Hair-Raising Reads

Heyo!

I've been reading a lot this month, some for uni, some for myself, and the rest because I seem to have developed a really unhealthy obsession with serial killers and psychopaths (I would say my module is to blame, but that wouldn't be 100% true..) I did a post sharing what I'm (hopefully) reading this month, and I've almost finished that list which I am actually really proud of! 

I thought it might be nice to suggest some good books to you all, as the spookiest time of the year is fast-approaching, and depending on what you like to read and how quickly you can read, I feel you could read these between now and Halloween, and maybe a bit after if you want to keep the spook alive! So here's a few books you might enjoy, with a spoiler-free short summary by yours truly!

Goosebumps

This is a series I read for a bit as a kid, and one that truly terrified me. I got literal nightmares over the stories, and would often give them to the charity shop as even seeing them and remembering the storylines would scare me, which is pretty tragic now I look back! I want to read some of these again, so if anyone is willing to lend me any or knows where I can get some real cheap then please let me know! These are perfect, short, spooky reads for people of all ages.

IT

This is a really long one, but it's a super good one! Stephen King's IT seems like a really obvious choice when thinking about books that are scary and make the hairs stand up on your arms/spine, but it's so good! It goes into way more detail than either of the films did, and explains a bit more about the universe Stephen King has so cleverly crafted and it becomes more than just the killer clown who eats children and does creepy, disturbing dances. I really enjoyed reading it, but be warned, it has over 1,000 pages, so isn't for the casual reader or those who love the film but hate books - this is not your friend! I would recommend this as an audiobook, as it'll be easier to consume and it won't cost you anywhere near as much.

Frankenstein

This is a classic, both literally and in the sense of a truly terrifying read. I don't know if it's the monster, the ambiguity of the monster and his origins (he is made up of parts, but these could be any, a mix of the male, the female, and the non-human parts, a deeply disturbing mix!) or the nature of the book. I think a big reason why I always recommend this book is because of its strong connotations and references to the abject (not of the self, the disgusting and repulsive) such as different unknown parts, the creation of something from nothing, the manhunt that ensues, the murder, the defiling of human existence and the uncertainty as to where he has gone. It is such a good read and not a long one either - I feel any avid reader should already have a copy, I myself have three copies all with different covers as it is one of my favourite books of all time!

A Series of Unfortunate Events

I have mentioned this series before, but I am re-reading hem alongside heavier books to lighten the load for my brain to take in, and it's just as good re-reading them as when i had read them for the first time. Following the lives of the Baudelaire orphans and Count Olaf's attempts to get a hold of their huge fortune, the thirteen-novel series is long, but very very good! If you didn't read them as a child (seriously why not? They were insanely good!) then i strongly suggest reading them now, as they are not written just for children, and can be understood by several different age-groups, and there is a message from every book for everyone. Also, I feel the writing is impeccable, and if you don't read it, then you should definitely check out the Netflix series starring Neil Patrick Harris in it, as it is so beautifully done and does it justice in a way the film couldn't (mainly because they're doing every book and not just three, but still!)

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I hope you like these suggestions, and maybe you'll even give some a try! Let me know if you do and what you make of them. If you have any reading suggestions for me then please let me know.

B x