Kids in horror are often creepy—sometimes intentionally and sometimes through the way you can see their innocence being eroded by the forces at play in the narrative. The creepy child is a staple trope of horror and I usually enjoy it. Malerman’s decision to tell this story through Bela’s voice is instantly unnerving and stands out. She subverts this trope with a bright-eyed innocence and naivety that reminds you just how young she is and how little she knows of the world around. I love how much inference there is, the way readers can pick up on hints earlier on but are also pieced together later on for Bela. That younger and more naïve viewpoint is a refreshing change for me and adds stakes to the story immediately. She is ultimately a fairly helpless child caught up in this nightmare come to life. It is also interesting seeing how different characters interact with her, what that reveals about themselves and the world we are inhabiting.

Using a child’s voice adds a new layer to the scares as well. Other Mommy on her own is petrifying as a concept and in execution. The phrase she’s repeating and what it actually means is fantastically done by Malerman, epitomising Bela’s voice as a tool to both clearly show and obfuscate the horror. But Other Mommy in Bela’s voice is a new level of terror. From the very first introduction of her, you are drawn back to the monster hiding in the shadows and under the bed of your childhood. We can all relate to aspects of this and the thematic richness this can imbue in a text. Malerman taps into that regressive state of fear and exploits it for all its worth here. It is a dynamic change from a standard haunted house narrative with plenty of tricks up its sleeve. I could very easily see this translating well to other forms of media—I’d particularly love to see Mike Flanagan’s take. 

Some of these scenes are genuinely terrifying. I read this in chunks and firmly avoiding just before I went to bed. There are a lot of layers to the story and rich thematic motifs that are open for interpretation. I enjoy ambiguity in horror and think the imagination conjures more scares than you can ever produce on page. The unseen monster is always scarier for me than the one you see. Here, what you see is pure nightmare fuel but there is a lot more hinted at which is even worse. In my interpretation of the story, there is a poignancy and emotional integrity within the themes as well. This is encapsulated in the ending, which I won’t spoil, but I will say leaves your jaw dropped. 

Around Bela, we have some wonderful characters, including Mommy, Daddo and Grandma Ruth. I loved how much this book rests on its relationships and the messiness that can ensue, though with the gloss of a child’s innocence. That allows for the stark contrast of the horror unfolding around them. Malerman also drops in some intriguing hints about Ruth that speak to a layered narrative that I enjoy dipping in, rather than knowing the whole story. There are breadcrumbs of world-building around the central story to make it feel fleshed-out but still leaves you wanting to know more. 

Incidents Around the House is a striking horror story with clever narrative choices that elevate this haunted house tale into something that will stick with you long after the final page. 

Will you be picking up Incidents Around the House? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

A chilling horror novel about a haunting, told from the perspective of a young girl whose troubled family is targeted by an entity she calls “Other Mommy,” from the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box.

To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?”

When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the question over and over, Bela understands that unless she says yes, her family will soon pay.

Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe, but other incidents show cracks in her parents’ marriage. The safety Bela relies on is about to unravel.

But Other Mommy needs an answer.

Incidents Around the House is a chilling, wholly unique tale of true horror about a family as haunted as their home.

The post Review: Incidents Around The House by Josh Malerman appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Josh! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi! I grew up in Michigan, went off to school at Michigan State, then moved to NYC, where me and my lifelong best friends started a band, before hitting the road for close to 7 years, no apartments or homes, living entirely on the road. It was somewhere in the brilliant light of those days that I finally wrapped my first novel. Wendy. From there it’s been an absolute explosion of 40 novels and a constant (and welcome) juggling act of books and albums. And even sometimes movies. (more of this I say)

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back now I see breadcrumbs. Comics as a kid. Poems in high school. Short stories in college. Then the ten year attempt to write a novel before wrapping that first one, upon which the flood gates exploded open. I think the big moment for me was when I came home from a basketball tournament. I was on this travel team and we won the tournament and when I got back home I wrote a 40 page account of the experience. This was in high school. Three pages sounded like a lot back then. But…. 40? So I didn’t recognize it as a writer’s life until I finished my first book, then I saw clearly the breadcrumbs that led me there.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: The Face of Fear Dean Koontz.
• The one that made you want to become an author: Probably the same. Because it all took place in one setting and I was like, wait… we can DO this?
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Moby Dick. The ending makes me breathless. Just absolutely brilliant in all ways, both professional and frayed.

Your latest novel, Incidents Around the House, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

A cold wind, no music.

What can readers expect?

Well, I hope they feel they are looking through a magnifying glass, atching closely an entity’s attempt to get in.

Where did the inspiration for Incidents Around the House come from?

I’ve had the idea for some 13 years. My brother told me a story similar to the first chapter, about him and his wife putting their kid to bed for the night and the kid saying goodnight to “Other Mommy.” The little story stuck in a big way and finally, recently, I wrote the outline on the office wall. Then went for it.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

Yes! Daddo is a an timer character for me. Insomuch as I didn’t have to rewrite him at all. Plus: the events at Evelyn’s house.

What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned as a writer since your debut novel published a decade ago?

To keep doing things how you were doing them before you broke through. To always remember that the ultimate reward is finishing the book itself, and any worries beyond that pale in comparison to that reward.

What’s next for you?

A nonfiction book. A documentary. And the next horror novel for Del Rey.

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?

So excited for Ronald Malfi’s Small Town Horror. And I loved W.H. Chizmar’s Them.

Will you be picking up Incidents Around the House? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Josh Malerman, Author of ‘Incidents Around The House’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

With new releases from Josh Malerman, Lucy Foley, Nicola Yoon, Claudia Gray, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and many more, there are plenty of new June 2024 book releases to get excited about this month!

Read on to discover a few picks hitting shelves this month from rich historicals to thrillers, and tell us in the comments below if you’re looking forward to any!

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A chilling horror novel about a haunting told from the perspective of a young girl whose troubled family is targeted by an entity she calls “Other Mommy,” from the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box

Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The Dropout meets Inventing Anna in this cinematic and page-turning summer read! A ripped-from-the-headlines story set in the glossy offices of Silicon Valley startups and NYC new media, Anna Bright Is Hiding Something explores our fascination with female founders breaking barriers—and sometimes behaving badly in the process.

Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
In this clever, surprising, page-turner, the world’s most lethal assassin gives up the violent life only to find himself under siege by mysterious assailants. It’s a kill-or-be-killed situation, but the first option is off the table. What’s a reformed hit man to do?

In A Dark Mirror by Kat Davis

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A decade-old crime unites its devoted fans in a haunting novel about delusions in the dark and the dangerous games children play.

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Secrets. Lies. Murder. Let the festivities begin… The deliciously twisty new locked room murder mystery from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List and The Paris Apartment

Do What Godmother Says by L.S. Stratton

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A modern-day writer and a Harlem Renaissance artist are connected by a painting with a deadly secret in this gripping dual-timeline gothic thriller. 

