10 Most DISTURBING BOOKS I've Ever Read

[@pierce_13]

The murder of Sylvia Likens (The Girl Next Door) horrified me. Her killers all got out of prison early, which made me even more angry.

[@hiim4212]

Oh my god not that case, yeah that one got me heated to the brim

[@greendayfanatic17]

Somewhere on this site is a student film (I believe) done of the Unwinding scene and it is SO well done and chilling. That’s one of my favorite YA series and that scene in particular I think about a lot and it’s been 15 years since I read the first book

[@arimcphail4124]

Woom by Duncan Ralston... trigger warning: everything. I don't think anyone could predict the turn this novel takes. I started it thinking my friend was being overdramatic about how disturbing it was, but it isn't until the end that you truly understand the poetic horror of it.

[@ginag6328]

I think My Dark Vanessa is the most disturbing book I’ve ever read. The relationship at the center of the story is beyond inappropriate and creepy. I was legit squirming as I read it.

[@ChapterStackss]

Oh god I just read the summary 😳😳😳😳

[@DesperatelySeekingSolitude24]

I agree!

[@alicehatch1001]

I agree! The way that “relationship” messed Vanessa up in so many ways was so realistic and so disturbing

[@kaitlyng.473]

I remember reading We Need to Talk About Kevin through your book club years ago! I thought it was really haunting and well written.

[@essitikkanen-sipola7182]

I also read this on your bookclub. It was so unsettling to read this, cause I was pregnant during. Do not read this when you are pregnant!

[@Livinglifewithlena]

Me …*currently pregnant* wanting to read it lol

[@WandasBestLife]

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel is a book I found at a thrift store that I'd never heard of. The synopsis was short and vague which was perfect. So much more disturbing than I had expected. Not graphic, just disturbing and unsettling. And it's a children's book! I expect things from adult or ya so I've read a lot from your list and have others on my tbr. This book was completely unexpected.

[@ChapterStackss]

Oooh thank you for the rec!!

[@riomadre]

FINALLY!!!! I've been waiting forEVER (6 years?) for your version of this list!

[@grimreads]

The Devil in Nanking (aka Tokyo) is definetely worth being in that list. The Girl Next Door is more disturbing on re-read.

[@spanky3610]

This book(Intensity) does not get enough love. I read it because of your recommendation. One of the best books I’ve ever read. Creeped me out too. I will always be grateful for such a creepy recommendation

[@karanm2129]

Have you tried - House of leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski That's the most disturbing and unsettling book I have read I would suggest you pick a physical copy of this book. You will surely loose yourself in this labyrinth

[@ChapterStackss]

I was coming here to make a pinned comment that I completely forgot to put that one on my list! Yes that 100% should have been in here.

[@karanm2129]

@@ChapterStackss yup. By the way how did you find the book. Would you be re-reading it anytime soon

[@devonmunn5728]

I read the Unwind series a few years ago and it became one of my favorites. I really got invested in the story and characters which is rare for any story I read and/or watch

[@ChapterStackss]

Yea I should give it a re-read!

[@Thee_eclectic_eccentric]

Some good recommendations I’ll definitely have to give them a read :) Some of the most disturbing books I have read include: .Ritual by Graham Masterton .Birdman by Mo Hayder .Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews .The Gone series by Michael Grant .The Hatching trilogy by Ezekiel Boone .Midnight’s Lair by Richard Laymon .The Executioner by Chris Carter .Remorseless by Will Patching .Dandelion by Jack Kinsley .The Dead by Charlie Higson .Eat the Rich by Andrew Rivas .Room by Emma Donoghue

[@2BOLD4U]

I have read half of the list because of you. At first, I hated We Need to Talk About Kevin because I couldn't stand how the mom kept talking about how rich they were and she couldn't get help for herself and her son. I've been thinking about it a lot recently and I think that I am going to reread the book again since I can remember it so vividly.

[@ChapterStackss]

Awww so happy to hear that ❤️❤️❤️

[@nailpolishnook7373]

Intensity is one of my favourite books. My most disturbing books, all for different reasons: Woom by Duncan Ralston. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott. Alex by Pierre Lemaitre, Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes and everything written by Richard Laymon.

