Scare Up a Good Read

I was first introduced to the horror genre in my 9th grade English class when we were assigned Stephen King's short story collection Nightmares and Dreamscapes. As one prone to nightmares, I was a little wary about reading anything remotely scary. But after I finished "The End of the Whole Mess," I was hooked and quickly plowed through the rest of the collection.

Since then, I've learned that there are many, many different kinds of horror. There are the classic masters - Poe, Stoker, Lovecraft - whose stories have frightened generations of readers. There are books that explore the darkest reaches of the human mind, and those that deal in supernatural forces. Of course, tales of vampires, werewolves and zombies have always been part of the genre, as are those books that poke fun at the things that go bump in the night.

Classic horror - Classic doesn't always have to mean old (though there's certainly nothing wrong with that!) Covering many horror subgenres, the classics are those that have both stood the test of time and that have defined and shaped the genre.

The Complete Stories of Edgar Allen Poe  - "The Raven," "The Tell-Tale Hart," "The Fall of the House of Usher," and many more classic gothic horror tales by the master.
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty - The classic tale of demonic possession that inspired many movies.
Dracula by Bram Stoker - The quintessential vampire novel. Try to read it and not hear Bela Legosi's voice.
Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelly - Shelly's misunderstood monster still lives on today in books, movies and thousands of Halloween costumes
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson - Eerie and menacing, Jackson's tale of a 80-year-old haunted mansion will stay with you for months afterwards.
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells - Wells' tale of genetic engineering gone horribly wrong was decades ahead of it's time, and is even more frighting today.
Psycho by Robert Bloch - Norman Bates and his mother. Need I say more?
Tales of H.P. Lovecraft - "The Call of Cthulhu," "The Dunwich Horror," "The Outsider" and more in this collection of Lovecraft's more suspenseful and horrifying tales.

Psychological horror - What darkness lies in the hearts of men and women? These books explore monsters and horror that we inflict upon each other.

Abandon by Blake Crouch - Investigating the bizarre and abrupt disappearance of every citizen from a gold-mining town over a century earlier, a history professor and his daughter embark on the journey aware that the last team that attempted to solve the mystery was never heard from again.
A Dark Matter by Peter Straub - Old friends try to come to grips with the darkness of the past--a secret ritual that left behind a gruesomely dismembered body--and find themselves face-to-face with the evil they helped create.
The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle - Landing in a budget-strapped mental institution after being accused of a crime he does not remember, Pepper is assaulted by a monstrous creature that has been attacking patients but that the hospital staff does not believe exists.
Misery by Stephen King- Rescued from a car crash by a psychotic woman claiming to be a fan, novelist Paul Sheldon becomes a captive invalid in her secluded Colorado farmhouse.

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Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon
The Terror by Dan Simmons (my review of this book is here)
What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz
Your House is on Fire, Your Children All Gone by Stefan Kiesbye

The Occult - The supernatural, spirits and black magic are staples of the horror genre. These books will give you chills, night or day.

Carrie by Stephen King - A repressed teenager uses her telekinetic powers to avenge the cruel jokes of her classmates. A remake of the classic 1976 movie based on the books is due out next year.
Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers - In 1862 London, the ghost of John Polidori, the one-time physician of Lord Byron, is determined to possess the life and soul of an innocent young girl, and a group of mismatched allies must enter into a supernatural underworld in order to stop him.
Horns by Joe Hill- After his childhood sweetheart is brutally killed and suspicion falls on him, Ig Parrish goes on a drinking binge and wakes up with horns on his head, hate in his heart, and an incredible new power which he uses in the name of vengeance.

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Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker
The Thirteen by Susie Moloney
Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman

The Funny Side of Horror - Are you more Shaun of the Dead than Dawn of the Dead? The horror genre is ripe for parody, and these books take full advantage. Although humor certainly doesn't mean you won't have your pants scared off!

