Alternative Halloween Books?

[Erin K.]

I'm not a big horror fan. I'm watching everyone post about their scary/creepy/terrifying/chilling/etc. reads and feeling a little left out. Is there anyone else out there who just doesn't get into the whole scary book thing? What are your favorite alternative Halloween books?

[Judith Leger]

I always loved the eerie gothic romances, especially the older ones from the late 70's and early 80's. Never did like the horror books but those were just scary enough!

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[ManOfLaBook.com]

Judith, did you ever read The Woman in White by by Wilkie Collins?

[Judith Leger]

Sounds familiar. Isn't that a detective, mystery book? Not sure. Was it good?

[ManOfLaBook.com]

Yes, it is a detective/mystery but with an overtone of gothic romance. I thought it was fantastic, reminded of Dickens to be honest.
Here is my review on blogcritics - I''ll probably publish it on my blog tomorrow:
http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-the-woman-in-white1/

http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[Coffee and a Book Chick]

What a coincidence -- I actually just finished one that was more of a creepy psychological thriller that you might like -- Asylum, by Patrick McGrath, which is about a wife and husband on a maximum-security mental institution for the criminally insane in the sweeping and gloomy countryside of England. Very, haunting, disturbing and creepy, but not a horror novel -- instead much more of contemporary Gothic fiction, which I really like. Here's my review of it that I just posted today: Coffee and a Book Chick -- Asylum, by Patrick McGrath

[ManOfLaBook.com]

Did you read it as part of the FB classic nook book club?

http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[Coffee and a Book Chick]

No, I didn't know they had this! I'm going to have to check that out!!

[ManOfLaBook.com]

My apologies, I thought you were referring to the Woman in White.
D'oh.

[Coffee and a Book Chick]

Ha!! No worries -- I do need to read that book, though -- I just jumped onto Facebook and saw your post. I'm already a follower of your site, FYI -- small world!! :)

[Gareth Wilson]

Depends what you want, I've just finished one called Grave Humor where they look at people's headstones and take pics. It was quite funny.

[Kristina Barnes]

I'm with you, Erin. I can't do scary AT ALL. During the month of October, I cower in my room and avoid all TV and radio commercials and random ads on websites. I get spooked easily - I even got scared during Twilight once upon a time (yes, that's painful to admit).

I don't have any scary recommendations, but I'm a huge YA fan and most YA has some sort of supernatural or scary feel to it. I read Beautiful Creatures for the first time the other day, and I was reading it at night and got spooked because my house started making eerie sounds. I have plans of reading the Replacement on Halloween while eating the candy I SHOULD be giving out to kids. ;P But other than that? I just want October/Halloween to end quickly so I can stop being such a scaredy-cat. xD

[Erin K.]

Hooray, a kindred spirit! I'm doing a series on my blog this week called "Halloween for the Faint of Heart." I actually managed to think of a few non-scary books that still evoke a Halloween-ish atmosphere. I think the only YA I have on my list is "The Graveyard Book." A lot of it lately has been very supernatural-focused, so I've had to be careful! I'm currently listening to "Good Omens," which is a funny (not scary!) book about the apocalypse. I'll probably still be doing that on Halloween :-)

Just a few more days before the horror of Halloween is over and the festive jolliness of November and December kicks in!