The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
As a history minor, I LOVE historical fiction novels. Trust me when I say you will not be disappointed in this book if you also love them.
Jennifer McMahon creates the perfect mix of horror and historical fiction. This story will make you scream when someone randomly turns on a light, and you’ll find yourself soaking up every piece of information you can. It’s a chef’s kiss.
Warning!!! It is incredibly gory, and while that’s usually not my style, I was able to push it aside for this book. Little West Hall, Vermont, is stuck in the past within the little town. Nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in an old farmhouse with her mother and six-year-old sister. This farmhouse was the home to Sara Harrison Shea who was at the centre of a sickening murder back in 1908. Ruthie finds an old diary of Sara’s that recites and refills legends and the truth of what really happened back in 1908.
When Ruthie’s younger sister goes missing, Ruthie finds herself on the hunt for clues or any sign as to what may have happened. This is where the diary comes into play.
This book flickers through Sara’s time and Ruthie’s time, causing the audience to play tug of war on piecing the clues back together. Piecing together a perfect Halloween read by being spooky, dark, eerie and full of old legends that every classic horror film/novel features.
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Criminal Minds meets a YA novel. Five teenagers. Five teenagers with extraordinary abilities. Five teenagers with extraordinary abilities who are living together. Five teenagers with extraordinary abilities who are living together and who solve crimes.
While I have personally steered away from YA novels lately, this thriller series has remained one of my favourites ever since I first picked it up. I’ve been in love with Criminal Minds (any Hotch girls out there?) and true crime since I was a kid, so finding this novel was like a dream come true.
Cassie Howard has always been able to tell exactly what people are thinking, making her a key interest in a specialized group in the FBI full of teenagers, all with supernatural gifts. Cassie and this team aid in serial killer murder cases, giving readers that good old serial killer hunting that’s usually reserved for films and TV shows.
These chapters tend to be graphic when describing the murders, which isn’t for everyone. However, it helps to set the mood and hypes up the suspense of what’s going to happen. The chapters are short, allowing for a quick and easy read that doesn’t feel too dragged out.
For those who love romance, there is a very minimal romance at first, but it builds the further you read. As this is a four-book series, it’s recommended to read it all at once, but it’s still easy to pick up again whenever you want!
JLB ate and left no crumbs with this series, but it’s devasting how criminally underrated it is. You’re missing out if you haven’t picked up this mystery thriller series. I mean what are you waiting for? Go read it now!
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
“My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me: 1. I’m in a coma. 2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore. 3. Sometimes I lie.”
If that doesn’t hook you, I don’t know what will.
Just kidding! Step inside the book and meet the main character, Amber. You’re instantly greeted with the fact she can’t move, can’t sleep, can’t open her eyes, and yet can hear everyone around her as she lays in the hospital bed. The worst fear comes to life as she lays there helpless.
The novel flickers through past and present as readers are left to discover what happened to Amber, leaving their minds to explode with every major plot twist and new reveal.
This book seems to be a standard mystery, revolving around the idea of Amber knowing her husband had done something to hurt her, but unable to remember what it was. Or at least, that’s the truth Amber gives us. The typical trope of unreliable narrator exists here, which happens to be one of my favourites, as I love complex characters and warped plot twists that keep you questioning.
You’ll be questioning the entire time about whether a lie is a lie if you believe it to be true. A complex question that gets put to the test the entire novel. The novel is a finely crafted whodunit!! Acting as Feeney’s debut novel with its diabolical twisted thriller with every new guess.
So, you tell me: is a lie a lie if you believe it to be true?
The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James
Follow Sarah Piper in 1920s England as she grapples for work, only for her agency to send her into the hands of a ghost hunter. From there the duo, which soon becomes a trio, investigates the spirit of nineteen-year-old Maddy Clare, who is haunting a barn in a town full of secrets. The book is set right after World War I, allowing the exploration of soldiers coming back from War with twisted supernatural aspects that are done completely well.
This novel is full of supernatural aspects, with chilling hauntings and page-flipping twists. The further Sarah Piper goes into the haunting, the more Maddy Clare’s tragic past comes to life, making you both pity her and route for her revenge plot, even if she is a ghost. Maddy Clare is the perfect example of a vengeful ghost, and honestly, as she should be!
The book includes perfect paranormal vibes and a tiny ounce of romance that isn’t overbearing or cheesy. The romance gives the classic trope of Sunshine character x Grumpy character, which is a personal favourite of mine! The Haunting of Maddy Clare is a super easy and quick read, allowing you to read it in one sitting if you really wanted to.
The Shining by Stephen King
As a homage towards one of my Halloween costumes this year (one of the Shining Twins), I must include Stephen King’s classic novel, The Shining. While the movie is certainly a classic, the book can’t be overlooked. Jack Torrance accepts a job as a hotel caregiver during the off-season. With almost nobody entering the hotel, it gives Torrance the perfect opportunity to reconnect with his failing family.
However, as a harsh winter sets in, the hotel changes from a new beginning to a sinister home in disguise. Dark secrets about the hotel are revealed, allowing for the perfect setting for suspenseful plot points and gripping page-turners.
And no, this pick is not cliché, so whatever you are thinking, you can stop! (Kidding everyone is allowed to have their own opinion; this is a safe space.) However, the exploration of madness that descends over Jack is written beautifully, along with the introduction of ghosts that plague the hotel – or are they ghosts? That’s the question. The complete confinement of the place is terrifying enough without throwing in the psychological aspects. What’s more terrifying than being snowed in at a hotel that’s slowly driving you insane? Oh, a spider? Okay maybe, but not quite!
The characterizations are perfect, making you both feel and want to shake them for certain decisions or the inability to see past the confinement. The horror and the drama of the story is amazing. It intertwines perfectly together and keeps you reading. This novel is arguably one of the most perfect novels to read for Halloween – even better when you can watch the movie after.
If you love classic horror novels, you’d love this book. Even if it’s a reread or simply because you love the movie.