What are you reading this Hallowe’en?

What are you doing for Hallowe’en this year? When I was younger I used to love going trick or treating on Hallowe’en- it was the perfect excuse to go and ask people for sweet treats, and I always used to love gorging on chocolate and sweets for weeks afterwards. When I moved into the posh part of the city, the sweets got even better- definitely a pro of moving house.

So, today I thought I would come up with a list of spooky reads for your Hallowe’en! Personally, I’m too much of a wuss to choose to read a horror book, but these would be right up there for my Hallowe’en, if spooky stories were my favourite choices!

I’ve tried to choose some typical, yet classic, Hallowe’en reads for this season. Sometimes it’s the classics that get us into the spooky mood the best.

‘The Raven’ by Edgar Allan Poe

I clearly remember watching a film which was based on Poe’s books during school- we had a teacher that would show up horror films way too old for us- and it definitely scared me. Although ‘The Raven’ is actually a narrative poem, it packs in all the tragic, supernatural mystery which is necessary for a Hallowe’en read.

The fact that it was written in the 1800s just adds to the sense of gore and Gothicism, and this is a spooky read which should not be missed, creating the perfect atmosphere for any spooky Hallowe’en parties.

‘It’ by Stephen King

Everyone knows this story because of the film adaptations (one of which only came out recently). But ‘It’ was originally a book, and Stephen King is one of the most haunting, gruesome and terrifying horror story writers. For me, books can often be even more scary than film or TV adaptations, with the author going into much more gruesome, vivid detail than a director might do.

And, if like me, you have a vivid imagination, then a story like ‘It’ could be just as terrifying in book form this spooky season!

‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker

Set in the depths of North Yorkshire, this book is gruesome and scary in the detail Stoker goes into regarding the deaths of his innocent victims. Without this iconic tale, more modern horror stories would have been impossible, with Stoker creating the original vampire which we now see in so much popular media.

So, if you’re looking for an atmospheric and spooky read, this classic could be the one to turn to.

‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley

I actually have read some of ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley for school, and again this old story has been re-created and re-adapted so many times I’ve lost count! There are so many books, films and TV adaptations based on this iconic character that it’s hard to remember the original tale.

‘Frankenstein’ is a creepy historical thriller, using all the characters (a mad scientist, an accidental monster) that have become stereotypical now. But when Mary Shelley was writing, she was creating an original story, and she proved to the world that women could write about such horrifying subjects as monsters and ghouls.

‘Shutter Island’ by Dennis Lehane

I’ve watched the film adaptation of this one, and it was really freaky! Featuring Leonardo Di Caprio as Teddy Daniels, this novel focuses on the quest to find a murderer, who has supposedly spent time in a mental asylum on Shutter Island.

But, as odd things start to happen, this novel soon becomes a psychological thriller. This film totally messed with my head, and I was left confused and frightened.

Psychological thrillers can often be the worst kind of horror story, as they mess with what you thought you knew. I hate it when my head is messed with like that. And so, like with Stephen King, this is the book to read if you want a psychologically twisted tale.

What are you reading this Hallowe’en? Are you tempted to try a haunting tale this Hallowe’en? Or do you prefer stories that aren’t too scary?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Have a great Hallowe’en, and happy reading x

Picture credits here