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The Reformatory: A Novel
Tananarive Due
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A New York Times Notable Book
“You’re in for a treat. The Reformatory is one of those books you can’t put down. Tananarive Due hit it out of the park.” —Stephen King
A gripping, page-turning novel set in Jim Crow Florida that follows Robert Stephens Jr. as he’s sent to a segregated reform school that is a chamber of terrors where he sees the horrors of racism and injustice, for the living, and the dead.
Gracetown, Florida
June 1950
Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory.
Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it’s too late.
The Reformatory is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only American Book Award–winning author Tananarive Due could, by piecing together the life of the relative her family never spoke of and bringing his tragedy and those of so many others at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to the light in this riveting novel.
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Posts about this title from Celestial
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Mar 27
spooky, crumbling, eerie, haunted buildings? LET’S GO.
spooky, crumbling, eerie, haunted buildings? LET’S GO.
📚 books mentioned: - Infested by Angel Luis Colón - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
👗💄: - dress is from Hill House Home, rented from Nuuly - eyeshadow is Ellis Atlantis Palette from Blend Bunny Cosmetics - eyeshadow shimmer is Mirage from Ourbella Cosmetics - mascara is Cloud Mascara from Sweed Beauty - lip combo is Suede Matte Lip Liner (Moonwalk) from NYX Cosmetics and Magic Drip Lip Gloss (Virtual BFF) from Half Magic - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to MTV Books / Simon Teen and Saga Press for the gifted copies!
#horrorbooks #disturbingbooks #scarybooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @simonteen @mtvbooks @delreybooks @sagapressbooks @hillhouse @dandylionsco
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horror books • spooky books • disturbing books • haunted house books • gothic books •spooky building books • horror trope books • horror book recommendations • diverse books • Del Rey
3 books
💭 what was your favorite horror read from last year?
💭 what was your favorite horror read from last year?
if you’re wondering if it was hard to narrow these down, i initially tried to do a top 3. and then a top 5. and failed both times, so now we’re at a top 6 and even then i wanted to include more! it’s been a great few years for horror books.
📚 books mentioned: - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due - You Weren’t Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White - The Children by Melissa Albert - Mexican Gothic bu Silvia Moreno-Garcia - Model Home by Rivers Solomon
👗💄: - eyeshadow is The Crawl Face & Eye Multi-Palette from Covergirl and The Lord of the Rings Middle-Earth Palette from Glamlite - shimmer is Lucid Dream from Ourbella - lip combo is Lip Lingerie Liner Stain (Up To No Good) from NYX Cosmetics and 3D Volumizing Lip Gloss (Cherry Cola) from Fwee - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Saga Press and William Morrow for the gifted copies!
#horrorbooks #horrorbookrecs #besthorrorbooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @sagapressbooks @williammorrowbooks @delreybooks @mcdbooks @covergirl @glamlite @ourbella.us @nyxcosmetics @fwee_makeup
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horror book recommendations • best horror books of 2025 • favorite horror books • mystery and thriller books • horror book recs • diverse books • diverse horror reads • Saga Press • William Morrow • Del Rey • MCD
6 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 11 2025
11/11 is 👹STEPH DAY 👹!!
📚 books mentioned: - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar - Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei - The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez - You Weren’t Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White - The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko - Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - The Coven Tendency by Zoe Hana Mikuta - Model Home by Rivers Solomon - Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due - These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa
👗💄: - dress is from Chelsea Reece - eyeshadow is Mírame Eyeshadow Palette from Aora - duochrome eyeshadow is from Ourbella - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Tordotcom, MIRA Books/HTP Hive, Get Underlined, Flatiron, Tor Books, Saga Press, and Disney Hyperion for the gifted copies!
#fantasybooks #horrorbooks #scifibooks #bookrecs #birthdaybooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #FlatironPartner #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #TorPartner #FlatironPartner #GetUnderlinedPartner #HTPHivePartner @tordotcompub @readmirabooks @htp_hive @getunderlined @flatiron_books @torbooks @sagapressbooks @abramsbooks @aaknopf @disneybooks @mcdbooks @groveatlantic @bychelseareece @aoramakeup @ourbella_cosmetics
14 books
5
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Oct 1 2025
horror books that you NEED TO READ.
horror books that you NEED TO READ THIS SPOOKY SEASON!!! 📚 books mentioned: - You Weren’t Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White - Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
👗💄: - dress is from @freepeople, rented from @nuuly - eyeliner is waterproof eyeliner (maroon) from @personacosmetics - eyeshadow is brilliant eye brightener from @thrivecausemetics - shimmer is magical guardians palette from @yvaexpressions - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Saga Press and MIRA Books/HTP Hive for the gifted copies!
