When it comes to reading and the spooky season, there are many genres you can read. This article will provide you with a few different genres and book suggestions, whether you want a scary novel or a comfort Halloween book.
One of the first genres associated with the spooky season and Halloween is horror. These are the books that will cause you to look over your shoulder and keep the lights on at night. These books excel in the art of creating fear, so if this does not appeal to you, I would not recommend any of these upcoming books. However, if the sound of this tempts you, there are many different book options.
For example, any book by Stephen King is an amazing horror novel. One of his scariest novels is “It” which follows the story of a clown that preys on children in a small town in Maine. However, if this option is a little too long for you (it is over 1,000 pages), another option is “The Shining.” This novel explores the journey of Jack Torrance, who becomes a caretaker at the Overlook Hotel. The hotel is completely isolated and holds a very dark past which Jack, his wife Wendy and son Danny soon discover when they move there for the winter. This book is one of my personal favorites and is definitely a very haunting read. Other great horror novels include “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson, “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman (this is a great starter horror novel as it is geared towards children) and Dracula by Bram Stoker.
Another genre to read this upcoming Halloween is thrillers. These novels are filled with suspense, mystery and crime. While horror aims to create fear, thriller creates tension and wants you on the edge of your seat. This means that if you prefer suspense over jump scares and brutal violence, thriller is the genre for you. One of the most talked about thriller novels is “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn. “Gone Girl” is about a man named Nick Dunne and his life after his wife Amy disappears. The police suspect Nick in her disappearance, but he swears he wasn’t involved–so what actually happened?
Another great option is the “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ trilogy by Holly Jackson. All three of these novels are full of suspense and mystery as they follow a girl named Pip and her journey to solve different murders and disappearances in her town. These books definitely fall into my top thriller novels, so I recommend you read them! However, if neither of these options interest you, you can also check out “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides, “First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston and “The Whisper Man” by Alex North.
Mystery is also a great option, especially novels that involve Halloween themes. As you read these novels, you can try to solve the mystery yourself or just follow along until the truth is revealed. These novels are different then thrillers as they focus more on solving the murder/crime than building the tension with high stakes. One novel that fits this genre is “Hallowe’en Party” by Agatha Christie. This Christie novel involves Hercule Poirot and his investigation when a girl is killed after claiming to see a murder herself at a Halloween party. Poirot is called in to find out who killed the girl and if her claims of seeing a murder are true.
“Murder in G Major” by Alexia Gordon is another mystery option. This mystery follows the story of Gethsemane Brown when she discovers her house may be haunted by a murderer and gets roped into a murder investigation. Other Halloween mysteries include “Grave Expectations” by Alice Bell, “Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking” by Raquel V. Reyes and “A Spell for Trouble” by Esme Addison.
Dark academia is perfect for the spooky season as it combines mystery, thriller and horror in its pages. These novels incorporate these themes into the settings of old universities, libraries and boarding schools. They then explore the ideas of the pursuit of knowledge and often death. One of the most well-known dark academia novels is “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt. This book follows the story of a group of students who study at an elite college and eventually become involved in a murder. This book is said to be engaging and haunting and has been on my TBR list for a while now.
Another novel is “The Atlas Six” by Olivie Blake that is about six magicians that are selected to join a secret society. However, only five will be initiated into the society while the sixth will be eliminated. This novel is another great dark academia read along with “Bunny” by Mona Awad and “If We Were Villains” by M.L. Rio.
Finally, if thriller, horror and mystery is not for you, another option is cozy Halloween romance novels. These are the novels for when you just want something light and sweet to read. There are no scares, and you can curl up with a blanket and hot chocolate to read. One novel that would be perfect to read is “The Dead Romantics” by Ashley Poston. This novel follows the story of a ghostwriter, Florence Day whose job is endangered when her new editor won’t give her an extension on a novel. However, after her father passes away and she returns home for the funeral, she discovers the ghost of her editor at the parlor’s doorstep. This book is said to be cute and unique so read it and see what you think!
“The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches” by Sangu Mandanna is another Halloween romance. This book is about a witch named Mika who is asked to train three young witches in the Nowhere house where she crosses path with the grumpy librarian, Jamie. While Jamie does not like Mika, he calls for her help when danger threatens the house. More Halloween romances include “The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic” by Linsey Hall, “The League of Gentlewomen Witches” by India Holton, “The Ex Hex” by Erin Sterling and “Perfectly Wicked” by Lindsay Lovise.
Overall, all five of these genres are perfect to read throughout October. Whether you like horror or mystery or cute romances, there is a book for you. There are also many other book options to explore, so feel free to look up these genres and see what other books interest you!