Don’t you just love a good creepy read in October? I will admit I’m kind of a chicken, so I don’t really read any extreme horror, but I always enjoy a good ghost story! Here is my list of my favorite creepy reads that are perfect for the month of Halloween!
City of Ghosts + Tunnel of Bones – V.E. Schwab
I read City of Ghosts a few months ago and really enjoyed it! It’s more of a middle grade novel, which means that it isn’t too scary, which means that I can read it without getting scared. Our MC, Cassidy, can see ghosts ever since she almost died in an accident. Her best friend is a ghost, and in City of Ghosts she finds out that she has still a lot to learn about ghosts and what hides behind the “veil” that separates our world from that of the dead. I loved this book because it takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland, which is basically the most perfect setting for any ghost story ever. Tunnel of Bones takes place in Paris, and the catacombs play an important part in this story! The catacombs are the definition of creepy, after all.
House of Salt and Sorrows – Erin A. Craig
I’ve talked about this book a lot in older posts, but it was just so good! This one definitely had creepy vibes. The story takes place on an island that is marked by high cliffs and rugged landscapes, so it’s the perfect setting for a creepy story. It involves murder, ghosts, and vengeful gods. Near the end of the book I was definitely questioning everything I knew of the story; it was all very mind boggling.
Lockwood & Co. series – Jonathan Stroud
Another middle grade series, and again with ghosts! Can you tell I like ghosts? This series is all out and complete and counts five books. In a post-ghostapolypse London, young children are the ones the can see and fight vengeful ghosts and spirits. Therefore, teenagers are often recruited into “agencies;” organizations that exist to get rid of ghosts for the people that can’t see them. These books were really interesting because Stroud includes many types of ghosts, and there is a whole science behind getting rid of them. Every book centers around a big mystery that Lockwood and his friends try to solve.
IT – Stephen King
Okay, I know I said I don’t like extreme horror, and almost all the books I’ve mentioned before are middle grade, but I can’t leave out IT because it’s the only horror book I’ve ever actually read. It was years and years ago, so I don’t remember much of the details, but parts of it thoroughly creeped me out. Because I’m such a chicken, I also have absolutely no desire to see the movies, neither the old nor the new ones. But if you like your horror to actually be scary, I would definitely recommend IT.
That said, of course Stephen King is the master of writing scary books. I have a couple still unread in my shelves, like the Shining, Dr. Sleep, Under the Dome, but I haven’t had the chance to read them yet.
And here are the books that I found creepy AND have actually read! There are many many more creepy books out there, and I definitely want to read more. If you want to check out a longer list of creepy reads, I recommend visiting Reedsy! This list includes mostly adult fiction, and also includes a bunch of classics like Frankenstein, Dracula, and stories by Edgar Allan Poe. If YA is more your thing, check out this list by Bookriot. If you’re actually looking for middle grade novels, check out School Library Journal!
What are some of your favorite scary reads? Do you enjoy horror or are you more like me and very easily creeped out? Have you read any books for my own list of favorite creepy reads? Let me know!
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