#horrorbooks #horrorbookrecs #horrorbookreviews #besthorrorbooks #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #htphive #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram @sagapressbooks @htp_hive @readmirabooks @htpbooks
4 books
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 26 2025
you’d better be reading these 5 horror books this summer!!
you’d better be reading these 5 horror books this summer!!
📚 books mentioned: - Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due - I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea - The Coven Tendency by Zoe Hana Mikuta (Disney Hyperion) - Model Home by Rivers Solomon
thank you to The Hive/MIRA Books, Saga Press, and Disney Hyperion for the gifted copies!
#horrorbooks #horrorbookrecs #horrorbookreview #besthorrorbooks #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #nycbookstagram @htp_hive @readmirabooks @sagapressbooks @henryholtbooks @fiercereads @disneybooks @mcdbooks
5 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Apr 5 2025
hauntingly real supernatural historical horror that you NEED TO READ!!
hauntingly real supernatural historical horror that you NEED TO READ!!
📚 books mentioned: - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
thank you so much to Saga for gifting me these review copies! @sagapressbooks
#horrorbooks #historicalhorror #horrorbookrecs #horrorbookreviews #SagaSaysCrew #sagasays #sagapressbooks #bookrecommendations #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram #diversebooks
2 books
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Mar 17 2025
Women in Horror (60 recs!) | recording & thank you
24 books
2
Posts about this book from across Bindery
Bee's Books\ \ Bailee Russo\ \ • Jun 26
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15 books
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Children of Diaspora\ \ Rae the Reviewer\ \ • Jun 8
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40+ Books to Celebrate the World Cup!
What team are you rooting for?
Thank you so much @librosmeansbooks for helping me put this list together. We’ve been gushing about the friendlies and upcoming matches and the World Cup overall since @booknetfest and I’m super excited for the real action to begin ⚽️ 🥅
Please let me know any other books from these countries that you loved in the comments, there are so many on this list that I hadn’t even heard of before that have peaked my interest
#worldcup #booklist #readingrecommendations #bookstagram #readtheworld
18 books
3
Bee's Books\ \ Bailee Russo\ \ • Jun 1
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Some unique books for your TBR stack #weirdlit #weirdbooks #uniquebooks #bookrecs #lgbtbooks
Some unique books for your TBR stack #weirdlit #weirdbooks #uniquebooks #bookrecs #lgbtbooks
7 books
1
ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • May 8
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\ \ Welcome back to another Author Interview! Today I am joined by Haley Newlin, author of T ake Your Turn Teddy, Not Another Sarah Halls , and The Film You Are About To See.\ \ \ \ 1. I always use this first question as an introduction. Tell us as much or as little about yourself as you would like!\ \
I grew up on the theatrical terror of William Castle's gimmicks and Vincent Price films — both of which have heavily influenced my work. I have published three novels, including Take Your Turn, Teddy, and my latest release, The Film You Are About To See which was featured on the 2025 Bram Stoker Reading List. I have written several short stories, including "The Butcher on Blue Jay Way," featured in Kandisha Press's SLASH-HER: An Anthology of Women in Horror, and a story in Nick Roberts’s forthcoming Haunted Minds: Tales of Possession anthology. \ \ I am the managing editor for Cemetery Dance Magazine. When I’m not writing, I’m watching black-and-white horror films or reading horror books. I live in Indiana with my boyfriend and three dogs.\ \ 2. I just saw the amazing news that you are the new Managing Editor for Cemetery Dance Magazine. That is so exciting. Care to tell us a little about what all that will entail?\ \ Thank you! I’m really excited about this new role. I’ve written for Cemetery Dance Magazine for about five years, mostly book reviews and author interviews. The managing editor curates this content, edits it, and publishes it. \ \ I’m excited to work on the next print magazine release.\ \ 3. You currently have three books out. Do you have a favorite that you have written? Was there one that was harder to write than the others? One you have more of a personal connection to?