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Top Ten Tuesday

Ten Book Recommendations For Horror Junkies

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I’m so happy TTT is back! As always, Top Ten Tuesday meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is: Ten book recommendations for ______________: (Skies the limit here…examples: for Hufflepuffs, for fans of Game of Thrones, for people who don’t normally read YA, for animal lovers, for video game lovers, etc. I decided to go with horror. I love horror, don’t you? As a warning, this list might include many works by Stephen King. And I might add some suspense and thrillers here too.

1.Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King
“Hearts can break. Yes, hearts can break. Sometimes I think it would be better if we died when they did, but we don’t.”― Stephen King, Hearts in Atlantis

Hearts in Atlantis holds a very special place in my heart as it was the first book by Stephen King that I read. I don’t think it’s his scariest books but it is definitely creepy. And what it doesn’t have in scariness, it has in depth.

2. IT by Stephen King
“We lie best when we lie to ourselves.” 
― Stephen King, It

IT is just a masterpiece. It’s scary and a book that makes you really uncomfortable. Also, some disturbing events makes you wonder why they were written in the book in the first place.

3. The Outsider by H.P Lovecraft

Best Lovecraftian horror I have ever read.

4. The Black Tongue by Marko Hautala

“You’re all sitting here wondering what Granny Hatchet does. Granny Hatchet kills children.”
― Marko Hautala, The Black Tongue

I bet you didn’t know that we Finns write horror too. Black Tongue is something I would describe with a word odd.  It has good descriptions and interesting story.

5. Duma Key by Stephen King

“Life is like Friday on a soap opera. It gives you the illusion that everything is going to wrap up, and then the same old shit starts up on Monday.” 
― Stephen King, Duma Key

This, again, is one of my favorite ones by King. You’d think you get what’s coming but I didn’t guess and that was pretty exciting.

6. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
“The mad sometimes drilled holes in their own heads to let the demons out. To relieve the pressure of thoughts they could no longer bear. Jude understood the impulse. Each beat of his heart was a fresh and staggering blow felt in the nerves behind his eyes and in his temples. Punishing evidence of life.”
― Joe Hill, Heart-Shaped Box

Joe Hill writes as perfectly as his father.

7. The Strain Trilogy by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
“Awareness of insanity does not make one any less insane. Awareness of drowning does not make one any less of a drowning person–it only adds the burden of panic”
― Guillermo del Toro, The Night Eternal

Vampires. Better-made vampires.

8.  Little Star by John Ajvide Lindqvist
“We are always in a certain amount of pain. There is chafing somewhere, and if it isn’t in our body, then it’s in our mind. There’s an itch, all the time.”
― John Ajvide Lindqvist, Little Star

Creepiest girl (have I over-used that word already) in literature ever.

9. Jaws by Peter Benchley
“The great fish moved silently through the night water.”
― Peter Benchley, Jaws

I wasn’t really even afraid of sharks before reading this.

10. Watchers by Dean Koontz
“It’s so damn hard to bloom… to change. Even when you want to change, want it more than anything in the world, it’s hard. Desire to change isn’t enough. Or desperation. Couldn’t be done without…love,”
― Dean Koontz, Watchers

I really liked Travis and Einstein.

Happy TTT! What are your recommendations and for whom? Have you read any books out of my list?

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132 thoughts on “Ten Book Recommendations For Horror Junkies”

  1. I love horror and am always looking for new books and authors so thank you for this list! I had heard of a few of these but there are many that I hadn’t so I’ll definitely be adding them to my TBR. I picked up The Strain a while ago after watching the first couple of episodes of the tv show, both of which I plan on getting around to eventually. I had no idea that it was a series though, that’s pretty cool. :)

  3. Amazing post! I LOVE horror and I’m always looking for some new ones to pick up. Heart Shaped Box was so good, and my mother (also a horror lover) has been trying to get me to read The Strain for years. Maybe I’ll pick it up before the year is out!

