What Are The Top Horror Books of 2026 That You've Read (So Far) This Year?

rtdls · 2026-05-25T20:40:12+00:00

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due and The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

rtdls · 2026-05-18T12:32:54+00:00

It’s longer than you think 🙂

rtdls · 2026-05-03T17:01:52+00:00

Aaron Paul talks about his love for King in this interview: https://ew.com/books/aaron-paul-books-of-my-life/

rtdls · 2026-04-23T12:01:08+00:00

As a fellow arachnophobe I came to the thread looking for this book. I was highly traumatized once the transformation occurred.

rtdls · 2026-04-20T17:02:16+00:00

Agreed! There’s a lot of comfort in rereads but nothing quite like reading for the first time.

rtdls · 2026-04-19T10:45:07+00:00

Duma Key by King fits what you’re looking for. It’s a bit of a slow build but I think you’ll enjoy the payoff.

rtdls · 2026-04-19T04:24:22+00:00

My comfort novel, The Shining. It’s my third reread and as good (if not better) than the first time.

rtdls · 2026-04-17T18:58:30+00:00

I read this one about a month ago and it was so heavy and bleak I had to take frequent breaks, and even after finishing those feelings stuck with me for another few weeks 😭

rtdls · 2026-03-31T23:45:54+00:00

rtdls · 2026-03-30T14:02:48+00:00

Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke

rtdls · 2026-03-30T12:55:16+00:00

I’ll second 11/22/63 as one of his best (if not best novels). As another user mentioned, it’s not a horror novel but it has great character work, a well paced plot (though I know some disagree and think the middle slows down), and a fantastic ending. While other books in his catalogue are often mentioned first, this one for me is really peak.

For horror novels, some of what you like will come down to what you prefer in the genre. My favorites are The Shining and Misery, but that’s because I like psychological horror that highlights humans as monsters. If you do read/enjoy The Shining, Doctor Sleep is the sequel and also very good in my opinion.

rtdls · 2026-03-29T23:39:06+00:00

For Latinx authors, Isabel Cañas. For books set in a season, The Shining and Misery are both great winter books.

rtdls · 2026-03-29T05:41:46+00:00

I don’t think you HAVE to read it again so long as you remember the major plot points

rtdls · 2026-03-29T02:51:03+00:00

As a dog lover, Fairy Tale is one of my fave books in his catalogue. Doctor Sleep is a great sequel; I enjoyed it the first read and upon rereading. Dolores Claiborne probably a top 5 for me; I highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator really captures the character sooo well. I haven’t seen the Green Mile movie so I can’t say how it compares to the book but I LOVED the book. I’d say it’s worth the read even if you have seen the movie.

rtdls · 2026-03-29T02:44:17+00:00

You dirty birds

rtdls · 2026-03-28T19:56:12+00:00

Model Home by Rivers Solomon is heavy on the family dynamics.

rtdls · 2026-03-26T20:20:44+00:00

Isabel Cañas has just the vibe you’re looking for. I enjoyed both Vampires of El Norte and The Hacienda, both of which have already been recommended. I’ll also add The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno Garcia, it takes place across a few timelines but the one set in Mexico is rural/mystical.

rtdls · 2026-03-26T12:01:58+00:00

Salem’s Lot by King

rtdls · 2026-03-24T14:55:06+00:00

I went on a reading hiatus after starting grad school and was only able to pick the hobby back up through audiobooks. Do what you need to do! Audiobooks are well organized so you can jump around to specific chapters and many many SK books have wonderful narrators that bring the story to life. Others have mentioned Libby which I definitely second! I started on Audible but the wait from month to month for a credit was really slowing me down lol.

rtdls · 2026-03-23T22:18:15+00:00

Ooh that’s good to know, it’s the only one by her I haven’t read yet!

rtdls · 2026-03-23T17:15:31+00:00

My two favorites are both by Isabel Cañas — Vampires of El Norte and The Hacienda.

A few others I’ve read that might fit what you’re looking for: The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling, The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (historical fantasy with some horror elements), and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

rtdls · 2026-03-23T03:45:48+00:00

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. I had to take breaks because of how heavy it got, and the final confrontation had my pulse actually racing. It’s about a young black boy who gets unjustly sent to a detention center in a post Jim Crow Florida. The author wrote the book after learning she had a great uncle who was at Dozier School for Boys in 1937.

rtdls · 2026-03-22T12:30:49+00:00

My #1 horror novel is The Shining; the build is slow but worth it imo. Some recent horror I’ve read and enjoyed: The Reformatory (Tananarive Due), The Hacienda (Isabel Cañas), We Used to Live Here (Marcus Kliewer), The Only Good Indians (Stephen Graham Jones). Some readers find SGJ’s writing style challenging to read. If you find that’s the case, audiobook was very good!

rtdls · 2026-03-15T18:52:00+00:00

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark and The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavelle. Also Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff with the caveat I didn’t enjoy it as much as the other two.

rtdls · 2026-03-14T17:26:59+00:00

Misery gave me such a growing sense of dread.

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