\ \ The Film You Are About To See is definitely my favorite. When I treat myself to some me time, I’m always watching an old horror flick like The Tingler(1959), House On Haunted Hill(1959), or Cat People(1942). \ \ I’ve always really loved Vincent Price and William Castle and have dreamed of seeing one of their films at the drive-in, my favorite place to watch horror movies. Then, I got to thinking about if I could host my own dusk til dawn night at the drive-in, what kind of movies would I show? How could I bring William Castle’s theatrical gimmicks to the drive-in setting? And the result -- The Film You Are About To See. \ \ I still can’t believe I got to write a book like The Film You Are About To See. It was just a blast. And the best part has been readers going and watching some of the films included on the marquee. I love nothing more than a tag on Instagram and someone shares that they read The Film You Are About To See and are watching Shock (1946), Vincent Price’s first starring role, or The Tingler, for the very first time. \ \ Take Your Turn, Teddy was the most difficult book to write, and maybe that’s because it is the most personal. \ \ For a while, I said that Take Your Turn, Teddy broke my brain. This story came together about a young boy who lives in an abusive home situation, and when he and his mother flee to a house in Indiana, he befriends a dark entity. \ \ In my childhood and teen years, most days just felt like survival. I didn’t feel that there was a lot of consistency in my life aside from abandonment, disappointment, and isolation. This is the type of narrative the shadow feeds to Teddy. He comes to believe the bad is his only constant. \ \ So, basically, I’d written some personal elements into what this road looks like for Teddy. Which, eventually, was cathartic. At first, it was grueling. Like pulling teeth. I’d leave the writing desk just feeling gutted and utterly exposed. But for some reason, I pushed through and kept writing. \ \ I’m glad I did.\ \ 4. Are you working on any new projects at the moment?\ \ Too many! I am a firm believer in working on one project at a time. I want all of my creativity and ideas to channel into one project. But, my current project calendar has me working on a screenplay and two short stories, simultaneously, so it’s been an adjustment for sure. \ \ I begin drafting my next novel in June. I won’t say too much but it sort of feels like a sister novel to Take Your Turn, Teddy. It’s bleak and set in rural Indiana during the 1940s.\ \ 5. I know you are a HUGE Vincent Price fan. What are your top three Vincent Price movies?\ \ I never get tired of answering questions like this! \ \ I really prefer Vincent Price’s films prior to the 1960s, but there is one exception and it’s first on my list. \ \
- Diary of a Madman (1963) \ \
- The Tingler (1959) \ \
- House of Wax(1953)\ \ 6. Do you have any writing rituals or routines that help you get in the writing zone?\ \ I like to start each writing session by listing out a few things I’m most excited about within the project. Maybe it’s the setting, like 1959 at a dusk til dawn Spooktacular, hosted by the local drive-in (as in The Film You Are About To See), or a new piece of research I stumbled upon. Sometimes just being reminded of the passion and taking a moment to reconnect to it, makes a blank page less intimidating.\ \ 7. What have been your top 2026 horror book releases?\ \ I can’t stop recommending The Curse of Hester Gardens by Tamika Thompson and I’ll Watch Your Baby by Neena Viel. \ \ The Curse of Hester Gardens should be studied on college campuses. It’s a story about poverty, gun violence, familial bonds, curses and ghosts. It’s an unshakable and incredibly emotional read. \ \ I’ll Watch Your Baby by Neena Viel (May 26, 2026) is inspired by Linda Taylor, known as the original Welfare Queen, who Ronald Reagan caricatured as the ultimate cheat of the system and by extension, the American people. I recommend going into this somewhat blind. The supernatural element and secondary POV come together so powerfully. \ \ It’s about generational and historical trauma, oppression, and the power of friendship. \ \ It’s quite visceral, terrifying, and unforgettable.\ \ 8. Some of your favorite backlist titles?\ \ My favorite read of 2025 was Tananarive Due’s The Reformatory. I think everyone should read this book. It’s just brilliant. I’m actually currently reading a book recommended to fans of The Reformatory, called Burn Down Master’s House by Clay Cane. It will absolutely make it on my list of top reads of the year. I can’t put it down. \ \ I also really enjoyed The Possession of Alba Diaz by Isabel Canas. It has one of the most memorable endings I’ve ever read. I wanted to leap from my seat and yell “GOOD FOR HER!” \ \ A favorite nonfiction read that I can’t recommend enough is Scream With Me: Horror Films and the Rise of American Feminism by Eleanor Johnson. It totally changed how I see adaptations of horror books like The Shining and The Exorcist.