Tis the season of Terror!
Helloooo!
A few days until Halloween and I’ve a few more reviews up my sleeve but today let’s have a few recommendations for you that over the past twelve months I definitely think are suitable reads for Halloween!
For smart intelligent horror all seen via a child’s view of the world then - Where the Dead Brides Gather by Nuzo Onoh https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2024/11/10/where-the-dead-brides-gather-by-nuzo-onoh
A fascinating beautifully told but menacing set of linked tales awaits in The Hotel by Daisy Johnson
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2024/11/16/the-hotel-by-daisy-johnson
The theme of sickness creates a series of troubling tales in Cheer the Sick by Verity Holloway
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2024/11/23/cheer-the-sick-by-verity-holloway
Strange occult horror awaits in The Stones of Landane by Catherine Cavendish
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/1/12/the-stones-of-landane-by-catherine-cavendish
The monster or the family history which is scarier here? The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/1/14/the-bog-wife-by-kay-chronister
Very smart recent history gets used to great effect in the excellent Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/1/16/witchcraft-for-wayward-girls-by-grady-hendrix
Horror that uses the form of letter is usually Bury Me Cold and More Last Words by Jacob Steven Mohr
A simple nature walk goes brilliantly horribly wrong in The Wilding by Ian MacDonald
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/1/31/the-wilding-by-ian-mcdonald
The Sourdough Novels have a huge crossover that also brings the Leech Lords to us with The Crimson Road by AG Slatter
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/2/13/the-crimson-road-by-ag-slatter
More human wickedness but delivered so well you may have torn loyalties awaits in Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/2/14/victorian-psycho
Much weird strangeness from ghosts to eaters of flesh awaits in The Crowd by CM Rosens
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/2/22/the-crows-by-cm-rosens
Wonderfully strange buestoful tales await in All The Fabulous Beasts by Priya Sharma
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/3/2/all-the-fabulous-beasts-by-priya-sharma
One of the best reads of the year which hits hard and is just a gorgeous read that everyone should read is All The Hearts You Eat by Hailey Piper
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/3/7/all-the-hearts-you-eat-by-hailey-piper
A very fine selection of short fiction awaits in Elemental For es edited by Mark Morris
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/4/1/elemental-forces-edited-by-mark-morris
I really liked this tale of folk horror and family secrets in The Corpse Road by Sean Hogan
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/4/2/the-corpse-road-by-sean-hogan
Very unsettling tales await in Tales Nocturnal by Tim Foley
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/4/5/tales-nocturnal-by-tim-foley
Another great read of my year was this tale of revenge, friendship and dark powers House of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/4/26/house-of-bone-and-rain-by-gabino-iglesias
Another stunning read of the year mixing a classic tale with exploration of how human monsters form and work is Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/6/12/sour-cherry-by-natalia-theodoridou
The gothic is used very powerfully in The Needfire by MK Hardy which has a great 21st century spin on the events
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/7/31/the-needfire-by-m-k-hardy
Another standout read is The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/8/11/the-buffalo-hunter-hunter-by-stephen-graham-jones
A very smart horror story sung the styles and history of horror to create a tale that explores things more globally is The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno—Garcia
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/9/5/the-bewitching-by-silvia-moreno-garcia
The best horror anthology of the year explores the power of our pasts and you must read Roots of My Fears edited by Gemma Amor
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/9/11/roots-of-my-fears-edited-by-gemma-amor
A very interesting feminist spin on the classic tale awaits The Other Frankenstein by Melissa F Olson
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/9/12/the-other-frankenstein-by-melissa-f-olson
A great variety of tales to enjoy was A Graveside Gallery - Tales of Ghosts and Dark Matters by Eric J Guignard
And really dark tales await appropriately in Drowning In The Dark And Other Stories by Matt Tighe
We also get the excellent modern gothic in the fascinating The Cold House by AG Slatter
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/10/17/the-cold-house-by-ag-slatter
Another excellent anthology of the year refreshes the Haunted House with Unquiet Guests edited by Dan Coxon
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/10/24/unquiet-guests-edited-by-dan-coxon
And just out yesterday is this sound based horror that really work well The Sound of The Dark by Daniel Church
https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/10/28/the-sound-of-the-dark-by-daniel-church
