books that scared tf out of me (horror books, scary books, horror recommendations)

[@dhjoubert39]

1. Where I end. 2. Penpal. 3. Hell House. 4. Last Days. 5. Moon of the Crusted Snow. 6. The Silent Companions. 7. Naomi's Room. 8. Pet Sematary. 9. The Road. 10. Mary.

[@denisewalsh7811]

Thanks for posting the list.

[@Em-fz5uh]

Thank you !!!

[@joanimaroni]

Ta

[@bcshadd]

Pet Sematary scared the hell out of me as a kid. Now that I'm a father, it scares the hell out of me for different reasons.

[@DeeBlake-p2j]

Pet sematary has such a reputation did I expected more. It was boring I'm sorry The movie was better the original not the remake.

[@marriedtoagemini9896]

This was my first King book. I was probably 10 lol but hooked me for life. Although I slept with the lights on until my early 20s 🤣

[@VaSunshine1551]

I started watching the movie Pet Sematary and couldn’t finish it. I knew I couldn’t get through the book so I decided to spoil it for myself and look up the ending. There’s no way I’ll ever go near the movie or book ever.

[@wfroedgern]

I think the chapter of the book that describes Louis and Gage cruising in Disneyland is some of the most eloquent writing ever.

[@GraveGeist482]

I have a copy of this that I have had for nearly 12 years and not taken out of the plastic wrapping. I'm too scared to read it lol

[@michaelmcclure7434]

I've read three of the books you mentioned: 1. The Silent Companions - I agree, incredibly creepy. 2. Hell House - a fun read, though I thought the movie was a little better in that it toned down descriptions of the past history of the house. 3. The Road - A bleak masterpiece, but it does end on a note of hope. I agree with you that one frightens one, may not frighten another. I love to be creeped out on a night with the rain beating against the window with only the cat and a glass of bourbon for company. Here are a few books that scared me. 1. The House On The Borderland by Willian Hope Hodgson, 1908. The most frightening book of cosmic horror I have ever read. 2. Do You Remember Me by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, 2012. Two couples journey to an island off the coast of Iceland to repair a summer home; the scariest book I have read in the last 20 years. Sigurdardottir is an Icelandic author whose mysteries are among the creepiest being written today. 3. Julian's House by Judith Hawkes, 1989. A husband and wife team of professional investigators of the paranormal get permission to spend time in a reputed haunted house to see if it is so. Delightfully creepy with sympathetic characters. You had a good list and I will check some of them out. For me being scared is not the same thing as being grossed out. The first is far more difficult to do.

[@bookinhand_]

@@michaelmcclure7434 thanks for the recs!!

[@DonnaLena1]

I agree that gross is not the challenge that truly frightening is. Some people confuse the two.

[@michaelmcclure7434]

@@DonnaLena1 Thank you for the agreement.

[@DonnaLena1]

@@michaelmcclure7434 You made an excellent observation. I can’t stomach violence and horror that is based on shock value. As good an author as Stephen King is, he sometimes goes into a style that seems to be geared towards 12 year old kids, and there are books by him that I’ve never finished reading for that reason Lol

[@michaelmcclure7434]

@@DonnaLena1 Another thing folks confuse about fright; it is different to be scared for a character in a book or movie with some monster or serial killer, but you are not frightened yourself. I have sweated buckets hoping certain characters will survive their situation, but I am not frightened. It is when the hairs on the back of my neck suddenly rise that I know the novel or movie has succeeded.

[@Nightsong49]

OMG PENPAL IS MY FAVORITE! I had no idea others had read it I heard it from creep cast! LOVE THIS!

[@midnightsnow5655]

I’ve consumed so much horror content that nothing really scares me anymore. The Graveyard Apartment was the last book that scared me and gave me goosebumps. Very chilling and I highly recommend it!

[@IzzyAmber]

I trust any rec you make after hearing PenPal worked for you! I think about that book at least once a week since I finished it years ago. It is TRULY a “gets under your skin” book and the idea that, as you said, that could happen, is absolutely chilling.

[@ilselauwers6009]

I loved the silent companions. Really creepy and atmospheric

[@MsTheWildOne]

Thank you for the tips. Rosemary's Baby is one of my favorites! The story creeps up on you and the characters feel timeless as their conversations could take place in the present day.

[@kateperronne6391]

yes please add movies to the channel! I love your recommendations so I'm curious to see what you would do for movies.

