SPOOKY STORIES BOOK LIST

MEG

BY STEVE ALTEN

Dr. Jonas Taylor left his life of deep-sea diving for paleontological research after an incident 7 years ago. Now his former associates need his help with a Mariana Trench dive.

The beginning of the book was a little bit slow. It took a minute to get used to all of the scientific talk and for the action to start picking up pace. But once it did, it didn’t stop, and I had a hard time putting this book down. It was crazy and ridiculous and amazing!

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF MEG HERE

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

BY JANE AUSTEN, SETH GRAHAME-SMITH

A mysterious zombie plague has fallen upon the world. Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters train to kill the undead and are distracted by the arrival of some eligible bachelors in their town.

This was hilarious and pretty much everything I wanted it to be. I’ve loved the movie for years and finally got around to reading the book–what a good choice I made.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES HERE

THIRTEEN

BY STEVE CAVANAGH

The serial killer isn’t on trial. He’s on the jury.

This book was amazing! It’s like Suits and Criminal Minds wrapped up together, put on steroids, and with a dash of Bull! And I LOVED every second of it!!!

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF THIRTEEN HERE

BE MY BOO

BY MISHA CREWS

As a firefighter, Dale is assigned to spend Halloween night in the town’s ‘haunted house’ in order to prevent any kids from causing trouble. The last thing he expected was to become wrapped up in the house’s haunted happenings.

There’s nothing like being trapped in a haunted house to help you realize what’s important in life. This was a fun Halloween themed story with an uplifting feel. It had a lot of potential–I probably would have liked it more if it were longer.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF BE MY BOO HERE

WICKED IS THE HOLLOW

BY K.E. GANSHERT

Selah has always been fascinated by the unexplained. There seem to be a lot of strange occurrences involving her town, Foggy Hollow. When a new Vandenberg descendent moves to town to live in the house the previous Vandenberg family disappeared from, Selah is more than curious.

Wicked is the Hollow is a great book for the spooky season. It’s a big mystery, with a treasure hunt vibe. In a way, it reminded me of National Treasure. Everything came together well in the end and I really enjoyed the plot twists along the way. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF WICKED IS THE HOLLOW HERE

ALCHEMY OF SECRETS

BY STEPHANIE GARBER

Holland has always been fascinated by urban myths and the possibility of magic. When she stumbles upon a character from one of those myths, she finds herself on a mission to find a mysterious ancient object full of magic in order to save her own life.

Alchemy of Secrets was a high stakes treasure hunt full of mystery and questionable characters. The magic incorporated felt whimsical and a little nonsensical, but I thought it worked well for the mystery of this story. I can’t wait to read the next book!

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF ALCHEMY OF SECRETS HERE

A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER

BY HOLLY JACKSON

A Good Girl's Guide To Murder details the murder investigation of a teenage girl. The cops have decided that her boyfriend killed her. I mean he admitted to it, didn’t he? Now, five years later, high school senior, Pip, believes there might be more to the story.

I thought A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder was a great book! I was sucked in immediately and it was all I could do to accomplish other daily tasks since all I wanted to do was read. The story was entertaining and kept me guessing the whole time.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER HERE

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

BY GASTON LEROUX

Opera singer, Christine Daae reconnects with an old friend, Viscount Raoul de Chagny. But something, or someone, comes between their relationship.

This book was really good. I know it’s a Gothic Horror story, but… I laughed a lot. And I liked that. I was amused, and intrigued, and very satisfied with the whole book, including the ending.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA HERE

SEVEN ALL ALONE

BY KIRSTY MCKAY

Ten years ago, seven children were kidnapped and taken into the woods by their school bus driver. Now they are teenagers and end up going on a school trip where they’ll be back in those same woods.

This book was one wild ride. I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know what happened in the past and what was happening in the present. Some things got confusing, but, overall, this was a good thriller.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF SEVEN ALL ALONE HERE

TWILIGHT

BY STEPHENIE MEYER

After moving from Arizona to Forks, Washington, Bella was instantly drawn to Edward. Bella was bound and determined to figure out what made Edward so special. The last thing she expected was to discover he’s a vampire.

It’s ridiculous. It’s hilarious. It’s insta-love. It’s major red flags. It’s toxic situations. But at the same time… Team Edward all the way! I’ll always recommend Twilight to those who haven’t read it before.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF TWILIGHT HERE

SALEM'S FALL

BY REKTOK ROSS

James feels like she's constantly trying to prove she's earned her job at Whitehall & Rowe, a prominent law firm. When she's assigned to a high-profile case, she finds herself chasing down leads in the small town of Salem's Fall. After finding a shocking connection between her client, a secret society, and a series of ritualistic murders, she's determined to get to the bottom of it despite the risks.

Salem's Fall had me hooked from the very beginning. There were so many questions I needed answered and those questions fueled my reading. I liked the characters and the story, but the ending left a lot to be desired. I would argue that the story left too much unresolved.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF SALEM'S FALL HERE

LIARLAND

BY MADISON RUPP

For some reason, somebody wants Pineland to close. After three employees mysteriously die, Gwen and Valerie decide something is not what it seems. All these deaths can’t be accidental. When Valerie goes missing, Gwen must do everything she can to get her back safe.

