What a delight this was! I’ve always been curious about haunted places, especially local ones so it was awesome to see Providence Rhode Island make the cut!

I loved the overall aesthetic and format. I found the author’s recommendations to be a nice little touch and can totally see myself visiting a few on my travels!

A guided every ghostly adventurer or horror fan, needs.

Book: Travels of Terror: Strange and Spooky Spots Across America
Authors: Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl
Book Review Score: 5-star, I loved it! Would definitely read/watch it again or highly recommend it to a friend!
Genre: Nonfiction, Travel Guidebook, Horror, True Crime
Places Featured: United States (see below for full list)

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I requested this book on NetGalley and was very pleasantly surprised. Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl’s Travels of Terror is not your typical travel guide. It’s an eerie and intriguing collection designed for lovers of the macabre, horror, the scary, and paranormal--and while I don't really consider myself a huge fan of those, I found it to just be an interesting guidebook packed with valuable insights for anyone who enjoys discovering unique destinations. The book seamlessly weaves together true crime stories (which I am a fan of), movie filming locations (also something I love), and local recommendations for places to eat, sleep, shop, and visit, making it an unexpected gem for travelers seeking something beyond the ordinary.

Despite the subject matter, which delves into horror, true crime, and the eerie, the writing remains approachable--it's warm and conversational, as if you're with two friends sharing their secret travel tips and recommendations. At the same time, they do delve into some serious topics like true crime with actual victims and other sad historical moments, but they give those stories the respect they deserve. It's informative and detailed without ever feeling like you’re simply reading a dry list of facts. In fact, it’s so engaging that I found myself jotting down several book titles to add to my TBR pile—another surprising benefit of reading this guide.

The authors have clearly done their homework—each destination is thoroughly researched, yet the tone never feels overly academic. Instead, it feels like you’re sitting with a friend who’s excitedly chatting about the coolest and creepiest places they’ve been. The attention to detail, from historical tidbits to present-day recommendations, makes it a reliable resource for travel planning.

For anyone who enjoys the darker side of life, or simply loves an offbeat adventure, Travels of Terror is an absolute must-read. It’s packed with information and inspiration, but it’s also just plain fun. I’ve already recommended it to several friends, not just those who are horror fans, but anyone who loves discovering unique and unusual travel spots. It’s not just a guidebook—it’s a book you’ll enjoy reading.

(For an even fuller review, visit my blog: https://travelbooksandmovies.com/book-review-travels-of-terror-by-kelly-florence-and-meg-hafdahl/)

This was so much fun. Right from the get-go, you can tell that both Kelly and Meg enjoyed writing this book and all the travel and research that went into creating it. They thought about the audience they were writing for and put a lot of themselves in this book. It's fun, quirky, and filled to the brim with spooky places to stay, visit, and eat. I'm going to have to buy a physical copy of this book I can load full of colored tabs of places I have to go, places I should go, and places I too love! One of the many things I loved about this is some of the places they picked to travel to, I would have never thought to visit, but I kind of need to. I'm so thankful to have gotten a chance to read this early, it was a delight and I cannot wait to see it in print.

What a cool book! I did love learning about spooky places, and appreciated the vignettes with each story. Overall, I liked reading about the places one a time. I don’t necessarily think this is a book you would sit and read cover to cover.

Road trip junkies and ghost hunters unite! This book is for you.

Travels of Terror was a great read and I now want to go to every single place mentioned! I love the layout for each state’s key attractions and thought it was cool that authors Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl included places to stay, eat and shop in addition to the attractions.

The “A Woman You Should Know” sections were so interesting and I enjoyed reading about new stories I’ve never heard.

This would make a great gift or coffee table book for the terror enthusiast in your life. I can’t wait to grab my own copy!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks (Non-Fiction) and Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl for an early review copy. These are my honest thoughts.

This is a fun and informative guidebook for travellers visiting haunted spots around the united states. Chatty and heartfelt, the authors make the places come alive and this is a must for anyone visiting the places included in this book

Hands down one of my favorite books of the year. I am ready to jump in the car and visit these locations. Get to the scare with these fantastic stops, and prepare to score the gore with the best.

Travels of Terror is going to take you through a series of haunted spots. You might want to buy a map and start putting these locations on your "want to see."

Great read, and full of awesome info!

I'm a spooky travel book lover, and this one is a perfect addition to my collection!

This book is really well made. From the spooky history and famous locations to the "what to do" and "where to go", as well as travel tips, it feels like everything is there to help you plan the perfect trip.

