Fall is my favourite season. Not only because I get to indulge my oh-so-basic love of pumpkin spice, but because my year-long habit of reading horror and paranormal books becomes delightfully festive! Yes, I am no longer the weirdo reading about blood and guts in the bright spring sunshine, I am now the harbinger of the stomach-churning reads you secretly long for! Ha za!
So, here are some of my favourite scary reads, in no particular order. Read on, if you dare! Bwah ha ha ha!
Folly by Laurie R. King
After a life-altering tragedy, Rae, a 52 year old internationally renowned woodworking artist, moves to a small uninhabited island to rebuild an old family home and her life. I’ve read this book at least three times and every time it scared the crap out of me. I can’t say too much without giving away too much, but lets just say the woods have eyes… or do they? As the blurb tagline says: WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR WORST FEARS AREN’T ALL IN YOUR MIND?
Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
I read this book last year, and well, I still get nauseous thinking about it. Hex is about the town of Black Spring which is haunted/cursed by a witch, a decrypted walking corpse of a witch whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut. The witch travels through the town whenever and wherever she wants, she can appear beside the kitchen table while you’re eating dinner or spend a few days standing at the foot of your bed. The town must keep her a secret from the outside world or risk the activating the curse. And above all else never touch her, never open her eyes. The horror and violence in this book are pretty explicit, so perhaps not for the faint of heart, but it is masterfully written, and the story is ridiculously compelling. Even though it gave me nightmares, I still read way past my bedtime.
The Outsider by Stephen King
I have read a lot of Mr. King’s books over the years, a habit I unwisely began at the age of 12, it ruined many a night’s sleep. This book is definitely in the top three, sandwiched between Misery and Pet Sematary, and is my favourite book of 2018. I won’t say much, just if you’re a Stephen King fan, or you’ve always wanted to try his stuff, read this book. Now.
A Head Full Of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
Is fourteen year old Marjorie Barrett showing signs of acute schizophrenia or demonic possession? At their wit’s end and almost completely broke, her family turns to the church for help and allows the entire process to be filmed for a reality tv series. This book is a terrifying supernatural family drama and a chilling examination of our reality tv culture all rolled into an expertly written package.
Books Of Blood Volumes 1 to 6 by Clive Barker
I first read this series when I was in grade nine. I had just started high school, and the school library had them all, which in retrospect was pretty progressive. I burned through the set, and they blew my young mind. I recently picked them up again and, even though twenty-five years have passed, the stories felt fresh and compelling. Just as alive and wriggling as they did the first time. There are few mind-benders as well after all Clive did create Hellraiser.
So there are a select few titles to get your adrenaline running. What are your favourite scary books?
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