Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature edited by Becky Siegel Spratford

Title: Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature

Series: n/a
Author: various

Edited by: Becky Siegel Spratford
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Nonfiction; Essays; Horror
Publisher/Publication Date: S&S/Saga Presse; September 23, 2025

Goodreads 

Synopsis from Goodreads...

A love letter to the horror genre from many of the most influential and bestselling authors in the industry.

For twenty-five years, Becky Siegel Spratford has worked as a librarian in Reader Advisory, training library workers all over the world on how to engage their patrons and readers, and to use her place as a horror expert and critic to get the word out to others; to bring even more readers into the horror fold. Why I Love Horror is a captivating anthology and heartfelt tribute to the horror genre featuring essays from several of the most celebrated contemporary horror writers including, Grady Hendrix, Paul Tremblay, Stephen Graham Jones, Josh Malerman, Victor LaValle, Tananarive Due, and Rachel Harrison.

I generally treat horror like I would any other genre by reading whatever catches my attention. For example, some of my favorite novels I’ve read this year include Linwood Barclay’s Whistle and Steven King’s The Shining. So a book that is a collection of essays from some of the best horror writers in the industry, which asks them to address the titular topic of why they love the genre? Okay, sign me up.

Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature is a collection of eighteen, candid essays with an introduction by Sadie Hartman and remarks from Spratford (which gave a rundown on her career and explained the roots of the project). The essays (from authors like Victor LaValle, Rachel Harrison, Stephen Graham Jones, Cynthia Pelayo, and Tananarive Due among others) recounts inspirations, stories from their childhood, what the genre means to them/how it’s changed their lives, to even personal pieces that delved into some pretty dark corners. But, the essays always returned to the beating heart of the collection (why horror? why not another genre?).

The synopsis bills this as “a love letter to the horror genre,” and I agree with that statement wholeheartedly.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (S&S/Saga Press) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!