With new releases from Stephen King and Joe Hill to look forward to, 2025 is a promising year for the horror genre — and February has exciting new books in store for readers. Great horror books can set the mood for a winter night spent snuggled up inside, and there’s no shortage of them hitting shelves over the next month. Several are from seasoned horror authors, but there are also a number of thrilling debuts. It’s a big month for new horror authors, and their releases could wind up being some of the biggest horror books of 2025.

And the concepts of February’s horror books cover a wide range, encompᴀssing everything from feminist tales of revenge and vampirism to hauntings and humanoid spiders. It’s great to see the genre thriving with creative new ideas on the heels of 2024’s best horror books. Hopefully, it’s a sign of more great releases to come, though readers will already have their hands full digging into all of February’s new books.

10

Listen To Your Sister By Neena Viel

Release Date: February 4, 2025

Neena Viel’s debut, Listen to Your Sister, is being pitched for fans of Jordan Peele and Stranger Things — and that already makes it one of 2025’s most intriguing new horror books. The novel follows Calla Williams, a young woman who is just trying to keep her family together after becoming her younger brother’s guardian. But when she and her brothers are forced to go on the run, it looks like her worrisome nightmares predicting their deaths could become real. Listen to Your Sister is poised to tackle important themes while delivering on the supernatural horror, making it a must-read.

9

Victorian Psycho By Virginia Feito

Release Date: February 4, 2025

Those looking for a good revenge horror story should check out Virginia Feito’s Victorian Psycho, which hits shelves on February 4. The novel opens with Winifred Notty determined to be an outstanding governess for the Pounds family. However, after a series of incidents, she changes her mind about her employers. The Pounds threaten to bring her violent history to the surface, and with that premise, Victorian Psycho promises a surprising and entertaining spin on the Victorian era. Its early Goodreads reviews indicate its unhinged narrative will strike the right balance between scathing humor and scares.

8

The Lamb By Lucy Rose

Release Date: February 4, 2025

The Lamb by Lucy Rose is being described as a “queer folktale,” and if that isn’t enough to sell readers, its eerie premise will. This February release follows a young girl named Margot, who lives in a cabin in the woods with her mother. They regularly await the arrival of “strays,” as Mama feeds on these lost travelers. But the appearance of a woman named Eden upends Margot’s life with Mama, sending her on a journey to claim her freedom. A story with dark fairy tale vibes and themes of growing up, The Lamb sounds like an engrossing debut.

7

These Vengeful Wishes By Vanessa Montalban

Release Date: February 4, 2025

Vanessa Montalban’s YA horror, These Vengeful Wishes, chronicles a teenage girl’s encounter with a malevolent female spirit named La Cegua. The book sees Ceci and her mother moving into a manor haunted by the witch, who has a tendency to attack deceitful men. Cegua forms a connection with Ceci, leading her to a well that grants wishes. But Cegua’s well also exacts a price, and Ceci soon finds herself tangled up in something dangerous. These Vengeful Wishes sounds like a fun take on female rage and hauntings, with a villain who seems nearly as compelling as its heroine.

6

Beta Vulgaris By Margie Sarsfield

Release Date: February 11, 2025

February 2025 is a big month for horror debuts, and Margie Sarsfield’s Beta Vulgaris is among the most highly anticipated. Following a young woman saddled with debt, who takes a job harvesting sugar in Minnesota, Beta Vulgaris vows to tackle everything from class to body image and mental illness. The more time Elise and her boyfriend, Tom, spend at this new job, the more Elise begins to spiral. Strange occurrences, like threats and disappearances, don’t help. And with the beet pile seemingly calling to the book’s lead, readers will be taken on a wild ride that leaves them questioning everything.

5

The Poorly Made And Other Things By Sam Rebelein

Release Date: February 11, 2025

Sam Rebelein made a name for himself in the horror category with his debut novel, Edenville, and now the author is back with a collection called The Poorly Made and Other Things. The book boasts a 4.75 Goodreads rating ahead of its release, so it’s bound to be another standout within the genre. The stories within The Poorly Made and Other Things are all set within the Renfield universe, and they tackle topics like loss and loneliness. They cover a wide range of circumstances, all of which promise to take those within Renfield County — and the readers — on chilling rides.

4

Hungerstone By Kat Dunn

Release Date: February 18, 2025

Blending horror and romance, Kat Dunn’s Hungerstone is getting praise ahead of its February 2025 release — and its 4.17 Goodreads rating paints a promising picture. Hungerstone follows Lenore, whose marriage is growing colder and plagued by a dark secret. Lenore’s life gets more interesting when she crosses paths with Carmilla, whose arrival is followed by girls in nearby villages falling ill and experiencing disturbing cravings. This queer, feminist reimagining of Carmilla has all the makings of a great vampire story, so naturally, it’s one of February’s most-anticipated new releases.

3

The Vengeful ᴅᴇᴀᴅ By Darcy Coates

Release Date: February 18, 2025

Darcy Coates is wrapping up the Gravekeeper Series in February, with The Vengeful ᴅᴇᴀᴅ marking the final installment. The book will feature a showdown between Keira and Artec, the company targeting her because of her ability to help ghosts move on. To save herself and her loved ones, Keira must find a way to take down the organization first. This will take her on a dangerous mission that perfectly blends fantasy and horror and, with any luck, will make for a satisfying conclusion to five years of storytelling.

2

But Not Too Bold By Hache Pueyo

Release Date: February 18, 2025

Hache Pueyo’s But Not Too Bold is described as a “sapphic monster romance novella wrapped in gothic fantasy trappings,” and that’s all the incentive readers need to dig into this February release. But Not Too Bold follows Dália as she takes up her now-deceased mentor’s role as the keeper of the keys for Anatema, the humanoid spider responsible for said mentor’s death. Dália doesn’t want to meet the same fate, so she needs to determine why her mentor was eaten. However, even this might not save her — and that suspenseful setup is sure to keep readers on edge throughout the novella.

1

Something In The Walls By Daisy Pearce

Release Date: February 25, 2025

Daisy Pearce is releasing Something in the Walls in February, which will take readers on a journey alongside a child psychologist and journalist hoping to further their careers through 13-year-old Alice Webber. Alice insists that she’s being haunted by a witch, something Mina and Sam are initially skeptical of. However, Alice’s behavior doesn’t improve with their interference, and her hometown believes in witchcraft — so much that they’re willing to take extreme measures to deal with Alice. This horror story throws Mina and Sam into the unimaginable, and it sounds like a gripping novel that will keep readers guessing.

Source: Goodreads