It’s SPOOKY season!! I know I’m a little late with the post-31 horror books to read this October. If you’re a fast reader, I’m sure you could have probably read one of these books a day. But I’m sure many of you can’t read that fast, me included.
Spooky season is one of my favorite times of the year. It always brings so much joy to me. Even as a kid, it used to be one of my favorite times of the year. The weather started cooling off just enough that it wasn’t so hot anymore, and I could dress up as whatever I wanted to and get free candy. I loved it. If it weren’t for it being frowned upon, I probably would have trick-or-treated throughout my teens. So when I finally stopped, I started to spend more time reading spooky books and spooky movies. So, what are some great horror books to read this October?
If you’re anything like me, then this is the time when you like to read and watch everything horror. So, there are 31 horror books to read this October that will help get you in the mood for spooky season.
I’m so glad that you asked! Some of these are Halloween books for adults, while others are for young adults. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of young adult horror books, I still highly suggest reading some of these scary books for October. Why? I feel like so many people have certain expectations for young adult books now because of how they were in the past. But I do feel like young adult horror books have gotten a lot better over the years!
I hope you enjoy this list of 31 horror books to read this October. I promise you, these are some scary books for October.
31 Horror books to read this October
I’m going to be honest, there are quite a few of these books that I have read a lot of these books, but there are a few that I haven’t. The good thing is that a good majority of them I have, and I loved them. That’s why I wanted to include them in some of the best books for October. These are great horror books to read this October or even beyond.
Since this is a 31 horror books list to read this October, there should be plenty of spooky reads to catch up on!
I’d love to hear what some of the best books for October are that you think should be added to this list. I love finding new books, especially finding Halloween books to read!
Delicious Monsters
I feel like the cover alone of Delicious Monsters makes it worthy of being on the 31 horror books to read this October!
I listened to the audiobook for Delicious Monsters, and this is one of the great books to read this October.
There’s a haunted house and a creepy ghost who can possess!
Here is what Delicious Monster is about!
Daisy can see dead people. It’s hard to forget that in the busy city of Toronto. She’s usually able to deal with her ability that she doesn’t even want, but when she’s dumped, it changes things. When she finds out that her mom has inherited a new home in a different city, Daisy is desperate to escape. But when she gets there, she realizes that the home is different… For starters, there are no dead people there, which is not typical. Can Daisy figure out what might lurk in the house?
Suburban Hell
Suburban Hell is one of my favorites by Maureen! This is such a creepy read and is another one of the great horror books to read this October.
For me, this story puts a humorous twist on living in the suburbs with women who seem like the cookie-cutter people out there, seemingly having everything together.
So if this is humorous then why exactly does it belong on the 31 horror books list? I feel like most of you will need something a little bit lighter than the rest. We all need that little bit of a break.
Here is what Suburban Hell is about.
Amy is lucky, and she knows it. When she left the city to move to the suburbs, she found friends quickly. After a night of fun and wine, the four of them reminisce about a plan to create a clubhouse she had shared in one of their backyards. It would be a space for them. No husbands or kids allowed.
The night after they created this plan, things started to feel weird. That thing they expected was for Liz’s she-shed project to release a demonic force that turns everything upside down.
The most logical person can’t even justify the weird burn marks, moving dolls, and terrible smells surrounding Liz. Together, three of the women have to try and fight off the possession to save their friend and their neighborhood before their neighborhood goes to complete hell.
The Dead House
If any of these books belong on the 31 horror books list, then it’s this one. It kept me on the edge throughout the entire read.
I read The Dead House not that long ago, and I absolutely loved it. The story has a really creepy aspect to it, and it leaves the ending pretty open.
Honestly, it leaves the book so open that we don’t quite get the full answers, but it leaves you to really wonder!
Here is what The Dead House is about.
Twenty-five years ago, a high school burned down. Three people were killed, and one, Carly, disappeared. Now someone has found a diary in the ruins of the school. The diary is Kaitlyn’s, Carly’s identical twin sister. The only thing is that Carly doesn’t have a twin…
Now that the case has been reopened, the police records, psychiatric reports, video footage, and parts of the diary show deceit and violence. It raises more questions than answers.
Who is Kaitlynn? Why did she only appear at night? Did she actually exist? Or was something off with Carly’s mind?
