September 15th to October 15th is Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month. It happens to overlap perfectly with the spooky season. What better way to celebrate both than with some horror or speculative fiction novels starring sapphic characters? Check out some amazing picks below in no particular order.
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
I’ve reviewed this one for the Lesbrary, and it’s one I continue to recommend to horror fans. Machado’s collection of short stories examines real-world beliefs through a lens that highlights that real horror isn’t monsters, but our society. It grapples with the trauma and horror women’s bodies are put through by a patriarchal society that wants to see them submit.
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
Another Lesbrary review and go-to recommendation. This is the first in the young adult fantasy series Brooklyn Brujas. Alex Mortiz dreads her Deathday—a bruja’s rite of passage—so much, she attempts a spell to stop it from happening. The consequences send her family to the underworld, and it’s up to her to save them and make things right. Although it’s a fantasy, there are plenty of darker elements for those who prefer a lighter touch of horror.
Night of the Living Queers edited by Shelly Page and Alex Brown
This young adult horror anthology features a spectrum of authors from various cultures, gender identities, sexualities, and walks of life. Every story tells the terrifying tale of a Halloween night, a bone-chilling night of a rare Blue Moon, that changes the characters’ lives forever.
Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda, translated by Sarah Booker
A dark academia work in translation, this novel is sure to give you all the chills for the spooky season. Friends Fernanda and Annelise attending the Delta Bilingual Academy are so close, they’re practically sisters. They love to push boundaries with their friends and engage in dangerous rituals. As is expected, something eventually goes wrong, and a teacher at the academy loses her grip on reality.
The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz
Two young women set out on a quest to learn about a forbidden magic that could change their lives in this rich fantasy. Examining themes of colonialism and ancient magic through the lens of South American folklore and history, it’s an immersive story that constantly leaves you wondering what comes next.
The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado, illustrated by DaNi
The first trade paperback of this comic book series contains the first six issues. In the town of Shudder-to-Think, Pennsylvania, a mysterious condition erases people’s memories. When El and Octavia find themselves the latest victims of this disease, they set out to find answers once and for all to free their town of this curse. But the truth may not be what they think.
Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk, translated by Heather Cleary
A story told between two time periods in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this work in translation follows two main characters. One is a vampire who watches the city through its transformations over the years as she learns to adapt and mingle with the humans. The other is a woman in the present day grappling with her mother’s terminal illness as she contemplates her relationship with motherhood. When they encounter each other, a new path opens for them and sets something in motion they cannot stop.
Ghost Girl in the Corner by Daniel José Older
This young adult novella tells another story within Older’s Shadowshaper universe of Izzy and her girlfriend Tee. The two girls find themselves drifting apart, but when a girl goes missing in Bed-Stuy, they must find a way to come back together to help solve the mystery. Meanwhile, when working at the newspaper office, Tee begins to see a ghost girl that no one else can see. It’s a magical mystery that’s perfect for readers who enjoy their fantasy with a touch of the spooky.
We Don’t Swim Here by Vincent Tirado
In the town of Hillwoods, the locals don’t go in the water. When visiting her grandmother in hospice, Bronwyn finds herself drawn to the mystery as she has been forbidden from swimming—not in the lake or even community pools. Her cousin Anais tries her best to keep Bronwyn out of trouble, but boredom gets the best out of her, and they find themselves in grave danger from the town’s lore.
We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado
For fans of social horror like the works of Jordan Peele, Tirado’s debut psychological adult thriller tells the story of creepy, pervasive racism. After a terrible year filled with incidents at her university lab and a plagiarism accusation that led to her probation, on top of the usual homophobic nonsense from her father, Sol Reyes falls into alcoholism. But her wife Alice Song is looking on the brighter side when they buy a house in the gated community of Maneless Grove. Dealing with too friendly neighbors and a pushy HOA (talk about horror!), Sol starts to wonder if there’s more to her paranoia than she thought at first.
