So, this is my first October in the book blogging community, and as we all love themed months and read-a-longs, it appears October is the month for scary reads, gripping thrillers and spooky stress-inducing page-turners. Ula @ Blog of Erised has organised Ominous October, a bookish event featuring reviews, interviews and features such as this one, you should go check it out for some inspiration.
But what do you do if you’re a scaredy cat?
Welcome to my world. I shy away from horror movies, hide behind my hands at gory slasher scenes and I will admit to sleeping with the light on after braving Paranormal Activity 2. So it stands to reason that I’ve also avoided scary books. I haven’t even attempted one, and I’m not sure that I want to. If you’re looking for some more “comfortable” reads for Halloween, you’ve come to the right place!
Practical Magic – I love the movie version of this book starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, and didn’t even know it was a book adaption until recently. I’m really looking forward to reading this one soon!
The Infernal Devices Series – This is a firm favourite in the book blogging community. Mix shadowhunters, werewolves, warlocks and weird creatures and you have a paranormal treat in store.
Miss Peregine’s Home For Peculiar Children – a creepy read with even creepier photography included, this book, and its follow-up, Hollow City, have gotten a lot of great reviews. A perfect read for October.
The Host – I know, I know. Not many are fans of the Twilight series (I am though!), but I’ve heard that even the biggest Twi-haters are fans of Meyers more chunky read, The Host.
The Mara Dyer Series – I just recently got my hands on the first book in this series, and I can’t wait to get to it! I didn’t know it was that creepy until I read a couple of spoiler-free reviews, and apparently this will make for a great October read!
Adaptation – Maybe not the most conventional pick for Halloween, but who doesn’t love a good book about Aliens? My review of Adaptation.
My planned reads are a bit out of sync at the minute, I’m on a mood-reading binge, so even though I want to get to some of these this month, it may or may not happen.
What are you planning to read in the month of October? Are you taking part in any read-a-longs? And are you a spooky avoider just like me, or do you enjoy the rush from scary stories?
Confessions of a Book Geek 
exactly like me- I don’t do horror well.Thrillers I can stand, but nothing too drastic ;3 I’m a wimp haha #ANDPROUD.
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Haha I love the #andproud part! I can do a good murder mystery or a thriller, but I have such an over active imagination that I can’t do much else! R x
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I’m not into big horror but I’ll try so of it – I’ve read a few short stories of H.P. Lovecraft, they’re creepy but not in your face scary.
But mostly like you I stick to tamer reads on the scare factor scale! Not reading anything special this year for Halloween season though.
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Haven’t heard of that author before, must check them out. These are reads I’d like to get to, but I have some fantastic reads I bought last month that I’m dying to get to, so don’t know if I’ll fit them in. Might get the first Mara read… R x
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I don’t mind suspenseful or creepy movies and books, but I really don’t like when something is disturbing or disgusting. Great recommendations! 🙂
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I can do suspense and creepy, watched Misery and LOVED it, but I can’t really do proper scary, and ones like Scream are worse, because they’re more realistic, that could happen!! Lol R x
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Love this, Rachel! I’m a huge scaredy-cat too so this list is really relevant 😀
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Thanks, Daniela. Glad to know I’m not alone (when I’m cowering in the corner!). R x
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I love that GIF! I’m a huge scaredy cat too! I’m also planning to read Miss Peregrine. I thought The Host and Mara Deyer were great reads, so I hope you’ll enjoy them!
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I thought it was adorable!
Really looking forward to these reads, but I’m turning into such a mood reader and I have an amazing TBR waiting for me at home, so we’ll see if I manage to get to any spooky ones this month! I’m about to start Life After Life, which might not be scary but certainly seems to have a supernatural element to it, reckon that counts?? Lol R x
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I still have to brave The Host as I really don’t like Twilight. But I have an open mind, especially after a few people that I trust have recommended it to me 🙂
I still haven’t read Adaptation but it looks good.
Practical Magic is one of my fave movies and I had no idea it’s a book! I have to read this pronto 🙂
Good picks!
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Hey, Ula 🙂 The Host is such a chunky read too! And I never heard much about the movie… Adaptation was surprisingly good and I want to get my hands on the rest of the series, I think it’s a trilogy. As for Practical Magic, I had no idea it was a book first and I’m so excited to read it, but I LOVE the movie. I wonder if you see the movie first and love it and then read the book, can the movie be better than the book?? R x
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That cat gif is so unbelievably cute! 🙂 I’ve only read The Host and Clockwork Angel out of these and I really liked the both. I hear Mara Dyer is really good and creepy, as well as Miss Peregrine. Haven’t heard of the other two though, I’ll have to look them up! I used to avoid scary stuff like the plague but one summer I just watched a huge portion of my library’s scary movies with a few friends and completely desensitized myself, aha.
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Oh no, I don’t know if I could do that, I’d spend my summer petrified! Lol I’m in love with that cat, it definitely is the internal face I make when someone suggests something scary to watch!!
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Yup, I am a totaly scaredy cat! 100%. I went to see The Woman in Black with my boyfriend when it came out and I pretty much hid in my hood the entire film. Then I was scared to be home alone for like two days. I am such a wimp.
I believe I have read Practical Magic, although it was after the film. I loved that film so much when I was younger. I first read Alice Hoffman’s Blue Diary and thought it was such an amazing/beautiful book. I then went on a Hoffman binge and read everything I could by her.
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That was me with Paranormal Activity! I blame my over-active imagination!
I love that movie too, in fact I think I need to watch it again today (nursing a mild hangover!). I didn’t know it was a book, but I think I need to look into this Hoffman author, her work seems to be highly rated. Thanks for commenting 🙂
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