2025 I Read Horror Year-Round Challenge - Wrap-up

Year five complete! I was able to complete the Chilling level (12 books), and while I did not get a Bingo (or the coverall I was going for), I did manage to read a few Cryptid books. Here's what I read...

• Vampires - The Vampire Armand, Anne Rice
• Witches - Rosemary's Baby, Ira Levin
• Folk Horror - Pine, Francine Toon
• Written by a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) author - The Hacienda, Isabel Canas
• A Ghost Story - Humbug, Luciano Marano
• Written by a female author - Diavola, Jennifer Marie Thorne
• Cosmic Horror - Annihilation, Jeff Vandermeer
• Frightening Cover - All the Fiends of Hell, Adam Nevill
• Adapted as movie/series - The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
• Katsu, Ketchum, King, or Koontz - Holly, Stephen King
• Black, gray, orange, or red cover - Horseman, Christina Henry
• Book featuring a Cryptid (mark off one BINGO square!) - The Dover Demon, Hunter Shea

Besides the Cryptid book above, I also read Loch Ness Revenge by Hunter Shea and Rogue (Bigfoot) by Luke Phillips.

How about you? Share your wrap-up in the comments, or link to a wrap-up post on your blog (or social media, shelf on Goodreads, etc.).

In case you missed it, sign-up for I Read Horror YR 2026 is open. This year I've added a fun (optional) Complete the Word challenge. Here's the link to the post. I hope you will join me again!

2026 I Read Horror Year-Round Challenge

Welcome to year six of our fun and terrifying horror reading challenge!

This year I'm adding an optional bonus challenge. Full details explained below.

Once again, there are 12 categories and 4 levels of participation.

Here are the categories, or themes:

• Winter - set in winter or snow on the cover or winter in the title
• Epistolary horror - found footage, told in letters and/or diaries
• Cult and/or ritual
• Haunted house
• Full moon and/or woods on the cover
• Indigenous, Asian, or Latino author
• Pumpkins/Jack O' Lanterns on the cover
• Black author
• Book published in the 60's, 70's, or 80's
• Social justice horror
• Yule/Christmas holiday themed
• Whatever scares you the most

Levels:

Spooky: Read 6 books from 6 categories
Chilling: Read 12 Books from all 12 categories
Frightful: Read 2 books from each category for a total of 24 books
Horrifying: Read 3 books from each category for a total of 36 books

Challenge runs from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. Cross overs with other challenges count. Short stories are allowed if you're reading an entire collection or anthology. Books must be over 100 pages (one book under 100 pages is permitted). You do not have to pick your books ahead of time, but you can if you want.
Hashtag for social media: #IReadHorror

Details for the optional bonus challenge - Complete the word:

Read a book with a title that starts with each letter of your chosen word. Complete as many as you want. One of your main challenge books can count for one of the letters. 

The words

DREAD

FEAR

FRIGHT

HORROR

SCARED

TERROR

Any questions? Leave a comment or contact me (via image in sidebar). Grab the button and spread the word. Thanks!

Sign up here:

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Easy-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

Image used in graphic by Nanne Tiggelman from Pixabay

2025 I Read Horror Year-Round Challenge - Second Quarter Check-in

Late again. I really need to set a reminder. Apologies.

So, how did the second quarter go for you?

I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year (plus, I'm trying for the Cryptid Bingo). Here's how it's going so far...

• Vampires - The Vampire Armand, Anne Rice
• Witches
• Folk Horror
• Written by a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) author
• A Ghost Story - The Hacienda, Isabel Canas
• Written by a female author - Pine, Francine Toon
• Cosmic Horror - Annihilation, Jeff Vandermeer
• Frightening Cover
• Adapted as movie/series - The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
• Katsu, Ketchum, King, or Koontz - Holly, Stephen King
• Black, gray, orange, or red cover - Horseman, Christina Henry
• Book featuring a Cryptid (mark off one BINGO square!) - The Dover Demon, Hunter Shea

I can't believe there are still two more quarters and I've already read eight! I also have three squares marked on Cryptid BINGO. I've read...

