October is one of my favourite months. I love the “sweater weather”, the social acceptability of drinking tea and hot chocolate 24/7, and the buildup towards Halloween. One of my favourite things to do, other than watch old Halloween movie re-runs, is to read spooky novels.
University is considerably more work than high school, unfortunately meaning we have less reading time. Reading a massive tome can be great fun, but if you are looking for something short and spooky, I have a few graphic novel recommendations for you!
“Tinder” by Sally Gardner: “Tinder” is a retelling of “The Tinderbox” by Hans Christian Andersen. The novel is advertised a children’s book, but trust me, it really isn’t one. Children’s books are great, but this one is a little scarier than I’d feel comfortable with, if I were reading to a child. It’s incredibly well written and has some of the best black, white and red illustrations I’ve ever seen though! If you’re looking for something that reads like a dark fairy tale, this would be great for you!
“Through the Woods” by Emily Carroll: This graphic novel is more horror esque than spooky, but if that’s your thing, you’d probably enjoy this. Again, the colour scheme is mostly black, white and red (I’m starting to see a pattern), with occasional blues and yellows. This one is comprised of a few short stories, as opposed to one story throughout, which makes it great for reading before bed. A story a night could be fun and manageable, as the novel is pretty small to begin with. It can get pretty scary though, so you might want to read it with the lights on!
“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol. 1: The Crucible” by: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack: If you’ve seen the Netflix series, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”, this is the graphic novel/comic book version! It’s very similar, but a little bit darker. The story follows a teenage witch, and her family, as they deal with the mayhem caused by the supernatural. This is just the first volume, so it is pretty short. The story is interesting, but not too complicated, making it a good choice if you have a lot on your mind. It is also very spooky and feels like it would take place in the fall.
Finding time to read outside of class (regardless of your major) can be incredibly difficult! I hope you’re able to find the time to read something you enjoy, bake some treats, and enjoy the autumn!