Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing an ARC.

I loved this book. I recently returned to horror novels, and found this book to be a wonderful read. This collection of essays shows viewpoints and reflections of authors and fans. After finishing the Introduction and the first essay, I pre ordered a print copy to go through and re-read, and upon finishing the book, I didn't regret the preorder at all!

I would recommend this to, well, everyone. Even non-horror fans could find interesting views in this collection.

5 stars.

an impeccable set of essays curated by one of the foremost modern champions of horror. authors included Grady Hendrix (Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, Horrorstor, Southern Book Club), which was my favorite essay, as well as Stephen Graham Jones (Buffalo Hunter Hunter, I Was A Teenage Slasher, My Heart Is A Chainsaw), Alma Katsu (The Hunger, The Deep), Tananarive Due (The Reformatory), Hailey Piper (Game in Yellow, Benny Rose), Gabino Iglesias (House of Bone and Rain), Jennifer McMahon (The Drowning Kind), and many others of the greatest authors of the genre. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

"I was just a girl, standing in front of a genre, asking it to love her."

I often hear from other readers "I get scared too easily to read horror," or even see them turn their nose up at the mention of the genre, and I've never fully been able to articulate why I've found some of my favorite books to be within the horror genre when I'm a scaredy cat myself, BUT this collection of essays helped me get a better understanding of myself and others who seek out this genre.

From real-life horrors inflicted by society and those close to us, to the movie monsters that haunted our dreams as children (mine were the dinos from Jurassic Park and I'm not ashamed to admit it 🙋‍♀️), and the existential horrors that are upon us every second we exist on this earth - horror fiction is a place we can go and face those horrors while being completely safe.

It's hard to pick a favorite from this collection since I saw a piece of myself in each of them, but I can guarantee, horror lover or not, this anthology is worth the read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for the early copy for review - out September 23!

Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: E-arc
Genre: General nonfiction

I never seem to be super excited about short story or essay collections, mostly because they typically vary in quality or interest for me. This ended up being another example of that, but I do still think it’s worth reading if you’re interested in the topic.

I’m a notorious scaredy-cat with horror movies but this year I’ve started delving into horror literature and really enjoying it. I was looking forward to hearing from prominent horror authors and gain insight into their perspective on the genre. I appreciated the wide range of authors included as well as the recommendations for starting points for those authors. I added many books to my Libby “horror” tag while reading.

Some of the essays felt very similar to one another, which dragged the experience. Some grabbed my attention more than others, but overall I think this was an enjoyable love letter to horror and a great resource for those wanting to read more broadly within the genre. Standouts for me were the ones by Grady Hendrix, Rachel Harrison, and Hailey Piper, and Stephen Graham Jones.

I’ve been a horror fan all my life. It’s not right but I can remember my grandpa letting me watch The Exorcist at a very young age. This led me to sneaking horror movies at every Blockbuster visit. Sometimes I got caught, other times I got away with it. Then I started reading any “scary” book I could find at the Scholastic book fair. Again, my grandpa let me get whatever scary books I wanted.

I’ve been made fun of for loving horror and I was way ahead of the zombie craze before Walking Dead took over. I found myself relating and connecting to each author’s essay.

Whether you are a tried and true horror lover or just getting started, this book will help you see all that horror can do for a reader.

I love that she gives an introduction to each artist including best book to start with and similar authors to try. You’ll want to have your phone or a notepad handy to write down books to add to your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley, Becky Siegel Spratford, all the authors included and Saga Press. I’ve written this review voluntarily and honestly.

Here’s a kicker of a collection that collects some of the most famous horror writers of the moment’s stories on why they love horror. It’s right there in the title! And each author brings their own flair and voice to the reasons behind their passion. How can one have a favorite here? Not me, because I found all of them equally fascinating. And from someone who has been a lifelong horror fan for many decades, I still found lots of insight and bits to ponder while reading these. This is such a terrific idea to gather and have these easily available for this and future generations to gain insight from. Really an excellent read, and one I’m sure me and many others will keep going back to many times.

As a lifelong horror lover, I’ve been asked the question why horror? more times than I can count. It’s a question that lingers at the heart of everything dark and mysterious, and Becky Siegel Spratford’s WILH leans into it beautifully. This collection voices some of today’s most exciting horror authors, offering us both the familiar answers we know deep in our bones; horror helps us face trauma, gives outsiders a place to belong, and allows us to navigate the terrors of reality through stories that are deeply personal.