The October Boys
I found The October Boys through a TikToker who loves horror. This is another one of the great horror books to read this October, especially considering that part of it takes place on Halloween.
The story is creepy, and I feel like it kind of ties into our real-world problems a bit. If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, then there have been quite a few ice cream trucks caught driving around at night trying to kidnap. Scary right?
Here is what The October Boys is about.
On Halloween of 1988, a group of twelve-year-old boys is trick-or-treating in London. In the distance, they hear the chimes of an ice cream truck. All of them found it strange to hear that sound on a cold autumn night, but with the excitement of the night and all of the candy that they had, they dismissed the sound. That is, until they see a rusting truck in the shadows at the end of the street and the shadow of a faceless shadow.
That was the night one of them was taken.
In October of 2016, Halloween is coming quickly. Tom is still haunted by what happened that Halloween night. Especially considering their friend was never found. But this year is different because Tom has been having terrible visions. When he returns to where it all started, he realizes that he’s not the only one who feels it. His childhood friends have arrived and are preparing for a battle that could get them killed.
Now the Ice Cream Man is back, and he’s after the ones that got away that night.
Old Wounds
Old Wounds was such a fun read for me. Honestly, I’ve never given much of a thought to trans people and horror, but this book brings a twist to the horror genre.
Typically, it’s girls who are being sacrificed, but what’ll happen if you aren’t born a girl?
Here is what Old Wounds is about.
Erin and Max are trans kids who are just trying to escape and get to California. Max is desperate to transition, and Erin is just trying to figure out why she agreed to this trip beginning with. Especially considering Max broke up with her two years ago.
It doesn’t take long for them to find themselves stranded in rural middle America and are eventually separated.
The thing is that they keep hearing about a creature. A legend, to be exact, that feeds on girls. Once they find that it’s real, it’s already hunting them. What makes things worse is that the locals are searching for a female sacrifice. If either of them wants to survive, then they need to come to terms with things and stop running. Stop running from the monster, each other, and themselves.
The Mary Shelly Club
It’s been a while since I’ve read The Mary Shelly Club, but I remember wishing that this was an option back when I was in high school. Granted, I would have hated what happened at the end to happen to me. I would have loved to have more friends who love the horror genre back then!
Here is what The Mary Shelley Club is about!
Rachel is new to Manchester Prep, and she’s determined to make a fresh start. Since she’s one of the few scholarship kids, she finds herself struggling to fit in. But when she gets in the middle of a prank gone wrong, she finds herself with more enemies than friends.
However, the prank catches the attention of the Mary Shelley Club. It’s a secret club of some of the students who have one goal. That goal? Come up with the scariest prank to create real fear. But the pranks grow and the competition escalates by taking on a life of its own.
When someone targets the club, Rachel has to track down the monster, which means she has to confront the secrets from her past.
Two Sides to Every Murder
Danielle has quickly become one of my favorite authors lately. She’s become an auto-buy for me, which is why she’s on the books to read this October list.
Trust me, she deserves it! There are tons of twists in her books, and I love them.
Here is what Two Sides to Every Murder is about.
Typically, a baby’s birth isn’t tracked in a police report. Unfortunately for Olivia, she was born when the Camp Lost Lake murders happened. Seventeen years later, her life seems pretty perfect, and for her, it is. That is, until she finds out that the man she has been calling dad all these years might not be her biological dad. Now she needs answers, and the only place she can think to look is Camp Lost Lake.
Typically, people don’t spend their childhood running with someone who is alleged murdered someone. But Reagan has. According to public opinion, her mom is guilty of what happened at Camp Lost Lake. Ever since then, they have been in hiding. Reagan knows that her mom is innocent and is determined to prove her innocence.
The good thing for them is that the camp is finally reopening. This gives them the perfect opportunity to get answers. But there’s someone who wants to keep the past hidden, even if that means murdering someone.
Black Tide
I wasn’t a huge fan of Black Tide, but that’s mostly because, for the most part, the story stays in the same setting the entire time. It would have just been nice to get the book in other areas.
But! that doesn’t mean that you guys won’t like it. I’m pretty sure I would have loved Black Tide so much more if it didn’t take place just on the beach.
The story is a pretty great read if you enjoy that sort of stuff.
Here is what Black Tide is about!
It’s just another day at the beach. Then the world ends.
