What I've Been Reading for Halloween | 2024 Reviews

[@josephcossey1811]

The ghost stories of M. R. James are perfect spooky season reading. Disturbing, unsettling, atmospheric and - quite literally- haunting, these classic tales will echo in your mind long after you have closed the book.

[@karendale9926]

Thanks ! Some unique out of the box recommendations.

[@ThomyJ]

You should definitely check out “And then there were none” - classic mystery story but also a chilling read.

[@Already-Overbooked]

This was so much fun! Great video as always

[@ullagomez4990]

I am going to read The Historian by E. Kostova

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Such a good one

[@CoffeeMugTwentyFive]

Silly question: Do you have plans to carve pumpkins for Halloween? Just wondering b/c I have plans to carve one this year; it's been ages since I've carved one.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I'm hoping to carve one this year

[@tcdewijk3511]

I have just finished Ask for Andrea. It is a ghost story, about the victims of a serial killer. Not what I expected. and I thought well done.

[@TheElder36]

This sounds right up my alley. Thank you for posting about it.

[@annfridjensen]

Love your videos!🙂 I'll recommend: Whispers in the dark- Jonathan Aycliffe I remember you- Yrsa Sigurdardottir James Herbert's books Adam Nevill's books The Anomaly- Michael Rutger Oh and my best read so far this year has been Old country 👻 Greetings from Norway❤🇧🇻

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Appreciate your recs

[@Darrkness]

Great recs. I wanted to read horror and thrillers for Halloween this year but ive been on a big Sci-fi kick since summer. Thanks for the great recs. Ill have to come back to them later. 🎃

[@cmmosher8035]

I discovered a new author, Katherine Silva, this October. I read two of her novellas called Hallowed Oblivion and Lost Oblivion. They are about a park ranger who encounters spooky stuff in the Maine backcountry well searching lost hikers. There are two novels set in the same universe but i haven't read them yet. I also discovered that Poppy Z Brite has a few new short stories coming out so that has me excited.

[@MusicalErika]

Currently reading Something Wicked This Way Comes. Loving it

[@robertreed3033]

I'm going to have to give it another try. The dialogue between father and son was tremendous, and I thought the prose was excellent. I just had a hard time getting into the story.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Such a good Halloween read

[@JohnSaxon-vw5vi]

Thank you for your suggestions of nine fantastic Halloween books 📚 love your Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤

[@velvettrance3173]

Great video! My favorite ghost/haunted house novel is The Elementals by Michael McDowell. It actually did legit scare me, which is not easy to do. Books I'm reading this Halloween week will be Kill Creek, Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman and a Y/A ghost story I just picked up called Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn. I hear good things! Thank you again for another awesome video and Happy Halloween! 🦇🎃👻

[@mina-ala]

I just finished Comfort Me with Apples, loved it! I'm about to start The Hunger and This Thing Between Us!

[@Kelli.Hicks.5]

Model Home sounds so intriguing. I definitely want to check it out.

[@marjoriedonnett5467]

I'm almost finished with Blackwater (I loved it), and I plan to finish October with the short stories of E.F. Benson and M.R. James. I love October reading!

[@IHBooks]

🎃 I’ve read, listened to the audiobook, and watched two or three film adaptations for And then there were none. I enjoy the story a lot (clearly) but I don’t think any of her work could be called scary. It’s more about the satisfaction the reader gets by correctly guessing the culprit.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Makes sense

[@candicebarbata5028]

Currently reading An Academy of Liars and I appreciate your thoughts…keeps me from having unrealistic expectations from the book. It’s my first Alexis Henderson✨Still trying to figure out my Halloween read!✨🎃

[@3DDavid06]

I recommend "All Hallows" by Christopher Golden. It all takes place around Halloween and it has a father bonding with his children with his elaborate halloween displays and Haunted Forest neighborhood attraction. And then.... oh no! things all go horribly wrong...😱