What I loved most is how every essay feels like an insight into the author’s love for the genre. Whether it was Grady Hendrix spinning his contribution like a horror tale in itself, Paul Tremblay weaving in illustrations by his daughter, or Tananarive Due grounding her love of horror in the Civil Rights movement, felt both seen and surprised. Powerful insights from Rachel Harrison reminded me why I not only consume horror, but treasure it.
There aren’t shocking revelations here for seasoned fans, we already know horror is more than monsters and jump scares; but there’s something incredibly validating about hearing some of our favorite storytellers articulate what we’ve always felt in our bones

If you adore the macabre and the grisly, you'll find thirteen kindred spirits folded in the pages of Why I Love Horror. If you either dislike or fear the genre, you'll read a baker's dozen's worth of essays that explain the complexities and nuances found in horror. Some horror is cathartic. Some horror is tortuously honest. There are so many subgenres of horror, from the most gruesome (think the Terrifier franchise) to the most literary (Dracula, Frankenstein, and the works of Stephen Graham Jones). Even if you're frightened of the dark, or can't stomach blood, there's horror out there for you.

This collection of essays shines a light into the dark recesses of the mind. Some authors delve into their childhoods, reminiscing about their favorite horror movies and Stephen King novels. Others find solace in psychological terrors, where they can confront their most horrific characteristics, their trauma, and the darkest parts of society. For some, horror is healing. For others, horror provides countless answers to the question, "What if?" For even more, horror provides a safe place to grapple with the terrors that play out in their homes, their communities, their country, and the world.

As a horror fan, this read brought introspection I hadn't realized I wanted. I highly recommend Why I Love Horror to fans of the genre or those who wish to dip their toes into all it offers.

“Horror makes us come back feeling different—oddly enough, feeling better. Feeling seen. Feeling validated. Feeling. That is why I love horror.” -Tananarive Due

This is a collection of essays wherein voices of modern horror answer the title prompt: “Why I Love Horror.” What follows is a series of intimate reflections on childhood, past traumas, and the events that have shaped these authors into the people they are today. It also serves as a love letter to the horror genre at large, why it’s so beloved, and how it has created a home for so many of us.

Not going to lie, I teared up multiple times during these reflections. These authors have put words to how I feel in regards to the horror genre, and that was very moving to read. It truly felt like I was sitting down for coffee with these folks, whose work I admire so greatly, to just chat about our favs. I found myself connected to the genre in a way I hadn’t felt before; I kept finding myself thinking “Yeah, I DO belong here.” One word the authors kept returning to was “home,” and I know I have found home here in this spooky space.

Additionally, Becky Siegel Spratford has added introductions to each essay as well as recommendations for authors and their books. I’ve added so many books to my TBR just from these sections.

In short, horror has a way of showing us we aren’t alone in our fears and that there is always a way to overcome. I’m at home in this genre, and this collection solidified that in the best way.

If you’re a horror fan at all, this essay collection is a MUST.

This is one of my favorite non-fiction books of 2025! Becky Spratford, an internationally renowned librarian, has put together a wonderful anthology of horror author biographies. Each person explains why they love horror, how they got into the horror genre, and anything else that has driven their journey as an author or horror fan. I loved every moment!

Throughout the book, you will get to explore the minds of some of horror's most famous authors, plus a few names you might not recognize! Paul Tremblay, Rachel Harrison, Grady Hendrix, Stephen Graham Jones, Mother Horror (Sadie Hartmann), and Cynthia Pelayo all make appearances alongside many other horror icons that readers will love. I enjoyed learning from Nuzo Onoh, whom I had never heard of before, and she writes amazing African horror as a Nigerian-British author. As a seasoned horror reader, it is always a delight to encounter new authors and sample their work! I'm so glad this book uplifted names that haven't made it to mainstream book channels, yet, because they have so many valuable things to say and share, too.

I particularly enjoyed the themes of belonging, the love for the macabre, and each iconic writer's passion for their genre in the book. As you read, you will also discover new books and movies that are recommended throughout, and get that sweet, nostalgic feeling that comes with reminiscing about old-school horror films.

