By Shae Loeffelholz
Now that it has finally gotten colder, it’s the perfect time to curl up with your hot beverage of choice and a good book. School can be crazy this time of year with essays, midterms and the dreaded group project, but it can be good to take time for yourself and unplug from social media. Here are some easy reads that are perfect for reading during school – and some spooky ones to get you in the Halloween mood.
“Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman
This book is good for those who don’t want to read something scary— it will break your heart and mend it all in less than 350 pages. Eleanor Oliphant is a quirky gal with no people skills (although she doesn’t know that). The new guy at work throws a wrench into her routine and brings her out of her comfort zone. She sets out on a mission to snag herself a rock star husband but quickly learns (the hard way) that she has to love herself first. With the help of Raymond, her coworker, she becomes a little less lonely but not without a few bumps along the way. This is an easy read that you can burn through (with the fire being put out by the tears you shed).
“Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier
A classic for the classic-lovers! If you loved Jane Eyre, you will love this novel. Rebecca features a similar plot line but with more mystery, and the eerie factor is turned way up. The unnamed narrator becomes the second wife to Max de Winter, whose first wife, Rebecca, drowned years before. There is something else going on beneath the surface – everyone loved Rebecca, especially the housekeeper, and no one wants to talk about the many skeletons in their closets. Consider this a spooky story for the fall.
“The Woman in the Window” by A.J. Finn
I have read my fair share of psychological thrillers, but this one takes the cake. Anna is a recluse, watching the world drift by through her front window and taking a particular interest in the family across the street. She’s not the most reliable narrator as she goes through a bottle of wine a day (a gothic theme in psychological thrillers – e.g. The Girl on the Train), which makes her story of the murder she witnessed even less believable. The story is full of twists and turns— and I devoured it— making it perfect for this Halloween season.
“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” by Michelle McNamara
For those who don’t like fiction as much or prefer something more real, try this true crime novel. The author’s story is actually what interested me most about this book: McNamara had been a true crime writer for years, and spent years of her life researching the Golden State Killer, whose crimes were still unsolved up until this April. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2016, and the book was published posthumously; she never got to see his capture. She was a dedicated writer and spent her final five years on this case, going to great lengths to try and solve it (like searching for cufflinks in a vintage store in a different state). She weaves history and her own personal experience to create a creepy narrative. PSA: Read it in the daytime and with your pets around.
“The Lottery and Other Stories” by Shirley Jackson
Sometimes during the school year you don’t want to read a full novel— and that’s OK! Here is a fantastic book of short stories by my personal Queen of Horror, Shirley Jackson. Cited as inspiration by Stephen King, Donna Tartt, and Neil Gaiman, Jackson’s stories have been captivating audiences for decades. Her most famous story, The Lottery, has some serious Hunger Games vibes and was banned because of the content. Read it before Jackson’s novels We Have Always Lived in the Castle and The Haunting of Hill House hit the small screen this fall!