Recs if you like The Reformatory...

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.

horror fiction from Black authors featuring Black characters

A selection of contemporary Southern Gothic titles exploring the decay, despair, and trauma of the reconstructed American South. Come for the palpably atmospheric settings and descriptions, stay for the literary commentary on the legacy of the South's oft-romanticized past.

As a note: I did not include the most well known writers in the genre, e.g. Truman Capote, Harper Lee, William Faulkner, etc. as the list is more focused on the resurgence of Southern Gothic in contemporary literature.

this is your reminder to read books by Black authors all month, all year, every year— not just during Black History Month. it’s crucially important to be able to diversify your reading and your bookshelves. expand your mind, your perspectives, your knowledge, and your taste. if you don’t know where to start, here are some recommendations!

the people of this town love halloween so much they celebrate it twice a year

Fiction has always been where truth hides. Across horror, thriller, literary fiction, fantasy & mystery every book on this list has something to say about power, who holds it, who destroys it, and how it reproduces itself.

Fiction stories about Haunted houses and other locations. Maybe it’s ghosts, maybe it’s cursed, maybe it’s ancient gods or creatures? All kinda of supernatural haunts and creatures attached to homes, objects, or locations.

Horror books that take place in boarding schools (or somewhere similar) for the most part. Because homework isn't bad enough already. Recommendations are always welcome!

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

I can't be the only one who want to remember all the books without jumping around in a video, right?

Combo of new and older fiction written by talented Black and African writers ranging from adult to YA to middle grade. Thriller, fantasy, literary fiction and everything in between!

Feel free to make suggestions!

Hii, everyone ♡ I am a very big fan of the booktuber @caricanread so I thought I would make a list of all the books she has read this year! ✰

recommendations welcomed

Florida books D*santis would hate for you to read

Includes books with BIPOC and/or queer authors or main characters from Florida and books related to topics being censored including history, race, migration, LGBTQIA+, climate change, the environment, etc.

List is a work in progress, please feel free to suggest additions! Non-fiction and fiction welcome.

aka most of the horror I read. Titles on this list are low on gore, body horror, or anything else you'd consider "scary" in the traditional sense. Instead, they focus on atmosphere and eerie vibes to create a horror experience that doesn't need to be shocking to be effective.