Thank you to NetGalley and S&S/Saga Press for sending me an e-ARC! If you love horror and want to experience the inner worlds of your favorite writers, this book will obviously satisfy your cravings, but it is also a great read for people who are new to horror and want to come to understand why the genre is so well-loved. I can't wait to buy a hard copy and add this necessary tome to my permanent shelf!

This collection of essays reads really well and is very well organized. Each author featured explains their love of horror in an essay which perfectly encapsulates what fans love both in horror in general and for each author in particular. This book is a love letter to horror as a genre composed of love letters to horror. Though a little repetitive at times, each author brings a distinct voice and unique insights into the world of horror. Becky Siegel Stratford introduces each essay with an examination of each authors strengths as well as recommending books and authors for readers to enjoy. I really enjoyed this book

A must-read celebration of horror.

Why I Love Horror is exactly what the title promises: a heartfelt, thoughtful, and sometimes delightfully twisted love letter to the genre. For anyone who’s ever stayed up too late watching scary movies or kept a paperback with frayed edges under their pillow, this anthology feels like coming home.

I especially loved the chapters by Grady Hendrix and Paul Tremblay. Hendrix brings his signature wit and sharpness, capturing the fun side of horror while still recognizing its deeper cultural pull. Tremblay’s piece hit me in a different way: more introspective, personal, and quietly powerful. Together, their essays show just how wide the emotional spectrum of horror really is.

The rest of the collection doesn’t disappoint either. From big names to rising voices, each essay adds a different perspective on why horror matters and why it keeps us coming back. What struck me most is how universal the love of the genre feels, even when each writer’s personal entry point is unique.

Five stars for being both a celebration and a reminder: horror isn’t just about fear, it’s about connection, catharsis, and joy in the dark.

I like horror and I like books about books, so reading a collection of essays on why the contributors love horror was a no-brainer.

The focus of the book does lead to a bit of repetitiveness, but each author manages to give a unique perspective on the topic. Some authors had me nodding along in agreement (Tananarive Due & Stephen Graham Jones), some had me itching to get my hands on their books (Alma Katsu, Nuzo Onoh, & Victor LaValle), and some had me vowing not to read their works because their inability to get to the point in an essay left me in doubt of their ability to do so in a novel (I'll be nice and not name this group).

The real star of the collection is editor Becky Siegal Spratford. Not only is her introduction to the book interesting and informative, her introductions of the authors are top notch. And the best part? She gives reading recommendations.

Three and a half stars.

3 out of 5 stars. While all of the authors provided their own unique insights as to what draws them to horror and why they write in the genre, some more compellingly, there is a missed opportunity to delve into more of the genre’s nuances.

Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature, a collection of essays from well-known horror authors answering the titular question, edited by librarian Becky Spratford, offers readers an opportunity to learn more about their favorite authors in the genre, as well as receive new recommendations for similar authors. Spratford’s passion for the genre is evident in the amount of work that she put into bringing this essay anthology together, and, like she aims to do in her own piece, successfully brings forth a book that’s for those new to horror and genre veterans alike.

Throughout Why I Love Horror, authors’ answers to this question usually take one of three forms: Either recounting the media or specific events that drove them toward the genre, a memoir-style essay about a specific event, or some hybrid between the two. Plus, throughout the anthology, this is a golden opportunity to get a sense of authors’ voices if you’ve never read them before.

The essays that stand out the most are the ones that take a more memoir style approach, that, in the context of this book, is also hard to describe as singularly memoir:

“Why I Love Horror” by Grady Hendrix. He may or may not have found a child’s severed arm in his father’s freezer. He may or may not have also heard his grandmother say, “I know where Grady goes at night.” (Grady also being his father’s name.)
“Horror is Life: A Blood-Soaked Love Letter” by Gabino Iglesias, in which the author posits that horror is life and all-pervasive. It just happens to start with birth and goes into a story about how his grandmother kept a separate bathroom for the saints and spirits.
“Why Horror” by Stephen Graham Jones. In literary snapshots, Jones takes us back through time into how horror is likely humankind’s oldest genre and getting to the source of life.

