Published August 30, 2022 by Entangled: Teen

Some shadows protect you…others will kill you in this dazzling new fantasy series from award-winning author Abigail Owen.

Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose—to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present.

Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift—an eerily familiar gift—and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation. Which is why, when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen, he gets me by mistake.

As I try to escape, all the lies start to unravel. And not just my lies. The Shadowraith who took me has secrets of his own. He struggles to contain the shadows he wields—other faces, identities that threaten my very life.

Winter is at the walls. Darkness is looming. And the only way to save my sister and our dominion is to kill Eidolon…and the Shadowraith who has stolen my heart.

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Young adult fantasy can be very hit or miss for me so I started The Liar's Crown with a little trepidation. As it turns out, I had nothing to be hesitant about. Classic tropes, magic, a little romance with a little spice, and a well-built fantasy world made this one a fun read. 

Meren is an interesting protagonist. Since birth, she's been trained to be a copy of her sister, the real princess. She's had all the training to talk like her, act like her, and take her place should danger arise. It's kinda a bum deal, but Meren takes it very seriously. She doesn't whine about her station or her sister for that matter. It's just the way things are. When their grandmother dies, her sister is set to take the throne. Of course, danger may be present at the coronation, so Meren is put in place to keep her sister, and the real queen to be, safe. Before any of that can occur, Meren is stolen away by Reven to supposedly protect her from getting in the clutches of Eiolodon, a tyrant and enemy of the crown. 

Reven didn't quite know what he was in store for. Meren is witty, full of sass, and not at all what he was expecting the meek princess to be. Their banter is perfect and what an adventure they have set themselves on the road for! Reven's the perfect tortured love interest, a little dangerous, but trying to do the right thing. All's not what it seems for him as well, and some days he's barely holding it together. Moral gray love interests can be exciting if done right and Reven is as broody and dark as they come. 

While Owen didn't do anything to reinvent the YA fantasy genre, the world-building is top-notch and the magical elements were distinctive. You can easily engross yourself in the story without getting distracted by things that just don't make sense. The characters were entertaining, apart and together, and gave just enough steam without completely losing the adventure of things. The Liar's Crown is a solid, young adult fantasy that I'd recommend for fans of the genre. 

Published  April 21, 2023 by Amazon Digital Services

Be true to yourself and stand up for what's right. Michael, Tim, Dominic, and Logan are four buddies in the suburban town of Fairmont, Texas. Their lives are turned upside down when a demonic entity begins to terrorize their families and all of Fairmont as a whole. Logan knows that he is gay, but has to deal with his family that go to a hate-fueled church led by Johnny Cumberland, otherwise known as Johnny Gospel. The four friends must band together through thick and thin to stand up in the face of evil and hatred. Days and years may come and go, but one thing remains the same. When you're at your lowest you shouldnt be afraid to admit you need help. And don't forget, that we can get by with a little help from our friends. Thanks, Joe Cocker.

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What attracted you to the genre(s) you write in?

So, I was never opposed to Horror, but I did not consume it very often for most of my life. That was mostly because it scared the crap out of me, and I was more of a comedy guy. Fast forward to when I checked out of rehab and started the long road to recovery. I think you can see where I'm going with this. I found my next fix and horror has been giving me chills and thrills ever since.

What part of writing do you consider a chore?

Formatting, omg. I love writing and I even love editing. But formatting books is a special kind of hell.

Where were you when you first thought "I need to write this story?"

For Chasing Demons I was at work. The song, You Are My Sunshine, came into my head and I thought of some twisted things that could happen with that in a story. I thought of that and other experiences that I would love to relate in a long form story. That got me to put some words down on a page and the rest of the novel followed behind.

Did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

Yes, I started to take it more seriously, and developed different habits that help me to stay productive.

What's your favorite "bad review" that you've gotten?  

I'm not exactly lighting the world on fire with my number of reviews yet. I do have a 2 star review that I liked because while she says that the story wasn't for her, but she explained why others might like it.  Here is a small excerpt...

"I highly recommend that people read this one for themselves and not base their decision on my personal opinion."

What comes first for you - the plot or the characters?

It depends. I would say that I usually get the plot first and fill in the characters afterwards, but there have definitely been times that I had a character come to mind that I just had to base a story off of.

Do you have any writing superstitions?

I tend to want to drink out of the same coffee cup while writing. It wouldn't be the end of the world for me if I used another, but I will go out of my way to go get the same one even of there is another one closer.

Is there a word you find yourself using too often when writing?

I can't think of one specifically  but I do get stuck in patterns of using a word. When going back over and editing I will notice that there was a section where I used the same word numerous times and have to change a few to avoid sounding repetitive. 

A lot of authors have a soundtrack while writing. Are there any songs you had on repeat? 

I was in like the top .01% or something of listeners for Brandon Boone last year on Spotify. You know what, I think I just found something else for that superstition question, lol! His music never has any vocals which is a must for me while writing and none of the melodies are ever jarring which could also throw me out of a groove. Highly recommend!

Do you have a favorite line that you've written? What is it and why do you like it?

