1. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
This book starts with the announcement that one of the main characters is going to die, and it only gets darker from there. Though the series--called The Raven Cycle as a collection--is quirky and a bit of an acquired taste, the descriptions in these books are among some of my favorite and the character development is top-notch. The last book in this series came out right before the end of my first year of college, and the night I came home for summer break I stayed up until 4 a.m. reading. Convinced yet?
2. We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson
Weird and unsettling and beautifully written, We Have Always Lived In The Castle tells the tale of a young girl who lives in an old, creepy house with her eccentric family. The entire tale is offbeat and will keep you checking over your shoulder, though would you expect any different from the author who also wrote The Lottery?
3. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Who better to read during Halloween than the undisputed Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie? And Then There Were None is a chilling who-dun-it that left me shocked when I first read it in middle school and still has me avoiding islands today. If you're not into the stiff language that the book uses, however, there's a YA adaption of the novel titled Ten by Gretchen McNeil.
4.Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The inspiration behind one of the most suspenseful movies I've ever seen, Gone Girl was the best beach read a few years ago and remains a really solid example of suspenseful writing. The writing itself is super evocative, and the plot twist in the middle of the piece will leave you reeling.
5. Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark by Alvin Schwartz
The quintessential childhood nightmare-fodder novel, Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark kept me awake for two weeks with nightmares when I was in fourth grade. It doesn't help that the stories in the book are accompanied by some of the most gruesome (and well-drawn) horror images that I've seen. Almost everyone I know read this book at one point or another, so what better way to celebrate Halloween than to dust of the binding and re-tell the tale of the girl who had spiders in her hair.
Happy reading!
