Tuesday 23 October 2012

Top Ten Books To Get In The Halloween Spirit


We don't really celebrate Halloween here in Australia, but man I wish we did. It seems like such an AWESOME holiday. Dressing up and eating junk food? That's like the best combination ever. Still, there's no reason why I can't get into the spirit at home by dressing up and eating lollies watching scary movies (or just Hocus Pocus), and reading some Halloween-worthy books...


1. Carrie by Stephen King. OK, I'm sure pretty much anything by Stephen King could go on this list. But having only read a few of his books, this one is probably my fave.

2. Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. This books scared the bejeezus out of me. It features one of the most horrific villains I've ever come across. Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.

3. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The green-faced, bolt-necked monster is a Halloween staple (well, judging from movies and all), but the original book is one of the most beautiful, heartbreaking tales I've ever read.

4. Preloved by Shirley Marr. For those looking for a more light-hearted read, Preloved is a super fun book featuring a hot ghost from the 80s.

5. Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst. This one is another lighter, fun story, but I think it's Halloween-worthy purely for the fact that it features vampirse who actually like to feed on humans. Well, until a random unicorn is thrown into the mix, anyway... like I said, it's fun!

6. 1984 by George Orwell. Is there anything more terrifying than Orwell's interpretation of the future? Especially the ending... it still haunts me, years after I read it.

7. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Dorian trades his soul for eternal youth and beauty - which become the mask that disguises the horrors lurking within. Creeeepy.

8. The Children of Men by P. D. James. This is another novel that has stayed with me years after I finished reading it. It's a haunting tale of humanity gone wrong.

9. Pet Sematery by Stephen King. Another King, I know, but seriously - undead toddlers are the freakiest thing ever.

10. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. This makes the list purely for the creeptastic photos that appear throughout. It does start out pretty scary, but a third of the way in there is a massive shift in tone. I still loved the book, although it wasn't what I was expecting.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

31 comments:

  1. Anything by Stephen King works for me for a scary read - and Let the Right One In - loved it! Awesome list.

    Tanya Patrice
    Girlxoxo.com

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    1. Yes! I want to read more of his work. So far I've read Carrie (loved), Pet Sematery (liked) and It (loved, then hated the ending)/

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  2. Halloween has started picking up here in the UK in the last few years, but to be honest they still don't know how to do it right!!

    I've never read 1984 and I've always wanted to. I just put it on the back burner. Now I'm totally intrigued by this ending you're talking about.

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    1. I think it's one of those things that everyone has to go all out or it just doesn't work.

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  3. We don't celebrate Halloween here too. But I agree, the combination of eating junkfood, dressing up and party all night would be fun. :) Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst is on the wishlist. Glad to read that it's good. :)

    J'adore Happy Endings

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    1. I was pleasantly surprised by Drink Slay Love, especially because I have serious vampire fatigue.

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  4. I see many people enjoyed Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs so I'm really thinking of giving it a try.

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    1. It's a great book, but only scary for the first part.

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  5. I'm with you. I think 1984 is a very scary book!

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

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  6. I had to read 1984 for school, so I didn't enjoy it that much, but you have a great list!
    My TTT

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    1. Thanks Jess. Reading books for school definitely taints them.

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  7. This Children of Men has definitely stayed with me too - and the movie was just as haunting!

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    1. Agreed - although I was annoyed at how much they changed the story from the book.

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  8. It is fun! You would love it. And girl I'm with you I love Hocus Pocus!!!! :)

    Great list!

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    1. Thanks Juju! I definitely have to go to the US during Oct one year so I can experience it at least once.

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  9. Awesome list!
    Feel free to stop by and check out mine...
    http://asoutherngirlsbookshelf.blogspot.com/2012/10/top-ten-tuesdayhalloween-spirit.html

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  10. I got an ARC of Little Star through Goodreads, and reading that makes me want to find more of Lindqvist's books! Little Star wasn't...scary, it just had some twisted, creepy parts to it, though, so I was slightly disappointed since the back of the book calls him Sweden's Steven King.

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    1. Oh, I'll have to check out Little Star! Let The Right One In was scarier than the few Kings I've read.

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  11. No trick-or-treating?! Man, that's a bummer! My kids and I look forward to that every year and sharing the loot of candy!

    Pet Semetary is one of the scariest movies I've ever seen!! No way could I read the book.

    New follower.

    Check out my Top 10

    Holly @ Words Fueled by Love

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    1. Yeah it's a shame. It seems so fun.
      Pet Sematery is definitely a scarier book than movie!

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  12. You'll have to come to the US just to experience this fun candy-filled holiday! This is a great list and I added a few of them to my TBR stack. I am seriously on the hunt for a book to terrify me! Here is my Top Ten.

    Vyki @ On The Shelf
    Check out my new meme Cover Crush!

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    1. I really must! I'd also love to be in America (or England) at least once to experience a white Christmas. I hope you find a truly creepy book :D

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  13. As I clicked on this post I thought to myself "I wonder is they do Halloween in Australia.." thank you for answering that question. haha Great book choices, all uber creepy.

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    1. We don't really--only to a very small degree, and largely because of the US influence, I think. :)

      But there are some great books on this list regardless!

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    2. Stephanie is right - we get so many American movies and TV shows, so we know all about the holiday even if we don't actually officially celebrate it. We get one or two trick or treaters come by randomly sometimes, but it's not a Thing. I wish it was :D

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  14. What a wonderful list, even though I haven't read them all I think it's a good selection for Halloween

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  15. I need to read Miss Peregrine soon! I've heard great things about it. Love your list!

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    1. It's a really good book, although it ends on a cliffhanger so it might be worth waiting for the second book to come out if you're impatient (I know I am!)

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