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Horror fans, we’re just hitting the second quarter of 2025, but the book news heading into 2026 is already piping hot. You might have your TBRs set for the rest of this year, but get ready, because we’ve got a whole slew of new horror books that should definitely be on your radar in 2026.
These might not have specific release dates or cover reveals just yet, but we already know everything we need to know to get excited for these spooky books.
The Grass is Always Bloodier by Jeneva Rose — Jeneva Rose’s first horror novel is coming from Mira in the fall of 2026. The novel tells the story of a family who moves to a new home only to realize the house might be haunted and something about their neighbors is strange. The author shared on Instagram “Fun fact, this book actually started out as a novella titled ‘The House Across The Street’ but has turned into so much more and obviously needed a new title, especially after that satire thriller show released on Netflix a couple years back.”
In This City, Where It Rains by Lyndsey Croal — Luna Press Publishing will release Lyndsey Croal’s gothic horror novella. Set in an alternative version of Edinburgh, this novella follows a woman named Maggie who is haunted by ghosts she only sees when it rains. Croal says the novel is influenced by Scottish folklore.
In The Blood by April Henry — April Henry’s 2026 horror novel tells the story of a horrifying ancestry. Eighteen-year-old high school senior Tessa has always wondered about who her biological parents are. But when she uploads her DNA on GEDMatch, she’s horrified to learn that her father is a mysterious man known as “The Portland Phantom,” a serial killer who strangled 17 women.
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Blood Sick by Adam Cesare — Adam Cesare, the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Clown in a Cornfield, is back with a new YA horror novel in spring 2026. “I’ve been threatening to write a vampire book for years,” Cesare wrote on Facebook. When an evil creature awakes after centuries of rest, a small Massachusetts town—specifically, a high school party house—becomes the creature’s target.
Nest of Tongues by Randy Ribay — This two-time National Book Award nominated author is releasing a paranormal horror novel about siblings Caleb and Lily. They may seem like average teens living a normal life in San Jose, but they’re secretly mythical creatures of the Philippines. When there are whispers of a monster hunter tracking down their kind in the area, their way of life is threatened. Rumor is that there’s already a sequel in the works for this one, too.
The Ghost Key by S.R. Appavu — The Ghost Key is a trans horror graphic novel following a high school senior who is haunted by grief and prophetic nightmares of death. Appavu’s agent writes, “Ah, this one is so special. It will break your heart and then mend it right back up. Truly excellent horror.” This one’s out in summer 2026.
Kill Your Darlings by Yuvashri Harish — Yuvashri Harish’s debut novel is hitting shelves in fall 2026. It follows two teens who accidentally unleash all of the scary beings from their favorite horror stories. Think Hocus Pocus meets Madeleine Roux.
Which are you the most excited about reading in 2026? If you love to devour horror on the regular, make sure you subscribe to The Fright Stuff for all the spooky recs!
January 16, 2025, marked the 100th anniversary of the publication of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. The New York Public Library celebrated with a party, following a special performance of the Broadway musical adaptation of the novel. Simon and Schuster recently released a new audiobook with an introduction by Jesmyn Ward.
The novel’s theme of reinventing oneself is timeless. The ideas of living a lie by reinventing yourself and wealth making people callous are equally resonant today. How did this novel become so influential, especially on other American novels, and a fixture on high school syllabi? Was it always a bestseller? What aspects of Gatsby hold up, and which ones have aged terribly?
Fitzgerald’s original title for The Great Gatsby was Trimalchio in West Egg. I think the publisher was right to change it. Trimalchio is a character from the ancient Roman work The Satyricon. Combined with the fictional West Egg neighborhood, this reference is cryptic. Gatsby is now an icon in his own right. He doesn’t need a classical allusion for us to notice the theme of excessive wealth.
In a 2014 NPR interview, Maureen Corrigan, the author of So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures, explained how Gatsby became popular. Initial reception was mixed, ranging from the headline “Fitzgerald’s Latest a Dud,” to Modernist poets like T. S. Eliot saying they loved it. When Fitzgerald died in 1940, Gatsby was unpopular (but not out of print). A few years later, it was republished for US service members in World War II, and 123,000 copies were given to members of the military through the Armed Services Editions.
After World War II, Gatsby was no longer an obscure book with mixed reviews. It was considered a classic and became a staple of countless high school syllabi. Constance Grady wrote that Gatsby was ideal for many 20th and early 21st-century English teachers’ emphasis on New Criticism. It’s a great choice for close readings of short passages and analyzing symbolism. However, historical context is also crucial and should never be downplayed, especially in terms of bias.
The Great Gatsby possibly condemns white supremacist theories but uses racist language elsewhere. Tom Buchanan reads white supremacist books and goes on racist rants. Daisy mocks him for this. It’s easy to read this as condemning Tom’s overall bigotry. However, Fitzgerald also expressed racist and antisemitic views in real life.
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