Horror

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (Issues #1-#6) / Patrick Horvath, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Letterer)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (Issues #1-#6)
By: Patrick Horvath, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Letterer)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 152
Published: September 17, 2024
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Dates Read: December 9, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

Samantha Strong’s cardinal rule: Don’t murder the locals; the city is just beyond the forest and has plenty of potential victims. Sam has worked too hard to build a cozy life and have her thriving business in the small town of Woodbrook – the last thing she wants to do is disturb the peace. So, imagine the exasperation when Woodbrook’s own meets a grisly death. Now Sam will do everything it takes to find her rival before the town self-destructs.

The best way to describe this graphic novel: think Winnie the Pooh meets Dexter. It’s such a crazy concept to have beautifully drawn scenery and characters and then the next page is a brutal murder, it most definitely elevated the story for me.

You’re also kind of in this weird, “Who do I root for?” spot while reading this because Sam is her own serial killer, but then there’s another Woodbrook resident who is killing and now those murders may get framed to her (or someone else). Like, yea, she should probably get caught so she’s not killing anymore, but also, you don’t want her framed for something she didn’t do!

Overall, it was a fun read that I think any horror fan would enjoy (yes, even with the artwork!).

Tender Is the Flesh / Agustina Bazterrica, Sarah Moses (Translator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Tender Is the Flesh
By: Agustina Bazterrica, Sarah Moses (Translator)
Genre: Horror, Dystopia
Number of Pages: 209
Published: August 4, 2024 (1st Published November 29, 2017)
Publisher: Scribner
Dates Read: October 23, 2025 - November 30, 2025
Format: Paperback

Marcos’s wife left him, his father has dementia, and his job isn’t exactly the best thing on the planet – but he tries not to think about it. After the infectious virus made all animal meat poisonous to humans, the government initiated the “Transition”, making human meat “special meat”, and Marcos is now high up at the plant that distributes the meat.

Then one day, he’s personally given a female head of the finest quality. Even though he’s fully aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden by death, Marcos slowly starts to treat her as a human being.

Right, okay, so I didn’t really have any problem with this book until they talked about the teens and the puppies – that’s what made me put the book down for a minute. Nothing about the care and managing of the head, not how they were slaughtered, not even how they were talked about! But I had an issue with the puppies!

Like, I feel for Marcos and what he was going through – and the final straw was pretty warranted when it finally came, but I was still shocked at the ending and how it was rounded up. If one thing didn’t happen, would it have changed the outcome??

But like – how does one describe this book anyway without going into a whole thing about it?? I wouldn’t call this scary… disturbing sure, but not scary. Unless you’re looking at it by the way of “this is what humans could do”. 
Overall, it’s a different read – and definitely not for everyone, especially for anyone with a weak stomach I would say, but if you’d like something totally out there this will be it.

Feral (Volume 3): Nine Lives / Tony Fleecs (Writer), Trish Forstner (Illustrator), Tone Rodriguez (Illustrator), Brad Simpson (Colorist)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Feral (Volume 3): Nine Lives
By: Tony Fleecs (Writer), Trish Forstner (Illustrator), Tone Rodriguez (Illustrator), Brad Simpson (Colorist)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 136
Published: August 6, 2025
Publisher: Image Comics
Dates Read: August 18, 2025 - August 19, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

After their narrow escape from the lady, Elsie and the indoor cats are saved by a new duo, who bring them to the challenge of getting into the abandoned pet supply store. But once inside, their world gets even more hellish than before.

So we’re definitely getting Walking Dead vibes with the constantly moving, feeling safe for all of five seconds, and then something bad happens. I would love to see this change or for it to get shaken up in some way in future issues.

I’m quite curious to see how exactly the disease is transferred, because they talk about it a bit and it was different than I thought it would be.

I am rooting for Elsie because I’m mostly tired of everything bad happening because of her – it’s not always her fault (cough, cough Lord)… also, she’s trying okay. Sometimes not the smartest decision, but still!

Overall, this still ended on a crazy cliffhanger and I’m upset I’ve got to wait!!