    1. Thank you! :D Yeah it is! I’ve really liked all of Joe Hill’s books so far. He has the same gift (and maybe the same sick mind?) as his father. I warmly recommend it :)

  4. Nice. Love that skull lol. Hearts of Atlantis I’ve never read but I did see the movie version.

    And Jaws- I like that cover with it all black. :)

      1. I saw it a few years ago and thought it was pretty good, it’s more of a coming-of-age story and worked really well that way, with a little mysteriousness thrown in. I think it’s worth watching. I didn’t know it was a Stephen King tale until afterward actually.

  5. I love horror and am always looking for new books and authors so thank you for this list! I had heard of a few of these but there are many that I hadn’t so I’ll definitely be adding them to my TBR. I picked up The Strain a while ago after watching the first couple of episodes of the tv show, both of which I plan on getting around to eventually. I had no idea that it was a series though, that’s pretty cool. :)

    1. Based on your blog, I think you might also like Black Tower series and Talisman by Stephen King. They have some elements of horror but in my opinion they’re more of a dark fantasy :)

  8. I’ve read many of King’s earlier books and they are super creepy – the cover along from Pet Semetary alone is enough to scare the bejezus out of me!! I really hope the new IT movie actually delivers the scares. Previous versions have been laughable.

    1. They are! And I’m too scared to watch horror films usually but somehow I love horror books? Yeah me too. At least trailers looked pretty creepy so I have high hopes for the film too.

  10. I’ve never heard of Hearts in Atlantis, and I thought I had a good knowledge of Stephen King! I’ve got Heart-Shaped Box but haven’t read it yet… Looks like I need to start brushing up on my horror reads.

    I recommended books for reluctant readers: check it out if you’re interested.

    1. I think it might be one of his lesser known works :D Definitely. If you like King, you’ll love Heart-Shaped Box. There’s nothing hearty about the book haha

  13. Amazing post! I LOVE horror and I’m always looking for some new ones to pick up. Heart Shaped Box was so good, and my mother (also a horror lover) has been trying to get me to read The Strain for years. Maybe I’ll pick it up before the year is out!

    1. Thank you! :D Yeah it is! I’ve really liked all of Joe Hill’s books so far. He has the same gift (and maybe the same sick mind?) as his father. I warmly recommend it :)

      1. I saw it a few years ago and thought it was pretty good, it’s more of a coming-of-age story and worked really well that way, with a little mysteriousness thrown in. I think it’s worth watching. I didn’t know it was a Stephen King tale until afterward actually.

  15. I will definitely have to read The Strain trilogy because I’m 100% completely obsessed with vampires. And I have a few of Stephen King’s books on my shelves but I still have yet to read them because I prefer to read horror closer to Halloween.

    1. I can tell! :D The sparkle and the vampire symbols after your name are really cool! ^^
      One can start early, it’s only two months or something until my (our?) favorite celebration

  17. Stephen King truly is the king of the modern horror genre. Like Dragonsandzombies said, it’s awesome that you included so many of his classics on this list.

    E. H. James is another horror author that I’ve gotten into lately. What other horror authors do you like?

    Here is my TTT.

    1. One must respect the master of horror right :D And like there are few authors that can do what he does.

      Oh whoa. E.H.James…I have never heard of him. Ones that aren’t on this list: Susan Hill, Shirley Jackson, Peter Straub. Have I missed some really epic horror book? :D

    1. Based on your blog, I think you might also like Black Tower series and Talisman by Stephen King. They have some elements of horror but in my opinion they’re more of a dark fantasy :)

  19. I’ve read many of King’s earlier books and they are super creepy – the cover along from Pet Semetary alone is enough to scare the bejezus out of me!! I really hope the new IT movie actually delivers the scares. Previous versions have been laughable.

    1. They are! And I’m too scared to watch horror films usually but somehow I love horror books? Yeah me too. At least trailers looked pretty creepy so I have high hopes for the film too.

  20. I’ve never heard of Hearts in Atlantis, and I thought I had a good knowledge of Stephen King! I’ve got Heart-Shaped Box but haven’t read it yet… Looks like I need to start brushing up on my horror reads.

    I recommended books for reluctant readers: check it out if you’re interested.

