Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book! My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

I found so many new books to put on my to read list, most of which I had never heard of. In the hundreds of books mentioned, I believe there was only one book I had read, which is so crazy. Although I really haven't been reading much gothic fiction lately, so maybe not (can only read so many books at a time).

Loved how everything was organized in the book, and especially loved the inclusion of the list of Amazon specials based on book series. I will definitely be looking into some of those at some point.

Definitely would recommend this book!

Feels like having one of those joyful bookish discussions with a friend! Just, make it horror!

I’ve been excited for this book for months, ever since the author, Sadie Hartmann, Mother Horror, posted about it on Instagram. The author always has such great book recommendations and curated lists with thoughtful insights into horror fiction and this book solidifies her as a horror fiction expert even more, one who truly gets what horror is all about and her enthusiasm and love of the genre in all its forms really comes across in this book. Highlighting horror fiction written by women in such a sensitive, fun and insightful way is so important and I hope it opens up the world of female-led horror fiction to many more people.

The book has a really great foreword from Ania Ahlborn (who, much more eloquently than I, introduces Sadie and the purpose of the book) and an introduction from Sadie that really sets the tone.

From there it’s straight into talking books. The book is split into wildly fun and inventive themed sections such as Swampcore & Sporror, Gothic Secret Societies, Horromantasy, and many more. The author talks about “vibes reading” and I feel this so much! It’s how I pick what books to read and I love that you can just check any of the curated lists in each section depending on what mood you’re in.

The book also includes several essays and insights by different female authors, including Laura Purcell (one of my favourites, known for the amazing Silent Companions), Alexis Henderson (speculative fiction author of The Year of the Witching) and Christina Henry (horror and dark fantasy author of The Ghost Tree). There’s truly something for everyone in this book!

I adored the full colour illustrations by María Amaya throughout the book (and will enjoy them even more when my physical copy arrives). They added to the gothic, spooky atmosphere and really set the tone for each different section within the book.

Just be prepared for your TBR list to grow significantly! I might have to do a reading challenge based on this book - there’s plenty more books I want to read now! What a joyful feeling!

An excellent and eclectic collection of horror titles are proposed in this informative book. I enjoyed the essays on particular topics / subgenres by other writers, and felt Hartmann did a good job - as ever - of drawing a narrative through the different themes in this book. The titles proposed covered a wide variety of books, and will hopefully introduce horror fans to a number of new books that might not have been on their radar before. (The illustrations are super as well! Nicely aligned with the vibes of the book.)

If you are familiar with Mother Horror then this book will delight you. If you are not but you enjoy horror books and weird fic, then Mother Horror will delight you.

Sadie Hartmann has produced an extensive compendium of not only women of horror, but of weirdly specific horror sub genres and tropes.
Every subsection has a brief overview of the theme and a list of vibes that thread each book together. There are essays and short lists of specialist recommendations from other female authors and beautiful illustrations throughout as well.

Immediately, you will definitely want to get a hard copy over an ebook. Because you will keep returning to it as a reference book.
Some people will be inspired to add multiple books to their TBR and max out their holds on libby. Do you even follow mother horror if you don't have a precariously stacked TBR the height of a small child and library cards from six different counties?
After this you are going to need another library card. And possibly a bigger house.

I think that possibly the best way to use this book is by vibes, flip between sections and find something similar to the last book you read that you'd give anything to read for the first time again. That is the magic of mother horror, she will send you to read something that you otherwise would have never picked up but that fits exactly what you were looking for.

A queen after my own heart, Sadie helpfully gives you plenty of suggestions on where to source your reading material (hint: libraries are mentioned) and if a book is best enjoyed in audio format she will say so, and she will tell you why.

Truly a horror fans Grimoire. Whether you are a seasoned horror afficionado or just dipping your toe in to the genre, Feral and Hysterical has something for you and will keep bringing your dark little heart joy for a long time to come. Bring plenty of page markers...

Even though it might not be the most useful book for everyone, Feral and Hysterical is exactly the type of book I love. While I had thought that the bulk of the book would be taken up by the essays with additional recommendations interspersed, it’s definitely the reverse of that. But the essays are phenomenal and I adoreee the small additions like the blurbs introducing sections. The illustrations are phenominal and so much fun; Maria Amaya’s name should be more prominently displayed for her amazing work on the illustrations. Aside from the recommendations, essays, and illustrations, Sadie Hartmann also includes small cut-ins like “know thy tropes” and my favorite, “50 States, 50 Books by Women”. If you start this book and are concerned about a quarter of the way through that there won’t be enough subjects to have book lists…. just wait. The headings get stranger and more specific. I’ve found that I think my new favorite horror lit is going to be Sporecore.