Loch Ness Revenge, Hunter Shea

The Dover Demon, Hunter Shea

Rogue, Luke Phillips (Bigfoot)

I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2025
challenge page in the menu above.

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

2025 I Read Horror Year-Round Challenge - First Quarter Check-in

Sorry I'm late! Big thanks to Marla for posting her update on Instagram...a nice kick in the pants since I forgot. 

So, how did the first quarter go for you?

I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year (plus, I'm trying for the Cryptid Bingo). Here's how it's going so far...

• Vampires
• Witches
• Folk Horror
• Written by a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) author
• A Ghost Story
• Written by a female author
• Cosmic Horror
• Frightening Cover
• Adapted as movie/series
• Katsu, Ketchum, King, or Koontz - Holly, Stephen King
• Black, gray, orange, or red cover - Horseman, Christina Henry
• Book featuring a Cryptid (mark off one BINGO square!) - The Dover Demon, Hunter Shea

I'm currently reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde which will fit the "adapted as movie" category. I watched the 1945 film last week when I started the book.

Here's my updated Cryptid Bingo Card

I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2025

challenge page in the menu above.

My Spring into Horror Readathon is going on this month over on Seasons of Reading so I expect I'll get some categories knocked out. If you would like to join us, stop over there. You can join in at any time during the month AND we're having a 24-Hour Readathon on April 12. 
Here are my planned reads for the readathon:

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

Holly by Stephen King - Review

I always say, "If you have anything you're supposed to be doing, DO NOT pick up a Stephen King novel." Truth! I read this in three days, which is pretty good for me...it is 450 pages after all. I've said this before and I'll say it again. Holly Gibney is one of my most favorite characters, certainly in my top three of King's characters. This case in particular had no supernatural element, as in other Gibney tales, but it is no less riveting. Holly says it best on page 442 (paraphrasing slightly):

"...Roddy and Emily Harris were worse. Why? Because there was nothing supernatural about them. Because you couldn't say their evil came from outside, and comfort yourself with the idea that if there were malign outside forces, there were probably good ones as well. The Harris' evil was both prosaic and outlandish...Holly isn't sure she wants to revisit a world capable of holding people like Rodney. Or like Emily, who was...more calculating and at the same time much, much crazier."

I can't wait to read what Holly does next.

2024 I Read Horror Year-Round Challenge - Wrap-up

That's year four in the bag! On my part, I managed to complete my chosen level, the Chilling level...read 12 books. Here's what I read...

• Witch, dark, blood, bone, or body in title
  Children of the Dark, Jonathan Janz April 16
• Nature gone wild (when plants or animals attack)
  Animal Kingdom, Iain Rob Wright August 26
• Creepy character/object (House, doll, child, etc.)
  Cunning Folk, Adam Nevill December 13
• Holiday horror (Christmas, yule, etc.)
  Christmas and Other Horrors: An Anthology of Solstice Horror December 23
• Short story anthology or collection
  Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele, editor February 25
• Takes place during Halloween season
  Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween, Jason Parent October 24
• Winter theme, or winter on cover
  A Winter Haunting, Dan Simmons January 14
• A book that is also a movie
  I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Iain Reid March 2024
• By BIPOC author
  Lone Women, Victor LaValle August 24
• Classic horror novel
  The Necromancers, Robert Hugh Benson October 30
• Dark Academia novel 
  Ninth House, Leigh Bardugo February 14
• Gothic novel
  The Dismembered, Jonathan Janz April 28

How about you? Share your wrap-up in the comments, or link to a wrap-up post on your blog (or social media, shelf on Goodreads, etc.).

In case you missed it, sign-up for I Read Horror YR 2025 is open. This year I've added a fun (optional) BINGO challenge with a specific theme. Here's the link to the post.
I hope you will join me again!

2025 I Read Horror Year-Round Challenge

Here we are at year five! Time for another year of reading great horror!

This year I'm including an optional BINGO challenge...the Cryptid BINGO Challenge! 

Details and BINGO card are below.

Once again, there are 12 categories and 4 levels of participation.