Like I said, I love spooky travel guides and the ones that I own cover a lot of international locations, so I'm pleased that this one focuses on the United States of America since I didn't have these cities in my other books :
1- Salem, Massachusetts
2- Los Angeles, California
3- Marietta, Georgia
4- Portland, Oregon
5- Providence, Rhode Island
6- Austin, Texas
7- New York City, New York
8- Duluth, Minnesota
9- Las Vegas, Nevada
10- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
11- St. Augustine, Florida
12- Athens, Ohio

Overall, this was an excellent read and I can't wait to do all these travels of terror.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction) as well as the authors for this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. It’s my pleasure!

#NetGalley #SOURCEBOOKS(non-fiction) #TravelsofTerror #MegHafdahl #KellyFlorence

Title: Travels of Terror
Authors: Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl
Format: eBook
Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction)
Publication Date: August 27, 2024

This book was just as much fun as I knew it would be. I’m never disappointed by Florence and Hafdahl and this was no exception. This is a travel guide that includes places to sleep, to eat, and to shop if you are a horror fan. I felt like I was right along with the authors as they experienced these places and I felt like I was among friends. Some of the places featured in this volume were familiar, some not. Every horror fan is familiar with places like Salem, MA and the infamous Amityville house in Amityville, NY. Not all of us will think to seek out places that please our black little hearts in Rhode Island or even St. Augustine, FL. Meg and Kelly do a thorough job of giving us places to visit that have the most chances of fulfilling our horror cravings. They also give us recommendations for places to eat and shop as well as books and movies that take place in the location in question. I also really love the addition of infamous as well as famous residents. I even learned some things about my own home state. Pretty fun. I think I’ll start there whenever I get the chance to travel. Thankfully, Meg and Kelly have provided a nearly complete vacation itinerary for us!

As was mentioned above, I was surprised to learn of a few hidden gems in my home state of California. I’ve been to the Roosevelt and the Hollywood sign, of course. I’ve visited the magic that is Dark Delicacies and the Mystic Museum. All are fun, although I’ve never experienced anything paranormal in any of them. I love Halloween Town also. It’s the best Halloween store ever! I have visited Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights multiple times. I haven’t visited The Cauldron, which is a witchy bar in Buena Park, CA. I haven’t even heard of it. I’ll be going soon for sure. I loved the Hidden Gem sections in each chapter. They were full of lesser known sights and things to do for the horror lover. I also loved how much history was woven in with the authors’ personal experiences. My favorite chapter was the one on Salem, MA.

All in all, this is a super fun guide perfect for anyone who craves the darker sides of history and entertainment. The ghouls are all kinds of fun and relatable. This book is well-written and I can’t wait to check out some of their suggestions.

I love the cover so much! It is fun and colorful and would be perfect for a horror lovers bookshelf!

My ARC seemed to be missing the location pages in the "Welcome to" parts. I didn't get one until Pittsburgh and that was the only one that showed up. I also think some pictures were missing throughout the book. But! I'm sure the actual copies will have all of these and the pictures I did see were really cool.

Some special highlights for me: any mentions of George A. Romero, Frogman because I live near Loveland, Ohio, one of my best friends visits the St. Augustine Torture Museum yearly.

I think there may have been a typo with the Torture Museum because it states it is the largest history museum in the US but I think it meant to say torture museum?

Overall, this is a great collection of haunted places. I love that it provides historical backgrounds, places to visit, what books/movies take place, and more. Very well rounded and informative!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kelly Florence, Meg Hafdahl, and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read Travels of Terror. I have written this review voluntarily.

It was so cool to read this book and to be able to learn about spooky places in the US, informative, fun and creepy!

When we travel I love to add some spooky locations to check out on our trips. So a whole book dedicated to spooky locales across America is right up my alley. Tales of Terror covers everything you need to know to make your travels as fully spine-tingling and mysterious as possible. It covers chilling history, hidden gems, activities, shopping and where to eat. It even includes spooky books and movies that take place in each area to get in the mood before going.

I loved the stories of local legends, true crime, and dark history. Not to mention reading about the personal experiences of the authors and I felt it added a lot of charm. There was the standard advice of course but also advice that a lot of guides forget to include such as the best way to get around these different areas as well as safety, and ease of mobility and accessibility which can be pretty vital and differs so much from place to place. Reading about the local businesses and people there and going in depth into the background to give context about the different communities was also really nice. (Not to worry they also cover the more well known attractions as well) Another thing I enjoyed in particular were the portions on women you should know. The illustrations were wonderful but at the same time I wanted to see the actual places being described and wish there were some photos included, but that’s something easily remedied by hopping online of course. (and when you do don’t forget to check out the author’s Horror Rewind podcast and other books such as The Science of Women in Horror!)