Feral (Volume 2): Cat Lady / Tony Fleecs (Writer), Trish Forstner (Illustrator), Tone Rodriguez (Illustrator), Brad Simpson (Colorist)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Feral (Volume 2): Cat Lady
By: Tony Fleecs (Writer), Trish Forstner (Illustrator), Tone Rodriguez (Illustrator), Brad Simpson (Colorist)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 136
Published: March 12, 2025
Publisher: Image Comics
Dates Read: July 9, 2025
Format: eBook

Volume Two opens where Volume One left off: Patch is infected, Lord is missing, and Elsie is with cats she barely knows. After having to run from the safety of their abandoned barn due to rabid rats, Elsie, Gigi, and Gigi’s kittens find themselves captured by a crazy cat lady whose house is definitely high on the creepy scale.

I again loved the story of this collection and cursed the cliff hanger (one of the many reasons I wait until volume collections come out because reading as individual issues come out would be the death of me).

The art of this is still superb – childlike, but filled with horror; makes some of the scary parts even more terrifying.

Overall, this series is something I’m going to count the days down to for every volume release. This is perfect for those who love horror and aren’t afraid of some gore.

The Haunted Blizzard / Aviaq Johnson, Athena Gubbe (Illustrator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Haunted Blizzard
By: Aviaq Johnston, Athena Gubbe (Illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 40
Published: June 5, 2025
Publisher: Inhabit Media
Dates Read: May 25, 2025
Format: Hardcover

Inu walks home from school in a blizzard, ignoring the elder’s warning about the terror hidden within its icy winds, excited for the unexpected snow day. Once home, she finds herself alone with an unseen presence stalking and tormenting her.

This graphic novel is short but still packs a punch in thrill and horror, leaving you on the edge of your seat in both reading and afterwards!

*Thank you Inhabit Media and LibraryThing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Lockjaw / Matteo L. Cerilli

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

Trigger Warnings: blood, gore, violence, animal death, neglective adults, off page domestic violence, bullying, racism, internalized transphobia

Chuck Warren died tragically in the old abandoned mill in Bridlington. Everyone thinks it was an accident, but Paz Espino knows it was the monster that lives under their small town, and she’s determined to kill it before anyone else gets hurt. She’ll need the help of her crew – inseparable friends bound by a childhood pact, stronger than anything – to hunt it down. 

With shifting timelines and multiple perspectives, Lockjaw is a small-town trans YA horror story that’s sure to captivate all who pick it up.

This book took me a bit to get into, but that’s honestly because I could tell something was just off enough within the town that I was always trying to figure out what. Matteo L. Cerilli did a fantastic job at leaving breadcrumbs throughout the early pages until you get to the big twist!

While this book tackles a lot of things (see the trigger warnings up top), it also captures the feel of a small town and what the pros and cons of that can be, regardless of the reputation it may have to outsiders.

Overall, once you get your footing into Bridlington you are bound to get sucked into the monster fighting queer teens and you won’t be able to turn the pages quick enough.

Feral (Volume 1) / Tony Fleecs, Trish Forstner (Illustrator), Tone Rodriguez (Illustrator), Brad Simpson (Colorist)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Feral
By: Tony Fleecs, Trish Forstner (Illustrator), Tone Rodriguez (Illustrator), Brad Simpson (Colorist)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 136
Published: September 17, 2024
Publisher: Image Comics
Dates Read: February 16, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

Trigger Warnings: blood, gore, death, outbreak

Elsie, Lord Fluffy Britches, and Patch are three indoor cats now lost in the outdoors during an outbreak of rabies. Without their humans, the trio must do their best to get home without getting bit, scratched, or eaten.

I really enjoyed Stray Dogs when it came out, so when I saw this team had a new release, I immediately checked it out from my library. I did just find out that the art itself is inspired by Don Bluth, who animated children’s classic movies like All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Land Before Time, and many others, but those two movies were favorites of mine as a kid, so that’s probably why I was so drawn to this.

Also, I loved that this novel was basically zombies but with cats. 