[@nitaleblanc]

The Girl Next Door is definitely a disturbing book. I kind of regretted reading it afterwards. It's one of those books that stick with you. I also find Perfect Days by Raphael Montes and the short story "1922" in Stephen King's Full Dark, No Stars, very disturbing. The Unwind Series is a favorite for me. It was very original when I first read it years ago and I still think about it occasionally.

[@ChapterStackss]

I own Perfect Days and need to check it out so thank you for the reminder!

[@kenbreslow2393]

The novella A Special Place by Peter Straub.

[@agnest3419]

The wasp factory! I can think of a few that I love and are disturbing such as house of leaves, junji itos work, nick cutter, aniara, etc, but that that one is the most disturbing one. Yet it is a really good book and the disturbing parts doesn’t feel like they’re there for shock value!

[@ChapterStackss]

Oh I've been meaning to read that for so long!!

[@renee4883]

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter still disturbs me.

[@ChapterStackss]

Yes I was trying to decide whether to put that or Pretty Girls!

[@ashleyswshr]

I need to agree. I had to just cry it out after i finished this book

[@renee4883]

@@ashleyswshr oddly I couldn’t put it down though.

[@tinascarangella8816]

I finished the girl next door a few days ago and it was so intense. I had so much trouble sleeping the night after I finished it. The dilemma is the writing is great and it’s important to know the true horror of Sylvia’s story. Unfortunately, I could never recommend this book to anyone and 100% would not reread nor watch the movie. Side note- I donate most of my books to goodwill after reading but I feared someone unsuspecting would buy it! This book now lives in a dark corner of my closet

[@DivinaGutierrez85]

The Girl Next Door was on a level all its own. I don't think I could read it again, nor watch the movie. Another disturbing read that I will never read again or watch the movie for is PUSH by Sapphire (the movie is called Precious).

[@karamarie6781]

We Need To Talk About Kevin. Holy Batman was that book disturbing.

[@sueture]

Well, I'm late to the party (just found your channel) but I agree with you -- Intensity was sooo scary...but I LOVED it! It has been years since I read it, so I might have to revisit it!

[@theramblingreviewer5150]

Most disturbing book I've ever read is The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang. So nonfiction. Actually it makes it a little hard to wonder about The Devil of Nanking cause I can't imagine much that would be worse than the kinds of atrocities that actually happened.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Omg I clicked this video so fast! I'm always looking for disturbing books so I was excited to see your recommendations. So happy you're enjoying Junjo Ito so much

[@cascadian4421]

Most disturbing for me was The Resurrectionist by Wrath James White from beginning to end. I started to read The Girl Next Door but learning about the real case of Sylvia Likens made me stop as it felt like I was "making it happen again" to her. Edit: Also, did I read the wrong Dean Koontz recommendation? You've mentioned Dean Koontz before but I read Velocity instead of Intensity I realized while watching your video ha!

[@ChapterStackss]

hahahahaah yes I don't think I've read Velocity but I hope it was good!!! He shouldn't have books with such similar titles

[@theculturevulture]

My choice would be Blood Meridian and even The Road would be a good choice if picking another Cormac McCarthy. I've read and agree with you on Intensity, We Need To Talk About Kevin and The Ruins,,,I wish Scott Smith would publish more, everything I've read by that guy has been a treat.

[@emcdonald496]

I had to comment about The Road too, it’s one of my favorite books of all time but I’ve only read it twice and I don’t think I could ever read it again. It ends with ugly crying every single time. I also wish wish wish Scott Smith would publish more, he is one of those authors who I would read every single book they write, without question. Unfortunately there’s only the two but we can keep hoping!

[@theculturevulture]

@@emcdonald496 If you haven't read it yet do yourself a favor this Christmas season and check out a horror anthology called Hark The Herald Angels Scream (lol) Scott Smith has a story in there which is just superb.

[@nicholasjones3207]

Most extreme stuff doesn’t affect me much but one that does come up in memory as actually disturbing is a short story by Elizabeth massie called Abed

[@nicolemae4976]

In The Dark by Richard Layman was one of the best disturbing novels I’ve read. Another one is Creep by Jennifer Hillier.

