Books for a horrifying Halloween

We all know fall offers the best weather for bookworms. The rain, the clouds and the gloom create the perfect atmosphere to curl up with a cup of tea, a soft blanket and your favorite book. With Halloween right around the corner, here are some recommendations that will keep the spooky and gloomy vibe going. 

“Dracula” (1897): Bram Stoker

Starting with some classic horror novels, you can never go wrong with “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. This 1897 book introduces the vampire Dracula who is trying to move to England from Transylvania to create new vampires. “Dracula” has been a Halloween classic for several years and is sure to give off spooky vibes. 

“The Haunting of Hill House” (1959): Shirley Jackson

Psychological horror novels have the ability to mess with your mind, causing them to be scarier. These stories often involve an enemy that is never seen but only implied. One of the more popular ones is “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson. This is a story of four people — Dr. Montague, Theodora, Luke and Eleanor — who stay in Hill House to prove the existence of the paranormal. All of the unexplained events and noises go unseen and leave readers with questions of what is going on. 

“Pet Sematary” (1983): Stephen King

If you’re looking for thrilling horror books, or you really just don’t feel like sleeping tonight, there are plenty of options available to fill your desire. “Pet Sematary” by Stephen King will definitely leave you with some uneasiness. This is a story about exactly what it sounds like: a cemetery full of pets. However, this cemetery is not all as it seems. 

“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” (1981-1991): Alvin Schwartz

Another horror option perfect for Halloween night is “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” by Alvin Schwartz. This is a trilogy of books filled with short, horrifying stories that are great to tell your friends or traumatize your younger siblings. The stories in these books range from about two and a half to eight pages long and consist of a wide variety of topics and characters. 

Many of these books have also been made into film adaptations. If you’ve had a long day riddled with homework and zoom classes, sometimes your brain just doesn’t want to read words on a page. This is where the horror films come in handy. “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” was released last year and is available to stream on Hulu, “The Haunting of Hill House” was turned into a series on Netflix, and “Pet Sematary” is available through Amazon Prime. 

Horror books are definitely not in any shortage. There are so many subgenres stemming from horror that provide something for everyone. From sheer horror to suspenseful thrillers, all of these stories are sure to keep the spooky spirits high.