[@MaisieStirfry]

I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel. Scary books are comforting to me (I know how strange that sounds!), and with all the political turmoil at the moment I've been looking to add to my "spooky-comforting" list, so thank you so much. Pet Sematary and The Exorcist are the only novels that have ever really given me the creeps. Another novel I love and that was surprisingly creepy was Deliverance, by James Dickey. I suppose it's technically more of a thriller, but it was so atmospheric as well. Thanks again :)

[@bookinhand_]

@@MaisieStirfry thank you!!! 🫶🏻🥰

[@laynemariner1301]

Hey if you haven’t read House of Leaves I recommend it. Truly nothing I have read has left me with the nightmares and feelings of anxiety and dread like this book did. I consume a lot of horror material and this just got under my skin unlike anything else!

[@bookinhand_]

@@laynemariner1301 that's on my list! So intimidated by it though 😰

[@hannahyalea]

House of Leaves was such a rewarding reading experience for me. It left me feeling extremely unsettled. I had to sleep with the lights on some nights. It’s not an obvious, in your face kind of horror, but it just leaves you with this skin-crawling feeling. At the same time I actually found some parts of the book touching. I highly recommend giving it a go. It’s not an easy read but it’s well worth it, in my opinion.

[@jakebeach8308]

I second House of Leaves. I didn't have any feelings of anxiety or fear while reading it, but it was the single best reading experience I've ever had. The triple narrative going on, the appendices, the way the author played with space. It was so much fun.

[@copascribe7472]

I third House of Leaves! But definitely not for the feint of heart.

[@coleenmorgan431]

House Of Leaves is definitely a great creepy read. Jumping on the bandwagon of people suggesting you read it.

[@ChocoBerryIna]

Zelda is the only horror character ever to give me nightmares. I saw Pet Semetary when i was about 5 and ive loved it ever since. When i read the book, i teared up, and im not a crier. Mary is one of my favorite horror books, i fell in love 🙌

[@bookinhand_]

@@ChocoBerryIna yes!! Agree on both !

[@kirathelightworker]

Finally somebody said it!! I used to call her the bone lady as a child 😭 She haunted my life for years. Truly horrifying

[@nancytrevino7943]

Loved your video!! Omg Pen Pal scared the crap out of me too! I could not sleep & kept checking the house windows & my daughter’s rooms. I felt the same way as if I was being watched.

[@noni7442]

OMG when you pulled out hell house i literally yelped. i LOVED that book so much!!!! i hardly see anyone talk about it and it made me so happy when you recommended it. it was so amazing!!!

[@liamtaylor4955]

Good recommendations! I'm just finishing Orwell's 1984, reading it for the first time, and in over 50 years of reading I think this one might be the scariest.

[@davidgalvez5341]

It sure is! Unfortunately, it seems like the wrong people were paying attention to it. 🤔

[@Paperworms2nd]

Because we are close to this type of scenario in our current timeline? xD

[@davidgalvez5341]

@Paperworms2nd Unfortunately, it seems like the wrong crowd were paying attention to it.

[@magicknight13]

I love that book!!! There's one page later in the book that I won't spoil for you that I still think about years later, I so vividly remember reading it for the first time and being so shocked and flipping the page over again and again and rereading it!

[@liamtaylor4955]

@@magicknight13 I have finished the book, so you can't spoil it for me... I'm curious, what scene are you referring to?

[@Keeva-]

Penpal is such a fantastic book, but it took me a while to realise it. I read it and when I finished, I thought, yeah, that was a really good book. And then I found myself thinking about it and turning theories over in my head that became different theories, taking up more and more of my time, and I'm still not sure I'm done thinking about it! Took a while, but I eventually realised what an absolutely great book it really is! I was also excited to see Moon of the Crusted Snow on this list, because that book is on my winter tbr shelf! Final world, Pet Sematary is my favourite horror book of all time!

[@amberreid1059]

The Exorcist is a book that, much to my suprise, axtually scared me. Granted, some of it was likely intensified by my setting at the time (alone in the house, fall/autumn and had windows open and was reading like from midnight to four am), but it scared me so bad I had to take a break and almost couldnt finish it!

[@Jeni_Gough]

My favorite book!! I literally fell out of my chair when my husband came in and asked what’s for dinner when I was in the middle of The Exorcist and that was my 3rd time reading it! 😂

[@cindysheehan1311]

I found the book so terrifying, I couldn't watch the movie until it came on my tiny black and white TV years later. It scared the kerapp out of me.

