read This. Just Do It.” When Black Sheep comes out in September, I need you all to run not walk to the bookstore. Okay? Promise. Because this book is the crown jewel of “your family can fuck you up like no other.” I mean after all, that’s why Vesper left her tiny religious community when she was 18. She didn’t believe so she didn’t belong, and having chosen to leave, she couldn’t go back if she wanted to. Until, that is, a wedding invitation arrives and with it an offer: come home. Unable to resist the pull of family after so many years alone, Vesper gets on a train. But back home things aren’t quite like she remembers, and secrets new and old are bubbling to the surface. When one particularly terrifying truth comes to light, Vera will have to reconsider everything she thought she knew about her childhood, her family’s faith, and the people who were supposed to love her.

As always, you can catch me at @JtheBookworm on Twitter and BlueSky, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.

Categories
The Fright Stuff

3 New Western Horror Books for Your Summer TBR

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.

In this Fright Stuff we’re taking a trip back in time! All our featured titles are Western horror books. Which means they are historically set novels using both horror and Western genre conventions, set specifically in the western half of what is now America, during a roughly 70 year-ish span that was marked by rapid change, shifting borders, political upheaval, and violence. Sometimes historical facts and details are blended with horror, and sometimes the history is the horror all on its own.

Before we get started! This: If you’re looking for a new bookish podcast to add to your life, be sure to check out First Edition, where BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O’Neal explores the wide bookish world. Subscribe to hear what’s new and exciting in the world of books and publishing, and stay to hear Book Riot’s editors pick the “it” book of the month.

Bookish Goods

dracula book pouch by storiarts

Dracula Book Pouch by Storiarts

If you’re an annotator like me, you know the importance of having a good little bag or case in which to keep your sticky notes, highlighters, pencils, pens, etc. (of which, like me, you probably have too many.) I love these 6.25” by 9.5” canvas bags by Storiarts, because not only are they just the right size, they’re also book-themed! I opted for the Dracula one because I am what I am and I accept that. But they also have Tell-Tale Heart and Call of Cthulhu pouches, among others if you are not Dracula-inclined!

$23

New Releases

cover of dehiscent by ashley deng

Dehiscent by Ashley Deng

Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth where civilization has collapsed and the climate has become critically unstable, Dehiscent is an eco-horror novel about a family that has mysteriously been spared from the devastation. Unlike the small communities fighting and scraping for survival outside, in the Zhu family’s ancestral home, they still have water, lights, safety, and food on their table. Yi has lived in the house her entire life, aware that the plenty her family enjoys is not the norm in her community. But when she tries to share some of her family’s good fortune with those outside the estate, she stumbles across the truth about how her family has survived and the dark secret at the heart of the Zhu House.

cover of wild spaces by s.l. coney

Wild Spaces by S.L. Coney

If you’re looking for a novella to take along on your next beach day, I highly recommend Wild Spaces by S.L. Coney. It’s all saltwater, secrets, tentacles, and transformations. It’s not what I’d call a carefree book, and certainly not a cheery one. But its weight is what makes it so memorable, and so beautiful. The main character is an 11-year-old boy growing up with his parents and his dog in a remote corner of the South Carolina coast, and his childhood, though isolated, is not unhappy. Until the day his estranged grandfather turns up at the house, and his unwanted visit begins to expose the inconsistencies in the boy’s life that he hadn’t cared to question before. Now it’s clear that his parents are and have been keeping secrets from him. Things they still refuse to explain. Things that, just maybe, have something to do with the strange transformations he can’t control, and the creature he may be becoming.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Lone Women Book cover of Lone Women by Victor LaValle; illustration of a Black woman standing in a field with a trunk by her feet

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

Between literature, TV, and film, there are thousands of stories of people traveling into the unknown, remote “American West,” in search of new opportunities or fleeing pasts they hope won’t follow them (though they always do). Lavalle has taken that familiar story and given it a sharp, horrifying twist in Lone Women. It’s the story of a woman who arrives on the Montana frontier to take the U.S. government up on its offer of free land in the wilderness to any homesteader who can settle and keep it. And Adelaide isn’t the only one; there are a number of “lone women” taking their chances on the Montana frontier. But not all of them have come to Montana literally dragging their pasts behind them like Adelaide has, hidden away in the massive steamer trunk that travels with her but always remains locked.

