Horror fiction has been one of those literary genres that spark fear, thrill, shock, and suspense on a whole new level. It contains the same elements as the other fiction stories, but with different literary devices and focus. What makes this genre great is its ability to extract a sense of fear from the readers with the use of scary circumstances, symbols, images, and central messages.
Since it we are still at the beginning of 2021, perhaps you are still a little short of great titles to add to your reading list for this year. Worry not, because we have listed the best horror books that you should check out and add to your list.
The Ground Upon Which I Stand by Stephanie Stieglitz
Published in 2019 by Rantings of a Wandering Mind, The Ground Upon Which I Stand by Stephanie Stieglitz is one of the top books that evoke fear and suspense from the readers. It is a Lovecraftian horror anthology that follows the story of Ramona and Dexter. The former isn’t prepared on dealing with the mythos’ crash course. For her, college is just an establishment for higher education. After coming home with the latter following her survival for the first ritual, something unexpected happened. They were evaluating the event and arrived at a conclusion that good things can happen to bad people and likewise. However, they are not keen to stand by and let karma do its thing.
The Shining by Stephen King
One of the greatest hits of Stephen King is his book The Shining. This gothic horror novel is his third book, which contributed to his book success. Some of the elements of the story are inspired by the experiences of the author, such as his drinking problems and The Stanley Hotel visitation. Moreover, it follows the story of a striving writer and recuperating alcoholic named Jack Torrance. He accepted the off-season caretaker job located at Colorado Rockies for the notable Overlook Hotel. Jack went to the hotel along with his family. Unexpectedly, his little son Danny got a hold of the various psychic skills called “the shining,” which enabled him to witness the horrendous past. After that, insane things happened to Jack.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
This critically-acclaimed and Amazon bestseller for Children’s Studies Social Science category has been entertaining, scaring, and teaching readers of all ages about the importance of family. It centers on Coraline, a little girl who discovered a brand-new world beyond the usual that she thought has better things to offer. In that world, there was a mother and father who like her to be their child and be with them forever. They wanted her to be like them, strange and with button eyes, and not go back to her parents. The events escalated quickly and Coraline’s perception towards her new mother and father made her crave to go fight for her normal life with her biological and normal parents.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson, a great literary figure of American literature, wrote The Haunting of House Hill in 1959. The book was categorized as both gothic fiction and psychological horror. It focuses on terror instead of horror in order to evoke intense emotions from the readers with the use of complicated bonds between peculiar circumstances in the house and the psyches of the characters. As of now, it is still recognized as among the top literary ghost tales published in the 20th century. In fact, it got multiple film adaptations and the latest was the Netflix series that was based on the book.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Pantheon Books published the horror novel House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski in 2000. It is the debut novel of the author that also tackles romance and other exciting things. The story revolves around a recording about a family whose home is extraordinarily bigger on the interior than its exterior. Apart from the unconventional house, the book itself is formed in an unusual way. The story opens with the point of view of a worker of a tattoo parlor in LA named Johnny Truant. He is looking for an apartment, and that is when Lude — his buddy, the late Zampano has an apartment that he might be interested in. That is when discoveries, mysteries, and other things emerged.
Oliver’s Twist 