When you’re not planning the perfect costume for the frats or figuring out which weekend is actually Halloweekend, the post-midterm season offers an almost unnerving amount of free time. So, when you’re between discussion posts and YouTube sewing tutorials this October, check out these 13 Halloween reads.
From gothic classics to roller skating ghouls, this list offers a slew of books for every spooky mood.
**Some titles may contain adult content.**
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“Carmilla”
When people are asked to think of classic vampire literature, they often think of Bram Stoker’s Transylvanian Count — less often do they think of his equally solitary and blood-sucking female predecessor.
Published 25 years before “Dracula,” this female-led gothic novel follows the story of an isolated Austrian woman, Laura, and the enchanting stranger who quite literally crashes into her life. Everything Laura knows is turned upside-down when the mystifying and dangerous Carmilla’s arrival coincides with several misfortunate events.
At only 108 pages, this gothic horror is a quick read for a dark and stormy night.
“Frankenstein”
One of the most iconic horror stories in literary history, Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel is a must-read for the Halloween season.
Telling the tale of a mad scientist and his sentient creation made from human remains, this monster story holds an important message about the possession of power and what to do once one wields it.
Though only 260 pages, the gothic language makes this a more challenging read. However, many readers will be relieved to know that there will be no in-class annotations required for this read-through.
“Red in Tooth and Claw”
A twist on the traditional possession and slasher horror that is so iconic of Halloween time — Lish McBride’s newest release is set in the historical Wild West.
The main character, Faolan, reconciles her grandfather’s death while trying to gain the legal rights to his farm. Shipped off to a town for societal outcasts, Faolan discovers something sinister lurking in the dark.
This 400-page novel combines horror with Western, giving the reader a suspense-filled world.
“House of Leaves”
Mark Z. Danielewski’s masterwork is nothing short of a paranormal puzzle. From its mind-boggling composition to the encoded messages sprinkled throughout, this book will leave readers with more questions than answers.
It layers a story within a story within a story and puts the reader in the role of detective to connect them all — following an elusive document written about a parallel universe and the young man who works to decode that document.
This 710-page labyrinth is no easy read, with literal twists and turns and portions of the book written upside down or mirrored. But it has the added benefit of telling a new story every time you dive back in.
“Nothing But Blackened Teeth”
Another quick read, this horror novella gives the Halloween connoisseur just what they desire: ghosts and haunted mansions.
A Heian-era estate-turned-wedding-venue seems the perfect place for the last few nights of unmarried partying. But the ghost of a past bride and the girl who was sacrificed to keep her company lurk in the shadows, lonely and vengeful.
Not only is this 125-page novella a compelling horror story, but it utilizes its grotesque nature to comment on grief.
“Interview with the Vampire”
For the vampire lover, Anne Rice’s iconic 1976 novel is the prime gothic read.
Following a slew of vampiric characters through the trials and tribulations of undead life, the reader gets to connect to the unglamorous life of a vampire.
The first in the 13 books of “The Vampire Chronicles” series, this 346-page novel can be read as a stand-alone or as the start of the series.
“The Only Good Indians”
A nominee of the Goodreads Choice Awards for Favorite Horror in 2020, Stephen Graham Jones’ novel is a paranormal horror and social commentary.
Four Native American men are haunted, both metaphorically and literally, by a beast steeped in the traumatic events and abandoned culture of their shared past.
Three hundred five pages make this book just the right length for a Halloween read.
“The Bog Wife”
Set in the cranberry bogs of Appalachia, this creature feature follows a grieving family as they try to secure their legacy by summoning a new matriarch from the vegetation in the bog water.
At 355 pages, this gothic horror leans longer but packs a poignant punch with a unique monster and the powerful theme of grief.
“My Best Friend’s Exorcism”
Another Readers’ Favorite Horror nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards, this 2016 young adult novel takes a lighter approach to the paranormal.
Childhood best friends must use the power of friendship and a shared love of all things ’80s to beat the evil spirit threatening to ruin their friendship.
This 337-page novel is the perfect Halloween read to book club with your best friend.
“Carrie”
Stephen King is one of the most iconic horror writers of modern literature, and his 1974 classic high school horror novel is a thrilling adventure.
Carrie White is like any other high school girl doused in radical religious guilt — except for her telekinesis. With lots of blood and paranormal powers, this revenge narrative will leave the reader second-guessing their own daily actions.
King’s classic thriller is 272 pages of compelling, shocking horror.
“And Then There Were None”
Veering off traditional supernatural horror, Agatha Christie draws upon the horrors of real life in her classic 1939 novel.
She paints a picture of 10 strangers trapped in a lavish mansion. As they start to die one by one, the remaining must work to deduce who is doing the killing.
Christie writes 264 pages of suspense and mystery that will leave audiences dying to read just one more chapter.
“Mexican Gothic”
Winner of the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards for Readers’ Favorite Horror, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s enigmatic gothic horror is a thrilling page-turner.
The main character, Noemí, sets out to save her cousin from a mysterious ill fate. But, as she works her way into her cousin’s new family, she gets caught in the entrancing web of the house and its occupants.
A different tone from other titles on this list, this 320-page historical fiction novel spins a thrilling gothic tale.
“An Academy for Liars”
Established horror and fantasy author Alexis Henderson’s newest paranormal fantasy novel is a perfect read for anyone in a particularly academic mood.
Saved from a life falling apart at the seams by an opportunity to attend a magical university, the main character must navigate the seedy world of magic. She must learn to balance her powers with the responsibility of morality.
Though not explicitly horror, this 464-page book intertwines the fantasy and thriller genres for a paranormal dark academia journey.