    1. Oh wow “Imagine a world where you might disappear any minute, only to find yourself alone in a grey sickly land, with more horrors in it than you would ever wish to know about.” The Call sounds like something I’d like! Thank you for the rec! :)

  24. I have to say I normally steer clear of horror although I’m much better at Reading it than watching it. I might have to check out that Koontz book as I loved his book Life Expectancy.

    1. :D I think if you want a smaller dose of Joe HIll, he has this short story collection called 20th Century Ghosts. By reading that, you’ll see if you like his style or not

  27. I will definitely have to read The Strain trilogy because I’m 100% completely obsessed with vampires. And I have a few of Stephen King’s books on my shelves but I still have yet to read them because I prefer to read horror closer to Halloween.

    1. I can tell! :D The sparkle and the vampire symbols after your name are really cool! ^^
      One can start early, it’s only two months or something until my (our?) favorite celebration

  28. I haven’t read any on your list. I have always avoided horror novels, but I’ve read a couple lately that have changed my mind. I’ll have to add a couple of yours to my TBR!

  29. Stephen King truly is the king of the modern horror genre. Like Dragonsandzombies said, it’s awesome that you included so many of his classics on this list.

    E. H. James is another horror author that I’ve gotten into lately. What other horror authors do you like?

    Here is my TTT.

    1. One must respect the master of horror right :D And like there are few authors that can do what he does.

      Oh whoa. E.H.James…I have never heard of him. Ones that aren’t on this list: Susan Hill, Shirley Jackson, Peter Straub. Have I missed some really epic horror book? :D

  30. This is my kind of list – I love horror! Stephen King is one of my favorites as well. One that I read a year or so ago, Horns by Joe Hill, is another good one for people who don’t like horror. It’s creepy and crazy and a lot of fun.

    Here is my TTT.

    1. Nice! :) Horns is pretty good yeah I agree. I kind of want to read this newest book called The Firemen or something like that by Joe Hill. Have you read it? :)

      1. I loved Horns, it was very different from my usual fare! I haven’t read The Fireman yet, but it’s definitely on my list. I’ve heard a lot of good things about it.

  31. I barely read horror. Stephen King so far has not hit its mark yet with me but that might be because I picked up the wrong books. I have read Joe Hills’ graphic novel Locke & Key which I really enjoyed.

    1. Oh wow “Imagine a world where you might disappear any minute, only to find yourself alone in a grey sickly land, with more horrors in it than you would ever wish to know about.” The Call sounds like something I’d like! Thank you for the rec! :)

  33. I have to say I normally steer clear of horror although I’m much better at Reading it than watching it. I might have to check out that Koontz book as I loved his book Life Expectancy.

    1. :D I think if you want a smaller dose of Joe HIll, he has this short story collection called 20th Century Ghosts. By reading that, you’ll see if you like his style or not

  36. I haven’t read any on your list. I have always avoided horror novels, but I’ve read a couple lately that have changed my mind. I’ll have to add a couple of yours to my TBR!

  37. I totally LOVE It! It’s my all time favourite horror book and I can’t wait to see the new film! Excited! Also enjoyed Heart Shaped box and need to reread that at some point. Thanks for stopping by my blog!

    1. Trailers are pretty good, right? :D I honestly don’t even like horror movies and I’m still really excited. Joe Hill doesn’t let you down with what he writes :)

  38. This is my kind of list – I love horror! Stephen King is one of my favorites as well. One that I read a year or so ago, Horns by Joe Hill, is another good one for people who don’t like horror. It’s creepy and crazy and a lot of fun.

    Here is my TTT.

      1. I loved Horns, it was very different from my usual fare! I haven’t read The Fireman yet, but it’s definitely on my list. I’ve heard a lot of good things about it.

  39. I barely read horror. Stephen King so far has not hit its mark yet with me but that might be because I picked up the wrong books. I have read Joe Hills’ graphic novel Locke & Key which I really enjoyed.

  41. I totally LOVE It! It’s my all time favourite horror book and I can’t wait to see the new film! Excited! Also enjoyed Heart Shaped box and need to reread that at some point. Thanks for stopping by my blog!

