Hello, horror fans! It’s Fright Stuff time. I know just a few weeks ago, we were talking about sci-fi/horror, but horror blends well with all sorts of genres. So, this week, I thought I’d share a few more genre-bending horror books that are all the more chilling for their explorations of magic and more.
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Bookish Goods
Gunslinger Mug by PinkTreePrintCo
Speaking of genre-bending! Here’s a classic for fans of genre mash-up horror: Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. If you love the Gunslinger, show off your fandom with this beautiful ceramic Gunslinger mug. Available in 11oz or 15oz, starting at $23+
New Releases
Why Didn’t You Just Leave, edited by Julia Rios and Nadia Bulkin
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love a good haunted house story. But, yeah, I do often find myself asking, “Why didn’t you just leave?” Which is part of why I love this short story anthology. All of these stories illustrate that escaping a haunted house is never as simple as just leaving. Don’t believe me? Read and find out.
Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols
Are you more scared of serial killers than ghosts? Check out this new horror/thriller reminiscent of The Silence of the Lambs. When a local teen is found murdered, the otherwise quiet community of Granite Harbor is turned upside down. Then, another body is found, and single parents Alex and Isabel worry their kids could be next.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
This incredible novel mixes sci-fi, fantasy, body horror, and gothic horror. Vern is seven months pregnant and is desperately trying to escape the strict religious compound where she was raised. So she flees to the forest, where she gives birth to her twins and plans to raise them far away from the outside world. But to truly escape, Vern will have to fight hard against the community that refuses to let her go, all while her body is going through inexplicable and horrifying changes.
Creatures of Passage by Morowa Yejidé
This one blends historical fiction, horror, and fantasy. Nephthys Kinwell is not your average taxi driver. Her 1967 Plymouth Belvedere has a ghost in the trunk, and when the car is summoned, Nephthys must use it to drive ill-fated passengers across the city. Aside from driving, she spends her days grieving the loss of her twin brother, who was murdered and dumped in the Anacostia River. But when her nephew shows up on her doorstep with a cryptic note about the River Man, everything changes.
As someone who tries to read across multiple genres, I love a good genre mash-up. Don’t you? Let me know some of your faves! Message me on Instagram at emandhercat to let me know. Sweet dreams, horror fans!