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

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Two women—separated by decades and continents, and united by an exotic family heirloom—reclaim secrets and lost loves in this sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wives.

One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon

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A hotly-anticipated and endlessly provocative new thriller of race and privilege set in an all-Black gated community from #1 New York Times best-selling author Nicola Yoon

The Last Twelve Miles by Erika Robuck

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From the glamorous world of D.C. Intelligence to the sultry shores of the Straits of Florida, The Last Twelve Miles is based on the true story of two women masterminds trying to outwit each other in a dangerous and fascinating high stakes game.

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

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From the New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End comes a soaring thriller and an epic love story that “hits like a sledgehammer . . . an absolutely must-read novel” (Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl).

The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh by Claudia Gray

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The third book in the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery series, which finds the amateur sleuths facing their most daunting challenge yet: preventing the murder of the imperious Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel

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A woman’s ambitions clash with familial expectations in a captivating novel about generational secrets and self-discovery by the bestselling author of The Candid Life of Meena Dave.

The Secret Keeper of Main Street by Trisha R. Thomas

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Acclaimed author Trisha R. Thomas delivers a masterful new tale of scandal and intuition. In 1950s oil-rich Oklahoma, Bailey Dowery, a dressmaker with the gift of “second sight,” reluctantly reveals the true loves and intentions of her socialite clients, making her a silent witness to a shocking crime.

Bear by Julia Phillips

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A mesmerizing novel of two sisters whose lives are upended by an unexpected visitor—a tale of family, obsession, and a mysterious creature in the woods, by the celebrated, bestselling author of Disappearing Earth.

The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd

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The gripping follow up to the “smart, stylish, and savage” (People) New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick The Club—a twisty mystery involving a cursed wealthy family and a Surrealist painting which holds the key to three suspicious deaths over the course of a century.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A bold, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartwarming story about one young woman’s attempt to navigate adulthood, new motherhood, and her meager bank account in our increasingly online world—from the PEN/Faulkner finalist and critically acclaimed author of The Knockout Queen.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

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A senior citizens’ center and a daycare collide with hilarious results in the new ensemble comedy from New York Times-bestselling author Clare Pooley.

The Pecan Children by Quinn Connor

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For fans of The Midnight Library and Demon Copperhead comes a breathtaking story of magical realism about two sisters, deeply tied to their small Southern town, fighting to break free of the darkness swallowing the land―and its endless cycle of pecan harvests―whole.

A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey

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A tender and touching novel about a young woman who discovers the family she has always longed for when she spends a life-changing summer in North Carolina.

The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron

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This epic, dazzling tale based on true events illuminates a woman of color’s rise to power as one of the few purported female pirate captains to sail the Caribbean, and the forbidden love story that will shape the course of history.

What June books are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 20 New Fiction Books To Pick Up In June 2024 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

There’s something wrong about the Kopple farm. The farmer’s daughter, Sherry, knows. Her sons know. The local cops know. School kids know. Even the farmer, Walter Kopple, knows. Something is wrong about the farm. It’s the pigs. No, it’s one pig—Pearl. Pearl, with his misshapen mass and dead man’s eye. Something is wrong with Pearl.

When the piglet called Pearl first comes to Kopple’s farm, Walter quickly realises Pearl isn’t just another pig. Maybe it has something to do with what’s behind the flap of skin covering where one of his eyes should be, or perhaps it’s the curious creep of the animal’s voice in the farmer’s mind (“Sing for me”). Whatever it is, Walter finds himself unable to slaughter Pearl, unable to resist Pearl. Instead, he teaches him—language, meaning, context. But this is only the beginning, because while Walter is teaching, Pearl is learning, and soon he will be ready for his own form of instruction.

Previously published as On This, The Day of the Pig, Malerman’s Pearl is, on the surface, a terrifying examination of sentience, but the porcine panic runs deeper, bleeding into a tale of suffering and ache, of the cruelty mankind oft delivers on those deemed “lesser than,” and the bloody consequences of when those “others” rise.

Pearl is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up Pearl? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie Josh Malerman comes the legend of a strange new monster unlike any other in horror.

Go to the farm just outside of town and you’ll hear it.

A voice. Inside your head.

Or is it?

Come to me…

A voice that makes you want to pick up that axe over in the corner of the barn.

And swing it.

And kill.

Feed us. Feed us now.

It is the voice of Pearl.

Sing for me. Sing for your precious Pearl…

The post Review: Pearl by Josh Malerman appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Get ready all you diehard horror fans out there because 2020 is going to be a big year! With new work from iconic award winning authors including Stephen King and Paul Tremblay as well as some much awaited sequels for books such as Birdbox, we are in for a serious treat. Weather it’s a dark February night or a beachy summer holiday, there’s a creepy classic for every occasion!

Historical Haunts:
The Deep by Alma Katsu (March 10th 2020)

Set aboard the Titanic in 1912, Katsu perfectly amalgamates historical fiction and spine-tingling horror to tell the infamous story of the sinking ship with a ghostly twist. What really caused the Titanic to sink? Were supernatural elements at play, and is history about to repeat itself? Can Annie, a survivor of the Titanic and nurse aboard the Britannica, figure out the terrifying mystery and fight her own demons? Katsu, an extensive researcher, has seamlessly woven true personal accounts and stories with her own brand of creeping, sinister horror leaving the reader to wonder what is real and what isn’t. Katsu offers an extremely immersive experience, true to the time period in each of her novels and The Deep appears to be no different. It seems we can continue to expect great things from Alma Katsu as she continues carving our her own unique genre of Historical-Horror-Fiction.

Scary Short Stories:
If it Bleeds by Stephen King (May 5th 2020)

The King of horror returns… yet again! This time with an anthology of short stories. Encompassing four creepy novellas, the book’s main focus is providing a sequel to King’s bestselling The Outsiders, following Detective Holly Gibney as she becomes involved in a mysterious and sinister case. The story also revisits other characters from the Outsiders, entwining them in the encryptic events. Barely any details have been released apart from the cover and a small blurb but we can be sure to be in for a spooky treat if the rest of King’s work is anything to go on!

Unnerving Urban Legends:
Devolution by Max Brooks (May 12th 2020)

Max Brooks proved his ability to scare the living daylights out of us all with his hyper-realistic zombie novel World War Z and he is at it again with his new book Devolution: A First-Hand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre. Brooks examines the world’s preparedness for disaster and leads us to question how ready we all are. Through a series of journal entries, Brooks tells the horrifying story of Bigfoot and the massacre of a town. Cleverly weaving storytelling and fiction with science and truth, Brooks again creates a believable tale of survival and gore which will leave us all shaking in out boots wondering who and what really lives among us.

