I mean, what can I really say about these essays? Unsurprisingly, SGJ's is my favorite, but there are several others in here that hit HARD, including Rachel Harrison and Victor LaValle, for me. Can't wait for this to be out in the world, spreading the love affair that is the horror genre!!

I was gifted a copy of this ebook from Net Galley and Saga Press in exchange for an honest review. This book is available September 23, 2025. This is a must read for any horror enthusiast. It was so interesting reading why these authors chose the horror genre and what it means to them. I loved the beginning of each essay where Becky Siegel Spratford introduced the author and gave us books of theirs to read as well as another author similar to them. Have a notebook and pen ready when reading to jot down all the books to add to your tbr list!

This book is one of the best nonfiction books about horror that I have ever read. So many brilliant writers come together to really give such insightful ideas of why they and others do or should love this often misunderstood and maligned genre. This is a must read for any student of literature and a double must read for horror fans.

Why I Love Horror, edited by Becky Spratford, is a love letter to a genre that is having a moment. Becky has pulled together a collection of essays from some of the biggest names in contemporary horror, and each in it’s own way and its own unique voice remind us why we keep coming back to the page to be frightened all over again. There are three specific reason why I feel that this work is so important (and worth the read):

1. I was surprised how very personal many of these essays are. Sometimes you can read a work of fiction and get the sense that the author is sharing a lot of themselves in the work. My of the authors in this collection share some of their childhood and adult traumas that play a role in steering their writing to the darker side of fiction. I feel that I ‘met’ the authors in reading this collection.

2. Many of these authors write horror for the very same reasons that I read horror. I have always felt that the horror community is more familial and inclusive that any other genre, and this collection underscores that belief. We are truly in this love together, and each of us is looking for ways to process the very real traumas of this present world, and it is wonderful to discover that I am not alone in my need for an outlet. I need a way to experience horror in a way that, at least sometimes, lets the underdog win.

3. The unique voices of the authors come shining through this work of non-fiction. This gets back to familiarity, but I believe that I could have identified some of these authors by their essays, their personality and voices come through the text that strongly. But their are a handful of writers presented here that I have never read, and at least 2 of those I added to my TBR based simply on the material and voice of the essay itself. Voices matter. Representation matters. And this collection accoplishes that.

Becky does a phenomenal job of organizing and introducing each of the essays, as well as providing starting point recommendations and comparable authors for each author represented in the collection.

This is an excellent read for fans of the genre, but is also a good starting point for those interested in the genre and trying to determine what all the buzz is about. Highly recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for an advance copy of this collection of essays dealing with the genre of horror in all its myriad and scary ways, detailing how many became interested in the subject, what brought them back, what turns them away, and how they look at the world through their understanding of the milieu.

Star Wars and The Hobbit were my gateway drugs into the worlds of science fiction and fantasy. Sherlock Holmes was my mentor into mystery. Horror I think had many masters, as I can't lock down what made me aware of both the subject nor made me want to know more. Was it comics, the works of Bernie Wrightson, and Tomb of Dracula. Was it as it seemed for many the works to Stephen King, especially Night Shift a collection I still consider in my top ten of best things ever. Possibly the little remember John Frankenheimer movie Prophecy, about mutant bears in Maine, which I saw with my neighbors who had no idea what film ratings were. I also remember my father having a Edgar Allan Poe collection on vinyl, one lost to time, that he would play on the big stereo console we had, one I wished I still did. Include in that the Monster Mash and songs about Purple People Eaters. And Alfred Hitchcock Books on the Supernatural. So I had a lot of influences. One that has served me well. Horror at its best reflects the society in which it was created. Which is why we are in a Renaissance of horror. Can anyone fictional or nonfictional think of a worse time than now. Or a better community to show this world and madness we deal with. Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature by Becky Siegel Spratford is a collection by horror luminaries detailing why horror as a medium means to them, what made them interested, and where it is going.

