October ScaredyKIT: Halloween

October ends with Halloween. During this month try for a book with a theme that fits October or Halloween. It also means that just about anything will work so you probably can read a book that you meant to get to in a previous month and it will work here as well. Have fun, cuddly up with a warm blanket before the fire and have an October dream of your own.

Night in Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween by Richard Chizmar A collection of short stories
Ghost Story by Peter Straub

Other suggestions:
The Institute by Stephen King
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grandy Hebdrux
Halloween by Paula Guran
Universal Harvester by John Darnielle.

Here are some links if nothing here interest you.
https://americanliterature.com/halloween
http://www.jacquelineabelson.com/blog/31-classic-horror-novels-to-read-before-ha...
https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/g28335655/best-halloween-books/

Don't forget to post to the wiki.

I'd like to do a Stephen King one, but I also often read "Sleepy Hollow" right around Halloween. I'll see what else is on the tbr.

I meant to read it earlier but didn't get to it: Halloween Party by Agatha Christie

I cannot believe I have never actually read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, so I will choose that. It is one of that books that everyone seems to know the story, whether they have read it or not but it is about time I actually read it!

I am going to be reading The Night Country, a halloween ghost story by Stewart O'Nan.

I’ve read Ghost Story several times, so I’m going with Shadowland, another by Peter Straub. About 1/3 of the way through and loving it!

Universal Harvester is already on my stack so that will do nicely.

>2 LibraryCin: Also bear in mind that November is King and Family month.

I'm thinking ghost stories. I have two collections that would fit: Ghostly edited by Audrey Niffenegger and The October Country by Ray Bradbury, which would be a reread.

Can't get touchstones to work.

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury is a good one.

>5 DeltaQueen50: Ohhhh, I should look that one up...

>8 sturlington: Thanks for the reminder!

I did remember, but I was also hoping to find one for another challenge that ends on Nov 3. :-) I think I'm going to read a Joe Hill instead (it also fits the other challenge + October's RandomCAT)... and I'll still probably choose a Stephen King for this for November.

I hoping to read three Chilling Adventures of Sabrina novels and the hardcover Occult Edition of the comic. Plus, books 2 and 3 of Joe Hill's Locke & Key.

I'm planning Death of a Ghost by Margery Allingham or The Witches Tree by M.C. Beaton.

I've started with Stories of Terror and the Supernatural, a compilation of short horror stories by classic writers, and I'm planning to read We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson and Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.

I read The Southern Book Clubs Guide to Slaying Vampires, it is a bit of everything and it does have a Halloween in it as well as vampire and rats.

I'm thinking of reading
the Spoon River anthology by Edgar Lee Masters
or maybe a re-read of the graveyard book by Neil Gaiman.

>15 Kristelh: I read that just a few weeks ago and loved it.
I've also read Help for the Haunted last week. It has a Halloween night in it, and a very creepy doll.

I just finished Scary! Stories That Will Make You Scream! edited by Peter Haining. All the main characters in the book are children. I found the most interesting story to be a nonprinted chapter of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I will also be reading the children's book The Witch's Hat by Tony Johnston

I just read comic epitaphs from the very best old graveyards with illustrations by Henry Martin.

Finished Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre, the latest from the author of World War Z. After Mt Rainer erupts, a high tech community is cut off from the rest of the world. The struggle to survive becomes much deeper when something that makes really big, human-like footprints shows up and is hungry...

Change of plans. My library hold for Headstone by Ken Bruen just arrived so that will be my choice.

I like to read spooky or creepy books in October. Last week I read Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss, and now I'm on to Your House Is On Fire, Your Children All Gone by Stefan Kiesbye. Both are very good.

I read Ghostly: A Collection of Ghost Stories edited by Audrey Niffenegger. A solid collection, with a mix of familiar classics and contemporary writing. Did you know that P. G. Wodehouse wrote a ghost story? It was very funny. I think my favorite in the collection was Niffenegger's story, and I also loved her illustrations throughout. Doesn't the gorgeous cover make you think of Halloween?

>23 sturlington: I love that cover! Worthwhile for the cover alone.

>24 VivienneR: That is why I bought the book. :-)

I have completed my read of The Night Country by Stewart O'Nan. While this was a ghost story that was set on Halloween, it was not a spooky one rather one of sadness and guilt.

>26 DeltaQueen50:
Hmm, sadness and guilt - now THAT sounds interesting

>23 sturlington: very nice cover. It does make you want to read it or at least own it.

I'm a bit late to the party and my choice for this month is a stretch. I'm starting Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin which is about vampires.

>29 chlorine: seems appropriate to me

I'm starting Sandman Volume 4: Season of Mists. The title is certainly autumnal, but I won't know whether it fits the theme till I've read it.

Having finished it, I think yes Sandman Volume 4: Season of Mists does fit the theme

I'm hoping to finish Universal Harvester before the end of the month.

Phantoms / Dean Koontz
4 stars

When Jenny, a doctor, arrives in her small town of about 500 people with her much younger sister Lisa, to whom Jenny is now guardian, the place is still like nothing she’s ever experienced. When they arrive at home, they find her housekeeper on the kitchen floor, dead. The phone is not working, so they head next door to use the neighbour’s phone to call the police, but the neighbours are no where to be found. And no working phone. Jenny and Lisa investigate a bit further to find people either missing or dead.

I really liked this one. A bit creepy to be reading by myself after dark, but isn’t that what horror is for!? The author has a note at the end about the writing of the book, which was also interesting.