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A fantastic second instalment that blends great into the first Never Whistle at Night. I really enjoyed this collection and how it balances different perspectives and types of horror, going from your more traditional creature feature to experimental scares that make you so uncomfortable. As well as seeing the return of veteran horror novelists, and the emergence of new talent in the horror space. It just goes to show the amount of creativity in the genre.

Back for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II by Shane Hawk (Editor), Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. (Editor) , (List Price: $20, Vintage, 9798217007622, August 2026)

Reviewed by Meghan, The Lynx in Gainesville, FL

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Oh how times haven’t changed. And that’s the sad part. Knowledge is still being suppressed in some manner and in this classic, we have a ‘far off’, yet completely imminent dystopian society in which books are burnt for their obscene nature. There is so much public knowledge that is to be found and held at one’s fingertips and yet, in the United States, books and other sources are being banned due to not conforming to the ideologies and practices of those in power. Incredibly important message, especially considering it came out in 1953. Only thing that was difficult to digest and took some time to get used to was the language and incredibly unique writing style that Bradbury has.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, (List Price: $27.99, Simon and Schuster, 9781451673265, January 2012)

Reviewed by Itzy, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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This novel explores themes of generational trauma, family, and an immense amount of grotesque horror through the tale of three cousins. As Cindy goes to visit her late grandmother’s home for summer, her two cousins who love there year-round, notice she is different this year. Cindy has lost all memory of who she is and who her family is and has gained an awful nighttime habit of waking up with small objects placed in her mouth. As a vampire-demon with no family line or ancestry haunts the three girls, they have to come to terms with their own traumas and fight through a world of nightmares to get their families back. Through blood and determination, these girls hunt down a man at the demand of the demon Needlemouth to restore their home.

Needlemouth by K-Ming Chang, (List Price: $28, Simon & Schuster, 9781668089514, October 2026)

Reviewed by Ashton, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC

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A lyrical blend of cultural histories, natural history, and personal reflections on the intersections of physical and spiritual worlds. Each chapter creates a quite pause for reflections and questions. And each one offers a new view of all the ways humans experience the world. This one is a keeper.

A Natural History of the Spirits by Jori Lewis, (List Price: $26.99, The New Press, 9781620979631, November 2026)

Reviewed by Jan, Main Street Books in Davidson, NC

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This book tackles an important conversation, worth having in depth, by focusing on a 1978 trial and its aftermath. The text is heavy with meticulously researched details regarding spousal rape, both specific testimony and broader attitudes toward the concept over time. While the author does not shy away from the difficult matters, she does manage to treat this complex topic with the sensitivity it deserves. The impact of Oregon v. Rideout is examined as the question of how we view autonomy inside marital relationships is challenged time and time again. This is an insightful look at how far we have come and, more importantly, how far we still have to go.

Without Consent by Sarah Weinman, (List Price: $18.99, Ecco, 9780063279896, November 2026)

Reviewed by Oliver, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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It honestly took me a while to get used to the author’s writing style and the format — sharing a bit about Metis and Cree traditions, then going into how this relates to her familial dynamics and history. However, once I felt up to speed with it, I was fully on board and zoomed through this book! Chyana Marie Sage is incredibly brave and generous in sharing her family’s story with us, as I imagine it opened and/or pushed on wounds/bruises that she and her family have been navigating for far too long. She openly shares her family’s devastation, rage, and fear as they realized the heartbreaking betrayal of her father, who was both her favorite person and deeply flawed. I loved and deeply related to the nuance with which she spoke about every single person in her family, including herself. It’s easy to paint someone as a one-dimensional villain and yourself as the perfectly well-rounded, good-hearted human in comparison. Sage does not shy away from admitting she held both love, respect, and enthusiasm for her father as a child, and confusion, sadness, and grief at other times. I am not Metis or Cree, but as a first-generation kid of immigrants who hold different beliefs than me, it would be easy for me to just make blanket statements about them overall. However, there are moments where I deeply connect with them, and/or miss them, flaws and all. I viscerally felt this pull of emotions from Sage, and I am so grateful she shared them so candidly. I also loved this line of “I am an Indian, a Native, an Aboriginal, an Indigenous. I can’t keep up with the terms because they keep renegotiating who we are. What we deserve. Even my own people are bogged down with the politically correct way to introduce ourselves, and then we go on to persecute our kin who use the wrong term. That is a symptom of the colonized. It’s exhausting. But I can also say that I am a smudger, a listening student, a dreamcatcher weaver, a drum maker, a girl in a Sweat, and a storyteller.” (96%) I love and appreciate the reminder that no group is a monolith, and that intersectionality matters. Her ending notes on “there is no such thing as healed–there is only movement along the spectrum of unawareness to awareness.” (97%) OH MY GOSHHHH, IT MAKES SENSE SHE IS A POET TOO BECAUSE SHE JUST DROPS BARS OKAY!?!?!!?!!? This is something I am working on too, as a 34 year old, just being vigilantly aware and trying to move forward with intention. I hope more of us can accept that we are not experts, we are not done learning, and that there is always more room for reflection and awareness. Really glad I read this, and I recommend it to all! <3

Soft as Bones: A Memoir by Chyana Marie Sage, (List Price: $21.99, House of Anansi Press, 9781487013028, May 2025)

Reviewed by Jade B., Steamy Lit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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Bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter, Angeline Boulley, is back with a new thrilling mystery about an Indigenous teen girl who wants her deceased tribe members to be returned back to where they belong. Perry was all set to spend her summer off fishing to her heart’s content. But when she crashes the jeep she and her sister share, she finds herself working at a paid internship instead. But after she gets used to it, she finds out that there’s a lot for her to learn. And, unlike school, this is actually interesting and relevant.

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley, (List Price: $14.99, Square Fish, 9781250394668, May 2025)

Reviewed by Jennifer, Bookmiser in Marietta, GA

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The premise immediately sparked my attention–kids inventing a story about a sea monster from Ojibwe legend mixed with a little Nessie charm to stay in their homes along the shores of Sparhawk Point, Michigan. The setting was great, the nods to how WWII affected the small town on an important lake, and the mix of Ojibwe and Swedish cultures brought a lot of interesting layers to the novel. The way its written feels a lot like the old Trixie Belden and other children’s classics which sets the tone for the kids’ adventures and the morally heavy message. I felt like the kids didn’t really do anything bad since they weren’t 100 percent sure what they saw and therefore, it couldn’t be a lie, but I guess it’s all about intention–even though their hearts were in the right place.

Secrets at Sparhawk Point by Anna Rose Johnson, (List Price: $18.99, Holiday House, 9780823462339, August 2026)

Reviewed by Candice, The Haunted Book Shop (C) in Mobile, Alabama

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Absolutely hysterical! Neil Sharpson absolutely knew what the market was lacking, bear survival guides… and this is THE guide to knowing exactly how to avoid being eaten by a bear. Now I just need to get myself a pair of fancy traveling pants and head to Alaska… more bears are waiting to be outsmarted.

Help! I’m Being Eaten by a Bear! by Neil Sharpson, (List Price: $19.99, Dial Books, 9780593616703, November 2026)

Reviewed by Mallory, Square Books in Oxford, MS