Staff Recommendations: Scary Reads!
“I could tell you certain things which would convince you, but you would never know a happy day again. You would pass the rest of your life, as I pass mine, a haunted man, a man who has seen hell.” —Arthur Machen, The Great God Pan and Other Horror Stories
We've covered a lot quite the range of "scary" with our staff picks this month! Here are ten of our spooky staff recommendations for October!
Recommended by Alisa:
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder: Nightbitch is The Metamorphosis meets gender studies in a morbidly humorous answer to questions of the self after motherhood. “She couldn’t have known what she needed all along. . . was to sink her sharp teeth into something living and bloody and to feel its essence drain away until it was simply a rotting and unmoving thing.
Recommended by Anna:
The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson: A coming of age story full of nostalgia and ghosts of the past that reflects on a time when fears of adulthood had just begun to form. A great read for fans of Stand By Me.
Recommended by Andrew:
Ghosts by Edith Wharton: Better known for her New York short stories and The Age of Innocence, few know that Edith Wharton was a master of the "ghost" story. This collection displays Wharton at her spooky best. Happy Halloween.
Recommended by Kris:
The Trees Grew Because I Bled There: Collected Stories by Eric Larocca: Disgusting: adj. As in sickening; Synonyms: revolting, appalling, nauseating, repulsive. Great read!
Recommended by Jordan:
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson: This is a hideous, gothic, claustrophobic thriller about a young maid's decision to leave her hell of a life behind and get lost in the upper echelons of society at the expense of not only losing her blood, but also giving up her soul.
Recommended by Kris:
A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts by Andrew Janes and Leanna Renee Hieber: From Lizzie Borden to Sarah Winchester to Marie Laveau, this wonderful read explores the supernatural stereotypes and historical roles that haunt campfires and ghost hunters throughout the US.
Recommended by Jordan:
The Light Inside by Dan Misdea: In this nearly wordless picture book, a timid jack-o-lantern learns to conquer their fear of the dark. For all the Halloween lovers out there young and old, this one's for you!
Recommended by Seth:
The Great God Pan and Other Horror Stories by Arthur Machen: Classic horror tales of the occult and grotesque. The author was himself a practitioner of magic and alchemy! Recommended for readers of H. P. Lovecraft, Oscar Wilde, and Edgar Allen Poe.
Recommended by Sofi:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson: Jekyll and Hyde is without a doubt one of the most readable classics. Not only is it very short, but the final chapter that explores the duality of man is so poignant and still relatable over a century later. Plus, it's perfect for the spooky season!
Recommended by Sofi:
Coraline by Neil Gaiman: If you love the movie, you’ll love the book. Reading it was the best of both worlds (pun intended): it gave me all the nostalgia of my favorite spooky movie from my childhood, and I still got to experience a new read.