It’s an excellent thing to read new genres. When readers come out of their preconceived belief about the genre of the book they should read, readers will have a much happier literary experience. I have read same genres for long time before becoming an avid proponent of getting outside of reading comfort zone. Those who don’t read YA, or don’t read Sci-Fi or romance or the classics are generally doing it out of judgement. But those who don’t read horror books are doing it out of fear.
If you’re little bit curious about dipping yourself into the scary, big world of horror literature, you should go for it. There is a lot more to the genre than creepy dolls, blood and guts. Here are some of the great horror books to get you started. Some of them are scary from mildly creepy to horrifically nightmarish. But you read them in the daylight or with trusted friend or pet in the room, you might find that this genre has plenty to offer beyond jump scares and monsters hidden under your bed.
Ghost Summer: Stories by Tananarive Due
The book is a collection of fifteen short fiction stories and a stunning novella. Ghost Summer takes us on journey through people touched by the otherworldly and the strange. Both the figurative and the literal kind of ghosts haunted the Gracetown, Florida. It’s one of the creepy horror books that is distinctive and terrifying. It would be a great jumping off point if you are not ready for slasher and gore fiction yet.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
For most of the kids, Coraline seems as a fun adventure book; and to most adults, it seems as the most terrifying story ever written on paper. The truth lies somewhere in between; and either way Coraline is one of the great horror books first timers should read. The character, Coraline, herself is such a recklessly brave little girl that you always wanted to be.
White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi
The Silver family has fled into mourning in a strange, large house on the cliffs near Dover. Lily has gone leaving behind her twins, Miranda and Eliot, and her husband, Luc. In her absence, all three feel the intense pain. But Miranda is behaving strangely to her grief. She’s eating chalk and slowly disappearing into the house. White is for Witching is a wonderful introduction to the haunted house genre.
The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani
Myriam is a brilliant lawyer and she’s ready to get back to work. She has hired a nanny, Louise, to watch her two kids. Louise is charming and musical and throws age-appropriate, incredible parties. As the family begins to depend on her for almost everything, the cracks begin to show. After reading this book you might be too freaked out to hire a babysitter ever again.
We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson
The Blackwood sisters live in an old, big house. Their most of the family is dead and other people in town stay away from them; and they like it that way for the most part. And then their cousin Charles comes to visit them. Only young Merricat saw the danger he brought. We Have Always Lived In The Castle is one of those classic horror books that manages to terrorize its readers with atmosphere alone. Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House is also one of the spookiest horror story written.
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
Stories of Emily Carroll prove that horror books can look utterly gorgeous and still scares your pants off. With nauseating plots and fairy tale-inspired artwork, this book throws strange tales of monsters, murder and love. Carroll goes beyond the level of creepiness with this beautifully morbid collection.
Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff
H.P. Lovecraft was a renowned horror story writer, known for his heart pounding scary tentacle monsters and white supremacy. This book, Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff, is a smartly written horror novel that turns Lovecraft’s fiction on its head. Blending the cosmic horror of tentacle beasts with the real life horror of life, this book is one of the creepiest horror books you should read. It’s brilliantly crafted and viscerally scary.
Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart
Genuine Fraud by Lockhart is one of those well-written horror books with psychological suspense. It follows Imogen and Julie; one is an heiress and another is a fighter. Both of them are good in adapting to the matter at hand. There are disappearances, murders, bad romances in this creepy and gripping horror-mystery book.
For another horror, try We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado.
For another horror, try Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar.
The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall is another horror on our shelves, if this one lands for you.
We have reviewed The Resurrectionist by A Rae Dunlap too, if another horror is what you are after.
We have reviewed We Are Watching by Alison Gaylin too, if another horror is what you are after.
We have reviewed Beauty in the Blood by Charlotte Carter too, if another horror is what you are after.
