Recs if you like Carrying...

are you sick of being recommended stephen king when you ask for a horror novel? have you picked up a book expected to be scared, but the scariest thing about it was a woman being needlessly tormented and gaslit? have you read 4627473 books about a man in a haunted house and need something different?

if so, this list is for you :)

a masterlist of horror by anyone who isn't a straight cis white man, started in 2022 and brought to pb in 2026.

an oddly specific trend i’ve noticed, mostly in genres like horror, weird girl, feminine rage, etc. (but there are some others here, too).

Horror books to read just for the aesthetic

Every single Aardvark Book Club book pick since its inception. Updated monthly!

Social commentary under patriarchy

All sorts of stories about all sorts of women. Mostly litfic, some horror.

books who have the same style of covers; featuring bright hot or neon pink🩷 with neon yellow💛!

sadly, the default pagebound editions might not be the correct ones so you’ll have to look through the available editions. pagebound please let us choose</3

open to recs!

"Weird girl literature" featuring themes around pregnancy or motherhood

💜 yarnandbooks

Pregnancy and motherhood horror

All the 2026 Aardvark book club picks

One of my special interests is my book calendar...and I see no reason everyone else shouldn't benefit from my obsessing over upcoming books! Made up of a combination of books I've read early (and therefore KNOW are excellent) and ones I'm just plain excited for! Skewing diverse and/or less conventional, Adult with very occasional YA. I will update this constantly, but if you want weekly updates on new releases, check my blog (link in profile). Suggestions welcome but may not always be utilised!

"Weird girl literature" by trans authors and/or featuring trans experiences

💜 yarnandbooks

Books with insides as sexy as their outsides! Or like literary merit and all that.

From the New York Public Library. This is their adult fiction horror list for 2026

dive into the sea of nuanced, unconventional modern literature with these attractive covers! featuring flawed, unlikeable characters and disturbing, uncomfortable topics, these books will absolutely leave you in some serious rumination.. mainly litfic, but all genres are welcome!

The Center of Fiction’s longlist for the first novel prize. 180 submissions narrowed to 19. Winner announced December 8th 2026

they’re unforgettable

Books that take place in California

This is one of a few lists I'm making to help me organize my ideas for HRCYED 3.0. Feel free to take inspiration or comment with more ideas.