One doesn't jump to mind but I do have a funny story about my opening line of The Bunker. I have had an obsessive love of bacon since I was a child. It was to the point that I would jokingly ask for bacon at Christmas time and actually end up getting the precooked bacon to eat while opening presents. My sister read the first line, "The smell of bacon roused me from my sleep," and brought it to my attention that my love of bacon had even made its way into my fiction. I never made the connection but thought that it was a funny coincidence.

What is something about the genre that annoys you?

Hmmm... that's a tough one. My mind first goes more to the perception of the genre than the genre itself. People hear Horror and recoil in disgust or blame it for tragedies. The sad part it is usually the same people who would not want to fund mental health initiatives or regulate guns in a responsible manner. Sadly, that's just the world we live in.

What advice would you like to pass on to aspiring writers that is unconventional but true?

Set goals for rejections. This is some wisdom that I was lucky enough to catch from Hailey Piper on Twitter and it's done wonders for my acceptance rate. More rejections, more acceptances! It also takes a bit of the sting out of rejections at times because you can add that tally mark toward your rejection goal for the year. It helps you realize that even your failures are progress that are moving you in the right direction.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Wake up and do it early in a space that you can be alone. After reading On Writing by Stephen King I made my own writing space as he suggests. That and waking up before the kids are going and I'm not exhausted from work already have done wonders for my productivity.

Do you have a WIP? If so, can you tell us anything about it?

I've been working on a lot of short stories lately to network and expand my publishing profile. My main WIP that I need to get back on is my next book that is about Los Hermanos trailer park and those dirty bloodsucking vampires that are skulking within.

Would you and your main character get along?

If I was the same age as him and his friends, then absolutely. If I were still my own age and was his father or uncle, then definitely not! At least he would have me worried sick if thay were the case. 

Killing off characters your readers love - Risky or necessary?

I am currently wearing a shirt that I had custom made to taunt my wife. It has a typewriter in the center and says, "Killing all your favorite characters." I think that answers the question. Its definitely necessary in my opinion. If you can build such a close bond in your readers and then rip that away in a way that makes sense and hurts deeply. I think that's something really special.

Did any of your characters surprise you while you were writing?

Nancy starts off as the owner of a local horror-themed store called Nancy's Dream & Scream. Her character character development surprised me later in the book, but I will leave that as a surprise for the readers!

Which of your characters was your favorite to write and why?

Johnny Gospel. He is a devious, hypocritical, sorry excuse of a pastor. I loved being able to get into that twisted mindset and just play around with ideas.

You've watched a movie 50 times and you still aren't tired of it. What movie is it?

Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back. I actually watched it every night one summer in middle school. Its laid back, hilarious, and just the kind of comfort movie I needed at that time. Snootchie Boochies!

Which animal (real or fictional) would you say is your spirit animal and why?

Capybaras. They are so chill that they let all sorts of other species just hitch a ride on their back. I can relate!

Would you rather live in a haunted mansion or a cottage surrounded by fairytale creatures?

Haunted mansion, with tons of ghost hunting equipment.

What would you say is your weirdest writing quirk?

I didn't even really tell anyone when I published my first book. I've always had trouble talking about myself, but the more I grow in confidence the more I feel comfortable sharing my work with friends and family.

Using only emojis, sum up your book.

👻🎸⛪️🔪🩸

You've just gone Trick or Treating.

What do you hope is in your bag? 

What do you pawn off on your kids/SO/random stranger?

Butterfinger for my bag, Whoppers for anyone elses.

What is in your internet search history (researching for your book) that you would want someone to wipe if you were under suspicion from the police?

Where can someone get shot without killing them? How long can you live with a leg ripped off? What are the laws behind escaped mental patients?

You wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. What was it?

If i actually wake up from it then probably falling. The falling ones always make me jump awake.

What cliched tattoo would your main character have?

Either a Michael Myers tattoo or a bass guitar in honor of his band The Forgotten Souls.

What movie completely scarred you as a child?

Scream. I remember watching it then trying to fall asleep in the living room. Suddenly the coats on the rack in the hallways looked eerily similar to Ghostface making his way over to me.

What's the strangest thing a fan (or other author)  has said to you?

Nothing really stands out. Heres to many strange comments by fans and authors in the future!

If animals could talk, which one would be the rudest?

Wasps. They're jerks.

Your main character is at the hardware store. What do they buy?

Probably a chainsaw because he is a horror junkie and he knows that he has to be prepared for the stuff that is going down in Fairmont!

You're riding through the desert on a horse with no name. What are you going to call it?

If I name it then I can't keep singing the song! But if I had to, I would name it Mr. Ed, so that when I started hallucinating that he was talking to me I wouldn't freak out!

If you were bitten and changed, would you want it to be by a vampire or a werewolf?

Vampires are immortal, and I think it would be pretty epic to be one of The Lost Boys.

What are your SM links? Can we follow you and pretend we're besties? 

@cd_kester on Twitter and @cdkester on Instagram. Absolutely!

Thanks so much for participating in the Author Spotlight! Anything you'd like to add?