Becky Siegel Spratford is a professional librarian and educator, one who has undertaken the task of learning about horror, so that she can share with librarians and book people, what to recommend, what to share, and what to pass over. Spratford also reviews books, so being at the forefront of literature, Spratford can see trends as they arise, the what is scaring writers enough to make a story out of it trend. Spratford has asked a group of modern writers, both known and new to some about horror, and what they feel about the subject. What we get is a book that not only talks about influences, but also what the community of horror fans has provided. And how the horror genre allows them to deal with the world outside. Some of the contributors include Brian Keene,Grady Hendrix, Paul Tremblay, Stephen Graham Jones, Josh Malerman, Victor LaValle, and many more. They discuss influences, Night Shift being a big one, how they view horror, how horror views the world, and how the world views them.

Not a best of, not a listicle, but a heartwarming, if not sometimes heart wrenching look as at a genre that has touched many, saved many, and helps many deal with the ugliness of the world around us. Each essay has a brief bio, introducing us to the writer, who might be new, along with another writer who might be similar, giving people almost forty writers to look out for. Many talk about the acceptance of the horror community, an acceptance that might have been missing earlier, but one that has helped many survive, not monster killers, but the monsters who push their views on us all.

I don't think I have read a book like this before, a love story to a genre, without pushing other books to be read. Some of these essays are very personal, and mean a lot to the writer. A book that will remind us that sometimes a book can be more than a book, but a lifesaver in a sea of sadness. Art endures and helps us endure. There will always be things that scare us, but sometimes in the fear we find the strength to go on.

Spratford has a unique way of distilling and extrapolating a writer’s essence without diminishing the breadth of creativity an individual holds, while also creating a mind map linking like-to-like across the horror genre. It’s truly a feat of passion and creative intelligence. Her prologue and brief overviews of each writer set the stage for this book and give the essays the proper platform to shine.

Through each essay, you get both a taste of the author’s style, and a unique personal insight into their journey to horror, their traumas, their passions, and the beautiful threads that hold this vast diverse web of the horror community together. Both deeply personal and universal, I look forward to adding a hard copy to my horror library for future reference and inspiration.

Thank you to @sagapressbooks for the ARC #sagasayscrew

Becky Spratford is one of the leading champions of horror and she has compiled an incredibly array of modern horror talent to answer the question of “Why?”. So many of horror’s brightest voices answer that question via essay form in this book.

The diversity of the essays collected here is impressive. Every author brings their personal flair and, in many cases, much of their personal story to discuss how they came to love horror and why they chose writing the macabre as both a career and their life. Many discuss the importance of horror for confronting our fears as individuals and a society and how horror reflects that back on us and allows us to cope with those fears, real and imaginary.

Spratford introduces each author before their respective essays and includes a recommendation on a book to start with by each author and another similar author to check out. I was familiar with most, but not all, of the authors presented here so it was nice to have my TBR grow a bit from reading this.

It’s impossible for me to choose any favorites since every essay is so good. But I’ll list all of the contributors (if this doesn’t get you to want to pick this book up, I don’t know what will) - Brian Keene, Hailey Piper, John Langan, Alma Katsu, Gabino Iglesias, Tananarive Due, Jennifer McMahon, Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Grady Hendrix, Cynthia Pelayo, Clay McLeod Chapman, Nuzo Onoh, Rachel Harrison, Victor LaValle, Mary SanGiovanni, David Demchuk, and Stephen Graham Jones. Sadie Hartmann (@mother.horror) wrote the intro!

Why I Love Horror is an essential book for the diehard horror fan or the horror curious. Definitely pick it up when it comes out on 9/23/25.

Why I Love Horror is one of my top recommendations for the season. This is a standout collection of personal essays on the titular topic by outstanding contemporary authors. The book had me at a partial list of contributors. Intimate answers to this core question highlight things we all have in common and give wonderfully specific glimpses into the creativity of today's masters of the genre.

The collection is lovingly and insightfully currated by Becky Siegal Spratford, a librarian maven dynamo horror advocate and introduced by Sadie Hartman, 'Mother Horror.'