\ \ 9. Being an indie author yourself, who are some of your favorite indie horror authors/books?\ \ I love the Paisley Mott series by Kalvin Ellis, Squirming All The Way Up by Joey Powell, The Long Low Whistle by Laurel Hightower (my scariest read of 2025), and you can’t go wrong with anything from Viggy Parr Hampton, Spencer Hamilton, Briana Morgan, or RJ Joseph.\ \ 10. What horror movies have you been watching lately/are on your radar?\ \ After reading Your Favorite Scary Movie: by Ashley Cullins, I am looking forward to seeing Scream 7 once it hits streaming. I had no idea that the original screenwriter, Kevin Williamson, directed it. He’s been through so much with this franchise and the woes of Hollywood, that I was really excited to hear that he’s back. He always wanted Scream to have a queer director, he said he just never would’ve thought that it would be himself. \ \ I’m rewatching the whole franchise. I’m currently on the second film, which I’m realizing is a lot better than people give it credit for.\ \ Use the space below to add anything else you want to say in! Such as website, social media handles, etc…\ \ I love connecting with horror fans! I’m most active on Instagram and TikTok - @haleynewlin_author \ \ You can also find me on my website - haleynewlinauthor.com\ \ Join for free or login](https://ashreadshorror.binderybooks.com/item/39YvCPe9U648szUThS9B/)
AUTHOR INTERVIEW: HALEY NEWLIN
15 books
Boozhoo Books\ \ Naomi\ \ • Apr 28
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Win A Copy of The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
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ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • Apr 17
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\ \ I'm bringing author interviews back on Bindery! Today I'm joined by the amazing Annie Neugebauer. Neugebauer is the author of several horror books that we will be talking about today!\ \ \ \ I have read both The Extra and The Other and loved them! I will definitely be checking out You Have To Let Them Bleed.\ \ Let's Dive into the interview!\ \ 1. I love to use this first question as an introduction. Feel free to tell us as much or as little as you want about yourself!\ \
Hi! Right now most people know me as the author of The Extra, a novella from Shortwave that has expanded into The Outsiders Sequence, a shared-universe sequence of novellas consisting of The Extra, The Other (this June), and The Spare (next March). I’m also the author of You Have to Let Them Bleed, a short story collection that’s out now. I’m also a poet, blogger, and novelist.\ \ 2.When did you first start writing? Was it always horror or did you write genres as well?\ \ I’ve always been writing, even as a young child, but I began pursuing it seriously when I graduated from college in 2007. I’ve written many novels, but I’ve built my way toward publication with poems and short stories. I love writing in many genres, but I’d say horror is my home base. I’ve been drawn to the dark side for as long as I can remember.\ \ 3. @blankets_books from instagram/bindery would like to know What was your inspiration behind The Extra? Any books or media that helped influence the book?\ \ The Extra wasn’t directly influenced by any other media, believe it or not. I had not yet even seen The Thing, its most common comparison. (I have now; it’s stellar!) The idea of an extra person came to me organically, and the protagonist and situation were inspired by my husband’s former job.\ \ 4.Do you go camping and hiking? If so, what has been your favorite trail/campground?\ \ I love camping and hiking! I’m never happier than when I’m outside somewhere beautiful. Camping in the San Juan Mountains in Colorado is by far my favorite area to return to. I’ve also had beautiful experiences in Austria, Hawaii, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Minnesota. One of my most memorable hikes was the Glacier Gorge trail (9 miles) in the Rocky Mountain National Park.\ \ 5. You also have a short story collection called You Have to Let Them Bleed that released in March. Care to tell us a little more about that one? Do you have a favorite story from it?\ \ You Have to Let Them Bleed brings together some of my most successful short fiction from almost two decades of publishing stories. It’s framed by a “collector” who’s gathering shadowlings and sorting them by color. Probably the most well-known story is “So Sings the Siren.” I don’t have a favorite per say, but I’m really proud of and excited about the original in the collection, “The Baby.” It’s just wackadoo in the best way. Folks are loving it.