Slash Through Summer With These Horror Book Recommendations!

Summer is whack. It’s hot and hot and also hot. Three things that are… you guessed it! Whack. 

Skip all that garbage by grabbing yourself a scary horror book, specifically one set during the hot summer months, and live vicariously through the lives of people fighting for theirs with these summer horrors book recommendations to help you beat the summer heat! 

Fantasticland - Mike Bockoven

When a hurricane hits the coast of Florida, a group of employees find themselves trapped inside of a theme park, where social structure and sanity quickly deteriorate, and chaos ensues. 

Described as Lord of the Flies meets Battle Royal, Fantasticland is told through investigative interviews with the characters involved. The ones that survived, that is. 

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight - Kalynn Bayron

When the employees of an interactive, slasher-themed summer camp start turning up dead, it’s up to the “final girl” to fight for her survival while protecting her coworkers and loved ones. 

Summerside Lake Massacre - L.R.J. Allen

Following a timeline that bounces back and forth between the 1950s and current-day 1980s, this summer camp slasher weaves a tale that reveals a town's dark past in the bloodiest of fashions.

The Devil All the Time - Donald Ray Pollock

This Southern Gothic tale interconnects a number of storylines that, to put it lightly, are sleazy and completely disturbing. You can feel the sweat and grit with each page turn. There’s a film adaptation, with a terrific cast, on Netflix that might be okay if you haven’t read the book. But please, read the book instead. 

The Blonde Dies First - Joelle Wellington

In this meta-supernatural slasher, a group of lifelong friends accidentally release a demon that begins stalking them on the hot Summer streets of Brooklyn, New York. 

Home Is Where the Bodies Are - Jeneva Rose

While this one is more thriller than outright horror, the book revolves around a trio of siblings who, after being reunited to deal with their mother’s passing, discover a VHS tape that reveals a horrible family secret.

That does it for me. If you’ve read any of these books, then I’d love to hear your feedback. If you haven’t, then, well, hopefully one of these tickles your sweaty summer pickle.