Winter Horror Reads That Sleigh
By: Briana Wilvert
Spooky season might be over, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to set down your horror reads just yet. Let’s face it, between the long, long nights and the cold weather, winter can be downright bleak, which makes it not only a great time to curl up with a good book, but an ideally creepy setting for some truly chilling reads. Ready to kick that seasonal depression to the curb?
Here are some suggestions to get your heart racing.
THE SALVAGE by Anbara Salam
When Marta, a trailblazing marine archaeologist, is sent to investigate a Victorian shipwreck that has been dragged from Arctic waters to an isolated Scottish island, she’s determined to get the job done quickly. On her first dive to investigate the wreckage, she sees a mysterious figure creeping in the depths, and things only get more eerie from there. Between the Cuban Missile Crisis, an island full of paranoid inhabitants, and a brutal snowstorm, this gothic thriller is sure to set your nerves on edge.
WHITE IS FOR WITCHING by Helen Oyeyemi
Something is very wrong in the home of the Silver family. Four generations of women have lived there—and maybe never left. Miranda, who now lives in the home with her widower father and twin brother, has begun to hear their voices. While she experiences pica and other ailments, the house seems to develop a hostility towards outsiders that begins to manifest itself physically. Both the language and the structure of this gothic horror are so unique, it’s a nightmarish fairytale you won’t soon forget.
MOON OF THE CRUSTED SNOW by Waubgeshig Rice
The first in a duology, this post-apocalyptic horror follows a small Anishinaabe community as the world goes dark right as winter approaches. With no connection to the outside world, they try to maintain order, keep each other fed, and survive with their sanity. Everything changes when a stranger arrives, followed by more, and the carefully maintained community they’ve kept begins to fall apart. Part dystopia, part horror, this one will keep you on your toes.
THE HUNGER by Alma Katsu
As the Donner Party makes its way west across the United States, plagued by near-constant misfortunes, they begin to question if one of their own is a witch. This historical horror, based on one of the most famous, ill-fated journeys in American history, takes you through treacherous heat, snow, and even more sinister obstacles.
FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Between the recent movie release and the dreary season, it’s the perfect time to revisit (or discover!) this classic. The young Victor Frankenstein, misguided and egocentric, is obsessed with creating new life. His monster is an abandoned creature, desperate for love and meaning. It’s the original sci-fi horror and remains a classic for a reason!
Whether you’re facing a snowy winter season or a relatively mild one, we hope these suggestions bring something new (and possibly frightening, in the best way) to this drab time of year.