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Effective date: 21 September 2026
Last updated: 21 September 2026
These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of HorrorBooks.net and any related features, tools, accounts, communications and services we make available through HorrorBooks (together, the "Service").
HorrorBooks is operated by Thomas Humphrey, based in New South Wales, Australia ("HorrorBooks", "we", "us" or "our"). Questions about these Terms can be sent to hello@horrorbooks.net.
By accessing or using the Service, you agree to these Terms. If you create an account, sign in, or use a feature that requires an account, you also agree to these Terms when you do so.
Our Privacy & Data Policy explains how we handle personal information. It is separate from these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you should not use the Service.
HorrorBooks is a discovery and information service focused on horror books, authors and related subjects. The Service may include book and author discovery, search and browsing; recommendations, rankings, lists and editorial content; personalised recommendation and taste features; saved books, Nightstand features and followed authors; alerts, newsletters and other communications; catalogue pages; ratings, reactions, reviews or other community features if introduced; tools, filters and quizzes; and links to retailers, publishers, authors and other third-party services.
This list is illustrative rather than exhaustive. We may add, remove, test or change features as the Service develops. Some features may be available only to signed-in users, users in certain locations, or users who meet other stated eligibility requirements.
You may use parts of HorrorBooks without an account. Other features may require an account. At present, HorrorBooks may use Google as an authentication provider. If you choose Google sign-in, Google helps confirm your identity so you can access your HorrorBooks account.
Our Privacy & Data Policy explains what information we receive through Google sign-in, what we store, how we use it and how you can request deletion. If we request additional Google permissions or introduce other account providers, we will explain the relevant data use and update our privacy disclosures where required.
You are responsible for taking reasonable steps to keep access to your account secure. Please tell us at hello@horrorbooks.net if you believe your HorrorBooks account has been accessed without permission. You must not create an account using another person's identity or deliberately provide materially false account information.
HorrorBooks may combine information from publishers, retailers, authors, public sources, third-party data providers, users, automated systems and our own editorial work.
We aim to make the Service useful and accurate, but do not guarantee that catalogue information, publication details, genres, classifications, rankings, recommendations, availability, prices, content descriptions or other information will always be complete, current or error-free. Recommendations, rankings, labels and editorial content involve judgment and are provided for discovery and informational purposes.
Horror fiction can contain disturbing, violent, sexual or otherwise sensitive material. Content warnings, tags, filters and descriptions may be incomplete and should not be treated as a guarantee that all potentially sensitive content has been identified. Where information is important to a purchasing or reading decision, consider checking it with the relevant author, publisher or retailer. Material catalogue or attribution errors can be reported to hello@horrorbooks.net.
HorrorBooks may introduce features that allow users to submit or publish content, such as ratings, reactions, reviews, comments, lists, profile information or other contributions ("User Content"). You retain ownership of rights you hold in your User Content.
By submitting User Content to a part of the Service designed for sharing or publication, you give HorrorBooks a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to host, store, reproduce, display, format and otherwise use that User Content to the extent reasonably necessary to operate, provide, improve and promote the Service and the feature in which you submitted it. This licence does not transfer ownership to us.
You are responsible for ensuring that you have the rights needed to submit User Content and that it does not unlawfully infringe another person's rights. We may moderate, restrict or remove User Content where we reasonably believe it violates these Terms, the law, another person's rights, or creates a security or abuse risk.
You may use HorrorBooks for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You must not use the Service for unlawful, fraudulent or abusive activity; attempt unauthorised access; probe, scan, exploit or attack security or availability; introduce malware; impersonate another person or organisation; interfere with normal operation; circumvent technical restrictions, access controls or rate limits; use automated access that materially degrades the Service or accesses information not intended to be public; or infringe the rights of others.
Nothing in this section prohibits ordinary search-engine indexing, normal browser use, linking to public HorrorBooks pages, or other automated access that we have expressly authorised. We may use reasonable technical measures, including rate limits, to protect the Service.
HorrorBooks and its licensors retain their rights in the HorrorBooks name and branding, software, website design, original editorial content, original databases or compilations to the extent protected by law, and other material created for the Service. These Terms give you permission to access and use the Service; they do not transfer ownership.
