Typically my list of must read books for the spook-tastic month of October would be quite lengthy. I’m not the biggest fan of the horror genre and I don’t tend to read creepy books throughout the year. However, in October, I get in the mood to read something a little scarier. I am VERY short on time this year but there are three stories that I must read or it just won’t feel like spooky season. I’ve read and reviewed each of these stories so I’m not going to review them here but I will give you their synopsis and tell you why I want to read them again. Let’s get started! 

Pet Sematary by Stephen King is my favorite horror story of all time. It’s the kind of horror that really gets to me; not just the supernatural aspect but the overall themes of love, loss and grief. I also really enjoy the inclusion of the Native American burial ground and lore. This isn’t a gory or graphic book that relies on cheap scares but it’s deeply frightening all the same. Here’s my very old and crappy review. 

Synopsis:

When the Creeds move into a beautiful old house in rural Maine, it all seems too good to be true: physician father, beautiful wife, charming little daughter, adorable infant son-and now an idyllic home. As a family, they’ve got it all…right down to the friendly car. But the nearby woods hide a blood-chilling truth-more terrifying than death itself-and hideously more powerful. The Creeds are going to learn that sometimes dead is better.

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig is a newer book that became an instant favorite as soon as I read it. This book is based on the fairytale, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” and somehow Craig turned a children’s tale into a creepy and atmospheric fantasy. This isn’t a typical scary story and is instead a mixture of genres. It’s primarily a fantasy set in a fictional Victorian-esque world but there’s an added layer of spookiness. It is literally the perfect book for anyone that isn’t the biggest horror fan but who still wants to read something atmospheric and discomforting. Here’s my full review. 

Synopsis:

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

“Little Dead Red” by Mercedes M. Yardley is a novella that packs a punch. This is a gritty, modern spin on the story of “Little Red Riding Hood.” A few of the reasons why I love Pet Sematary are also why I love this short story; it’s story about intense love and intense loss. It also has a twist ending that left me stunned. Here’s my full review. 

Synopsis:

“Little Dead Red” is a realistic fairy tale that creeps in the dark with modern day wolves and those who hunt them.

Final Thoughts:

I’m planning to review at least three books this month but I hope to find some time to squeeze these beloved stories into my schedule. What books do you enjoy reading in October? Thanks for reading and have a great day!