Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

A Horror Book Written By a BIPOC Author

No fist-pump here! Boos and hisses instead! I do NOT read horror. I will most likely substitute a mystery/thriller novel instead as I have done with other challenges! I consider it my prerogative to avoid anything that gives me nightmares, etc.! I might find a "gothic" novel that wouldn't be too scary. Just not sure how I'll fulfill this one yet...

There is a Goodreads listopia which should be a huge help:
"Book Riot 2022 #19: Read a horror novel by a BIPOC author"

Listopia is HERE

I just posted this is the "chatter" thread and I'll repost it here:

I used to not read horror, but in the last few years I've been picking it up more often. I don't like to be super scared and I don't like to be grossed out and I definitely do not want to be so scared that I can't get out of my bed to pee in the night, so these books are all mild enough ...

Lone Women by Victor LaValle - a Black woman from SoCal moves north and takes a tract of land in the cold snowing lands of ... um ... North Dakota, I think? and she's dragging something with her in a trunk that is dangerous to others if it escapes, and it's a spoiler, but (view spoiler)[this book would also work for "dragon"! (hide spoiler)]

VenCo & Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline - these are BARELY horror. VenCo involves witches (attempting to prevent the world from ending) and Empire involves a rigarou which is like a werewolf.

The Fervor by Alma Katsu - this was more like slightly nervewracking suspense than straight-up horror. Some sort of alien growth seems to be affecting people and turning them uncontrollably angry. TBH I was disappointed that this did not turn out to be a full-on zombie book

I am going to read White Horse. Also, I already used The Violin Conspiracy for another prompt, but it would work here as well. The Hacienda is another possibility.

I personally dislike double restrictive prompts. Horror could have been a challenge for some people. Reading a BIPOC author could have been a challenge for some people. I will personally never be a fan of double restrictions.

Anna wrote: "I am going to read White Horse. Also, I already used The Violin Conspiracy for another prompt, but it would work here as well. The Hacienda is anothe..."

That's it! The Violin Conspiracy for me! Thank you!!

Anna wrote: "I am going to read White Horse. Also, I already used The Violin Conspiracy for another prompt, but it would work here as well. The Hacienda is anothe..."


The Violin Conspiracy was a straight up "who stole his violin?" mystery - no horror involved in that one.

As a huge horror nerd, if you don't like horror, i recommend gothic. Gothic is TECHNICALLY horror but not like scary? So Isabel Canas, Silvia Moreno Garcia, White Is For Witching by Helen Oyeyemi are good authors and examples. There's also barely-ther horror like The Devourers by Indra Das, The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco, The Vegetarian by Han King.

The Murders of Molly Southbourne is a novella and not really scary if someone wants a quick read.

I'm really excited by this prompt, most the horror I read is from BIPOC authors anyway. I'll probably read The Reformatory.

I think And Then She Fell would work? I have never read it, but it is tagged as horror and the author is indigenous (specifically Mowhawk) according to google.

Michelle wrote: "I think And Then She Fell would work? I have never read it, but it is tagged as horror and the author is indigenous (specifically Mowhawk) according to google."

yeah I think that works. It sounds horrifying enough to me that I think I need to take it off my TBR! I'm not sure if I can handle that storyline!!

Lynn, I thought of you as soon as I saw this prompt! I also posted this in the chatter thread...

I don't read much horror, either. I'm thinking I will allow social horror (which, *as I define it* is wide enough to include 'a society that does things that are horrific/horrible to a marginalized group'.) Apartheid, lynching, slavery, genocide, all those atrocities then come into play.

I don’t read many horror books so I was thinking of reading Leave the World Behind.

I do not go near horror books, so I'm thinking of adding in social horror.

In going this route, it opens up a lot because oppression is a form of social horror so there's a lot to choose from.

I'm puzzled why people think social horror is not horror? It's a subgenre, we did it a few years ago in Popsugar. Or are you just saying you'll read a book about something you find a horror that isn't really the horror genre?

But also a lot of BIPOC authors *are* writing horror about oppression and generational harm so I hope people don't write them off because of preconceived ideas of what horror is.

