I was really intrigued by the idea of exploring horror elements in the Bible, and I think the author approached it with care and creativity. With that being said, I found myself losing interest about a quarter of the way in and couldn’t quite pinpoint why. The writing wasn’t bad, and the premise is definitely unique—it just didn’t hold my attention the way I’d hoped.

This might be a better fit for readers who enjoy theological analysis blended with horror themes or more academic discussions of biblical stories. It just couldn’t hold my attention. I feel like it might have been a case of “right book, wrong time” so I will try my best to pick it up again in the future!

I dont think I fully understood the content of this book when I requested it. I am a Christian, but this type of text doesn't always hit home for me, unfortunately. It came down for personal reading preference in the end and I will always choose a fictional read over non fiction.

With that being said, if you enjoy a more theological non fiction read on scripture, this might be for you!

Thank you for the ARC.

Smart, surprising, and genuinely fun for horror nerds and theology geeks alike. Grafius digs into scripture with a horror fan’s eye, uncovering monsters, madness, and body horror where most expect solemnity. It’s not preachy or dry—it’s sharp cultural commentary with a side of blood-soaked exegesis. If you’ve ever side-eyed Leviticus and thought, “this is kinda gross,” this one’s for you.

****3.5**** stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. I was intrigued by this book as I was (against my will) raised in a religious household full of strict and nonsensical rules. Scared by the Bible goes in depth to explain the scary stories of the Bible and shows how most of the books of the Bible have no continuity. The book also reminds us that the Bible was written by man not a supreme being.

It's an interesting read about biblical text through the lens of horror. I did enjoy some parts of it but others didn't really work out for me. It takes Christian evangelical perspective. Personally this is not me but if you are someone who has religious beliefs and share the same background as the author, it would work for you.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC

I went into this book expecting a more scholarly or interfaith examination of fear as it appears in the Bible, but it turned out to approach the topic from a distinctly evangelical perspective. While that lens didn’t quite align with what I was hoping for, I can see it resonating with readers who are looking for a more devotional or faith-based interpretation.

Though it wasn’t the right fit for me personally, those who share the author’s religious background may find comfort and insight in its reflections.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book answers a question or questions that most of us have never thought to ask. There are some stories which should make us afraid. But of what or whom? Grafius gives us a framework in which to answer these questions about many of the perplexing narratives in the Bible. And some stories we may not have thought of as scary or horrific until we shift our perspective. One example from the book: Jacob alone in the inky black wilderness—except for moon and starlight—fearful of his impending meeting with a brother he wronged….and suddenly he’s grabbed! In a fight for his life, presumably, that takes all night. Is it an assassin sent by his brother? A highwayman? A monster? It’s a way to put ourselves into the story or empathetically observe the story, of how Jacob is given his new name, Israel—he who wrestles with God.

While not every story is not covered, the book’s framework will help us approach each new biblical narrative with the questions that could be answered: what does this story tell us about God? What does it tell us about ourselves in relation to God, the state of society? Who or what should we be afraid of—God Himself, our neighbors, our rulers or whom?

Some of the points are a bit overwrought, and the writing is a bit redundant in places. Grafius teaches us a lot about the genre of horror films, very little about horror literature because his life passions have been in film. When literature is mentioned, it’s in relation to a film adaptation. So is the oral tradition of biblical literature more a basis for comparisons to film or literature? Film is only a century old where one person’s/team’s vision of the story makes explicit how we should render the scene, leaving less to our own imagination of the setting or context or characterizations. Storytelling has been around for millennia.

While I am not wholly convinced this can be a valid hermeneutical tool, it has been intriguing enough for me to mention the book’s thesis to several friends and colleagues. The framework will remain with me as an option for furthering exploring some biblical passages.

I’m appreciative for the publisher sharing an advanced copy.

As a believer, who’s always enjoyed horror books and movies, but felt guilty by them, this book seemed right up my alley. There are indeed horrors in the Bible and much on paper and the silver screen have been inspired by it. There are a lot of good points in here, but a lot have been missed as well. I guess I was kind of hoping for Brandon to go through the whole bible and do comparisons. There’s definitely some good stuff here, and I enjoy the movie talk and most of the biblical inspirations…I guess I just wanted more, including some humor. Overall I do feel less bad about what I watch and may point some sceptic commentators towards this book.

