Five Spooky Reads for October
Since October brings us Halloween, it's fun to get into the spirit of the spooky. I'm not one to seek out scary reads, but I read a book every once in a while that is reportedly "scary," "haunting," or full of murdering zombies. Sometimes these books terrify me and make me want to never read a scary book again. But there are a few choice ones that provide a bit of a scare that comes in such a well-crafted form that I really have to tip my hat and give credit to the author for drawing me in and frightening me just the right amount.
So that being said, I have five books to recommend to those out there who want a book that will give you a good scare just in time for Halloween. Now, the list jumps around in target audience. I read all over the map, so there are books on this list for adults, young adults, and juveniles. Honestly, all are well crafted stories that anyone can enjoy...except young children might want to wait until they crack open a few of these!
1. My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
Now, this is a book that I normally wouldn't pick up because I don't like possession stories, they terrify me. And Grady Hendrix writes horror stories. But the premise of this book just sounded so compelling that I wanted to give it a shot - and man, I got spooked.
There were moments in this book that truly freaked me out. I was absolutely terrified and I was just reading words on a page! It was a slow build of creepy that led to intense moments of tension and horror. The creepiness of the book grows and grows until you're wondering if there can possibly be a "good" ending. The writing was truly immersive and I have to give Hendrix credit for scaring me. Days after I finished the book, I kept thinking about it and how much it freaked me out.
If you like a good ghost story, or books about demons possessing innocent girls, or even if you're into the Eighties as a decade, this book is for you. And, there's even a Spotify playlist the author created that you can listen to to really get you in the mood for this book.
2. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
Through the Woods is a comic book of short stories, each more terrifying than the last. I was immediately drawn to this book simply based on its cover art, which is gorgeous. The illustrations are as beautiful as they are terrifying and there are so many elements to this book so that there's a scare for everybody.
This book has a lot going on - there are supernatural elements along side the human elements, so you're never really sure if its a human-nature situation or a beastly situation until it's too late. There are images within this book that still haunt me to this day.
The images themselves are creepy, colorful, sick, and really draw you in. Many of the stories read like ghost stories and touch on subjects such as "things that go bump in the night" and the undead coming back to haunt the living. I honestly don't know what Emily Carroll is like, but if this book is any indication, she has one creepy imagination.
The book is aimed at young adults, but I think any adult reading these would get just as much of a fright from them. Some of the stories are a bit gory, so I wouldn't show this to a young child, but if you know a teen who maybe doesn't like to read, this might hook them, especially if you dare them not to get scared while reading it! I was truly scared by these stories and I had nightmares about them, so be warned.
3. I Am Legend & Other Stories by Richard Matheson
When I read this book, I was so disturbed by it that I rated it quite low. That's not to say the stories were badly written or the plots/characters weren't any good. This was mostly to do with how badly I was scared by some of the stories and of the utter hopelessness and terror these stories inspired in me, especially the titular story. For those of you who have seen the movie, starring Will Smith, it is absolutely nothing like the short story. There is a bleak sense of futility to the story and the terror doesn't stop at the monsters, but stretches to the desperation of loneliness and the monstrosity that humanity is capable of. The story has a great twist that will definitely surprise you.
The rest of the stories are shorter and their horror is much more concentrated and immediate. There is a particular story within this collection, Prey, that will haunt me for the rest of my life. Richard Matheson is a powerhouse in the world of terror and horror and has written stories for The Twilight Zone. If you want a good scare, he's a great place to start.
4. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
This book took me a while to read - not so much for its scare factor but for its gore and violence. This story, like with I Am Legend, is about vampires. The story is brutal and full of blood and acid disfigurement and death. I would suggest this book only to those with strong stomachs - I'm surprised I got through it at all, since I am a lightweight when it comes to such things and even small amounts of injury make me squeamish.
The story focuses on a boy, Oskar, who is bullied and later meets a vampire who was turned as a child and so has stayed in a child's body. The two become friends and have to deal with the complications consequences of vampirism. The book is partly a detective story in addition to being about Oskar. There are many narratives interwoven and keep the book moving. Many of the characters are flawed or extremely detestable and the whole novel is saturated in darkness and trauma.
This is a book best left alone if you're not into gory horror. It's also quite bleak and repulsive in places - thematically, not because of the writing style. Lindqvist is a very good storyteller and I was definitely immersed in the world he built - I just didn't want to be in for very long. If you're into vampire stories, you might want to give it a go. If not, check out some of Lindqvist's other stories - many of which are horror.
5. The Nest by Kenneth Oppel
I've saved the best for last - The Nest. It's one of my all-time favorite books, and it's the most tame book in this list. That being said, there is definitely a strong creep-factor. But this book is written for the 3rd-5th grade range, so it's not incredibly terrifying - unless you have apiphobia (the fear of bees and wasps).
The book has many levels of fear running through it. The main character, Steve, is a young boy who's baby brother is very sick. His parents are in and out of the house, spending much of their time at the hospital with their sick child. Steve is afraid for his baby brother and is visited in his dream by a hive queen that promises to help his brother. Steve isn't sure whether he should be afraid of her or not and so there's another element of fear mixed in. Additionally, and one of the reasons I adore this book so much, is that Steve also suffers from anxiety - and perhaps OCD. His other worries exacerbate this issue and, because his parents are preoccupied with their seriously sick child, little time and care is paid to Steve (though his parents try their best to address Steve's needs, too). This book is not afraid to touch on these kinds of issues and I love that it treats them properly.
