Horror is not a genre that everyone enjoys. I’ve only just started getting into it, meaning I’ve read quite a few books that toe the line. While the genre as a whole may not be appealing to some, I think there are some great books out there with horror aspects that can serve as some spooky reads for October (or anytime, really).
Gallant, V.E. Schwab
If you like spooky houses and family mysteries, this book is for you. Olivia Prior is an orphan who clings to her only possession from her mother: a journal that seems to turn to madness as the entries progress. When she gets a letter inviting her to the home of her family, she accepts, even if her cousin is hostile and the home seems to be haunted by ghouls. What secrets does the manor hide? What can she uncover about her mother’s descent into madness, or about her unknown father?
This book features a lot of spooky vibes without being outright scary, I’d say. The ghouls are probably the scariest part, but they are more silent observers than hostile foes. Olivia is a great protagonist, and her silent experiences of the world around her make for a unique frame to an already intriguing story. The overall vibe of the book is perfect for late autumn and Halloween. You don’t have much to fear here, other than the answers that lurk in the dark.
A Study in Drowning, Ava Reid
I’ve talked a bit about this book elsewhere on the blog, but it deserves a spot here. This is a nice piece of atmospheric dark academia, with a damp and gloomy vibe made for a cold autumn day. The main character, Effy, has been haunted for her whole life by tales and visions of the Fairy King. She wields a book about his defeat like a talisman, it being the only thing keeping her sane.
When Effy is chosen to remodel the home of the author of her favorite book, she accepts readily to honor his work. But the home is in disrepair, is full of locked doors and mysteries, and haunted by the visions she has spent her life trying to escape. She must engage in research, determining fact from fiction, and uncover the truth of the Fairy King’s connection to the author’s home before it’s swallowed up by the sea.
The Devils, Joe Abercrombie
This book feels like a Dungeons and Dragons adventure gone wrong and right. It’s full of supernatural characters, good humor, and plenty of dark elements, as the party attempts to return the lost princess to her throne. While I wouldn’t call this book horror, many consider it to be so, likely due to some of the darker elements present in some of the characters pasts.
A werewolf who kills in her rage, an elf forced to perform for those who hate her, and a vampire who feeds on innocents and can control minds are just some of the colorful cast with their own issues. And the dark forces that wish to take the throne themselves cause chaos and death at every turn. This book is a lot of fun and a little spooky, perfect for this time of year.
The Road, Cormac McCarthy
I would fully call this book horror, but the simplicity of the narrative and the heart present within the story lessen the blow of the occasional horrific scenes. The Road is about a father and son at the end of the world, struggling to survive off of what they can find. There are no zombies or aliens, just fog and ash in the air. Much of the horror comes from the isolation they face and the people they do encounter, many of which have resorted to depraved actions like slavery and cannibalism to stay alive.
This book is dark, but not too scary. There are some intense scenes and emotional moments for sure, but the love of a father and his son being at the forefront of the story makes up for it. If you like post-apocalyptic reads and short punchy books, give this one a go.
The Thirteenth Child, Erin A. Craig
Another gothic style light horror book, The Thirteenth Child is about a girl whose godfather is the god of death. He chose her to be a great healer, who will master life and death in order to save lives. Healing is easy, and comes naturally to her. But Hazel soon learns that some of her patients are better off dead, and it’s her job to kill them.
She eventually finds her way to the royal court, charged with healing the king. But he’s marked for death. Will she keep him alive, to spare his daughter the grief of losing a parent Or will she kill him herself, possibly saving the whole kingdom from being plunged into chaos and war? Life and death is constantly in flux in this book, with a haunting atmosphere to accompany it.
Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir
Like The Devils, this book is horror elements with humor and heart. The overall atmosphere of necromancers and death makes for a great spooky season read and the enjoyable characters make for a truly wonderful read. Gideon wants nothing to do with Harrowhark, a necromancer and leader of the Ninth House. But when she’s offered her own freedom in exchange for being Harrow’s cavalier in a challenge set by the Emperor, she agrees. What ensues is a series of dangerous trials that will require them to overcome life and death in order to save the Ninth House, and their lives.
Like I said, this book is funny, irreverent, and just spooky enough to be considered. It’s a little more sci-fi/sci-fantasy, but that just means it’s a fantastic genre blender that I really need to keep reading.
World War Z, Max Brooks
Most of the time, zombie stories are straight up horror. But the narrative framing of this book makes it come across as less bone-chilling and more analytical (which is scary in a different way, I suppose). The book is a series of interviews that detail the beginning, middle, and ‘end’ of a zombie outbreak in the world. Chaos ensues, wars are waged, and people are forced into uncomfortable circumstances.
This book will make you think. Max Brooks knows what he’s doing when it comes to breaking and rebuilding Earth. It’s not a jumpscare, high stress kind of horror. It’s deliberate and meticulous. But due to the framing itself, you know that those being interviewed survived their experiences. The whole book is about survival, and how we emerge from the ashes to hopefully create a better world.
And there we have it! Seven spooky-ish reads to consider checking it. It’s been fun delving more into horror and finding novels that are on the cusp of genres. It’s nice to enjoy a book with a good mystery or haunting atmosphere from time to time, especially during the month of October.
This content was written and created by a human, without the use of any artificial intelligence tools. The authors do not authorize this article’s usage in training AI tools. We proudly support the original works of creators and individuals over technology that steals and manipulates original content without consent of creators.
Leave a Reply