    1. King has a problem with long books. I think his editor basically told him to cut 50% away from his work Under the Dome…and it’s still like 1000 pages long! Can’t wait for October & Halloween :)

    1. King has a problem with long books. I think his editor basically told him to cut 50% away from his work Under the Dome…and it’s still like 1000 pages long! Can’t wait for October & Halloween :)

  47. I haven’t heard of Hearts in Atlantis, although I used to loooove The King. Nor have I heard of Duma Key! You seem to have some really interesting King picks that I’ve never seen. I should probably go back to reading his books cause his stories are unbelievable, but I’m just worried about my mental state. Too damn sensitive, might be thrown into negativity too easily. But his books are soooo goooood :/ dilemma!
    Another good one I’ve read by Koontz is From The Corner Of His Eye. Have you read that one?

    1. Hmm haha what do you mean by “used to love” King, you don’t like him anymore o.O Or does he get to you too much? Both are pretty good! You should definitely give them a try. Have you read Lisey’s story? I think that’s one of King’s lighter works…or at least it’s partly a love story…in a way.

      No, I haven’t! Have to add it on my TBR?

      1. I do like him, but I don’t read him anymore. I’m sorry not to, but it’s self protection – I’m very sensitive, and I tend to go into depressive bouts if I see/read something too dark. You can see how that would be tough if you like Stephen King :D and nope, haven’t read that one. I’ve read stuff like The Stand, It, Pet Sematary, Insomnia, Death Zone, Misery, Shining… the real stuff :D
        As for Koontz, I don’t know – that one was good. It’s more of a thriller though. King still stays King :)

        1. You must do what is best for you :) I get that. And life is hard enough so I get why books might add to that. Definitely a tough dilemma though o.O Hahaha definitely the real stuff. But yeah mabe try Lisey’s story. It’s lighter.

          Cool! I’ll try it out! :) Koontz has written many books I like, like Odd Thomas series.

  48. I haven’t heard of Hearts in Atlantis, although I used to loooove The King. Nor have I heard of Duma Key! You seem to have some really interesting King picks that I’ve never seen. I should probably go back to reading his books cause his stories are unbelievable, but I’m just worried about my mental state. Too damn sensitive, might be thrown into negativity too easily. But his books are soooo goooood :/ dilemma!
    Another good one I’ve read by Koontz is From The Corner Of His Eye. Have you read that one?

    1. Hmm haha what do you mean by “used to love” King, you don’t like him anymore o.O Or does he get to you too much? Both are pretty good! You should definitely give them a try. Have you read Lisey’s story? I think that’s one of King’s lighter works…or at least it’s partly a love story…in a way.

      No, I haven’t! Have to add it on my TBR?

      1. I do like him, but I don’t read him anymore. I’m sorry not to, but it’s self protection – I’m very sensitive, and I tend to go into depressive bouts if I see/read something too dark. You can see how that would be tough if you like Stephen King :D and nope, haven’t read that one. I’ve read stuff like The Stand, It, Pet Sematary, Insomnia, Death Zone, Misery, Shining… the real stuff :D
        As for Koontz, I don’t know – that one was good. It’s more of a thriller though. King still stays King :)

        1. You must do what is best for you :) I get that. And life is hard enough so I get why books might add to that. Definitely a tough dilemma though o.O Hahaha definitely the real stuff. But yeah mabe try Lisey’s story. It’s lighter.

          Cool! I’ll try it out! :) Koontz has written many books I like, like Odd Thomas series.

  51. omg. I’m such a chicken. I can’t do horror often. Not since I had a scary run in with Bloody Mary when I was…gee, I don’t know, eight I guess. I’m starting to get braver. So far, I think the scariest thing I’ve seen is Supernatural. XD Thanks for commenting on my Rec’s for Zuko post!

  52. omg. I’m such a chicken. I can’t do horror often. Not since I had a scary run in with Bloody Mary when I was…gee, I don’t know, eight I guess. I’m starting to get braver. So far, I think the scariest thing I’ve seen is Supernatural. XD Thanks for commenting on my Rec’s for Zuko post!

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