Read on If You Dare: Spiritual, Supernatural and Spooky Books
Are you looking for books that go bump in the night? Ready for a read that dances on the dark side? Craving a story with supernatural thrills and chills? Then this Halloween-inspired reading list is for you! Regardless of the time of year, spooky books are the perfect way to embrace a Halloween state of mind. So double-check your horoscope, don your best Halloween costume, break out the tarot deck, and let’s hit the shelves!
Have you ever thought that some of the most iconic fairytales are in dire need of a feminist makeover? Then this poetry and short story collection is right up your alley! Nikita Gill’s poems have gained viral fame, and this collection shows just how magical her words can be. Alongside beautiful illustrations, the stories in Fierce Fairytales blur the lines between heroes and villains, and they put complex, fully realized women characters front and center.
If you can’t get enough true crime books, podcasts, and documentaries, then perhaps you’ve wondered how someone becomes a killer. That’s what podcasters Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire set out to answer in this book: Are killers born or made? And why are we so obsessed with them? With their signature curiosity and sense of humor, Bala and Maguire examine the real stories of famous murders to better understand our societal perceptions of mysteries and the worst side of human behavior. The result is sure to make you think—and laugh a little along the way.
This is the perfect guide for the little witches in your life! Designed for kids age 8 to 12, it’s a beginner’s guide to magic for bringing good into your life and banishing bad energy. It focuses on family, friendship, and personal fulfillment with simple instructions and illustrations for magic spells, rituals, and potions. Junior Witches Handbook is an approachable and upbeat introduction to witching for the young and young at heart.
No spooky reading list would be complete without the iconic Queen of Halloween, Elvira! Her memoir is a wild, unexpected, and an endlessly entertaining ride. From a chance meeting with Elvis Presley that changed her life to her time as the lead singer of an Italian pop band to gaining fame as the hostess of late night vintage horror movie marathons on a local TV station, each chapter is full of surprises. It’s the perfect book to put you in a Halloween state of mind.
The Salem witch trials are an iconic moment in American lore, but also one that can feel oddly removed from the rest of our history. In this thorough exploration of the witch trials, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Stacy Schiff contextualizes it among the 17th century political turmoil, Puritan religious culture, and secluded colonial life. It’s impeccably researched, but also engagingly and creatively told. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about this great American mystery, The Witches is a must-read.
Kate Reese is a single mother who will do anything to protect her son, Christopher. After fleeing her abusive husband, Kate and Christopher move to a seemingly perfect small town in Pennsylvania with a tight-knit community. But as soon as they settle in and things start to look up, Christopher goes missing. Six days later, Christopher appears at the edge of the woods, claiming to hear a voice telling him he must build a treehouse or face certain doom. It’s a terrifying, twisty tale sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
What if Abraham Lincoln used his notorious height, strength, and skill with an ax to guide the country—and slay vampires? That’s the blend of history and fiction Seth Grahame-Smith imagines in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Years after watching his mother die, Lincoln learned her life was taken by a vampire. His thirst for vengeance led him to the White House and on the warpath against the undead.
If you’re fascinated by the mystical unknown, then dreams are the perfect place to explore your ties to the other side. Originally published in 1974, this has become a classic reference text for interpreting subconscious symbolism in your dreams. Robinson and Corbett explain how dreams can portend things to come, and provide all the tools you need to understand what your nightly visions are trying to tell you. Keep it by your bedside and consult it upon waking to find out what messages are being conveyed in your sleepy adventures.
Susie Dumond is a Senior Contributor at Book Riot and the author of Queerly Beloved, coming May 3, 2022, from the Dial Press. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter at @susiedoom.