As a huge horror movie fan and big reader it is shocking to myself even that I don’t often go for or enjoy horror novels. I think this is due largely to the specific types of horror novels that are very popular at the moment/more prevalent in book discussion circles. There is a definite preference for paranormal/supernatural horror in the book community, especially on TikTok where I usually go for recs, but I am not often impressed by these types of novels and find a lot of them to be cliche or heavily reliant on tropes.
I am looking for recommendations that are similar to the types of horror movies I love – grittier, realistic or at least somewhat grounded, disturbing, unique and unpredictable. I love films that are heavy, dark and upsetting, though I am not apposed to a little brevity or dark humour. Examples of films I love include Hereditary (yes this is paranormal but a lot of the horror in it is very human), Climax, American Mary, Inside, Resurrection, Excision. I also prefer stories told from a female/non male perspective.
Some horror novels I have loved are Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, House of Leaves, Haunted and The Summer I Died (not sure if I ‘loved’ this one but I enjoyed it). I recently read The Only Good Indians and Troop and while there were elements in both that I loved (the gore, the characters/character studies) they also both fell extremely flat in other ways.
Horror novels I did not enjoy include A Head Full of Ghosts, Mary: An Awakening of Terror and Tender is the Flesh.
Apologies if this is a bit all over the place! I tend to have very specific tastes but am also open to most things. And thanks in advance for suggestions 🙂
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by chippychippy99