I'm not going to try to pick favorites. I'll read anything Gabino Iglesias and Stephen Graham Jones write. All of these authors are worth your time. The stellar line up includes Tananarive Due, Hailey Piper, Grady Hendrix, Alma Katsu, Paul Tremblay, Eric LaRocca, and more.

In addition to the pleasure of discovering early inspirations, IRL fears and scares, and passionate appreciations of horror, I enjoyed the book recommendations included in the introductions to each author. This book is a wonderful gift in a genre that is often misunderstood and maligned. Beautiful timing, to discover such a treasure in the mindst of chaos.

I highly recommended Why I Love Horror to Horror readers as well as to writers, readers, librarians, book sellers, and educators of all kinds. It has a great deal to offer toward understanding our human experience and our connections to each other.

Saga Press is making their 10th year extraordinary. Thank you for the eARC for consideration. These are soley my own opinion.
I'll add post links.

A stellar essay collection of love letters to the horror genre. I especially loved and appreciated the introductions and recommendations (and have already started a Lindy Ryan novel thanks to the Rachel Harrison section!). Though some essays stood out to me more than others, they all made me feel at home. I'm fortunate to share a generation with some of these authors, and was blessed with loads of old horror references that I could reminisce about right along with them. This is my genre. These writers and readers are my tribe. The book is a must-have for horror fans new and old and I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

A stunning collection from today’s literary horror stars. Each essay is a wonderful, personal look into that author’s journey to and love of horror. Some essays are so good they should be taught in tandem with the author’s fiction. Among these essays, you will find reassurance of your love for horror or perhaps your invitation into the macabre. Horror is for everyone, and and all are welcome.

ARC from NetGalley

I really like horror, but I’m not a huge horror reader. I’ve read one book by two of the authors featured here, and not many more classics published after the 19th century. In other words, I wasn’t coming to this book looking for insight from authors I already loved, but I didn’t need an explanation of the appeal of horror.

With that in mind, I absolutely loved this. The essays are so personal and fascinating, painting stories of how horror intertwined with their lives specifically. Some talk frankly about personal traumas and how horror entered their lives, some about using fictional horror to mirror societal horrors, some about how horror stories captured their imagination. With the introductions with recommendations of where to start reading, I’ve bumped a whole lot of books up my to-read list. The insights these authors have make me want to dive into their fiction and experience horror the way they do.

I truly enjoyed this collection of essays! It felt like a love letter to my personal favorite genre, horror. I really loved the author introductions and recommendations written and I have now added more books and authors to my TBR. My favorite essays were from Gabino Iglesias, Paul Tremblay, Grady Hendrix, Victor LaValle, and David Demchuk. Thank you NetGalley! I really enjoyed this! This book will be published on September 22nd of this year- pre order now! It will be an excellent spooky season read.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest opinion.

Fun and found some new horror authors!

I always love when NetGalley has ARCs for books I was already planning to read, I was so excited to get my hands on this essay collection. I love that the authors are a mix of old heads and rising stars, there were a couple names I had not heard of and I was happy to add their books to my TBR. I also appreciated the variety in the essays, it wasn't just "when i was 6 i saw 'Halloween' and it changed me forever", the authors gave a lot of different reasons to like horror and there was a lot of variety and nuance in the stories they told and the way they told their stories. As always, Stephen Graham Jones was a standout (there's a reason he always gets put last to finish out a collection) but everyone was engaging enough that it felt like I flew through this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eighteen of the most influential authors active today write short essays to explain why they love horror. Sometimes seen as a lesser genre, it is probably the most diverse and inclusive. The authors here are proof of this, and they all provide very personal accounts about their lives and struggles. Everything that made them devote their lives to making people scared. I was surprised at how many of their stories resonated with my own personal experiences (the scene in Deadly Friend that marked Clay McLeod Chapman traumatized me to a degree that I still remember it). Maybe that’s why I love horror too. The sleepless nights fearing what hides in the darkness. Watching scary movies that were not appropriate for my age at the time. More than one of the authors shared scarily similar experiences. Others struggled with worse (racism, abuse, alienation). They all embraced it and used it. The styles will seem familiar if you’ve read their books, and are also very varied. Josh Malerman sets a scene on a train. Nuso Onoh shares a day in her life. Tanarive Due reminisces about her parents, who took part in the Civil Rights movement. Paul Tremblay uses illustrations by his daughter. Some are more political, others more personal and a few are heartbreaking (Cynthia Pelayo’s is truly horrific). Horror lovers are all a community and these people are our leaders. If you want insight into what makes them come up with these stories that give us nightmares, don’t miss this.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Saga Press.

