Horror holds a really special place in my heart. I love an eerie atmosphere coupled with likeable characters or a worldbuilding mystery. However, I'm not a huge fan of excessive gore or unnecessary sex. I just want a lot of mystery, spooky monsters or settings, and a satisfying conclusion.
That's why I'm going to recommend some of my favorite horror books (that don't have a ton of explicit content). These books range from YA to Adult but, in my opinion, adults can enjoy any of these.
1. Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith
My Rating: A Tier (9/10)
Genres and Tropes: Science Fiction / Prison Break / Horror / Dystopian World / Monsters / Mad Scientists / Young Adult
When a thief is framed for the murder of his best friend, he is placed inside an underground dungeon where he and other children are experimented on. With no one to save him, he stages a prison break, hoping to escape before he gets turned into a monster.
The first 3 books of this 5 book series were everything I looked for in horror. Spooky, mysterious, disturbing, and fast paced. They're a quick read and always pile more mysteries onto the previous ones. My only real gripe is that I didn't enjoy the 4th book (the pacing was off and it fell into stereotyping) but the first three are well worth the read (and can kind of end on a satisfying note, even without the last two books).
2. House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
My Rating: A Tier (9/10)
Genres and Tropes: Fairytale Retelling / Romance / Horror / Jump Scares / Mystery / Young Adult
The Twelve Dancing Princesses retold but the princesses are slowly getting killed off.
I'm not a major fan of retellings, but this book feels like its own genre. I never expected to enjoy the setting and jump scares so much. It's set in a town on an ocean shore and has a really immersive, old-fashioned atmosphere. The romance was a surprise and there were plenty of parts where I could literally see the creepy scenes in my head and got the chills. While I didn't adore the ending, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Definitely recommend a read (though do expect a blend of genres here).
3. The Call by Peadar O'Guilin
My Rating: A Tier (9/10)
Genres and Tropes: Fantasy / Romance / Folklore / Horror / School / Young Adult
When children turn sixteen, they are whisked away to a fairy world at random and must survive for 24 hours. If you die in that world, you die in real life. The main character is a cripple but she's determined to make it out alive.
This is a concept that I haven't seen fleshed out in a book before and I loved its creativity. The monsters are creepy fairies with a mystery attached to them (where did they come from and what do they really want?). I also loved that the main character was limited by her body (a limp). It added to the tension and fleshed her out a little more. There's also a hint of a romance in this book, though it's not the focus.
4. Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
My Rating: S Tier (10/10)
Genres and Tropes: Science Fiction / Romance / Space / Horror / Mystery / Adult
A small crew of surveyors stumble upon a ship that vanished years ago. When they come on board, they find a sea of corpses. It's up to the captain to figure out what killed the ship's crew before it destroys her own.
This was everything I looked for in horror. Spooky setting. Space exploration. A small crew of characters. A touch of romance. A mystery to solve. It had it all.
While it wasn't perfect, it fit my criteria for an enjoyable, science fiction horror read that I would like to experience again. I highly recommend it.
5. Penpal by Dathan Auerbach
My Rating: S Tier (10/10)
Genres and Tropes: Mystery / Small Town / Diary / Horror / Stalker / Adult
A man recounts his childhood memories and realizes all the eerie coincidences are connected.
This book was originally written as a no-sleep story. I read it there first and fell in love with it, both because I grew up in a small town so it was nostalgic and also because of the slow, creeping dread this story builds up. What makes it worse is that this very thing could happen to anybody. Its realism, mixed with the innocent naivete of a child, sets it apart. The book is not perfect by any means (the introduction needed some work) but I think it's a great read for when you're on vacation or just on a break and need to read something eerie.
Those are my top horror reads. I'm a very picky person and you might see a bit of a trend in this lineup. I have a very specific set of criteria for horror and all of these books surpassed it. They're unique, chilling, but don't take things too far.
If you're looking for more book recommendations in other genres, you can check out my website. I hope you give some of these books a try and enjoy.
