Horror is one of the most iconic genres in the world of storytelling. Yet so many horror books have been overshadowed by their popcorn flick counterparts. And while horror films surely are great, writers are still fully capable of telling horrific tales through prose, and the number of 2025 book releases that are horror will show why.
Whether you’re a fan of classic gothic literature, a lover of melancholy tales of heartbreak, or an enthusiast of short, striking horror stories, horror books always have a place for you.
These five works will show that horror books are not distant, inaccessible stories found in classic gothic horror books. All published this year, these novels show that horror still very much has a place in literature in varying ways. These five books will make you tremble in fear and send chills down your spine in different ways.
Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias
In her book, Tobias expertly weaves a slow, creeping tale of dread. 18-year old Carina Marshall finds her new luxurious Blackbead House to be a paradise. The atmosphere is peaceful, the town filled with lovely people she has become friends with, everything seems to be perfect. But soon, the strange, often disturbing events that surround the house send chills down her spine. She soon realizes that the house that she once thought was paradise may hide ominous secrets behind its walls.
Critics praise Honeysuckle and Bone for its slow-building horror atmosphere that keeps the readers on edge and the unique characters that drive the plot forward. Another noteworthy praise is its ability to explore the main character Carina’s psychology effectively. Through her unique storytelling methods, Tobias effectively hooks the reader into the story continuously through engaging plots of mystery. You will crave to find the truth behind all these intriguing webs of mystery.
Honeysuckle and Bone is a rather unique horror novel in its approach, effectively capturing the spirit of common Young Adult tales. Besides the haunting mysteries that surround the Blackbead House, the most unique part of this story is its nuanced characters. Rather than complex character work, most writers focus on the straightforward emotion of fear in horror books. Yet Tobias successfully has her cake and eats it too as she explores aspects of terror while adding complex character development.
They Bloom at Night by Thrang Thann Tran
They Bloom at Night captivates its readers by making them part of a post-apocalyptic world in Mercy, Louisiana, after a devastating hurricane. Strange, unknowable monsters lurk just underneath its new alien surface, forcing the protagonist, Noon, to find desperate ways to survive. Throughout the story, Noon finds more and more creative ways to survive Mercy’s deadly environment to avoid a fate worse than death.
Tran’s hypnotic world-building methods left critics awestruck at the detailed post-apocalyptic world of Mercy. While the post-apocalyptic theme may seem generic, Tran makes it up by combining world-building with deep theme exploration. The prevalent body horror undeniably adds to the disturbing nature of the book as well.
What makes They Bloom at Night even more stand out is its exploration of deep themes. While the nightmarish creatures may seem like surface-level jump scares at first sight, a deeper look into the story will traumatize you through its uncanny resemblance to real-life trauma and the chilling depiction of how we are haunted by the shadows of our past. The perfect blend of nightmarish creatures with explorations of unexpectedly deep themes makes this story a must-read. Especially for those who want more from horror besides a cheap jump scare.
Victorian Pyscho by Virginia Feito
The story of Victorian Psycho centers around the protagonist Winifred Notty. She starts her new position as a governess for the Ensor House and attends to her responsibilities dutifully. However, starting from little actions like jokingly telling the children how she will eat them, to more disturbing descriptions of gory murder, the novel demonstrates that Notty is certainly not the dutiful governess that she first seems to be.
Readers praise Fetio’s twisted tale of gothic horror for its vivid, almost disturbingly accurate, portrayal of Notty’s psychology. Critics have noted just how real and graphic the story portrays Notty’s actions, noting how finishing the story left them unsettled by the words. Additionally, readers note the classic twist of violent imagery in gothic horror books, many appreciating the unconventional gore as fresh in a subgenre noted for its atmosphere.
Just like American Psycho, Victorian Psycho is also a brand of psychological thriller. Notty’s thought process unsettles the reader by how much it differs from normal behavior. The description of this disturbing mind will engage you while the uncanniness of the brutality contrasted by the off-puttingly calm tone hooks you further into the narrative. Its development of the main character’s mental state is a page-turner for fans of psychological thrillers and for those who appreciate a twist from gothic horror books.
Strange Pictures by Uketsu (Translated by Jim Rion)
The mundane takes on significance in an exploration of the macabre. Chilling warnings on a blog drawn by a pregnant woman. A home containing dark secrets all predicted by a child’s drawings. A dying message in the form of a sketch leading to horrifying revelations.
Strange Pictures offers all these horrific tales and even more. All nine stories based on these innocent child-like drawings connect in an overarching backstory.
Following his career as a mystery horror YouTuber, Uketsu’s debut piece has been praised left and right for the creativity of flourishing tales of horror through seemingly innocent drawings. Critics praised Uketsu for the variety in his tales of horror and, contradictingly enough, his masterful ability to connect all these tales into one big picture to haunt readers. Additionally, translator Jim Rion’s work has garnered praise as well for the English prose that keeps the reader engaged in the story.
Strange Pictures is a must-read for readers who crave a strikingly memorable thrill of terror without engaging in long, bloated plot elements. Stories in Strange Pictures offer a variety of horror through unique ways, all contained in a short duration. Uketsu’s unique background in Japan also makes this story unique compared to other American horror stories.
At Dark, I Become Loathsome by Eric Larocca
“If you’re reading this, you’ve likely thought that the world would be a better place without you.”
Eric Lacrocca, At Dark I Become Loathsome
This short, melancholy quote strikes Ashley Lutin, the protagonist of the story. After the death of his wife and the disappearance of his son, he was left drowning in grief. Through the construction of certain rituals, he manages to help people just like him: people who are at war with the desire to die, yet conflicted by their desire to live a better life. One of those people, Jinx, forms a bond with Ashley as they reveal darker secrets in their lives.
At Dark, I Become Loathsome has been met with praise from critics, mostly for Larocca’s capability of describing trauma. Though the novel is short in length, readers are left disturbed and saddened by the characters’ realistic grief shown through Larocca’s prose. Readers point out how relatable and haunting Ashely and Jinx’s trauma is as the book closes with a heart damaged by their tragic tales.
Larocca’s tale of trauma will be a haunting piece for those who suffer from real-life trauma. The characters’ traumas that involve real aspects such as religion and sexuality will prove to haunt the readers who experience such trauma as well. The various letters, interviews, and other unique forms of presentation make this story seem more tangible.
2025: a good year for horror fans
2025 is a good year for horror fans, solely because of the varying wide appeal it has for each subgenre. A young adult tale shown through Honeysuckle and Blood. Post-apocalyptic monster horror is shown through They Bloom at Night. Unsettling psychological thrills and a twist of gothic horror books found in Victorian Psycho. A unique blend of Japanese taste is shown through tales in Strange Pictures. Exploration of trauma through At Dark, I Become Loathsome. If you’re ready to have no sleep for the rest of your year, these five books will do that job perfectly well.