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith - Reveals the hidden life of the sixteenth U.S. president, who was actually a vampire-hunter obsessed with the complete elimination of the un-dead, and uncovers the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of the nation.
Bite Me: A Love Story by Christopher Moore - Goth girl Abby Normal and her brainiac boyfriend pursue a vampire cat and his minions, but things become even more complicated with the arrival of three ancient vampires intent on getting some payback.
Jane and the Damned by Janet Mullany - Jane Austen, turned into a vampire against her will, joins a group of English vampires in putting their superhuman strength and speed to the service of their country and thwarting a French invasion.
This Book is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It by David Wong - The sequel to John Dies at the End in which our heroes find that books and movies about zombies may have triggered a zombie apocalypse, despite a total world absence of zombies. It takes you on a wild ride with two slackers from the Midwest who really have better things to do with their time than prevent disaster.

And more ... (click on the title for a description)
Allison Hewitt is Trapped: A Zombie Novel by Madeleine Roux
Paul is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion by Alan Goldsher
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith

Zombies and Werewolves and Vampires, Oh My! - The staples of the horror genre are the creatures of our nightmares made real. While vampires and werewolves have been the classic manifestations, zombies are gaining popularity among writers and readers of horror alike.

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - On the eve of her marriage, Elena Michaels learns that her fiancé has been concealing his secret life as a werewolf, and, as a bonus, he has made her into one also.
Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist  - Twelve-year-old Oskar is obsessed by the murder that's taken place in his neighborhood. Then he meets the new girl from next door. She's a bit weird, though. And she only comes out at night.
Zone One by Colson Whitehead -  In a post-apocalyptic world decimated by zombies, survivor efforts to rebuild are focused on Manhattan, where civilian team member Mark Spitz works to eliminate remaining infected stragglers and remembers his horrifying experiences at the height of the zombie plague.

And more ... (click on the title for a description) 
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Petrified by Graham Masterton
Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory
'Salem's Lot by Stephen King
The Strain by Guillermo del Toro
The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman

~ Allison, Adult Services

Strange Brew edited by P.N. Elrod

Strange Brew is a collection of short stories edited by P.N. Elrod.  I picked up this anthology based upon one story written by Patricia Briggs called "Seeing Eye".  Briggs is one of my favorite fantasy authors and I was excited to read her contribution.  In addition to "Seeing Eye" there are stories by Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Karen Chance, P.N. Elrod, Charlaine Harris, Faith Hunter, Caitlin Kittredge and Jenna Maclaine.  With the exception of Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs and Rachel Caine, the authors were new to me so this collection of stories gave me the opportunity to sample their writing in 30 to 40 pages.  Usually an anthology has a theme that connects all of the stories and the theme of Strange Brew is witches and dark magic.
 
Obviously I was excited to read Briggs' story "Seeing Eye" about werewolf Tom Franklin and witch Wendy Moira Kelley.  Tom and Moira were introduced in "Hunting Ground," the second book in Briggs' Alpha and Omega series. Tom is a police officer and also the second in command of the Seattle werewolf pack.  He has to work with Moira, who just happens to be blind, to solve a crime.  Naturally you would think a blind witch would need extra help (and of course that is just what Tom thinks), but as it turns out Moira is no pushover.  This short story had everything I love about Briggs' writing.  Her female characters may get into trouble but they can usually find a way to save themselves.  She also infuses just enough humor into her writing to cut some of the tension without making a mockery of dangerous situations.  My love for Patricia Briggs began with "Moon Called" the first book in the Mercy Thompson series and has extended to the Alpha and Omega series.

Hello Faith Hunter! Where have you been hiding?  "Signatures of the Dead" by Hunter introduced me to Jane Yellowrock.  A witch and her family are threatened by a group of dangerous (more dangerous than usual that is) vampires.  Enter Jane Yellowrock, vampire hunter, full blooded Cherokee, and skinwalker. Jane isn't a were-anything, she is a woman who becomes another animal (she prefers some type of big cat). Jane has no family to speak of and the threatened witch, Molly, happens to be Jane's best friend.  Although Jane was a supporting character she was by far the most compelling.  After reading this short story I was happy to learn that Jane Yellowrock is the star of her own series starting with "Skinwalker". Fans of Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series and Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series should check out Faith Hunter.

