Halloween is my favorite holiday. Fun fact: Halloween originated in Ireland as the festival of Samhain, where the line between the world of the living and the dead is thinnest.

As a lover of all things dark, spooky, gothic, mysterious, and eerie, you can get why this hoilday is my scene. Especially when it comes to books. If you don’t have a creepy reading list for this weekend, never fear. I am here to help with books you may not have thought of. And give you nightmares. Let’s begin.

1. HANGSAMAN by Shirley Jackson

Now, you know Shirley. She wrote “The Lottery” and a lot of other books that probably freaked you out. This title is one of her lesser known works, but is so FOR SHAME. First of all, it’s based on real experiences of Jackson herself AND the real-life disappearance of a college student in the 1940s. The main character, Natalie, goes to college to escape the pressures of her controlling family and winds up involved in some dark stuff. It’s not a book that’s very committed to reality, so you’ll have to judge for yourself which of the unsettling events are real. You’ll also be deeply unsettled. Enjoy.

2. THE FALL by BETHANY GRIFFIN

This was my favorite book of 2014. THE FALL is smart, dark retelling of “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe, told from the perspective of the ill-fated Madeline Usher. If you’re anything like me that’s all you need to know and you’re already on your way out the door to procure a copy.

3. THE CORN MAIDEN AND OTHER NIGHTMARES by Joyce Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates is a legend, but sometimes I feel her horror writing doesn’t get enough credit. This collection is amazing. First of all, anything involving children and corn is creepy. I read this a few years ago and still vividly remember specific lines from these stories, which range from one about children conducting a strange ritual to one about trepanning to one about seriously messed up twins. Lots of good stuff to creep you out and have you fliching as you turn the page. Perfect for those nights you want to light some candles and read creepy stories out loud in the dark to your roommates and family to freak them out. Wait, no one else does that? Just me?

4. SERVANTS OF THE STORM by Delilah S. Dawson

FIRST OF ALL THE COVER OF THIS IS FREAKY AS HELL. The longer you look the worse it gets. This is some Samara level creepy. This is the kind of book I recommend if you love spooky atmosphere. It’s set in Savannah after the city has been devastated by a hurricane, leaving the city prey to rot, disease, and demons. The main plot is about a girl trying to determine if her best friend (thought drowned in the storm) is still alive. There were some things about this book I didn’t love, but a grimy, haunted Savannah, already the most haunted city in the US in real life, is totally worth the ride.

 5. BLACK CHALK by Christopher J. Yates

This is an under the radar read for those of you who like to get your chills from the psychological. Six best friends at Oxford University play “The Game” – a silly competition of childish dares. Slowly, however, The Game escalates into something horrible. Fourteen years later, the consequences of The Game rear their head, and the players must meet again for a final round. “Who knows better than your best friends what would break you?”

Enjoy the terror, folks! And have a safe and happy Halloween!