“Quinn Maybrook just wants to make it until graduation. She might not make it to morning.”
When I first heard about Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare, I had two immediate thoughts: 1) this book is going to be terrifying, and 2) I absolutely had to read it. Needless to say, I was over the moon when I received an early digital copy, and friends, it did not disappoint.
“The stories of Inglewell, like the tellers, are hybrids of tales from distant woods and forests.”
You’d think a story with such a bright, sunny setting wouldn’t be dark and gloomy, but that isn’t the case with Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings. Instead, this book is full of haunting stories, shattered memories, and family secrets that were buried deep for a reason.
Isn’t the cover of this graphic novel beautiful? As soon as I saw it I knew I had to read it. But friends, don’t be like me and assume a pretty cover means a nice, carefree story, because Ever After by Olivia Vieweg is the total opposite. In this story, the main character Vivi is trying to escape not only zombies, but the ghosts of her past as well.
“How to keep a fire burning. How to stitch a fight up until it’s only a scar. That’s the kind of thing you learn with a mother like mine. Mostly, though, you learn how to be loved without any proof.”
I finished reading Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power just over one week ago, and after screaming into the void because OMG, IT’S JUST SO GOOD (!!!), I am finally ready to write actual words about how truly wonderful this book is.
“A chilling collection of classic weird and supernatural tales from the dark heart of American literature.”
As soon as I saw the description for American Midnight: Tales of the Dark, I knew I had to read it. This collection of short stories is edited by Laird Hunt, and contains eerie stories all by American authors. Some were classic titles I instantly recognized, and others were new to me, but all of them gave me chills and kept me up at night.
Librarians, out of body experiences triggered by sleep paralysis, and strange vampire-like monsters? Out of Body by Jeffrey Ford had everything I wanted and more. Like many novellas from Tor, this one packs so much into so few pages.
If you’re looking for some quick reads to add to your TBR, manga are always a great choice. They’re easy to read and have beautiful illustrations! Fans of horror and science fiction should check out The Promised Neverland by Kaiu Shirai. This story goes from zero to 100 very quickly, and will have you rushing to get your hands on the next volume.
“I woke to find her lying next to me, quite dead, with her throat torn out.”
I read that first line in Prosper’s Demon, by K.J. Parker, and knew right away that I was in for a wild ride. Horror stories aren’t for everyone, but if you’re in the market for a creepy book, be sure to grab a copy of this little novella as soon as you can.
“You don’t need flickering lights or doors slamming shut, the parlor tricks of a poltergeist, to be haunted. The true ghosts are made of deed and word and live deep inside the marrow and bone.”
If you need an eerie book to curl up with on a cold winter night, filled with unreliable narrators and lots of flashbacks, check out The Dead Girls Club.
“Do you want to know where Lucy went? She went to play the game. You can play, too. Find a partner. Find a key. Find the road. You have two days.”
What would you do if your entire school received the same ominous text message? I’d probably go home and hide in my room until people stopped talking about it, but the characters in Rules for Vanishing aren’t afraid of much, and decide to play this eerie game.
