As it becomes more unbearable to venture out into low temperatures and the never-ending rain, it’s the perfect time to catch up on your reading list. And since that list is always growing, here are some more to add. Below is a list of books, most of which have yet to hit shelves, that I look forward to reading this holiday season.
“Horrid” by Katrina Leno
In a classic horror trope, a family moves to a new house only to find horrifying things in “Horrid” by Katrina Leno. This book doesn’t seem scary in the “traditional” sense of zombies and blood; it digs deeper. Leno explores mental illness, a mother-daughter relationship all tied together with creepy spine-tingling events. So if you need a break from something like the “Evil Dead,” read “Horrid” by Katrina Leno.
“Within These Wicked Walls” by Lauren Blackwood
Horror and romance could be one of the genre clashes ever written, and Lauren Blackwood’s “Within These Wicked Walls” plans to prove it. “Within These Wicked Walls” is set to be released on Oct. 19.
This novel has all my favorite things a black heroine, a romance and a super cool-sounding magic system — I cant wait to get my hands on it. On top of all that, “Within These Wicked Walls” is to be a fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre with Ethiopian roots — Blackwood really knows the way to my heart.
If that doesn’t excite you, then maybe knowing that the main character Andromeda is an exorcist, so you know that there must be some creepy scenes involving the dead — something any horror fan can appreciate.
“Comfort Me With Apples” by Catherynne M. Valente
“Comfort Me With Apples” by Catherynne M. Valente is expected on Oct. 26. Unlike the others, Valente’s novel doesn’t seem to include horror elements, but it does promise to be a thriller, so it deserves to be on this list. But the plot does consist of a husband doing sketchy things and an obsessive wife, so is it possible in the same world as the (great) “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn? We won’t know until Valente’s world is unleashed into the world, but for that reason alone, “Comfort Me With Apples” could be the dark, twisted realistic tale we need this season.
“Nothing But Blackened Teeth” by Cassandra Khaw
Khaw’s book is set to be released on Oct. 19, and I couldn’t be more excited. The novel explores Japanese folklore, ghosts, and a (possibly) deadly wedding. How could not read this? Khaw has other books under their name, including “Hammers on Bone” and “A Song for the Quiet,” but their talents go beyond writing. Khaw has also worked as a scriptwriter for a game company working on “Wasteland 3” and “Sunless Skies.” But from what I’ve read, “Nothing But Blackened Teeth” might make it to my classic must-read horror list.
But if you can’t wait for those books, here’s another list of books to spice up your life this holiday season. Of course, “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley and “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson are must-reads every autumn, but also be sure to pick up “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman and “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt while you at it.
Happy reading!
