Monika Kim is a second-generation Korean-American living in Los Angeles' Koreatown. She learned about eating fish eyes from her mother, who immigrated to Los Angeles from Seoul in 1985. The Eyes are the Best Part is her first novel and you can find her at monika-kim.com.
What a Nightmare (2026) Rebekah Faubion "In this terrifying small-town tale filled with female rage and complicated family dynamics, Rebekah Faubion's ambition knows no bounds. She weaves an inescapable nightmare, compelling you to confront even your own darkest secrets. I loved every moment of this dark and cathartic novel."
Our Cut of Salt (2026) Deena Helm "Lyrical and terrifying, Helm's portrait of generational trauma will leave you aching in its wake. Our Cut of Salt is not just a powerful exploration of injustice and survival, but also a testament to the power of love."
Newbourne Park (2026) Jennifer Thorne "Atmospheric and deeply unsettling, Newbourne Park is a biting take on the werewolf tale that showcases Jennifer Thorne at her sharpest: savage, incisive, and above all wildly entertaining."
Carry Me to My Grave (2026) Christopher Golden "Harrowing, terrifying, and utterly gripping, Carry Me to My Grave is a brilliantly written nightmare that will burrow deep into your subconscious. Christopher Golden's deft weaving of familial love, juxtaposed alongside the stark brutalities of survival, creates an atmosphere as poignant as it is chilling."
Tillinghast (2026) Clare Cavenagh "Wonderfully mysterious and gorgeously written, Tillinghast offers a boldly original take on what it means to be a monster. While the subject matter is inherently dark, Cavanagh's reflections on connection, love, and found family shine through with an unexpected warmth."
Muneca (2026) Cynthia Gómez "Filled with longing and desire, Muneca explores the true cost of freedom and the lengths we go to attain it. Cynthia Gomez's writing is utterly hypnotic; from the very beginning, she had me completely under her spell."
The Girl with a Thousand Faces (2026) Sunyi Dean "In The Girl with a Thousand Faces, the fantastical and historical come together in a skillfully woven narrative filled with vengeful ghosts, grief, and intergenerational trauma. Dean's atmospheric writing takes you deep into the shadows of the walled city, daring you to find a way out."
Bone of My Bone (2026) Johanna van Veen "Decadently atmospheric and deeply unsettling, Bone of My Bone delivers a deliciously disturbing tale about survival and the choices we're forced to make along the way. Johanna van Veen's sublime prose and worldbuilding left me completely enthralled."
Japanese Gothic (2026) Kylie Lee Baker "Kylie Lee Baker has done it again with this tense and bloody follow-up to her incredible adult debut. Japanese Gothic is brilliantly inventive, sending a prickle down your spine as you struggle to distinguish between reality and delusion. A must-read - I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!"
A Good Person (2026) Kirsten King "Sharp, hilarious, and painfully relatable, Kirsten King's debut will keep you laughing as you turn each page. Lillian is the chaotic friend, the ex you still stalk, and the woman you claim to despise but still can't stop following."
Warning Signs (2026) Tracy Sierra "In Warning Signs, the raw force of nature and the darkness of humanity collide in a harrowing tale of a boy's struggle for survival. Sierra's sharp, evocative writing builds a tension so taut that it had me holding my breath. A brilliant follow-up to her incredible debut!"
Paper Cut (2026) Rachel Taff "Fraught with tension and propulsively told, Paper Cut confronts our collective fascination with cults and true crime. As Lucy's unraveling drags you kicking and screaming into the spiral of her past, Taff's writing will capture your attention until the very end."
I'll Quit When I'm Dead (2025) Luke Smitherd "I'll Quit When I'm Dead is gripping from the first page, pulling the reader deeper with every twist and turn. Smitherd is so incredibly talented and has proven himself to be a master of suspense in this surreal, nightmarish ride."
Oxford Soju Club (2025) Jinwoo Park "Oxford Soju Club is a gripping spy thriller that, at its core, tackles fundamental questions of identity and our place in the world. Park writes with stark honesty, deftly unraveling the inner turmoil of those caught between duty and self. A wonderful debut."
The Mean Ones (2025) Tatiana Schlote-Bonne "Wonderfully creepy. Schlote-Bonne's terrifying novel will prey on your greatest fears and crawl under your skin."
Immaculate Conception (2025) Ling Ling Huang "Huang's brilliant, imaginative, and ambitious novel about an obsessive friendship between two artists gripped me from beginning to end. Immaculate Conception is dark but, at the same time, filled with tenderness. I loved every moment of it."
Julie Chan is Dead (2025) Liann Zhang "Engrossing and diabolically fun. Zhang's wonderful debut made me cringe, laugh, and cover my eyes. I was hooked until the very last page."