Before the meteor shower, Mike and Beth had no idea each other existed. One is a filmmaker. The other is a house sitter who’s barely scraping by. Fate made them neighbors. A bottle of champagne and a need for human connection are what brought them together and possibly sparked something more.
After a drunken one-night stand, the two of them wake up to find an astronomical event that has left destruction everywhere. But that was only a part of something bigger and something a lot scarier. After driving to a crowded beach to see what’s going on, the keys and they wind up being stranded. Emergency calls are going unanswered, and there are inhuman screams echoing through the dunes. When the tide reaches up to the car and the horrors start to get worse, they must find strength in each other to be able to fight and survive this nightmare that happened overnight.
How to Survive Your Murder
Like I said earlier, Danielle has become one of my favorite authors as of late. So far, I’ve only read two of her books, and this one is by far my favorite.
So much happens in this story, and I loved it. I also loved the way it ended, but I have a feeling that some of you might get mad about it! Let’s just say you probably won’t guess the ending. This story deserves to be on everyones 31 horror books to read this October.
Here is what How to Survive Your Murder is about.
Alice is the only witness brought to her sister’s murder trial.
In the year after her sister’s death, her life has fallen apart. Her parents divorced, she’s forced to move into an apartment that stinks, and now she has to face her sister’s killer in the courtroom with a bunch of people who don’t believe what she saw in the corn maze last year.
Claire is who you would imagine as the all-American girl. She is beautiful, bubbly, and a star in the school’s theater. Alice was always the nerd who wanted to become a forensic pathologist. On top of that, she has always been the type of girl who just wanted to stay home to watch horror movies rather than party. Even though they had a lot of differences, they were still bonded by sisterhood and were best friends.
At least until Claire was killed.
On the day of the murder trial, while Alice practices to give her testimony, she’s knocked out by a Sidney look-alike in the bathroom of the courthouse. When she wakes up, it’s Halloween and the day Claire died. She has until midnight to save her sister and figure out who the real killer is before another person or even her dies again.
In Nightfall
If you are a fan of The Lost Boys, then I feel like you’ll probably really enjoy In Nightfall. I have to admit that I am a little bit jealous of the siblings’ relationship in this story. It’s something I have always wanted, so I really like how they stick up for one another.
Is it weird that I would love to visit this place and the characters in it?
Here is what In Nightfall is about.
Theo and Marco are siblings who just wanted to stay home for the summer to hang out with friends and have fun. Instead, they are sent to their grandma’s house in Nightfall, Oregon, all because Marco threw a party and got in trouble for it.
But as soon as they get there, their grandma lays down the rules. One of them is not to leave the house after dark. One of the first rules they break is leaving the house at night. As the night goes on, they befriend a mysterious group of girls who aren’t exactly what they seem.
Zoomer vs Boomers
If I’m honest, I’m actually surprised that I picked this book up. It has nothing to do with what the book is about because it does sound interesting, but I’ve never been huge on generational fights.
Some parts of this story are pretty funny, and it’s definitely one of those 31 horror books you have to read this October.
Here is what Zoomers vs Boomers is about!
In Jackson High, a few influencers and live streamers are picked as the winners of the Operation Gen Z contest. Craig and his friends are excited and can’t believe their luck. Granted, it is a little awkward that Craig is on the same team as his ex and his ex-best friend, who abandoned him for the popular kids freshman year. Thankfully, he has his best friend there to lean on and his hundreds of thousands of followers.
They think they have been picked to compete in a secret competition to win a million-dollar scholarship. When they got there, they thought everything was rundown. Soon, they discover that they’ve been brought there in a savage game of survival.
As they try to find a way out of the area that is full of booby traps, they are all hunted by three boomers. These three boomers are determined to show that Gen Z is the reason why everything is wrong with the world today.
Millions tune into the streams, and in turn, it shows the enemy every move they make. Eventually, the streamers start to turn on one another to survive, and Craig has no idea who to trust. Will he die before finding out the truth?
Wilder Girls
I would probably consider Wilder Girls a dystopian horror novel. This is a world where a sickness takes over and changes people’s bodies.
The idea of this book almost seems a little bit on the realistic side for me. At least a little bit. With COVID happening, is it impossible for almost anything to happen at this point?
Here is what Wilder Girls is about!
