The veil between life and death always seems weaker in October. There is a change happening all around us, a metamorphosis of the Earth. You hear the heart beating or the potion brewing in this season right along with the characters. Everything other worldly and impossible seems possible in this season of harvest and slow decay.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we will receive a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Katie
~”Dracula – Usborne Graphic Classics”
~”The Impossible Quest”
Jessie
~”A Discovery of Witches “
Duckie
~”The Mysteries of Udolpho”
~“The Mysterious Mr. Quin”
Kathy
~”Along Came a Spider”
~”Loves Music, Loves to Dance”
Kellie
~ “The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Tales “
~”The Sookie Stackhouse series”
~”The Picture of Dorian Grey”
~”Jane Steele”
~”The Bloody Chamber”
“Usborne Graphic Classics. Dracula” by Russell Punter
In all honesty, I was intrigued at the idea of reading Dracula, but took a look at the dense 418 page classic novel and realized that was not going to happen at this point in my life. Enter in this graphic novel version of Dracula and I got a fun, easy to read version of the classic. The graphic novel is still scary and suspenseful, and a good introduction to the story. I look forward to reading the full novel someday!
“The Impossible Quest” by Kate Forsyth
The Impossible Quest is a fun series full of magic and adventure. When their town is invaded, the four main characters escape and go on a quest to save the town and its people. They start as strangers and turn into best friends throughout the course of the books. It is a children’s book series, but great for fantasy fiction lovers of all ages.
“A Discovery of Witches” By Deborah Harkness
Discovery of Witches is a delightfully creative novel about Vampires, Witches and Demons. The story follows the relationship of Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont. Diana is a spellbound witch who’s barely tapped into her powers. Matthew is a centuries-old mysterious vampire. They come together after Diana stumbles upon a coveted manuscript that has been lost for centuries. Every creature wants this book and will do anything, or harm anyone, to get to it. This novel has a little bit of everything I love! It’s a little “witchy,” a spin on history, magic and of course, romance! I also love that it’s just one in a series. It’s wonderful when the story doesn’t end!
“The Mysteries of Udolpho” – Ann Radcliffe
I’m not one to indulge too much in horror stories. I’m definitely a scaredy cat and have an irrational fear of serial killers (although, I’ll argue it’s more of a healthy, constant vigilance type of fear). But I will make an exception for a good Gothic romance. And there is no better than the “Mysteries of Udolpho.” To be honest, I only read this because of how prominently it featured in “Northanger Abbey” by Jane Austen. The protagonist of that novel, Catherine, is a fan of novels, loves “The Mysteries of Udolpho,” and finds herself succumbing to the same tropes she likes to read about. So I had to see what all the fuss was about and just how dashing Valancourt really was. It happens to be the only book I’ve ever read on an e-reader. It’s over 1,000 pages and I found it easier to not have the weight of so many pages to go while reading it. It’s got creepy castles, a few different villains, a mysterious black veil, scheming and more. It’s long but lovely. And of course, a little spooky.
“The Mysterious Mr. Quin” – Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie’s mysteries are usually pretty straightforward…Ish….Of course, there are a lot of twists and the murderer-you-never-saw-coming moments…but they are practical. Some are a bit more gruesome than others but usually they aren’t too “spooky.” “The Mysterious Mr. Quin,” however, is a bit different. I suppose what I mean by spooky here is really more like “supernatural.” This book is a collection of short stories, all containing the characters of Mr. Satterthwaite and the eponymous Mr. Harley Quin. Mr. Satterthwaite solves a mini mystery in each story with the help of Mr. Quin, who somehow appears and disappears almost magically. It’s a departure from the type of Agatha Christie novels I normally read and one I wasn’t entirely expecting. But it was a nice change of pace and definitely a fun read.
“The Tell-Tale Heart & Other Tales” by Edgar Allen Poe
I could not choose just one Edgar Allen Poe story. This book has the “Tell Tale Heart”, “The Cask of Amontillado”, “The Pit and Pendulum” and more. All the macabre short stories are perfect to read during this season.
The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse series is filled with Vampires, Werewolves, Fairies, Werepanthers, Witches and Demons. Sookie is a waitress who can read minds. This power gets her into a lot of trouble and saves several lives. This series is a different story than the television show (True Blood). The books are not as dark as the show and all the characters are so much more full.
“The Picture of Dorian Grey” by Oscar Wilde
“You have changed of course, but not in appearance.” Dorian is granted eternal youth and beauty by having a picture of him take on the scars and grotesque nature of his actions. Grey goes down a bad path, slowly at first, and then it seems like he is in a race for the worst person of the year award–winning 18 years in a row. This book is a warning to surround yourself with the right people and take accountability for your actions. I was very pleased with the ending.
“Jane Steele” by Lyndsay Faye
“Jane Eyre” is reimagined into a serial killer in Lyndsay Faye’s “Jane Steele”. Wonderfully gothic and very bloody. You can tell Faye is a fan of Brontë’s work. Not that she copies “Jane Eyre” to a tee, but creates more of a parallel story, one in which Jane fights back and wins. This book is much more physically violent than “Jane Eyre”, but ends with the classic Brontë introspection we all know, and at least some, love! If you are a fan of “Jane Eyre” then “Jane Steele” should not be missed.
“The Bloody Chamber” by Angela Carter
Fairytales are taken down a gothic, sensual path full of desire and strong female characters in Angela Carter’s “Bloody Chamber.” “Bluebeard”, “Beauty and the Beast” two ways, “Puss in Boots”, “Little Red Riding Hood” and more are recreated in Carter’s book. My favorite has to be “The Erl King” the description of shaking out the leaves and the weaving of the cage. Whoa. The last few lines of “The Tiger King” had me mesmerized how someone can strip us to who we really want to be. Carter is able to make her vivid descriptions float off the page you felt like you were in her characters’ woods, castles or in front of the mirror with them.
“Along Came a Spider” by James Patterson
Yowza!! Talk about scary!! I read this book long ago, but the creepiness of the villain, and the awful things he does to his victims, has stayed with me!!
“Loves Music, Loves to Dance” by Mary Higgins Clark
Again…read this long ago, but it has stayed with me. After reading this you may never go on a blind date again!!