Oppel weaves all these elements into a tense, gripping story that will really spook you. I got goosebumps when I read it. I recommend this book to pretty much anyone I know, no matter their age, because Oppel has written something truly powerful and its impact is no less felt by adults than children. Honestly, if you're only willing to read one thing from this list, read this one. It's short, it's got just the right amount of creepiness that anyone can enjoy it and it's got a powerful message that will stay with you long after you've finished it.
So that being said, I have five books to recommend to those out there who want a book that will give you a good scare just in time for Halloween. Now, the list jumps around in target audience. I read all over the map, so there are books on this list for adults, young adults, and juveniles. Honestly, all are well crafted stories that anyone can enjoy...except young children might want to wait until they crack open a few of these!
1. My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
Now, this is a book that I normally wouldn't pick up because I don't like possession stories, they terrify me. And Grady Hendrix writes horror stories. But the premise of this book just sounded so compelling that I wanted to give it a shot - and man, I got spooked.There were moments in this book that truly freaked me out. I was absolutely terrified and I was just reading words on a page! It was a slow build of creepy that led to intense moments of tension and horror. The creepiness of the book grows and grows until you're wondering if there can possibly be a "good" ending. The writing was truly immersive and I have to give Hendrix credit for scaring me. Days after I finished the book, I kept thinking about it and how much it freaked me out.
If you like a good ghost story, or books about demons possessing innocent girls, or even if you're into the Eighties as a decade, this book is for you. And, there's even a Spotify playlist the author created that you can listen to to really get you in the mood for this book.
2. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
This book has a lot going on - there are supernatural elements along side the human elements, so you're never really sure if its a human-nature situation or a beastly situation until it's too late. There are images within this book that still haunt me to this day.
The images themselves are creepy, colorful, sick, and really draw you in. Many of the stories read like ghost stories and touch on subjects such as "things that go bump in the night" and the undead coming back to haunt the living. I honestly don't know what Emily Carroll is like, but if this book is any indication, she has one creepy imagination.
The book is aimed at young adults, but I think any adult reading these would get just as much of a fright from them. Some of the stories are a bit gory, so I wouldn't show this to a young child, but if you know a teen who maybe doesn't like to read, this might hook them, especially if you dare them not to get scared while reading it! I was truly scared by these stories and I had nightmares about them, so be warned.
3. I Am Legend & Other Stories by Richard Matheson
When I read this book, I was so disturbed by it that I rated it quite low. That's not to say the stories were badly written or the plots/characters weren't any good. This was mostly to do with how badly I was scared by some of the stories and of the utter hopelessness and terror these stories inspired in me, especially the titular story. For those of you who have seen the movie, starring Will Smith, it is absolutely nothing like the short story. There is a bleak sense of futility to the story and the terror doesn't stop at the monsters, but stretches to the desperation of loneliness and the monstrosity that humanity is capable of. The story has a great twist that will definitely surprise you.
The rest of the stories are shorter and their horror is much more concentrated and immediate. There is a particular story within this collection, Prey, that will haunt me for the rest of my life. Richard Matheson is a powerhouse in the world of terror and horror and has written stories for The Twilight Zone. If you want a good scare, he's a great place to start.
4. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
This book took me a while to read - not so much for its scare factor but for its gore and violence. This story, like with I Am Legend, is about vampires. The story is brutal and full of blood and acid disfigurement and death. I would suggest this book only to those with strong stomachs - I'm surprised I got through it at all, since I am a lightweight when it comes to such things and even small amounts of injury make me squeamish.The story focuses on a boy, Oskar, who is bullied and later meets a vampire who was turned as a child and so has stayed in a child's body. The two become friends and have to deal with the complications consequences of vampirism. The book is partly a detective story in addition to being about Oskar. There are many narratives interwoven and keep the book moving. Many of the characters are flawed or extremely detestable and the whole novel is saturated in darkness and trauma.
This is a book best left alone if you're not into gory horror. It's also quite bleak and repulsive in places - thematically, not because of the writing style. Lindqvist is a very good storyteller and I was definitely immersed in the world he built - I just didn't want to be in for very long. If you're into vampire stories, you might want to give it a go. If not, check out some of Lindqvist's other stories - many of which are horror.
5. The Nest by Kenneth Oppel
I've saved the best for last - The Nest. It's one of my all-time favorite books, and it's the most tame book in this list. That being said, there is definitely a strong creep-factor. But this book is written for the 3rd-5th grade range, so it's not incredibly terrifying - unless you have apiphobia (the fear of bees and wasps).The book has many levels of fear running through it. The main character, Steve, is a young boy who's baby brother is very sick. His parents are in and out of the house, spending much of their time at the hospital with their sick child. Steve is afraid for his baby brother and is visited in his dream by a hive queen that promises to help his brother. Steve isn't sure whether he should be afraid of her or not and so there's another element of fear mixed in. Additionally, and one of the reasons I adore this book so much, is that Steve also suffers from anxiety - and perhaps OCD. His other worries exacerbate this issue and, because his parents are preoccupied with their seriously sick child, little time and care is paid to Steve (though his parents try their best to address Steve's needs, too). This book is not afraid to touch on these kinds of issues and I love that it treats them properly.
Oppel weaves all these elements into a tense, gripping story that will really spook you. I got goosebumps when I read it. I recommend this book to pretty much anyone I know, no matter their age, because Oppel has written something truly powerful and its impact is no less felt by adults than children. Honestly, if you're only willing to read one thing from this list, read this one. It's short, it's got just the right amount of creepiness that anyone can enjoy it and it's got a powerful message that will stay with you long after you've finished it.
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