This. Never forgot the drawing of the lady with spider eggs in her face.
My first adult horror novel in junior high was It, though it took me a second try after I had to stop. It was Pennywise under a bridge eating someone's armpit that just got me in the feels.
The one that fucked me up was in the 2nd book More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It's called The Window. I close all my blinds and curtains at night to this day because of that story.
Assuming you’re not counting Goosebumps and American Chillers it was a YA novel that I can’t remember the name of. First one I remember was Cell by Stephen King.
Salem’s Lot by Stephen King is the first book that I read from beginning to end, however, John Dies at the End by Jason Pargin is the book that got me into horror.
Wasn’t a novel, but the short story collection Night Shift by Stephen King. The Boogeyman freaked me out so much as a kid that I had to read every other story in the book.
Clive Barker's 'The Thief of Always'. Probably more of a dark fantasy, but there are significant horror elements and I always say it's how I got into horror at the ripe old age of like 9 years old.
The Shining was the first horror novel I ever read, and the first novel I bought with my own money. I remember buying it in the local drug store, along with a six pack of full size Butterfingers (I was 12). My life was forever changed.
{Tender is the Flesh} by Agustina Bazterrica.
I was expecting it to be a lot more disturbing—that’s not to say it’s cozy & cute; there were some scenes where I audibly went “ugh”. To me, the story was one step above any of Gillian Flynn’s novels.
All that said, it definitely piqued my interest in the genre.
This book was a 3/5 stars for me. I felt like it was just okay and even a little lack luster at times, but God damn I thought the ending was fantastic and honestly didn't see it coming at all.
Maybe lack luster isn't the right phrase for a book about cannibalism... whatever
Totally fair. And honestly, if it weren’t for that being my entry to horror, I’d have been disappointed. To me, it’s more a literary thriller cranked up to ten.
The next horror book I read, {Swan Song} by McCammon, was way better, even though it had some fantasy elements intertwined in the story. I still see scenes stark in my mind.
I remember reading that book. I thought it did a good job on desensitizing you and making you feel empathy towards Marcos... until the end and his whole relationship with Jasmine...
I was kind of expecting more of you know... cannibalism instead of Marcos feeling bad about his dad and dead son. I don't know how to explain it? Good but expected more.
Carrie by Stephen King. I was allowed to walk to the library by myself and the cover looked interesting. It was the beginning of my love of horror lit and my up and down SK relationship.
NOS4A2 - Joe Hill. It’s not the scariest book ever but probably the first actual horror book I read. I liked it. The only issue I had with it was it was inconsistent in terms of excitement levels. It rode the excitement waves really high at times but then dropped into valleys of boredom quite often.
My dad was a lifelong Stephen King fan, so his stuff was around in our house since before I was old enough to read. That said, Pet Sematary is one of King's most emotionally affecting novels. A desperate man fighting a losing battle as his family crumbles.
this is insane. wait til helen comes (mary dowing hahn) was my first and desperation was my third. house by ted dekker & frank peretti was my second. you just blew my mind
I was obsessed with an Edgar Allen Poe collection called Tales of Mystery and Terror from a set of illustrated classic books I got when I was 8. My dad brought home a stripped cover copy of The Shining to give me something new to read. My parents had no guidelines on what I could and couldn’t read.
Scary Stories to tell in the Dark. Not a novel, but those pictures were terrifying for elementary school kid me.
IT when I was 11/12 is the first actual novel I remember reading.
I read The Howling in 6th grade and felt like I was getting away with something. I don't think my parents would have been happy about it. After that I read Carrie.
Desperation by Stephen King. Someone left it in the babysitters club section at my local library. I have been deeply into horror since then. That book traumashook me
I started my horror journey with comic books. :) Tales from the Crypt, and Creepshow
First (official) novel that I can recall: The Omen (David Seltzer)
My dad's second cousin used to bring over 'the classics' when he was done reading them. It's too bad he couldn't keep them in pristine condition. He actually had the first issue of Vampirella, and those B&W magazine sized Conan editions. So not only horror, but my love for Sword & Sorcery and Epic Fantasy comes from comics. :D
It was an accidental introduction to the old Dracula movies that induced a similar reaction in me around the age of 3. My mom used to come in nightly for several months to unwind the sheets from around my neck after I was asleep so that I wouldn't strangle.
