I grew up in a golden era of children’s horror books. My kindergarten teacher would read to us from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. A shelf of multicolored spines full of Goosebumps waited at every visit to my grandparents’. I read my abridged copy of Dracula over and over again. Even then, I… Continue reading “A Ghost Story Waiting”: Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
Fifty years ago this week, Stephen King’s debut novel, Carrie, was published and the career of one of the most prolific horror writers began. If you’re not already familiar with the book or any of its adaptations (three films, a musical, etc.) then I’ll lay out the plot real quick: Carrie White, outcast for any… Continue reading “Maddy Did It”: The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
It only took knowing this was a Frankenstein retelling for me to be sold on this book. I’m a simple girl with simple desires – namely to see one of my favorite novels live on in others’ imaginations and inspirations for eons. This isn’t to say it’s always done well or with good intentions, but,… Continue reading “Botany Afoot”: A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock
Imagine this: you wake up in an unfamiliar place, decorated like the set of a 1950s sitcom, with two strangers. They tell you the collar around your neck can shock you, or kill you if it’s not charged, or explode if you cross an invisible perimeter. You’re given a role to play in your kidnapper’s… Continue reading “Leave the Cabin for Good”: The Final Scene by Steph Nelson
When I decided I wanted to pursue horror fiction for my MFA, I knew I had to brush-up on what contemporary writers were doing with the genre – not just the classics. I bought a slew of books, including Gwendolyn Kiste’s short story collection And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe. Stories like “All the… Continue reading “A Promise to the Dead”: The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste
Have you ever felt the desire to test your mettle against a vertical surface? To see if you have what it takes to pull your limbs up a sheer cliff face, dare to look at the ground far below, and say, “I did it!” Or, in another scenario, have you ever been surrounded by forest… Continue reading “Kentucky Sky”: This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer
We are in the midst of a Gothic revival. I’d argue each decade has its own flavor of this atmospheric genre, but, within the past five years, we have seen a definite increase in modern takes on traditional tales and fears. Not only are readers rediscovering past classics like Rebecca or Carmilla, but authors are… Continue reading “This Place Breeds Nightmares”: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
I’ll preface this review by saying this book is not for everyone. Or most, really. But, for those who will be entertained by its violence, its narration, its inherent ability to burrow into your skull like a drill bit…well, you’ll find much to enjoy. Home invasion is a real-life horror scenario that happens all too… Continue reading “The Importance of Entertainment”: Anybody Home? by Michael J. Seidlinger
Horror novels about nostalgia, especially media nostalgia, are having a moment. We have Josh Winning’s Burn the Negative, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Silver Nitrate, Brian McAuley’s Curse of the Reaper, R.J. Jacob’s Always the First to Die, and Paul Tremblay’s upcoming Horror Movie just to name a few. The idea of a beloved character or plot being… Continue reading “The Taste of Your Friendship”: Mister Magic by Kiersten White
Most of my childhood summers were spent between various day camps, weeks at my grandparents’, and the ever-changing hue of my skin. We’d swim until our eyes burned from chlorine. We stayed out later and slept in. In the time before cell phones and unlimited data, we made plans for where and when to… Continue reading “Was There Any Other Choice?”: Wasps in the Ice Cream by Tim McGregor
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