[@nicolemarie011]

"Each year keeps getting worse and worse." This is so relatable! LOL! I have been wanting to read The Devil In Nanking for the longest, and still have not got around to it. I will not read The Girl Next Door, I refuse. And coming from someone in their 40's, who use to seek out the most disturbing/scariest books I could find, it does get worse with age. I have become a wimp in my older years. LOL

[@Anti-CornLawLeague]

It by Stephen King. That scene where the Swedish lady turns into the witch was so creepily written. Plus, just all those *other* scenes.

[@SuperStrangSshadow]

I wish more thrillers was a fun read like Intensity. Ps. Two of the children who tortured Sylvia, lost their jobs after the Page movie. I'm glad they got busted. 😀

[@Gary_M]

The Girl Next Door definitely tops the list, but The Handmaid's Tale is seeming more and more disturbing these days.

[@rf1206]

I dont read a lot of horror so the most disturbing book for me was Sharp Objects by G.F I felt unsettled the whole time. The girl next door sounds like it'd be way too much for me 😱😱😱

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

Ooo yes, absolutely love Karin Slaughter

[@Choisansforever82]

I love your channel and this list gave me a few more books to add to my tbr. If you haven't checked out Gone To See The River Man by Christopher Triana it's a very intense disturbing book. Keep up the great work 👍

[@emilylail3843]

I feel like I have a pretty high tolerance for disturbing things, but I only got 3 chapters into How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu before I had to put it down. Maybe it's because it was a pandemic novel but it was too much for me.

[@ChapterStackss]

Oh I haven’t heard of that one! Thank you for the rec

[@denisadellinger4543]

i am definitely not a horror fan so I do not read the genre. I can see reading a book that has a disturbing ending but to seek out these kinds of things where terrible things happen to people, book after book, is not entertaining to me. I just wonder what the motivation is to continue reading about horrible things done to women. If these are the most disturbing you have read, I know there is hundreds of other ones out there. Your video was on my feed so I decided to check it out. It was certainly eye opening.

[@smolloy9262]

I'll confess that I enjoy reading some dark/disturbing stuff. One of my favorite books of all time, "The Child Thief" by Gerald Brom is one of the more disturbing books I've ever read. It's an extremely dark take on the Peter Pan myth. Great characters and world building. Peter is pretty messed up. He's seen a lot. He's done a lot. It made me think about Peter Pan in a whole new way, which was cool. Brom has a way of taking the familiar and turning it on Its head.

[@smolloy9262]

Another great novel is the same sort of style is "Winterset Hollow" by Jon Edward Durham. The premise is pretty interesting. What if Winnie the Poo or the characters from your favorite childhood story were real? And what if they hated you and wanted you dead?

[@icedoatmilklatte910]

The Good Daughter is one of my favorite books of all time. It’s one of the few that I’ve re-read.

[@ChapterStackss]

Yes so good!

[@CemetryGates89]

Loved We Need to Talk About Kevin. So disturbing! How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nakamatsu was pretty unnerving in the sense that if there were to be a pandemic like that you could definitely see the book becoming a reality Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill scared me as I was reading it but I couldn't tell you anything about it now The Last Thing to Burn by Will Dean creeped me out too. Jane lives on a remote farm with her husband Lenn. Except her name isn't Jane and Lenn isn't her husband. So much anxiety in a short book!

[@Taylorwintz]

Naomi's Room is one of the most distributing book I have ever read. It stays with you.

[@shell1338]

Great list. Intensity is the only book that I could not read at night. The beginning felt so real it had me jumping at any little sound in the house.

[@marianemes72]

Grey in the Devil of Nanking wants to prove the tape exists because she did the same when she was a girl. What the tape shows. She didn't not do it out of cruelty, on the contrary, she wanted to save...no spoilers. But as an adult she realises what she has done and desperately wants to find the tape. To justify it. And I agree, that is a very disturbing book. Sad, Mo Hayder died last year. She was an amazing writer, read all of her books. Thank you for this video.

[@JessTree]

I just finished The Good Daughter last week, and I can’t stop thinking about it. It was so well done! I think I enjoyed it more than Pretty Girls. The thriller genre is not what I usually gravitate towards but her writing is really great, I definitely plan on checking out more of her work!