Other particular standout essays largely provide insights into the more core “Why?” for some of the leading authors in the genre, including:

“Brian Keene’s Giant-Size Man-Thing” by Brian Keene, in which the author’s passion for horror is effervescent throughout the essay, particularly when he gets into the details of reading the comic The Man-Thing and highlighting how, even at an early age, he knew the world isn’t what he was told it was.
“In the Bermuda Triangle with Sasquatch, Flesh Smoldering” by John Langan. The author shares his fascination with the idea that, somehow, there are places on Earth where one can simply just vanish. Plus, an interest in spontaneous human combustion is just the beginning of it.
“My Long Road to Horror” by Tananarive Due explains how Due first encountered horror through sharing her bedroom with her ill grandmother when she was a young girl, and that, while her mother was also a huge horror fan, Due eventually had to find her own way back to writing in the genre she loves best.
“Horror Saved My Life” by Victor LaValle. LaValle notes that, like many other horror authors, university told him that writing horror was somehow not worthwhile, and while he did publish a few books in those following years, what really got him back to the genre was writing about monsters.
“Monster Girl: How Horror Gave Me a Place to Belong” by Jennifer McMahon. Straight up, I immediately related to her story of bringing a copy of The Amityville Horror to a slumber party. Horror helped McMahon find space for her own queer identity and deal with the realities of a hard home life when she was a child.

Yet, by the end of the anthology, I was left hoping for more—more insights into the nuances of personal relationships with the genre. While many of us black t-shirt-wearing nerds can relate to relating to the outsiders and the monsters in horror, there is a goldmine waiting to be uncovered in that conversation. It can be argued that the common points made consistently throughout the anthology, like relating to the monsters, are so common because it’s a shared life experience. While that’s true, further reflection and development of some of these pieces would have yielded up more unique insights that are specific to each author.

Overall, I consider Why Horror: Essays on Horror Literature an interesting read for fans of the genre and those new to it. But if you’re looking for more in-depth dives into the nuances of horror and the “whys” of its draw, use this book as your starting point rather than an end.

Why do we love horror? Everyone had a story. Everyone has their first crack of the spine of a horror book, their first watch of a horror movie or spooky show, and some had a childhood of real horrors.

In this book of essays, we get to hear from several authors and why they love horror-more specifically, why they write horror. It’s a peek into the minds and lives of some of the best known horror authors-Stephen Graham Jones, Rachel Harrison, Paul Tremblay, Gavin Iglesias, Cynthia Pelayo, Grady Hendrix, and more.

What I love about this book is that it shows that horror is not just for those who love the bloddy and gory-we do-but horror is so much more than that. Horror is for everyone, in any circumstance, with any backstory. Horror is nuanced, and everyone’s view is subjective. Someone has wrote a horror book that will speak to you in some level, and that’s what this collection conveys.

I highly recommend this one to anyone because you never know who will be inspired to pick up their first horror book.

This is a compilation of essays written by popular horror authors answering the editors’s question: Why do you love horror?

If you’re a horror fan or a writer this is a wonderful look into a handful of authors’ insights on why they write what they write and how they got to that point.

I found all of the essays had something that I could relate to. This may not be the same for Eve, but I think everyone could find something in this book that is relatable whether they are horror fans or not.

There are also book and author recommendations given in each chapter that I plan on taking.

This collection is a lot of fun and a very quick read. It opens up the world of horror and is a chance for readers to get inside the artist's heads a little, which for me makes their work even more powerful. While there is, obviously, some repetition in their answers each essay brings something new to the table, both in style and substance. None of the essays linger too long, and they flow together into a compelling and enjoyable whole.
This is definitely a worthwhile collection, offering insight and opportunity for self-reflection, for any and all readers, regardless of your relationship with genre.

I want to thank the editor and contributors, the publisher Saga Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review.

Why I Love Horror is an extraordinary collection of essays from 18 of the genre’s top authors. At 1,500 words or less, each submission is diverse and captivating, phenomenal and awe-inspiring. Following Sadie Hartmann’s incredible introduction and editor Becky Siegel Spratford’s informative essay, each entry opens with an intro from the editor that frames the contribution and includes a title recommendation and a similar author. As with the genre itself, there is something for everyone within these hallowed pages.

Bravely candid and brutally forthright, the anthology confides darkness and suffering, personal history and formative memory. It’s inspiring and uplifting, making readers feel seen, encouraged, and empowered, lending a masterful voice to the overarching question: Why do we love horror? And while it’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite, the three that resonated the most deeply with this reader include “Why Horror” by Stephen Graham Jones; “Why I Am Horror” by Clay McLeod Chapman; and “Horror Is Life: A Blood-Soaked Love Letter” by Gabino Iglesias.

