I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I am not a fan of horror. And yet…there are definitely spooky stories out there that, despite my self-proclaimed scaredy cat status (I dare you to say that three times fast), I enjoy! I don’t seek them out, necessarily…but much like Wikipedia research rabbit holes, I get lured in by one thing or another and then I’m hooked before I know it.

Before we jump into a list of recommendations though, I was curious as to why we’re drawn to horror at all. According to this article by The Washington Post, “[horror offers] a combination of an adrenaline rush and an opportunity to learn about dealing with scary situations in a safe environment”. And according to this more recent article by Crime Reads, “[horror] provides us with a distraction from the terrors of the real world” but that “there’s something beyond distraction and catharsis that horror gives us. The gift of control.”

That makes sense to me, but I still like my scares to be slight, so I’ve put together a non-exhaustive list of movies, shows, and books that I can recommend if you, like me, are horrified by horror, grossed out by gore, and scared of suspense…and yet can’t help but be curious of the creepy.

(Can you tell I’m having a lot of fun with alliteration?)

Now, imagine my surprise when, as I started to putting this list together, I found that many of the spooky films I’ve enjoyed were by Guillermo Del Toro! I still need to check out Nightmare Alley, but I suspect I’ll like it just as much as The Shape of Water and Hellboy II, (which deal with monsters but aren’t necessarily meant to be frightening, and so didn’t make the cut). (Pun intended.) And now, a quick word on the Del Toro films that did make the cut!