[@3DDavid06]

I found your 3 star review on Goodreads, and although I haven't thought out a full review yet, but actually I think, overall, I agreed and would probably give the same rating. As far a "seasonal recommendations" though this one leapt to mind.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Still a good rec for something Halloweeny

[@randamnlee6259]

I think I’m gonna read Krampus and Stinger. All Hallows and The Narrows have been my favorites so far

[@fithfath3615]

An interesting selection of books as ever Rachel. For October I've had a horror-ish book reading including: The Creeper - A M Shine (which was going well until it turned into a steaming turd for the ending) The Only Good Indians - Stephen Graham Jones (a great read) Jaws - Peter Benchley (the film is much better) 🦈 Lord Of The Flies - William Golding (I originally read this at school and was still really good to re-read) I'm currently reading: A Boy And His Dog At The End Of The World - C A Fletcher (which is off to a good start)

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Sounds like a great list

[@rocsimmons8535]

Thank you 😬

[@nevskislake]

The Black Hunger sounds right up my alley. Thank you! I hate to go with the crowd here, but And Then There Were None is Christie's best book hands down, in my opinion. It is a damn good mystery. She is not a spooky author, so if you are looking for that in her stories, she will disappoint. She is definitely the grandmother or mother of cozy mysteries. Thank you for this video, Rachel!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I appreciate you weighing in and setting my expectations for Christie

[@jakobwetzel7065]

Blackwater was my favorite book I read last year. Michael McDowells The Elementals is a really good Ghost story. Not he epicness of Blackwater but still amazing character story and subtle creepiness.

[@Millie.C]

I'm in process of reading Pet Sematary by Stephen King and I'm quite enjoying it. I also plan to read The Hellbound Heart which was adapted into Hellraiser, and then maybe some Joe Hill. I would highly recommend And Then There Were None, I remember it being quite atmospheric and surprising.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I'm so glad you're enjoying Pet Sematary

[@Octobig]

so many books i didn't know about yet! 🎃 the black hunger & model home are definitely going on the TBR. as for christie, "and then there were none" and "murder on the orient express" are both some of her best. i also really like "the murder of roger ackroyd"! i often find her a great palette cleanser for darker horror reads because her books feel so cozy.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Appreciate you weighing in

[@lesleygrant6393]

Try Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, it's really good! 🎃

[@aleidadiaz2261]

Straub’s Ghost Story is excellent.

[@detritus666]

Can recommend the Sweetpea series by CJ Skuse. It's just been made into a tv show, which is great, but a lot less dark...

[@Zugzug386]

Thank you for the recommendations for me American Rapture sounds rather intriguing. As far as good ghost story works two come to mind the first being Saint Death's Daughter by C.S.E. Cooney necromancy, complicated family, love, shapeshifting, a wild ride. The second story would be Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero more less it is the Scooby gang grown up but with modern horror and psychological twists.

[@coleenmorgan431]

I have Where the Dead Brides Gather. Haven't read it yet but still willing to give it a go. The premise interests me. The Nigerian folklore aspect is something I'm not too familiar with but I am usually interested in non-European folklore.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope you enjoy it

[@literarylove123]

I'm looking forward to reading American Rapture. Great recommendations!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Hope you enjoy it

[@Christiaen-9982]

Great recommendations.

[@yeti2352]

Do you read much in the way of horror short story collections? If so, would be curios to see your top ones.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Not as many anymore

[@benjaminsparrow8016]

Thanks for your thoughts on American Rapture and Model Home. Been thinking of these, but hadn't pulled the trigger yet. I'm not really into Halloween stories, but I really enjoyed Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Dark Harvest is good

[@Lavishlybookish]

I have been waiting on this video! ❤

[@rebeccateseneer1166]

Excited for American Rapture because I loved Maeve Fly. I’ve read Rivers Solomon’s Sorrowland and loved that so now on to Model Home. Thanks for the recommendations!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I couldn't get into Sorrowland so if you loved it, you will adore Model Home

[@trendtrader4010]

Great post !! did you upgrade your camera?

