may 17, 2026

Must-Have Books for Your Summerween TBR!

Summerween is upon us and we've collected a wide variety of titles to put you in the right mood. What is Summerween you may ask? It's the blend of Halloween vibes with summer energy. Think summer camp horror, southern gothic tales, prom queen slashers, and so many more. We're sure that the perfect Summerween book can be found in our list below...

  • Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew

    A teen is horrified to discover her childhood best friend has been subjected to endless ritualistic murders to serve her family's dark magic.

    Hollow by Taylor Grothe

    A queer cult horror following an autistic teen on a backpacking trip who ends up enmeshed in an outcast community harboring sinister secrets.

  • The Counselors by Jessica Goodman

    Friendship is put to the test when a body is discovered at an elite summer camp, bringing to light the dark secrets these friends are desperate to keep hidden.

    You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

    Staged fright turns to real-life horror when staff starts disappearing at a terror-simulation summer camp set at the location of a cult classic horror film.

  • Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard

    A romantic suspense following a group of women who are targeted by a deranged stalker and killer after jokingly making a list of their "ideal man."

    A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

    A senior high school student reopens a closed case for her senior project and ends up exposing truths the true murderer is desperate to hide.

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  • The Thrashers by Julie Soto

    A prom-night death exposes the inner-workings of a manipulative high school clique and the consequences of popularity.

    This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

    A gory coming-of-age novel following a group of best friends and "ghouls"—who eat human flesh to survive—attending a desert music festival where someone is drugging ghouls to lose control and turn feral.

  • When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen

    A Black woman returns to a notoriously haunted plantation for a wedding only to discover the spirits of its enslaved people have grown restless and violent.

    That Which Feeds Us by Keala Kendall

    A Hawaiian teen travels to an island resort in search of her missing sister only to find the rot and greed beneath the retreat's luxurious facade.

  • Endless Blue Beneath by Shannon K. English

    A queer fantasy following an outcast who is kidnapped by mermaids and transformed into a blood-thirsty creature who craves human flesh.

    The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan

    A queer psychological thriller following two survivors from a summer camp massacre whose relationship and love are put to the test as secrets from that fateful night come to light.