I’ve been waiting all year long for this topic! I could talk about creepy reads at any time of the year, but October just feels right. I decided to dive head first into some well reviewed horror reads and I’m enjoying it immensely!! Who knows, maybe I’ll continue to read some in November. The atmosphere in the fall months just makes creepy reads so much better. I figured we could do this topic towards the beginning of October so that those who are looking for some creepy reads will get some recommendations 🙂
Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme where I explore different topics. If you are interested in participating I would love to have you! Here is a list of my Upcoming Topics in October – please remember to ping back a specific post of mine so I get a notification and I will add you to the participants list!
MY BEST FRIENDS EXORCISM by Grady Hendrix
I freaking love this cover! This was really the only reason why I bought it. I wanted it displayed all nice and pretty on my shelves. I read the synopsis and expected a parody of a horror movie – I fully expected to not take a single thing seriously. But what ended up happening was that this book sucked me into the story and characters 100%! What they were going through was all the things gross, creepy, and ewww! I absolutely loved this one! It was very descriptive in the way that things looked, smelled, felt and more. It was very atmospheric and wonderful!
A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS by Paul Tremblay
This is possibly the only book I’ve ever read that really creeped me out and scared me. It deals with a girl who is displaying signs of mental illness but her family thinks there’s more to it than that. I went through it wondering if I could really trust my own instincts and if I could really trust what I had read. The answer to that was no – I couldn’t trust anything! The vivid descriptions of what this girl was going through and what she was doing gave me goosebumps and chills all over. I had no idea what was real or fake. And the ending of this book was EPIC!!! OMG I didn’t see it coming at all. I still think about it and I read this years ago. Out of all the books I’ll talk about in this top 5, this is the one that creeped me out the most! Highly recommend!
YOU by Caroline Kepnes
This one played games with my mind! First of all, it’s told from the perspective of a stalker as he follows women, builds trusting relationships, and murders. Seriously. It’s an insight that I never thought I would get and it was CREEPY! Throughout the book as he’s rationalizing his actions I actually felt sympathy and understanding for him! Then I would shake my head and remember that this man is a psycho and I shouldn’t feel bad for him! It was really graphic and messed up and I loved every minute of it! I just started Hidden Bodies which is the sequel to this and already I’m finding myself siding with him and sympathizing with him! So well written!
NIGHT FILM by Marisha Pessl
This is a book that I never expected to like but I ended up absolutely loving the eerie vibe of the whole thing. Part mystery and part thriller, an investigative journalist goes on the hunt of the real story involving the suicide of the daughter of a horror film director. The suicide seemed to be cut and dry but Scott McGrath thinks otherwise. So he goes out searching for clues from her past and the secret life of her father. The mystery part wasn’t what got me, but I had this vague feeling that there was someone always watching over my/his shoulders. Things especially got creepy when Scott goes to the “abandoned mansion” of the director and then things get crazy! This ended up being a really good read! I wasn’t a fan of the ending really, but it didn’t ruin the experience!
THE SHINING by Stephen King
I bet there will be a few people who would say that there are a ton of other Stephen King books out there that are creepier than this one. There probably are. But I haven’t read those yet! I read this one when I was a teenager and I remember being totally creeped out by the seclusion, the madness, the innocence of the child and wife, and the utter helplessness of the situation. There are some that are massive King fans and if you have one to suggest (don’t tell me IT because I’m reading that one right now!!) then I’m all ears. Pet Semetary maybe??
TOP 5 TUESDAY PARTICIPANTS:
- Sarah Jane – Weaving Life
- Vanessa – The Bookish Deer
- Jillian – Jillian The Bookish Butterfly
- Erin – A Red Head’s Rambling
- Paige – The Girl With All The Books
- Lauren – Books Are Only The Beginning
- Rachel – Pace Amore Libri
- Rebecca – My Life As A Sports Fangirl
Ok this last one isn’t technically a top 5. It’s a top one. JW Martin didn’t link to me but I saw it and I’m still laughing. The post “wasn’t supposed to exist” and the baseball GIF is probably my new favourite GIF ever!!! Yup, still laughing!
Those are my top 5 spooky reads. I will admit that I didn’t have a whole lot to choose from, but reading more horror and thriller is one of my goals in 2018 – and not just limited to October!! I can’t wait to see what ends up on everyone else’s list because I could really use a few more recommendations! What would you name as your spookiest read??
Until next time, happy reading!
I knew you would have My Best Friends Exorcism on your list! I still need to read that!
I felt that same way about Night Film. That part at the mansion was so scary and strange! I couldn’t put the book down!
