A Horror of Reading:

Perhaps I’m biased because it’s one of my favorite genres, but I feel like horror is having a moment. It is often disregarded as shocking or gruesome, but horror offers a complex reflection of societal and cultural anxieties. It’s through this reflection that horror fiction can so effectively spotlight the experiences of under-represented groups and tackle social issues. Here are some recent horror releases to delve into this fall:

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
Historical horror allows for a unique reckoning with history’s atrocities. Jones examines the massacre of Blackfeet Indians in the American West, when a professor discovers the 1912 diary of a Lutheran pastor, containing interviews with a Blackfoot man who claims to be a vampire.

Molka by Monika Kim
Dahye, swept up in a whirlwind romance with a K-Pop executive, doesn’t yet know her coworker Junyoung is recording the women in the office through illegal spy cams. When the punishment hardly seems proportionate to the anguish of the victims, revenge might be the best option.

Model Home by Rivers Solomon
Can a McMansion be haunted? The Maxwell siblings return to their childhood home after their parents’ mysterious deaths. Growing up as the only Black family in their gated community, they were plagued by strange occurrences. The siblings must confront whether those incidents were supernatural or something more sinister.

Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle
When studio executives demand that TV writer Misha kill off the lead characters of his show due to their sexuality, he refuses to capitulate. What ensues is a visceral, fast-paced romp through the dark side of Hollywood where Misha finds himself confronting monsters of his own creation.

Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature edited by Becky Siegel Spratford
Hear from some of the best voices in horror as they share their love for the genre. Readers’ Advisory Librarian Becky Siegel Spratford introduces each author and recommends the best entry point for their catalogue. It’s a must-read for horror fans and those just getting into the genre.

Emily is an Instructor & Research Specialist at HCLS Central Branch. When she’s not reading, she enjoys puzzling, listening to music, and re-watching old seasons of Survivor.