\ \ 6. What can you tell us about The Spare (releasing 3/9/27), the third book in The Outsiders Sequence? \ \ The Spare takes place in the Texas Panhandle at a family camping reunion. As with each of these novellas, the less you know about it going in, the more enjoyable the actual read is. I will say that it, like The Other, is not a direct continuation of storyline and characters from the first two books, but it does bring in elements from each in a way that makes them all most satisfying when read in order. It shares the same tense vibes and unsettling concepts as the first two.\ \ 7. Do you have any writing routines or rituals that help you write?\ \ I wish! I prefer to write at home in a quiet setting, no music or background noise, with my computer setup that includes a special mouse that helps my wrists/shoulder. Other than that, I write when I can through the hecticness of parenting and working. Weekends, evenings, mini-trips, nap times, days off, whatever I can pack in.\ \ 8.What have been your top three 2026 horror releases? Movies?\ \ I don’t know that I’ve read any 2026 releases so far this year. I’m a backlist reader for sure. My most recent favorites are all at least from last year: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones, and Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker. Movies are the same way. Recent favorites were Sinners and Weapons.\ \ 9. What are a few of your favorite backlist horror books?\ \ Kind of working my way back from when I read them: Nestlings by Nat Cassidy, We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, the whole Cal Hooper trilogy by Tana French, The Reformatory by Tananarive Due, Mister Magic by Kiersten White, and then I get so far back everyone probably knows them all. (At this phase in my life, the only time I’m on top of a trend is if I’m lucky enough to set one.)\ \ 10. Any upcoming horror books you're excited about? Movies?\ \ I love Paul Tremblay and hate A.I., so I’m really looking forward to Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep, and Rachel Harrison’s Kiss Slay Replay sounds super fun. I’m even further behind the curve on movies than I am on books, so I usually wait until something is so good that my close friends literally force me to watch it. (It’s not cool, but it’s a pretty effective screening process.) I’m cautiously optimistic about two of my favorite scary books being adapted for film: Josh Malerman's Incidents Around the House and Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts. I have that book-lover’s fear of a movie not doing my mind’s vision of a beloved book justice.\ \ Use the space below to add in anything else you'd like to say! \ \ I have a couple of really big pieces of news coming any day now, so be sure to follow me online @AnnieNeugebauer and subscribe to my blog newsletter here https://annieneugebauer.com/subscribe/ to get the good stuff. :)\ \ Special thanks again to Annie Neugebauer for the opportunity to interview her! All books mentioned here can be found below. If you have not read any of Annie's works, be sure to pick up The Extra (out now) and pre-order The Other (June).\ \ Join for free or login](https://ashreadshorror.binderybooks.com/item/Gk3QQWupgqWgsqwYTC7E/)
Author Interview: Annie Neugebauer
15 books
3
Thought Daughters HQ\ \ Sabrina\ \ • Apr 12
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You’re anti-Black if you don’t swipe till the end. I don’t make the rules but I do enforce them.
The Sinners hype won't die until we get more Black movies that aren't made by Tyler Perry.
7 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Mar 27
spooky, crumbling, eerie, haunted buildings? LET’S GO.
spooky, crumbling, eerie, haunted buildings? LET’S GO.
📚 books mentioned: - Infested by Angel Luis Colón - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
thank you to MTV Books / Simon Teen and Saga Press for the gifted copies!
#horrorbooks #disturbingbooks #scarybooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @simonteen @mtvbooks @delreybooks @sagapressbooks @hillhouse @dandylionsco
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3 books
ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • Feb 22
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👻 some haunting tales to fill your tbr 👻 \ \ These tales will haunt you with haunted houses and ghos
👻 some haunting tales to fill your tbr 👻
These tales will haunt you with haunted houses and ghosts a plenty.
#horrorbooks horrorbooksta #horror
18 books
💭 what was your favorite horror read from last year?
💭 what was your favorite horror read from last year?
thank you to Saga Press and William Morrow for the gifted copies!