My books just released on Godless.com where there is a bunch of great indie horror to grab at low prices. You can get both of my books and my audiobook there for $2.50! They are all also available on Amazon.

C. D. Kester is an author of fiction who does most of his work in the horror genre. He lives in Kingwood, Texas with his wife and two children. Kester recently published his first full length novel, Chasing Demons. He also has published a novella titled The Bunker. He has had many stories published in anthologies, ezines, and read in podcasts and on YouTube videos. You can see his work at cdkester.wordpress.com and follow on Twitter @cd_kester (https://twitter.com/CD_Kester) / Instagram @cdkester (https://www.instagram.com/cdkester)

Published January 17, 2023 by Berkley

Grady Hendrix takes on the haunted house in a thrilling new novel that explores the way your past—and your family—can haunt you like nothing else.

When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world.

Most of all, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. Unfortunately, she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market.

But some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…

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Grady Hendrix twists childhood imagination in the most demented way possible in this hilarious but unnerving romp that has to be his best novel yet. It's campy. It's creepy. It's just plain delightful.

Louise and her younger brother Mark have so much emotional debris to shift through after the unexpected death of both their parents—to say nothing of the decades of accumulated stuff (like creepy puppets and dolls). Character growth was not shirked throughout the novel and the two main characters had a lot of developing to do. So much, at times, I couldn't stand either of the jerks.  Unlikeable character redemption arcs are always tricky, but Hendrix pulled it off. 

Hendrix takes a long time setting up his characters and the scene. The weirdness doesn't start immediately, and even when it does, it can be rationalized. Given what we know of the sibling's relationship, it's not surprising at all that Louise thinks her jackass brother is trying to freak her out. You have to be in this for the long haul as Hendrix spends a lot of time on the sibling's relationship.

Oh buddy, though, when it all starts happening, watch out. I did get this one as an audiobook, which was especially horrific since the narrators did the voices too. I had a hard time not looking like a crazy person listening to this at work. I laughed many times at the characters or just the insaneness of it all. In other scenes, I cringed, and I'm sure I made all kinds of faces during a few of the later scenes. In the middle of it all, there's still that weird humor that Hendrix is noted for and is my favorite kind: dark! Squirrel Baby Jesus was dear to my heart and had me giggling insanely to myself and yet still cringing!  If Christopher Moore decided to write horror, I think his brainchild would end up in the realm of How to Sell a Haunted House. 

After what felt like the final showdown of the book, I was excited to see that I was only 2/3rds through. I thought "What could possibly come after this?"...and then I found out. Honestly, I was too busy enjoying the ride to bother trying to figure out where things were going. It's not often a book comes along that can completely immerse me in the world. Would I recommend this book? Hell, yeah. It's not going to be for everyone. If you like your horror fast and dirty, you're probably going to despise the amount of time waiting for something to happen. If you don't mind the build-up and back-story family drama, you're going to love it. 

It's starting to warm up outside, but you can find plenty of chills in this month's batch of new horror. 

 Get ready to pad your TBR, here are just a few of May's new releases! 

If you've missed the previous lists (January, February, March, April), you can still check those out. And if you are looking for what's still to come, you can see the whole list for 2023 here.

If you have a book releasing this year and want to get on the list, click here and I'll get you added!

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Conjuring the Witch by Jessica Leonard

Expected publication: May 2, 2023 by Ghoulish Books

There are witches in the woods.

These are the words the reverend of the Lilin Assembly of Our Lord repeats to his parishioners each week. Steve and Nicole Warby think it’s just a metaphor, until Nicole takes a walk in those woods and comes back changed. Something came out of them with her, and the simple small-town life they’ve always known is forever altered when they discover the dark secrets buried deep and those intent on keeping them there. Fearing for his wife’s sanity, and his own comfortable status in the church, Steve is unsure if he wants to help or ignore the problems. The reverend believes there are witches in the woods, and he thinks Nicole is only the most recent.

Conjuring the Witch is a dark, haunted story about what those in power are willing to do to stay in power, and the sins we convince ourselves are forgivable.

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The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

Expected publication: May 2, 2023 by Tor Nightfire

From USA Today bestselling author Cassandra Khaw comes The Salt Grows Heavy, a razor-sharp and bewitching fairytale of discovering the darkness in the world, and the darkness within oneself.

You may think you know how the fairytale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now, her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes.

On the run, the mermaid is joined by a mysterious plague doctor with a darkness of their own. Deep in the eerie, snow-crusted forest, the pair stumble upon a village of ageless children who thirst for blood, and the three 'saints' who control them.

The mermaid and her doctor must embrace the cruellest parts of their true nature if they hope to survive.

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The Stradivarius by Rae Knowles

Expected Publication: May 3, 2023 by Brigids Gate Press, LLC

When a surprise inheritance and whirlwind romance offer Mae a chance to escape her repressive aunt, she’s all too eager to elope and start life anew in her childhood home. But when she and her new husband arrive, the towering Victorian sits in disrepair, and Mae learns that her father’s decade-old, unsolved murder is still a source of rumor and speculation in town.

