"Horror fiction has traditionally dealt in taboo.… It makes monsters of household pets and begs our affection for psychos. It shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory, and that every moment we teeter on chaos and oblivion."
- Clive Barker
We hope you aren't easily frightened...because these reading recommendations will haunt you long after you've read the last page. So, what are you waiting for? Won't you join us in our celebration of horror's latest and greatest?
What madness lies ahead for your reading list?
If you want a real scare, set aside your beloved horror classics - you know what darkness lurks within their pages, what chilling plot twists await. Aren't you ready for a different breed of monster? A truly unknown sense of dread? Then perhaps it's time to update your Want to Read shelf with the newest voices of the genre! To help you get started on your spooky reading journey, we rounded up the breakout stars of horror. From Christina Henry's dark, disturbing retellings of children's stories to Victor LaValle's occult epic, "The Ballad of Black Tom", these are gripping tales of fear and foreboding for the modern era. For this list, we focused on authors who have recently published at least two popular horror books. Browse the titles and find something new to tingle your spine.
Victor LaValle examines Lovecraft's long-lasting influence
Victor LaValle knows his way around a scary tale or two. He's the author of the horror novels "The Ballad of Black Tom" and "The Changeling" as well as the graphic novel series "Destroyer", which is a modern reimagining of Frankenstein’s monster, among many other books. His work has earned him numerous awards, including a Whiting Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Shirley Jackson Award, and an American Book Award. In addition to creating his own creepy stories, LaValle is a connoisseur of classic horror and wrote the introduction to the just-released "The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft: Beyond Arkham". Here LaValle explores the long reach of Lovecraft's influence on the horror genre.
Monstress' Marjorie Liu recommends graphic horror novels
Marjorie Liu is the author of more than 19 novels and the co-creator and writer of the award-winning horror fantasy graphic novel series "Monstress". The series - whose honors include an Eisner, a Hugo, a Harvey, and a British Fantasy award - is set in an alternate, matriarchal 1920s Asia and follows a girl’s struggle to survive the trauma of war. Liu's comic book work also includes the "Dark Wolverine" series, "NYX: No Way Home", "X-23", "Black Widow: The Name of the Rose", and "Astonishing X-Men". In addition, Liu is an attorney and teaches comic book writing at MIT. Here she recommends some of her favorite graphic horror novels, which are all "stories of women and girls confronted with monsters - without and within."
Creepy kids, spooky woods, nightmarish house guests: A list for sleepless nights
22 New and Upcoming Horror Books to Keep You Up at Night
A sinister institute for "extranormal" children. A couple whose dream home attracts unsettling guests. A woman who becomes well-acquainted with the monsters lurking in the woods. These are just a few of the year's most foreboding frights that are haunting our readers' dreams. Fans will recognize many favorites in this roundup, including Stephen King (of course), Joe Hill, Paul Tremblay, and Robert R. McCammon. We also have Stephen Chbosky, author of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower", venturing into the world of supernatural suspense with Imaginary Friend. And just how did we narrow down our list? We took a look at the most popular horror novels, novellas, and short story collections published this year so far as well as upcoming releases (we've included their publication dates below). Then we focused on the number of additions to Goodreads members' Want to Read shelves to measure buzz and anticipation. Which of these spine-tingling tales will you be adding to your bookshelf? Tell us!
From Mary Shelly to Shirley Jackson
Hear the scratching on the wall? Feel a chill run down your spine? The frightening thrills of our favorite horror novels have a way of reaching out from beyond the page - casting shadows, whispering in our ear, haunting us long after the story is done. For Horror Week, Goodreads set out to reveal the most popular horror stories. To create our list, we focused on the books that have been added the most to Goodreads members' shelves. From literal monsters to purely psychological terrors, these are tales of madness and pandemonium, retribution and absolution. Long heralded as the "Master of Horror," Stephen King reigns supreme, with five books on our list, but his son Joe Hill is not far behind, nabbing four spots. And along with classics from Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Kirkman's end-of-the-world comic, "The Walking Dead", made the cut as well as an award-winning children's ghost story, "The Graveyard Book", from Neil Gaiman. And now we present the top horror books on Goodreads in alphabetical order. Proceed at your own risk - and then tell us how many you've read.
Let's Play: Conjure Your Worst Nightmare
What will haunt your dreams?
Horror novels are known for the monsters that lurk between their pages. From demonic forces haunting suburbia to the evil entity that beckons from the gutter, monsters exist to prey on our worst fears. So to keep the scares coming, we have the generator just for you. The rules are simple: Match the first letter of your first name and pair it with your birth month to summon your monster. Then match the color of the shirt you’re currently wearing to let the fright fest begin. After that, it’s up to you, dear readers. Tell us what will be haunting your dreams tonight.
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What will you be reading for Horror Week?
Let us know in the comments!