Eighteen months ago, the girls of Raxter School for Girls were put under quarantine.
It all started slowly. It started with the teachers dying off one by one. Then the students started to get infected and started turning their bodies into something foreign to them. Since they are cut off from the world, they are left to fend for themselves, but they don’t dare go beyond the school’s fence. The Tox has made the woods more wild and dangerous than they already are. For now, they wait for the cure that they were promised.
When Byatt goes missing, Hetty is determined to find her, even if that means breaking quarantine. When she does, she realizes that there is much more to the story than they were told.
Shallow Graves
This is another book that has been a while since I’ve read, and I should probably read it again.
However, I do remember really liking it. Lately, it’s been hard to keep my attention on things, but this one definitely did!
Here is what Shallow Graves is about!
The last thing Breezy remembers is leaving the party, the warm grass under her feet, and her cheek still stinging from the slap to her face. When she wakes up, she’s scared, especially with dirt coming out of her mouth and the fact that a year has passed, and she doesn’t know where it’s gone.
She can’t even explain the man in her grave or why exactly her heartbeat comes and goes. She has no idea who killed her or even why. The only thing she knows is she’s somehow back, and she can sense if someone close by is hiding a murderous past.
Breezy is determined to find answers in a world where killers hide in plain sight and with there being a cult “hunting” for strange creatures like her.
Wicked Little Deeds
I’m actually really surprised that I don’t hear a whole lot about Kat Ellis. But I guess it also depend on what part of the internet I’m on. But I did want to include it with the other 31 horror books just because of how much I loved it.
Her books always catch my eye, but I rarely see them on Bookstagram or BookTok. That definitely needs to change because they are so good.
I wouldn’t necessarily say that her books are complete horror, though. I would say that they are more on the thriller side with horror elements to it, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve to be among the horror books to read this Halloween.
I’d love to hear what you guys thought of this one!
Here is what Wicked Little Deeds is about!
Like some small city, Burden Falls is loaded with superstition. Ava knows this especially since she saw a terrible accident a year ago, and she has had nightmares ever since then.
When someone close to her is murdered, she winds up being the primary suspect. Because of this, she starts to wonder if the legends around the town are actually more of a fact.
There are tons of secrets Burden Falls is hiding, a killer is on the loose, and whoever it is has something against Ava and her family.
The Last Night of October
To me, The Last Night of October is a great read and perfect for the horror books to read this October. Why, you ask? Considering this book takes place on Halloween, and it’s pretty short, too.
Here is what The Last Night of October is about!
Gerald is seventy years old and always dreads Halloween.
Every year on October 31st, a child who’s by himself knocks on his door. He’s not a typical trick-or-treater but a scary reminder of the tragedy from his past.
Each Halloween, Gerald has managed to keep his door locked and the memory at bay, but this year, emphysema has lowered his guard.
But a new hospice nurse named Kelli arrives at his house unexpectedly to replace his regular nurse. It catches him off guard before he’s able to warn her about the lone trick-or-treater, and now she’s inviting the threat into his house. Everything that happens will be no trick, and the only treat the kid will agree to is the old man’s soul.
Before the end of the night, Gerald won’t have a choice but to bring his secret to light.
The Redwood Asylum
I’ve slowly started to realize that the longer I have read a book, the more I forget about it. It’s no different with The Redwood Asylum.
But I do at least remember how I kind of felt towards this one and why I felt the need to include it on the 31 horror books list. This is another one of those stories that kind of has an ending that I don’t think everyone is going to like. Not because there are no answers, but I don’t think some are going to be happy with how it ends.
Here is what The Redwood Asylum is about.
The dead talk, but are you brave enough to hear their secrets?
In the forest, The Redwood Asylum sits there forgotten about. Once inside, the criminally insane and the disturbed learn quickly that they are at the mercy of an evil that comes in a lot of forms.
Jessica is twenty-six and has just started her job at Redwood, hoping that she can forget about its scary past. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that this place has so many secrets in every corner. On her second day, the unstable man in 5B attacks Jessica and completely unsettles her. The man is constantly ranting, and at first she doesn’t understand him, but when she does, she’s taking on a ride of secrets. When she finds out about the man’s past, the terror of Redwood Asylum follows her home and makes her wonder if she’s going crazy.