Leading the charge to unravel the mystery surrounding her father’s death is Ollie, a vibrant genderqueer and an outsider in their hometown. Sure that solving the cold case will land them a coveted job in the police department, Ollie gains access to the Victorian by agreeing to do maintenance work on the property.

Inside, Mae is taunted by a feminine specter, soft voices from empty rooms, and distinct melodies of Lady Paola: the priceless, Stradivarius violin stolen the night of her father’s murder.

Forte, mezzo-forte, the measured, andante cadence.

Her hiss, her pull, her scream.

Mae fears the house is haunted by her father’s spirit, her husband believes she’s going the way of her mother–slipping into madness, but Ollie suspects something more sinister is at play. If Ollie and Mae can’t work together to uncover the Victorian’s secrets, Mae will join her mother in an institution or her father in the grave.

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Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill

Expected publication: May 4, 2023 by Doubleday

Mary is the great-niece of Victor Frankenstein. She knows her great uncle disappeared in mysterious circumstances in the Arctic but she doesn't know why or how...

The 1850s is a time of discovery and London is ablaze with the latest scientific theories and debates, especially when a spectacular new exhibition of dinosaur sculptures opens at the Crystal Palace. Mary, with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue, is keen to make her name in this world of science, alongside her geologist husband Henry, but without wealth and connections, their options are limited.

But when Mary discovers some old family papers that allude to the shocking truth behind her great-uncle's past, she thinks she may have found the key to securing their future... Their quest takes them to the wilds of Scotland, to Henry's intriguing but reclusive sister Maisie, and to a deadly chase with a rival who is out to steal their secret...

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Graveyard of Lost Children by Katrina Monroe

Expected publication: May 9, 2023 by Poisoned Pen Press

Once she has her grip on you, she'll never let you go.

At four months old, Olivia Dahl was almost murdered. Driven by haunting visions, her mother became obsessed with the idea that Olivia was a changeling, and that the only way to get her real baby back was to make a trade with the "dead women" living at the bottom of the well. Now Olivia is ready to give birth to a daughter of her own...and for the first time, she hears the women whispering.

Everyone tells Olivia she should be happy. She should be glowing, but the birth of her daughter only fills Olivia with dread. As Olivia's body starts giving out, slowly deteriorating as the baby eats and eats and eats, she begins to fear that the baby isn't her daughter at all and, despite her best efforts, history is repeating itself.

Soon images of a black-haired woman plague Olivia's nightmares, drawing her back to the well that almost claimed her life―tying mother and daughter together in a desperate cycle of fear and violence that must be broken if Olivia has any hope of saving her child...or herself.

Baby Teeth meets The Invited in a haunting story of the sometimes-fragile connection between a woman's sense of self and what it means to be a "good" mother.

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A Hunter Called Night by By Tim Waggoner

Expected publication: May 9, 2023 by Flame Tree Press

If you enjoyed Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix or Authority by Jeff Vandermeer, then you'll love this latest horror novel from the Bram Stoker award-winning author Tim Waggoner.

A sinister being called Night and her panther-like Harriers stalk their quarry, a man known only as Arron. Arron seeks refuge within an office building, a place Night cannot go, for it’s part of the civilized world, and she’s a creature of the Wild. To flush Arron out, she creates Blight, a reality-warping field that slowly transforms the building and its occupants in horrible and deadly ways. But unknown to Night, while she waits for the Blight to do its work, a group of survivors from a previous attempt to capture Arron are coming for her. The hunter is now the hunted.

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All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley

Expected publication: May 16, 2023 by Katherine Tegen Books

The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Sorrows in award-winning author Kyrie McCauley’s contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family lineage, the ghosts of grief, and the lines we’ll cross for love.

The Sleeping House was very much awake . . .

Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace—an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin’s mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family’s coastal Maine estate.

Marin accepts and soon finds herself minding Alice’s peculiar girls. Thea buries her dolls one by one, hosting a series of funerals, while Wren does everything in her power to drive Marin away. Then Alice’s eldest daughter returns home unexpectedly. Evie Hallowell is every bit as strange as her younger sisters, and yet Marin is quickly drawn in by Evie’s compelling behavior and ethereal grace.

But as Marin settles in, she can’t escape the anxiety that follows her like a shadow. Dead birds appear in Marin’s room. The children’s pranks escalate. Something dangerous lurks in the woods, leaving mutilated animals in its wake. All is not well at Lovelace House, and Marin must unravel its secrets before they consume her.

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A Long Time Dead by Samara Breger

Expected publication: May 16, 2023 by Bywater Books

Samara Breger's A Long Time Dead is a lush, Victorian romance, drenched in blood and drama, about the lengths two women will go to secure a love that cannot die.

Somewhere foggy, 1837 . . .

Poppy had always loved the night, which is why it wasn’t too much of a bother to wake one evening in an unfamiliar home far from London, weak and confused and plagued with a terrible thirst for blood, to learn that she could no longer step out into the day. And while vampirism presented several disadvantages, it more than made up for those in its benefits: immortality, a body that could run at speed for hours without tiring, the thrill of becoming a predator, the thing that pulls rabbits from bushes and tears through their fur and flesh with the sharp point of a white fang.

