2 New Books for Horror Fans

by MK French

Donna shared some fun Halloween reads yesterday, but if you want something darker to read, check out these two books that came out this week.

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The Forest Bleeds by Rachel Kitch

October 2026; Union Square & Co.; 978-1454963622
audio, ebook, print (400 pages); horror

Saige Chambers is an anxious and overprepared Arcane Bioengineering student and blood witch. When she goes to a conference with fellow doctoral candidates, she isn't prepared for their bus to get off the highway and go to a remote mansion in the Appalachian Mountains. Arius Medea is the owner and head of Medea Pharmaceuticals. His mandate to the students is to fix his rotting leg or die. Most students want to fight back, and Saige thinks the best plan is to fix him quickly and get out. Saige is growing closer to her crush Vaishnavi Sri, a poison witch, but also attracted to Arius. Is her future within the mansion or outside of it?

Magic is an accepted but variable presence in this world, making it difficult to use reliably for medical purposes. It's largely relegated to research for related fields, like medication, lab testing, and the like. Saige at the start is highly anxious, memorizes schedules, takes on extra work for her Ph.D. supervisor, and is determined not to make waves as she does research. Her fellow candidates aren't the same way, and Vaish in particular keeps annoying her by trying to get her to unwind. Upon their abduction, all prior research as well as current notes are present at the mansion, including their belongings. Saige doesn't trust that her meds weren't tampered with, so she stops taking them, even knowing what the discontinuation symptoms will be. The air of desperation and anxiety is as bad as her own intense anxiety, and makes her intrusive thoughts worse.

As isolated and anxious as she feels, she gets some preferential treatment from Arius in her requests. The blood magic she has can only affect her own blood, but there are oddities in her ability within the mansion. The abilities of the others remain the same; we eventually learn more about the backgrounds of the three women, different Asian descents and abilities, but all trapped and forced to follow Arius' whims. He has plans he won't discuss, and values the subservience that Saige has as well as her magical gift. As the story progresses, we learn exactly how and why he got infected, as well as his plans for the students. 

There's something to be said about the way the three Asian women are expected to cater to Arius, and how he replicated the class differences once perpetrated on his ancestor. Saige doesn't know anything about the bloodline magic she inherited, partly because her parents disdained it and she didn't learn about her heritage. Like many mixed members of the Asian diaspora, she's too Asian to be white, too white to be Asian. While it put her at a disadvantage in understanding her ability, she was still able to think of ways out and how she could protect the others. It's a haunting horror story, and I really enjoyed it. 

Buy The Forest Bleeds at Amazon

Anna So Knows 'Ya by Todd Brown

October 2026; Robbins Publishing; 979-8991435253
audio, ebook, print (184 pages); horror

John Simons is a crime reporter usually able to separate rumor from truth, but things are changing. A man in the dark keeps appearing. Taps in the wall sound like messages directed at him. His boss, Anna So, has habits that seem to mean more now. Bodies are being found, and John feels like he's part of the story. He sees connections others don't, and the world is growing more and more menacing. The closer he gets to the truth, the less he can trust his own mind.

In this book, we are essentially watching someone descend into paranoia. John has a close friend he checks in with who is a private investigator with Tourette's, but the paranoia doesn't lift even when she keeps reminding him to check for the truth. There are murders happening, and John is convinced that the Hat Man is connected. He's sure his boss is flirting with him, running hot and cold and protective. Things people tell him don't seem to add up, or imply that they know things they shouldn't, ratcheting up the fear and his desperation to stay safe. Though he seeks help, it doesn't change the intensity of his fear.

Paranoia on this level is terrifying and so incredibly stressful. You can't help but feel it as the book progresses and he slides deeper into that state. Even if you're not sure his perceptions are correct, you understand why he gets into that state. The finale of the book explains the increasing dread and anguish, and you can't help but feel bad about what happened throughout the book and for the people who cared about him. Paranoia of this intensity is a real illness, and we have an afterword explaining it for the reader. Help is available, and the outcome here doesn't have to be the only one.

Buy Anna So Knows 'Ya at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever. 

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