Here are the categories, or themes:

• Vampires
• Witches
• Folk Horror (Ideas: https://tinyurl.com/yy8jj56a or https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/folk-horror?page=1)
• Written by a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) author
• A Ghost Story
• Written by a female author
• Cosmic Horror
• Frightening Cover
• Adapted as movie/series
• Katsu, Ketchum, King, or Koontz
• Black, gray, orange, or red cover
• Book featuring a Cryptid (mark off one BINGO square!)

Levels:

Spooky: Read 6 books from 6 categories
Chilling: Read 12 Books from all 12 categories
Frightful: Read 2 books from each category for a total of 24 books
Horrifying: Read 3 books from each category for a total of 36 books

Challenge runs from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. Cross overs with other challenges count. Short stories are allowed if you're reading an entire collection or anthology. Books must be over 100 pages (one book under 100 pages is permitted). You do not have to pick your books ahead of time, but you can if you want.
Hashtag for social media: #IReadHorror

Details for the optional Cryptid BINGO Challenge:

Complete as one BINGO, or more, or go for the cover-all. 

Here are some lists for ideas on Cryptid horror books:

Cryptid Horror Books

Cryptofiction

Pre-2000 Cryptofiction

Crypto Fiction Books
Cryptids Books

Any questions? Leave a comment or contact me (via image in sidebar).

Grab the button and spread the word. Thanks!

Sign up here:

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Easy-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

2024 I Read Horror Year-Round Challenge - Second Quarter Check-In

How did the second quarter of the challenge go for you?

For the Chilling Level, I read one book for the word "Dark" in the cover. That was Children of the Dark by Jonathan Janz. I'm planning to knock several out during Quarter Three. My planned reads below...

Animal Kingdom by Iain Rob Wright for Nature Gone Wild

Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne for Gothic novel

I Found Puppets Living in my Apartment Walls by Ben Farthing for Creepy Object

Lone Women or Don't Fear the Reaper for BIPOC author

I (try to) keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2024 challenge page in the menu above.

Fun reminder...Something Wicked Fall starts in just two months!! Trying to decide on a read-along selection. Maybe Stephen King.... Stay tuned.

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

2024 I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - First Quarter Check-In

The first quarter of 2024 is in the books. So, how did it go?

I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year. I'm doing well...I've already read four books!

• Witch, dark, blood, bone, or body in title
• Nature gone wild (when plants or animals attack)
• Creepy character/object (House, doll, child, etc.)
• Holiday horror (Christmas, yule, etc.)
• Short story anthology or collection - Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele, Editor
• Takes place during Halloween season
• Winter theme, or winter on cover - A Winter Haunting, Dan Simmons
• A book that is also a movie - I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Iain Reid
• By BIPOC author
• Classic horror novel
• Dark Academia novel (here's a list on Goodreads) - Ninth House, Leigh Bardugo
• Gothic novel

I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2024

challenge page in the menu above.

Not sure what's up for me next, but my Spring into Horror Readathon is going on this month over on Seasons of Reading so I expect I'll get some categories knocked out. If you would like to join us, stop over there. You can still sign up.

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

2023 I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - Wrap-up

Year three of the challenge is complete! Once again, I tried for the Chilling level. Didn't quite make it, but only three books shy. Here's what I read:

• Book by BIPOC author - My Heart is a Chainsaw, Stephen Graham Jones
• Title with Dead, Blood, or Bone - The Dead Path, Stephen M. Irwin
• Horrific cover - The Vessel, Adam Nevill
• Set in the past - The Green Man, Kingsley Amis
• Folk Horror - The Loney, Andrew Michael Hurley
• Winter theme or cover - Subhuman, Michael McBride
• Black, red, or white cover - Black Mouth, Ronald Malfi
• Zombies, Witches, Vampires, or Werewolves - Dracul by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker (I LOVED this book!)
• Something by Poe - The Fall of the House of Usher (click the title to read my write up).

How about you? Share your wrap-up in the comments, or link to a wrap-up post on your blog (or social media, shelf on Goodreads, etc.).

In case you missed it, sign up for I Read Horror YR 2024 is open. Here's the link to the post.
I hope you will join me again!

2024 I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge

It's year four! Here's to another year of great horror reading!

Once again, there are 12 categories and 4 levels of participation.