[@ChapterStackss]

Yes those two are my top favorites of hers!

[@archnof0]

Since you've included examples that aren't classically horror, I'll propose: Master of the Moor by Ruth Rendell and Sophie's Choice by William Styron

[@serenity8910]

Earthlings by Sakura Murata is the most disturbing book I've read. It's not even horror or thriller!

[@Clare377]

Omg completely agree with unwind!! That will always stay with me. Particularly being mum of teens xx

[@CASSIE_COLE]

I agree, that scene in unwind is sooo well written, so disturbing. Neal shusterman is a great writer

[@horrorghoul]

Loved We Need to Talk About Kevin. I would say Let the Right One In had some disturbing moments.

[@brockyhorror]

The Girl Next Door stuck with me for a while especially after learning about the real life events it was based off of. Other than that Dead Inside was a tough read...definitely the most disturbing book I have ever read

[@ChapterStackss]

Yep exactly. Definitley won't be rereading that one anytime soon haha

[@JB-nr7iy]

Can I ask who the author of "dead inside" is?

[@whitneywest3538]

I use to start spooky season on August 9th because my birthday is August 8th. I can confirm Halloween threw up in my room mid July this year. All of it. Decor, clothes, movies, books I’ve been saving. It’s go time.

[@lesliemartin3]

The road which is probably very obvious is definitely one of the most disturbing books I've ever read and then there was also a ya book I read years ago called run the game and when the book wasn't being over the top ridiculous with it name dropping and whatnot it was pretty disgusting also

[@amyhoelmer3192]

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterica and The Shadow People by Graham Masterson, are easily the most disturbing books I've ever read. I enjoyed them but wouldn't recommend to squeamish people.

[@staceygiosi3878]

New subscriber! I just bought “The Ruins” ! I am definitely going to check out some of these Recs 😊

[@ChapterStackss]

Wooohoo! Welcome Stacey 🥳

[@icedoatmilklatte910]

Speaking of Jack Ketchum, I’ve read his book “Off Season”. It’s about a group of friends that go spend a weekend in a cabin in the woods and encounter a family of cannibals. It’s extremely graphic and disturbing.

[@ChapterStackss]

Thanks for the rec!

[@lilicuevas7017]

Thank you, just added all of these to my Halloween reading list 😌🤎

[@SpoonsForks]

Toplin by Michael McDowell is extremely disturbing, highly recommend since I know you like his books! Also Katie by McDowell may in fact be my favorite of his, PLEASE READ IT!!! :)

[@johnsaxongitno4life588]

All I can say is that thank you for adding to my tbr list and it’s now nearly 1000 books 📚

[@ChapterStackss]

🤣🤣🤣

[@johnsaxongitno4life588]

@@ChapterStackss ❤️🧡❤️🧡🧡

[@mekiiiiiiiiii]

One of the most disturbing books I’ve ever read is in German. Maybe here are some Germans who are interested: „Blutgott“ by Veit Etzold. „The girl next door“ was also really hard to read!

[@DesperatelySeekingSolitude24]

Just discovered your channel and subscribed. Suffer The Flesh by Monica O’Rourke was very disturbing. I agree with you about The Ruins. Love that book and now I want to do a reread!

[@ChapterStackss]

Welcome Debbie! I'll have to check out Suffer the Flesh :D

[@glendaw5221]

Dean Koontz book Strangers. And Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin.

[@ChapterStackss]

Ooh I remember reading Strangers years ago and loving it!

[@henrytjernlund]

Consider taking a look at Let's Go Play at the Adams'.

[@CookiesNMilf]

I’ve said this before on other channels.. but it is so interesting to see the “wall” and definition of “disturbing” between the genders. I’ve found that women tend to read what I would call more highschool/edgy teen/crime,mystery books and call them extremely disturbing. And men tend to read the more disgusting and vile literature. Stuff like Tampa, Notice, The Necrophiliac, Hogg. Stuff that borders on extremely graphic and violent pornography and gore porn. I wonder why that is? Just thought it was interesting.

[@bookishfairygodmother]

The cabin at the end of the world is super disturbing to me. It’s home invasion and gross!!

