Who else out there reads by season? I shared my favorite summer reads in April and with the spookiest day of the year on Wednesday I thought I’d share the Halloween reads on my book pile.
I’ve got two lists going – books I’ve read and recommend to get you in the Halloween mood and books on my Halloween to-be-read list. I’ll admit that I don’t do super well with horror/scary movies or books, so my recommendations may be a fairly mild list of books (a.k.a. nothing that’ll make you want to sleep with the lights on). All I really need to get it the Halloween spirit is an assortment of vampires, mystery, supernatural shenanigans, and witches.
I can’t make any guarantees about my “to read” list since I haven’t read them yet (duh) so read those at your own risk! The Shining is on there and it was scary enough to make Joe keep it in the freezer (any Friends fans out there??) so who knows what I’m getting myself into.
Recommendations:
1. The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
Mystery, Murder, Ghosts
This one (and a few others on this list) comes directly from my favorite books list. When journalist Fiona Sheridan can’t stop searching for clues about her sister’s mysterious murder 20 years earlier at a haunted boarding school in Vermont, she uncovers more deaths and secrets from decades past. Chapters go between present day with Fiona as she searches for answers and unlikely friends at the boarding school in 1950 and keeps you hooked as you try to solve the mystery of the murders, characters, and ghost. It’s a nail biter and will keep you guessing until the end!
2. Written in Red by Anne Bishop
Shapeshifters, Vampires, People Being Eaten
Written in Red is the first in a five-book series that takes place in the world of the Others, where “unearthly entities” make the rules and humans do their best not to get eaten. The main characters include vampires, shapeshifters, and a blood prophet hiding from her “owner.” I’ve re-read the whole series at least 4 times – trust me, you can’t go wrong with this one.
3. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Mystery, Murder
This is a great one for mystery lovers (and creepy-ness horror haters). When the Orient Express is stopped by a snowdrift and a dead body is discovered, detective Hercule Poirot must discern truth from the red herrings in his path to discover which passenger among them is a murderer. Like any great murder mystery, this story involves complications at every turn, mysterious and untrustworthy characters, and more than one mystery to solve.
4. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Vampires, Supernatural, Murder, Sex
If you’re a romance fan or just love vampires, Dead Until Dark is the pick for you. It’s the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series which follows a telepathic barmaid in Louisiana as she gets more and more entangled in the supernatural world that most humans don’t realize exists. All of the books in the series are super quick reads and easy to pick up whenever you’re in the mood for supernatural characters, murderers wreaking havoc, and great vampire “romance”.
5. The Face of Deception by Iris Johansen
Murder, Mystery, Politics
Forensic sculptor Eve Duncan is enlisted by billionaire John Logan to help identify an adult skull that may be connected to the Kennedy assassination. As she reconstructs the face that once belonged to this mystery skull, Eve uncovers secrets that could get both her and John killed.
I think I paid $4 for this book when I came across it a number of years ago in a Half Price Books and it was worth every penny – it’s another great murder mystery that’ll keep you on your toes.
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
Vampires
How could I leave this one off a Halloween books list? Published in 1897, this gothic horror classic is where we first meet the famed Count Dracula character who has inspired so much subsequent vampire fantasy. I feel like it’s one of those books that you hear about a lot but never actually read, so what better time than Halloween to finally pick it up!
7. The Witch’s Daughter by Paula Brackston
Witches
This one is for all the witch lovers out there. The Witch’s Daughter tells the story of Bess Hawksmith, a 300+ year old witch living in present day England trying desperately to escape her cursed history and the evil that has haunted her for hundreds of years. It’s an absorbing mix of historical fiction, fantasy, and witchcraft that’ll keep you hooked.
8. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Vampires, Werewolves
Ok, don’t laugh but I love the Twilight saga. Growing up I was never a big reader but after I read Twilight as a summer reading assignment for 8thgrade English (we got to pick our own book) I fell in love with reading. It is technically young adult fiction but that doesn’t mean older audiences can’t enjoy it too! It’s not a scary story by any means but it’s got vampires and werewolves and romance and I love it.
My To-Read List:
9. Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King & Owen King
10. The Seance by John Harwood
11. Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice
12. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
13. The Shining by Stephen King
I’ve had Sleeping Beauties on my shelf for a few months now and I’m thinking I might as well start with that one. It’s a massive book so at least if it creeps me out and I start checking the closet monsters I’ll feel like I already have a weapon to fight off attackers.
What’ll your Halloween reads be this year?
Also, if you’ve read any of the books on my “to-read” list, let me know if they’re good choices/if you have other recommendations!
Leave a Reply