For me I guess because I get confused on what is considered horror. Do I take it literally or do I take social horror as a sub-genre of it?

I read The Trees by Percival Everett for a similar challenge this year and highly recommend it. It's social horror. I don't normally read horror (scaredy cat lol) but loved it and couldn't put it down.

Ellie, when I think of horror in books or movies, I think of gore and things that jump out and grab you. Social horror is more insidious. Reading or watching it doesn't scare me; it disgusts me, angers me, and saddens me. It's a very different set of emotional reactions (for me). I don't think that's what the prompt intended, and I wanted to point it out more explicitly for other people who might be reading it the way I first did. I'm glad you also think that social horror "counts".

And if that's the case, then I read *tons* of horror, cause most of my reading choices at this time in my life are about people or groups that have had horrible things done to them over the course of history!

Jill wrote: "I don’t read many horror books so I was thinking of reading Leave the World Behind."

No horror there at all. In fact, not much of anything in it at all.

Well since I'm going on the basis of social horror, here is one I got recently. The author is Ojibwe.

Seeing Red: Indigenous Land, American Expansion, and the Political Economy of Plunder in North America

I'm going to read Ring Shout. Silver Nitrate also looks good.

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror was a really good short story horror collection. Definitely worth checking out, even just to get more ideas of authors to potentially read

Ron wrote: "For me I guess because I get confused on what is considered horror. Do I take it literally or do I take social horror as a sub-genre of it?"

Since you like Indigenous books, you might like Bad Cree - a horror book by a Canadian Indigenous woman.

Anna wrote: "I am going to read White Horse. Also, I already used The Violin Conspiracy for another prompt, but it would work here as well. The Hacienda is anothe..."


Not to argue, but how does The Violin Conspiracy fit into a horror theme? I read it and liked it, but I felt it was not quite a mystery, either.

Nadine in NY wrote: "I just posted this is the "chatter" thread and I'll repost it here:

I used to not read horror, but in the last few years I've been picking it up more often. I don't like to be super scared and I d..."

Thanks for this post! I had Lone Women on my TBR list, but you've sold me! I'll be reading that one for this prompt, for sure!

Dubhease wrote: "I personally dislike double restrictive prompts. Horror could have been a challenge for some people. Reading a BIPOC author could have been a challenge for some people. I will personally never be a..."

I totally agree! They combined another two genres I really don't like, into one prompt this year. I'm subbing in a prompt that I have grown to love, but was left out this year (ie: the prompt to read a book from previous PS challenges).

Like Nadine, I only came to the realisation that actually I do read horror quite recently, mostly because there were a bunch of books in the Goodreads Choice horror category that I really liked. And when I thought about it, I realised horror was so much more than what is in the cinemas. Honestly, I don't like mainstream horror films, but I do like things like Black Mirror and weird indie horror films like Sightseers and The Lobster.

Horror isn't all gore and jump scares, yes it focuses on fear, but say a book like Kindred is so much more horror than science fiction (it's just sort of a magical time travel), I felt scared for the main character the whole book. I have also seen Beloved on horror lists though I haven't read it myself.

Gothic horror is generally gore free, just a bit spooky. There's a lot of YA that's also light on gore/shock while still exploring traditional horror tropes.

But if you are avoiding gore, don't read Stephen Graham Jones. I liked My Heart Is a Chainsaw but the second book in the trilogy crossed some sort of line for me. I think I prefer the supernatural horrors to the real people can be awful horrors.

I do think Leave the World Behind could arguably be horror, it was a bit disappointing to me but the premise is a horror premise, sure.

Erin wrote: "Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror was a really good short story horror collection. Definitely worth checking out, even just to get more ideas of authors to pote..."

I came here to recommend this. I'm very excited to read it! I trust Jordan Peele to curate an amazing collection.

For those of you who aren't horror fans, you may find that the world of horror is a LOT more varied than you think!

There are a lot of sub-genres, so you may find some you love:

(Source: https://self-publishingschool.com/hor...)

Psychological Horror: Psychological horror focuses on the mental, emotional, and psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle readers.