Here are the categories, or themes:

• Witch, dark, blood, bone, or body in title
• Nature gone wild (when plants or animals attack)
• Creepy character/object (House, doll, child, etc.)
• Holiday horror (Christmas, yule, etc.)
• Short story anthology or collection
• Takes place during Halloween season
• Winter theme, or winter on cover
• A book that is also a movie
• By BIPOC author
• Classic horror novel
• Dark Academia novel (here's a list on Goodreads)
• Gothic novel

Levels:

Spooky: Read 6 books from 6 categories
Chilling: Read 12 Books from all 12 categories
Frightful: Read 2 books from each category for a total of 24 books
Horrifying: Read 3 books from each category for a total of 36 books

Challenge runs from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. Cross overs with other challenges count. Short stories are allowed if you're reading an entire collection or anthology. Books must be over 100 pages (one book under 100 pages is permitted). You do not have to pick your books ahead of time, but you can if you want.
Hashtag for social media: #IReadHorror

Grab the button and spread the word. Thanks!

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Easy-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - 2023 Third Quarter Check-In

So sorry I'm late with this check-in! With all the scary events going on, it completely slipped my mind. 

How are you doing on the challenge?

Here's my progress on the Chilling level (12 books in a year)...

• Book by BIPOC author - My Heart is a Chainsaw, Stephen Graham Jones
• Title with Dead, Blood, or Bone - The Dead Path, Stephen M. Irwin
• Horrific cover - The Vessel, Adam Nevill
• Set in the past - The Green Man, Kingsley Amis
• Folk Horror - The Loney, Andrew Michael Hurley
• Winter theme or cover - Subhuman, Michael McBride
• Black, red, or white cover - Black Mouth, Ronald Malfi
• Zombies, Witches, Vampires, or Werewolves - Dracul by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker (I LOVED this book!)
• Something by Poe - The Fall of the House of Usher (click the title to read my write up).
  

All I have left are three categories and I already have planned reads for them. I'm hoping to get to them this month, but we shall see. Planned reads...

• Fairy Tale Retelling - Gretel by Christopher Coleman
• Written by a woman - Hummingbird by T.C. Parker
• Debut Horror - Awake in the Night by Shauna McEleney

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.).

Important: I'll be working on next year's challenge soon and I want you to help me come up with the categories. If you are actively participating in this year's challenge, please post your category in the comments. Thank you! I can't wait to see what you come up with. 

Happy Horror Reading!

I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - 2023 Second Quarter Check-In

Another quarter done! How are you doing on the challenge?

I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year and I've finished seven books (currently reading #8).

• Book by BIPOC author - My Heart is a Chainsaw, Stephen Graham Jones
• Title with Dead, Blood, or Bone - The Dead Path, Stephen M. Irwin
  
• Horrific cover - The Vessel, Adam Nevill (I don't know about you, but I thought this was a pretty horrific cover. lol)
  
• Set in the past - The Green Man, Kingsley Amis
• Folk Horror - The Loney, Andrew Michael Hurley
• Winter theme or cover - Subhuman, Michael McBride
• Black, red, or white cover - Black Mouth, Ronald Malfi

I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2023 challenge page in the menu above.

As I said above, I'm currently on book eight which is Dracul, Dacre Stoker & J.D. Barker, reading for the Zombies, Witches, Vampires, or Werewolves category.

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.).

Announcement!

I want you to help me come up with categories for the 2024 challenge! Each person who is signed up and actively participating will be able to submit one category. I will accept your category submissions when I post the quarter three check-in. Fun!

I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - 2023 First Quarter Check-In

The first quarter of 2023 is in the books. How did you fare? 

I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year and I'm happy to say, I've finished three books.

• Book by BIPOC author - My Heart is a Chainsaw, Stephen Graham Jones
• Set in the past - The Greeen Man, Kingsley Amis
• Folk Horror - The Loney, Andrew Michael Hurley

I keep track of my yearly challenges over on my sister site, True Book Addict. There's a link to my 2023 challenge page in the menu above.

Next up for me are The Dead Path by Stephen M. Irwin (Title with dead, blood, or bone) and Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi (black, red, or white cover). 

