We are more than halfway into the spooky season, but in case you still haven’t been feeling the spooky energy, maybe you might want to try looking into some eerie Filipino stories to help you get into the Halloween mood.
Fill your TBR with these Filipino horror books, this spooky season.
Never Have I Ever by Isabel Yap
The debut collection of Isabel Yap’s stories offers a chill inducing experience. Read the one entitled Have You Heard the One About Anamaria Marquez? And experience not only the unnerving story but the familiar way that creepy stories such as these are told.
Reportage on Crime by Quijano de Manila aka. Nick Joaquin
Nick Joaquin paints the colorful era of the 60’s using 13 true crime stories. Joaquin, who went by the pen name Quijano de Manila, surpasses the genre of journalism by diving deeper into each story’s individual milieu and characters’ motivations.
A standout story from the collection may be A Prevalence of Witches or the Exorcists-Filipino Style, where the murder of two girls transpires to divulge the darker and gruesome happenings in San Andres Bukid.
Trese by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldismo
The Trese comics were the basis for the Netflix original animated series of the same name, and very well known within the Filipino horror comic book scene.
When Filipino crimes take a turn for the supernatural, there is no one better to turn to than Alexandra Trese. In the dark and gritty world of Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldismo, supernatural creatures of Filipino mythology lord over the criminal underworld of Manila.
Filipino Fiction for Young Adults: Horror edited by Dean Francis Alfar and Kenneth Yu
These stories will bring goose bumps to your skin whether you’re a young adult or young at heart. An honorable mention from this may be the story of Fidelis Tan, Lola’s House, a story you might want to consider reading in the daytime.
This anthology reminds readers that sometimes the things we fear the most go beyond the supernatural. Sometimes the source of our fears is standing right… beside us.
Diwata by Barbara Jane Reyes
In Barbara Jane Reyes’ poetry collection, she brings to light, not monsters or paranormal beings, but the real-life horrors within our Filipino history and culture. Reyes puts a spotlight towards the mistreatment of Filipinas through the years and the overbearing control that was forced upon both their bodies and minds.
The Philippines has an extortionate pantheon of mythology and history which is equal parts magical and terrifying. Take these great reads as a chance to explore the colorful world of Filipino lore and get even giddier for Halloween time.