[@angel10508]

I watched the movie many times before actually reading the novel. OMG it was a brand new terror for me to read the book. I slept with the lights on for several days after that. 🫣The book was 💯x scarier!

[@clumsypeach5230]

My tbr list just grows longer and longer😂 thank you for the suggestions!

[@cosacita]

Found you a minute ago and I have recently become obsessed with horror books. Hell house and Last days are already on my to be read list. Had to subscribe cause I loooove recommendations 🥳 Also you are very easy to listen to and your hair is gorgeous. Oh and thank for the heads up to skip forward. I like to go in blind into books 😅

[@raymondpatrick430]

I was thinking Pet Sematary was the scariest book I've ever read and BAM! The parts with Timmy Baterman and Gage at the end when they "know things" is absolutely terrifying. And especially the description of when Gage is in Jud's house. He's woken up by a familiar sound, there's "something" in the shadows and "that smell" of dirt and rot. When Gage starts talking about how "he's back to punish Jud" for stopping him all those years ago almost gave me a heart attack. And even the part where Louis is carrying Gage's corpse through the woods at night with the wendigo nearby is insane. The amount of grief it would take in order to get the courage (or insanity) to do something like that is mind-blowing. I read this book every year and every single time it's just as disturbing as before.

[@Daisy624]

Penpal is a book I wish I could read for the first time again. Realistic horror is my favorite. If you wanna read more Dathan Auerbach, I highly recommend his other novel Bad Man. I couldn’t put it down, I was so absorbed in it 😂

[@bookinhand_]

@@Daisy624 oh cool! I'll add it to my list !

[@Gabwabby]

I second this, Bad Man was good!

[@Potato_Disco]

Added a few books from your recommendations! Thank u for talking about penpal!!! One of my fave books and still think about it today

[@karinscott4455]

New sub here. Thanks for the TBR additions! Your taste seems like my taste. Loved Mary. I'm currently reading "The Strain" by G. del Toro and Chuck Hogan. It came out is 2009, but it slipped under my radar at the time. Quite good. Books don't scare me easily, but I remember that "Home Before Dark" by Riley Sager did.

[@blacknbluecollarreader]

Wow The Road made this list??? I did not expect that but I get it and I absolutely love that your threw it on there. Awesome video.

[@Sunnywhenileave]

The first book to give me nightmares. Still, there is no escape from the horror of this. It was much too real. I'm terrified it's really a premonition

[@a.t.c.3862]

At the end, the boy had to take an unimaginable risk, the possibe outcomes of his choice - and the whole novel - lived in my mind for weeks afterwards.

[@terridavila869]

Fantastic reviews! I too, am an Adam Nevill fan. "No One Gets Out Alive" really scared me. I could not put it down. Also, his book "The Vessel" is mighty creepy. I love how his main characters are usually so downtrodden and desperate. This makes them more vulnerable. I will surely try some of your other suggestions for other horror writers as well.

[@reading_by_myshelf]

Zelda was THE scariest part of PS!!!! Such a great list! Matheson has been top of my list for years. I added a few to my TBR! Happy Holidays ✨

[@Sheshe1973]

Thank you for this new subscriber! I LOVE HORROR ! I love to read!!

[@laurieeyebee]

Thanks for the recommendations. I like being scared too! I recommend Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. I am in my 60s and had to read that with all the lights in the house on and the bed covers pulled all the way up. Many years ago when I read The Shining I was sitting in a chair that divided the den from the dining nook and there was nothing but space and a door behind me and I had to move to a different chair, one that was backed up to a wall. Yes, I was alone in the house at the time. Oh, I read Naomi's Room after having surgery years ago. Good one.

[@jennymacallan9071]

Dark Matter is so scary. I was afraid to turn the page many times as I read it. But I called in sick to keep reading!

[@laurieeyebee]

@@jennymacallan9071 You're my hero!

[@marybeougher2953]

I’m going to add to the recs for House of Leaves. Also, the authors sister, Poe ,wrote an album named Haunted that goes along with the book. The music is very atmospheric and even creepy in places. The book Tender is the Flesh is a good one. Not so much horror as it is horrifying, if that makes sense. I had to stop and make sure I’d really read what I thought I did in a couple of places with that one.

[@jesusbruschi9579]

Thank u very much for these recommendations. Never heard of them. Following!! Also, as an English teacher in South America, you have a great pronunciation, intonation pace...I´m gonna use your videos to help my students !! Thank you very much

[@lucialamprey2690]

Appreciate all the recommendations. I have to add my two cents and say some of Ambrose Bierce's stories have frightened me more than any other scary stories.

