So Halloween is in a month. I get it, some of you are like 'too early.' However, when it comes to reading, you can never be too early, especially since it takes a little longer than watching a TV show or movie. Therefore, I think it is timely to bring about a list of the best books to read in time for Halloween.
1. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
This freaky thriller brings the reader to the mysterious and questionably haunted Hill House. We read as four characters are brought together to try and figure out just what is going on and Jackson brings us on a fantastic ride that leads to an eerie end.
2. The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
While this book is not necessarily a horror story, it's definitely creepy. If you can make it through Hawthorne's at times dry descriptions, this story is definitely one of surprises, deep seeded family rivalries and a whole lot of unexplained happenings. Also anything where a house is inherently scary is amazing.
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
A book that is unsettling about a young man whose face never changes but the portrait an obsessive artist paints of him does. Every sin is put upon that portrait and yes the book is dark, unnerving and all in the gorgeous prose that only Wilde can write.
4. A Rose For Emily by William Faulkner
While not a novel, this short story is certainly one to read before halloween. With a twist ending that puts the "The Sixth Sense" to shame, this eerie tale of a woman's mysterious history can really get one in the mood for something a little spookier than your typical fare.
5. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brönte
This Gothic Victorian novel is certainly one demure story. Set in the dreary estate of some of England's upper class, this story has the usual Brönte touch of shock and for some horror thanks to broken loves and deaths that leave the living with haunted minds, this certainly is not a story for a bright and sunny day.