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6 books
ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • Jan 6
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\ \ I kicked off this year reading the fantastic Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature edited by Becky Siegel Spratford.\ \ You can find my review HERE, but I wanted to take this space to dive a little further on my own personal Horror journey.\ \ I'm often asked "What's the scariest book you've ever read?" And this is a very valid question. But it's also a loaded question as well, because what is scary to me may not be scary to you. This is because horror is subjective.\ \ What scares me? I think what gets under my skin the most is bleak horror. When there's no hope. One book that does this well is The Ruins by Scott Smith. It's a survival horror about four friends that take a vacation to Mexico and wind up getting stuck in some ancient ruins. One by one the characters are picked off, with hope dwindling with each life lost. While the characters annoyed me in this book, the hopelessness really got to me.\ \ Where did my love for Horror start? Let's take a journey into the past. As stated in my Instagram post, watching my dad play Resident Evil One really stuck with me as a kid. The scene with the giant snake truly traumatized little me. Looking back on it now, it makes me laugh. Everything was so cringy. The graphics weren't great and the dialogue was corny. But its a classic for a reason and I still love it dearly. "You were almost a Jill Sandwich!"\ \ Another instance was when I was flipping through the channels, looking for something to watch. Stephen King's IT was on television. My young, innocent mind believed that someone would truly make a movie involving kids playing Tag Your It...So you best believe I was in shock when I see a clown holding balloons, inviting children to float. Then blood spewing out of the sink all over Beverly's bathroom. You best believe I hit the guide button on that TV remote and figured out that it was rated R. I ran to my room in terror as my mom laughed at me. And yes Child's Play did the same thing to me too. Who knew a movie involving a doll was actually a slasher in disguise.\ \ So what made me stop being such a scaredy cat? Honestly, I think playing Resident Evil 4 made me start appreciating horror more. I slowly started building myself up, until I could handle movies like Sinister (WHICH PHEW terrified me a lot). Final Destination also terrified me. To think that near death experiences had become a death sentence had me on the edge of my seat. And death definitely gets creative when taking back what it's owed.\ \ I love chasing that rush I feel when watching something scary. I love looking in the background for something subtly creepy (i.e. Haunting of Hill House ghosts in the background). I feeling my heart race as I wait for the jump-scare to pop up on the screen, or the fake out to cue the scare when I least expect it.\ \ So what books got me into reading horror?\ \ Well of course Stephen King kick started me. Now you may think I'm going to mention The Shining. While that is a FANTASTIC book of his and an all time favorite, Misery was one of my first and favorite works.\ \ When I joined bookstagram, my world was opened to all kinds of horror novels. I never knew so many horror books/authors existed.\ \ Some of the wonderful books I've discovered and will forever recommend are as follows:\ \ Come Closer by Sara Gran\ \ The Reformatory by Tananarive Due\ \ Below by Laurel Hightower\ \ I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid\ \ Mary by Nat Cassidy\ \ Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven\ \ Bat Eater and Other Names by Cora Zeng\ \ Night Film by Marisha Pessl\ \ We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer\ \ Slewfoot by Brom\ \ The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher\ \ Eynhallow by Tim McGregor\ \ ...and so many more books!\ \ I love that Horror has a little bit of something for everyone.\ \ Love Romance? How about a gothic horror with a dash of romance on the side?\ \ Love Thrillers? So many horror books toe the line of thrillers.\ \ Love History? There are so many historical horrors out there to try out.\ \ Your favorite genre has a place in horror. There is a horror book out there for everyone! Want a rec to get you kickstarted? As for a rec on my profile page.\ \ Thanks for coming to my TED talk lol.\ \ Join for free or login](https://ashreadshorror.binderybooks.com/item/eSRBVSlLmBBDQSFv3TEq/)
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Written Reveries\ \ Krystal\ \ • Jan 1
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Top Five Books of 2025
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Written Reveries\ \ Krystal\ \ • Dec 31 2025
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Best Book Read Each Month in 2025 Part II
Best Book Read Each Month in 2025 Part 2
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Boneyard Picnic\ \ Natalie Meagan\ \ • Dec 22 2025
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I made a few postcards and I'd love to send you!
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Boneyard Picnic\ \ Natalie Meagan\ \ • Dec 16 2025
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Tech Tuesday | 2025 Book Club Reads
I drew a matchbook for every book we read together in 2025 book club!
12 books
3
ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • Dec 3 2025
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\ \ It's time to explore a favorite trope of mine--Haunted Houses.\ \ I'm a sucker for a haunted house. The slow building dread. The subtle scares that lead to a horrifying climax. \ \ I love when author's take these common tropes and find a way to make it different and stand out. The below books are some that I feel take the haunted house trope and give it a unique spin. \ \ The Reformatory by Tananarrive Due-- THIS BOOK. This book destroyed me. It tackles so much. Do not let the page count intimidate you. It flies by. Due breathes life into her characters. While not a haunted house per se, it's a haunted reformatory. The ghosts are not the villains here. The humans are. \ \ The September House by Carrissa Orlando- Imagine knowing you live in a haunted house but because it's your dream house you just accept the haunting. I had such a good time with this book. It's got humor and spooks. \ \ This House Isn't Haunted But We Are by Stephen Howard-- This one is quick and packs a punch. It has an extremely unique premise. I can't say much without giving it away, but know it involves a "fresh start" and grief. \ \ The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell- This historical horror is down right terrifying! It's got some scenes that still haunt my brain. Think haunted life-like wooden figures with creepy smiles. Purcell is an excellent writer!\ \ The Graveyard Apartment by Mariko Koike-- This translated book goes from zero to sixty. It follows a couple who moves into an apartment that is built next to a graveyard. The graveyard is not happy about that in the least... This apartment complex gets spooky!\ \ What are some of your favorite haunted house stories?\ \ Join for free or login](https://ashreadshorror.binderybooks.com/item/cHVzHgnjDQe7qlUeYH5T/)
5 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 11 2025
11/11 is 👹STEPH DAY 👹!!
