Monday, October 22, 2012

Top Ten Books to Get into the Halloween Spirit

Top Ten Books to Get in the Halloween Spirit

Hello, Readers! Today we bring you a collaborative post featuring a few of our more spooky stories to get us all in the mindset for Halloween! I asked the contributors of our blog to give me the stories and books they have read that remind them the most of Halloween. Here are our answers!

(For future Top Ten Tuesday, check out our Top Ten Tuesday page)



Jana's Pick

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

This book was SO spooky! A group of kids stranded on an island all alone in the middle of a torrential downpour, and one of them starts killing everyone else. There were tense moments and suspense and mystery. I had to read this in bright lights, with my sister next to me doing her homework. Scary, but good! This is my kind of scary. I can handle murder, but not the supernatural!




Jen's Pick

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Growing up I'd read this book with my grandparents during the week of Halloween.  A fun tradition!  It was the perfect book for my younger self because I did not like the super scary things associated with Halloween (I'm a proud scaredy-cat).  Taking a trip through time and seeing how other cultures celebrate Halloween?  Sounds good to me!  I am long overdue for a reread, hopefully I'll be able to find my copy of the book!




Tahleen's Pick

The Diviners by Libba Bray

I'm almost finished with this one, but it's a perfect pick for the Halloween season. It's super creepy, plus for all of you who like to dress up as flappers for Halloween, you'll get some awesome descriptions of '20s dress since it takes place in NYC during the Roaring Twenties. Here's a brief synopsis: Evie is sent to New York City when she puts the reputation of her town's golden boy on the line through a trick she can do—reading secrets from objects. She's thrilled to get out of her hometown in Ohio and into the excitement of the city that never sleeps, but when she finds herself helping to investigate a series of grisly murders, her gift might be the key to saving humanity from an evil too large to comprehend. I am excited to see how this one wraps up—it's certainly been hard to put down!


Jamie's Pick
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

Definition of a mindf*ck. One of those books that you'll start feeling crazy reading. Take breaks.









Jamie's Pick



Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
ZOMBIES!!! What says Halloween like a post-apocalyptic zombie story?!









Bridget's Pick

It by Stephen King

What better story to read to get yourself ready for Halloween than a story about a clown-that's-not-a-clown and the kids who are drawn together to defeat the monster? Shoot, this is not only one of my favorite SK books, but one of my favorite books of all time. And he's just been on my mind lately since I just got tickets to go see him in person in December!! :D




Julia's Pick

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

Back in the days of yore I saw a Disney cartoon based on this book and it freaked me the hell out. Years later I read the short story and it freaked me out just as much as the cartoon. Whenever I think of Halloween to this day I think of this book/story as well as some others...






Julia's Pick

Goosebumps by R.L. Stein

In grade school, there were two scary T.V. shows that I watched on a regular basis despite not liking getting scared. One was Are You Afraid of the Dark and the other was Goosebumps. Watching the mask episodes led me to pick up some of the book series. I didn't get very far in them because of the aforementioned not liking being scared, and The Haunted Mask is still terrifying to my mind, and thus Halloween.



Julia's Pick

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

This books seriously creeped me out. I remember getting so caught up and actually thinking that I may not be able to finish the book because it was freaking me out so much! You know that it is a good creepy book when they have made multiple movies based on it!






Julia's Pick

The Strange Case Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

I loved this musical and I love the source material that it is based on. The idea of self experimentation and in and of this creating a monster is so trippy. Then the psychological aspects of that complete opposite person living inside us the whole  time also creeps me out.



All right! Hit us up with your spookiest list! And have a Happy Hollow's Eve!



57 comments:

  1. Snap! I also included 'The Turn of the Screw' on my list. First book that seriously scared me!

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  2. Ten and The Diviners are on my list, as well! So creepy in the best possible ways! Rot and Ruin looks awesome.

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  3. Ahhh awesome list! Oh I used to love Goosebumps so much!

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  4. Ten sounds like my kinda book, I'll have to check it out. Great list!

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  5. Turn of the Screw is so awesome! A seriously spooky book. IT and Goosebumps made my list as well.

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  6. Loved Rot and Ruin! Made it onto my list too. Seriously good book.

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  7. Some great books - I want to read Ten, and Goosebumps always freaked me out as a kid. May have to participate later =)

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  8. Yes, I also thought in The turn of a screw would be perfect for Halloween :)

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  9. I included The Turn of the Screw too, and I really want to read Ten. My brother was obsessed with the Goosebumps books when we were kids - I did end up including some Point Horror on my list!

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  10. Great Top Ten Tuesday! I love the Halloween period, even though in France where I live it's not really famous.

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  11. I just watched the newest BBC version of the Turn of the Screw and it creeped me out. OMG!

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  12. I have both The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Goosebumps on my list. I keep seeing Ten all over the place and it really does sound creepy.

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  13. I'm a Stephen King fan, but I couldn't read IT...tried twice. Scared the pants off me!!

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  14. I'm with you; I don't like to get scared when I read! So my list is a little lame.

    Here's my Ten Ten Books to Get You in the Halloween Spirit. I hope you'll stop in!

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  15. I love Goosebumps and the Diviners. And I'm super excited to read Rot and Ruin.

