I’ll be celebrating Halloween by watching Brendan Murphy perform Buffy Revamped at my local theatre. It’s a one-man show that promises to bring me: “the entire 144 episodes of the hit 90s TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as told through the eyes of the one person who knows it inside out… Spike.“

I’m using this week’s reading to get into the spirit of things by reading two fun horror novels. I know they’re both aimed at an audience much younger than I am but it seems to an audience that has absorbed the horror cannon of the 80s and 90s that I grew up with, so we share the same reference points. One is a Young Adult novel that comes up with a riff on the Final Girl theme. The other is a ‘So what’s it really like to become a werewolf?’ novel.

I’m using this week’s reading to get into the spirit of things by reading two fun horror novels. I know they’re both aimed at an audience much younger than I am but it seems to be an audience that has absorbed the horror book and movie cannon of the 80s and 90s that I grew up with, so we share the same reference points.

One is a Young Adult novel that comes up with a riff on the Final Girl theme. The other is a ‘So what’s it really like to become a werewolf?’ novel.

I’m hoping for some fast, fun trope-twisting that will make me smile.

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‘You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight’ by Kalynn Barron (2023)

I was drawn to this novel by the wittiness of the title and the energy of the cover. It offers a tempting combination the Creepy Carnival trope and classic 80s slasher movies.

It will be interesting to compare it to Stephen Graham Jones’ ‘My Heart Is A Chainsaw’ which tackles similar themes from a more literary stance.

I’m hoping for a funny but fiesty Final Girl who will overcome all obstacles, a plot that keeps the tension high and humour that makes me smile.

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‘Such Sharp Teeth’ by Rachel Harrison (2022)

This is a toss of the coin book for me. It might work. It might not.

I have a soft spot for books about female werewolves, I’m want to add Rory Morris to my list of favourite female werewolves alongside Kelley Armstrong’s Elena, Martin Millar’s Lonely Werewolf Girl , Carrie Vaughan’s Kitty Norville and Patricia Brigg’s Anna.

I’m hoping Rory will have a distinctive take on being a werewolf- one less tinged with sadness and regret than the others that I’ve mentioned. I’d like Rory to end up enjoying what she’s become.