Are you looking for a dark and delicious horror book to read this summer?
Search no more! Today I'm sharing five titles with you that deserve a spot on your summertime TBR. These are not summer-themed horror books (although many have summer-ish vibes) but are fantastic books from talented indie authors I think you should prioritize.
I'm not a big fan of seasonal reading. Leave a comment at the bottom and let me know if you like reading seasonally themed books!
*Synopsis: "One pageant, one winner, and one Queen hell-bent on snatching that crown by any means necessary. Gamble Donna Phart is a fishy little drag queen aiming to make a splash in a pool of tenacious, bloodthirsty sharks. Despite that, she’s determined to shake up the food chain at the upcoming Trick’d & Treated pageant. So when a fierce, masked killer starts slaying the competition one by one, it’s every hunty for herself. Luck be a lady-killer tonight, for there can be only one Queen."
*Read this if: you love drag, fantastic kills, and campy, horror comedy
*Synopsis: "Aboard the ship Scylla, there is no future or past. Jaq, her fickle lover Lily, and their all-female crew exist in an endless present. It's better this way. At least it keeps Lily by Jaq's side, where she belongs. But the meddling gods care little for Jaq's longing, and despite her protective rituals, their punishment arrives all the same:
A man, adrift on the open ocean. Delivered to snatch Lily from Jaq's arms forever.
Jaq knows what to do. She's lost Lily before. Her lover will return when this interloper, this distraction, is snuffed out. But Jaq's murderous schemes may not be enough. The intruder's presence infects her crew with a plague her spells cannot cure: memory. And as the women recall how they came to Scylla, their minds bend one by one towards revenge."
*Read this if: you are a fan of sapphic horror, pirates?!, ocean folklore sounds intriguing
*Synopsis: "There are places on earth that carry an air of the ethereal—an aura of malevolence that can only be felt in the breathless whisper of a passing breeze. One of these places is found along the rugged mystical coastline of Maine’s northern shores—Juneberg. Since its inception, the morbid mishaps of the city were carried on the murmurs of sailors and visitors who have seen the peculiarities up close. From people vanishing in the dead of night, as though they had been carried out to sea. To hushed utterances in the darkest corners of taverns about a nefarious Cult scheming in the underbelly of the city’s ancient tunnels.
Giovanni Divale is one such person, becoming obsessed with the town from a young age. Fate has brought him to its boundaries before, but this time the city may not be so keen on letting him leave. Will he discover the truth buried in the desolate decrepit city? Or will he become lapped up in the whirlpool of eldritch madness?"
*Read this if: you enjoy cosmic horror with a New England vibe, character-driven stories are your favorite
*Synopsis: "Mel was happy, engaged to the love of her life, planning to spend the rest of her life with him. In an instant, her entire world was completely shattered, her heart ripped to shreds. She's left to pick up the pieces, and put herself back together, but how?
Then, one night, one traumatic event, unleashes a monster from inside. A monster she can't seem to control. One she's ready to use to seek revenge on those closest to her, who destroyed her. Now, she's ready to destroy them."
*Read this if: fast-paced and bloody stories, revenge but make it spicy!
*Synopsis: "A strange woman passing through the village of Hob Glen dies a sudden and violent death, leaving something evil behind. Now young Soolie Beetch is cursed with deadly powers she can’t control and a golden-eyed child haunting her dreams. Fighting for her freedom and her life—watched by a family that is terrified of what she has become—a young girl must resort to extraordinary measures to survive.
Fast-paced, daring, and vividly written, Soolie Beetch and the Dying Light hooks the reader from page one and provides a breathtaking ride to a shocking climax."
*Read if you: enjoy fantasy/horror ups, world-building is crucial, and stories need to tug on your heartstrings
That's it for me today, book pals.
I hope one of these books hits the spot for your summer reading.
Come back and let us know which you read?
Don't forget to read indie!
-Kirsten, @thespineofmotherhood
Comments