2023 Halloween Reading Round-up!

I love Halloween. This year I have been doing a delightful marathon of spooky reads in anticipation of the holiday, so if you’re looking for the perfect thing to get you in a Halloween mood, look no further! And speaking of looking no further — if you’re in Roanoke on the 28th (tomorrow) come on down to local bookshop Book No Further to hear me read from “Viridian”. You’ll also have a chance to win an excellent gift basket with books from Mike Allen and R.S. Belcher in the mix.

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

I loved Hide, and Mister Magic certainly brings the spooky. What if your favorite childhood show was actually something a lot more sinister? What if the memories you have in your head of a that show are…spotty and filled with something terrible that you can’t quite be sure of? What if your best friends from an unremembered childhood come and find you…and drag you back into a nightmare you were sure was only a dream? While I can’t say that I loved this book quite as much as Hide, it was an awfully fun read that was satisfyingly creepy while being very low on the gore rating. (Horror)

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Speaking of haunted films…Silver Nitrate is probably one of the best Silvia Moreno-Garcia books to read for Halloween so far. If you’re fascinated by old films and the occult, this book might be for you. Told in Moreno-Garcia’s trademark sparse yet enthralling prose, this book kept me on the edge of my seat. (Horror, Latinx)

Grave Expectations by Alice Bell

A slightly funnier addition to the list, Grave Expectations is a millennial British murder-mystery. My only critique of this book is that I am absolutely allergic to the word “noughties” which is apparently what the young British-folk call the early 2000s. A delightful read with found family, decaying ghosts, and an excellent old house. If you wanted an adult Scooby Doo, this book is for you. (Horror, Comedy)

What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell

If I had to pick one Halloween book for you to read this year, this one would be it. What Stalks Among Us is absolutely creepy, full of October countryside aesthetic, and features time jumps and resets the reader must figure out along with the narrator. It’s, in short, Amanda catnip. Plus it takes place in a corn maze which…yeah, just take my money. (Horror, LGBTQ+, Fat Rep)

Uncanny Times by Laura Anne Gilman

This is the first in a series that, while historical in setting, will appeal to the urban fantasy reader who really loves the idea of monsters living secretly alongside us and people who are in the know about it. There’s a murder mystery, excellent winter-in-New England setting, and I wasn’t sure who the villain was until the end. I definitely enjoyed it! (Historical Fantasy, Horror)

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

Last book I read for Halloweeen! This one is from Rachel Harrison, whose work I love. I did enjoy this book, especially the overt horror movie aesthetic throughout. I think it would make an excellent B-grade horror movie. That said, the book didn’t quite gel for me the way I wanted. Still, the themes of dealing with a narcissistic parental figure and cult thinking? They’re going to hit for a lot of folks, and overall this book was well-done. (Horror)

Hope you get to read something spooky this week!