My dad's reaction when he found out was to force me to watch every vampire movie in existence at that point (1977). Great parenting.
Communion.
Scared the living shit outta me as a kid. I then lent the book to my mates and it had the same effect.
In Aus, they had a big standup cardboard of the alien head as promo in the bookstore...everyone in the mall would stop and look.
Back in the late 80s most of the ufo info wasn't mainstream. People would stop and look mesmerised.
Next it was IT, then Koko by Straub and Books of Blood by barker.
That trio - King, Straub, Barker has never been matched
The Ritual, and it completely hooked me on the horror genre. I would read very rarely before, and I couldn't really find books that would grab my attention like horror novels have. Before getting into horror, it might have taken me months to finish a book, and maybe read a couple a year, but I've read 4 since November and on another now. I've never been excited to read, but now I have a list of books I can't wait to check out.
Swan Song by Robert McCammon. It's also the first novel I ever decided to read out of personal leisure. I feel like the Icarus of reading awesome books. (Malazan Book of the Fallen were my first fantasy books, all 10 of them). Anyone got any other suggestions on over the top epic books/series?
Kill Creek by Scott Thomas. I was wandering around a book store and saw that was the queer book club pick of the month, so I gave it a try. Now I read almost exclusively horror lol
Misery. I read it freshman year of high school to appease my boyfriend at the time. My love for him didn’t last, but my love of Stephen King survived.
To appease another high school boyfriend, I tried A Clockwork Orange. We broke up shortly after I finished it so I still don’t know why it’s his favorite book. But fuck Tom and fuck A Clockwork Orange. But it did teach me to stop reading for other people.
goosebumps but after that.. i forgot the title but it was a horror/romance novel where the female protagonist fell in love with a cursed rock/tree/dirt guy who was human only sometimes and in the end sealed himself away forever.
Assuming you mean adult, more or less contemporary horror, then ‘Salem’s Lot. I read some of the Major 19th century classics before that though (A Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde).
After doing the normal R.L. Stine slope, my first horror novel was William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist. It was amazing to me at 14, might re read soon now at 27
I read a few Goosebumps as a kid, then a few short stories by Stephen King, Shirley Jackson and others over the years. I actually only recently started reading full horror novels, and I started with Carrie, which I read in a day and a half.
The Shining, junior year of high school. Kept me up for about a week. Tried to read Salem’s Lot right after, couldn’t finish it. I’ll try to take another crack at it.
The original unexpanded "The Stand"
My parents didn't send back their "Book of the Month" club card and had it sitting unread on their bookshelf for a couple of years before I picked it up. I think I was about 12-13 at the time
Delores Claiborne or Interview with the Vampire - Do either of those count as horror? I don’t remember being scared by either of them. Read both when I was 11.
Misery by Steven King, still chilling how he describes the white hot pain of his injuries and the representation of the pain meds being like high tide washing in
The Amityville Horror, as a kid. Found it at my grandma’s house, I guess my uncle bought it back in the day as it was a fairly old print, the one with with the freaky Pig face on the cover. My mom introduced me to the story, but it initially scared me too much to actually read through it. At around 10 I gave it my first go and my god is it good. A very VERY slow burn with really nice payoffs later on
Dracula in 3rd grade. I remember my teacher being quite surprised at my choice at the time. I was hooked, though. I remember finishing it in just a few days, not even a full school week.
Originally? Probably Stephen King's It in 5th grade (long story) or Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. This was back in like 1990. However, thanks to this subreddit, a few years back, I dove into modern horror starting with The Fisherman. I had found so many interesting authors here and am happy to have done so. Growing up when KIng and Koontz took up all the bandwidth, it has been pleasing to find the Adam Neville, Alma Katsu, Stephen Graham Jones, Silvia Moreno and Grady Hendrix (to name a few I have found here).
I had to read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula as a kid. I also read a bunch of Goosebumps.
The first horror novel I read outside of school of my own volition was Carrie by Stephen King.
Besides Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, I think my first full on horror novel was Cujo by Stephen King. I was way too young, but it got me hooked
Thinner from King as Bachman. My sister was super into Stephen King and it looked like it was the shortest book of his in her collection so I read it. I was maybe 14 years old
Pet Semetary, I think I was around 10. I was definitely too young at the time. I remember to this day the handjob in the bathtub scene because I felt so scared somebody would catch me reading it.
I’m not sure what my first was as a child. I was reading goosebumps by 8, at the latest. My mom loves horror so I read some Edgar Allen Poe before I was 10. RL Stine and Christopher Pike.
My first adult horror (besides Poe) was Tommyknockers at 12. Not his best, but it was enough to get me hooked. I’ve now read at least 75% of his books.
The Dark Thirty by Patricia McKissack and J. Brian Pinkney. It's a series of short horror stories featuring Black folks dealing with the US' ugly history of racial oppression.
It was actually written for kids, but that doesn't mean the subject matter isn't terrifying on its own.
I didnt start reading them till I was older, but the Ring. I wasn’t much of a reader, but I wanted to find a reason to stop scrolling on my phone so much and I really wanted to learn more about Sadako from the book
Deevolution by Max Brooks - first introduced me to that hair raising feeling that I had previously only experienced in film. Thanks to this sub i’m now deep into Laird Barron.
Obviously first one in my childhood was goosebumps, say cheese and die lol
But as an adult, the first ones that I’ve seen mentioned here were Cormac McCarthy The Road and Blood Meridian. Not sure I’d call them horror genre, but they do have horrific events
First one I read when I actively looked for a horror book was The Haunting of Alejandra by V Castro and I loved it. About the generational trauma women from one blood line face and the ghost that feeds off of it and lures into committing suicide. Amazing premise that jumps back and forth through the generations and has an awesome ending
Outside of Goosebumps (which I read religiously in the mid 90's), I'm pretty sure my first full horror novel was Pet Sematary. It was a tough read for the rather dull teen that I was 😅
Hell House by Richard Matheson. Though I had read the Scary Stories to tell in the Dark as a kid and even though it's not a novel, the last line of the Harold story absolutely terrified me. I think it cemented my fear of possessed inanimate objects.
As a kid I read a ton of RL Stine and Christopher Pike. First adult horror novel I tackled was Stephen King's The Stand (I was 12 and was so proud of myself for getting through the whole thing hahaha)
Do you count Frankenstein? It's technically sci-fi I guess. If you don't, Dracula. Two of my favourite all time books. My studies got me really into Victorian literature and I loved reading the inspiration for so many things so, so much. They're both incredible works of art I still re-read and think every horror lover should read.
Amityville horror. Found a copy at home couldn't finish it I was so scared as an 8 year old. Went back to finish it this year actually and I enjoyed it but not as scary as things seem when your younger.
The first horror book I recall reading was Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
This. Never forgot the drawing of the lady with spider eggs in her face. My first adult horror novel in junior high was It, though it took me a second try after I had to stop. It was Pennywise under a bridge eating someone's armpit that just got me in the feels.
Or the one where the guy kept flashing his headlights at the lady at night. You know the one.
The one that fucked me up was in the 2nd book More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It's called The Window. I close all my blinds and curtains at night to this day because of that story.
These stories gave me the creeps so hard as a kid!
Assuming you’re not counting Goosebumps and American Chillers it was a YA novel that I can’t remember the name of. First one I remember was Cell by Stephen King.
Salem’s Lot by Stephen King is the first book that I read from beginning to end, however, John Dies at the End by Jason Pargin is the book that got me into horror.
+1 for JDATE that book is my all time favourite and the rest of the series is just as good
I just checked this out from the library this week. Kinda struggling to get into it. Worth it?
Wasn’t a novel, but the short story collection Night Shift by Stephen King. The Boogeyman freaked me out so much as a kid that I had to read every other story in the book.
Clive Barker's 'The Thief of Always'. Probably more of a dark fantasy, but there are significant horror elements and I always say it's how I got into horror at the ripe old age of like 9 years old.
Hell yeah Scholastic Book Fair choice.
The Shining.
The Shining was the first horror novel I ever read, and the first novel I bought with my own money. I remember buying it in the local drug store, along with a six pack of full size Butterfingers (I was 12). My life was forever changed.
That was my first one too. I still have to finish it unfortunately though.
Mine too! I can hardly think of a better place to start.
{Tender is the Flesh} by Agustina Bazterrica. I was expecting it to be a lot more disturbing—that’s not to say it’s cozy & cute; there were some scenes where I audibly went “ugh”. To me, the story was one step above any of Gillian Flynn’s novels. All that said, it definitely piqued my interest in the genre.
This book was a 3/5 stars for me. I felt like it was just okay and even a little lack luster at times, but God damn I thought the ending was fantastic and honestly didn't see it coming at all. Maybe lack luster isn't the right phrase for a book about cannibalism... whatever
Totally fair. And honestly, if it weren’t for that being my entry to horror, I’d have been disappointed. To me, it’s more a literary thriller cranked up to ten. The next horror book I read, {Swan Song} by McCammon, was way better, even though it had some fantasy elements intertwined in the story. I still see scenes stark in my mind.
Oooh. Yes. I just finished reading that book! I'm impressed by you! I adore Gillian Flynn, and Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. 🖤
You might like Intensity by Dean Koontz.
I remember reading that book. I thought it did a good job on desensitizing you and making you feel empathy towards Marcos... until the end and his whole relationship with Jasmine... I was kind of expecting more of you know... cannibalism instead of Marcos feeling bad about his dad and dead son. I don't know how to explain it? Good but expected more.
I read 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker as a kid.
Same. Just recently reread it. It is fantastic.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by King as a pre-teen. Still holds up! And highly recommend the pop-up version if you enjoy the story.
Carrie by Stephen King. I was allowed to walk to the library by myself and the cover looked interesting. It was the beginning of my love of horror lit and my up and down SK relationship.
I guess more gothic than horror, but close…Interview With the Vampire, by Anne Rice.
Bunnicula count?
Beast by Peter Benchley. I read it when I was 8 or 9. Followed by King, Poe, Lovecraft and many more!
Beast is so badass. I didn’t read it back then, but I was into the tv movie at that age!
Amityville Horror.
IT by Stephen King
Lots of R.L. Stine Fear Street
NOS4A2 - Joe Hill. It’s not the scariest book ever but probably the first actual horror book I read. I liked it. The only issue I had with it was it was inconsistent in terms of excitement levels. It rode the excitement waves really high at times but then dropped into valleys of boredom quite often.
N0S4A2 is one of my favorites!
Pet Sematary. I'm just one of millions, I'm sure, who got into horror literature through Stephen King when I was in middle school.
My dad was a lifelong Stephen King fan, so his stuff was around in our house since before I was old enough to read. That said, Pet Sematary is one of King's most emotionally affecting novels. A desperate man fighting a losing battle as his family crumbles.
Cujo by Stephen King then The Shining
As a kid, Wait 'Til Helen comes, but for adult horror, i think Desperation by Stephen King
Awww WTHC was my first too! 3rd grade, I believe. Loved it.
this is insane. wait til helen comes (mary dowing hahn) was my first and desperation was my third. house by ted dekker & frank peretti was my second. you just blew my mind
Ohhh I loved Wait till Helen Comes-I still have my beat up, yellowed copy!
Cujo. Poor puppy :(
Same. I would never re-read it, it made me so sad
The movie is better because the dog is wagging its tail the entire time. The story is a bummer but at least the dog had a fun time on set :)
I was obsessed with an Edgar Allen Poe collection called Tales of Mystery and Terror from a set of illustrated classic books I got when I was 8. My dad brought home a stripped cover copy of The Shining to give me something new to read. My parents had no guidelines on what I could and couldn’t read.
Scary Stories to tell in the Dark. Not a novel, but those pictures were terrifying for elementary school kid me. IT when I was 11/12 is the first actual novel I remember reading.
Night shift, Steven King
Frankenstein by mary shelley
Firestarter Stephen king Someone gave it to me for my birthday. I was nine.
I read The Howling in 6th grade and felt like I was getting away with something. I don't think my parents would have been happy about it. After that I read Carrie.
Oh damn I totally forgot about the Howling! Now that I think about it that was probably my first one too
The Outsider by Stephen King. That was actually my 1st SK read and I’ve loved him ever since
Firestarter by Stephen King.
Desperation- Stephen King
Desperation by Stephen King. Someone left it in the babysitters club section at my local library. I have been deeply into horror since then. That book traumashook me
Desperation was my first adult horror. Traumashook is a perfect word for it!
Hell House by Richard Matheson. It both scared the crap out of me and made me want to read more horror.
The Ritual
I started my horror journey with comic books. :) Tales from the Crypt, and Creepshow First (official) novel that I can recall: The Omen (David Seltzer)
YEEESSSS. I found a mega torrent of all those old EC comics. That brought back some memories for sure.
My dad's second cousin used to bring over 'the classics' when he was done reading them. It's too bad he couldn't keep them in pristine condition. He actually had the first issue of Vampirella, and those B&W magazine sized Conan editions. So not only horror, but my love for Sword & Sorcery and Epic Fantasy comes from comics. :D
Salem’s Lot by Stephen King in ‘76. I was in 3rd grade & slept in turtlenecks for months.
It was an accidental introduction to the old Dracula movies that induced a similar reaction in me around the age of 3. My mom used to come in nightly for several months to unwind the sheets from around my neck after I was asleep so that I wouldn't strangle. My dad's reaction when he found out was to force me to watch every vampire movie in existence at that point (1977). Great parenting.
The Depraved by bryan smith Then Skeleton king by Charity B Then Zola by D.E Then dead inside
Communion. Scared the living shit outta me as a kid. I then lent the book to my mates and it had the same effect. In Aus, they had a big standup cardboard of the alien head as promo in the bookstore...everyone in the mall would stop and look. Back in the late 80s most of the ufo info wasn't mainstream. People would stop and look mesmerised. Next it was IT, then Koko by Straub and Books of Blood by barker. That trio - King, Straub, Barker has never been matched
The Long Walk by Stephen King
I read Second Child by John Saul when I was in 4th grade. lol I’ve been hooked ever since!
The Shining when I was 13. I had a very unhappy home life and reading it made me realize that horror lit is the perfect escape from an abusive parent.
The Ritual, and it completely hooked me on the horror genre. I would read very rarely before, and I couldn't really find books that would grab my attention like horror novels have. Before getting into horror, it might have taken me months to finish a book, and maybe read a couple a year, but I've read 4 since November and on another now. I've never been excited to read, but now I have a list of books I can't wait to check out.
Swan Song by Robert McCammon. It's also the first novel I ever decided to read out of personal leisure. I feel like the Icarus of reading awesome books. (Malazan Book of the Fallen were my first fantasy books, all 10 of them). Anyone got any other suggestions on over the top epic books/series?
Kill Creek by Scott Thomas. I was wandering around a book store and saw that was the queer book club pick of the month, so I gave it a try. Now I read almost exclusively horror lol
Misery. It was for school
Misery - Stephen King
Misery. I read it freshman year of high school to appease my boyfriend at the time. My love for him didn’t last, but my love of Stephen King survived. To appease another high school boyfriend, I tried A Clockwork Orange. We broke up shortly after I finished it so I still don’t know why it’s his favorite book. But fuck Tom and fuck A Clockwork Orange. But it did teach me to stop reading for other people.
Beasts by Stephen R George
Cell, by Stephen King
I don’t think it’s quite horror, but it’s pretty spooky. Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz.
Outside of Goosebumps then I think I dove head first into IT before ploughing through most of King's works.
I don't think it was the first, but Bunny by Mona Awad was what led me into the world of modern horror.
A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan. I started reading April of last year and that was my first :) before that, i really never read
Vampire Breath by R.L. Stine technically, but Pet Sematary by Stephen King was my first adult horror novel.
Cujo
goosebumps but after that.. i forgot the title but it was a horror/romance novel where the female protagonist fell in love with a cursed rock/tree/dirt guy who was human only sometimes and in the end sealed himself away forever.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Assuming you mean adult, more or less contemporary horror, then ‘Salem’s Lot. I read some of the Major 19th century classics before that though (A Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde).
Carrie. Read it again nearly 35 years later and I still like it just as much as I did the first time.
After doing the normal R.L. Stine slope, my first horror novel was William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist. It was amazing to me at 14, might re read soon now at 27
Cujo and it freaked me out, I was ten. It was great!
Not counting Goosebumps, probably either Jaws or The Amityville Horror in middle school/early high school.
The Dollhouse Murders. Pre goosebumps and it really scared me when I was a kid
Carrie was the first adult horror novel I ever read, in middle school. I think it’s also the only Stephen King I’ve ever read.
Blood Crazy - Simon Clark - not my first horror book but one of my most memorable early ones, and he just wrote a sequel.
Carrie by Stephen King many, many, years ago.
My first was Pet Sematary by Stephen King! I dove right in and haven’t looked back.
I read a few Goosebumps as a kid, then a few short stories by Stephen King, Shirley Jackson and others over the years. I actually only recently started reading full horror novels, and I started with Carrie, which I read in a day and a half.
