Slightly Spooky Reads

October is here and the early morning chill gives a definite autumnal vibe and that can only mean one thing.  Halloween is coming!  Get ready for some cozy reading.  Candy corn, apple slices with caramel dip, popcorn and apple cider are the perfect snacks.  Turn out the lights except the reading lamp and grab a light throw.  This is the perfect time for some darker reading, the kind of stories that will make you jump when the house creaks.  Uh-oh, make sure your feet are well tucked up under the blanket.  Ok, I actually just creeped myself out a little there.  I don't really do 'horror so here is my slightly spooky TBR.

I am starting light with this 1972 book by Ray Bradbury that is considered YA although it was written well before YA was a thing.  I found it when I was searching through a GoodReads list of books labeled by readers as "spooky'.  The title and blurb drew my attention and when I read a comment that this story may have been the influence behind Jack Skellington in Nightmare Before Christmas I was sold.  It should be ok, right?  Sure it's Ray Bradbury (who terrified me with episodes of the Twilight Zone) but it's YA how scary can it be?  Right?

I found this one in the same search.  The title terrifies me but I love Holly Black's writing (Coldest Girl in ColdTown, The White Cat) so I am willing to read anything by her.  Plus, this is middle grade so how scary can it be.  Right?  

I intended to read this one last October but didn't get to it and here we are a year later and Book 9 The Grave's a Fine and Private Place is already out and Book 10 The Golden Tresses of the Dead is coming in January so I need to get on with it.  Flavia is a precocious 12 year old with a penchant for the macabre, an interest in chemistry (especially poison) and a flair for solving mysteries.  Simply perfect for autumn reading.

Karen White writes books with a flavor as southern as pecan pie and she is no stranger to southern gothic.  I expect good characters, lots of atmosphere and an absorbing mystery from this one.

I almost read this one last December when my science fiction book club was asked to read books by latino authors.  This vampire novel was intriguing but I decided to go with Summer of Mariposas instead because vampires didn't feel very Christmas-y.  Later this year this book popped up on a YouTube video by Adam Cesare (a horror author) Best Vampire Books You Haven't Read  which he ranked as number 2 in his top 5.  He said it was 'incredible' and he gave a lot of great reasons which have nothing to do the horror genre and everything to do with good writing and the unique world building,  I am intrigued.

This is the third book of The Diviner's series.  The setting is 1920's NYC and a group of 'gift' young adults are literally fighting the forces of evil to save the world as they know it.  What sets this series apart is the atmosphere which is deliciously spooky. This I will be listening to the audio book which I have heard is amazing.

This one will also complete a series, and while not necessarily spooky, there magic, pirates, romance, and a battle against evil forces, not to mention beautifully rich prose.  I am finally getting to this one thanks to A Darker Shade of Readalongs hosted by Common Spence on Youtube and the ACOL live discussion will take place on 10/27 so I can put off reading this one until almost the end of the month.

What will you be reading this month?