This book started out a little slow for me and took me a bit to get into, but once I did, it was hard for me to put it down. Towards the end of the book, I was starting to feel like it was an episode of Pretty Little Liars… And I loved it!

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF LIARLAND HERE

FRANKENSTEIN

BY MARY SHELLEY

Victor Frankenstein, obsessed with science and the myths of life, creates a creature that immediately repulses him and causes him to regret everything he’s done. When Frankenstein abandons his creation, the monster doesn’t take it well, and vows to ruin his life.

I loved the monster’s point of view. Those were my favorite chapters, and I flew through them because I was so intrigued by what was going to happen… I don’t know what it says about me that I grew very fond of the monster.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF FRANKENSTEIN HERE

NIGHTWATCHING

BY TRACY SIERRA

One night when a woman and her two children are sleeping in their house, someone decides to join them…

It’s been a hot minute since a book has given me nightmares. This one did it! And I kinda loved it! The whole concept of the book is just straight up horrifying, in the best possible way. The fact that what happened in this book could happen to anyone is what gives it its edge.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF NIGHTWATCHING HERE

THE BODYGUARD'S FALL

BY CINDY STEEL

In the middle of the night, Liv packed a bag and left her apartment, hoping to flee from the man who has been stalking her for the last two years. Fully trusting her police officer brother, she finds herself back in their hometown, under the protection of her brother’s best friend and his family.

I loved The Bodyguard’s Fall! The combination of suspense and romance was perfect. The stakes were high. I was almost as creeped out by the stalker as Liv was. I loved the banter between Tate and Liv. I loved their dynamic as bodyguard/friends/more than friends…

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF THE BODYGUARD'S FALL HERE

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE

BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

This is a story of a respected doctor’s strange connection to an evil man and the town’s hunt to find a murderer.

The first half (maybe 2/3) of this book was a fun mystery, but the other part was more of a philosophical conversation of good vs evil. Dr. Jekyll wrote out a letter of what he did and why he did it. It goes to show that everybody does have some good and evil in them, and the wolf that wins is the wolf that you feed.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE HERE

THE WEREWOLF OF FEVER SWAMP

BY R.L. STINE

Grady and his family just moved to the swamps of Florida for his parents' work. Every night he keeps hearing the howling of wolves. But everyone says wolves don’t live in the marsh…

I really enjoyed my time reading The Werewolf Of Fever Swamp. I blew through it in a couple of hours. The storyline was compelling and kept me interested the entire time. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in a spooky story for kids!

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF THE WEREWOLF OF FEVER SWAMP HERE

DEEP TROUBLE

BY R.L. STINE

Billy spends every summer on his uncle's boat. When Billy discovers a mermaid, he finds himself in some serious trouble.

Compared to the other Goosebumps books I have read, this one wasn’t as scary. It was more of an adventure than a horror story in my mind. The ending was classic Goosebumps though.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF DEEP TROUBLE HERE

SLAPPY NEW YEAR!

BY R.L. STINE

Ray loves scaring his little brother Brandon. When Ray happens upon the wooden dummy, Slappy, he just has to have him. Maybe he can use Slappy to scare Brandon.

I really enjoyed the pace of the story and all the different twists and turns that it took. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a scary read that’s appropriate for kids.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF SLAPPY NEW YEAR! HERE

PLANET OF THE LAWN GNOMES

BY R.L. STINE

Jay Gardener just moved to a new neighborhood. He’s trying to be on his best behavior since he was constantly getting into trouble in their old neighborhood. But, he can’t shake the feeling that something is up with all these lawn gnomes.

This was an odd one. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, especially at the end when it all came together. But… it all felt very random. I would say this one is worth the read if you’re interested in a book where nothing is as it really seems.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF PLANET OF THE LAWN GNOMES HERE

THE FIVE MASKS OF DR. SCREEM

BY R.L. STINE

Monica and Peter simply wanted to go trick-or-treating. Instead, they find themselves on a deadly scavenger hunt looking for the five masks stolen by Dr. Screem.

I loved it! This story had the perfect amount of scary for a children’s book to still be entertaining for an adult. I really liked how each chapter basically ended on a cliff hanger. It kept me reading and kept the pace of the book nice and fast.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF THE FIVE MASKS OF DR. SCREEM HERE

THE LATE-NIGHT WITCHES

BY AURALEE WALLACE

The last thing Cassie expected this fall was to find herself in the middle of a decade long curse, battling a vampire for the sake of her family and her island.

The Late Night Witches is a great Halloween read. The story takes place over the month of October, featuring witches, vampires, and a family curse. There are secrets and mysteries. There are long lost relatives. There’s a cute neighbor who has taken in his sister’s baby. What’s not to like?

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF THE LATE-NIGHT WITCHES HERE

THE INVISIBLE MAN

BY H.G. WELLS

A scientist turns himself invisible and has to deal with the consequences.

I loved the part when Griffin was telling the story of how he became invisible and ended up in Iping. That was probably my favorite part, and it makes me wonder if I would have liked the beginning better if it was from his perspective.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOOK REVIEW OF THE INVISIBLE MAN HERE