This month we're reading The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell — a Victorian Gothic horror set in a crumbling manor filled with life-sized painted wooden figures that have a habit of... turning up in the wrong places.

Grab your copy and read along with us! Discussion questions coming soon. Happy haunted reading! #BookClub #GothicHorror #SpookyReaders

Did you know February is literally named after rituals for the dead? The month gets its name from "Februa," Roman purification rites performed to appease deceased ancestors. Ancient Romans dedicated late February to honoring the dead through festivals like Feralia, making peace with spirits before the new year began in March.
#Rome #Trivia #History

How did séances become the standard for contacting the dead? From the Fox sisters in 1848 to Victorian parlor rooms, people have been reaching beyond the veil for centuries: https://thedeadhistory.com/2025/02/27/a-history-of-seances/ #paranormal #ghosts #spiritualism #history

From ghostly reunions to paranormal passions, we've rounded up the most hauntingly romantic reads for #ValentinesDay. 💕👻 Get swept away in a romance that transcends the grave: https://spookyreadersbookclub.com/ethereal-embrace-love-stories-that-defy-the-grave/ #ParanormalRomance #BookClub #horror

One of our favorite quotes from this month's read. Kelley Armstrong understands that grief doesn't follow logic, it follows feeling. And that's exactly what makes this story so compelling. Join us to discuss the book later this month at https://spookyreadersbookclub.com #horror #ghoststories #bookclub #books

Grief in horror fiction hits different—it's not just emotion, it's FUEL for terrible decisions. We just dropped a blog post about how mourning drives characters to resurrect the dead, build haunted houses, and make deals with ancient powers. #HorrorBooks #Books #SpookyReads #Horror https://spookyreadersbookclub.com/the-dangerous-side-of-mourning-in-horror-fiction/

Our February book pick is I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong, a chilling story of grief, isolation, and the creeping sense that you’re never truly alone. Expect quiet dread, mounting paranoia, and the kind of suspense that seeps in slowly and refuses to let go. Join us for the read and the discussion at spookyreadersbookclub.com. #horror #ghosts #valentines #bookclub

Many of the most disturbing psychological horror stories are set almost entirely inside homes because isolation in domestic spaces has long been linked to heightened paranoia, moral collapse, and unreliable perception. From Victorian-era literature to modern thrillers, the home is often used as a pressure cooker where the mind becomes the true antagonist. #horror #thrillers #books

Why do we keep turning the page when the character unsettles us most? From charming monsters to unreliable minds, disturbing figures have a strange pull on readers. Dive into the #psychology behind fiction’s darkest fascinations. Read more at https://spookyreadersbookclub.com/why-were-drawn-to-disturbing-characters/ #horror #writing

This line captures the heart of January’s read, Victorian Psycho. A story where the true horror is not what lurks in the dark, but what is carefully contained behind manners, routine, and self-control.

Psychological horror at its most intimate. #bookclub #thriller #spookybooks

Looking to kick off the new year with a shriek? Check out this list of the most anticipated horror releases of 2026. From eerie rural slasher tales to unsettling domestic dread and spooky supernatural twists. Check out the list here: https://shereads.com/most-anticipated-horror-of-2026/ #bookclub #horrorbooks

Not all horror announces itself. Some of it arrives quietly, wrapped in etiquette and obedience. This month’s read explores restraint as terror, the violence of repression, and what happens when politeness becomes a cage. #bookclub #VictorianPsycho #thriller

This month, we’re reading "Victorian Psycho" by Virginia Feito. A governess. A proper household. A mind quietly unraveling behind manners and routine. This is psychological horror steeped in Victorian restraint, where violence simmers just below the surface. Join us at spookyreadersbookclub.com

#StrangerThings may have come to an end (for now), but the adventures still continue on the page. Check out our guide to the Stranger Things novels. https://spookyreadersbookclub.com/the-complete-guide-to-stranger-things-novels-dive-deeper-into-hawkins/

The night slips in quietly, dressed all in shade,
It hums little secrets the daylight forbade.
It lingers and listens and stays out of sight,
Content to be everything left in the night.

Winter #folklore has always made room for darker figures, and few are as enduring as #Krampus. Discover how a once-local Alpine tradition evolved into a recognizable winter “devil,” shaped by folklore, religion, and cultural anxiety around the #Christmas season: https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2025/12/krampus-origins-and-development-of-a-winter-devil/

Our December pick, "The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society," is full of warmth, wit, and just enough wickedness, and we’re gathering to talk about it on December 30. Details: https://spookyreadersbookclub.com/events/

Cozy horror might sound like a contradiction, but that’s exactly what makes it magical. Instead of terrifying you with relentless dread, it blends the spooky with comfort. Perfect for long winter nights and a December read like “The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society,” where warmth and the wicked coexist in the same cozy plot. Read more at https://spookyreadersbookclub.com/cozy-horror-when-warmth-meets-the-wicked/

Libraries are built for order. Which is exactly why they’re so effective when stories let something slip through the cracks.

A good library horror story understands the tension between preservation and discovery, between what’s cataloged and what shouldn’t be found.

If you're enjoying the #cozy #horror vibes of this month's book, you might also enjoy other stories that blend warmth with unease — where community and comfort sit right next to something ancient and wrong: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/cozy-horror-books/ #bookclub #books