As the weather gets colder and the sun sets earlier, it’s the perfect time to curl up with a warm blanket and a good book. For those who enjoy the spookiness that comes with October, there could not be a better time to expand your reading list. During this month, I like to reorient my own towards thrillers, dark fantasy, and other eerie stories in anticipation of Halloween a few weeks away. If you are looking to do the same or just need some recommendations for these sorts of books any time of the year, here are some of my favorite past spooky reads and what I will be reading this month!
1. Horrid by Katrina Leno
Horrid was one of the first books to set me on my October spooky reading journey. The contemporary horror novel follows Jane and her mom as they move from California to Maine to live in the old manor where her mother grew up. The family is experiencing grief after the death of Jane’s father, creating primary themes of grief and mental illness throughout the story. Jane and her mother both struggle to come to terms with their loss, trying to quiet their own negativity. When exploring their new home, Jane finds out that the room her mother has been hiding is in fact a child’s bedroom, though she does not know why it has been kept locked for all these years. Horrid combines elements of a psychological thriller with typical paranormal horror, without being excessively scary.
2. The Bone Houses by Emily Llyod-Jones
The Bone Houses leans more on the side of fantasy than horror, but still has the eerie fall feeling that makes it a perfect October read. After the death of her parents, Ryn and her siblings make a living as gravediggers in their small village, which would be a simple job if not for the decades-old curse on their town. The dead sometimes rise and become animated corpses that attack the village. Ryn and a newcomer travel deep into the mountain range above the village to face the curse and try to stop it. This was such a quick and easy read and as I got close to the end of the book, I could not put it down. This novel was one of my favorite October reads and is perfect for people who want the spooky feeling of a horror novel without the actual horror.
3. A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
A Lesson in Vengeance was actually a summer read for me, but its dark academia aesthetic and mix of thriller and paranormal qualities makes me want to read it again in October simply because of the feelings it gives off. The novel follows Felicity who is returning to her boarding school after a year away following the death of her girlfriend. Felicity becomes attached to Ellis, a prodigy teenage author who is just starting at the school. When Ellis becomes interested in the history of witchcraft at the boarding school, Felicity gets sucked back into the world of the arcane that she struggled to leave behind.This novel combines paranormal horror and fantasy with psychological thrillers. There were so many plot-twists throughout the novel and I truly could not put it down. This is my top recommendation for your October reading list!
4. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Mexican Gothic is my first October read of this year and although I’m only a few chapters in, I’m really enjoying it so far! Noemi receives a letter from her newly-wed cousin who claims her husband is trying to poison her and that her new home is filled with the paranormal. Noemi is sent by her father to the mysterious house in the countryside to check on her cousin. Noemi, a glamorous socialite back in Mexico City, begins to unearth the secrets of the family and the house, as well as all the violence and madness that comes with it. Like many other books on this list, Mexican Gothic combines paranormal elements with a thriller-like story to create a spooky, horror-adjacent novel. I cannot wait to see where this story goes!
5. Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
Lakesedge has been on my to-be-read list for almost a year now and I have decided that I am finally going to get to it this month! Like The Bone Houses, this novel is more in the fantasy realm than horror or thriller but its emphasis on gothic elements still makes it a perfect spooky October read. Violeta and her young brother arrive at a haunted estate expecting to find a monster, as the rumors about the man who lives there are nothing short of horrific. When Violeta finds herself falling for this mysterious man, she becomes connected to a much darker figure as well and must face the horrors of her past in order to save herself. I have heard great things about this novel and I am confident that it will have the perfect feeling for a Halloween book!