I hope you're enjoying your horrific reading! Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

Announcement! The Spring into Horror Readathon is going on through the month of April. You can still sign up. Full details at the Seasons of Reading blog.

2023 I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge

Year three! I can hardly believe it. So much great horror out there now. How do we even keep up?! I know! This reading challenge!

Once again, there are 12 categories and 4 levels of participation.

Here are the categories, or themes:

• Fairy Tale Retelling
• Zombies, Witches, Vampires, or Werewolves
• Book by BIPOC author
• Title with Dead, Blood, or Bone
• Something by Poe
  Note: Since most of Poe's works are less than 100 pages, the rule doesn't apply for this category...read some of his poems, a couple/few short stories, or a combination of both.
• Set in the past
• Horrific cover
• Folk horror (Ideas: https://tinyurl.com/yy8jj56a or https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/folk-horror?page=1
• Winter theme or cover
• Black, red, or white cover
• Written by a woman
• Debut horror

Levels:

Spooky: Read 6 books from 6 categories
Chilling: Read 12 Books from all 12 categories
Frightful: Read 2 books from each category for a total of 24 books
Horrifying: Read 3 books from each category for a total of 36 books

Challenge runs from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. Cross overs with other challenges count. Short stories are allowed if you're reading an entire collection or anthology. Books must be over 100 pages. You do not have to pick your books ahead of time, but you can if you want.
Hashtag for social media: #IReadHorror

Grab the button (awesome, right?!) and spread the word. Thanks!

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Easy-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
If this widget does not appear, click here to display it.

Image credit: 

Image by Happy New Year from Pixabay

Get new posts by email:

I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge 2022 - Third Quarter Check-in

Three quarters have flown by! I apologize for not having an update at the end of the second quarter. I was going on vacation in early July so I was working, and getting prepared for the trip. Completely slipped my mind!

I'm not doing too bad. My progress is below. Still not sure if I'm going to make it or not. Fingers crossed!

Full challenge details here...you can still join in.

What I've read so far: 

Book by a BIPOC (female): Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Book by a BIPOC (male): The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle (currently reading)

Purple, orange, or green on the cover: The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor

Vampires: Impact Winter by Travis Beacham

Folk Horror: Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham

A modern Gothic tale: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Gothic horror classic: Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake (currently reading)

So, how's it going for you with the horror reading? Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.).

Get new posts by email:

Gothic Stories Master Post 2022 #SomethingWickedFall

This is the master post for Gothic books or short stories read during Something Wicked Fall. I will be updating this post with my thoughts on stories I've read during the event. Look for the link in the menu above (Gothic Stories 2022).

I have lined up a selection of works and collections by classic authors considered writers of Gothic horror/fiction. I will be picking and choosing from works by M.R. James, Algernon Blackwood, and from this Project Gutenberg collection of works by various authors, Black Spirits and White: A Book of Ghost Stories. I'm also considering The Witch of Ravensworth by George Brewer, The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson, and The Haunted House by Walter Hubbell. This will be time permitting, of course.

Please share what you've read/your thoughts on what you've read in the comments, or share a link to your blog post. You can also share in our Goodreads group (Seasons of Reading). There will be a thread under Fall Readathons/Events. You can also share in our Seasons of Reading Discord. 

If you continue reading Gothic stories into October, please feel free to share in the comments. I'll keep the tab in the blog menu.

*********

Get new posts by email:

I Read Horror Year-Round Reading Challenge - 2022 First Quarter Check-In

I'm so sorry for being late with this! Thankfully, Gilda messaged me which was a much appreciated reminder. 

First quarter is done and I guess I'm not doing too bad. I'm doing the Chilling level which is 12 books in a year. I'm currently on my second book (and almost finished) The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (BIPOC male author), and planning to read my third one by end of month which is Ten by Gretchen McNeil (Slasher category). First book read, in the BIPOC female author category, was Certain Dark Things by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia. 

Not quite sure what's up for me next, but probably either The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice (Vampires category) or The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (Serial killer from the past category).

So, how's it going for you with the horror reading? Share your progress in the comments (update, links to posts/reviews, etc.)...

...and, as always, thank you for joining me!

Get new posts by email: