Everyone spends the Halloween season watching scary movies, but fewer embrace the wonderful books that can thrill, terrorize and entertain. Well, those days are over!
Check out some of our recommendations of some written words that are worth your time. Also be sure to check out the Wamart exclusive! Enjoy with a cup of hot apple cider.
Hansel and Gretel
The haunting tale of two brave children lost in a dark and dangerous forest is reimagined by literary legends Stephen King and Maurice Sendak in an all-new picture book.
Let Stephen King, global bestselling and award-winning author of The Long Walk, and Maurice Sendak, beloved creator of the Caldecott Medal–winning Where the Wild Things Are, guide you into the most deliciously daring rendition of the classic Grimm fairy tale yet. But will you find your way back out?
With a personal introduction from Stephen King, the beautiful book has been created in close collaboration with The Maurice Sendak Foundation. This stunning storybook makes the perfect gift for fans of King, Sendak, and the Brothers Grimm.
Screaming and Conjuring: The Resurrection and Unstoppable Rise of the Modern Horror Movie
Screaming and Conjuring details the films and frights that led to this extraordinary renaissance, from the release of the groundbreaking Scream in 1996 to the arrival of 2013’s The Conjuring, which spawned a multi-billion dollar franchise. Written by entertainment journalist Clark Collis (author of You’ve Got Red on You: How Shaun of the Dead Was Brought to Life), this exhaustively researched book is the first in-depth examination of a remarkably fertile and influential time for big screen horror.
Wes Craven’s Scream was followed by a flood of classic terror tales such as The Blair Witch Project, The Sixth Sense, Final Destination, The Others, Pan’s Labyrinth, 28 Days Later, Resident Evil, Saw, Hostel, Paranormal Activity, and Insidious. This comprehensive history covers the often difficult and tortuous making of all these films (and many more), giving readers the exclusive lowdown on productions which were often as intense as the horrifying sights that ended up on screen.
Screaming and Conjuring features recollections from a host of genre icons, including actors Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween) and Neve Campbell (Scream), directors Eli Roth (Hostel) and Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell), and legendary makeup effects artist Greg Nicotero (The Mist, The Walking Dead). The book also includes 200 production stills, film posters, and rarely seen images.
Dracula
Bram Stoker’s iconic and immortal tale of desperate battle against a powerful, ancient vampire, with a foreword by acclaimed director Robert Eggers, in a new Penguin Classics hardcover, a Penguin Speculative Fiction Special.
When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries in his client’s castle. Soon afterwards, disturbing incidents unfold in England: a ship runs aground on the shores of Whitby, its crew vanished; beautiful Lucy Westenra slowly succumbs to a mysterious, wasting illness, her blood drained away; and the lunatic Renfield raves about the imminent arrival of his “master.” In the ensuing battle of wills between the sinister Count and a determined group of adversaries – led by the intrepid vampire hunter Abraham van Helsing – Bram Stoker created a masterpiece of the horror genre, probing into questions of identity, sanity and the dark corners of Victorian sexuality and desire.
Universal Monsters: Creature From the Black Lagoon Lives!
Acclaimed creators Dan Watters (Home Sick Pilots, Lucifer), Ram V (The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, Batman: Detective Comics), and Matthew Roberts (Manifest Destiny) rise from the depths for an all-new epic.
Years after the events of the original film, Journalist Kate Marsden hunts for a notorious serial killer in the heart of the Amazon. Hot on the trail of this madman, she soon encounters an unexpected new threat — but is he friend or foe? Or is he simply…THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON?
The Place Where They Buried Your Heart
A woman must confront the evil that has been terrorizing her street since she was a child in this gripping haunted house novel from Christina Henry, the national bestselling author of The House That Horror Built and Good Girls Don’t Die.
On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time, terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of course, children don’t listen. Children think it’s fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.
Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went inside that abandoned house, Paul didn’t return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course adults didn’t believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnapped Paul, or otherwise hurt him. They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.
The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie’s family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive—alive and hungry.
House of Monstrous Women
A young woman is drawn into a dangerous game after being invited to the mazelike home of her childhood friend, a rumored witch, in this gothic horror set in 1986 Philippines.
In this game, there’s one rule: survive.
Orphaned after her father’s political campaign ended in tragedy, Josephine is alone taking care of the family home while her older brother is off in Manila, where revolution brews. But an unexpected invitation from her childhood friend Hiraya to her house offers an escape. . . .
Why don’t you come visit, and we can play games like we used to?
If Josephine wins, she’ll get whatever her heart desires. Her brother is invited, too, and it’s time they had a talk. Josephine’s heard the dark whispers: Hiraya is a witch and her family spits curses. But still, she’s just desperate enough to seize this chance to change her destiny.
Except the Ranoco house is strange, labyrinthine, and dangerously close to a treacherous sea. A sickly-sweet smell clings to the dimly lit walls, and veiled eyes follow Josephine through endless connecting rooms. The air is tense with secrets, and as the game continues it’s clear Josephine doesn’t have the whole truth.
To save herself, she will have to play to win. But in this house, victory is earned with blood.
A lush new voice in horror arises in this riveting gothic set against the upheaval of 1986 Philippines and the People Power Revolution.
Universal Monsters: Dracula
The Department of Truth creators James Tynion IV (W0RLDTR33, Something is Killing the Children) and Martin Simmonds re-team to tell a new tale of the monster who started it all!?
When Dr. John Seward admits a strange new patient named Renfield into his asylum, the madman tells stories of a demon who has taken residence next door. But as Dr. Seward attempts to apply logic to the impossible…his daughter falls under the spell of the twisted Count Dracula! ?
Horror’s New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse
Celebrate legendary horror studio Blumhouse’s legacy with this lavishly illustrated visual compendium that takes you behind the scenes of the films that have reshaped the horror genre, from The Exorcist to the Paranormal Activity and Halloween franchises.
With Blumhouse celebrating its 15th anniversary throughout 2025, Horror’s New Wave captures the company’s journey to become a powerhouse in the horror and thriller film genres—taking you through the process of conception to premiere for films like Five Nights at Freddy’s, Sinister, Split, Get Out, M3GAN, now-classic franchises like The Purge, and so much more.
This definitive “Blumhouse book” delves into the behind-the-scenes processes that shaped Blumhouse’s iconic films and is perfect for cinephiles, pop culture enthusiasts, and lovers of horror. Featuring an introduction from CEO and founder Jason Blum, it also includes interviews with key filmmakers and writers like M. Night Shyamalan, Leigh Whannell, James Wan, and Mike Flanagan; actors, such as Allison Williams, Ethan Hawke, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Octavia Spencer; and Blumhouse executives like head of film Couper Samuelson and head of casting Terri Taylor.
These interviews explore how each project came together, offering stories and insights into the creative process, such as directing, musical score, makeup, acting, cinematography, and more. You will get a birds-eye view at the triumphs and challenges of some of the most beloved and iconic horror films of all time. This book also includes film stills, on-set photographs, storyboards, creative briefs, and title treatments—giving you a true backstage pass to the making of your favorite films.
Universal Monsters Blind Box Wave 2 (Black & White)
Calling all monster mavens and horror hounds! If you want to summon some of Universal Pictures’ most legendary monsters into your collection, a flat of these black-and-white Blind Box ReAction Figures is your best bet—no mad scientist experiments required!
A flat of twelve ensures you get one of each iconic 3.75” scale Universal Monsters figure—three Creature from the Black Lagoon, two Frankenstein, two Bride of Frankenstein, three Wolfman, and two Mummy figures—giving you a monstrous menagerie straight out of a fog-drenched movie studio backlot.
Whether you’re displaying them in their eerie elegance or setting the stage for a frightfully fun showdown, these Universal Monsters Blind Box ReAction Figures deliver enough spine-tingling excitement to fill a haunted mansion! Grab yours before they disappear into the mist!
Play Nice
A woman must confront the demons of her past when she attempts to fix up her childhood home in this devilishly clever take on the haunted house novel from Rachel Hunter, the author of Black Sheep and So Thirsty.
Clio Louise Barnes leads a picture-perfect life as a stylist and influencer, but beneath the glossy veneer she harbors a not-so glamorous secret: she grew up in a haunted house. Well, not haunted. Possessed. After Clio’s parents’ messy divorce, her mother, Alex, moved Clio and her sisters into a house occupied by a demon. Or so Alex claimed. That’s not what Clio’s sisters remember or what the courts determined when they stripped her of custody after she went off the deep end. But Alex was insistent; she even wrote a book about her experience in the house.
After Alex’s sudden death, the supposedly possessed house passes to Clio and her sisters. Where her sisters see childhood trauma, Clio sees an opportunity for house flipping content. Only, as the home makeover process begins, Clio discovers there might be some truth to her mother’s claims. As memories resurface and Clio finally reads her mother’s book, a sinister presence in the house manifests, revealing ugly truths that threaten to shake Clio’s beautiful life to its very foundation.
Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror
The ultimate story of the Scream movie franchise, featuring interviews from more than eighty key players and an in-depth exploration of the creation and legacy of the films that revived a dying genre
In Your Favorite Scary Movie, entertainment journalist Ashley Cullins examines the making and impact of the Scream films with behind-the-scenes insight from cast, creators, and crew, as well as sharp analysis on how the movies’ special blend of gruesome violence and humorous self-awareness rewrote the horror playbook. This intimate and thorough history includes brand-new interviews from Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Kevin Williamson, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Jack Quaid, Parker Posey, Hayden Panettiere, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Radio Silence, Roger L. Jackson, and so many more.
Perfect for fans of Scream, horror lovers, and cinephiles, this is the story of how a little movie about a ghost-faced killer terrorizing high schoolers overcame countless obstacles to become an historic success that still has audiences screaming to this day.
The Whistler
A young man is haunted by a mythological specter bent on stealing everything he loves in this unsettling horror from Nick Medina, the author of Indian Burial Ground and Sisters of the Lost Nation.
For fear of summoning evil spirits, Native superstition says you should never, ever whistle at night.
Henry Hotard was on the verge of fame, gaining a following and traction with his eerie ghost-hunting videos. Then his dreams came to a screeching halt. Now, he’s learning to navigate a new life in a wheelchair, back on the reservation where he grew up, relying on his grandparents’ care while he recovers.
And he’s being haunted.
His girlfriend, Jade, insists he just needs time to adjust to his new reality as a quadriplegic, that it’s his traumatized mind playing tricks on him, but Henry knows better. As the specter haunting him creeps closer each night, Henry battles to find a way to endure, to rid himself of the horror stalking him. Worried that this dread might plague him forever, he realizes the only way to exile his phantom is by confronting his troubled past and going back to the events that led to his injury.
It all started when he whistled at night….
Universal Monsters: Frankenstein
Award-winning creator Michael Walsh (The Silver Coin) presents a jaw-dropping new vision of the seminal horror classic. This deluxe hardcover tells the shocking creation story of the unforgettable monster in the original film—one body part at a time.
Dr. Henry Frankenstein begins his unholy quest to create life by robbing the grave of a decorated police officer to find necessary parts. But little does he know that the corpse has a son who is mourning a father – and that this young boy will forever change Frankenstein’s life.
Alchemy of Secrets: A Novel
The hotly anticipated adult debut novel by Stephanie Garber, the beloved, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart series: a contemporary fantasy kicking off a brand new series!
What if the urban legends you’ve always heard about were real?
It starts with a class in an old movie theater. Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor.
Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.
With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.
Simultaneous: A Novel
From the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Arrival comes a phenomenal speculative thriller about a federal agent and a therapist who team up to stop an otherworldly killer.
Federal agent Grant Lukather works for an unknown department of Homeland Security called Predictive Analytics. They look for patterns in tips and chatter to prevent a terrorist event before it happens. One of these calls, about a possible explosion in New Mexico, leads Grant to a case with unimaginable consequences.
He meets Sarah Newcomb, a therapist who uses past-life hypnosis in her treatment but has recently stumbled upon a phenomenon that seems to defy logic. Grant follows this thread to another crime: a copycat killer case in Colorado. With the help of one of Sarah’s patients, they embark upon an investigation that spans multiple states, timelines, and consciousnesses. With limited time and only a tenuous grasp of how this phenomenon works, the unlikely trio are in a race for their lives―past, present, and future.
Full of thrilling reveals, stunning plot twists, and a mordant sense of humor, Simultaneous is a mind-bending, one-of-a-kind thriller by a true genre star.
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