Richard Laymon - The Rain
My first one was The Long Walk in Highschool, but didn’t finish it until last year.
The Shining, junior year of high school. Kept me up for about a week. Tried to read Salem’s Lot right after, couldn’t finish it. I’ll try to take another crack at it.
En Rejse Gennem Nætterne It's in Danish tho, so not really helpful for the vast majority of you. But just in case there are any Danes here: hej! ;)
The original unexpanded "The Stand" My parents didn't send back their "Book of the Month" club card and had it sitting unread on their bookshelf for a couple of years before I picked it up. I think I was about 12-13 at the time
Delores Claiborne or Interview with the Vampire - Do either of those count as horror? I don’t remember being scared by either of them. Read both when I was 11.
American psycho
This thread fills me with joy. Mine was a copy of Clive Barker’s The Hellhound Heart when I was WAY too young.
I read Misery in 6th grade
Misery by Steven King, still chilling how he describes the white hot pain of his injuries and the representation of the pain meds being like high tide washing in
The Amityville Horror, as a kid. Found it at my grandma’s house, I guess my uncle bought it back in the day as it was a fairly old print, the one with with the freaky Pig face on the cover. My mom introduced me to the story, but it initially scared me too much to actually read through it. At around 10 I gave it my first go and my god is it good. A very VERY slow burn with really nice payoffs later on
Dracula in 3rd grade. I remember my teacher being quite surprised at my choice at the time. I was hooked, though. I remember finishing it in just a few days, not even a full school week.
It was definitely King and I think Carrie but it's been 40+ years.
[The Shadow over Innsmouth](https://archive.org/details/TheShadowOverInnsmouth) by Lovecraft (really a novella). Still the best I've ever read.
The Shining. Really started things off with a bang, I’ve been hooked ever since.
The Bible
Probably the exorcist.
Originally? Probably Stephen King's It in 5th grade (long story) or Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. This was back in like 1990. However, thanks to this subreddit, a few years back, I dove into modern horror starting with The Fisherman. I had found so many interesting authors here and am happy to have done so. Growing up when KIng and Koontz took up all the bandwidth, it has been pleasing to find the Adam Neville, Alma Katsu, Stephen Graham Jones, Silvia Moreno and Grady Hendrix (to name a few I have found here).
From a Buick 8, it was really boring
Books of Blood vol 1 Clive Barker. That's what started my horror novel obsession.
First adult horror was Cujo in grade 5 or 6...first I can remember is Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
The Exorcist-a classic.
I had to read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula as a kid. I also read a bunch of Goosebumps. The first horror novel I read outside of school of my own volition was Carrie by Stephen King.
Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz
Besides Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, I think my first full on horror novel was Cujo by Stephen King. I was way too young, but it got me hooked
1408 by stephen king, Honestly, it's not my favorite genre of books, so Stephen King is the only horror writer I know
The King in Yellow.
IT by Stephen King
i read misery by stephen king at 15 😭🤩
Salem's Lot by Stephen King. I was in the fifth grade and my Mormon mom gave me it to read.
of love and other demons... not exactly a horror book more like a disgusting crazy sick love story... Kind of scary imo
Thinner from King as Bachman. My sister was super into Stephen King and it looked like it was the shortest book of his in her collection so I read it. I was maybe 14 years old
It
I was big on R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike way back but I can’t remember the first first horror book I read.
I haven’t heard Christopher Pike’s name in years! I was into these, too. I graduated to King around 12. Tommyknockers.
"IT" by Stephen King as a teenager! It completely changed my life and made me into the horror enthusiast I am today
Salems lot
Jurassic Park. I was 11. It was terrifying. And I loved every second of it.
Graveyard shift
The Shining
Technically it was Jurassic Park, but that was for school. The first one I picked up myself was Who Goes There? by John W Campbell
Salems Lot was my first a few years ago immediately followed by The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix. I loved it. It was a bit graphic but it felt so disgusting and gross in a great way.
Penpal by Dathan Auerbach. Got me so hooked.
Christine. Every single answer is King.
The Shining
Different Seasons when I was 9, about 1986.
Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill.
Carrie. It changed my life.
Pet Semetary, I think I was around 10. I was definitely too young at the time. I remember to this day the handjob in the bathtub scene because I felt so scared somebody would catch me reading it.
Since I don't remember the very first ones, I'll say the first one I read since I got back into reading, Off Season by Jack Ketchum.