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  16. It! Such a great Halloween read :D
    I really want to read Ten ASAP :D

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  17. Oh Goosebumps. I only read one of their books (a choose your adventure), and I still have nightmares based on it.

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  18. I picked the Diviners too! Great list!

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  19. Sleepy Hollow and It are on my list too. :) I reading The Diviners right now and I am loving it! The only bad thing is not having the time to just sit and read it until I am finished! :)

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  20. I love that Goosebumps is on here! House of Leaves and Ten both made my list, too.

    Vyki @ On The Shelf

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  21. Jekyll and Hyde is a great Halloween read. I hope to read The Diviners soon, maybe it'll be a new addition to the Halloween list for me.

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  22. I actually think The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is hilarious. Irving has gotten this reputation of being scary and creepy, but there is so much humor in both stories that I was surprised when I listened to them on CD.

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  23. I have been eying The Diviners for some time now, I hope I get to read them soon!

    My TTT
    *GIVEAWAY*

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  24. IT is on my list, too. Such a creepy book!!

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  25. The Turn of the Screw is on my list, too... every time I read it, I have a different idea about what really happened.

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  26. great list. goosebumps is on my list too. and i don't know why i forgot stephen king. "it" is a perfect pick!

    Katie @ Inkk

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  27. Yes The Legend of Sleepy Hallow! Eeeek these all look scary & perfect for around Halloween!! I have The Diviners on my reading list, hoping to get to it soon :) Thanks for sharing!

    Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows

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  28. It, Goosebumps and Sleepy Hollow are great choices! I'm hoping I can get to read Ten and House Of Leaves soon. Great list!

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  29. This was another fun topic! Brought back some childhood memories of books I loved to read during Halloween too. I share some of the same picks you had. Check out my Top 10

    Holly @ Words Fueled by Love

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  30. Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde--a classic Halloween story. fun topic today. kaye—the road goes ever ever on

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  31. Definitely Goosebumps and Rot & Ruin. Goosebumps always creeped me out as a kid, and zombie books are awesome for Halloween (or any time!)

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  32. I had IT and Jekyll and Hyde on my list too! Yea! Great minds! I totally want to read that Bradbury one, though. :D
    My TTT. Happy Tuesday! ;D

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  33. My book club read The Turn of the Screw one Halloween. Good choice. The Diviners seems to be a very popular choice this week. Thanks for all the recommends!

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  34. I just finished reading The Diviners and it was really fantastic! My top picks are more split between some kiddie favs(like the Fear Street series, Bunnicula and Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark) and the classics (Frankenstein & Dracula). I also really like Ted Dekker who does amazing murder mysteries.

    I hear tell Ten is loosely based off of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. If you haven't read the original, I highly recommend it and it's on-screen adaptation as well!

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  35. I've made my top ten list! I have a feeling a lot of my choices will be on other lists, but hopefully I'll have a few original ones. You can view it here: http://rinnreads.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/feature-top-ten-tuesday-1.html
    =)
    Rinn

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  36. Ooh! I remember the Disney Ichabod Crane cartoon - that stuck with me for years!

    Awesome list!

    Shannon @ Rex Robot Reviews: http://www.rexrobotreviews.com/2012/10/top-ten-tuesdays-books-to-get-in.html

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  37. Fear Street>Goosebumps for me all the way. :)

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  38. I loved Goosebumps and pretty much anything R.L. Stine as a kid. They made my list as well!

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  39. Totally agree, I love Fear Street! So creepy but so good!

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  40. Good call on Rot & Ruin. And I totally put The Diviners on too.

    Oh man, I should have put on those Goosebumps Choose Your Own Adventure books. They were my fave when I was a kid.

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  41. I bought House of Leaves JUST for this time of year - I hope I can finish it before Halloween!

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  42. Great picks. I've just put "Ten" on my list to read! "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is my favorite. I actually grew up in Sleepy Hollow. The street signs all have small headless horsemen on them and Halloween is a blast. They reenact the story!

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  43. Amazing list! I love scary books. Definitely adding Ten to my list.

    Jess@ Jessy's. Bookends

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  44. I had thought of House of Leaves when thinking about choices for this post, but forgot...good choice. I also have Turn of the Screw, Dr. Jekyll, and It on my list!

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  45. LOVE RL Stine and It is super creepy! Great list! And, Ten sounds good! I write mysteries so I'm always on the lookout for good ones to read to get inspired!

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  46. I have Ten on my list too! It was so creepy and suspenseful that I had to read it in one sitting!

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  47. The summary of Ten makes it sound a lot like Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None...which is on my list! :)

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  48. What a great list! Ten, Goosebumps, House of Leaves, and The Halloween Tree are all great choices! :)

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  49. GERSBERMS! Sorry, had to. :) Nice mix of classics, YA, and whatever House of Leaves is! I call myself a Bradbury fan, but I've never even heard of The Halloween Tree - I'll have to track that one down!

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  50. I love reading spooky stuff around Halloween. <3 I'm currently reading The Experiment In Terror Series by Karina Halle. They are all 99 cents on Amazon and they are crazy addictive. And perfect for this time of year. :)

    yay to the RL Stine books. I loved those when I was younger. <3

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  51. I have House of Leaves on my list but only because my son recommended it. I'm not sure I've got the courage to attempt it!

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  52. I love this feature! I'll be starting it on my blog next week. Thanks for sharing such a fun idea.

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