Petrifying Pandemics:
Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay (July 7th 2020)

Bram Stoker award winner Paul Tremblay is back with another trademark violent and terrifying novel, Survivor Song. With global pandemic currently at the forefront of everyone minds, Survivor Song is sure to shake you to it’s core with it’s depiction of a rabies-like virus infecting everyone in sight and turning them into ferocious monsters. Hospitals are overwhelmed and society is breaking down. So what happens when you are alone, pregnant and infected? Follow Natalie’s treacherous race against time to get to the hospital and save herself and her baby, helped by friend and doctor Romola Rams. Will she make it in time? Or will she be lost to the virus? This one is a must read for all you horror/sci-fi fans and pandemic enthusiasts out there!

Supernatural Spooks:
The Boatman’s Daughter by Andy Davidson (February 11th 2020)

Davidson brings us the ghostly, atmospheric story of Miranda Crabtree encompassing all things dark including death, witches, smuggling, sacrifice and madness. Miranda Crabtree has spent her life ferrying contraband for a crazy preacher since her father died when she was a child. But things are changing and the darkness is closing in. The preacher is asking the unthinkable and Miranda has a secret. She doesn’t only have herself to think about but she must also protect the secret child hidden by a witch deep in the forest. Miranda must embark upon a journey of horror, temptation, fear and violence to save those who are defenceless. Told from the swampy depths of the Bayou, this book will weigh heavy on your shoulders, bringing into focus the murkiest depths of human nature.

Haunted Houses:
The Sundown Hotel by Simone St James (February 18th 2020)

All motels have their sordid secrets, but the creepy and oppressive Sundown Motel has more than most and Viv Delaney, the night clerk, is determined to bring them all to light. Carrying out her own amateur investigation, Viv discovers a supernatural presence is taking hold of the Sundown Motel while on the outside in the small town, women are inexplicably being murdered, could this be linked? Just as Viv gets a lead, she vanishes into thin air! Fast forward thirty-two years and Carly, Viv’s niece, decides to pick up the investigation where she left off and finds herself on a dangerous and sinister journey. Will she make it out alive? St James writes with such an atmospheric and immersive style, you will be on the edge of your seats waiting for answers until the very last page!

Ominous Indies:
Touch the Night by Max Booth III (2020)

When two twelve year old boys are abducted in the night by something not quite human, it is up to their mothers Mary and Ottessa to get to the bottom of the menacing happenings. Exploring police corruption, small town secrets and black magic culminating in a ritual performed by a crazed family, Touch the Night packs a powerful horror punch that will leave you shaking in your boots long after you’ve turned the final page. Very little information has been released so far but we are sure to be in for a big fright with comparisons to Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Stranger Things.

Sinister Sequels:
Malorie by Josh Malerman (May 19th 2020)

Malerman is back again with a thrilling sequel to his bestselling and Netflix-adapted Birdbox. Following on from Birdbox, Malorie focuses on the protagonist of the same name as she tackles the crazy and dangerous world around her. Malerman offers us the opportunity to get to know Malorie Haynes better in this continuation of her survival story as she fights the malevolent entities that threaten earth. If you have read Birbox and are wondering what happens to Boy and Girl, be warned that Malorie does not explore this avenue, it’s sole focus is Malorie’s story. For you Netflix enthusiasts out there, you’ll be pleased to know that Malorie has been picked up for a film adaptation later in the year.. So if you haven’t watched or read Birdbox yet, what are you doing?

Frightening Fairytales:
Looking Glass by Christina Henry (April 21st 2020)

Henry returns with the third dark instalment of her twisted, disturbing take on the classic Alice in Wonderland. We continue to follow the main characters of Alice, Hatcher and Elizabeth through four short stories full of secrets, monsters, magic and blood. Taking inspiration from the Lewis Carroll classic, Henry twists and distorts the details, mixing horror and fantasy to create a brutal new fairytale universe. But will everyone survive the chaos?  Are you ready to jump down the rabbit hole and find out?

Vicious Vampires:
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (April 7th 2020)

Take one southern, suburban true-crime book club comprised of bored housewives and add one attractive but deadly male vampire and what do you get? A fast paced, supernatural, girl power thriller! Patricia, an underappreciated and fed-up stay at home mum looks forward to escaping into the world of true crime at book club every week. When a handsome but shady man moves into he area and children begin to go missing, Patricia’s mind races with the possibility of becoming an amateur detective and catching a murderer. But she gets more than she bargained for when she is thrust into the dark and foreboding world of vampires. With vibrant characters, gore and violence, this is nothing like the soppy vampire romances you’re used to, it’s pure savage so buckle up for the ride!

What 2020 horror releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 10 Highly Anticipated Horror Releases of 2020 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments if you’ll be picking up any of these releases!

JANUARY

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Already being hailed as “a Grapes of Wrath for our times” and “a new American classic,” Jeanine Cummins’s American Dirt is a rare exploration into the inner hearts of people willing to sacrifice everything for a glimmer of hope.

Followers by Megan Angelo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

An electrifying story of two ambitious friends, the dark choices they make and the profound moment that changes the meaning of privacy forever.

All the Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The New York Times bestselling authors of The Glass Ocean and The Forgotten Room return with a glorious historical adventure that moves from the dark days of two World Wars to the turbulent years of the 1960s, in which three women with bruised hearts find refuge at Paris’ legendary Ritz hotel.

The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this riveting and disquieting thriller about the secrets and betrayals that accompany exorbitant wealth—imagine Crazy Rich Asians as written by Gillian Flynn—two sisters from a Chinese-Indonesian family grapple with the past after one of them poisons their entire family.

The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Other Girl and Justice for Sara comes a thrilling psychological drama about a woman who believes she escaped a brutal murder years ago—but does anyone else believe her?

A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The House of the Spirits comes an epic novel spanning decades and crossing continents, following two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a new place to call home.

The Other People by C.J. Tudor
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A gripping thriller about a man’s quest for the daughter no one else believes is still alive, from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man and The Hiding Place.

Long Bright River by Liz Moore
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Alternating its present-day mystery with the story of the sisters’ childhood and adolescence, Long Bright River is at once heart-pounding and heart-wrenching: a gripping suspense novel that is also a moving story of sisters, addiction, and the formidable ties that persist between place, family, and fate.

FEBRUARY

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
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From the award-winning author of Station Eleven, an exhilarating novel set at the glittering intersection of two seemingly disparate events-a massive Ponzi scheme collapse and the mysterious disappearance of a woman from a ship at sea.

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
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After a storm has killed off all the island’s men, two women in a 1600s Norwegian coastal village struggle to survive against both natural forces and the men who have been sent to rid the community of alleged witchcraft.

The King at the Edge of the World by Arthur Phillips
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“One of the best writers in America” (The Washington Post) delivers a mesmerising new novel in which Queen Elizabeth’s spymasters recruit an unlikely agent for an impossible mission: the only Muslim in England.

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare
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A powerful, emotional debut novel told in the unforgettable voice of a young Nigerian woman who is trapped in a life of servitude but determined to get an education so that she can escape and choose her own future.

