Summerween Book Recommendations

Spooky, thrilling, scary books for summer vacation

I’m back with a book recommendation post! Man, it feels good to be writing one of these again. I am stoked about this list.

“What is Summerween?” you may be asking after reading the title. Summerween came from an episode of the TV show Gravity Falls, where the community of Gravity Falls loves Halloween so much they decided to celebrate it twice a year. They trade out Jack-o-Lanterns for Jack-o-Melons, and turn one day in summer, June 22nd, into a gory day of summertime fun. Over the past couple of years, people have been celebrating and posting their own versions of Summerween online. Everything from making ghost-shaped pizzas and “blood” popsicles, to bat and pumpkin shaped floaties in swimming pools, to watching movies like Jaws, Friday the 13th, and The Lost Boys are Summerween staples.

Since June 22nd is around the corner, I’ve been thinking about some of my favorite books I’ve read that fit the Summerween theme. Whether it’s because they are monster stories that take place during summer, are sweaty, gritty, thrillers in the Southern heat, or give you goosebumps when you’re reading in the sun by the pool, these books all fit the vibe in some way.

Obviously, if you’re not a huge fan of horror or thriller novels, then maybe this list isn’t for you. But, trust me, if you give some of these a chance, I’m sure you’ll love this genre as much as me.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia

Quick summary: Noemí gets a mysterious letter from her cousin claiming her husband is trying to kill her. Only when Noemí travels to the gothic mansion in the countryside to save her cousin does she learn what horrors lurk behind its walls.

Why I love it: Gothic, haunting, slow-burning rot. That’s how Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic feels when reading. Many who know me well know that I love her writing, and this book was my introduction to Moreno-Garcia’s genius. It is a classic gothic horror story that harkens back to the Brontës packaged in a unique cultural setting.

This is for readers who love: Gothic stories, gothic romance, haunted houses, sleepwalking and weird dreams, strong female protagonists, slow burn beginnings with fast paced and riveting endings, and characters losing their own sanity.

**A small disclaimer with this one…this book doesn’t feel summery at all. I’m breaking my own rule a little bit in terms of “summer atmosphere.” But, I included it on this list because I think it is a great poolside read or summer vacation book. You’ll tear through it quickly! **

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno Garcia

It’s your lucky day, folks. I’ve included Silvia Moreno-Garcia TWICE in a Substack post! This is a first!

Quick summary: Montserrat is a sound editor working in the male-dominated film industry of early 1990’s Mexico City. She, along with her best friend and washed up soap opera star Tristán, meet an old Hollywood horror director who is convinced the movie that ended his career is cursed. Only when they start to help him finish the unfinished movie once and for all do they recognize a dark presence surrounding the project…

Why I love it: Silver Nitrate is completely different in feel from Mexican Gothic. It is an occult thriller with urban summer dread that has a retro-feeling horror to it, like a late-night VHS rental on a sweltering night. Much like Garcia’s other novels, the beginning lays out the foundation, gives a slow build, and then by the end, you are rushing through the last few pages to finish it because it is all consuming.

This is for readers who love: Horror, mystery, and thriller packaged in one plot, unlikeable main characters who you hate to love, supernatural elements, the eerie feeling that something is watching you, the dark side of film history, and book plots that feel gritty.

The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson

Quick summary: Jake, a twelve-year-old misfit, spends most of his summer vacation with his eccentric uncle Calvin. He befriends a pair of siblings, and the four of them create the “Saturday Night Ghost Club,” a group centered on finding the seedy, magical, haunted places around their hometown of Niagara Falls.

Why I love it: This one is a personal favorite book of mine…might possibly be one of my favorite books I ever read! Craig Davidson crafts a nostalgic coming of age story that is emotional at its core. It felt reminiscent of the way those kids in Stranger Things rode around town on their bikes, and its handling of topics surrounding growing up, memory, and time made me shed a few tears. It is a little sad, very sweet, and full of summer spooks.

This is for readers who love: Stories told by the main character as an adult reflecting back, kooky family members, ghost stories, junk magic shops, local legends and urban myths, small-town summers, and 80s nostalgia.

