Halloween is the beloved, spooky start to the long holiday season ahead. Leaning into the enchanted atmosphere enhances the holiday magic, and there is no better way to do that then by picking up a great book! Whether you are looking for a cozy story or a fear-inspiring tale, I have the perfect recommendations for you. Trick or treat yourself to the perfect Halloween read to amp up those spooky season vibes!
Timely Thrillers
Nothing screams Halloween like head-to-toe goosebumps! For those who might be more in it for the trick than the treat, these thrilling novels will keep you enthralled from start to finish. For those of us who spook easily, it might be best to refrain reading these at night!
None of This Is True – Lisa Jewell
Alix Summers is the voice and brain behind the most popular true crime podcast. On her fourty-fifth birthday, she decides to celebrate at the local pub where she meets her birthday twin, Josie Fair. Josie listens to Alix’s podcast and proposes a collaboration between the two with herself as the subject. Alix regrets her agreement after Josie disappears without a trace and turns her own life into a real true crime story. Where has Josie gone?
And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie
This is a Halloween classic! Ten strangers are all invited to a remote island recently purchased by an unknown elite for an unspecified event. One by one, the strangers start to go missing or come down with mysterious illnesses. What is even more concerning is the host is nowhere to be seen. The strangers are forced to solve this mystery all on their own. If you haven’t picked this one up already, it’s the perfect time!
Vagabond Vamps
Vampires are so back! Back from the Twilight and Vampire Diaries craze of the early 2000s, vampires are making a reappearance with a modern twist. From the page to the screen, vampire media is making its rounds, especially in the sapphic genre.Â
Hungerstone – Kat Dunn
Imagine this: You are moving away from the big city to the English countryside with your husband of ten years. The distance between you two and the lack of a child is causing copious amounts of friction. However, on your trip, you discover a carriage accident and a very ill and pale-looking woman. When you bring her home to tend to her you begin having dreams you can’t explain, an endless hunger, and an attraction that you’re not ready to admit. Also, you’ve been hearing rumors of women going mad and sinking their teeth into odd things. Can you even imagine?
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil – V. E. Schwab
Maria feels chained by the social norms and gender roles of 1530s Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Charlotte seeks a type of intimacy that is forbidden in 1820s London. Alice is trying to find herself during her college years in 2010s Boston. These women all share 2 things; They all want someplace to feel at home, and they all have become vampires through nefarious means. Intergenerational vampires and forbidden desires? Count me in!
Mellow Monsters
What if you want the monsters but without the scare? Then you’re in the right place! Cozy fantasy books, particularly those with casts of horned or winged beasts, are all the rage for the chilly and spooky season. Think Hocus Pocus or The Nightmare Before Christmas.Â
Legends and Lattes – Travis Baldree
Viv, both a barista and an orc, wants to put her fighting days behind her and open a coffee shop instead! And a magic one at that. Her new battlefield emerges behind the counter, and she realizes she can’t do this alone. Viv must confront her new opponents, friendship and teamwork, to keep her shop afloat. The city of Thune is in for a treat!
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping – Sangu Mandanna
Sera Swan, a powerful witch, has recently been exiled from her Guild. Her power is taken away and she heads off to help her aunt run her magical inn full of eccentric guests. A possible solution to her predicament arises with the arrival of a broody (and did I mention handsome?) magic historian named Luke Larson. The two strike a deal to work together in retrieving her powers and absolutely nothing more…