Whether you’re planning your next trip and just want to read up on the spooky fascinating history and prominent figures across the US this is a really useful guide. Perfect for planning an autumn or summerween trip!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the Source Books. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It was fine. Being a Massachusetts local, I paid most attention to the Providence and Salem entries, which were fine. However, there is a serious threat of some of these sites mentioned being closed as they are reliant on tourism. There also was no real depth given, though I did appreciate the authors including scholarly books.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

Book Review: Travels of Terror: Strange and Spooky Spots Across America by Kelly Florence & Meg Hafdahl

Rating: 4 Stars

As someone who has always been fascinated by the eerie and unusual, I was thrilled to dive into Travels of Terror: Strange and Spooky Spots Across America. This book is a delightful mix of travel guide and horror anthology, written by the talented duo Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl, co-hosts of the compelling Horror Rewind podcast. If you're like me, you love a good scare and a thrilling adventure—this book is your perfect companion.

The authors take you on an exciting road trip across the United States, exploring some of the most chilling locations steeped in horror, history, and true crime. They’ve meticulously compiled a list of what to do, where to stay, and even where to grab a bite while visiting these spooky hotspots. The combination of personal anecdotes from their travels alongside detailed recommendations makes this guide feel both intimate and informative. From the ghost tours in St. Augustine to haunted hotels in Los Angeles, every location is packed with intriguing tidbits—from pop culture references to chilling historical facts.

One thing I absolutely adored was how they incorporated personal experiences into the narrative. As someone who appreciates a good storyteller, I found their voices relatable and engaging, almost as if we were sharing ghost stories around a campfire. The authors also highlight hidden gems and notorious true crimes that add depth to each location—perfect for any horror aficionado or history buff.

Speaking of depth, I have to mention the cover art! I mean, wow! The design is striking and sets the perfect tone for what’s inside. I just wish the interior had included more color to match that vibrant cover. Nevertheless, the book is well-structured and easy to navigate, making it a fantastic reference for planning your own ghoulish getaway.

If you're looking to explore creepy places, this book is a must-read. It not only provides practical information on where to stay, eat, and shop but also suggests books and movies that align with the spooky theme of each location. I found it fascinating how they connected modern cultural references with historical events—a clever touch that enhances the reading experience.

In conclusion, Travels of Terror is a fun and well-written guide that will inspire you to venture out and explore the darker side of America. Whether you're planning a trip or just want to learn about hauntings and true crime tales, this book is sure to entertain. I give it 4 stars out of 5—an enjoyable read for anyone who loves traveling and exploring creepy places! So grab your flashlight and get ready for an adventure; you won't be disappointed!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

I loved this book and I will be purchasing a hard copy when the book is released. This book was an interesting ride through so many sites that are indicated as haunted or the site of something sinister. Very intriguing. There are great photos and the site information makes you want to check out some of the locations. Can't wait to have a copy to keep for travel reference.

Spooky season is soon…and I can’t wait! While I wait Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl has some great places I can visit to get spooky vibes in Austin. Not just Austin (definitely stay at The Driskill!) but also St. Augustine, Los Angeles, Portland, Pittsburg to name a few. They have compiled a handful of spots for horror, history, and true crime, and researched the history and pop culture.

Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for an advanced copy!

Sign me up for the next road trip! A great guide for all things spooky in various cities around the USA. There are easily digestible stories, advice, places to stay, and places to eat in this guide. It even includes some creepy little illustrations to pique the reader's interest. I enjoyed reading these tidbits and found myself mentally planning my summer vacation 2025! Time to add it to my travel book shelf!

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and authors Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. "Travels of Terror: Strange and Spooky Spots Across America" is expected to be published August 27, 2024!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This book has interesting tales and places around the US. Some I’d heard of and others were new to me. Each section offered a bit of history of each city along with some spooky facts, places to stay, restaurants and quirky, interesting stories to get your horror fix.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book

Pretty neat book overall. It talks about 12 American cities from Los Angeles, to Salem, MA, from Portland, Oregon to Athens, Ohio. The book gives the best places to eat, what to do, where to stay, for each city, and gives you some trip suggestions for spooky things to do just outside of the city. It also gives a "spookiest thing that happened" and a "true crime" event in each city. It also gives you a "woman to know about" from each city. I didn't know the book would kind of "focus" on women like that. Maybe the author's podcast is something about infamous females? I don't know anything about their podcast though so, I don't know.

The two things I didn't like were there were only 12 cities, and they didn't go into much detail about what happened. It's more of a travel guide to spooky places than it is a book about the spooky places

This was so much fun. I really enjoyed learning of the spooky places. Would definitely recommend this booknto others.