Spooky Season Books I Want to Read đ»
Give me all the bookish ghouls and goblins!
Itâs October 1st and I am so ready to read all of the spooky, scary books that this season has to offer. In fact, the scarier the better, I say. Here are some books that I want to read this spooky season and I hope theyâll have me (and you!) side-eyeing the dark recesses of the closet at night. đ±
SPOOKY NEW RELEASES I WANT TO READ:
WILLIAM by Mason Coile (Sept 2024)
This is a psychological horror story about the dangers of artificial intelligence. Henry, a brilliant engineer has achieved the breakthrough of his career â heâs created an artificially intelligent consciousness. He calls the half-formed robot William. Henry keeps his creation (obsession?) a secret in the attic, and even his wife, Lily, doesnât know about it. Eventually, Lilyâs friends show up to the house for brunch, and to meet Henry. He decides to introduce them all to William, with disastrous results.
SUCH LOVELY SKIN by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne (Sept 2024)
After spending the summer wracked with guilt about causing the accident that killed her little sister, ambitious gamer and chronic liar Viv returns to Twitch streaming. She never told her parents the truth about the accident, but she hopes that maybe making it big in streaming and giving the money to them is penance enough for her mistakes. The weekend before school starts, Viv finds the perfect horror game to make her Twitch comeback. When an NPC asks Viv for a secret, she decides to tell them the truth about her sisterâs deathâin doing so, she accidentally welcomes a demonic mimic into her life.
PAY THE PIPER by George A. Romero + Daniel Kraus (Sept 2024)
Young RenĂ©e Pontiac has heard stories of âthe Piperââa murderous swamp entity haunting the bayou in Alligator Point, Louisianaâher entire life. But now the legend feels horrifically real: children are being taken and gruesomely slain. To resist, Pontiac and the townâs desperate denizens will need to acknowledge the sins of their ancestorsâthe infamous slave traders, the Pirates Lafitte. If they donât... itâs time to pay the piper.
COUP DE GRĂCE by Sofia Ajram (out today, Oct 1st, 2024)
A psychological horror story about Vicken who has a plan to throw himself into the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal and end it all for good, believing it to be the only way out for him after a lifetime of depression and pain. But, stepping off the subway, he finds himself in an endless, looping station. Determined to find a way out again, he starts to explore the rooms and corridors ahead of him. But no matter how many claustrophobic hallways or vast cathedral-esque rooms he passes through, the exit is nowhere in sight.
SPOOKY BACKLIST TITLES I WANT TO READ:
THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by Stephen Graham Jones
This story follows four American Indian men after a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives. Tracked by an entity bent on revenge, these childhood friends are helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.
NOTHING BUT BLACKENED TEETH by Cassandra Khaw
A mansion stands abandoned, its foundations resting on the bones of a bride and its walls packed with the remains of the girls sacrificed to keep her company. Itâs the perfect wedding venue for a group of thrill-seeking friends. But a night of food, drinks, and games quickly spirals into a nightmare. For lurking in the shadows is the ghost bride with a black smile and a hungry heart. And she gets lonely down there in the dirt.
THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET by Catriona Ward
In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. A teenage girl who isnât allowed outside, not after last time. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. An unspeakable secret binds them together, but when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is buried out among the birch trees may come back to haunt them all.
THIS THING BETWEEN US by Gus Moreno
It was Vera's idea to buy the Itza. The "world's most advanced smart speaker!" didn't interest Thiago, but Vera thought it would be a bit of fun for them amidst all the strange occurrences happening in the condo. It made things worse. The cold spots and scratching in the walls were weird enough, but peculiar packages started showing up at the house. Then there was the eerie music at odd hours, and Thiago waking up to Itza projecting light shows in an empty room. It was funny and strange right up until Vera was killed, and Thiago's world became unbearable.
BONUS - SPOOKY TITLES IâVE READ RECENTLY AND LOVED:
THE HOLLOW PLACES by T. Kingfisher (listen to my review)
A woman discovers a strange portal in her uncleâs home and decides to explore it with her best friend. They become lost in a strange land, and terror and madness ensues.
THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME by Gabino Iglesias (listen to my review)
A fatherâs grief leads him to a life of violence and crime. Those crimes lead him to the border between Texas and Mexico and to nightmarish encounters that defy explanation.
IâM THINKING OF ENDING THINGS by Iain Reid (read my review)
A totally mindbending story about a woman who wants to break up with her boyfriend, but inexplicably agrees to go on a road trip with him to meet his parents. Except⊠thatâs not really what itâs about at all. Super trippy and unsettling!
A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS by Paul Tremblay
A 14-year-old girl begins to show signs of schizophrenia. When her stable home devolves into a house of horrors, her family turns to the local Catholic priest. He recommends an exorcism and contacts a production company to document it all. They soon find themselves the stars of âThe Possessionâ - a hit new reality TV series. When events in the household explode in tragedy, the show and the shocking incidents it captures become the stuff of urban legend.
What are some of your spooky, scary books? And which ones are you looking forward to reading this season? Tell me all the things in the comments! đ
The Last House on Needless Street was a ride!! And Nothing But Blackened Teeth is perfect for a weekend evening or foggy dayâ a quick read with a bite!!