cover of cruel angels past sundown by hailey piper

Cruel Angels Past Sundown by Hailey Piper

Hailey Piper’s Cruel Angels Past Sundown, published just last week, is the most recent title in Death’s Head Press’ Splatter Western series, whose gorgeous pulpy covers are almost as memorable as the stories they contain. Set in New Mexico Territory in 1882, Cruel Angels Past Sundown is about a woman, Annette, and her husband, whose life together is violently and irrevocably interrupted one day at sunset when a naked, pregnant woman stumbles onto their ranch. Escaping the bloodshed that follows, Annette flees to the nearby town. But the nightmare of that night has followed her to Low’s Bend. If she wants to survive the hell that’s coming, she’ll have to put her trust in new friends and face down an evil more frightening than anything she has yet encountered.

vampires of el norte book cover

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas (August 15)

Vampires of El Norte takes place in 1846 in a territory that was once part of Mexico before being annexed into the United States, and is centered around the events that sparked the Mexican-American War. Nena and Néstor were childhood sweethearts growing up on her father’s ranch until the night that Nena was attacked by a terrifying winged creature. Néstor vanished into the night, sure that Nena was dead and that he would be blamed. Years later, they’re brought together again by the looming war with the United States, and find themselves having to set aside their past in order to survive when the violence of the battlefield gives way to an even more horrifying, unnatural danger in the form of the same monsters that once attacked Nena. The only way for Nena and Néstor to protect their home and the ones they love is to work together, or everything will be lost, including their second chance at a life together.

As always, you can catch me on twitter at @JtheBookworm, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.

Categories
The Fright Stuff

Shirley Jackson Award Winners

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.

Last week the winners of the 2022 Shirley Jackson Awards were announced! So I thought this week we’d take a look at some of the winning titles. I only have room to highlight a few of the books that I’m most excited about, but it’s an amazing selection this year, and I highly recommend that you check out the whole list.

But first! This: If you’re looking for a new bookish podcast to add to your life, be sure to check out First Edition, where BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O’Neal explores the wide bookish world. Subscribe to hear what’s new and exciting in the world of books and publishing, and stay to hear Book Riot’s editors pick the “it” book of the month.

Now let’s talk horror.

Bookish Goods

scary stories to tell in the dark pin by abracadaverapparelco

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Pin by AbracadaverApparelCo

An ode to one of the most beloved collections of scary stories, this pin by Abracadaver Apparel Co. is a must have for the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark fan. Abracadaver has a number of macabre and horror inspired pins, stickers, and more, so if this pin catches your eye, be sure to check out the rest of the shop.

$6

New Releases

cover of cruel angels past sundown by hailey piper

Cruel Angels Past Sundown by Hailey Piper

Happy New Book Day to Hailey Piper’s newest work of horror, Cruel Angels Past Sundown. Horror Western fans hold on to your hats! Set in New Mexico Territory in 1882, Cruel Angels Past Sundown is about a woman, Annette, and her husband, whose life together is violently and irrevocably interrupted one day at sunset when a naked, pregnant woman stumbles onto their ranch. Escaping the bloodshed that follows, Annette flees to the nearby town. But the nightmare of that night has followed her to Low’s Bend. If she wants to survive the hell that’s coming, she’ll have to put her trust in new friends and face down an evil more frightening than anything she has yet encountered.

cover of infested by angel luis colon

Infested by Angel Luis Colón

And an equally happy publication day to Angel Luis Colón’s terrifying new YA horror novel, Infested, which has far, far too many cockroaches on the cover, and even more (figuratively) between its pages. Sob. Rising high school senior Manny’s summer plans are thrown into disarray when his parents announce a sudden move from their home in Texas to the Bronx. Rather than spending his summer with friends, Manny ends up spending it working in the luxury condo building his stepfather is managing. Which ought to be, at worst, boring, but certainly not dangerous. Until, that is, contractors start going missing. What’s happening to the building’s workers, why does it feel like Manny has roaches crawling under his skin, and what does this all have to do with the building’s seemingly friendly exterminator, Mr. Mueller?