I went into this book with a critical view of religion, hoping for a thoughtful exploration of how biblical stories could be interpreted through a horror lens—especially by readers outside of the faith. Unfortunately, the book leaned heavily into evangelical messaging, which made it difficult for me to stay engaged.

The premise had potential, but I felt the execution lacked balance. Rather than dissecting the unsettling or terrifying aspects of biblical stories in a nuanced way, the narrative often veered into faith-affirming territory, which wasn’t what I was looking for.

That said, there were a few intriguing points—particularly the idea of how religious texts can influence people to do extreme or irrational things. These moments stood out as insightful and thought-provoking.

Overall, this book didn’t work for me. It didn’t deliver the critical or horror-focused analysis I was hoping for and ultimately felt too rooted in a perspective I couldn’t connect with.

Scared by the Bible by Brandon R. Grafius is a bold, thought-provoking exploration of faith, fear, and the complexities of religious upbringing. Grafius’ writing is raw and introspective, offering a unique perspective on the ways the Bible can shape—and sometimes distort—our views of the world. The personal anecdotes and reflections hit hard, sparking a lot of reflection about belief and the human condition. This book is a compelling read for anyone questioning the intersection of faith and fear in their own lives.

There was a lot of very interesting discussion in this book, some of which I found quite convincing and some of which, not so much. I enjoyed the exploration of cosmic horror as it relates to the Bible and thought that the author did a good job of 'campfire tale'-ing the Bible passages, but I found the monster discussion a bit of a stretch and would have enjoyed the book more had the balance between horror and Bible been more even.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you so much Morehouse Publishing and Netgalley for this gifted copy, in exchange for an honest review! Scared by the Bible is out October 7, 2025! Being a believer and a huge horror junkie, I was very excited to dive deeper into the horror stories of the bible (and there are a ton of them!!). Scared of the Bible was a 3.25/5 stars for me! Right off the bat, I was a little skeptical and almost dnfed it after reading the intro. Grafius went on to say that there myths in the bible. As a believer, I believe that the bible is God Breathed and 100% true, so no myths. So I definitely went into the rest of this book hesitant on anything else the author had to say. That being said, I did enjoy this one! I like how he tied in pop culture horror and horror of the bible together. Some parts were a little slow, but over all I was impressed with the pacing of this one.

This was definitely an interesting read. It offers a thoughtful and creative approach to unsettling biblical texts through the lens of horror theory which makes it pretty fascinating and interesting to read. The book has some engaging insights, though it occasionally feels hesitant to push beyond familiar evangelical frameworks. I am not sure if I was the right audience for it, and this is definitely my own fault, but considering it was in the horror category I was definitely expecting more. A worthwhile read for those interested in the intersection of faith, fear, and interpretation!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Please note this is a 3.5.

I think sometimes, particularly in the Christian tradition, there is a reticence to admit to the horror of certain things, particularly when it comes to scripture. It's almost as though there is a fear of admitting the actual root of the stories that surround the traditions in religion, which is fascinating to me. Tackling this subject head on and trying to cover all of the bases is certainly optimistic, however, but this book gives it a go.

I suppose my biggest complaint would have to be that this book is simply not quite long enough. There's a lot that feels a bit missed out in here, and perhaps the net was cast a little too wide to be able to capture the full essence of what the author was going for. I felt like some of the elements, particularly the slasher deep-dive, were a little underbaked, but as I said, it is a very wide expanse to cover. I did also feel like some of the book was a little bit repetitive.

I did enjoy the approach of the author in comparison, and there was no cheating by going into the easy comparisons (i.e. movies that were very clearly heavily inspired by religion to begin with, to the point where there was no intrigue). It was also quite well researched, and while there could have been a few more theological references and other points to springboard off, it was still very detailed. I also appreciate that the personal feelings of the author didn't much get in the way of the content, which I think was fairly vital for this book. All in all, a very solid look at some of the scariest stories that humanity is based in - although I do wish there was a little more of it!

I was surprised to learn that the book embraced a distinctly evangelical Christian outlook. I’d hoped for a more scholarly or interfaith inquiry into biblical fear, but its tone was decidedly devotional. That approach might be more appealing to readers from that specific faith tradition.

I didn’t realize this was written from a Christian/evangelical perspective when I requested it, and unfortunately that meant it wasn’t the right fit for me. I was hoping for a more academic or interfaith exploration of fear in the Bible, and this one leaned more devotional than I expected. That said, readers who come from that faith background may find it meaningful.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.