And, of course, Roisin. The mysterious woman who has lived for centuries, who held Poppy through her painful transformation, and who, for some reason, is now teaching her how to adjust to her new, endless life. A tight, lonely, buttoned-up woman, with kindness and care, pressed up behind her teeth. The time they spend together is as transformative to Poppy as the changes in her body, and soon, she finds herself hopelessly, overwhelmingly attached. But Roisin has secrets of her own, and can’t make any promises; not when vengeance must be served.

Soon, their little world explodes. Together and apart, they encounter scores of vampires, shifty pirates, conniving opera singers, ancient nobles, glamorous French women, and a found family that throws a very particular sort of party. But overhead, threat looms—one woman who is capable of destroying everything Poppy and Roisin hold dear.

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Hungers as Old as This Land by Zachary Rosenberg

Expected publication: May 23, 2023 by Brigids Gate Press, LLC

The settlement of Grey's Bluffs is a prosperous town. An independent community dwelling in the shadows of the mountains known only as The Hungers.

Esther Foxman and Siobhan O'Clery have grown up in Grey's Bluffs, thriving out on the western territories in the aftermath of the Civil War. Devoted to one another and their home, the two set out to complete a regular pact at the Hungers to ensure that Grey's Bluffs continues to prosper.

Cyril Redstone is a man who knows death well. Becoming a mercenary after the Civil War, Cyril leads the marauding Blackhawks from one slaughter to the next. Hired to destroy Grey's Bluffs, Cyril cares little for morality, nor that he owes its founder his life.

Esther and Siobhan are left to defend the only home they have ever known from the Blackhawks, their confrontation driving them deep into the mountains.

Where the darkest secrets of the Hungers await them.

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The Devil’s Pocketbook by Ross Jeffery

Expected publication: May 23, 2023 by DarkLit Press

Erik and Lara are in mourning for their daughter, who was born “incompatible with life”. To get away from their suffocating grief and the ever-present shadow their daughter has cast in their lives since passing, and desperately trying to recover their increasingly rocky relationship, they take a trip to the seaside town of Polperro, in Cornwall. But no sooner have they arrived, than they realise that their grief cannot be so easily eluded. Drawn to the waters, Erik and Lara discover a large Devil's Pocketbook, and inside: the miracle child they could never have. Scylla.

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The Alchemy of Moonlight by David Ferraro

Expected publication: May 30, 2023 by Page Street Kids

When Emile’s aunt declares he must marry or be disowned for being gay—he runs away to hide as a servant in Count Montoni’s mansion. In their service, Emile tends to the family who all suffer a strange affliction on the full moon. And after overhearing suspicious family arguments, he finds a body on the estate, drawing the attention of a handsome doctor as well as the count’s charismatic nephew, Henri.

Before Emile can sort out his affections or unravel the growing Montoni family mystery, his identity is revealed and his aunt comes to collect him.

When she arrives, Count Montoni forces everyone to depart to the remote Udolpho Castle—where there are no witnesses and no chance for escape. There, Emile realizes that he will have to risk his life to find the love he deserves—and survive the Montoni family.

  

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Published April 24, 2023 by Kit 'n Kabookle Literary, LLC

The circus where dreams come true, for a price...

Joining Grimmfay saved Zelandra’s life and gave her power she never thought possible. For countless performances, she’s enthralled audiences at the Master’s whim, but when a guest sees past the magic to the young woman trapped beneath, she realizes the power was never really hers.

A fairy-tale life waits beyond the circus’s eternal night, but it will take more than a handsome prince or a wish on a star to break Grimmfay’s bonds. The illusion of power isn’t so easily given up, especially when it will do everything to keep Zelandra under its control.

Come one, come any... Bring few, bring many...to Grimmfay, the fantasy circus perfect for fans of The Night Circus, Caraval, and the Lunar Chronicles.

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Born a New Englander, M.T. DeSantis moved south in early adulthood, realized she actually liked winter, and promptly moved back north. She’s currently trying out life as a Michigander/anian with her family, who also (mostly) actually like winter. When not making word magic, M.T. can be found practicing yoga, attempting to make friends with the oven, or trying to read while people keep talking to her.

Published September 5, 2023 by Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

Souls shrouded in darkness…

On her own in England, Vicki trains at a prestigious fencing school. Face marred by a birthmark, she’s suspicious of Nicholas’ attention. A dinner date reveals his genuine interest and they begin to connect. Nicholas is attractive and she wonders why he’s so shy and reclusive.

Then one evening she happens upon him changing into a lycan. Every werewolf legend is challenged by the gentle, fearful creature before her. Vickie accepts his secret, but Nicholas knows he’s an unpredictable beast. Can they trust love enough to overcome their physical challenges?