Is Jessica able to solve the man’s secrets to save herself? Or will she be trapped in Redwood’s grasp forever?
Children of Chicago
If I’m honest, I’m actually kind of surprised I liked Children of Chicago as much as I did. I don’t really know why, but I don’t exactly like horror or thrillers that deal with police or investigators.
I think that has a lot to do with them already having the tools to figure things out. It’s more interesting with the rando on the streets for me, and how they would survive these things.
Children of Chicago is such an amazing book!
Here is what Children of Chicago is about.
Children of Chicago is a scary retelling of the Pied Piper fairytale, but in present-day Chicago. Detective Lauren is at a murder scene, and when she sees the calling card, she realizes that the Pied Piper is back. Another teen is murdered at the same lagoon where her sister’s body was found, and she realizes that he’s not just back, but he’s looking for payment. Lauren can’t figure out if she should protect the city or keep the promise she made long ago to the Pied Piper. To get rid of him, she might have ruined her life in the process.
The Shadows
When The Shadows came out, I had seen so many bookstagrammers talking about it and how they loved it!
I don’t see it being posted all of that much anymore, and I feel like it needs another round of hype again, hence why I’m putting it on my 31 horror books list.
Here is what The Shadows is about.
Everyone has known a teenager like Charlie. A teenager with a dark imagination, a sinister smile, and always kind of on the outside of the group. There’s a part of you that knows that there’s a chance of him doing something terrible. Twenty-five years ago, Charlie did exactly that. He committed a murder so shocking that it attracted an infamy that’s only brought on the dark corners of the internet. It’s also inspired multiple copycats.
Paul remembers it all too well. Especially considering Charlie and the victim were his friends. Since then, Paul had to slowly put his life back together. He doesn’t want to come back to the place where it happened, but his mom has dementia and her health is getting worse. He has to come back whether he wants to or not.
But quickly things go wrong. He finds out that a detective is investigating another copycat in a nearby town. His mom is inconsolable and is insistent that something is in the house. He knows someone is following him, too. All of this just brings the memories flooding back about that terrible day twenty-five years ago.
But it wasn’t just the murder that bothered him. It’s the fact that after it, Charlie was never seen again.
A Little Bit Psycho
A Little Bit Psycho is another one of the 31 horror books to read this October that I haven’t read in a while. But I do remember bits and pieces of this book.
I feel like this story kind of puts a different perspective on things. I don’t know why, but when it comes to smart people who can figure things out like this, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that they can be bad people, too.
I’m not saying that bad people can’t be smart, but it seems like smart people aren’t on this level of bad. Maybe I’m just being naive, though.
But I do have to admit that A Little Bit Psycho is completely worth reading!
Here is what the book is about.
Katherine is critically ill. Adam, her husband, is an advanced surgeon who keeps promising that he can save her.
She’s only given two choices… Wait for what’s bound to happen, or bite the bullet with an experimental surgery and take a chance. For Katherine, it’s easy. She chooses to live even if there might be some serious risks involved. She’s not ready to die, and Adam insists he can get it right this time. What exactly does she have to lose?
When she wakes up after the surgery, she’s in a hospital room that she doesn’t recognize, and Adam isn’t there. This isn’t even the body she chose. The toll of seeing a stranger in the mirror is a lot harder than she thought it would be. But instead of falling apart, she takes on the life of her host while she goes on the hunt for Adam. Will she be able to find him? Also, who can she even trust? Can she even trust herself?
Crossroads
Crossroads is one of those books that came out a while ago, but it’s still getting a lot of love. I think that love for the book is completely worth it!
This story deals with grief and how it consumes us. We don’t think straight when someone we love deeply leaves us for good.
Here is what Crossroads is about!
Chris’s son died in a car crash, and ever since then, her world has fallen apart. Grief has closed in on her until a cut on her finger changes everything.
A little bit of blood falls on her son’s roadside memorial, and later she thinks she sees his ghost outside of her window. But is it her son’s ghost or something sinister?
Chris starts playing dangerous games with things beyond her control to keep her son alive and with her.
The Sundown Motel
It has been so long since I’ve read The Sundown Motel, and this is one that I really want to try and reread. But I do remember that this one would be a great read to add to your 31 horror books to read this Halloween.
This story does deal with dual timelines, and usually, I don’t particularly like that. That’s mostly because more often than not, I don’t see a point in having both. I would much rather have one or the other.