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes by Kathleen West
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Perfect for fans of Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Small Admissions, a wry and cleverly observed debut novel about the privileged bubble that is Liston Heights High–the micro-managing parents, the overworked teachers, and the students caught in the middle–and the fallout for each of them when the bubble finally bursts.

Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert
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A storm-struck island. A blood-soaked bed. A missing man. Senior Investigator Shana Merchant believes it all adds up to a killer in their midst—and that murder is a family affair.

The Love Story of the Century by Märta Tikkanen and Stina Katchadourian
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As much a story of resilience as it is suffering, The Love Story of the Century is a bittersweet account of the complexities of addiction, the power of creativity, and the redemption of love.

The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward
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The story of a vibrant but dysfunctional family trapped together on a ten-day Mediterranean cruise–a riveting, irresistible novel from bestselling author Amanda Eyre Ward

MARCH

The Sea of Lost Girls: A Novel by Carol Goodman
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In the tradition of Daphne du Maurier, Shari Lapena, and Michelle Richmond comes a new thriller from the bestselling author of The Lake of Dead Languages—a twisty, harrowing story set at a prestigious prep school in which one woman’s carefully hidden past might destroy her future.

The Herd by Andrea Bartz
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When an exclusive New York women’s workspace is rocked by the mysterious disappearance of its enigmatic founder, two sisters must uncover the haunting truth before they lose their friendships, their careers–maybe even their lives.

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
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The #1 Bestselling authors of The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl deliver a thriller about a circle of friends with deadly intentions–where trust is their weapon and revenge is their trigger….

The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Flight Attendant comes a twisting story of love and deceit: an American man vanishes on a rural road in Vietnam, and his girlfriend, an emergency room doctor trained to ask questions, follows a path that leads her home to the very hospital where they met.

The Sunday Potluck Club by Melissa Storm
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New friends can be found in unexpected places. For Bridget and Amy, that place was the cancer ward of an Anchorage hospital. Now, as each struggles to overcome loss, they lean on each other for support—sharing suppers, laughter and tears.

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora
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A mother and daughter with a shared talent for healing–and for the conjuring of curses–are at the heart of this dazzling first novel.

The Deep by Alma Katsu
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Brilliantly combining fact and fiction, the historical and the horrific, The Deep reveals a chilling truth in an unputdownable narrative full of unnerving moments and with a growing, inexorable sense of foreboding.

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel
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A spellbinding story of a mother with nothing left to lose who sets out on an all-consuming quest for justice after her daughter is murdered on the town playground.

APRIL

The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

With The Year of the Locust, Hayes has penned a breathtaking story about cutting-edge science, a government conspiracy, and one man’s desperate attempt to unravel it all. (Note: According to some retailers, this title has been pushed back yet again to June 2020. The UK version is currently set to September 2020, but after years of previous release dates and delays, this could still change).

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
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A riveting debut novel set in contemporary Seoul, Korea, about four young women making their way in a world defined by impossibly high standards of beauty, secret room salons catering to wealthy men, strict social hierarchies, and K-pop fan mania.

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones
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Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.

The New Husband by D.J. Palmer
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The New Husband is a riveting thriller about the lies we tell ourselves from D. J. Palmer, the author of Saving Meghan.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
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Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula in this Southern-flavoured supernatural thriller set in the ’90s about a women’s book club that must protect its suburban community from a mysterious and handsome stranger who turns out to be a blood-sucking fiend.

The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni
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From the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of the Angelology series comes a bewitching gothic novel of suspense that plunges readers into a world of dark family secrets, the mysteries of human genetics, and the burden of family inheritance.

Something She’s Not Telling Us by Darcey Bell
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From the New York Times bestselling author of A Simple Favor comes an electrifying domestic thriller of how one woman’s life is turned upside down when her brother brings his new girlfriend to visit—and no one is telling the truth about who they really are.

Three Hours in Paris by Cara Black
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In June of 1940, when Paris fell to the Nazis, Hitler spent a total of three hours in the City of Light—abruptly leaving, never to return. To this day, no one knows why. The New York Times bestselling author of the Aimée Leduc investigations reimagines history in her masterful, pulse-pounding spy thriller, Three Hours in Paris.

MAY

Malorie by Josh Malerman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the thrilling sequel to Bird Box, the inspiration for the record-breaking Netflix film that starred Sandra Bullock and “absolutely riveted” Stephen King, New York Times bestselling author Josh Malerman brings unseen horrors to life.

The Paris Hours by Alex George
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Told over the course of a single day in 1927, The Paris Hours takes four ordinary people whose stories, told together, are as extraordinary as the glorious city they inhabit.

If It Bleeds by Stephen King
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author, legendary storyteller, and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary collection of four new and compelling novellas—Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, The Life of Chuck, Rat, and the title story If It Bleeds—each pulling you into intriguing and frightening places.

All Adults Here by Emma Straub
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In All Adults Here, Emma Straub’s unique alchemy of wisdom, humor, and insight come together in a deeply satisfying story about adult siblings, aging parents, high school boyfriends, middle school mean girls, the lifelong effects of birth order, and all the other things that follow us into adulthood, whether we like them to or not.

The Queen’s Secret: A Novel of England’s World War II Queen by Karen Harper
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If you love Jennifer Robson or The Crown you will love New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper’s novel about Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
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Peter Straub’s Ghost Story meets Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies in this American Indian horror story of revenge on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
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“Fans of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will adore The Jane Austen Society… A charming and memorable debut, which reminds us of the universal language of literature and the power of books to unite and heal.” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris

Don’t Make A Sound by T.R. Ragan
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Her own past could be a reporter’s biggest story in this twisting thriller about murder and family secrets by the New York Times bestselling author T.R. Ragan.

JUNE

The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell
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From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband comes a new blockbuster thriller in The Wife Who Knew Too Much.

Safecracker by Ryan Wick
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In this wicked debut, safecracker Michael Maven must pull off the most dangerous theft of his long career―or his friends and family will be killed.

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones
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From the New York Times bestselling author of the Hello Sunshine Book Club pick The Other Woman, comes a compelling new domestic suspense novel about a family who is forever changed when a stranger arrives at their door.

The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin
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In the irresistible new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All We Ever Wanted, a woman is falling hard for a man she’s just met when he disappears without a trace on 9/11.

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton
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In 1935 three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s captivating new novel.

The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last House Guest—a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick—comes a riveting new novel of psychological suspense about a young woman plagued by night terrors after a childhood trauma who wakes one evening to find a corpse at her feet.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
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From The New York Times -bestselling author of The Mothers , a stunning new novel about twin sisters, inseparable as children, who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds, one black and one white.

Self Care by Leigh Stein
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The female cofounders of a wellness start-up struggle to find balance between being good people and doing good business, while trying to stay BFFs.