thank you to Tordotcom, MIRA Books/HTP Hive, Get Underlined, Flatiron, Tor Books, Saga Press, and Disney Hyperion for the gifted copies!
14 books
5
Boneyard Picnic\ \ Natalie Meagan\ \ • Nov 6 2025
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October Snapshot | All the Media I Enjoy in October
Let's discuss all the fun stuff I was up to last month!
5 books
8
Peppered Ink\ \ Mary\ \ • Oct 31 2025
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Liquor in the Library, Halloween Edition!
Now, if I were REALLY a vampire, maybe I’d have enough time to get through the TBR… 😭
10 books
3
Boneyard Picnic\ \ Natalie Meagan\ \ • Oct 6 2025
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September Snapshot | All the Media I Enjoy in September
Everything I read, watched, listened to, made and enjoyed in September!
2 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Oct 1 2025
horror books that you NEED TO READ.
thank you to Saga Press and MIRA Books/HTP Hive for the gifted copies!
4 books
7
Beverly Books\ \ Kristian\ \ • Sep 22 2025
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7 books
2
Kurryreads\ \ Kerry\ \ • Sep 22 2025
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5 Books I Would Sell My Soul to Read for the First Time Again
My 6 star, favorite books 📚📖 If you’re confused why Nestlings isn’t on this list, I do truly love it as much as WTWCH reads.. however WTWCH truly healed something deep within me that is unmatched and I didn’t want to repeat authors #favoritebooks #6starbooks #booktok #bokrecommendations #booksiwouldsellmysoultoreadagain
5 books
Boneyard Picnic\ \ Natalie Meagan\ \ • Sep 20 2025
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October Book Club Poll is Live!
We are voting for our October book right now so come on!
3 books
3
Madisoncanread\ \ Madison\ \ • Aug 15 2025
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22 books
1
Kurryreads\ \ Kerry\ \ • Aug 14 2025
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Ultimate Guide to Spooky Season Reading v2
Replying to @Kerry | Booktok 📖 Ultimate Guide to Spooky Season Reading - Version 2 📚👻🔪 Timestamps: 00:28 Stranger Than Fiction 00:39 Witchy 00:47 Creature Feature 1:03 Dark Past-Potentially Paranormal 1:14 Possession 1:19 Slashers 1:32 Haunted House 1:42 Eco Horror/Plant Horror 1:48 Supernatural 1:57 Demonic/Occult 2:06 Cosmic 2:13 Folklore 2:26 Speculative 2:35 Young Adult 2:46 Paranormal 2:55 Psychological 3:03 Crime 3:13 Historical Fiction 3:29 Cult 3:43 Vampires 3:51 Weird Girl/Feminine Rage 4:00 Sci-Fi 4:08 Cannibalism #guidetospookyseasonreading #spookyreads #horrorbooks #cultbooks #paranormalbooks #hauntedhousebooks #possessionbooks #creaturefeature #booktok #booktoker #bookrecommendations #whattoread #vampirebooks #speculativehorror #youngadulthorror #folklorebooks #ecohorrorbooks #scifihorrorbooks #slasherbooks #scarybooks
55 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 26 2025
you’d better be reading these 5 horror books this summer!!
you’d better be reading these 5 horror books this summer!!
thank you to The Hive/MIRA Books, Saga Press, and Disney Hyperion for the gifted copies!
5 books
Madisoncanread\ \ Madison\ \ • Jun 27 2025
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ICYMI - Horror Books I Will Never Stop Recommending
All Books Linked
5 books
1
Peppered Ink\ \ Mary\ \ • Jun 19 2025
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In which Mary is foolish with both her bubbles and her sound...
15 books
4
Left Unread Books\ \ Michael LaBorn\ \ • Jun 13 2025
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5 books
18