Fear is an omnipresent theme. To be human, to be alive in this world, is to know fear. Horror provides a means of dealing with, facing, and conquering fear; it’s a coping mechanism and teacher. Honest and unflinching, it’s a language, refuge, tool, and mirror; community, calling, comfort, and friend; salve, connection, experience, and perspective; feeling, invitation, origin, and home; and catharsis, playground, revelation, and consolation.

Horror is ubiquitous and invaluable, endless and fluid, the controlled chaos of dark and light. It’s complex and contradictory, imperfect and answerless, thought-provoking, life-saving, lesson-rooted, empathy-driven, and all-consuming. Delving deep into the shadows, it fills voids and proffers healing, explores monsters and instills empathy, imparts calm and teaches survival, nourishes souls and defies reality, sparks amazement and embodies intelligence.

Open and welcoming, perceptive and intuitive, horror is rooted in trauma. It’s a balm to isolation, an expression that lends bravery, and an all-encompassing way. As it reflects our nightmares, it supplies companionship, offers security, fosters learning and knowledge, endurance and resistance, optimism and acceptance. It’s an imaginary companion and the core of existence, a love affair and visceral response that changes us, urges and inspires us, impels us to imagine, to keep trying and fighting no matter the stakes, to explore the unknowable and face the terrifying. To continue on. To live.

Simply put, horror is life distilled, an incomparable entity that’s unequivocally relevant, valuable, vital, and universal. It’s an unparalleled reading experience and an absolute treasure that this reader will be adding to her favorites shelf — a warm hug, an invigorating zing, and an absolute must-read forthcoming via Simon & Schuster/Saga Press on September 23, 2025. (Check back post-publication for the addition of favorite quotes, as well!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster/Saga Press for providing an eARC of this tremendous forthcoming title for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

If you work in horror fiction at all, you know Becky Spratford. She’s a fierce advocate for the genre, a super-cool librarian, and a tireless champion for emerging voices. She’s an icon, really.

Horror nonfiction is having a moment—and just like in horror fiction, women are leading the conversation. We’ve been treated to a treasure trove: explorations of women and the monstrous (Jessica Zimmerman, Lisa Kröger, Meg Hafdahl, Kelly Florence), reader’s guides from the indomitable Mother Horror (Sadie Hartmann), smart and entertaining works on ghosts, death, and the afterlife from Mary Roach (Stiff, Spook, Six Feet Over) and Caitlin Doughty (Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, From Here to Eternity). And, now, Why I Love Horror, a dazzling essay collection curated and edited by the one-and-only Becky Spratford, where some of horror’s best answer this exact question.

As an academic, my instinct is to wait for a print ARC or a final hardcover so I can mark up the pages with notes. I promised myself I’d be patient. Then I learned that I was listed as a readalike to one of the contributors—Rachel Harrison, one of my favorite humans!—and even still, I tried to resist. I told myself I’d wait until the end of September, when I could cozy up with a highlighter and savor essays from friends, colleagues, and admired voices. But then Becky asked me to write my own Why I Love Horror essay for this year’s 31 Days of Horror—and that was it. I caved.

My takeaway? As usual: horror people are the best people. Every essays felt like its own small, beating heart—authors baring their bones, writing their truths in blood and ink. I’m proud, honored, and endlessly grateful—for these wonderful voices, for heroes like Becky, for the entire horror community.

I’m grateful to call horror home.

I really liked this collection of essays. Some from authors I've enjoyed and have read (Harrison, Hendrix, Tremblay, Due, Malerman, Jones) and others I have now bookmarked via Spratford's suggestions.
The variation in style and themes on why these authors love horror as well as a taste into their writing outside of the genre was a fantastic read for a horror fan (and maybe others looking to get into the genre?).
The detail and time Spratford put into editing and compiling these essays is something I applaud. Although I think that the themes and flow in her second paragraphs felt a little forced, I loved her intros, starting reading, and similar author suggestions (not all of whom are horror!).
Much like I enjoyed King's On Writing, I too delighted in learning of author's I have read and savored telling me their reasons for why this genre is so worthwhile. Horror has and always been a place to feel comfort and less alone, no matter where you come from. These essays show that.