What 2020 fiction releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Fiction Book Releases To Check Out In 2020 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

A new year brings new books and we cannot wait to get our hands on some of these 2020 book releases! This year holds many exciting books from both loved authors such as Sarah J. Maas, Eoin Colfer, Christina Lauren, Cassandra Clare, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Michele Campbell, along with debut authors releasing their first novel! There’s definitely something for everyone, including plenty of fantasy, thrillers, retellings, and romance!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourite January to June 2020 releases and tell us in the comments if you’re looking forward to any of them!

JANUARY

Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
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Rooted in the hope that can live in anger, Riot Baby is as much an intimate family story as a global dystopian narrative. It burns fearlessly toward revolution and has quietly devastating things to say about love, fury, and the black American experience.

A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen
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Six years after a global pandemic wiped out most of the planet’s population, the survivors are rebuilding the country, split between self-governing cities, hippie communes and wasteland gangs.

The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Other Girl and Justice for Sara comes a thrilling psychological drama about a woman who believes she escaped a brutal murder years ago—but does anyone else believe her?

Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton
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Inspired by Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Lady Hotspur continues the saga of Innis Lear, centuries later, as revolution, love, and a betrayal corrupt the descendants of two warring kingdoms.

Highfire by Eoin Colfer
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From the New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series comes a hilarious and high-octane adult novel about a vodka-drinking, Flashdance-loving dragon who lives an isolated life in the bayous of Louisiana—and the raucous adventures that ensue when he crosses paths with a fifteen-year-old troublemaker on the run from a crooked sheriff.

You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley
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Acclaimed author Colleen Oakley delivers a heart-wrenching and unforgettable love story about a woman who must choose between the man she loves and the man fate has chosen for her, in a novel that reminds us that the best life is one led by the heart.

Infinity Son by Adam Silvera
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Balancing epic and intensely personal stakes, bestselling author Adam Silvera’s Infinity Son is a gritty, fast-paced adventure about two brothers caught up in a magical war generations in the making.

The God Game by Danny Tobey
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Charlie and his friends enter the G.O.D. Game, a video game run by underground hackers and controlled by a mysterious AI that believes it’s God. Through their phone-screens and high-tech glasses, the teens’ realities blur with a virtual world of runes, gods, mythical creatures, and more. But then the threatening messages start. Worship me. Obey me. Who else is playing this game, and how far will they go to win?

FEBRUARY

The Antidote for Everything by Kimmery Martin
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In this whip-smart and timely novel from acclaimed author Kimmery Martin, two doctors travel a surprising path when they must choose between treating their patients and keeping their jobs.

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold
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Elana K. Arnold, author of the Printz Honor book Damsel, returns with a dark, engrossing, blood-drenched tale of the familiar threats to female power—and one girl’s journey to regain it.

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
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Propulsive and addictive, and perfect for fans of “You,” The Other Mrs. is the twisty new psychological thriller from Mary Kubica, the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl.

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey
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In Upright Women Wanted, award-winning author Sarah Gailey reinvents the pulp Western with an explicitly antifascist, near-future story of queer identity.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
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The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
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Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
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Hailed as a “marvel of a book” and “brilliant and unflinching,” Alexis Schaitkin’s stunning debut Saint X is a haunting portrait of grief, obsession, and the bond between two sisters never truly given the chance to know one another.

The Seventh Sun by Lani Forbes
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Rich in imagination and romance, and based on the legends and history of the Aztec and Maya people, The Seventh Sun brings to vivid life a world on the edge of apocalyptic disaster.

MARCH

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas launches her brand-new CRESCENT CITY series with House of Earth and Blood: the story of half-Fae and half-human Bryce Quinlan as she seeks revenge in a contemporary fantasy world of magic, danger, and searing romance.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
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Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
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Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Docile by K.M. Szpara
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Docile is a science fiction parable about love and sex, wealth and debt, abuse and power, a challenging tour de force that at turns seduces and startles.

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren
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From the New York Times bestselling author behind The Unhoneymooners comes a delightfully charming love story about what happens when two assistants tasked with keeping a rocky relationship from explosion start to feel sparks of their own.

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
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Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, Marie Rutkoski’s The Midnight Lie is an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us―and the lies we tell ourselves.

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
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Sharp Objects meets My Lovely Wife in this tightly drawn debut that peels back the layers of the most complicated of mother-daughter relationships…

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu comes a historical YA fantasy about a musical prodigy and the dangerous lengths she’ll go to make history remember her—perfect for fans of Susanna Clarke and The Hazel Wood.

APRIL

Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth
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The first novel written for an adult audience by the mega-selling author of the Divergent franchise: five twenty-something heroes famous for saving the world when they were teenagers must face even greater demons—and reconsider what it means to be a hero…by destiny or by choice.

Ruthless Gods by Emily A. Duncan
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In her dramatic follow-up to Wicked Saints, the first book in her Something Dark and Holy trilogy, Emily A. Duncan paints a Gothic, icy world where shadows whisper, and no one is who they seem, with a shocking ending that will leave you breathless.

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
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Two wildly different women—one a grifter, the other an heiress—are brought together by the scam of a lifetime in a page-turner from the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear.

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
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From the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone comes an adorable and fresh romantic comedy about one trouble-making dog who brings together two perfect strangers.

Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova
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The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes 
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With The Year of the Locust, Hayes has penned a breathtaking story about cutting-edge science, a government conspiracy, and one man’s desperate attempt to unravel it all. (Note: According to some retailers, this title has been pushed back yet again to June 2020. The UK version is currently set to September 2020, but after years of previous release dates and delays, this could still change).

Empire City by Matt Gallagher
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The author of Youngblood returns with this bold and provocative novel following a group of super-powered soldiers and civilians as they navigate an imperial America on the precipice of a major upheaval—for fans of The Fortress of Solitude and The Plot Against America.

Not That Kind of Guy by Andie J. Christopher
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An office attraction becomes something more when they’re off the clock in this delightful romantic comedy by the USA Today bestselling author of Not the Girl You Marry.

MAY

Lobizona by Romina Garber
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In Lobizona, the first in the Wolves of No World series, bestselling author Romina Garber weaves together Argentine folklore and what it means to be illegal in a timely, intimate, and emotionally powerful narrative.

Swimming Lessons: Poems by Lili Reinhart
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The debut collection of poetry from Lili Reinhart, the actress and outspoken advocate for mental health awareness and body positivity.

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
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A powerful and moving novel that explores the tragedies and triumphs of life, both large and small, and the universal humanity in us all, Natalie Jenner’s The Jane Austen Society is destined to resonate with readers for years to come.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
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The start of a bold and immersive West African-inspired, feminist fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther. In this world, girls are outcasts by blood and warriors by choice.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
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The Betrothed by Kiera Cass
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Selection series comes The Betrothed, a glittering royal romance sure to captivate her legion of loyal readers and lovers of courtly intrigue alike.

