As we continue to Embrace the Wild this summer, I ask: what is more wild than embracing something that scares you?
And I’m not talking about petting a tarantula, going through a haunted house, or sky diving. I’m talking about reading a scary book.
That’s because it’s time to talk about the 2025 Summer Scares!
As a refresher for those who may be new here, The Horror Writers Association, in partnership with United for Libraries, Book Riot, Booklist, and Novelist – and a panel of library workers — design this list to promote horror as a great reading option for all ages, during any time of year. Think of them as “beach read-adjacent.”
Each year, three titles are selected in the following categories: Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade.
You can find the complete list here, but in this post, I wanted to cover the stories that I think embrace the wild.
Adult: The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
Appeal Factors
- Flawed Characters
- Creepy
- Suspenseful
Admittedly ALL of the adult titles this year are WILD, but I wanted to highlight this one as a form of “natural horror”. It’s an expedition-gone-wrong story. Our main character, Gyre Price, thinks she’s on an expedition to map out mineral deposits – maybe experiencing a gear malfunction or, at worse, a cave collapse. But it gets so much worse. These caves hold something more sinister. For folks who aren’t that much into horror – but are really into sci-fi – this will hit the spot. This book takes you through caves, to a castle, and an experimental medical facility. Plus, the psychological thriller of it all will have you exploring the dark recesses of your mind too.
Young Adult: Devils Unto Dust by Emma Berquist
Appeal Factors
- Suspenseful
- Gruesome
- Strong Sense of Place
This is a “weird western” story. Think True Grit meets 28 Days Later. In this book, a sickness has spread across West Texas. Neighboring towns are only as safe as their perimeter is strong. Texas is quarantined away from the rest of the country. Despite all this, the main character, Willie, has been able to keep her family safe. But Willie has to go looking for her father – and the desert is a scary wilderness.
Middle Grade: Ravenous Things by Derrick Chow
Appeal Factors
- Suspenseful
- Scary
- Fast-Paced
- Plot-Driven
Maybe you don’t think train stories are that “wild.” But this train is different. This train promises to reunite passengers with their loved ones. This means that Reggie can be reunited with his dad. One problem though: his dad is dead. But that doesn’t seem to be an issue for The Conductor – a strange man who claims to want to make Reggie’s – and many other kids’ – dreams come true. As Reggie speeds through the wild, uncharted tunnels beneath the city, he meets a whole host of characters equally as excited as he is to be reunited with loved ones. But there is more to The Conductor’s plan than meets the eye – and there’s more than just family members waiting in the tunnels.
I am a fan of so many of the Summer Scares titles this year. However, the ones listed above are ones that I think really allow the reader to explore the wild and scary wilderness or the wild weirdness of the uncanny.
I hope you embrace them and go on a wild and scary journey this summer. I’ve put all the titles that you can check out in a list here.