Slasher Horror: Slasher horror is characterized by a violent psychopath hunting and killing a sequence of victims in a terrifying manner.

Gothic Horror: Gothic horror stories are designed to inspire fear through a romanticized view of the past, combining elements of both horror and romance.

Paranormal Horror: This subgenre involves supernatural elements, such as ghosts, vampires, witches, or demons.

Lovecraftian Horror: Inspired by the work of H.P. Lovecraft, this subgenre often involves cosmic horror of the unknown and the unknowable more than gore or other elements of shock.

Zombie Horror: These tales involve zombies, undead creatures, usually in an apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic world.

Body Horror: This subgenre focuses on the graphic destruction or degeneration of the body.

Splatterpunk: A movement within horror literature that aims to emphasize the gory, visceral, and often extreme nature of horror.

Supernatural Horror: This subgenre includes stories that have elements beyond scientific understanding, often involving gods, demons, or ghosts.

Sci-Fi Horror: This subgenre combines elements of horror with the settings and technology typically found in science fiction.

Occult Horror: This subgenre deals with the occult, involving witches, satanism, and demonic possession.

Vampire Horror: This subgenre centers around the myth and lore of vampires.

Ghost Horror: These stories involve spirits or ghosts causing terrifying events.

Werewolf Horror: This subgenre focuses on stories revolving around the lore of werewolves.

Survival Horror: These stories often involve protagonists trying to survive in hostile environments.

Haunted House: This subgenre involves stories of haunted houses or other locations where the setting itself is tied to the horror.

Monster Horror: These stories often revolve around monsters, creating fear through their appearance or actions.

Eco-Horror: This subgenre involves stories where the horror is derived from nature or the environment.

Erotic Horror: This subgenre blends elements of horror and erotica, using sexual themes to elicit fear and dread.

Techno Horror: This subgenre uses elements of technology to create fear, often involving computers, robots, or other forms of advanced technology.

Comedy Horror: This subgenre often combines horror themes with comedic elements, using humor to lighten the horror.

Cthulhu Mythos: A shared fictional universe, based on the work of American writer H. P. Lovecraft.

Witch Horror: This subgenre includes stories that involve witches or witchcraft.

Quiet Horror: This subgenre focuses on creating a sense of dread and the uncanny through subtle and often psychological means, rather than relying on graphic violence.

Weird Fiction: A subgenre that focuses on the weird, blending elements of horror, fantasy, and speculative fiction.

Crime Horror: This subgenre combines elements of horror and crime fiction, often involving serial killers or violent criminals.

Extreme Horror: This subgenre is characterized by the depiction of extreme acts, such as gratuitous violence, gore, and taboo subjects.

Dark Fantasy: This subgenre combines elements of fantasy with horror, creating a dark and often gloomy supernatural world.

Post-Apocalyptic Horror: This subgenre deals with stories set in a world devastated by an apocalyptic event.

Historical Horror: This subgenre uses historical settings or elements to heighten the horror.

Pulp Horror: This subgenre emulates the style of classic pulp fiction, often involving fast-paced plots and lurid themes.

Teen Horror: This subgenre focuses on horror stories aimed at a teenage audience.

Southern Gothic: This subgenre employs the use of macabre, ironic events to examine the values of the American South.

Jill wrote: "I don’t read many horror books so I was thinking of reading Leave the World Behind."

Great book, I loved it. Horror but not like monsters, more like could really happen.

Horror is my JAM so this is my fav prompt this year. I have 3 books from 2023 I haven’t gotten to yet that I will pick from.

I just started Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology - I'm only one short story in, but so far it's not full-bore horror, so I recommend it to those who are a little gunshy. (I'll let you know if some of the stories get intense as I get through it)

Gina wrote: "I read The Trees by Percival Everett for a similar challenge this year and highly recommend it. It's social horror. I don't normally read horror (scaredy cat lol) but loved it and c..."

A 5 star book for me!

For those that don't generally like horror, you might check out Man Made Monsters. It's a collection of horror short stories all featuring members of the same Cherokee family through the years. It's written by a Cherokee author and it's YA, so it shouldn't be too scary or gory.