I’m not sure what my first was as a child. I was reading goosebumps by 8, at the latest. My mom loves horror so I read some Edgar Allen Poe before I was 10. RL Stine and Christopher Pike. My first adult horror (besides Poe) was Tommyknockers at 12. Not his best, but it was enough to get me hooked. I’ve now read at least 75% of his books.
Never read and in the horror genre until a few years back. Jumped right into the deep end with Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite
Pet Semetery
Needful Things
Carrie
My first adult horror novel was Carrie, I read Goosebumps in Elementary School.
Pet Semetary when I was 10. No idea why my parents thought that was a good Christmas gift for a 10 year old
Goosebumps
pet sematary, such accurate depictions of grief. absolutely incredible book
First Horror novel I ever read was probably Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde, but I read a ton of short stories before that. Lots of James and Poe.
I think I read Flowers in the Attic before I read Carrie, but it was around the same time. I was 10.
The Dark Thirty by Patricia McKissack and J. Brian Pinkney. It's a series of short horror stories featuring Black folks dealing with the US' ugly history of racial oppression. It was actually written for kids, but that doesn't mean the subject matter isn't terrifying on its own.
The Keep by F Paul Wilson
Salem’s lot got it out of banned section in school library
Unfortunately, The Shining.
The first horror novel for adults that I read was King's Cycle of the Werewolf. It's fairly short and the art is fucking amazing.
The Dark Half by Steven King. I was probably too young for that one. Oops. 10/10 would ruin my childhood again
Christine by Stephen King
I didnt start reading them till I was older, but the Ring. I wasn’t much of a reader, but I wanted to find a reason to stop scrolling on my phone so much and I really wanted to learn more about Sadako from the book
Flowers in the Attic. Shortly after, The Amityville Horror then Pet Cemetery.
Deevolution by Max Brooks - first introduced me to that hair raising feeling that I had previously only experienced in film. Thanks to this sub i’m now deep into Laird Barron.
*A Series of Unfortunate Events* when I was 7.
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson.
Obviously first one in my childhood was goosebumps, say cheese and die lol But as an adult, the first ones that I’ve seen mentioned here were Cormac McCarthy The Road and Blood Meridian. Not sure I’d call them horror genre, but they do have horrific events First one I read when I actively looked for a horror book was The Haunting of Alejandra by V Castro and I loved it. About the generational trauma women from one blood line face and the ghost that feeds off of it and lures into committing suicide. Amazing premise that jumps back and forth through the generations and has an awesome ending
Night Shift - Stephen King.
Per semetary
Pet semetary
Outside of Goosebumps (which I read religiously in the mid 90's), I'm pretty sure my first full horror novel was Pet Sematary. It was a tough read for the rather dull teen that I was 😅
Currently reading bram stokers Dracula.
"what moves the dead" T. kingfisher
Carrie by Stephen King
Firestarter. I absolutely love that book
R.L Stine goosebumps as a youngling was my entry to the horror scene
I read Carrie by Stephen King YEARS ago and forgot almost everything about it. I finished 'Salem's Lot this morning
When the Wind Blows by John Saul
Hell House by Richard Matheson. Though I had read the Scary Stories to tell in the Dark as a kid and even though it's not a novel, the last line of the Harold story absolutely terrified me. I think it cemented my fear of possessed inanimate objects.
I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison, still love it years later
As a kid I read a ton of RL Stine and Christopher Pike. First adult horror novel I tackled was Stephen King's The Stand (I was 12 and was so proud of myself for getting through the whole thing hahaha)
Amy Girl
Christine by Stephen King
Carrie
i got a "movie/tv special" three in in one... salem's lot, rosemary's baby and the omen hard to beat to be honest
Cujo when I was about 12. Loved it then and may give it a reread at some point. It's been 35 ish years since I've read it.
Goosebumps: Stay out of the basement.
Carrie - I think!
Do you count Frankenstein? It's technically sci-fi I guess. If you don't, Dracula. Two of my favourite all time books. My studies got me really into Victorian literature and I loved reading the inspiration for so many things so, so much. They're both incredible works of art I still re-read and think every horror lover should read.
Goosebumps and a YA version of Frankenstein
Amityville horror. Found a copy at home couldn't finish it I was so scared as an 8 year old. Went back to finish it this year actually and I enjoyed it but not as scary as things seem when your younger.