by @spoonie.reads, curator of HOWLS Book Club nominees for June 2023’s “We’re Here, We’re Queer, and There’s Plenty to Fear” category
Why? because i’m really fuckin’ gay, babes! okay, that’s not the only reason… queer horror holds a special place in my heart, because it captures (in my opinion) the very best of the horror genre as a whole— subverting expectations, playing off of our darkest desires and deepest fears, and exploring the non-normative world that lies just out of view. the books on this list are perfectly timed too— it’s pride month here in the USA to highlight the historical stonewall riots in 1969, and HOWLS is ready to celebrate!
Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen
When the final four women in competition for an aloof, somewhat sleazy bachelor’s heart arrive on a mysterious island in the Pacific Northwest, they prepare themselves for another week of extreme sleep deprivation, invasive interviews, and, of course, the salacious drama eager viewers nationwide tune in to devour. Each woman came on The Catch for her own reasons—brand sponsorships, followers, and, yes, even love—and they’ve all got their eyes steadfastly trained on their respective prizes.
Enter Patricia, a temperamental and woefully misunderstood local living alone in the dark, verdant woods, and desperate for connection. Through twists as unexpected as they are wildly entertaining, the self-absorbed cast and jaded crew each make her acquaintance atop the island’s tallest and most desolate peak, finding themselves at the center of an action-packed thriller that is far from scripted—and only a few will make the final cut.
A whirlwind romp careening toward a last-girl-standing conclusion, and a scathing indictment of contemporary American media culture, Patricia Wants to Cuddle is also a love story: between star-crossed lesbians who rise above their intolerant town, a deeply ambivalent woman and her budding self-actualization, and a group of misfit islanders forging community against all odds. (StoryGraph)
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have you SEEN the cover? it’s a hot chick in the grasp of a giant forest monster. how could i not put it on my list !?!?! that aside, i’m really fascinated by the idea of a “horror comedy” and super curious to see how the author explores it here, because i’m a huge horror fan and very hesitant with comedy reads— and the reality tv-show setting (which are ridiculously heterosexual and heteronormative in the most cliche of ways) seems like a fun + monstrous experience.
Bookshop* | StoryGraph | Goodreads | Amazon
Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
Miri thinks she has got her wife back, when Leah finally returns after a deep sea mission that ended in catastrophe. It soon becomes clear, though, that Leah may have come back wrong. Whatever happened in that vessel, whatever it was they were supposed to be studying before they were stranded on the ocean floor, Leah has carried part of it with her, onto dry land and into their home.
To have the woman she loves back should mean a return to normal life, but Miri can feel Leah slipping from her grasp. Memories of what they had before – the jokes they shared, the films they watched, all the small things that made Leah hers – only remind Miri of what she stands to lose. Living in the same space but suddenly separate, Miri comes to realize that the life that they had might be gone. (StoryGraph)
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i love the idea of “coming back wrong”— it’s a trope i first saw in buffy the vampire slayer (season 6, iykyk) and i’ve been obsessed ever since; to see it play out between two queer women and reflect on the terrors of the deep sea is something that really excites me! it sounds like a slow, very atmospheric read that balances gothic + modern horror alongside a sapphic romance, and i’m always a sucker for some purple prose.
Bookshop* | StoryGraph | Goodreads | Amazon
The Wingspan of Severed Hands by Joe Koch
A world gone mad. Cities abandoned. Dreams invade waking minds. An invisible threat lures those who oppose its otherworldly violence to become acolytes of a nameless cult. As a teenage girl struggles for autonomy, a female weapons director in a secret research facility develops a living neuro-cognitive device that explodes into self-awareness. Discovering their hidden emotional bonds, all three unveil a common enemy through dissonant realities that intertwine in a cosmic battle across hallucinatory dreamscapes. (StoryGraph)
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because this book fucked me up in the BEST of ways and i wanna share the mind-fuckery with y’all! this is a quick read (<150 pages) filled with a lot of intense imagery, a good bit of body horror, and some truly twisted cosmic shit. i’m usually hesitant about horror with sci-fi elements (because tbh, my brain is NOT designed for sci-fi reading), but this blends the two distinct genres perfectly— it’s a story of metamorphosis in every sense of the word.