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

Quick summary: Chloe, a psychologist with a private practice, is planning her wedding but doesn’t have her dad to walk her down the aisle. When she was twelve, six girls went missing and her father was arrested as their killer. Now, twenty years later, girls start going missing again, and this time, she decides to confront her past and unmask the killer once and for all.

Why I love it: I’m not normally a fan of these types of thrillers that feel like true crime documentaries, but this book changed my mind. I was completely sucked in by how atmospheric this book felt, and I was pleasantly surprised by all the little twists and turns. The writing is incredibly strong, and I absolutely loved the Louisiana summer aspect to this book. It felt sweaty and tense, and I tore through the last half of it, desperate to know the end!

This is for readers who love: Heavy suspense, psychological horror, unreliable heroines, eerie Southern gothic style woods and forests, hometown secrets that refuse to stay buried, fireflies blinking like warnings, and major plot twist endings.

This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

Quick summary: They eat boys for breakfast…literally. Set against the backdrop of an outdoor desert music festival, the story follows four teenage girls and who are humans infected by a pathogen that makes them crave human flesh. They rely on lab-grown “SynFlesh” to survive, but things take a turn when one of them goes feral at the festival, and accidentally kills and eats a boy in one of the bands.

Why I love it: You may have read my piece on the movie The Substance and know that I find body horror in relation to female characters incredibly interesting and thought-provoking. If you feel the same about the body horror genre, then you’ll love this book. It is a perfect blend of gore, character-driven storytelling, and darkly comedic humor. Another thing I really appreciated was how the story used those affected by the pathogen as a metaphor for marginalized identities; particularly how people talked about “the infected” when they think no one around them could possibly be one. It’s a sharp commentary on othering and survival that adds surprising emotional depth.

This is for readers who love: Fans of movies like Heathers or Jennifer’s Body, diverse representation, best friends-to-lovers, body horror, morally messy teenage protagonists, found family girl gangs, and zombie stories with a feminist bite.

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

Quick summary: In 1915, Klan members are running rampant around America. But they’re more than a hate group; people aren’t under those hoods…they’re literal monsters summoned by dark magic with sharp claws and even sharper teeth. Maryse Boudreaux, armed with a magical sword, joins a band of resistance fighters to hunt down the demons and stop their rise before the world is consumed by evil.

Why I love it: This novella is bonkers. Genuinely one of the craziest and coolest things I’ve ever read. It is packed full of monsters, history, folklore, blood and guts, action, and biting cultural commentary. I was immediately blown away by the first chapter and couldn’t stop after that. I recommend listening to this on audiobook since the woman reading does a fantastic job with all the voices and accents.

This is for readers who love: Historical fantasy, Southern gothic horror, badass female protagonists, horror that doesn’t flinch from history, dreams with hidden messages, magic potions, and action sequences that feel like superhero battles.

The Body (from Different Seasons) by Stephen King

Quick summary: Gordie Lachance recounts what it was like to be a young boy during the summer of 1960. When he and his three best friends hear about a missing kid, they set out on a journey to find his body along the railroad tracks. What starts as a fun, carefree adventure turns into a reflection and exploration of grief, growing up, and the realization that the real horrors aren’t found in death, but rather in life around you.

Why I love it: I love all these books, yes, but I’m not lying when I say that I’m saving the best for last. This novella by Stephen King is one of the best things I’ve read this year, if not one of the best things I’ve ever read period. It’s nostalgic, incredibly moving, and it doesn’t have ghosts, but it is still haunting. This is a great place to start if you’re not a fan of horror, but still want something spooky in spirit.

This is for readers who love: Bittersweet coming of age, long walks and expedition type stories, stories told by the adult narrator looking back, best friend boy gangs, books that reflect on the fear of becoming your parents, childhood summer nostalgia, and obviously, since it was the basis for the movie, Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me.

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I have plenty more on my list to read, including The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix, and Hot Wax by M.L. Rio which is set to come out later this year (I think in September..?). Any others that you think should be on this list? Let me know! I’d love to add more spooky summer reads to my TBR.

Thank you for reading this week. I hope you’re taking care of yourself! I appreciate you. <3

- Lillian