[@ninamc6116]

Cujo, Carrie, the Shining, the Stand, the Exorcist, the Amityville Horror are classic scary books.

[@valkrider1620]

@@ninamc6116 The Walkin' dude...

[@libertycowboy2495]

Cujo? it's about a dog.

[@valkrider1620]

@libertycowboy2495 yeah.....? And..?

[@crystalbluepersuasion1027]

@@libertycowboy2495Cujo was scary because it’s something that really could happen to someone.

[@dmreddragon6]

@@valkrider1620 -Dead Zone starring Christopher Wakens?

[@magicknight13]

Such great recommendations!! Subbed ! 😄 also your hair is so gorgeous!

[@bookinhand_]

@@magicknight13 thank you !! ❤️❤️🫶🏻

[@julieduncan1996]

Pet Sematary, for sure. Not just horrifying, but deeply unsettling in many weird ways. Sticks with you forever.

[@Crocs4cats]

I’m so glad I read the book before seeing the film! Had to stop reading late at night, it scared me that much!😅

[@crystalbluepersuasion1027]

It makes a person extremely cautious where little kids are concerned.

[@LaLaLonna]

I recently read "Stolen Tongues" by Felix Blackwell and I didnt love the ending but there were parts of the book I caught myself holding my breath and feeling like I was being watched. I really enjoyed the book. There are two movies that have actually scared me that come to mind and I haven't forgotten over the last few years. The first is "Last Shift" released in 2014 and the second is "The autopsy of Jane Doe" released in 2016. I really liked both and both had my heart pumping. I am not easy to scare and I find SO many horror books and movies just dont scare me but these two movies have stuck with me.

[@bookinhand_]

@@LaLaLonna I felt the same way about stolen tongues! I wanted the book to be the gfs pov ! Not the bf ! But I did get creeped out by that one ! And yes last shift and autopsy of Jane doe are amazing !!

[@characterized_tony]

Best horror movies for me recently is: The Night House, The Invisible Man, Oddity Books: Stolen Tongues, Intercepts, Where They Wait

[@Chaos_and_Creativity]

Yes for stolen tongues!! Have you read the prequel? The church beneath the roots?? So damn good!

[@kimmycupreacts]

This was great! Just subbed and added a bunch of these to my TBR. It's SO hard for me to find good, creepy books that actually scare me.

[@mina-ala]

The Road was the scariest, bleakest book I have ever read...my goodness. It felt too real and could totally happen! 😱

[@MadEv17]

Love your channel and the books you suggested different from other KZbinrs!

[@goblin_corpse]

I've been looking for _Where I End_ for ages, thanks for that!

[@kristinestaples7607]

I read a ton of horror but nothing has scared the hell out of me or creeped me out like Penpal did. I cant even explain why. It's so subtle but when I finished I couldn't be alone.

[@bookinhand_]

@@kristinestaples7607 EXACTLY! That's a great way to describe it !

[@cloudyskye4850]

Just as a heads up, if you choose to read The Ritual by Adam Neville, it is VERY different than the movie. The first half it's pretty similar, but halfway through the tone shifts from folk horror in the woods to an whole different book. Gives you whiplash

[@zombie_likes_cake]

Jason Arnopp's "The Last Days of Jack Sparks" was sometimes truly scary but also funny in other moments (be ready for an unlikable protagonist), "Come Closer" by Sara Gran (apparently possession is scary to me) and "When the Night Bells Ring" was such a great mix of genres and with some creepy segments but also some slower parts but I thought I put it here because not many people seem to know of it. Oh, and "Bedfellow" by Jeremy C. Shipp which was also hella weird.

[@bookinhand_]

@@zombie_likes_cake thanks for the recs!!

[@kmaggs7804]

Love Arnapp. If you liked that you'd love Jonathan Abennathy you are kind.

[@amywright3124]

Penpal freaked me out because when I was a child in the 1970s, we did the Balloon project. We saw no danger in it back then. Reading that book and realizing the risk we were taking was shocking.

[@TheHorrorGeek]

Great list! I haven't actually read Last Days...gonna have to snag that because that's right in my wheelhouse!

[@aleidadiaz2261]

Read the Stand by King for a character driven post-apocalyptic book. Also, Swan Song.

