Ep 239: Horror for Beginners

It's October! I'm joined on this episode by my friend and co-host of the Currently Reading podcast Meredith Monday Schwartz, to talk about why we read (and love) books in the horror genre and to give you a pile of recommendations for this spooky season.

This is a conversation for longtime horror readers AND for those who are horror-curious. We cover everything from why escaping into scary stories HELPS our anxiety (yes, really), to how we believe horror books are often tackling some of the most important cultural topics.

Follow Meredith Monday Schwartz on IG

Listen to the Currently Reading podcast

Sign up for the Currently Reading Patreon to get the All The Things Murderful series

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

JOIN SECRET STUFF by Laura Tremaine

Laura’s Spooky Books:

• We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• The Need by Helen Phillips
• How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix (Mutual pick for Laura and Meredith)

Meredith’s Spooky Books:

• Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
• We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
• I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

Scary Story Beginnings:

• Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene
• The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson
• Stephen King
• Christopher Pike
• VC Andrews
• My Sweet Audrina by V.C. Andrews

Horror Books Laura Always Talks About:

• Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
• The Passage by Justin Cronin
• The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
• Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Meredith’s Rurther Reading Recs:

• Devolution by Max Brooks
• FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven
• The Troop by Nick Cutter
• Amazon Original Stories Creature Feature Collection

Laura’s TBR recs:

• The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
• The House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

Books Also Mentioned:

• I’ll be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (The scariest book Meredith has ever read)
• The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard
• The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
• Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
• The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
• The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
• Sandwich by Catherine Newman
• 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered by Sadie Hartmann

Also Mentioned:

• Talking Scared Podcast
• Episode 222: Stephen King Starter Kit Part II (What To Read + What To Skip)
• Storygraph (for tracking books and checking trigger warnings)
• Sadie Hartmann @mother.horror on Instagram

SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode!

CLICK HERE for episode show notes

FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram

FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook

JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group

SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes

JOIN the Secret Stuff Patreon

BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine

BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.