Why am I passionate about this?
I’m a horror and speculative fiction author who reads everything but who is tired of strict genre definitions and loves introducing people to work they might not have considered—especially the spooky stuff, and especially when I’m asked about horror recommendations for non-horror lovers. I think dark fiction gives us a way to process painful emotions in a safe space; it offers catharsis for being alive in a difficult world; it can definitely be a lot of fun while also giving you a way to empathize with people outside your own direct experience. I’ve tried to hit on all of that in this list!
Jaq's book list on people who are unsure of horror genre
Why did Jaq love this book?
It’s been years since I first read this book, but I still remember how I felt when I turned the last page, stunned by the voice and the way Jones used horror and humor to explore such tender parts of being alive. I was obsessed with the language, but also the imagery and the characters, vicious yet vulnerable.
Jones has (rightfully!) become even more popular through his Indian Lake trilogy, but I always shove this book into my friends’ hands at the first opportunity because I think about it easily once a week, and I think it’s beautiful and also very fun.
4 authors picked Mongrels as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
A spellbinding and darkly humorous coming-of-age story about an unusual boy, whose family lives on the fringe of society and struggles to survive in a hostile world that shuns and fears them. He was born an outsider, like the rest of his family. Poor yet resilient, he lives in the shadows with his aunt Libby and uncle Darren, folk who stubbornly make their way in a society that does not understand or want them. They are mongrels, mixed blood, neither this nor that. The boy at the center of Mongrels must decide if he belongs on the road with his…