Let's kick it off with the books I already own and one in particular that I've already read. House Of Salt And Sorrow is an enticing tale of learning to live again paired with the creepiness of the recently departed haunting the family home with a decieving and cunning trick running throughout. Follow the eight remaining sisters of the Thamaus Dozen, the story follows as they try to regain their footing in life after loosing four of their older sisters to untimely and somewhat horrific deaths. Oh and don't forget their much younger and still relatively new stepmother who is pregnant with what she believes to be the next heir to the family name as well as a handsome new stranger that catches one sisters' eye in particular. I knew I had to read this as soon as I stumbled across it on GoodReads and it really didn't disappoint. It's setting in a small sea faring town made it's creepy atmosphere that little bit creepier and at times the language used to describe the youngest sister's drawings sent a shiver down my spine. The perfect Halloween read for those who want creepy but still want to be able to sleep at night.
I intially picked this next book up during the Summer months but quickly put it down until Autumn once I had read the first two chapters. The Dreadful Tale Of Prosper Redding follows a young boy called Prosper who believes himself to be the least extraordinary person in his family of remarkable people. That's until it comes to light that he is in fact hosting a demon that his great, great grandfather made and broke a pact with. Leaving him just days to break the curse now bestowed upon him, Propser also has to fight with all his might to stop himself for a agreeing on a new deal with his very convincing new body roommate. As I said I picked this up originally in August but the heavy Salem, Founding Father vibes the description of both the town and the characters gave me, meant that I had to put this book down until I wasn't sat reading in a 30C meltdown.
This is the latest addition to my ever growing book collection and I'm not ashamed to say I've already devoured this book (excuse the pun). Advertised as a reimagining of the tale of Dracula's brides, this follows a set of traveller twins, Lil and Kizzy who's lives are turned upside down one horrific night. Now orphaned and seperate from the rest of their surviving traveller family, the pair are set to work as kitchen slaves under Boyar Valcar who's going out of his way to impress The Dragon, a hushed whispered name that sends fear shooting down everyone's spine. It's an amazing reimagining of the tale Dracula's Brides with a twist at the end I didn't even see coming. Even though I've just finished, I would happily read it again.
This next book isn't spooky or chilling in the slightest but the premise just screams a cold October night that could lend itself to adding a chilling twist to this book. The Night Circus follows a mysterious travelling circus that appears for one night and one night only. And within it's ranks are two dueling magicians where only one can live but against their will they fall in love. Yet the game they're entangled in still needs to play out, with the fates of everyone involved. This book screams this time of year to me and if I have enough time this month I'm planning on definitely making a start on it.
Now this next book isn't one of the literay world's finest but it definitely has a spooky/chilling vibe about it that is perfect for this time of year. The Haunting Of James Hastings follows James as he struggles to come to terms with the death of his wife. He's fallen into a habit of drinking himself into a stupor, sleeping with his neighbour to ease the loneliness and hearing his dead wifes voice. And that's where the creepiness comes into play. I'm not going to give much more away about the plot as it does get quite complex but trust me the part where he starts to not only hear but see his dead wife around their marital home is the part where I stopped reading it at night. It's not that I'm a wimp (I am) but because the way the scenes were written made it feel like you actually in them and there was a sensation of being watched but by whom a mystery.
Dracula is one of those books I've always wanted to read but have always been a little put off at the same time after being forced to read it at school. I think that's a statement that stands with a lot of classics, especially when it comes to rereading them as an adult. Yet every Halloween I get the urge to read it but for some reason I never do. I'm not even going to bore you with the plot that everyone already knows and most love. Maybe if I have time this year, I'll finally get round to actually picking it up but it's definitely a brilliant Halloween read.
As is this next book which again I was forced to read in school so have always had a copy but never reached for as an adult. Now I've always been fascinated by the story of Frankenstein not only by the monster he creates but what drives the young Victor Frankenstein to steal numerous and various body parts to create his creature. Sure this book has spanned a ton of films, tv series and books around the monster alone but it's an extremly diverse book that has you questioning your very exsistence after reading of the monsters poor isolated life of which he exacts his revenge for. Again if I have time this year I'll attempt to pick it up but it's more than likely this will be one that ends up waiting another year to be unearthed.
Again another classic that I've been meaning to read for years is a tale as old as time. Jekyll and Hyde follows the tale of a London lawyer called John Utterson as he investigates and studies the strange and somewhat horrific occurrences between his old friend Dr Jekyll and his evil alter ego Mr Hyde. Again this has been portrayed throughout various types of media but I've always wanted to read it's original tale.
And the last book I want to recommend for you this Halloween is another I've read recently. It's the least spooky of the bunch but has a darkness throughout that will keep you gripped to the very end. A Beauty And The Beast reimagining, this tale follows Harper who is transported to the beautiful yet cursed Emberfall as she attempts to save someone from being attacked in the street. There she meets Prince Rehn who's spent the last five years reliving the same season of his eighteenth birthday thanks to a curse bestowed upon him by Lilith. And he believes that Harper could be the one to break the curse before the creature cursed upon Emberfall returns at the end of the season. This book is amazing, Harper is an amazingly written female protaganist who doesn't let her disability (cerebal palsy) stop her from standing up for what she believes in, even if it means risking her own life. Not spooky at all but it has that darkness that the original tale of The Beauty And The Beast has. I'm already dying to get my hands on the sequel, especially after how this first book ended.
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