[@ChapterStackss]

Loved that one! Really need to check out his other books.

[@georgeroy7314]

The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker was disturbing, primarily because it probably isn't far from the reality that some people experience growing up. I highly recommend it, as the dark moments are offset by some really humorous ones. Such a great book!

[@OnBleeckerStreet]

The Wrong Train by Jeremy de Quidt

[@rachelg6996]

The Devil of Nanking is probably the most disturbing book I've ever read. That along with Birdman by the same author. Another book that surprisingly disturbed me was Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.

[@ChapterStackss]

Thank you!! I’ll have to check out Birdman.

[@dtwbtl]

Did you know the French horror movie High Tension ripped off a huge amount of the plot of Intensity?? I read the book a couple years after watching the movie and was so confused on why it seemed so familiar. I've ventured into the extreme horror genre and I'd say those have been the most disturbing to me. The Groomer by Jon Athan and Gone to See the River Man by Kristopher Triana would be the ones I recommend the most. Dead Inside by Chandler Morrison was atrocious and I wish I'd never read it, but it's definitely disturbing. Outside of that genre, Tampa was a very difficult to read and disturbing book about a female pedophile. On the same vein, The End of Alice is extremely disturbing. And I always say Pretty Girls and House of Leaves! But I know you've read those. :)

[@davidsheriff9274]

people say that it's a total ripoff, I liked the movie, but I never read the book, does it have the same twist ending,if so, Koontz should be pretty pissed off. I wonder if you can sue over something like that. If you can sue someone for stealing a song, you should be able to sue someone for stealing the entire plot of a book with a pretty unique: story line.. Is the twist ending the same?

[@dtwbtl]

@@davidsheriff9274 no, no twist ending. Koontz has been quoted as saying he didn't sue because he didn't want his work to be associated with the movie, he thought it was filth. Other than the twist ending though, I'd say about 75% of the plot is scene for scene with the book.

[@davidsheriff9274]

@@dtwbtl wow, I didn't know it was that blatant, but without the twist ending like in the movie, I guess the film maker could make the argument that the two might be very similar, but the ending in the movie changes the whole overarching narrative and intent of the story in regards to the murders, so it's not that much of a ripoff. Maybe that's right, the ending is what makes the whole movie very interesting and unique,it can stand on its own. Anyway, I liked the movie, I think all those French extreme horror films are great.

[@dtwbtl]

@@davidsheriff9274 I've gotta disagree - there's just way too much proving that it is a rip off. Look at the titles, Intensity vs High Tension. It starts out the same with 2 women visiting one's family, an intruder breaks in and starts killing everyone off and kidnaps one woman while the other hides. Even the detail of her drying out the sink so he wouldn't know she was staying in the room is in the book! A gas station scene where she hides from him and he kills the clerk. Etc. I didn't like High Tension at all, the twist didn't make sense and completely ruined the movie imo.

[@davidsheriff9274]

@@dtwbtl I guess you're right , even if the endings were different,to copy the exact scenes like in the gas station, and even have such a similar title, shows a lot of balls on the film maker's part. I wonder how he thought he could get away with it, Dean Koontz is one of the most popular writers in the genre, millions of people have probably really "Intensity". Why didn't you like the end? Obviously, you have to check your critical thinking at the door when you watch it, like you have to do with most horror movies, but what about this particular ending didn't make sense to you?

[@Yvette.T]

Even though I have an ebook of this, I don't think I can bring myself to read The Girl Next Door 😬

[@ChapterStackss]

To be honest I don’t know that I would actually recommend it 😫

[@Yvette.T]

@@ChapterStackss Yeah, I think I'll remove that one from my library. No need to put myself thru that 🙈

[@mrsrivard]

The Girl On The Train was disgusting and gave me anxiety. Most people probably love it as it is so popular but I found it very disturbing.

[@Chrriekay907]

Nick Cutter was enjoyable, but it felt like goosebumps for adults lol

[@ChapterStackss]

Such a good way to describe it!

