Sharing a spooky season book list to curl up with this October and get into the spirit!
October is one of my favorite times of the year. Chilly temps, the fall colors, the overall cozy feeling all conspire to make it a perfect month to just curl up with a good book. With Halloween right around the corner, I always like to give my October reading list a spooky vibe. What can I say? I love a good theme.
To me, there is nothing better than lighting a candle (highly recommend Trader Joe’s Vanilla Pumpkin candle), pouring a glass of wine, snuggling under a blanket, and opening a good book.
From witches and ghosts to slasher movie Final Girls and vampires, this spooky season book list has everything you could possibly need to get into the Halloween spirit.
My Spooky Season Book List
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
This is an excellent book to pick up on a Friday evening and be done by the time you go to bed on Saturday night. The Southern Book Club reads like a movie and is very action-packed. Set in the 90s, this supernatural thriller follows a book club whose townspeople are being hunted by a vicious vampire. And he just might be their mysterious and handsome neighbor! Think Steel Magnolias meets Dracula.
Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic led to the wonderful Halloween movie of the same name as well as The Rules of Magic. A few years ago, she released the prequel, Magic Lessons. I picked it for my Book of the Month book and it was one of the best BOTM selections ever. Magic Lessons takes you through the origins of a centuries-old curse and the life of Maria Owens, the matriarch of the Owens family. It is a masterclass in storytelling and was one of my all-time favorite books. You’re going to want to get the whole series, believe me.
Short and Shivery by Robert D. San Souci
This is a throwback but a book that I’ve read and re-read dozens of times over almost two decades. Yup, you read that right. I first started reading this book in middle school. It’s a collection of folklore, urban legends, and good ol’ fashioned ghost stories from all corners of the globe. There are several books in this collection and is just what you need to get a little spooked for Halloween.
We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson
It wouldn’t be a spooky season book list without Shirley Jackson! Shirley Jackson was a pioneer in the horror and mystery genres. Particularly at a time when women weren’t encouraged to work. She’s famous for her short story The Lottery. You probably also were slightly emotionally scarred reading it in middle school, as well as The Haunting of Hill House. I’m a fan of her Gothic novel We Have Always Lived In The Castle. Sisters Mary Katherine “Merricat” and Constance Blackwood live secluded in their family mansion with their ailing Uncle Julius. Six years before the novel starts, a tragedy occurred, leaving them the only surviving family members. Gossiping townspeople ostracize the family and only Merricat ventures into the village once a week for groceries. When their estranged cousin Charles arrives, events are set into motion that bring the tension between the Blackwoods and the townspeople to a fever pitch.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling
Another BOTM discovery! Vivienne Jones soothed her broken heart the way a lot of us wish we could — by placing a hex on her ex. Figuring it would only cause some minor inconveniences for him for a few days, Vivienne is shocked to learn her “ex hex” was actually more powerful (and harmful) than she thought it would be. Now Vivienne has to team up with her ex to break up this break-up curse and save the town. The Ex Hex is another book you won’t want to put down and pairs nicely with a glass of wine!
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
The second book on the list by Grady Hendrix, his books are perfect for spooky season! You know the girl who is left standing (and usually screaming) at the end of every slasher movie? The one who has managed against all odds to survive using her wit and whatever resources she can. The Final Girl Support Group cleverly imagines the final girls of slasher movie fame (think versions of Freddy and Jason) are all in group therapy to work through the trauma they faced.
Suddenly, the Final Girls are being attacked and it’s up to Lynnette, a Final Girl left agoraphobic and emotionally crippled after her experienced horror, to figure out what evil person is behind this plot and bring them down. Much like Southern Book Club, this book is action-packed with so many small details interwoven that become big plot twists. You won’t want to put this book down! Except maybe to check if your door is double locked.
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
The next pick on my list is The Only One Left by Riley Sager — a suspenseful thriller perfect for a chilly autumn night. Kit McDeere is a young caregiver assigned to care for Lenora Hope, the last remaining survivor of a notorious massacre that claimed her entire family decades ago. Lenora, now unable to speak or move after a stroke, is rumored to have been the one who committed the murders although nothing was ever proven. As Kit digs into Lenora’s past, she uncovers a maze of secrets, lies, and betrayals. Unsure if she’s about to solve a decades-old mystery or become the next victim. With gothic vibes, plenty of twists, and an eerie coastal mansion as its unsettling setting, The Only One Left will keep you guessing—and looking over your shoulder—until the final shocking reveal. If you are a fan of thrillers, Riley Sager is the best!
The Shining by Stephen King
Another classic must-read for spooky season is Stephen King’s The Shining. I read it the other year after realizing I never had read a Stephen King novel. I’ve only seen the movies based on them. The movie is classic but the book is a masterclass in suspense with its haunting setting, supernatural terror, and exploration of the human psyche. King delivers an unnerving atmosphere that makes you feel trapped in the hotel alongside the characters, perfect for a night of spine-chilling reading.
The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule
Switching gears to nonfiction on this list. My book club read The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule several years ago. This true crime classic delves into the chilling story of serial killer Ted Bundy. What sets this book apart from other true crime narratives is Rule had a personal connection to Bundy, they worked together at a crisis hotline. The book follows Bundy’s horrific crimes while interweaving Rule’s own relationship with him. As the investigation unfolds, Rule grapples with the shocking reality that the charming and intelligent man she once considered a friend is actually a cold-blooded killer. It’s an unsettling read and also reminds us the most terrifying monsters might be hiding in plain sight.
The Demonologist by Gerald Brittle
The Demonologist by Gerald Brittle is a bone-chilling true account of the lives and work of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the world’s most famous paranormal investigators. Believe me when I say you won’t want to read this book after dark, speaking from personal experience. The book delves into the Warrens’ investigations of real-life hauntings and demonic possessions. Including cases that inspired films like The Conjuring and Annabelle. With its detailed accounts of the Warrens’ confrontations with dark forces, The Demonologist will leave you questioning the line between reality and the paranormal, making it a perfect read for those who like their spooky season with a side of real-life terror.