Books, covers, titles, author photographs, publisher marks, quotations, metadata and other third-party material may be protected by rights belonging to their respective rights holders. Displaying third-party material does not transfer ownership or, by itself, imply sponsorship, endorsement or affiliation.
You may link to public HorrorBooks pages and share ordinary excerpts or screenshots in a way permitted by law. You may not reproduce substantial protected HorrorBooks content or systematically republish the Service in a way that infringes rights. If you believe material infringes your rights, contact hello@horrorbooks.net.
HorrorBooks relies on third-party providers for parts of the Service, which may include authentication, hosting, data storage, analytics, communications and other infrastructure. The Service may contain links to retailers, publishers, authors and external websites or services.
Those third parties operate under their own terms and privacy practices. HorrorBooks does not control them and is not responsible for their content, availability, security or conduct. If you buy from a third party, your transaction is with that third party unless HorrorBooks expressly states otherwise.
Some external links or placements may in future be affiliate, sponsored or other commercial links. Where disclosure is required, we will identify the commercial relationship appropriately. A link, listing or inclusion does not necessarily mean endorsement.
If you create an account, we may send service-related communications reasonably necessary to operate or secure your account. If you separately subscribe to newsletters, recommendations, alerts or other marketing communications, we may send them in accordance with your preferences and applicable law. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails using the mechanism provided; essential account, security and service messages may continue.
HorrorBooks is an evolving service. We may maintain, update, test, redesign, add, remove or discontinue features. We do not guarantee that every feature will always be available, uninterrupted or error-free. We may temporarily restrict access for maintenance, security, legal compliance, abuse prevention or technical reasons.
We may discontinue the Service or a material feature for legitimate operational, legal or business reasons. Where a change materially affects registered users and advance notice is reasonably practicable, we will take reasonable steps to give notice.
You may stop using HorrorBooks at any time. You may request deletion of your HorrorBooks account and associated personal information by contacting us at hello@horrorbooks.net. We do not currently provide an automated account-deletion control.
We may restrict, suspend or disable an account where reasonably necessary because of a material or repeated breach; unlawful, fraudulent or abusive activity; a security threat; conduct that materially interferes with the Service or other users; infringement of another person's rights; or a legal or regulatory requirement.
Where reasonable, we will provide notice and an opportunity to address the issue before permanently disabling an account. We may act without advance notice where immediate action is reasonably necessary for a serious security, legal, fraud or abuse risk. Account deletion or suspension does not require us to delete information we are legally required or reasonably permitted to retain. Our Privacy & Data Policy explains how personal information is handled.
We may update these Terms to reflect changes to the Service, our business, our practices, or applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The current version will be published at https://horrorbooks.net/terms with its effective or last-updated date. Changes apply prospectively from their stated effective date.
If a change materially affects registered users, we will take reasonable steps to provide additional notice where reasonably practicable. We may act more quickly where reasonably necessary for legal, regulatory, security or technical reasons. Where applicable law requires fresh consent, we will obtain it. Continued use after an updated version takes effect constitutes acceptance to the extent permitted by law.
Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantee, right, remedy or liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified, including rights that may apply under the Australian Consumer Law.
To the extent permitted by law, HorrorBooks is not responsible for loss or damage to the extent caused by your misuse or breach; information, products, services or conduct of an independent third party outside our reasonable control; reliance on catalogue information, recommendations, rankings, content warnings or other informational material where the limitations are explained; or events outside our reasonable control. Nothing excludes or limits liability where unlawful.
HorrorBooks may be accessible from outside Australia. If you use the Service from another jurisdiction, you are responsible for complying with local laws that apply to your use. Nothing excludes mandatory rights or remedies that apply under the law of your jurisdiction.
These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. Subject to rights that cannot be excluded or restricted by agreement, disputes may be brought before courts with jurisdiction in New South Wales, Australia.
If you have a question, complaint or dispute concerning HorrorBooks or these Terms, contact:
Thomas Humphrey
Email: hello@horrorbooks.net
We will take reasonable steps to consider complaints or disputes. Nothing prevents you from exercising rights or remedies available under applicable law.
If any part of these Terms is invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue to operate to the extent they can independently. A failure to enforce a provision on one occasion does not waive it on another. These Terms apply only between you and HorrorBooks and do not create third-party rights except where the law provides otherwise.