As we near the ghoulish Halloween season, the cold wind and gloomy skies are forcing students to stay indoors, allowing for the perfect time to start reading books that represent all the best things about fall.
Curling up in bed or on a chair or couch with a book makes for an enjoyable pastime. In need of books that entail bumps in the night or gloomy backdrops? Here are four recommendations that are sure to get any bookworm in the spooky season feel.
“If We Were Villains”
Calling all Shakespeare and Donna Tart lovers for “If We Were Villains” by M.L. Rio. The book follows Oliver Marks and his friend group as they navigate school, friendship and romance while studying Shakespeare at a college in our favorite Midwestern state, Illinois.
Rio’s knowledge of Shakespeare and the dark academia genre shines through, leaving readers with open mouths and the constant need to keep turning the pages.
Each character becomes involved in the murder of one of their best friends. This remains one of my favorite books of all time because of how the writing and contemporary worldbuilding draw you in.
“The Diviners”
Libba Bray crafts a fictitious 1920s New York City story where something evil lurks throughout the streets and skyscrapers. This tetralogy follows a cast of characters who all connect to something greater – and more supernatural – than themselves.
Bray’s gothic writing and fleshed-out characters make it easy to fall in love with the series and be intrigued by the danger that creeps around every book. For a new historical fiction book that plays heavily on the horror genre, check out “The Diviners.”
“The Haunting of Hill House”
Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel “The Haunting of Hill House” is a classic horror story that everyone should read in October. The story tells of four ghost hunters who rent out the manor “Hill House” to study ghosts and paranormal activity. The manor is essentially a haunted house with no good stories to tell.
As the hunters stay in the house, peculiar events start to happen to each one of them, and the progression of these events gets scarier and scarier. I felt a loss of emotional control – just like the characters – dreading what was to come next but in the best possible way.
“All of Us Villains”
“All of Us Villains” combines a deathly tournament with high-stakes gameplay to create a story that dives into the moral of how greed, destruction and power can change a person.
The book gives off a “Hunger Games” vibe but separates itself pretty well, giving readers a gothic fantasy feel and champions who revel in curses and foul play. While reading, it was easy to tell that the authors, Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman, enjoy creating suspense and plot twists that will keep readers hooked for the next book in this duology, “All of Our Demise.”
