Due to life being busy, I had to take an unscheduled break these past few weeks. As an apology, I thought I'd write a short post to celebrate Halloween. And you know what that means...HORROR! I will admit, I'm not a big fan of horror, but I do enjoy a good Stephen King every once and a while and I've been known to stay up with a psychological thriller. I know this post was probably better suited for the beginning of October, but why can't November be spooky too? :)
1. Frankenstein -- Mary Shelley
Frankenstein is a classic and belongs on any good horror list. It's also a great read to share with non-horror fans. The creepy content is tempered by the 19th century writing so it's a little easier to read alone at night than the other books on this list.
2. And Then There Were None -- Agatha Christie
Yes, this book is more mystery than horror, but it terrified me in middle school (and still does now). Nobody does an edge-of-your-seat thriller like Agatha Christie and this one, in my opinion, is Christie at her absolute best.
3. The Haunting of Hill House -- Shirley Jackson
Maybe you've already seen the Netflix adaptation, but I still think the short novel is worth a read. Shirley Jackson's stories are the best kind of creepy. If you really can't handle any more of Hill House, you can always pick up her other horror classic, We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
4. Plain Bad Heroines -- Emily M. Danforth
This book just came out last week so I haven't had the chance to read it yet, but I've been excited about it since it was first announced. Queer women and creepy boarding schools? Always a good pairing. I'm also excited to see the way Danforth tackles horror because it's such a different genre than her first book, the YA novel The Miseducation of Cameron Post (also a good book, just not for this list).
5. The Locke and Key series -- Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (Volume One: Welcome to Lovecraft)
Although Joe Hill is a white, straight man, this incredible graphic novel series is illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez, a Chilean artist. The six volume series ended in 2013, but last year Hill confirmed that they were making a spin-off/prequel/sequel series, called World War Key. A prequel mini-series has just started and is set to finish in January 2021, and, while there isn't a set date yet, World War Key is rumored to start early next year. The original series also has a Netflix adaptation with an incredible cast of young actors. It came out earlier this year and already has been renewed for a second season!