Malorie by Josh Malerman
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In the thrilling sequel to Bird Box, the inspiration for the record-breaking Netflix film that starred Sandra Bullock and “absolutely riveted” Stephen King, New York Times bestselling author Josh Malerman brings unseen horrors to life.

The Book of V. by Anna Solomon
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For readers of The Hours and Fates and Furies, a bold, kaleidoscopic novel intertwining the lives of three women across three centuries as their stories of sex, power, and desire finally converge in the present day.

JUNE

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho
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Zen Cho returns with a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
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Harrow the Ninth, the sequel to the sensational Gideon the Ninth, turns a galaxy inside out as one necromancer struggles to survive the wreckage of herself aboard the Emperor’s haunted space station.

Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee
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Danger lurks within the roots of Forest of Souls, an epic, unrelenting tale of destiny and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Susan Dennard.

The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell
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From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband comes a new blockbuster thriller in The Wife Who Knew Too Much.

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
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Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

Wonderland by Zoje Stage
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If Shirley Jackson wrote The Shining, it might look like this novel from the acclaimed author of Baby Teeth: A mother must become a protector when unnatural forces threaten her family’s new and improved life in a rural farmhouse.

The Second Home by Christina Clancy
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A debut novel set on Cape Cod that centers on a beloved family home and the summer that changed the lives of three siblings forever, perfect for readers of J. Courtney Sullivan and Elin Hilderbrand.

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
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Making it up the aisle was the easy part: After marrying the heir to the throne, Rebecca “Bex” Porter must survive her own scandals as she adjusts to life in the glamorous British royal family, in this “highly anticipated” follow-up to The Royal We.

What 2020 book release are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated 2020 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us if you have read any this year in the comments below!

Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky
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Christopher is seven years old. Christopher is the new kid in town. Christopher has an imaginary friend. The epic work of literary horror from the #1 bestselling author of The Perks of Being A Wallflower.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive…

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin
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For fans of JP Delaney’s The Girl Before and Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10 comes this hair-raising novel of deception and revenge that will blow readers away.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
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From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.

The Institute by Stephen King
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As psychically terrifying as Firestarter, and with the spectacular kid power of It, The Institute is Stephen King’s gut-wrenchingly dramatic story of good vs. evil in a world where the good guys don’t always win.

A Stranger on The Beach by Michele Campbell
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From bestselling author Michele Campbell comes A Stranger on the Beach, an edge-of-your seat story of passion and intrigue that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Full Throttle by Joe Hill
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In this masterful collection of short fiction, Joe Hill dissects timeless human struggles in thirteen relentless tales of supernatural suspense, including “In The Tall Grass,” one of two stories co-written with Stephen King, basis for the terrifying feature film from Netflix.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
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The next heart-pounding thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager follows a young woman whose new job apartment sitting in one of New York’s oldest and most glamorous buildings may cost more than it pays.

Whisper Network by Chandler Baker
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Four women learn their boss (a man who’s always been surrounded by rumours about how he treats women) is next in line to be CEO—what will happen when they decide enough is enough?

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
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Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware’s signature suspenseful style, The Turn of the Key is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.

Reputation by Sara Shepard
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In this fast-paced new novel from Sara Shepard, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Little Liars, a tight-knit college town scrambles for answers when an e-mail hack reveals life-changing secrets and scandals.

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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In his boldly imagined first novel, Ta-Nehisi Coates, the National Book Award–winning author of Between the World and Me, brings home the most intimate evil of enslavement: the cleaving and separation of families.

The Testaments (The Handmaid’s Tale #2) by Margaret Atwood
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Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story fifteen years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
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Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith in this wildly compulsive debut thriller about a couple whose fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting…

The Night Before by Wendy Walker
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Told in dual timelines—the night before and the day after—The Night Before is a riveting thriller about family loyalty, obsession, and what happens when the desire for love spins out of control.

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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A gripping novel about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the mystery behind their infamous breakup.

The Whisper Man by Alex North
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In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of suspense, as a father and son are caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

Find Me (Call Me By Your Name #2) by André Aciman
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In this spellbinding exploration of the varieties of love, the author of the worldwide bestseller Call Me by Your Name revisits its complex and beguiling characters decades after their first meeting.

Growing Things and Other Stories by Paul Tremblay
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A chilling collection of psychological suspense and literary horror from the multiple award-winning author of the national bestseller The Cabin at the End of the World and A Head Full of Ghosts.

Mother Knows Best by Kira Peikoff
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A mother’s worst nightmare, a chance at redemption, and a deadly secret that haunts a family across the generations. Past, present, and future converge in this mesmerising psychological thriller from critically acclaimed author Kira Peikoff.

The Suspect by Fiona Barton
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The new must-read standalone crime thriller from the author of Sunday Times bestseller, The Widow, and the Richard & Judy No. 1 bestseller, The Child – featuring unforgettable journalist, Kate Waters.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
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From the # 1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and The Signature of All Things, a delicious novel of glamour, sex, and adventure, about a young woman discovering that you don’t have to be a good girl to be a good person.

Inspection by Josh Malerman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Boys are being trained at one school for geniuses, girls at another. Neither knows the other exists—until now. The New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box invites you into a world of secrets and chills in a coming-of-age story like no other.

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
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Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Americanah in this disarmingly honest, boldly political, and truly inclusive novel that will speak to anyone who has gone looking for love and found something very different in its place.

Do you have any other favourite 2019 fiction books? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Best Fiction Books of 2019 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Rather than definitively ranking the colossal amount of awesome horror literature out there, a job I can’t do as I love it all, we are going to delve into each horror sub-genre and take a closer look at a range of creepy, terrifying, gory and chilling novels. There will be something for every horror fan from the detectives of true crime enthusiasts to the doomsday preparers. Grab your vampire hunting stakes and Ouija boards and prepare to strap yourself in for a rollercoaster ride through exorcisms, alien possession, cannibalism, monsters, and haunted houses. This journey is not for the faint hearted… you have been warned!

Serial Killer Shockers

Silence Of The Lambs by Thomas Harris

Pure unadulterated horror in its rawest form, the Hannibal Lecter books are not for the faint hearted. Incorporating murder, violence, cannibalism, sexual violence, and abuse, this book should come with a trigger warning in capital letters. The novels tell the story, not in chronological order, of psychologist turned cannibalistic serial-killer Hannibal Lecter’s twisted childhood, crimes and consultancy to homicide detectives. If you want to understand a serial killer, ask a serial killer right?

Harris cleverly creates a force of sinister manipulation in Lecter keeping us wondering who’s side he is on and waiting for his seemingly inevitable escape. The graphic descriptions of terrible and violent crimes leave the reader feeling slightly queasy. Meanwhile Harris opens up the door to harrowing pasts and darkest secrets of the other characters using Lecter’s heightened perceptive skills, manipulation and persuasion creating a multi-layered, three dimensional cast. It’s not for everyone, but if you think you can stomach it, buckle up for a crazy, crime filled ride!

Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi

Have you always wanted to know what motivates a serial killer? Why people join cults? How people are brainwashed? Well this is the book for you! Vincent Bugliosi, a prosecution attorney on the case, provides an inside look at the bone-chilling Tate–LaBianca murders instigated by the infamous Charles Manson and his indoctrinated followers.

Following an initial, gruesome murder scene, Bugliosi takes us systematically, through the following investigations, trials, and backstory of the Spahn Ranch cult headed by the enigmatic, influential and cold-blooded Charles Manson. Bugliosi leaves out no detail, using actual court transcripts and often repeating information to ensure the reader can follow the complicated proceedings with more ease. It’s a long one so set aside plenty of reading time as you’ll quickly find that the devil is in the detail, painting an all-encompassing picture, transporting you back in time to Mason’s childhood, cult-life, the murders and the subsequent trails. You almost forget when reading that this isn’t a work of creative fiction, it really did happen, inviting you to question: are any of us really safe?

Science Fiction Madness

Dreamcatcher by Stephen King

King talks about writing Dreamcatcher under the influence of powerful painkillers after an accident and it’s a mind-bending, journey incorporating psychic powers, aliens, government cover-ups, and possession. The sort of thing that surely can only been dreamt up under the influence!

When school-friends Henry, Beaver, Jonsey, and Pete noticed ‘Duddits’, a disabled child being bullied, the boys intervened, intertwining their lives and showing them ‘the line’, Duddits’ telepathic power. The line is a compass guiding the group through life, drawing them away from danger and towards lost things. Present day, the boys still meet up every year to go hunting in the snowy forest, cut off from civilisation… Cue the cabin in the woods style gore-fest! A UFO has crashed in the forest and the military are racing against time to contain the incident, but they don’t have the full story. It’s up to the group of friends to save the world, an action inexplicably linked to Duddits and his special powers.

For those of you fascinated by the recent Area 51 raid pranks, this is a must-read! What have the authorities been hiding? Peel back the proverbial curtain and find out what extra-terrestrial horror awaits!

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

Written as a collection of interviews, news articles, personal accounts, and scientific data collated by a journalist, Brooks convinces the reader that World War Z was a real-life global catastrophe. Written in the post-apocalyptic wake, World War Z examines the effects of a worldwide pandemic and response from global leaders, health organisations and pharmaceutical companies cashing in on the chaos.

The corruption revealed throughout governments, world leaders and at times the medical profession provides a commentary on contemporary issues surrounding conflict, peace, safety and ethical practise which is extremely thought provoking and before you can check yourself leads you to wonder: could a corrupt government lead to a zombie war?

Brooks cleverly weaves personal accounts showing war as a microcosm, devastating families juxtaposed against the worldwide effects using government press releases and interviews. This makes for a read which at times tugs on your heart strings, terrifies you to your core and causes you to scratch your head and strategise with the world leaders about what to do next!

Creepy Classics

Dracula by Bram Stoker

A gothic setting, a tyrannical villain and damsels in distress, Dracula is the epitome of classic horror. Drawing the reader in with detailed panoramic descriptions of beautiful scenery, we are taken into Dracula’s foreboding castle and into the world of the vampire.

When Jonathan Harker sets out to Transylvania to close a real estate deal with Count Dracula, he is warned by villagers along the way to turn back. Despite this, Jonathan chooses to continue on and finds himself embroiled in wolf attacks, vampire assaults, murder, monster hunts, and blood. Meanwhile, Harker’s wife Mina and her friend Lucy are caught up in vampire dealings of their own leading to further macabre events.

Stoker paints a picture of how unprepared England is for Dracula’s attacks due to its propensity for modern science which doesn’t allow for believing in vampires. Warning readers not to overlook supernatural occurrences science can’t explain. Like Van Helsing, we must take into account both superstition and science. If you like eerie, spooky, otherworldly horror then Dracula is the one for you!

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

When Robert Walton set out on his voyage to the North Pole, little did he expect to come across Victor Frankenstein, a near frozen man with an incredible story. Once nursed back to health, Frankenstein tells his secret, scary, and shameful story. Following a happy childhood, Frankenstein studies anatomy and chemistry discovering his ability of animation and embarking on his biggest project yet, to create a human being. Frankenstein makes the monster from a collection of human body parts before bringing it to life and running in fear. What follows is a twisted tale of murder, shame, betrayal, guilt and ethical questions.

Shelley writes a dark and ominous text exploring the implications of too much knowledge. Text and language also play a huge role in the novel with the story told through letters with nods to notebooks, inscriptions and journals. The monster even learns to speak and read from the villagers allowing Frankenstein and thus the reader to understand the complex emotions felt by the creature adding another layer to the story. If you like chewing over problems of ethics and philosophy with a side order of grisly horror, then this is the novel for you!

Psychological Frights

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

Schizophrenia or supernatural possession? This was the question plaguing the Barrett family when 15-year-old Marjorie began acting erratically and medicine wasn’t helping. Merry, Marjorie’s sister, chronicles the horrific events that took place in the Bennett house when the family decided an exorcism was the only way to help Marjorie. To ease their financial strain, the family agreed to have a reality TV show enter their home and film the events leading Merry to question is Marjorie really possessed?

The book explores the dark theme of reality TV exploitation while raising the age old question of science versus religion. Full of harrowing scenes and creepy imagery, the book has an overall feeling of paranoia and madness, making for a sinister and terrifying read. Open if you dare and travel down the psychological rabbit-hole into the ghost filled head of Marjorie Barrett.

Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Would you go for a summer holiday in a haunted house? That is exactly what Eleanor, Theodora, and Luke do following an invitation from Dr Montague who is investigating the supernatural occurrences at Hill House. The group are tasked with living in the house for the summer, noting unearthly experiences.

Although dark and foreboding with a chequered past, Hill House is uninviting but apparently not haunted. However, malevolent events begin slowly unfolding leaving us to wonder what is the work of spirits and what may be the work of the group of ragtag inhabitants. The house comes to life, ensnaring its victims, particularly drawing in fragile, vulnerable Eleanor who is infatuated with the house. Will Hill House ever let her go?

For those that have watched the hit Netflix series, you’ll find that the show takes a lot of creative licence, further developing key themes from the book to stretch over a whole series. The novel is more compact with traditional haunted house tropes but still packs a frightening punch, made even more impactful by the shock ending. Come inside Hill House if you dare!

Supernatural Scares

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

When a malevolent child abductor and a psychic teenager cross paths, both of their lives are changed forever. Charles Manx, a famed child abductor has been kidnapping children in his Rolls-Royce Wraith, which can traverse worlds and taking them to the supernatural vampire amusement park of Christmasland. When psychic Vic takes the ‘Shorter Way bridge’, her telepathic link, to Manx’s house following an argument with her mother, she had no idea what horrors awaited there.

