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Looking for a good Halloween read? This fall in particular has felt like the absolute perfect atmosphere to dig into those creepy, horror, thriller type books. Even with a pandemic out there, these can be a real escape and the list of my top 10 favorite are below!
I discovered Grady Hendrix this year and applaud him on his books. They’re super kitschy and a lot of fun – the perfect mix of what-the-whaaaat kind of horror and really great character development. If you want a B-quality horror movie in a book, pick up either one of these gems!
2. The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Zombies! This book is so perfectly paced and the story is really unique. It’s beautifully dark and peppered with great action, story, and magic. I read this one in a single day, it’s a perfect page turner.
3. The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup
While technically a thriller and not horror, I think this book does a great job at the creepy. There are all kinds of crime mysteries out there that jump the shark but Sveistrup has crafted a truly heinous crime novel. It’s a great read!
4. Verity by Colleen Hoover
This book is bound to creep. you. out. I got some serious heebie jeebies reading this. It’s absolutely a whack-job psychological thriller. It’s so good, I don’t even know if I like it.
5. Dracula by Bram Stoker
What’s a list of spooky stories without a class? Let me be honest – I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. Even as someone who makes it a point to read a classic every once in a while, I still thought this one would be a struggle but… it wasn’t. Would you believe that this is truly a kick-butt story? I thought I knew the plot going in, but I really didn’t. When it comes to an exciting, suspenseful, heart-stopping thriller, this book has it all.
6. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Okay, while not exactly a horror or creepy book in of itself, I still had to put it on the list because it’s fantastic. It’s an amazing novel with such a poignant story. And it’s perfect for this time of the year because it’s all about witches, and people who live in cemeteries, and ghosts, and dia de los muertos. Hiiiighly recommend.
7. The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King
It was, obviously, impossible to make a list of spooky books without listing King. But, I’ll be honest, I haven’t read many of his books and the ones I did, were ages and ages ago. But I did read the Eyes of the Dragon not lot ago via audio and it veritably blew my mind. The narrator is exceptional and you’ll find yourself looking behind you as you listen. It’s a great King to pick up and feels different than some of his other works.
8. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
This story is so raw and unique and really, really dark. The dark fantasy and the way the characters play together will give you a lot of opportunity to shudder.
9. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
This is one of your classic, legit horror books. All dark and sinister you can see the grainy film playing in your mind as you read. While not a 5-star blow it out of the water book for me, it’s a very solid choice if you’re looking for something to creep you out at midnight.
10. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
This is a super interesting and, I thought, creepy story. There’s a lot of back and forth as the story spools out before you – and with three different narrations it’s a classic tale of spending an entire book trying to know what to believe. More along the lines of a mystery/suspense, it’s a good psychological one to read.
What are some of your favorite spooky reads?
Categories: Lists, Pick Ups, Weekly Review | Tags: best of, book club, book list, book recommendations, book review, bookworm, exorcism, favorites, ghost, ghosts, halloween, horror, king, october, reviews, thriller, top 10, top ten, vampires, zombies | Leave a comment
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