36 Comments
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Dani Leopold's avatar

Beloved by Toni Morrison and I weirdly feel like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is sort of spooky?

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Elizabeth's avatar

A Series of Unfortunate Events is definitely spooky. There's something about it ....

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Lacey's avatar

I loved Plain Bad Heroines earlier this year, and I'm currently reading The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle, which has been an experience of a novella. I am so excited to read Shutter-- I also am surprised it hasn't gotten more hype.

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Elizabeth's avatar

Ooh. Plain Bad Heroines is fantastic. LMK what you think of Shutter.

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Kellianreads's avatar

The haunting of hill house by Shirley Jackson. Read it because a friend asked me too and it was so creepy. Also Mondays not coming or anything by Tiffany D Jackson

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Elizabeth's avatar

I'm on the hold list at the library for Tiffany Jackson's new one!

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Monica McLaughlin's avatar

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson! More psychological suspense than spooky ghosty stuff, but still one I come back to every fall.

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Elizabeth's avatar

For good reason! Very creepy.

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Heidi's avatar

I recently enjoyed The Institute and We Ride Upon Sticks for spooky season books. I also can’t wait to read Hester, I’ve heard great things.

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Elizabeth's avatar

I adore We Ride Upon Sticks. So weird and so good.

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Katie B's avatar

Eerie books:

Dracula - loving Dracula daily

Plain Bad Heroines - Emily Danforth

Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier

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Elizabeth's avatar

Dracula Daily is so fun.

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Jeremy Anderberg's avatar

Klinger's annotated Frankenstein is soooo good. Going through it right now.

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Elizabeth's avatar

Oh! I'll have to check that out. I love something that helps me understand a book better (or get more out of it?)

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Amran Gowani's avatar

Perhaps a bit cliche, but classic short stories by Poe (e.g., The Tell Tale Heart) always usher in the fall season for me.

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Elizabeth's avatar

Thump thump.

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Celine's avatar

This is my first year of Substack and I'm so hyped that all the book newsletters are doing Spooky Season! I just did a post on it too, recommending 4 gothic novels.

My guilty pleasures have to be Bram Stoker's Dracula or The Cask of Amontillado by Poe. If I had to pick something more contemporary, it would be The Last House on Needless Street -- can't recommend it enough!

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Elizabeth's avatar

I loved your picks!

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Elizabeth Marro's avatar

I'll check out your gothic novels and thank you for letting me know that all the book newsletters are doing Spooky Season (I'll get on it).

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Celine's avatar

Thank you for your support!!

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siesta Mary's avatar

My recommendation is not eerie or scary but it has ghosts.. Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

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Elizabeth's avatar

And witch balls!

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Micah's avatar

I was going to recommend Sarah Addison Allen’s first book Garden Spells! Lots of fun “magic”.

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Renae's avatar

Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury -- something about it.

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Aingeal Stone's avatar

The more recent favourite creepy books I've read are Gaiman's The Graveyard book, and Riggs' Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children with its creepy vintage photos.

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Dalyn's avatar

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden is a great creepy read for the family!

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Elizabeth's avatar

Checking it out!

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Natalie G. (@readingtomydogs)'s avatar

Leave the World Behind and Fever Dream were two recent creepy reads!!

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Elizabeth's avatar

Definitely stayed up all night reading Leave the World Behind.

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Natalie G. (@readingtomydogs)'s avatar

Big fan of dark academia books for spooky month- The Secret History, the World Cannot give, etc.

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Adetokunbo Abiola's avatar

The Domitory by Obinna Tony is spooky indeed, and anything by Poe.

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Elizabeth's avatar

Checking out The Dormitory!

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