Halloween reading guide: 10 terrifying books worth the nightmare
Prepping for an eerie Halloween? What better way to scare yourself silly than by reading some of the spookiest books out there? Here's a list for you.
Spooky…Terrifying…Spine Chilling…
These words become a part of our daily vocabulary when Halloween is around the corner. Well, if you're looking to spend some one-on-one time with the witches and ghosts or maybe even accompany them on a few hair-raising murders, we have a list of the 10 books that suit the theme of Halloween horror.
We Have Always Lived In The Castle
-Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson has made her name in the horror genre like no other author and in her final novel, she stays true to her identity treating the readers with a haunting and twisted tale. After the unsolved murder of their entire family, sisters Merricat and Constance are ostracized by their town and forced to live in isolation with their ageing Uncle Julian. However, the duo may not be as innocent as they appear.
The Shining
-Stephen King
In one of King's most recognizable horror books, you read a tale of a haunted hotel, a caretaker, and a uniquely gifted five-year-old. Your emotions and beliefs will thrown into turmoil as you read one of the classics of horror.
A Stranger In The House
-Shari Lapena
Karen's life in New York is destroyed when she goes missing only to wake up in a hospital with no memory of what happened. As she returns home with her husband Tom, it feels different, like someone has been there or is someone still there? In a brilliant domestic thriller, everyone has something worth hiding or worse, worth killing.
Nothing But Blackened Teeth
- Cassandra Khaw
Short, sharp and scary! If you are a manga fan or know someone who is in love with the genre, this spooky ghost story full of Japanese folklore, a haunted house and vivid images will live in your mind long after its last page. A group of friends have decided to celebrate a wedding in a hein-era mansion, however, with a lonely ghost bride living there herself, it's time to find some partners for her.
House Of Leaves
-Mark Z. Danielewski
A young family of four moves into a small home where they discover something terribly wrong with it: the house is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. With a uniquely printed story that will have you reading from different sides, this one will surely keep you on the edge.
Grave's End: A True Ghost Story
-Elaine Mercado
If families living in haunted houses is a trope you adore, then Grave's End is a must-read. Considering, the story is a true tale about the author's own experiences living in a haunted house in Brooklyn. With unexplained noises and odours, scary laughter and storage shadows, this will change everything for you.
The Haunting Of Hill House
-Shirley Jackson
For over sixty-four years, Shirley Jackson's unnerving book has been hailed as one of the best-haunted house books to have ever been written. It's a story about four people who arrive at a haunted house, looking to make one of them its own.
Ring
-Koji Suzuki
This one has been adapted into a movie series, a TV show and a manga. The book features a mysterious videotape, that promises and delivers death unless an unspecified act is performed. Follow Asakawa, a journalist who investigates his niece's inexplicable death, in a race against time before the tape finds its next victim.
Diary Of A Haunting
-M.Verano
If you think you can't be scared easily, try giving this one a chance. Paige and her family move into a new building in Los Angeles, unaware that it was once a meeting place of a dangerous cult. Soon, unreadable words appear on walls, a can of ravioli becomes a dozen and Paige's brother begins roaming the house all night. Get under your blankets and let this one give you a spooky nightmare.
The Turn Of The Screw-Henry James
This one is a gothic story about a governess who takes a job looking after two oddly unusual children. With a haunted house, terrifying children and inexplicable occurrences you will be confused whether to continue the book or put it down forever.