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

cover of we are here to hurt each other by paula ashe cover

We Are Here to Hurt Each Other by Paula D. Ashe

Paula D. Ashe’s We Are Here to Hurt Each Other won the Shirley Jackson for best single-author collection, and rightly so! It’s a dark and horrifying collection of 12 stories full of gore and decay. If you’re a fan of horror that leaves you feeling uneasy in your skin, this is the collection for you. Just looking at that cover creeps me out! Hello terrifying teeth creature of my nightmares. If you’ve been reading Fright Stuff for a while, you know that I love a collection. I think they’re one of the best ways to get acquainted with a new author, so go pick up a copy of We Are Here to Hurt Each Other today.

the cover of the bone lantern by angela slatter

The Bone Lantern by Angela Slatter

Angela Slatter won best novella this year with The Bone Lantern. The Bone Lantern is about a woman playing storyteller for the strange creature that visits her campfire one night. Intent on prolonging her survival until she can escape, Selke offers the creature her dinner and spins it a series of dark and fantastical tales. There’s a young witch, trying to survive the court of a dangerous prince with a penchant for killing his wives, a magical harp that was created to help its maker seek revenge, and the story of Selke’s own quest for something called the bone lantern.

cover image for The Devil Takes You Home

The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias

Congratulations, last but definitely not least, to Gabino Iglesias, whose The Devil Takes You Home tied for best novel! The Devil Takes You Home is about a man, Mario, who takes a job as a hired gun in order to pay for his daughter’s medical bills. Only to find that he’s particularly good at the violent work his new job entails. But when the job that was supposed to be his last takes a terrifying and inexplicable turn for the worse, Mario will find himself on a dangerous journey through Texas and across the border. There’s $200,000 waiting for him on the other side of this job, and a life beyond his career as a hitman. If Mario can survive long enough to claim it.

As always, you can catch me on twitter at @JtheBookworm, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.

Categories
The Fright Stuff

Horrors of (and on) the Deep

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.

So, uh, all the thalassophobes in the room might want to avert thine eyes. Because, unfortunately for you, I happen to be a thalassophile, who finds great and terrible joy in the unknown depths of the sea and all their weirdness. And given that my corner of New England is currently an uncomfortable degree of warm, all I want to do is plunge myself into the Atlantic and sink slowly into the dark like the cryptid I endeavor to be someday.
Which is why this week’s theme is all things salty and frightening to comprehend!

But first! This: If you’re looking for a new bookish podcast to add to your life, be sure to check out First Edition where BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O’Neal explores the wide bookish world. Subscribe to hear what’s new and exciting in the world of books and publishing, and stay to hear Book Riot’s editors pick the “it” book of the month.

Bookish Goods

shark attack bookmark by ambermorgandesigns

Shark Attack Bookmark by AmberMorganDesigns

Oh no, it’s so cute. Let this little shark friend hold your place for you when you have to put your book down, but don’t stay away too long! He might get hungry. Chomp Chomp.

$5

New Releases

camp damascus book cover

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

If you’ve been counting down to Camp Damascus‘ publication day, get ready! Tomorrow, Chuck Tingle’s queer horror novel hits shelves and I’m so ready for my copy to get here. Camp Damascus shines a light on the danger that the LGBTQ+ community has faced and continues to face in America, making it a painfully necessary story for our times. The book is set in the titular Camp Damascus, an isolated gay conversion camp in the mountains of Montana, near the self-proclaimed “god-Fearing” community of Neverton. The camp’s mission is “holy” and its reputation is set as one of the “most effective” conversion programs in the country. But the secret behind Damascus’ success is far from sacred, and our campers will have to risk everything to escape the danger that awaits them.