Fast forward to Vic’s adult life, where she lives as the only known escapee of Manx, but he is not finished with Vic yet. Although imprisoned, after Vic’s almost abduction, Manx has escaped using paranormal means, convincing everyone he is dead and when he takes Vic’s son, no one believes it. It is up to Vic to rescue Wayne and destroy Christmasland for good.

Hill cleverly incorporates the real-life threat of child abduction which send a shiver down the spine of most along with supernatural elements such as psychics and vampires. This makes for a bone-chilling scare you won’t be able to shake long after the last page.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu

Alma Katsu showcases her amazing ability to make horrific historical tragedies even more terrifying by introducing supernatural entities within her take on the Donner Party disaster, The Hunger. In 1846, the 90 members of the pioneer Donner Party setting out on the Oregon trail from Missouri to California, could not have foreseen the horror that lay in wait.

Katsu’s writing builds suspense from the outset, having the reader believe something is stalking the party, causing disappearances and deaths. Although a true story of conflict, betrayal, illness, exposure and starvation, Katsu explores the events under a supernatural lens adding another layer of horror to the already tragic accounts. Did the Donner Party succumb to exposure or is there another sinister explanation for their bad luck?

This novel seamlessly marries history and horror incorporating barbaric tribes, ghosts, demons, and witchcraft without a second of disconnection from the gripping politics and relationships of the group. The variation of traditional storytelling and the use of correspondence, to inform the reader of the character and setting backgrounds, reveals the twine that links all party members to one another and the dread, death and destruction awaiting them all.

Heinous Horror Adaptations

Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Turned into a hit Netflix movie, Bird Box will leave you on the edge of your seat, both the book and movie. Malorie and her two children live in an abandoned house in a post-apocalyptic ruin. Most people are dead, and something is out there. Something that wants to get them and if they look at it directly, it will turn them into homicidal, suicidal maniacs. Malorie and her children need to escape and run to safety but a perilous journey lies ahead and you’re on it with them!

Written with a sense of urgency that will keep you turning pages, Bird Box will have you looking over your shoulder with paranoia and panic, thinking am I being followed too? Due to the fact the protagonist spends much of the time blindfolded or trying to avoid seeing the malevolent forces, you will become maddeningly frustrated at your own consequent blindness. keeping you reading desperately in the hope you will get to see the monster. But can you handle it? Or will it send you mad too?

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

You’ve probably heard of the cult movie The Exorcist, but did you know it was based on a bestselling book? Noted as one of the most controversial books of the time, The Exorcist tells the story of 11 year old Regan’s experience with demonic possession and her subsequent exorcism. It’s hard not to compare the novel to the film due to its notoriety but where the book far excels is in the stomach-churning; repulsive descriptions of acts carried out by the possessed Regan and the shocking and horrifying dialogue from the demon inside. Making those infamous scenes from the movie (I won’t give it away!) even more disturbing and unsettling.

Inspired by real life events, if you don’t value a good night’s sleep all that much then this is the book for you. It will have you up long into the night jumping at shadows and cowering under the duvet.

Do you have any horror recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Creepiest Reads For Halloween appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hey Nerds, content contributor Holly here, keeping you in the loop of my reading with the Mid Year Book Freakout tag! As of the end of June, I have read 67 books out of my 75 goal for the year of 2019, which is a total of 23,981 pages! Here’s what I recommend based on what I have read so far in 2019!

Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2019?

• Sharp Objects Gillian Flynn: Completely and utterly disturbing. Perfect for the horror lover! Go into this novel with a tough stomach. MAJOR TW FOR CUTTING AND VIOLENCE.
• Misery by Stephen King
• Pet Sematary by Stephen King: Do you notice a trend? We at the Nerd Daily are fascinated by the macabre.

Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2019

Kingsbane by Claire Legrand: Killer, kickass, magical queens. What more could you want?

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To?

• Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
• Inspection by Josh Malerman

Most Anticipated Release For Second Half of 2019

• Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren: I’m complete and utter trash for this duo.
• Song of the Abyss by Makiia Lucier: Thanks to The Nerd Daily, I’ll be reading an ARC and uploading a review soon!
• American Royals by Katharine McGee
• The Institute by Stephen King
• The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
• And like every other person on this planet… The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

Biggest Disappointment?

• Ruin & Rising and Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo: Sorry, I just don’t understand the hype. After finishing this series, I said hello to a MAJOR book slump. The trilogy just could not live up to the hype.
• Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy: nothing happened… never in a book have I experienced so much talk of action but no actual action. I was so hyped to get an arc but it had to be one of the largest disappointments so far.
• Fire & Blood by George R R Martin: Um this was a as boring as a history textbook. Can we just get Winds of Winter already?!

Biggest Surprise?

The Test by Sylvain Neuvel: Short and sweet. You’ll never quite know what to expect with this one.

Favourite New Author?

Stephen King… yes. I know, I am the last on the very large bandwagon. So much horror, so much weird fiction.

Newest Fictional Crush?

Saying hello to a girl crush: Daisy Jones from Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. She is so screwed up in so many ways but powerful, resilient and kickass at the same time.

Newest Favourite Character?

An odd one coming your way…. Annie Wilkes from Misery by Stephen King. Is it any surprise that I’m choosing a villain? Probably not LOL. I mean don’t you sometimes want to kidnap your favourite writer and force them to rewrite a book so they don’t kill your favourite character? Yeah me too…

Book That Made You Cry?

Now, I’m not a crier but I felt all the feels with Michelle Obama’s Becoming. She is a lawyer, mother, political advocate and can now add author to the list. This book was written so beautifully she could be a best seller even without being the famous ‘Michelle Obama’. I would die for another piece of her writing. So well done.

Book That Made You Happy?

Colourless Tsukuru Tazak by Haruki Murakami: ALL the nostalgia from my time living in Tokyo. Also beautiful writing, a new author I would love to read more of.

Favourite Book To Screen Adaptation You Saw This Year?

The Handmaid’s Tale

Favourite Review You’ve Written This Year?

Favourite and hardest review to write this year…. Swipe Right for Murder by Derek Milman! I wanted to spoil and gush the entire review so it was so hard to keep it spoiler free! However, such an amazing opportunity to interview the author himself! So thankful to Jimmy Patterson books, the Nerd Daily and Derek himself for a great book, review, and experience!

Most Beautiful Book You Bought So Far This Year?

UK edition of Skyward by Brandon Sanderson! This book looks like literal magic… hopefully it lives up to the hype of such a talked about fantasy author.

What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of The Year?

• The Dark Half by Stephen King
• The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell
• Blood Song by Anthony Ryan
• The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
• Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
• Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

Have you read any of these books? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Holly’s Reads: Mid-2019 Book Freak Out Tag appeared first on The Nerd Daily.