With introductions by Becky and essays from contemporary horror writers, _Why I Love Horror_ is a great resource for library staff and horror fans. Becky’s intros describe the authors and their contributions to the genre along with her recommended reads. The essays get to the heart of why horror is such an important genre and why it speaks to such a diverse audience, with personal and entertaining passages from current authors. If you’re a horror reader or looking for ways to recommend horror, this is an invaluable book is for you!

I heard Becky Siegel Spratford speak at the American Library Association conference, and I knew I had to read the book she'd edited. Spratford is a self-described “horror librarian,” which, just, wow, talk about cool jobs. She’s trained librarians all around the world in how to pitch books in ways that get readers excited, and she works with Reader Advisory to get more horror books into the hands of library patrons.

I loved how Spratford talks about books: passionately, sensitively, and with a keen understanding that tough books help us heal and process the real world. Something about her was just inherently inspiring, and when she spoke, it felt like I was being welcomed into a world where authors and readers alike have very intelligent things to say about this much misunderstood, neglected, and maligned genre.

These essays cover a range of perspectives and voices, some necessarily more interesting than others. Grady Hendrix absolutely knocked it out of the park; I'll need to share his essay with horror readers I know once this book is published. It might be one of my favorite essays that I've ever read.

Many of these felt more like blog posts than essays, though, and since one writer mentioned writing his contribution on an airplane, I'm thinking that some authors had more casual approaches than I would have liked, perhaps because "Why I Love Horror" did start off as an online blog series. I felt that this was a great opportunity for authors to show off their writing skills and prose styles (as Grady Hendrix did), but many of the essays were bland and prosaic. Spratford set them up for success by writing wonderful biographies for each author, recommending a place to start with their books, and offering a readalike writer to explore as well. I wish more of the writers had written a little more thoughtfully; too many of these just didn't hold my interest.

Loved this non fiction (or was it) novel from some of my favorite authors in horror.

I loved how the book was organized based on what type of essay we were getting. All focused on why each author loves horror.

My favorites were Rachel Harrison’s feminist take, Grady Hendrix’s personal trauma, and Stephen Graham Jones’s “because horror lays dark eggs in the audience’s head that don’t hatch until two in the morning.”

In this collection of essays, we hear from well-known horror writers, their take on “why horror” and how it helped shaped them into some of the best in the genre. Things I enjoyed the most:

✔️Getting to know the authors better
✔️The introduction from the editor of the book before each essay, which includes better known works by the authors, suggested “first-read” by each author and a recommendation on similar authors
✔️Learning some new books and authors to add to my very-growing horror tbr list
✔️Gaining insight as to what horror means to different people

In short, I LOVED IT!

Do your self a favor and pick this one up when it launches in September - perfect timing for spooky season!👻

Thanks to Saga Press and Netgalley for an Arc of this book

This collection of essays was compelling, beautifully written and at time heart wrenching.

As to be expected of a group of writers who are masters of their craft.

They are edited with such care that the book doubles as a compendium for new voices to explore.

The highlight for me was My Mother was Margaret White by Cynthia Pelayo and author I have yet to read but instantly added to the tbr.

Perfect for genre fans and for new hopefuls exploring the genre