Episode 42 Show Notes

In this episode of Booklist’s Shelf Care: The Podcast, host Susan Maguire talks to librarian and horror expert Becky Spratford about the forthcoming collection of essays she edited, Why I Love Horror, what Mary Shelley might think about the current trend of monster romance, and, of course, why she loves horror. Then Booklist’s Audio Editor Heather Booth presents an epic rant against AI-narrated audiobooks, and Susan and Booklist Senior Editor, Adult Books Annie Bostrom chat about two water-related books they’re loving.

Here's what we talked about:

Becky’s early “Why I Love Horror,” featuring Booklist folks

The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror, by Becky Siegel Spratford

Danse Macabre, by Stephen King

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley

“The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Seth Grahame-Smith

The Hunger, by Alma Katsu

Buffalo Hunter Hunter, by Stephen Graham Jones

James, by Percival Everett

Horror for Weenies, by Emily Hughes

Circulating Ideas podcast, hosted by Steve Thomas

LibraryReads Hall of Fame

Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein

The Grip of It, by Jac Jemc

Horror Makes Us Happy podcast with Becky Spratford

The Bewitching, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Cynthia Pelayo

101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered, Sadie Hartmnn

Paperbacks from Hell, by Grady Hendrix

A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, by Erin Frankel and Paola Escobar. Read by Luis Carlos de la Lombana. (Odyssey Award Winner, 2025)

How the Boogeyman Became a Poet, by Tony Keith Jr. Read by the author. (Odyssey Award Winner, 2025)

The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story, by Pagan Kennedy. Read by Claire Danes

The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart. Read by Del Roy

Listening Still, by Anne Griffin. Read by Nicola Coughlan

A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck, by Sophie Elmhirst

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster, by Jon Krakauer

The Love Fix, by Jill Shalvis

The Listeners, by Maggie Stiefvater