[@Chrriekay907]

@@ChapterStackss He does science fiction really well, though. The most disturbing book I read by him was "The Deep" and it actually was very psychological, but I could follow the story effortlessly. Science fiction has never been my favorite genre until recently, I always felt that the stories would start really well and then just explode into weird branches of itself 😂🤧 and didn't stay on path. Nicholas Cage kinda changed it for me when he played in "Color out of space" 🤢🫣 that movie GOT ME! So from there I started giving more Sci-fi a chance and it bleed over into my reading preferences! I really enjoy your channel and I read a lot of your recommendations :) I read "YOU" after YOU recommended it before the show came out, and I'm really happy that I did. So just know I'm a fan, your content is awesome 😎

[@Chrriekay907]

@@ChapterStackss Also I need the link to those earrings 😂😂

[@karamarie6781]

Lol I felt the same way! So dumb.

[@fieryflowers]

How r ya? Always a treat to watch your reviews!!

[@ChapterStackss]

Good and hope you're doing well too!

[@imeneboudia1077]

Confessions by Kanae Minato creeped the shit out of me

[@superskittle4888]

Unwind is PHENOMENAL! Somewhere on KZbin someone did a video project of what it would be like to be unwound. Look it up. It's SOOOOOOOO disturbing!!

[@mystikane2053]

Have you read any books by Bryan Smith? Like Depraved or Freakshow.

[@mercedeshampton9308]

One disturbing book I read was Stephen Kings “It”. I know it is cliché, but it really scared me. Stephen King just knows how to terrify you

[@callummorris-horne5190]

I think I’m Thinking of Ending Things Is the most disturbing for me - never had a book get under my skin like that

[@Kite562reviews]

A book that disturbed me has to be stephen kings The Dark Half. 😊❤📚

[@julesbennis5537]

What’s this lip combo!! Love it!

[@ChapterStackss]

It’s the NYX lip liner in the shade nude truffle with the Maybelline lifter gloss in the shade ice on top 💕

[@CedricZirtacic]

For me it would be “Haunted” by Chuck Palahniuk.

[@sandra7319.]

I don't read a lot of thrillers by Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill was C-R-E-E-P-Y and Will Dean's Dark Pines had the creepiest things in it...would strongly endorse the later.

[@ChapterStackss]

I just started HSB :D

[@sandra7319.]

@@ChapterStackss 🤯

[@Andreasloveofreading]

Tender is the Flesh😳

[@literarylove123]

Yes! It's Halloween season. Let's decorate💀🎃👻

[@coraholt5849]

Never Let Me Go is disturbing and very well written

[@JojoJojo-bd6dz]

You should read TENDER IS THE FLESH

[@danat7016]

the girl next door is definitely the most disturbing book I’ve ever read…

[@ChapterStackss]

Yea I kind of regret reading it haha

[@nishantbhardwaj4743]

Hello mam. I have q query n confused too please help. I am studying masters in psychology and become to IO psychologist . Which job experience is good for IO psychologist .. as data analyst or business analyst.. please help it's very urgent

[@IsadoraFelix]

most disturbing: the shining

[@katsand7933]

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, I couldn't even finish it.

[@ChapterStackss]

I wish I had remembered to include that one 😆😆😆

[@zubaerchaudhari8267]

Hello

[@Nixreads]

Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk, omg.

[@ChapterStackss]

Oh I forgot about that one!

[@AshtheViking]

My most disturbing was The Devil All The Time by Donald Ray Pollock.

[@ChellyHo]

Most disturbing book would be American Psycho. The movie doesn’t even compare.

[@eddieferrero]

Pretty cool. And I wish I could take this list seriously, but the most disturbing book ever written wasn’t even mentioned. The one book that will make anyone who finishes it quit reading books forever -- Where the Red Fern Grows.

[@staceyanderson6167]

Woom, No one rides for free and Brother.

[@steelcutoaths3033]

I'm not surprised that Karin Slaughter is on this list. I wasn't warned about trigger warnings and graphic content before picking up Pretty Girls. It was my first and last book by her 😂 I just can't. The images in that book still haunt me and I read it a number of years ago.

[@andrealovesbooks8670]

Tender is the flesh

[@edstraker8451]

Episode by Heather Lewis. It will scar you. You've been warned.

[@lavenderlady7441]

🖐📚👍

[@viktorwolfe8333]

No Stephen King on the list? lol