cover of jackal jackal by tobi ogundiran

Jackal, Jackal: Tales of the Dark and Fantastic by Tobi Ogundiran

If you’re looking for a new collection of stories to fall into, look no further than Tobi Ogundiran’s debut collection Jackal, Jackal, out tomorrow from Undertow Publications. Ogundiran’s short fiction has been featured in a number of genre magazines, and nominated for several awards. Now some of his best work has been collected in a single volume for fans to revisit and new readers to discover. The tales in Jackal, Jackal are dark, magical works of fiction full of strange beings and otherworldly entities. From a story inspired by Pinnochio about a lost wooden boy looking for love to menacing librarians and vengeful goat mothers, there’s a little something for everyone in this exciting new collection.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

cover of whalefall by daniel kraus

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus (August 8)

Read this book. I’m not even asking, I am full-on Bigolas Dickolas and telling you to read this book, or I will come to your house and serenade you loudly with off-key covers of whale songs until you comply. Because if Daniel Kraus is going to make me cry over whales, I’m taking y’all with me. If you haven’t seen the rave (and fully deserved) reviews making the rounds, Kraus’ tense, beautiful, horrifying survival thriller Whalefall is shaping up to be one of the best new horror books of this year. Jay Gardiner knows the risks he’s taking when he sets off from one of the most dangerous beaches on the West Coast to search for his father’s bones. Diving always comes with risks, but they’ll be worth it if Jay can find his father’s remains and get a break from the guilt that has plagued him since his Father committed suicide a year ago. At first, everything goes according to plan. Until Jay dives too deep and ends up being swallowed by a sperm whale hunting for squid. Trapped in the belly of the massive whale, Jay has one hour to find his way out before his air runs out.

the deep alma katsu

The Deep by Alma Katsu

My obsession with large ships will not permit me to create this list without including at least one haunted ocean liner book, and Alma Katsu’s The Deep is a perfect example of that particular subcategory. But reader be duly cautioned, if you’re looking for a tense, fast-paced read, The Deep is not the one you want. Its excellence lies in its slow-building storytelling and creeping, dread-filled tone. What begins on the Titanic with a forbidden attachment and inevitable tragedy finds its resolution on the equally ill-fated Britannic. Annie, one of the survivors of the Titanic, has brought her demons with her to her stint as a nurse on board the luxury liner turned hospital ship, the Britannic. The past has a way of clinging that even the sea can’t wash away, and when she comes across an unconscious soldier who she recognizes as a young man who absolutely could not have survived the disaster of the Titanic, she is forced to confront her past and question the very memories that haunt her.

cover of merciless waters by rae knowles

Merciless Waters by Rae Knowles (November)

Rae Knowles can just have my money because I need this horror novella about Sapphic pirates more than I need life. Or groceries. Out in November from the excellent Brigids Gate Press, Merciless Waters is about a mysterious pirate ship Scylla, crewed only by women with no past. They spend their days roaming the sea, and for Jaq and Lily that’s enough. Their past doesn’t matter, only the present they share. Until, that is, the crew finds a man adrift on the sea and brings him on board. Lured by the promise of something new and unfamiliar, Lily abandons Jaq in favor of the exciting new interloper. But even as Jaq contemplates her options for revenge, strange happenings begin to overtake the crew of the Scylla. Something about the man’s arrival on the ship has caused the members of the crew to start to remember the pasts they lost and how it was they came to be on board the Scylla in the first place. With the truth rising to the surface and the Scylla nearing land, time is running short for Jaq, who faces a difficult choice that will determine not just her future, but that of Lily and all her fellow pirates aboard the Scylla.

As always, you can catch me on twitter at @JtheBookworm, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.

Categories
The Fright Stuff

The Week of Many New Scares

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.

Welcome to another episode of “Jessica Can’t Decide,” in which there were so many amazing new horror books coming out this week that I had to table my original idea for today’s Fright Stuff and dedicate this newsletter solely to new releases. Get ready to make your bank account cry uncle!