[@bookinhand_]

@@aleidadiaz2261 the stand is amazing! Loved every page! Adding swan song to the list ! 🤘🏼

[@romeyde]

@@bookinhand_ Swan Song is amazing, read both and would by far recommend it over The Stand

[@ninamc6116]

The Stand is great, one of the scariest books ever

[@leilahyanez873]

I liked Swan Song better.

[@brychology]

Thanks for this! I’m always looking for a great list of horror novels, not always easy to get great recommendations.

[@greeneyedmonsterreview3093]

Wellll we need to be friends because your video was basically all my favorites lol! Naomi's Room was one of my favorite books of last year, I adore Laura Purcell annnddd Adam Neville!

[@mippettes]

That knock in Salem’s Lot 😭

[@PrincessZ1]

Amazing book recommendations. I have wanted to read more horror novels and i have heard of 80% of these novels but i never read them. I will definitely give them a try. This video was great and your descriptions of each bok sounded great

[@angelicalippert981]

Girl, where have you been all of my lofe??? I am here for the list!

[@zabaduveto3038]

Had you have a chance to pic up John Langan's The Fisherman? A relatively short book about two man who list their families and bound over fishing. When it arrived I only wanted to dip my toe in but ended up finishing it the same day. Creeped me the hell out. Definitely looking into the books you recommended.

[@bookinhand_]

@@zabaduveto3038 I have that on my list! I need to get to it !

[@thedarkpoet2077]

Pen Pal was one of my favorite reads. Disturbing but a great horror book!

[@coleenmorgan431]

I agree with your reviews of Mary and The Silent Companions. Both EXCELLENT! I really want to read Where I End. A book that I read this year that creeped me out was Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman.

[@Chaos_and_Creativity]

Yes!!!

[@Gggtoolfan]

The stand by stephen king is an epic post apocalyptic read. I read it every ten years or so

[@bookinhand_]

@@Gggtoolfan I read it for the first time last summer! It was incredible! One of my new favorites!

[@IceQueen96]

@@bookinhand_ one of the best books I have ever read.

[@sacrilegiousheathen]

Incidents Around the House scared the heck out of me. (In part because it made me remember a childhood experience I had) But still, very scary.

[@tonyabeane8297]

I agree 100% with you on Pet Cemetary! I read that book as an adult and it freaked me out. I love the movie as well. I would enjoy watching about movies that scared you as well

[@bookinhand_]

@@tonyabeane8297 awesome! Thank you! ☺️

[@MichelleP-t7o]

Best ending ever

[@HJL0606]

The parts of Pet Sematary with the wendigo are the scariest passages in a book I’ve ever read.

[@lisapoe888]

I hope you talk about the old movie not the remake😂

[@bookinhand_]

@@lisapoe888 yes! The remake is awful lol

[@otterpoet]

Thank you. Because I write horror, I'm always on the look out for new reads. Recent, I've been reading/consuming Eric LaRocca's books, such as _The Trees Grew Because I Bled There,_ _You've Lost a Lot of Blood,_ and _Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke._ The last one goes places I just couldn't have imagined... yet seems terrifyingly real.

[@kurtjensen4661]

I read Naomi’s Room when I was home alone with our four month old daughter for a week. I stupidly followed that up with Song of Kali by Simmons the same week, which is similar because of a baby daughter.

[@andrewcrow1031]

Hell House is my favourite horror novel. Glad you liked it!

[@bookinhand_]

@@andrewcrow1031 hell yeah ! 🤘🏼

[@steppy3736]

​@bookinhand_ have you ever seen the 1963 film? It scares me every time I watch it!

[@bookinhand_]

@@steppy3736 it's been a looooong time, maybe time for a rewatch?

[@andrewcrow1031]

@@steppy3736I think you’re thinking of The Haunting of Hill House (1963). Hell House was made in 1973.

[@onthemarginofgrace]

Thank you for this excellent list! The addition of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road was brilliant. He’s considered the greatest American author of the last century by many in academia. When I read that novel, as a young father, I had the same reaction of absolute bleakness and horror that you describe. It’s so effective because it’s so very realistic and probable. The excellent film version of the book is actually more hopeful, if that’s the proper way to describe an ultimately dark vision. A book along similar “high literary” lines is Jose Saramago’s Blindness. I’ll definitely be ordering some of the titles you have mentioned…it’s Halloween time after all!

[@bookinhand_]

@@onthemarginofgrace oh yes! I need to read Blindness, I've heard great things !!