However, The Sundown Motel does this very well, and there’s quite a bit of creep factors with this one!.
Here is what The Sundown Motel is about.
In New York in 1982, every small town like Fell, New York had a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some are from out of town and passing through to somewhere better. Some are locals with secrets to hide. Viv works there as the night clerk in hopes that it can pay for her to be able to move to New York City. Something isn’t right with the Sun Down motel, though, and she’s determined to find all of its hidden secrets.
Harrow Lake
What is it with horror books that revolve around filmmakers that always grabs my attention? That’s partly why I wound up picking up Harrow Lake when I did.
However, I must say that Harrow Lake is well worth the read if you’re looking for some suggestions for October!
Here is what Harrow Lake is about.
Here are the things she knows about Harrow Lake:
- It’s where the most disturbing slasher film her father shot was filmed.
- This town isn’t right.
Lola is the daughter of a very popular horror filmmaker. She also thinks that nothing can scare her.
When her dad is attacked in their New York apartment, Lola is forced to pack up and go live with her grandma, whom she’s never met, in Harrow Lake. When she arrives, she discovers that the locals are obsessed with the movie, and there have been some unusual disappearances that the police attribute to natural causes.
There’s also someone or something stalking her.
The more she finds out about a town, the scarier it becomes for her.
Bad People by Craig Wallwork
Bad People by Craig Wallwork doesn’t get as much love as it should. When I read this one, I absolutely loved it, and if I’m going to be honest, it gives me sinister vibes.
So, since not many people know about it I really think you should add this one to your 31 horror books to read this October to. I promise you it would be well worth it.
This story is very well written, and I highly suggest you go and read it too!
Here is what Bad People is about!
In the last three years, in what’s supposed to be a quiet Yorkshire village, three kids have been lost. Their bodies or evidence have never been found. There were no witnesses either.
There’s the writer who is struggling to find inspiration. Alex is a celebrated crime author and an ex police officer. He believes that the missing kids could help him with his writer’s block, but can he truly prepare himself for what’s about to happen?
Then there’s the detective, Tom. He’s a seasoned detective and is the type of person who wants to keep to himself. This ultimately makes him the perfect candidate to help find the kids since he’ll put his all into it. But now Tom is having to chaperon Alex, and he is walking him through each case. But as both men dig deeper into the investigation, are they prepared for the chilling discovery they are bound to find out?
Then there’s the brethren. It’s a secret cult that involves two of me. The two men are responsible for several murders over seven years. Their intention? To show the world that death can absolutely be justified for the greater good.
Incidents Around the House
So I’m going to be honest. I wasn’t really a huge fan of Incidents Around the House. For me, I didn’t exactly like reading from an eight-year-old’s perspective.
I get why he did that, and it’s not often we get the kids’ perspective. But this just made me realize that I don’t like it at all.
But the good news is that so so so many people liked this book. So don’t take my word for it and pick it up just in case you might wind up liking it. Just because I didn’t doesn’t mean that you will!
Even though I didn’t like this one, I still think you should add it to your 31 horror books to read this October!
Here is what Incidents Around the House is about.
Bela is eight years old, and her family is her world. There’s her mom, dad, and Grandma Ruth. But just recently, there’s also another mommy. She’s a hostile demon who is asking Bela every day: “Can I go inside your heart?”
But when scary things start to happen around the house, it goes to show that the other mommy is getting tired of asking Bela over and over again. Bela realizes that if she doesn’t say yes, then her family will have to pay.
The other mommy is restless, getting stronger, and now bolder. The bonds of her family are the only thing that can keep her safe, but when other incidents start to happen, it shows the lingering problems that her parents are having. The safety that she so desperately depends on is on the verge of unraveling.
Dark Harvest
Dark Harvest is another of the 31 horror books to read this October that has its own movie. So, this might be a good one to add to your list, so you can read and watch it too.
Dark Harvest is one of the books on this list that I haven’t read, but I really want to.
Here is what Dark Harvest is about.
It’s Halloween 1963. Everyone knows who is in this small midwestern town. He goes by many names and rises from the cornfields every Halloween. He has a knife in his hand as he heads towards town, where groups of teenage boys wait to confront him.
