Hartmann’s Macabre Love Letter to Horror Genre

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BOOK REVIEW
101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered

Genre: Horror, Books About Books
Year Released: 2023
Pages: 168
Author(s): Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann
Where To Read: available August 8, 2023; pre-order here now www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Straying from my usual crypt of celluloid critiques, today we unearth a chilling collection of literary creations, curated in Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann's anthology, 101 HORROR BOOKS TO READ BEFORE YOU'RE MURDERED. This treasury of haunting tales is a comprehensive guide for seasoned and brand-new readers venturing into horror literature's eerie abyss.

I sought out the ability to review this book after seeing one of Hartmann’s posts on Instagram; horror books and horror films share a lot; even if the book has never been made into a movie, they still have a common thread that has their viewers/readers imaginations reaching deep into their creativity and pulling out the darkest themes that they can conjure.

Hartmann's graveyard of tales unearths an engaging mixture of well-known and relatively new authors within the horror world. Fear not, I won't spill any secrets, but I can tell you to be prepared for a thrilling journey filled with tales of hair-raising stories and plunges into territories that might stir up your most concealed fears. As with my film reviews, I want to share my thoughts while leaving the experience to you!

101 HORROR BOOKS TO READ BEFORE YOU'RE MURDERED, brought to you by Page Street Publishing, is a beautiful testimony to Hartmann's love of the horror genre. This collection of books was chosen with intent and meaning to share with the readers, just part of where her passion for this world is from. This anthology opens the creaking crypt door to many lesser-known but equally thrilling horror narratives.

Her anthology salutes diversity, spotlighting authors from various backgrounds who have contributed to the horror genre. Hartmann provides an invaluable map of the underworld to those new to these murky waters, complete with breakdowns, sub-genres, and comparisons of lesser-known authors to some of the all-time greats. With its comprehensive descriptions of sub-genres and captivating illustrations, this anthology will keep readers engaged and help fill out their wishlist of future horror-themed reads.

It’s no secret that film and television borrow significantly from books; some are direct retellings, and others may just borrow bits and pieces in their goal to build a veritable Frankenstein to pay homage to the genre; I was interested to see how many of these titles have either already been put on screen or are in the pipeline.

Hartmann's lively writing style ensures her love for the world of horror will be shared with the reader. It’s no secret that I don’t read many books (I barely have time to fit in all the movies I watch), yet I found myself adding title after title to my book wishlist while reading this list of lovingly crafted horror books. Even amidst exploring gloomy themes, the overall experience is bone-chilling and spine-tingling.

Further raising the anthology from the grave are dedicated sections to themes like “Paranormal (haunted houses, ghosts, and creatures & cryptids,) Supernatural (demons & possession, the occult & witchcraft, and cosmic horror,) *Human monsters (coming of age, grief, loss & death, cults, slashers & serial killers, creepy kids, body horror, and crime & investigation,) Natural order horror (apocalyptic, dystopian & sci-fi, and eco-horror,) and Short story collections”*. It also houses profiles of authors, mini-quizzes, and essays from various authors, cementing its place as an all-inclusive guide to horror.

To hammer in the last nail in this coffin, the anthology suggests where to hunt for more horror literature and even provides a checklist for those committed to exploring all the listed titles. As a fan of the genre, making room for 101 HORROR BOOKS TO READ BEFORE YOU'RE MURDERED in your collection should be your next move.

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*Borrowed from Izzy Lee’s review of the book