[@charlesbradley5757]

I’m a big Cormac McCarthy fan, and “Blood Meridian “ is the most violent and disturbing book I have ever read. It is based on true events, making it even more visceral.

[@shaka994]

@@bookinhand_ You won't be disappointed! It's a wonderful book.

[@elizabethmorris197]

Just found this channel. Love your style. My scariest books to date have been SALEM'S LOT ; The Omen. Read these 2 when I was 16 on a road trip in Central Australia. Long dark roads.. scared the crap out of me. Picked up IT to read one night..staying alone in a cabin..in the country. Read the first few pages..had to put it down. Finally picked it up again 6 years later..and read it only during the day! 😂😂 The last really scary book I read was STILL LIFE by Joe Donnelly. Started this on a beach holiday. Still freaked me out! Your suggestions sound great. Heading off to hunt these down. 😊

[@bookinhand_]

@@elizabethmorris197 thanks for your suggestions as well !! I appreciate the kind words :) !

[@TanyaWestley]

Just found your channel and loving your videos! I was like I must add the first two books to my tbr...turns out I alredy own them, so up the list they go!

[@rubyrowland]

Im excited to read all of these. The only one I've read so far is Pet Cemetery, which is one of my favorites.

[@paulapeterson-warnock3030]

My 2nd scariest book was Pet Cemetery. My 1st was Amityville Horror by Jay Anson. Both times I read the latter, I got rid of the book. I didn’t even want it in my house. I know some skeptics say it’s not true. Well, it didn’t happen to their dumb ass. When the Lutz’s were interviewed they were very unapologetic and basically said, “I don’t care if you don’t believe us, we know what happened to us.” That is usually a very good prediction that someone isn’t lying. Also, they left all of their possessions and did not want to go back and get them.

[@melissacantbebeat6500]

Just subscribed. Loved all of your recommendations

[@Jeni_Gough]

Hostage to the Devil by Malachi Martin scared me so bad it caused multiple panic attacks!!

[@bookinhand_]

@@Jeni_Gough 👀👀 I'm intrigued

[@munchcat]

I'm that person. I'm the one who has yet to read something that's honestly scared me. On that note, I'm taking notes from this list on what to read next x3

[@annaumstead4737]

I have Last Days on my list for this year!! So excited to get into it.

[@waingirl]

My favorite post-apocalyptic books are by William R. Forstchen. His first in the series, One Second After, and the next on One Year After.

[@crystalbluepersuasion1027]

I read those too but didn’t recommend them to my son because he’s a Type I diabetic.

[@Kritz_Reads]

I just found your channel from this video - what a great list! A lot that I don't always see mentioned, and many that I have yet to read myself! Also, your hair is amazing

[@bookinhand_]

@@Kritz_Reads thank you!☺️❤️

[@Lvl1Critters]

definitely gonna read last days when i get the chance because I lvoed the ritual, one of my favorite movies in general, the atmospheric slowly creeping horror is soooo good, may get the ritual the book aswell

[@JessyDoom614]

Penpal was one of my favorite creepypastas!!! I’ll have to check out the book!!

[@cleg78]

Haven’t found a book to scare me yet, the thickness of a book is more frightening so far. Would love to find a book that frightens me and I have to pause for a bit before picking back up

[@starryeyedsurprise25]

Haha 😂. I love that! The thickness of the book. I soo relate as I am a slow reader and at times have to re-read what I just read so if I pick up a book that is so thick all I can think is what a nightmare and put it back down.

[@rosario_len]

Just read incidents around the house… returned and subscribed for more recommendations!

[@Authorjcmurphey]

You are the third book reviewer I've seen who has mentioned Pet Sematary, and I agree with all of you! That book still haunts me 15 years later...

[@alexandraandrist]

YES! Pen pal omg! Terrified me

[@rinfal3337]

Thanks for the recommendations. I don’t know if you play any games but if you like post apocalyptic (and horror or course) settings you could look into the Fallout series. Theres also a season so far of the Fallout show which is a pretty good adaptation

[@bookinhand_]

@@rinfal3337 I am a big gamer and fallout is one of my all time favorites! I've played fallout 3 countless times !

[@jessieg1313]

So you are my best Go get the book and read it person! I love watching your videos so please keep them coming 😊

[@bookinhand_]

@@jessieg1313 thank you so much ☺️! I really appreciate the kind words ❤️❤️

[@Itsmanila]

Thank you for all the great recommendations! Can't wait to read!