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Oh I hope you get the chance to read My Best Friends Exorcism! It was so good!
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Loved this list! I haven’t read enough spooky reads so this list is a good guide 🙂
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I haven’t read many spooky books either. I hope to get to more and have a different list for next year! Hopefully you found one you can pick up for Halloween 🎃 👻
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Thank you so much 🙂
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OMG i loooooved “you”. it was soo creepy but so well written!!
considering “the shining”. i read that when i was 15 maybe and i couldn’t sleep for days…. the movie made it worse. i still sometimes have dreams where those twins show up… :O
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Oh the twins! They were the creepiest part of that movie! I read it when I was about 14-15 too and it totally creeped me out!
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Ahhhh I’ve wanted to read A Head Full of Ghosts for ages and you are really helping sell it – I love when I find horror books or films that are actually scary!!!
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I wish this book was turned into a movie! It would be incredible!!!
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Hex! It’s freaky. Not sure I even read other books that I would call spooky…
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Hex is still on my wish list thanks to your review 🙂
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Good month to read it.
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I read “The Shining” as part of a Stanley Kubrick class a few years ago. I could only read it in the day because otherwise I would get too scared! I didn’t pick books that are necessarily “scary,” (although “House” freaked me out when I was in high school) but I think they’ve still got the Halloween spook factor going on with them.
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You’ve definitely got quite a few creepy selections here! I have only hear of The Shining, if you can believe it. I totally agree with you that this is the best time of year for reading these ones. Enjoy! 🙂
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I highly suggest watching the movie for The Shining! It’s soooo good!
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Maybe….. I will need something to hid under during those scary scenes, though! lol
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Anything by Stephen King is a super creepy read! I also would put Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children on the list, mainly because the photographs are super creepy.
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Oh I never even thought of that one. The pictures were so amazing – especially the ones with the white eyes. Those were the creepiest!
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Oh wow, I would never pick up ANY of these books because I don’t like being spooked 😳 but I think this is a FANTASTIC selection of books for anyone who likes that kind of creepy, horror-ish stuff! I definitely felt wary and uneasy just by reading the blurbs 😂
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You aren’t alone!!
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Honestly though, Grady Hendrix is blessed with beautiful book covers! 😆
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So agree with A Head Full of Ghosts and Night Film (which I didn’t you loved??? I LOVE THAT BOOK)! Both of those are just so good (and I remember that scene from Night Film – I’m still confused to this day). 😂
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I liked Night Film. It just wasn’t perfect. I’m the type of person who starts to get disinterested if there are continually more questions than answers. I don’t like getting close to an answer only to have it pushed further away. For that reason I don’t read many mystery or suspense. But it was still a really good book! I kind of want to reread it and see what I think now that I know how it ends 🙂
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Oh, haha, just looked at my comment and meant to say “Which I didn’t know you loved!” My iPad left that word out. 😂
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Lol my phone does that all the time!! So glad it’s not just me these things happen to!
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I loved Night Film!! And now I’m super curious about My Best Friend’s Exorcism & You… I think I’ll add them to my TBR hehehe
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The TBR pile never stops growing!
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Neveeeeeer
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I’ve heard amazing things about A Head Full of Ghosts but I’m a bit hesitant to pick it out because I’m afraid it’d scare the crap out of me😅. I also have You on my TBR and I can’t wait to read it!
I’m currently reading Night Film and so far it’s soo good! It has that creepy vibe and I feel things are going to be even more messed up!
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Glad you’re enjoying Night Film!
If you decide to pick up You, be prepared for some graphic language but it’s so worth it! Enjoy 🙂
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Whoops, I’ve never read any of these.. apparently I am also not a big horror/thriller reader. I should work on that. Great recommendations though! (That exorcism book still gets me everytime you post it.)
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😂 I like posting that book just so I can post the cover again! I don’t read much horror either but I’m working on it too. I’ve enjoyed all the ones I’ve read this month!
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I read A Head Full of Ghosts and it creeped me out — in a good way. There was such a sense of dread in the story that just came across on every page. It’s one of those books that has stuck with me.
And I agree that The Shining is one of Stephen King’s best novels. The story of a man slowly descending into madness is so utterly compelling. I’ve read it a couple of times now and even read the sequel. It’s a favorite of his works. The only King that I find scarier is Pet Semetary — and that is for one scene that is so hauntingly written.
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How was the sequel compared to the first? I only realized that there was a sequel a few weeks ago and considered it. I’ve heard Pet Semetary is quite scary! That’s my next one!
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