8 Fantasy Horror Books to Delight and Frighten You

Born into a puritanical society, Immanuel Moore represents her mother’s sins and family’s disgrace. Following their rigid rules, Immanuel does her best to assimilate. When she finds herself lost in the woods, she discovers the spirits of long dead witches, hidden secrets, and a diary that could change everything. Blending horror with historical fiction and fantasy, this novel is unsettling and grim, and will leave you with burning questions. 

This 100-page gory novella is a fairytale about what happens after the mermaid comes ashore to wed her prince. Unable to hide her hunger or control her daughters, the mermaid must run away with a masked plague doctor. Deep in the forest, they discover a cult of bloodthirsty immortal children and their saints. To survive, the mermaid and the plague doctor must answer their true nature. 

Carolyn’s worst nightmare has come true: Father is missing and he’s left his Library behind. Carolyn and her adopted siblings each hold a portion of the Library’s and Father’s vast knowledge and power. Together, they must plan for the coming battle for creation. 

Fragmented, with bits of different stories and genres stitched together, The Library at Mount Char is a trust exercise that won’t leave you in the gloom for too long.  

The town of Eden, Kentucky is haunted by the Starling House, which appeared just before recluse author E. Starling disappeared in the 19^th century. Now, Arthur Starling is left to deal with the decaying mansion on his own. When Opal is offered a housekeeping job at the Starling House, she agrees, if only to help her brother Jasper out of Eden. As Opal begins to unearth dangerous secrets from the past and warnings for the present, she and Arthur must work together to preserve Eden. Deliciously Gothic, this book serves up monsters alongside beautiful prose. 

In this collection of short stories, Nethercott explores the dark and fantastical within the mundane. Each devastating story is told from a different “monster’s” point of view in nightmarish imagery. 

The Elmever is where children disappear and traps and monsters lie in wait. Veris once rescued a child from deep inside the wild forest, and when the Tyrant’s children go missing, Veris is tasked with bringing them home. If she fails, she’ll be trapped in the Elmever for eternity. This twisty novella is decorated with lush prose and atmospheric world building. 

Desperate to be the best swimmer, Ren Yu dedicates herself to her sport. As she faces the daily challenges of high school, the pressures of being a female athlete, and navigating life as an immigrant, she longs to be something else. To become the best, Ren will stop at nothing. Transformative and gruesome, this novel is a coming-of-age story unlike any other. 

When Noah’s estranged best friend goes missing, she’s not the only one. The clues that Becca left behind lead Noah to the local legend of a goddess that Noah and Becca used to pray to. As the search continues, Noah has out-of-body experiences that might take her to the missing persons. This YA novel is sinister and atmospheric.