For the thrill seeker in all of us
Going into my senior year of college I set a number of goals for myself. One of the things I was determined to prioritize was self-care, which for me means a lot of reading. Personally, I have always been a huge fan of all things horror, thriller and mystery, thus it is no surprise that these preferences carry over into my book choices. As I have rediscovered my love for reading I have come across a few books that left me with my jaw on the floor and unable to put them down. So I have decided to share the five most recent books that have captivated my mind.
1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Now I know I am a little late to the game on this one, but let me reiterate that I only recently started reading non-college textbooks again. The story follows a high school student named Pip as she investigates a famous disappearance in her town that happened five years earlier. I found this book to live up to the hype in every sense of the word. There were lots of twists and turns and the plot was so deeply detailed that it left me begging for more. I also loved the mixed media style of this book that included typical storytelling, journal entries and more. Plus, Pip is very quirky and fun which just made the book that much more enjoyable.
2. The Whisper Man by Alex North
I was pleasantly surprised by how interesting and entrancing this book ended up being. I originally picked it up at a used book store only because I had heard it was being made into a movie. It follows a father and his young son who moved to a town plagued by a serial killer known to kill young boys. What really stood out to me about this book is how eerie it was. Of course, it’s about a terrible killer that preys on children which is horrifying in and of itself but the idea of someone whispering to children through their window at night is bone chilling. The tale is well crafted, haunting and leaves you on edge till the very last page.
3. Seven Dirty Secrets by Natalie D. Richards
I found this book to be a very quick and easy read that still had enough complexity to keep me guessing until the very end. It follows main character Cleo as she spends her 18th birthday completing a scavenger hunt from an unknown individual that has deadly secrets to expose. I enjoy any book that involves a puzzle to be solved, therefore I thought this book was a lot of fun. Plus, as indicated by the title there are seven secrets to be uncovered in this story which makes for a lot of wild twists and turns.
4. Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
This was the book that restarted my reading journey and it still lives rent free in my head today. I would have expected nothing less from the king of horror Stephen King himself. The story follows a town by the name of ‘Salem’s Lot as it slowly becomes overrun by vampires. As someone who is very critical of vampire stories because I think they are over done and often lack originality, I became obsessed with this book. It felt like a slow winding path leading towards inevitable doom, that left me clinging to every word. But above all, there was one specific scene that left me so disturbed simply because I was so unexpecting. This book is absolutely spine-chilling in all the best ways.
5. Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay
I found this book very interesting because of the way it teetered between the past and the present, relying heavily on foreshadowing. As a horror movie lover, this horror book hits all the best aspects of the genre from low budget creations to monsters. The story follows an actor who once played the antagonist in a low budget horror movie that became a cult classic. However, as you continue to read you realize that the story is all building to one terrifying event yet you simply don’t know what it will be. But what I liked most about the book was the way I was so invested in the past, that I forgot to worry about the present, making for a huge twist ending.
I chose these five books because each one shocked me or horrified me in ways that I will not soon forget. As a natural thrill seeker I rely on quick paced and excited books to keep me entertained. For those like myself, I wanted to share a few books that included creative twists and bewitching plots. If you are ready for a good scare or an eerie mystery, these are the books for you.