In the wild list of horror subgenres, nothing makes your skin crawl like body horror books. By tapping into your primal fears of disease, dismemberment, and grotesque transformations, the novels give readers a truly terrifying and sometimes gross experience.
This genre isn’t for everyone, but for people who enjoy exploring the dark side of bodies turning against their owners, this list of body horror books will serve up your next favorite read.
Best Body Horror Books
Entropy in Bloom
Bite-size stories written by horror master Jeremy Robert Johnson fill the pages of this book of body horror. The tales spread through the realms of literary fiction, bizarro, surrealist, and cosmic horror genres, but give those looking for something quite visceral a definite thrill.
Besides previously published shorts, this also includes “The Sleep of Judges,” a fresh novella.
Hell Followed with Us
Trans teen Benji escapes a horrific cult he was trapped all his life, but he brings something with him that he didn’t expect.
With help from the powerful and supportive LGBTQ+ center, he discovers his body is transforming into a weapon of biological horror. The diverse group of teens, led by sharp-shooter Nick, protects Benji and save the world at the same time.
Ring Shout
Winner and finalist in a dozen high-value prizes, this book by P. Djeli Clark pits a group of resistance fighters against the KKK.
In this brutal and dramatic novel, the hate group comes straight from Hell, and main character Maryse, a Harlem Hellfighter, is ready to send them back. More dark historical fantasy than straight body horror, fans of the genre will still find plenty to love.
Natural Beauty
The quest for the perfect body and appearance gets twisted in this Lambda Literary Award-winning novel by Ling Ling Huang. A New York beauty and wellness store sells more than cosmetics.
The natural and supernatural solutions to everything from thick thighs to thin eyelashes come with a heavy price. This body horror book focuses on transformation and the dark side of consumerism and self-worth.
Frankenstein
Although often considered one of the first science fiction novels, this classic by Mary Shelley also offers body horror fans a look back through the genre.
Building an animated being out of corpse parts certainly fits the description. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the origins.
Wilder Girls
Quarantine at a girl’s school leads to dark discoveries in Rory Power’s best-selling horror novel. Something toxic lurks in the corridors, has killed the teachers and fellow students, and now stalks them.
One of the remaining trio goes missing, and the other two must brave terror and new, horrible discoveries to find her—all while navigating a WLW romance that unfolds amidst the chaos.
Uzumaki
This manga masterpiece by Junji Ito leads readers to a Japanese ghost town suffering from a fearsome curse.
The title refers to a hypnotic spiral that shapes the world, which takes over the town and the minds of the people who go there to explore and survive.
Her Body and Other Parties
Carmen Maria Machado brings horror fans a mix of psychological drama, comedy, and fantasy in this intriguing work about women, violence, and their bodies.
This collection of short stories covers everything from prom dress horrors to plagues, weight loss to ghostly visions.
The Deep
Mer-creatures formed from dead African slave women live peaceful lives beneath the waves until something drives the memory-holder, Yetu, to the surface.
This unique dramatic novel by Rivers Solomon explores not only gentle horror, but a reclamation of a dark past in order to have a brighter future.
Tender Is the Flesh
Cannibalism is legal, and the main character works in a processing plant slaughtering and butchering the special meat. This best-selling novel by Agustina Bazterrica goes beyond body horror.
When the butcher receives a high-quality live specimen, he reawakens his desire to treat the meat source as people, something forbidden and torturous all together.
Shiver
Another short story collection comes from Junji Ito. It combines body horror and manga in a gripping experience that will thrill fans of these genres.
The nine stories include horrific balloon faces, a hole-filled arm, bloody fashion, and more.
What Moves the Dead
This Locus Award-winning book by T. Kingfisher mixes body horror with classic creature feature vibes.
A horrific fungus possesses wildlife around a mysterious lake. A dying sleepwalker with weird dreams and a baffled doctor converge to solve the House of Usher mysteries before it’s too late.
The Eyes Are the Best Part
If this body horror book’s cover doesn’t grab you (a plucked human eyeball between chopsticks), then the description of Monika Kim’s must-read book will.
What begins as a series of horrifying dreams ends up with violence, brutality, and revenge against her sister’s obnoxious boyfriend.
Such Sharp Teeth
The werewolf has always been a classic monster of transformation, and this book by Rachel Harrison explores the dark, and sometimes comedic side of turning into a hairy beast.
The main character hits an animal with her car and is attacked, which leads to a new, wilder side emerging.
The Black Farm
After their chosen deaths, a couple ends up trapped in a hellish afterlife full of nightmares. The man, Nick, searches for his lost wife, Jess, and ends up in the Black Farm.
Run by a torture-loving yet hopeful abomination named Pig, this is the place where suicide victims end up to be torn apart, brutalized, and killed over and over again. The horror focuses not only on physical harm, but also trauma that sticks with the reader after the last page is turned.
Final Thoughts
Body horror books come in many forms. Some readers crave brutality and blood. Others sink into more artistic experiences of unwanted transformations and surreal changes. From cannibalism to the afterlife, teenage drama to classic monsters, this list of short story collections and novels will give you something to read that you won’t be able to forget any time soon.
If you’re looking for even more chilling reads, check out our book lists on horror books, Halloween books, best H.P. Lovecraft books, zombie apocalypse books, and Stephen King’s best books for the perfect spooky season picks!