But first! This: If you’re looking for a new bookish podcast to add to your life, be sure to check out First Edition where BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O’Neal explores the wide bookish world. Subscribe to hear what’s new and exciting in the world of books and publishing, and stay to hear Book Riot’s editors pick the “it” book of the month.

Bookish Goods

it inspired beach towel by burnthesceneboutique

It Inspired Beach Towel by BurnTheSceneBoutique

If you’re planning to take any of this week’s new releases to your nearest sunny shoreline (or soggy shoreline — we’re getting a lot of rain up here), make sure you go prepared! Rain or shine, you’re going to need a towel, and you might as well make it creepy.

$50

New Releases

cover of the centre by ayesha manazir siddiqi

The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi’s The Centre is a thriller (with a twist of dark comedy) about a Pakistani translator living in London whose career hasn’t proven to be as notable as she once dreamed. Anisa never expected to be still living at home, subtitling Bollywood films instead of becoming the next prodigy of the translation world. So she signs up for a mysterious and not at all suspicious language school that promises success in return for an unknown cost: The Centre. Shut away from the outside world and subjected to the Centre’s intensive programming, Anisa finds herself falling further and further under the institute’s influence. But the unknown cost still waits to be paid, and it may be higher than she knows.

burn the negative book cover

Burn the Negative by Josh Winning

If you love horror books about horror (like a terrifying nesting doll), you need to go forth and pick up a copy of Burn the Negative when it hits shelves tomorrow. I loved absolutely everything about this book. Laura Warren and Polly Tremaine have nothing in common but DNA. Laura made sure of that when she created a life for herself that is miles (figuratively and literally) away from her Hollywood childhood and the (allegedly) cursed ’90s horror movie that ended her career. At least until Laura, now a successful journalist, finds herself on a plane back to L.A. for the first time in decades, set to interview the cast and crew of a remake of that very same movie. As you might expect, things quickly go from bad to worse the minute Laura sets foot on that set. Bodies are dropping faster than box office ratings, and it all seems tied up in Laura’s past, the legend of a curse, and the dark, looming figure of The Needle Man.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

cover of whisperwood by alex woodroe

Whisperwood by Alex Woodroe

Anna came to the distant frontier town of Whisperwood to disappear. Where better to hide from her witch-hunter ex, than a town that doesn’t exist? Whisperwood doesn’t show up on any map, and its population is completely isolated from the outside world. But once inside Whisperwood, Anna soon finds that she can’t leave, trapped inside the town’s borders by an unfamiliar folk magic. The secret to Whisperwood, and to Anna’s freedom, may lie in the strange forest that surrounds the town, but only if she can survive long enough to uncover it. I have been looking forward to Whisperwood and I am so excited that it’s finally making its way into the world tomorrow!

cover of a moonlit path of madness by catherine mccarthy

A Moonlit Path of Madness by Catherine McCarthy

McCarthy’s new Gothic novel is a gorgeous, tragic tale of grief, secrets, folklore, and family curses. Grace Morgan, still trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, moves into the seaside house she inherited in Wales and is forced to confront the family curse that may spell the end of everything she knows and loves. You all know I love a book where the monster/ghost/curse/etc. that threatens the main character is a manifestation of some aspect of themselves that they must face, and I have a particular soft spot for manifestations of grief. So of course I am beyond ready to get my hands on A Moonlit Path of Madness. It also gets bonus points for being partially epistolary!

cover of the ecstasy of agony by wrath james white

The Ecstasy of Agony by Wrath James White

Wrath James White returns to the printed page with The Ecstasy of Agony, a new collection of hardcore horror stories and poems. If you’ve ever read any of White’s work before, you know it’s not for the faint of heart (looking at you, If You Died Tomorrow I Would Eat Your Corpse), but it always rewards its readers with a terrible sort of beauty, and stories you won’t soon forget. So whether you’re a long time fan or new to White’s brand of horror, I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Ecstasy of Agony when it comes out tomorrow.

Looking for even more horror being published this week? Be sure to check out these new release lists from Emily Hughes and Erica Robyn!

As always, you can catch me on twitter at @JtheBookworm, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.