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A professional speaker and author, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars, offers book formatting, and author consultation. She’s the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

Published March 24, 2023 by Wicked House Publishing

When Ryne Burdette inherits his family's old hunting cabin deep in the Yukon wilderness, he wants to say no. Nothing much is left in that place except for unpleasant memories and the smoke of old burns. But after a tragic year, he sees a weekend trip to the cabin with his best friends as a way to recuperate and begin again.

But there is something strange about these woods. As a winter storm moves in, the animals begin acting strangely, and the natural laws of the wilderness seem to fall apart. Then, the soft voices start whispering through the trees. Something is watching them.

As the storm gets worse and the woods get darker, the three friends must dive into the darkest waters of the Burdette family lineage. Because the horrible truth is deep, resting in the shadowed places no one wants to look.

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The setting: An old hunting lodge in the woods with a freak blizzard bearing down on the area. The characters: Best friends, all carrying some form of trauma. The takeaway: The Broken Places is isolation folk horror done right.

It begins with one of the three, Ryne, recalling an odd occurrence from his childhood when he, his father, and his uncle made a trip to the cabin. Then, adult Ryne and two of his childhood friends, Shawn and Noah, are on the road heading toward that same isolated cabin from Ryne's past. The trip is full of memories, both good and bad, family history, and the bond of brotherhood. Sounds great, right? While initially a slow-burn horror, once the scare wheel starts turning, it's all speed ahead. 

The Broken Places' main strength is its character development. The three friends all have some type of trauma that they are carrying with them into this place. While Ryne's is the main focus, Noah and Shawn have their own emotional backstories, but their tight bond of friendship is strong and has kept them together across the years. Rather than only getting one viewpoint throughout the occurrences, you get to step into the lives of each of them in turn. The varying perspective could confuse and delay the story but, in this case, only adds more poignancy to what's occurring.

This debut novel by Blaine Daigle couldn't get into my head fast enough. This is not just a horror story; It's a tale about loss, grief, and depression. A perfectly atmospheric folk terror to haunt you long after you've finished the last page. 

They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb but you won't find any fluffy lambs in this bunch of horror for April.

 Get ready to pad your TBR, here are just a few of April's new releases! 

If you've missed the previous lists (January, February, March), you can still check those out. And if you are looking for what's still to come, you can see the whole list for 2023 here.

If you have a book releasing this year and want to get on the list, click here and I'll get you added!

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Kill Radio by Lauren Bolger

Expected publication: April 1, 2023 by Malarkey Books

When Rachelle unearths her ex’s handmade crystal radio, violence and terror reign in the form of hellhounds, shadow figures, and finally, possessions.

Enter smooth, dark-eyed James Carroway. He offers her protection she’s quick to accept despite her apprehensions. When James reveals he’s a warlock in search of the crystal radio that caused these supernatural events, Rachelle explains it belonged to her son’s estranged father, Chad. They realize it played a part in Chad’s possession.

Their only option is to find Chad and learn about the origins of the radio before more of her family are killed. Or worse, taken. Rachelle has to risk losing the people she loves yet again to make it stop.

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The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown

Expected Publication: April 4, 2023 by Tor Nightfire

Ness Brown's The Scourge Between Stars is a tense, claustrophobic sci-fi/horror blend set aboard a doomed generation ship harboring something terrible within its walls.

As acting captain of the starship Calypso, Jacklyn Albright is responsible for keeping the last of humanity alive as they limp back to Earth from their forebears’ failed colony on a distant planet.

Faced with constant threats of starvation and destruction in the treacherous minefield of interstellar space, Jacklyn's crew has reached their breaking point. As unrest begins to spread throughout the ship’s Wards, a new threat emerges, picking off crew members in grim, bloody fashion.

Jacklyn and her team must hunt down the ship’s unknown intruder if they have any hope of making it back to their solar system alive.

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The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox

Expected publication: April 4, 2023 by Graydon House

In post–World War I England, a young woman inherits a mysterious library and must untangle its powerful secrets…

With the stroke of a pen, twenty-three-year-old Ivy Radcliffe becomes Lady Hayworth, owner of a sprawling estate on the Yorkshire moors. Ivy has never heard of Blackwood Abbey, or of the ancient bloodline from which she’s descended. With nothing to keep her in London since losing her brother in the Great War, she warily makes her way to her new home.

The abbey is foreboding, the servants reserved and suspicious. But there is a treasure waiting behind locked doors: a magnificent library. Despite cryptic warnings from the staff, Ivy feels irresistibly drawn to its dusty shelves, where familiar works mingle with strange, esoteric texts. And she senses something else in the library too, a presence that seems to have a will of its own.  

Rumors swirl in the village about the abbey’s previous owners, about ghosts and curses, and an enigmatic manuscript at the center of it all. And as events grow more sinister, it will be up to Ivy to uncover the library’s mysteries in order to reclaim her own story—before it vanishes forever.

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The Insatiable Volt Sisters by Rachel Eve Moulton

Expected publication: April 4, 2023 by MCD x FSG Originals

From the author of Tinfoil Butterfly, a blazingly original novel about sisters who return to the remote island they grew up on to face the monsters lurking in their family history.