[@TheShadesofOrange]

No just good lighting today

[@karinscott4455]

I'm currently reading Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea, and next up is The Strain by del Toro. {under T in libraries}. For Halloween, I rec Riley Sager's Home before Dark, and really anything by Grady Hendrix. You didn't really like what you featured here. Nothing good out there right now?

[@robertreed3033]

For Agatha Christie, I would recommend And Then There Were None. 🎃

[@josephcossey1811]

Recommend starting with Agatha Christie's Miss Marple stories. Her character often appears to be somewhat bumbling and cluess but - Columbo like - her insight and deductive powers always solve the mystery!

[@Unpotted]

The bumbling is an act. Marple was razor sharp ! 😺✌️

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I appreciate the rec

[@birgitaushamburg]

I am currently reading a ghost story/haunted house story by Helen Grant, "Too Near the Dead." Just wanted to mention that one because the author does not get the love she deserves, it seems. That said, for Halloween I'm planning to read "Halloween" by Stewart O'Nan. No fluff, zero cozyness, very bleak and disturbing.

[@CraigReadsBooks]

Looking forward to Model Home I’m intrigued by your review of it - sadly doesn’t look like it’s out in the UK until February.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I wish all books had global releases

[@Tetsujin-28]

Madame President, You're killin me! Where's your review of Don't Let the Forest In (C.G. Drews)!??? Local library: The Queen (Craig Davidson) on order and I have a hold on that and American Rapture (I looooved Maeve Fly). 👻👻👻👻👻 (No Halloween or Pumpkin emoji)

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Oh yes! I forgot about the queen coming out

[@paultimson6674]

Try the Bible - Rapture for Halloween, All Saints Day.

[@socaltoobie8984]

I’m going to read Halloween Fiend 😁🎃👻💀

[@DCSinUSA]

Hallowe’en Party is my least favorite Christie book featuring Poirot. You can’t go wrong with either Orient Express or And Then There Were None, although I slightly prefer the latter. I also recommend Five Little Pigs which I recently read.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Appreciate the recs

[@teslagoth9401]

Loving Halloween Slaughter by Sergio Gomez 🎃👻🔪👻🎃

[@halko1802]

🎃

[@alynam82]

I did enjoy Ghost Road Blues, but I think the second book in the trilogy is much, much better... no pressure to continue, tho 😏

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Good to know

[@O.M.G.Puppies]

I'm reading The Magicians now, by Lev Grossman. I loved the TV series, which I expected to be a clone of Harry Potter, but it was definitely not.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Dark Academia makes such good fall reads

[@ViralBitsdotcom]

Murder on the Orient Express wasn’t very good. Death on the Nile was better, but there was an impossible coincidence in it. The Pale Horse was one of the better Agatha Christie ones. The pale horse was ridden by Death in Revelation.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Appreciate the recs

[@bookmarcreads]

👻🎃

[@roanokebrooks]

🛸

[@Jzscrstsprstr]

🎃🎉

[@paty6902]

👻📚

[@JasonsWeirdReads]

🎃 🎃 🎃

[@jimd2343]

How long does it take you to read a 350 page fiction book.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Maybe a few hours?

[@jimd2343]

@@TheShadesofOrange wow that’s awesome. I don’t read as much as I used to takes me way longer. I just started Tattooist of Auschwitz.

[@kyliebean3832]

🧡👻

[@TheMike28212]

👻🏚🎃

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

⚛️❤

[@AndrewFrancisIlyrian]

Gay romance? Not happening.

[@Unpotted]

I can one hundred percent guarantee you it happens every day. 🥰 😺✌️

[@TheShadesofOrange]

😄

[@TepidShambles]

🎃

[@garyredman892]

🎃

[@Maeve_Ever_Books]

🎃