[@bookinhand_]

@@Itsmanila thank YOU for watching 🥰❤️❤️

[@VenusEscapesToRead]

Amazing list, adding so many of these to my TBR!!!

[@bookinhand_]

@@VenusEscapesToRead thank you! Really appreciate it ☺️❤️

[@EricaFrieson-x9e]

Thank you for an excellent show. I too, thought Pet Semetary was quite unnerving. My favorite scary/horror book was by Shirley Jackson - The Haunting of Hill House. The first movie made of it in about ?1966? was very scary, the newer remake of it just a few years ago was overdone and hokey. Shirley Jackson was a heck of a good writer. I hope to catch more book reviews by you.

[@robplazzman6049]

Saw that movie when I was about 10. Frightened the absolute bejayzus out of me !

[@alisonwaiting]

The movie ‘The Haunting’ came out in 1963. It follows the book quite well. My favorite scary book and movie (1963), too.

[@morhirwen]

Loved the recommendations, adding to my TBR! And I can tell they are really scary because you have PTSD when you start talking about them hahaha

[@barrypewtress5762]

The title of Hell House is so cheesy, but it is a great book. I loved it.

[@bookinhand_]

@@barrypewtress5762 agree !! 🧀🧀

[@thomassmith6232]

Two recommendations for you. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (much better than either film adaptations I've seen), and The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson. It is the scariest book I've ever read bar none.

[@soniajanatowski9620]

Great selection! Definitely checking some of these out! Silent Companions!!!!! Yes!! Such an awesome creepy book that I don’t see many booktubers talk about! And I feel the same way about haunted house books. I haven’t found hardly any haunted house books that give me the heebie jeebies so I’m so excited to check these out! I’m always on the hunt for them. So glad I came across your page! 🏚️👻

[@2001Tavis]

Try Snow Angles and Mean Spirited 😉

[@carlee3958]

I completely agree with Penpal. Moon of the Crusted Snow definitely got me too in a couple parts. I need to check out Where I End and Mary. There's definitely books that have caused anxiety and sort of repulsive moments where I have to put the book down. Birdbox was one of those. I was so anxious the entire time. Dracul by Dacre Stoker had moments I had to step away. A Song for the Void by Andrew C Piazza is beautifully written but also both terrifying and horrifying. Stolen Tongues by Felix Blackwell thoroughly creeped me out.

[@Frenchfrjes88]

List of books mentioned !❤ 1. Where i end by Sophoe white 2. Penpall by dathan auerbach 3.Hell house by Richard matheson 4. Last days By Adam neville 5. Moon of the crusted snow by waubgeshig rice 6. The silent companions by laura purcell 7. Naomi's room by Johnathan adcliff(?) 8. Pet sematary By stephen king 9.the road by cormac mccarthy 10. Mary by Nat Cassidy

[@Clawandbone]

Thank you!!

[@jennymacallan9071]

😊😊😊

[@k21im]

"Mary" was so good. I read it last summer. Actually I listened to it. The voice actress made this story even better!!

[@bookinhand_]

@@k21im oh nice!! I'll def listen on the re-read !!

[@GagaCRoy00]

Bag of Bones and Salem's Lot both really scared me - Pet Cemetary was also so scary - and so sad

[@bookinhand_]

@@GagaCRoy00 bag of bones is up soon!!

[@JBass33]

New subscriber here. Pet Cemetary for sure. Thanks for mentioning Adam Nevill. “Apartment 16” is another one of his books you might like. And here are some in no particular order for your TBR: “Something Wicked This Way Comes” by Ray Bradbury, “The Ruins” by Scott Smith, “Infected” by Scott Sigler, “The Slab” by Michael Collins, “We Need to Talk About Kevin” by Lionel Shriver, and “Apparition” by Michaelbrent Collings. I found “Apparition” and “The Slab” to be the creepiest.

[@bookinhand_]

@@JBass33 so awesome! Thank you!!

[@kemouse]

Love Bradbury and while I've seen The Ruins, I've only recently purchased the book. I'd read "Kevin" but yeah I didn't think it was horror per se. I mean it's not Mary Poppins but...Anyway I'll look at your other recommendations.

[@MaisieStirfry]

The Ruins is great!