It's the summer of 1989 and Beatrice and Henrietta Volt are coming of age on remote Fowler Island in Lake Erie, their ancestral home and wild playground. Thicker than thieves, they plot their futures while their parents pick their marriage apart piece by piece. The girls have no idea that their parents are separating. Or that the plan is to separate them.

Ten years pass and Henrie gets a desperate call from her sister--their father has died suddenly and B.B. needs Henrie to come back to the island for the funeral. When Henrie arrives, the island seems even stranger than she remembers. But the truth is, she doesn't remember much about the island, and nothing at all about the night she left. She just feels a vague and perplexing sense of dread and a sharp fear of the quarry pond behind the house.

Told from the perspectives of four flawed, fascinating women, The Insatiable Volt Sisters is a lush, enthralling fable about monsters real and imagined and the sometimes painful bonds of sisterhood. From the unbounded imagination of Rachel Eve Moulton, the critically acclaimed author of Tinfoil Butterfly, comes another eerie, terrifying exploration of family and legacy: Will the Volt sisters inherit the horrors of their past or surpass them?

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Linghun by Ai Jiang

Expected publication: April 4, 2023 by Dark Matter INK

WELCOME HOME.

Follow Wenqi, Liam, and Mrs. in this modern gothic ghost story by Chinese-Canadian writer and immigrant, Ai Jiang. LINGHUN is set in the mysterious town of HOME, a place where the dead live again as spirits, conjured by the grief-sick population that refuses to let go.

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 Harvest House by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Expected publication: April 11, 2023 by Candlewick Press

NSK Neustadt Laureate and New York Times best-selling author Cynthia Leitich Smith delivers a thrilling cross-genre follow-up to the acclaimed Hearts Unbroken.

Deftly leading readers to the literary crossroads of contemporary realism and haunting mystery, Cynthia Leitich Smith revisits the world of her American Indian Youth Literature Award winner Hearts Unbroken. Halloween is near, and Hughie Wolfe is volunteering at a new rural attraction: Harvest House. He’s excited to take part in the fun, spooky show—until he learns that an actor playing the vengeful spirit of an “Indian maiden,” a ghost inspired by local legend, will headline. Folklore aside, unusual things have been happening at night at the crossroads near Harvest House. A creepy man is stalking teenage girls and young women, particularly Indigenous women; dogs are fretful and on edge; and wild animals are behaving strangely. While Hughie weighs how and when to speak up about the bigoted legend, he and his friends begin to investigate the crossroads and whether it might be haunted after all. As Moon rises on All Hallow’s Eve, will they be able to protect themselves and their community? Gripping and evocative, Harvest House showcases a versatile storyteller at her spooky, unsettling best.

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The Intruders By Brian Pinkerton 

Expected publication: April 25, 2023 by Flame Tree Press

The Intruders have arrived. Something strange is taking place in the small town of Engles, Indiana. Greg Garrett returns home from a business trip to discover his wife and children have disappeared. More people begin to vanish without a trace. The skies produce a substance that doesn’t look like natural rain. Aggressive swarms of insects attack without warning. And late at night, residents are haunted by ghosts desperate to reveal the secrets of their existence but unable to speak. Engles is undergoing a terrifying transformation that could threaten all of civilization Who is this unseen enemy? What is their mission? Discover the terrifying secrets of The Intruders.

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 The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

Expected publication: April 18, 2023 by Del Rey

A woman is haunted by the Mexican folk demon La Llorona as she unravels the dark secrets of her family history in this ravishing and provocative horror novel.

Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.

Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.

When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.

Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.

But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.

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Bound in Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror

Expected publication: April 18, 2023 by Ghoulish Books

BOUND IN FLESH: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror brings together 13 trans and non-binary writers, using horror to both explore the darkest depths of the genre and the boundaries of flesh. A disgusting good time for all! Featuring stories by Hailey Piper, Joe Koch, Bitter Karella, and others. Edited by Lor Gislason.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

“Wormspace” by L.C. von Hessen

“The Haunting of Aiden Finch” by Theo Hendrie

“Coming Out” by Derek Des Agnes

“Mama is a Butcher” by Winter Holmes

“Fall Apart” by gaast

“Lady Davelina’s Last Pet” by Charles-Elizabeth Boyle

“In The Garden of Horn, The Naked Magic Thrives” by Hailey Piper

“A Scream Lights Up The Sky” by Joe Koch

“Long Fingers” by Layne Van Rensburg

“A Brief History of The Santa Carcossa Archipelago” by Bitter Karella

“Show Me” by Amanda M. Blake

“Man of The House” by Lillian Boyd

“Looking for the Big Death” by Taliesin Neith

  

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Memento Mori by Rosie Cranie-Higgs

Expected publication: April 18, 2023 by BHC Press

From author Rosie Cranie-Higgs comes a masterpiece of psychological horror and suspense set against the snowy and stark Swiss Alps. Deftly mixing Scandinavian folklore and dark fairy tales, Rosie's creepy and atmospheric Whiteland series "takes readers down a terror-filled rabbit hole..." (Publishers Weekly) to a realm that is impossible to leave.