Most of the stories combine the traditional monsters (ie vampires, ghosts, etc) with social horror. The short story format could give you breaks if you find it to be too much.

Jennifer wrote: "Jill wrote: "I don’t read many horror books so I was thinking of reading Leave the World Behind."

Great book, I loved it. Horror but not like monsters, more like could really happen."

Agreed. Too bad I've already read it... :-/

I read Ring Shout for this prompt in a previous Read Harder challenge year and was really good. I recommend it for people who don't love horror, and since it's a novella, it's a short investment.

I recommend The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, an Indigenous author. I don't like gore and always steer away from horror, but this was a great read, beautifully written, and more supernatural suspense/thriller to my mind although classified as horror.
The Only Good Indians

I am absolutely not a horror person -- will Zombie Bake-Off make me want to never turn my lights off again?

Jaimi wrote: "I am absolutely not a horror person -- will Zombie Bake-Off make me want to never turn my lights off again?"



I have not read that one but I've read a lot of other books by Jones, and if you're not a horror person, maybe avoid him. Some of his books are thrillers or psychological thrillers, some are just spooky, but some are full on terrifying. I did read a short story by him about zombies and it was not scary, so ODDS ARE this one is fine, but you never know with this guy.

I am reading an YA book by Lily Anderson, Scout's Honor. Might work for people who don't love horror...

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/sho...

Another possibility for people who don't love horror is All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology- it's ya and short stories, so it shouldn't be too creepy. Haven't read it myself though

Shiver by Junji Ito is a graphic novel made up of a series of his short stories. They are creepy as heck but maybe not as terrifying for people who hate to read horror books.

Pop Sugar recommends Jackal. Anyone read this? Is it nightmare inducing horror or more on the tame side but a little scary?

Denise wrote: "I'm going to read Ring Shout. Silver Nitrate also looks good."

Ring Shout was sooo good! Strong recommendation. Also, it's pretty short and would be a good pick for people who are wanting to get a quick one for this category.

Allison wrote: "Pop Sugar recommends Jackal. Anyone read this? Is it nightmare inducing horror or more on the tame side but a little scary?"

I haven't but a mutual of mine who's also a big horror guy did and she said she'd call it a thriller which means definitely not nightmare inducing, if that helps!

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology

Shannon wrote: "Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology"



I'm reading this right now, and can confirm! it is not terrifying. So far each story is just a little weird, and often the "dark" part is how people treat each other, not paranormal activities.

(Of course I haven't read the whole thing yet. But so far, it's dark but not horrifying.)

I've got to recommend two of my all-time favorite reads:

Cursed Bunny: Stories by Bora Chung I'd call this "gentle" horror. If you like a mixture of weird fiction and sci-fi, this could be for you. I found the situations more weird, in the truest sense of the word, than scary. Definitely a little social justice horror going on.

Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories by Aviaq Johnston and others.
Really good Indigenous fiction. Much of it was realistic and more like social justice horror. Some was weird fiction. There's a looong story that is more sci-fi than anything. And a few that are horror, more cosmic horror in that there's dread of the unknown more than "scary monsters". Even some horror-comedy from Richard Van Camp. You just can't lose with this one.

I read The Reformatory by Tananarive Due for this prompt. Those of you who said you wanted to read social horror, might be interested in it (I hesitate to say enjoy it because it's harrowing). Most the horror is provided by the reform school based on the Dozier school (the same one The Nickel Boys is based on) in the 1950s, but there are ghosts and a bit of premonition.

Tananarive wrote it after discovering a relative was among the victims found at the Dozier school.

Gina wrote: "I read The Trees by Percival Everett for a similar challenge this year and highly recommend it. It's social horror. I don't normally read horror (scaredy cat lol) but loved it and c..."

I completely agree with this recommendation. I do NOT read horror unless my YA daughter pushes it into my hands. My mind just can't let go and then I have weird dreams. But The Trees was a social horror book and short. It was also funny and creepy without being horror. Definitely recommend - it was one of my favorites for a PopSugar challenge in 2021.

Social horror I can work with, but I won't go towards other versions of horror since they terrify me to the point of nightmares.