[@mayzo51184]

HI There! I litterly just discovered your channel as I was looking at recommended videos and happened to come uppon this one. Pet Sematary is one of my favorite movies and books of all time. Stephen King is probably my favorite author. This book scared me so much (mostly thanks to Zelda), that when I would wake up in the middle of the night to get a drink or go to the bathroom, I'd quickly tiptoe passed my closet because I thought Zelda would come and grab me from the closet. Lol! and the way that Stephen King describes the grief in this book is just amazing and so real. I've also added a couple of your books on here like the road, the moon of the crusted snow, and Hellhouse. I haven't read those books yet and I'm always looking for horror books to read as that's my favorite genre of books and movies. If you like postapocalyptic books, read Stephen King's The Stand if you haven't read it already. it's quite long but amazing. Especially, with having gone through a pandemic, this is really good. Also, I haven't read this one but it's on my list it's called swansong. I forget the author. Great video and you've just gained a new subscriber!

[@Chaos_and_Creativity]

If you liked Penpal then i will suggest Stolen Tongues and the prequel The Church Beneath the Roots..... also a reddit story but my gosh i was freaked out the entire time!! And all i consume is horror books and movies. Also how to sell a haunted house by grady hendrix creeped me TF out with that puppet.

[@bookinhand_]

@@Chaos_and_Creativity I enjoyed stolen tongues- it was super freaky ! I need to read the prequel!

[@pamalapaulo2931]

Thanks for you suggestions. I have read a couple of them and look forward to reading a few that you mentioned. Two of my all time little known favorites are Maynard’s House by Herman Raucher and Summer of Night by Dan Simmons.

[@drandreaoconnor]

I just downloaded Hell House based on your review, I can't wait! Love this content and your descriptions are selling it! :)

[@bookinhand_]

@@drandreaoconnor thank you!! That means so much! I hope you enjoy! 😈🥴

[@Tam5115]

I just subscribed too! I love horror. My favorite writer is Stephen King. I've been reading his stuff since Carrie came out, so I had a couple of years of him being my secret.LOL My all time favorite SK is The Stand. I get the creeps still whenever I read "Salem's Lot or The Shining. Ghost Story by Peter Straub is excellent (There is much more to the story than what the movie shows) I really liked Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon. There's many more that I loved, but I don't have my books here, so my mind has gone blank. (of course) Thanks for the recommended, I will get at it.

[@crystalbluepersuasion1027]

That’s a book I like to reread about once every three years in the summertime. A great book. I also reread Tommyknockers and Thinner ( a short one) every few years.

[@shaka994]

King is my guru! Have you read Dolores Claiborne? I'll never think of eclipses the same way again.

[@jacquelinelopez9220]

The first book you’re describing reminds me of the movie Pearl with Mia Goth

[@loumarcellino17Q19]

Great video, thanks! I'm new here and I just subscribed. I just downloaded Penpal after hearing you talk about it, so I am really looking forward to reading it! I read The Exorcist when I was a teenager and was really creeped out. The movie creeped me out even more. Thank you again, this sure looks like a great channel and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your videos! 👍

[@bookinhand_]

@@loumarcellino17Q19 thank you for being here!! Hope you enjoy (?) Penpal!!

[@loumarcellino17Q19]

@ Thank you! It sounds like a great book and I will be sure to let you know after I read it!

[@loumarcellino17Q19]

@@bookinhand_ Just wanted you to know I read Penpal..... creeeeepyyyyyyyy! It held my interest from start to finish and I could not put it down. Thank you for the recommendation! I had never heard of this author, but I am considering reading some of his other books. In the meantime, I just downloaded Hell House, based on your recommendation. I have been reading mostly non-fiction, for quite some time now, but have MANY fiction books on my TBR list, from Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and others. So when I read Penpal, I enjoyed the break from non-fiction. I may even try reading Hell House and one of my non-fiction books simultaneously, so that I can go back and forth. Honestly, some of the non-fiction books I'm reading are more horrifying than the fictional horror, LOL! Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read this long comment and I hope you have a wonderful day!

[@alanaspinall7147]

I'm an indy writer, i hope at some point you can get to read my book, Lucy, book one of the fading light, i've had a few book tube reviews already, all of them loved it😊

[@Talkbookishwithme]

Where can I get it ? I have been wanting to start doing book reviews . I will read and review it

[@alanaspinall7147]

@Talkbookishwithme it's on amazon,

[@Talkbookishwithme]

@@alanaspinall7147 awesome I will be buying it in a few days

[@alanaspinall7147]

Yes, it is. Sorry for the slow reply. KZbin only just sent me your response.