Killing the monster, the October Boy, is Pete’s only chance to leave this town that leads to nowhere. He’ll risk everything in hopes of winning. But before the night even ends, he looks into the face of horror and uncovers a terrifying secret of the October Boy.
All Hallows
I just checked out All Hallows from the library, so make sure you’re following so you can read the review when I get it up!
This one sounds super creepy, and I know a lot of you will probably really enjoy it!
Here is what All Hallows is about.
Two families are falling apart on 1984’s Halloween night in Coventry, Massachusetts. Down the street, there are scary secrets that are coming to light, and unbeknownst to everyone, there are four children mixed in with the trick-or-treaters that don’t belong. They are in old costumes and their makeup is fading, making them look creepy. They look scared and keep begging the kids to help them hide from the Cunning Man. There’s an opening in the woods that wasn’t there before, and there’s a blackthorn tree that definitely doesn’t belong there at all. These kids keep saying that the Cunning Man is coming for them, and they want the local kids to help them. With families falling apart in the neighborhood and others being bitter, is there anyone to protect the kids?
The Watcher’s A.M Shine
I’m actually surprised I haven’t seen The Watchers before or even heard about it.
However, this is one of the 31 books to read this October because it also has a movie. So, you can knock two birds with one stone.
Here is what The Watchers is about.
The forest hasn’t been explored. All of the cars break down at the treeline. Mina’s car is any different. Now that she’s left stranded, she’s forced into the dark woods as she hears a woman screaming. Once found. The woman urges Mina to get into a concrete bunker. When the door shuts, Mina realizes that she is surrounded by screams.
Mina winds up in a room with a wall of glass and an electric light that only turns on a night when the Watchers come up. They are there to watch their captives, and if they don’t reach the bunker in time, then horrible things will happen.
She is afraid and stuck with a stranger; she’s desperate to find out what’s going on and how to escape.
The Monster of Elendhaven
I’m very, very surprised because I entered a giveaway for this book on Goodreads and actually won! I don’t win giveaways very often, so I’m actually very surprised I won this one.
But now that I’ve won this book, I will be adding it to the 31 horror books to read this October for myself!
Here is what The Monster of Elendhaven is about.
Elendhaven is a city that broods on the edge of the ocean. It’s been consumed by the plague, abandoned, and left to die. But what we find out is that not everything dies so easily. Something is stalking the city, and it just so happens to be shaped like a man. It has a dark heart and long, pale fingers longing to wrap around someone’s throat. It’s a monster that can’t die. His master sends him out on errands through magic and ultimately changes the monsters’ hearts.
The monsters will take their revenge even if they have to burn the world to do it.
Our Share of Night
Our Share of Night is one book that I have been hearing so much about! After reading what this one was about, I’m pretty sure I’m going to eventually read it too.
Here is what Our Share of Night is about!
A father and son are now on a road trip after losing their wife and mother. They are full of grief and are trying to find a way to reconnect with her and remember by visiting the place she came from. But when they get there, they are faced with a horrible legacy she left behind. She left behind an extended family that commits terrible acts to find immortality.
Gaspar, her son, thinks this cult is his destiny. The Order tries to get him into the cult as best as they can, but his father is scared and forces him to run with him. As they try to escape, how far will his father go to protect him? Is there a way they can escape their fate?
Doorbells at dusk
Doorbells at Dusk is one of the books to read this October that I actually haven’t heard of.
Just by the cover of this one, it definitely belongs on the 31 horror books to read this October. Especially considering that the kid on the cover looks like he’s trick-or-treating. So this one might be a good one for Halloween.
The cover kind of gives me Trick ‘r Treat vibes. Maybe it’s just me, though!
Here is what Doorbells at Dusk is about.
Doorbells at Dusk is a Halloween novel for those who are looking for great scares. The book is filled with horror masters and rising stars.
Doorbells at Dusk is full of short stories that are dark and full of suspense. So make sure to carve your pumpkins, turn off the lights, and light your candles before you start to read.
Conclusion on what to read this October
There are so many horror books out there, so I know there are so many that belong on this list as well. I would love to hear what books you think belong on this list as well! I know it’s hard to keep up with all of the books that are coming out, and I love hearing about the good ones that you guys enjoy!
These are 31 horror books that are great for spooky season! I wanted to make sure not to include anything by Stephen King. Most of you already know his work!
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