As a librarian I love titles like this. But even more, as a horror reader, I adore titles like these. While I think the value of this title lies mostly in belonging in a library as a reference, I am definitely considering buying this title for my own personal collection so that I may make a challenge out of reading a majority of the titles recommended.

Sidenote: while I on a personal level detest Amazon, I appreciate that the author includes titles from Kindle Unlimited for accessibility sake. What I appreciate even MORE is that the author let’s us know which titles those are, so that us without the KU don’t get our hopes up only to have it be an exclusive. And thank you for mentioning Libby and Hoopla

Feral and Hysterical is a love letter to horror (specifically, horror written by women and non-binary authors). Sadie Hartmann, known to many as Mother Horror, brings her passion to every page, and it’s hard not to be swept up by her enthusiasm. This is not a detached critical study but a deeply personal and highly dynamic celebration of a genre that has always had space for the strange, the subversive, and the silenced, and that I personally love for those reasons.

It’s nearly impossible to get through it without stopping constantly to look up titles and add books to your TBR. In fact, my own reading flow was delightfully derailed multiple times by spontaneous detours into other books mentioned here and I suspect that's exactly the point.

The structure is loose but effective. Rather than offering ranked lists or traditional summaries, Hartmann organizes her recommendations by “vibe. This is where the book really shines because it trusts the reader to follow vibe and what they are feeling rather than critical consensus. The accompanying illustrations add to the book’s character: these are whimsical, eerie, and sometimes haunting illustrations that match the tone perfectly.

That said, I must admit that Feral and Hysterical wasn’t quite what I expected. I went into it hoping for a bit more literary or thematic analysis albeit not academic, necessarily, but reflective or contextual, perhaps. Instead, what I found was a reference guide in its purest form: a curated list driven by passion and breadth, not depth. For readers looking to expand their horror horizons or break free from the typical, often male-dominated canon, it’s an invaluable resource. But if you're seeking in-depth discussion of the texts themselves, this may feel somewhat surface-level.

Still, that’s less a flaw than a matter of framing. Once I adjusted my expectations, I began to appreciate the book for what it is.

Whether you're a newcomer to horror or a seasoned reader hoping to discover hidden gems, this book is a highly browsable read that belongs on the shelf of anyone who cares about the voices shaping the future (and present) of the genre.

Mother horror is a figure in the horror community who is a huge inspiration for us all. Her advocacy and diverse reading tastes means she is always coming up with the most unique recs. I have read many of the books suggested by her and they never disappoint. This book a wonderful tribute to women writers in horror, who are arguably putting out works that are sure to become classics in the genre in due course of time. Some of the books in this book have already been read. Some are yet to be read and now I am more excited to read them. The essays were the best part and for me the ones written by Alma Katsu and Hailey Piper were the most memorable. Those essays made me cry. It made me feel seen. I cannot express in words how essential this book is for those who are just getting into horror. My earnest plea to fellow horror lovers is to pick this one up. You will surely find new favourites.

👻💀🩸Mother, oh, Mother🩸💀👻

Genre: Non-fiction, reference
Page count: 208

In this book, you quickly learn why our dear Sadie is best known as MOTHER HORROR because damn if she's not the queen, I don't know who is. This book took me a little longer than usual to get through it, not because of the writing or format, but because I kept stopping to look up books and add them to my TBR and some even read in between this one! In one weekend, I ended up doing 5 or 6 of the short reads she suggested, then continued reading her reviews and references. Make sure you have pen, paper, and Goodreads open while you get through this one!

Not only is it woman and queer book recommendations, but you get the book vibes as well as beautiful illustrations along with it. You get a plethora of recommendations by vibes, state, subgrnre, and many, many more! (Personally, I look forward to doing the 50 state challenge), from newer voices to established ones and hidden gems!

Do yourself a favor and get this for yourself, or for a friend that loves a good dark read with the ladies and non binary folks as the puppeteer for the horrors. And if you want to catch a signed copy by the Mother herself, it is going to be included in the August Nightworms Book Box!

