Halloween is only a few days away! I realize that the horror, thriller and mystery genre’s aren’t for everyone, but a good creepy atmosphere is sometimes all we need to get into the Halloween spirit! Atmospheres are in the eye of the beholder. Something that I might find creepy wouldn’t scare someone else – or I might have related to something small that creeped me out and some readers never even noticed. It takes A LOT to creep me out, so these are the best that I could come up with lol
NOTE TO PARTICIPANTS – My dad is retiring today from the fire department after many years of service. He reached the level of Captain and is very torn about leaving the job and his brotherhood behind. Today is going to be a very emotional day – and also busy as we have a big retirement party once the fire trucks bring him home. I will do my best to update the list but I may get extremely behind. Drinking and blogging don’t mix lol!
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 November – please remember to ping back a specific post of mine so I get a notification and I will add you to the participants list!
The first book i’m going to mention is DARK MATTER by Blake Crouch. This is a book about parallel and multiple universes. The real world implications are what creep me out about this one! I can’t imagine being in a world where you’re face to face with a loved one and they don’t share the same memories, love, or feelings you do. That would be like loving your partner like you always have but him not even remembering you because one tiny thing changed and you never met…….
The second book has yet another real world scenario that makes my skin crawl. In UNDER THE DOME by Stephen King, you have an entire town that is trapped in this dome. No one gets in, no one gets out. The town remains the same until the people start losing their shit and they start running out of resources. It’s the fact that you can’t escape that creeps me right out! When people lose their minds – you can’t run. When you need food but there’s no way you can bring in resources from outside in… you’re pretty screwed! Medical supplies and medication? Nope!
It’s been quite a long time since I’ve read MARINA by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, but the atmosphere is the #1 thing that stands out when I think of this book! I remember a lot of it taking place during the night. I also remember a lot of abandoned houses (my favourite horror/thriller setting!), crumbling buildings, fog, dust, and darkness. I also remember a scene with a greenhouse that freaked me out a bit! Good fun 🙂
I don’t want to go into too much detail about the setting with this one because of spoilers, but THE GRACE YEAR by Kim Liggett is an atmosphere that I really want no part of! There’s something called the grace year where all the girls who are the age of 16 go off for a year. No one talks about this year……. let me tell you, it’s not a pretty place! You’ll have to read and see why it’s so creepy. I don’t know if it was the atmosphere itself that creeped me out or if it was for the fact that these girls were more of a danger than anything!
Though I didn’t really like A HOUSE AT THE BOTTOM OF A LAKE by Josh Malerman, the atmosphere was perfection! We have a small remote lake where there isn’t another human being for miles. They end up finding a house that seems as though it was flooded and has lied on the bottom of a lake for years…… naturally you investigate….. because clearly these characters hated themselves lol!
TOP 5 TUESDAY PARTICIPANTS LIST:
Meeghan Reads ——— The Limit Of Books Does Not Exist ——— Realms Of My Mind
The Punk Theory ——— Kristin Kraves Books ——— Kyera’s Library
Bath And Books ——— Synopses By Sarge ——— The Words Gremlin
Flora’s Musings ——— Bookishly Rebecca ——— Beware of the Reader
Read You Leyre ——— Elysa Reads It All ——— Zezee With Books
Shades of Paper
These atmospheres are 5 of the ones that have stuck with me the most over the years. If it’s written well the author can created a lot more tension with an atmosphere opposed to a character! What books would make your list?
Until next time, happy reading!
I want to read Under the dome and the grace year! They sound like I will like them!
(www.evelynreads.com)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I highly recommend both! Under the Dome is soooo intimidating because of its size. But it’s worth it. Enjoy
LikeLiked by 1 person
I knew you’d pick The Grace Year! I did, too. Definitely creepy atmosphere!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not a reader of horror any more, or scary books in general, but I recognise a few books on your list, Shanah.
I hope your dad’s retirement do goes well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
His retirement went great! So emotional!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Support your dad and don’t drink too much Shanah LOL Here is my link https://wp.me/p8cg8e-31a
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh too late for that…… i drank…… a lot……. oh boy! I woke up still drunk on Wednesday. Good thing is there was no hangover!
LikeLike
Oooh, I keep hearing great things about The Grace Year… but if it’s listed among those other books maybe I don’t want to read it?! 😂😅
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂 I think the thing that made it creepy was that it felt real. Like their situation could really happen and the humans were the biggest fear
LikeLiked by 1 person
That does sound creepy!!
LikeLiked by 1 person