Humanity is questionable...and so is life itself. Some witches never die.

Dragged back into the strange realm of Whiteland, Kira McFadden is on her own. The Whispers want her out. The Chlause have her sister. The Kyo are subdued...for now.

Kira is determined to return to Urnäsch to find her missing friends and family. Joining forces with the help of Freya, a huldra monster turned human, Freya promises they'll find a way to get the others back. But Kira and Freya are not who they once were. When Kira was here last, she was naïve and human. When Freya was here last, she wasn't even human at all.

As they traverse the bizarre world of Whiteland with only threads to go on, they'll need to resist the seduction of the creatures and unravel their riddles. As Urnäsch starts to break and the Whispers turn their backs, Kira and Freya will have to outmaneuver and overcome the plots of witches and ghosts as worlds collide in this mind-bending series finale.

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Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

Expected publication: April 18, 2023 by Berkley Books

A young Native girl's hunt for answers about the women mysteriously disappearing from her tribe's reservation lead her to delve into the myths and stories of her people, all while being haunted herself, in this atmospheric and stunningly poignant debut.

Anna Horn is always looking over her shoulder. For the bullies who torment her, for the entitled visitors at the reservation's casino...and for the nameless, disembodied entity that stalks her every step--an ancient tribal myth come-to-life, one that's intent on devouring her whole.

With strange and sinister happenings occurring around the casino, Anna starts to suspect that not all the horrors on the reservation are old. As girls begin to go missing and the tribe scrambles to find answers, Anna struggles with her place on the rez, desperately searching for the key she's sure lies in the legends of her tribe's past.

When Anna's own little sister also disappears, she'll do anything to bring Grace home. But the demons plaguing the reservation--both ancient and new--are strong, and sometimes, it's the stories that never get told that are the most important.

Part gripping thriller and part mythological horror, author Nick Medina spins an incisive and timely novel of life as an outcast, the cost of forgetting tradition, and the courage it takes to become who you were always meant to be.

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The Cherished By Patricia Ward

Expected publication: April 18, 2023 by HarperCollins US

For fans of Claire Legrand, Rory Power, and Danielle Vega comes a visceral horror thriller in the vein of Midsommar, as one girl inherits a mysterious house from her estranged grandmother—and a letter with sinister instructions.

Jo never expected to be placed in her absent grandmother’s will—let alone be left her house, her land, and a letter with mysterious demands.

Upon arriving at the inherited property, things are even more strange.

The tenants mentioned in the letter are odd, just slightly…off. Jo feels something dark and decrepit in the old shack behind the house. And the things that her father used to talk about, his delusions… Why is Jo starting to believe they might be real?

But what Jo fears most is the letter from her grandmother. Because if it’s true, then Jo belongs here, in this strange place. And she has no choice but to stay.

With a deadly enemy that cannot be seen, a world that may only be unlocked by a chosen few, and a chilling past that must be unearthed at any cost, The Cherished is an original, hypnotizing contemporary horror—one that will thrill readers of White Smoke, Wilder Girls, and The Hazel Wood.

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Even the Worm Will Turn by Hailey Piper

Expected publication: April 22, 2023 by Off Limits Press LLC

Four years after the events of The Worm and His Kings, Donna Ashton ekes out a life far removed from her troubled past, only to be abducted one December night by a monster in man’s skin.

Held prisoner by operatives of a clandestine research facility and drugged into a sickened state, each day brings questioning and punishment. Escape should be possible when Donna faces only mortal hands this time, but the more she sees, the worse her mind splinters with horrific understanding.

This facility has punched a hole in space and time. Within it lie secrets mankind should never know of a darkness beyond the universe, the legacy of the almighty Worm, and revelations behind Donna’s ordeal four years ago which now might get her killed.

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This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

Expected publication: April 25, 2023 by Sourcebooks Fire

Four best friends, one music festival, and a cooler filled with human organs: this summer is about to get gory. ​​​

Jennifer’s Body fans will clamor for this new sapphic horror standalone from New York Times bestselling author Kayla Cottingham.

Three years ago, the melting of arctic permafrost released a pathogen of unknown origin into the atmosphere, causing a small percentage of people to undergo a transformation that became known as the Hollowing. Those impacted slowly became intolerant to normal food and were only able to gain sustenance by consuming the flesh of other human beings. Those who went without flesh quickly became feral, turning on their friends and family. However, scientists were able to create a synthetic version of human meat that would satisfy the hunger of those impacted by the Hollowing. As a result, humanity slowly began to return to normal, albeit with lasting fear and distrust for the people they'd pejoratively dubbed ghouls.

Zoey, Celeste, Valeria, and Jasmine are all ghouls living in Southern California. As a last hurrah before their graduation they decided to attend a musical festival in the desert. They have a cooler filled with hard seltzers and SynFlesh and are ready to party.

But on the first night of the festival Val goes feral, and ends up killing and eating a boy. As other festival guests start disappearing around them the girls soon discover someone is drugging ghouls and making them feral. And if they can't figure out how to stop it, and soon, no one at the festival is safe.

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