Huge thank you to Sadie, Page Street, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this awesome ebook ARC!

A well thought out guide. I appreciate the author's thoughts on each book, it shows real intention and deliberate choice behind each listing. I'll be adding some that hadn't previously been on my radar to my TBR.

'Feral and Hysterical' is an awesome resource for women's horror! You can tell that it's an absolute labor of love for Sadie Hartmann, and I immediately trusted her recommendations (hence the constant adding of new books to my TBR throughout reading!) I also appreciate how she strays away from traditional ratings and focuses on the vibes because that's way more important to me than general popularity.

The way this book is organized totally works, and the illustrations scattered throughout are perfection. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun and accessible guide to horror and horror-adjacent work written by female and non-cis male authors. I appreciated the inclusivity of the book and how knowledgable Sadie Hartmann is on her subject matter! I had expected a little bit of a deeper dive into the titles and the genres within horror but I came away with a chunky list of books for my TBR pile. Excellent for any buddying horror fans who want to expand beyond the usual reading lists and focus on female led horror.

Sadie Hartmann (Mother Horror throughout the rest of the review) has once again destroyed my “To-Be-Read” list with the selection of books in “Feral and Hysterical, Mother Horror’s Ultimate Reading Guide to Dark and Disturbing Fiction by Women”, This is Mother Horror’s Sophomore Book to “101 Books To Read Before You’re Murdered”, a Bram Stoker’s Award recipient.

The ARC Book Fairy provided me an opportunity to read a digital copy and have a physical copy on pre-order. The Artwork reminded me of art from Gothic House Horror Book Covers or art from “In a Dark, Dark, Room and Other Scary Stories”. María Amaya gothic artwork opens each chapter and section on your journey of finding more books all written women.

Each Chapter and sections of books are a


vibe, did you read “Yellow Wallpaper” and felt more connected to the Narrator the more times you read it as you age? Mother Horror has brought a gift basket of books to read that fit that vibe. Do you like your Erotica with Monsters in the story? Mother Horror has more Horrormance for you to enjoy your Frankenstein Shoe Diaries (The Horror version of “Red Shoe Diaries’). Do you live across the street from a Gothic House that you nicknamed and read horror books under her shadow, so the ghosts stay there? (only me) The book begins with a “Twisted Haunted Houses”. All the creaks your house make will only amplify the unanswered question if you have a Ghost in the house. Did you grow up in a cult and stay away from the “overly” friendly people you met in the woods? There are books that prove you are right about running away from the friendly people.

One standout section and I am very happy to see is a Chapter dedicated to LATAM Authors who are writing Horror Fiction in response to “Femicide” that is happening in Latin-America. As a Chicana, seeing LATAM Authors have an entire section was a joy to see representation and these books have been moved to the top of my long list of “TBR”. Some of the best Horror I have read in the last 5 years are in this section.

I don’t want to give away any titles as some of the fun is to see the titles included or the Authors in this collection. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I have. An idea that came from Mother Horror’s previous book, bring it with you to Author’s Events in this list and have them sign their section, like a Femme Horror Yearbook.

Enjoy, I have more books to read under the Shadow of Gothic House to please her.

4.5 rounded up

This is a great compendium of horror written by women. It is perfect for anyone looking for their next horror read, as well as horror lovers looking to expand their selection of authors. The book is broken up into smaller categories, with definitions of each category and multiple selections that include short summaries, and thoughts from this book's author. Each section is well laid out, points to other sections or selections that might relate, and truly leaves no subsect of horror left out. I read this book straight through, and while it got to be a bit much after a while reading that way it will be a perfect aid to those looking for a new read in a specific subsection of horror, or to try out a new type of horror novel. Many of the authors I hadn't heard of before, but there were also the authors that you couldn't create a list of horror by women without including. The short articles included from women authors highlighting different aspects of horror, and some of their own recommendations was also a nice touch. This book is a must have for any horror reader's collection.

This was such a wonderful guide to books about women in horror and I have added so many more to my tbr list from this guide as well as seeing some books that I already know and love getting much deserved recognition!

Another great book from Mother Horror. I appreciated this book so much and just from the title alone, I knew it was for me.