I've read several of Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampire books, a series written for young adults.  "Death Warmed Over" gave me a chance to sample how she writes for adults.  This is an interesting story about Holly,  a resurrection witch, who takes on a job for the police department.  She is asked to resurrect a man named Andrew because the police need him to solve a crime.  The twist in this story is that this isn't the first time Holly has had to resurrect Andrew and this time the stakes are much higher than before. 

Clearly I enjoy fantasy with strong female characters and a mix of supernatural creatures (werewolves, vampires, witches etc.) and just because the other stories didn't resonate with me doesn't mean they are not worth reading. With that said, I am going to shamelessly plug Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series starting with "Bitten". I discovered Kelley Armstrong in another anthology titled "My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon" also edited by P.N Elrod. If you are looking for someone new to read or a new "favorite author" I highly recommend picking up an anthology.  Think of it as sampling authors like you would ice cream flavors. 

~Amy, Adult Services

Books that bite back: Paranormal romances

Looking for a romantic, steamy read with a touch of the supernatural? This month, we're featuring authors of the highly-popular paranormal romance genre. Much more than vampires, many long-running series feature all sorts of creatures like shape-shifters (not just werewolves!), immortals, the magical & strange and even zombies! Of course, there are plenty of blood-suckers for those who can't resist their charm.

Here are some highlights from our most popular series in our collection. If you'd like to know more, stop by the Recommendations Desk or e-mail us at yourlibrarian@dubuque.lib.ia.us

Vampires
Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Romance Frost) - The series Night Huntress follows half-vampire, half-human Catherine Crawfield searching for vengeance against her vampire father. In the first installment, Cat's plans go awry when she is captured by vampire bounty hunter Bones.

Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian (Romance Adrian) - The first book in the Midnight Breed series features the Breed, a race of vampires sworn to protect humans from the threat of the Rogues. After meeting Breed warrior Lucan Thorne, Gabrielle Maxwell is drawn into the dangerous world of hunter vampires, one that is on the edge of an apocalyptic blood war.

Shape-Shifters

Mercury's War by Lora Leigh (Romance Leigh) - Leigh's Breed follows a genetically-altered race of feline & canine shape-shifters. Mercury's War follows Ria Rodriguez as she goes undercover to expose a traitor and instead encounters Mercury Warrant, one of the greatest Breeds created, who wants her for his mate.

Kissing Midnight by Emma Holly (Romance Holly) - The Fitz Clare Chronicles, a historical paranormal romance series, features a race of immortal shape-shifters - the upyr.The first installment follows upyr Edmund Fitz Clare as he battles his attraction to Estelle Berebger as they are both drawn into London's dark underground to prevent an ancient conflict from destroying both their worlds.

Magic & Immortals

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (Romance Moning) - The first installment of the Fever novels begins with MacKayla "Mac" Lane investigating the strange circumstances of her sister's death in Ireland. Mac is quickly drawn into an extraordinary world of magic, and finds an unlikely mentor in the darkly dangerous Jericho Barrons.

Second Sight by Amanda Quick (Fiction Quick) - The first novel of the Arcane Society series finds secretive psychic Venetia Milton hired to photograph the Arcane Society's collection of alchemical artifacts, currently in the care of Gabriel Jones. Deciding that it's now or never for love, Venetia seduces him, only to lose him in a fire set by a nefarious enemy. She is quite stunned when, after establishing herself as his widow, Gabriel reappears on her doorstep, very much alive and afraid for his life.

Zombies
I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It by Adam Selzer (eBook Selzer) - Living in the post-human era in which zombies, vampire and werewolves are the norm, dating is the last thing on 18-year-old Algonquin "Alley" Rhodes' mind. But, after covering a local band for her high school newspaper, Alley falls head over heels with guest singer Doug, a zombie. Things get even more dangerous for Alley when her classmate Will demands to turn her into a vampire, and even her undead boyfriend may be unable to stop him.

My Zombie Valentine by Katie MacAlister, Angie Fox, Marianne Mancusi and Lisa Cach (Romance Short My) - A collection of four lighthearted romances, including a tale of a miscast voodoo love spell that brings a woman's one true - and undead - love to her and another of a B horror movie set where a makeup artist quickly learns that art can imitate life.

Happy reading!

~ Allison, Adult Services