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Top 8 Horror Books That Are Must Reads for This Fall

by Samantha Knoerzer •  October 12, 2015  •   Follow SamanthaKnoerze

Published in Publishing Tips  •  No comments

 

 

With October comes horror movies, and more importantly-horror books!

With Halloween coming up, what better way to ring in the holiday with a list of our top 8 reads in the Horror genre? From the incomparable Poe to next spine-tingling YA read, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list that we think includes something for everyone:

 

 

  1. Catacomb by Madeleine Roux

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The third installment in the Asylum series (which was featured in Our Favorite Summer Reads by Genre: Horror blog post, https://bibliocrunch.com/publishing-tips/our-favorite-summer-reads-by-genre-horror/), this YA novel­­­­­­ rejoins Dan, Abby, and Jordan as they take a road trip down to New Orleans, where Jordan is relocating to live with his uncle. But what starts out as a harmless sojourn turns into a quest to uncover the truth about a group called the Bone Artists. As Dan pieces together how this notorious clan fits into his personal history, his choices becomes clear. The only question now is whether he’ll make it out alive.

This book is a perfect fit for fans of Miss Peregrine’s School for Peculiar Children. With the inclusion of found photos and a fast-paced plotline, this story will have your heart racing until the very last page.

 

 

  1. Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

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Speaking of Miss Peregrine’s School for Peculiar Children, the third novel in this trilogy, Library of Souls, will be gobbled up by any YA horror fan. In this final installment, Jacob Portman and Emma Bloom are forced to execute a swift-yet-complicated rescue mission in order to save the other peculiar children from certain demise. Though his powers are increasing, the unprecedented dangers that Jacob will face in the war-torn loops threaten to ruin the freedom and safety that Miss Peregrine and the other ymbrynes have worked so hard to establish. Will Jacob come into his own as a hero and lead his friends out of the darkness? Pick up your copy to find out!

 

 

  1. Dreamcatcher by Stephen King

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What would a list of Top Horror Reads be without a Stephen King recommendation? The unmatched Master of Horror spins a must-read extraterrestrial thriller in the classic Dreamcatcher. Twenty-five years after a life-changing event defines their childhood, four men reunite in the woodlands of Maine for their annual hunting trip. However, this year’s trek takes a swift and sinister turn when they encounter an unsettling stranger murmuring about “lights in the sky”. Soon, the four companions are thrust into a fight with an otherworldly being that threatens to turn deadly. Their only recourse is to face their past and the elusive Dreamcatcher.

 

 

  1. Psycho by Robert Bloch

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This iconic cult classic tells the tale of Norman Bates, a societal recluse who relies on the company of his mother to pass his days. One day, Norman spots a gorgeous woman checking into the nearby Bates Motel, and begins to spy on her. However, his mother’s looming presence and dominant personality threatens the safety of Norman’s “impure” thoughts. The struggle between polite society and dark taboo themes that lurk behind shut doors riveted the nation when this book made its debut in 1959, and spawned Alfred Hitchcock’s beloved film adaptation. Pick up this classic today…if you dare!

 

 

  1. Flesh and Blood by Patricia Cornwell

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Listed as the June 2015 Bestseller in the Publishers Weekly Mystery/Thriller category, this continuation in the bestselling Scarpetta series follows medical examiner Kay Scarpetta on her birthday trip to Miami with her husband, Benton. What starts out as an innocent birthday trip soon becomes an investigation into the death of a local high school music teacher. Coupled with the sniper’s precision and the lack of witnesses, all that’s left to investigate is a fragment of copper. As the body count increases, and a relative is implicated in the crime, the cost of leaving this case unsolved hits closer to home than ever. But with no connections and random crime locations, how will super sleuth Kay crack the code of the sniper? Pick up your copy to find out!

 

 

  1. Psycho Save Us by Chad Huskins

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Venturing back into the realm of the supernatural, our next pick is an indie read that’s gotten a lot of attention on GoodReads. The first installment in the series tells the story of two young telepaths, Kaley and Shannon. Confined to The Bluff, an oft dangerous part of Atlanta, the girls are left to their own devices while their mother, Jovita, continues her endless search for the next high. Left to fend for themselves, the girls forge a bond with local psychopath and wanted man, Spencer Pelletier. However, when the girls are kidnapped by a notorious Russian trafficking ring, who will save them? In an unexpected literary twist, it is up to Spencer to follow the telepathic bread crumbs that the girls send his way. Will this antagonistic hero save the day?

Fair warning to the faint-hearted: this book was repeatedly described as an intense read.

 

 

  1. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz. Illustrated by Stephen Gammell

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As far as this blogger is concerned, no collection of Top Horror Reads is complete without the inclusion of Alvin Schwartz’s classic collection, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. With haunting black-and-white illustrations to accompany each tale, this story collection includes reimagined folk tales and urban legends intended to instill a bit of fear within the heart of children and adult alike.

 

 

  1. The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe

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Topping our canon of twisted tales is none other than Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven. This iconic narrative poem tells of an anthropomorphic raven’s visit to a tormented lover, and the lover’s debilitating journey into madness. With the raven’s haunting call of “Nevermore” framing the lover’s desperate plea for a respite, this classic rabbit-hole into the mind of a madman is perfect for readers seeking an eloquent glimpse at madness.

 

 

Enjoy the Halloween season, and if you’re on social media, reach out to us on twitter (@BiblioCrunch) or facebook( https://www.facebook.com/BiblioCrunch?fref=ts) and let us know what spine-tingler you’re currently immersed in. Happy Reading!

 

 

This post was written by Christi Sheehan!

About Christi Sheehan

Christi Sheehan joins the ranks of Bibliocrunch from her previous position as an Assistant Editor at Oxford University Press. She was graduated from Marist College with a degree in English (with a concentration in Writing) in 2012. Since then, Christi completed a number of social media and editorial internships. She currently works as a book reviewer for TeenReads.com. In her free time, Christi enjoys reading (primarily books in the mystery, literary fiction, and poetry genres), writing, singing, unabashedly watching the Real Housewives series on Bravo while on the elliptical, teaching swim classes at her local Y, and kicking her boyfriend’s butt in P90X classes at her local gym. You can follow her daily musings about life and books at her twitter handle, @ChristiShee.

 

 

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About Samantha Knoerzer

I am the Social Media Coordinator and Author Relations Manager for BiblioCrunch. And I love to read, OF COURSE! From the classics to YA and children's, you can find me reading it all. I have a masters in publishing from NYU's Print and Digital Media Studies masters program, and have undergraduate degrees in music, marketing, and english. I have a passion for reading, music, and travel. My goal is to travel to as many places around the world as possible. If you need to find me, you can catch me traveling all around the world at any chance I get – always with a book in hand!