I love that this book felt like a gift from a friend, truly. A book filled with lists featuring diverse horror titles written by and about the all too often real terrors experienced by women? Absolutely yes. I was pleased that I either shelved or already read a ton of titles but there was still so much to discover. It is an inclusive, accessible and warm welcome into the world of horror as told by women.

BookTok energy with heart. A horror fan’s confessional—personal, passionate, and full of recs. Pure genre love and I’m going to recommend the hell out of it! Loved it!

The Ultimate guide for any and all horror fans out there. This book is a perfectly compiled and curated list of over 15 sub categories pertaining to the horror genre. Categories like, "I See Dead People", "Ladies of October", Women vs The Cult", Unhappily Ever After:, just to name a few. Let's just get something out of the way right now. This book is single handedly going to haunt, possess and then exercise your current TBR. A perfect gift for all the horror fans in your life. I know I found several books that seemed to fit my vibe to add to my TBR list.

The best part of this book are definitely the illustrations throughout, going hand in hand with some of the sub categories.

I have to note, this book was difficult to read literally because of the layout and editing of the digital copy. There were sections where the paragraph would just end mid sentence or be spliced 4 paragraphs later into a different book's review. I am including this in my review so the publishing/editing team can go back and clean this up before going to print or publication in August. It just felt unfinished (editing wise) in that regard. Also the text color changed throughout, adding to the difficulty and accessibility in reading several parts of the book,

Thank you to NetGalley and Page Street Publishing for a copy of this ARC. I hope to give this book as gifts once it is published and I'm excited to continue to follow Mother Horror's journey into the dark and misty unknown.

If there’s one book influencer that’s to blame for increasing my TBR more than any other, it’s Mother Horror, and I’m honestly not mad about it at all. Not only does Sadie love horror more than any other person I’ve ever seen, but she truly respects it as an art form and as a platform for philosophical and cultural discourse.

Feral and Hysterical is a fantastic and natural follow-up to her first nonfiction tome, 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered. I’ve been following Sadie for a couple of years now and have seen her curate this book right before my eyes. As someone who prefers to read books written by women, I’ve been feral to see which books, out of the hundreds I’ve seen Sadie post about on Instagram, would make it into this book and why.

Mother Horror would never expect her readers to sit through a dry book with yet another rote list of books broken up into boring categories, so she chose to break it up into vibes, which is something I appreciate so much. Mood reading is great for genres like romance, but I find that horror is something much more dependent on the vibes of a book. As to be expected from such a dedicated fan, Sadie’s suggestions are completely on point.

The book includes a fantastic introduction/foreword speaking on the topic of the usage of the word “hysterical” when it comes to women over time, a complete list of all books mentioned at the end of the text and before the acknowledgments, a section on how to go about and sustainably build your own home library, and an index (thank goodness). It’s truly a reference book for any lover of horror fiction or for those who love women authors and want to read more horror without reading books by men that are recommended so often. 5⭐️



I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Nonfiction

A great follow-up to 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered! I especially appreciate the way that both books cover a wide range of horror books from quieter horror to more extreme, horror from major publishers as well as indie presses, classic and contemporary works, etc.. I love how attractive the book is and hope that a great many people will pick it up in bookstores and end up being great fans of women in horror! Thank you to Netgalley and Page Street Publishing for the ARC.

If you loved Sadie’s first book, 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered, you’re going to LOVE Feral and Hysterical. Whereas her first book emphasized contemporary horror fiction in general, Feral and Hysterical is all about the wealth of great horror and dark fiction written by women. While there are many contemporary, newer books here, she also includes plenty of older books and classics, too.

The books are divided up into common themes and “vibes” as Sadie articulates at the beginning of the book. Basically there are lists of several books that all delve into similar areas or themes, so if you like one book in that list, it gives you several others to try as well. There is also a really cool 50 Books in 50 States list, several other features including YA book recs, and a few fantastic essays by some fantastic women writing dark fiction today. The illustrations are amazing too and add so much to the book.

Every book includes a spoiler free synopsis and a paragraph of Sadie’s thoughts on the book. Her style is so conversational like you’re sitting down having a nice cup of tea with Sadie as she tells you about all these fantastic books.

This is another essential non-fiction book on horror fiction. Beware though, your TBR is about to get a lot bigger. Feral and Hysterical is out on August 19th.

Thank you to Page Street Publishing for approving me for the eARC on NetGalley.