Romance Edition / Fantasy Edition
I did two of these posts last year and really enjoyed doing them, but I never got around to doing a Horror version! I read a lot of Horror, largely thanks to reviewing over at Divination Hollow, and it’s probably one of my most read genres (along with Fantasy and Romance), not to mention it’s mainly within Horror I’ve had my short stories published. So, let’s dive in.
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
Reading this book felt very visual – there’s a lot of great setting here, and the imagery Khaw uses really brings it to life. Plus the characters feel like they’d fit really well in the kind of modern horror movie vibe, in a way that would be really effective on-screen.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Morena-Garcia
Read my review of Mexican Gothic
Have you read this yet? Probably, because I’m usually the last when it comes to hyped books. BUT STILL. On the off chance you haven’t, this is a bloody fantastic novel and had me hooked with every word. Again, there are some amazing, incredibly visual moments that would translate well to screen, and similarly to Blackened Teeth, the setting is crying out for a film or TV series to be made from this.
Goddess of Filth by V. Castro
Read my review of Goddess of Filth
V is a really talented writer. If you haven’t read her work yet, I really recommend you doing so. Goddess of Filth is especially great, and contains a few elements that mean it would be great as a film. The young best friends, the escalation in events, the possession at the core of the story. Give me the screen version now please.
Whispers in the Dark by Laurel Hightower
This has to be one of my favourite Horror books. It leans towards a kind of Supernatural Crime feel, with Rose McFarland being a Memphis S.W.A.T. sniper, but definitely sits firmly within Horror – the whispers haunt Rose. But it’s the relationships at the core of the novel that keep this as a favourite. This one could definitely make an excellent mini-series.
Inheriting Her Ghosts by S.H. Cooper
Cooper’s books are all great (and I’ve been very lucky enough to have edited a few, including this one!) and I love her writing style – it really would translate so well to screen. This would suit either film or TV, to be honest, and it has the elements to make something really creepy and memorable.
Five Horror books I would love to see adapted onto screen – if only I had any kind of power to make it happen! But honestly if you are a horror fan all of these do come highly recommended from me, as I think they’re all really good books in their own right – with or without the Hollywood treatment!
Unwrapping Words 