Bookshop* | StoryGraph | Goodreads | Amazon
The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca
Eight stories of literary dark fiction from a master storyteller. Exploring the shadow side of love, these are tales of grief, obsession, control. Intricate examinations of trauma and tragedy in raw, poetic prose. In these narratives, a woman imagines horrific scenarios whilst caring for her infant niece; on-line posts chronicle a cancer diagnosis; a couple in the park with their small child encounter a stranger with horrific consequences; a toxic relationship reaches a terrifying resolution… (StoryGraph)
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i’ve never read any of Eric LaRocca’s writings, but a collection of short stories with queer themes seems like a good place to start! this collection released only a couple of months ago, and at least one of the stories features LaRocca’s signature mixed-media style (a la THINGS HAVE GOTTEN WORSE SINCE WE LAST SPOKE’s online messaging format)— THE STRANGE THING WE BECOME is the story of an aging queer couple when one is diagnosed with a terminal illness, told via online journal postings. needless to say, this sounds like a twisted and tantalizing collection… and it’s got a hell of a long title, which fits his style too!
Bookshop* | StoryGraph | Goodreads | Amazon
Queen of Teeth by Hailey Piper
Within forty-eight hours, Yaya Betancourt will go from discovering teeth between her thighs to being hunted by one of the most powerful corporations in America. She assumes the vagina dentata is a side effect of a rare genetic condition caused by AlphaBeta Pharmaceutical, decades ago, when she and several thousand others were still in the womb. But, when ABP corporate goons upend her life, she realizes her secondary teeth might be evidence of a new experiment for which she’s the most advanced test tube . . . a situation worsened when Yaya’s condition sprouts horns, tentacles, and a mind of its own. On the run and transforming, Yaya may be either ABP’s greatest success, or the deadliest failure science has ever created. (StoryGraph)
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it’s vagina dentata, baby— need i say more? :chants of “pussy teeth, pussy teeth” start to rise up from all around you, with no identifiable source: Hailey Piper is a writer i’ve had my eyes on for a while, and where better to start than her debut novel! it’s a mix of body horror (duh) and queer women’s relationships, with a not-exactly-healthy dose of Big Brother-esque scientific and capitalist control!
Bookshop* | StoryGraph | Goodreads | Amazon
Queer Little Nightmares: An Anthology of Monstrous Fiction and Poetry edited by David Ly and Daniel Zomparelli
The fiction and poetry of Queer Little Nightmares reimagines monsters old and new through a queer lens, subverting the horror gaze to celebrate ideas and identities canonically feared in monster lit. Throughout history, monsters have appeared in popular culture as stand-ins for the non-conforming, the marginalized of society. Pushed into the shadows as objects of fear, revulsion, and hostility, these characters have long conjured fascination and self-identification in the LGBTQ+ community, and over time, monsters have become queer icons.
In Queer Little Nightmares, creatures of myth and folklore seek belonging and intimate connection, cryptids challenge their outcast status, and classic movie monsters explore the experience of coming into queerness. The characters in these stories and poems – the Minotaur camouflaged in a crowd of cosplayers, a pubescent werewolf, a Hindu revenant waiting to reunite with her lover, a tender-hearted kaiju, a lagoon creature aching for the swimmers above him, a ghost of Pride past – relish their new sparkle in the spotlight. Pushing against tropes that have historically been used to demonize, the queer creators of this collection instead ask: What does it mean to be (and to love) a monster? (StoryGraph)
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okay, i at least PARTIALLY chose this one because Jennifer posted about it in a reader channel, and i told her i loved it, and she DM’d me to ask if it was on my list for june’s polls… and i didn’t wanna say no so i added it to the list! but anyway, it’s also just a freaking incredible anthology collection— i love the blend of poetry and prose, the mix of familiar and new-to-me authors, and the subversion of some classic horror tropes… there’s something for everyone in this one!
Bookshop* | StoryGraph | Goodreads | Amazon
And The Winner Is…
Out of these six books, HOWLers voted to read Our Wives Under the Sea by Julie Armfield. This is a list from our archives and we’ve already read and enjoyed it, but you can chat with us about it or check out our other upcoming reads by joining the Discord!
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