October 21 Staff Picks: Spooky Season

Oct 1

Oct 1 October 21 Staff Picks: Spooky Season

Happy Spooky Season! The air is starting to cool, the nights are getting longer, and if you’re in the mood for something scary, or eerie, or downright chilling, you’re in luck. Below are some our favorite spooky (and some not-so-spooky) books that we think should be on your radar!

You can find all our past staff picks here.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Wuthering Heights is your perfect October read! It captures the dark and desolate landscape of the north of England. Here is a twisted love story that gave birth to one of literature's most dastardly villians—the dashing Heathcliff. Crack it open one fine morning with a cup of hot cider and snacks and get lost in Emily Bronte's heady world. —Aatia

Bunny by Mona Awad

This book is like if the girls from Heathers were in an MFA program. Honestly, I was too scared to finish it… Eep! —Colleen

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown

This is a sexy thriller that has all the things I love in a murder-y novel: expensive vacation houses, fucked up family dynamics, teenage romance, and revenge. Pretty Things came out right at the start of the pandemic, when no one was browsing their local bookstores, so now is your chance! — Emma

Stone Fruit by Lee Lai

Stone Fruit is my favorite graphic novel that I’ve read in recent memory. Lai’s ability to capture the intense intimacy and heart-wrenching dissolution of Bron and Ray’s relationship is astounding, as is her depiction of the love they share for their niece, Ness. Shifting between the exquisitely detailed mundanity of normal life and the impressionistic ferality these characters take on in their weekend adventures, Lai uses the graphic form to its fullest. Read this for beauty, agony, and a deeply moving rendering of the intricacies of family, both born and chosen. — Isabel

Evie and the Truth About Witches by John Martz

Unless you're a witch yourself (totally feasible), you deserve to know the truth about witches. —Jacque

Destroyer by Victor LaValle

A retelling of Frankenstein by the always brilliant Victor LaValle! Sharp illustrations pair with gripping text to tell a story of love and loss while exploring concepts of social justice. Sci-Fi and horror fans will already understand why it’s awesome, but the storyline touches on humanity in a way that appeals to readers of any genre 🤓 —Kristina

Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

ORSK (think IKEA) is all about the ideal consumer experience, from its calming circular showroom flow to the smiling employees ready to help you at every turn. But the store afterhours is another story... the dark corners and winding pathways make it seem like the store doesn't want you to leave...in fact, they won't let you leave... —Lindsay

Hound of the Sea by Garrett McNamara

You wanna be scared this October? Then, think about surfing down a 10 story wave amongst rocky cliffs in the middle of winter in Portugal. That's scary! If you've watched the documentary series "100 Foot Wave" on HBO this summer, you're already familiar with Garrett McNamera. This is his origin story memoir that chronicles his life and mentality heading into these giant waves. —Mike FS

Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto

If you're looking for a not so spooky read, but still have that Fall Fever, then this cozy wholesome graphic novel is for you! 76 year old Kumiko leads a sweet little life, but it's shattered when Death’s shadow swoops in to collect her. With her quick mind and the help of friends, Kumiko is prepared for the fight of her life. But how long can she outrun death? You're going to enjoy every moment with this funny fiery lady, and the illustrations are too beautiful! It's a fantastic fall read! —Natalie

Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle

It is hard not to mention The Mountain Goats, John Darnielle's iconic band, when talking about his debut novel just for the sake of name recognition. The thing is that his writing is so much more haunting and lyrical then his music would make you think. This is a dark, surprising book about trauma. It will get into your head. It isn't a ghost story in the traditional sense but it is just that. —Nick

The President and the Frog by Carolina De Robertis

Before he was the president, he was a guerilla fighter who sought to overthrow the government he would later lead. His revolutionary ways lead him to face imprisonment, torture, and, for many years, isolation in a dark, dirt hole...and this is where he first met the talking frog. Now, the ex-president sits in the garden of his humble home where he is being interviewed by a Norwegian reporter, wondering if he should reveal to her the one and only story that he has guarded from the world: the story of the frog. The story of the frog turns out to be the story of so much more—this is a visionary, sublime, and soul-stirring work of fiction! —Serena

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Come and pick up one of the seminal fairy tale retelling collections. Each short story in this brilliant little book is darkly delicious - Carter had translated Charles Perrault's works before writing this book, and one can clearly see her mastery and understanding of fairy tales as they were consumed hundreds of years ago. The titular Bloody Chamber is the longest story in the collection, and my favorite ever retelling of Bluebeard. The Tiger's Bride is, in my opinion, one of the top three most interesting versions of Beauty and the Beast ever told. The Company of Wolves is Red Riding Hood but dark, sexy, and of course, very, very bloody. It's seductive, thrilling, romantic, and spooky, and I promise you'll be thinking about these stories for a very long time. —Shulokhana