I’m still not 100% sold on the dynamic of the trio cats. I understood the backstory that was given, but I don’t know exactly why I wasn’t fully satisfied with it. It’s weird, I know, but I am still excited to continue this story in the next volume.

Read at Your Own Risk / Remy Lai

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Read at Your Own Risk
By: Remy Lai
Genre: Middle Grade, Horror
Number of Pages: 160
Published: August 13, 2024
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Dates Read: September 15, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Hannah and her friends were just having fun up in the school’s attic when they tried to communicate with spirits. Little did they know that something would be there and crawl its way into the pages of Hannah’s journal. What started out as a game has turned into something dire that Hannah tries to fix.

I originally asked for an ARC of this because I loved the idea of a haunted journal and what that would look like. Remy Lai didn’t disappoint in captivating my attention on the first page and keeping it throughout. The artwork is very Coraline-y, so I feel like a lot of readers will enjoy it from that alone.

The story itself is simple but still holds lessons to be learned.

This would fit right alongside those readers who enjoyed Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark as well as Goosebumps. This will no doubt lure our horror seeking youths but I think adults will also get a kick out of this as well.

*Thank you Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

It Happened to Anna / Tehlor Kay Mejia

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
It Happened to Anna
By: Tehlor Kay Mejia
Genre: Middle Grade, Horror
Number of Pages: 224
Published: august 6, 2024
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Dates Read: September 8, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: Parental abandonment, grief, mental health, toxic relationship, bullying

Sadie Rivera has been haunted all her life by a ghost who doesn’t allow her to make friends. The moment she tries, light bulbs begin exploding, chilly gusts of wind blow through even closed hallways, and accidents begin to happen. Last year, Anna finally made a best friend, Anna. So when the ghost caused an accident that killed her, Sadie knew it was her fault. Which is why she’s keeping to herself at this new school in Idaho. At least until she meets the mysterious cool girl Mal and the ghost doesn’t bother her for once. But Mal wants Sadie all to herself and she’ll do anything to make sure that happens.

I really, really enjoyed Tehlor Kay Mejia’s We Set the Dark on Fire duology and was super excited when I heard about their middle grade horror novel.

I believe Mejia’s did a wonderful job at catching the loneliness and depression that Sadie was in due to the ghost haunting her, and how much she craved the connection of friendship. Mejia uses a supernatural lens to talk about toxic friendships; what it looks like, what it feels like, and what one can do if they find themselves in one. I was very proud of Sadie when she (finally) began to figure out what was happening and that how she was being treated was not right.

Overall, this was a great middle grade horror read – scary, but nothing super crazy for the age group. It brings up a lot of conversation around social skills and friendships and what ultimately, at the end of the day, is a healthy one for each person.

Six of Sorrow / Amanda Linsmeier

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Six of Sorrow
By: Amanda Linsmeier
Genre: YA, Horror
Number of Pages: 336
Published: June 25, 2024
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Dates Read: August 26, 2024 - August 29, 2024
Format: Library Book / Audiobook

Sixteen years ago, six girls were born on the same day – they became friends in Sorrow, Louisiana until a rift between them occurred. Isabeau and Reuel remain best friends while the other girls separate. But when Reuel goes missing, the former friends gather once again.

Days later, Reuel returns sick and with no memory of where she was. Then, when another girl in their group goes missing, questions begin to swirl between the friends. What is their connection? And why are their moms, who seemed like they could barely stand each other, all of a sudden have started talking to one another?

I really enjoyed this creepy, supernatural YA read. It’s set in May, so springtime, but it totally gives off spooky season vibes (so, in all honesty, can be enjoyed in any season!).

This is my first read of Amanda Linsmeier but she writes really well – this entire novel played out like a movie in my head and I could vividly “see” all the locations.

The narrative is also pretty fast paced and catchy – I had a good chunk of time to read it on my third day of reading and couldn’t put it down until I finished.

Overall, if you’re looking for a spooky, supernatural, kind of witchy, YA horror read that’ll keep you turning page after page until you find everything out, this book is for you!

*Thank you Delacorte Press and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review