Reading Recommendations: Spooktastic Reads 2026
It’s that time of the year again where horror films reign, kids go trick or treating, and candy is everywhere! Since Halloween is coming up later this month, I’ve compiled yet another list of creepy novels to satisfy your horror cravings. Each book has its own horror rating, from one to three ghosts:
Night of Madness
Mara is a horror buff whose only fond memories of her dad are bonding over movies by Jack Stanley—the producer of the eighties. Stanley’s campy slasher movies may have kept Mara’s fraught parental relationship on life support and gained a cult following, but the man himself has faded from the public eye…until he announces a contest centered around Asylum, his most terrifying film. Five teen influencers will be invited to spend the night on the fully constructed set; whoever sticks it out until morning wins a hundred thousand dollars.
Stuck in a dead-end job, Mara seriously needs that cash. She may not be a famous influencer, but there has to be a way to manufacture an online presence that will capture Stanley’s attention. With the help of her brother and best friend, Mara finds some creative solutions to her dilemma and lands herself onto the roster of the lucky chosen few by way of her engaging authenticity.
When Mara and the other contestants arrive on set, it’s a horror fan’s dream being immersed in the asylum setting, but as the night wears on, they realize the danger is more than movie magic… They’re not there to win or lose but to live or die. As Mara fights to survive, she discovers an inner ruthlessness she didn’t know she had. Just how far will she go to see the sunrise—and will she still recognize herself by the end?
What I appreciate about Douglass’ writing style is not only his attention to the smallest details, but also how he invites the reader to become a part of the story. This novel reads like a movie and the scares, action-packed scenes, and moments of quick decisions place the reader in each characters. The villains of the story are not imagination and prey on Mara and the others truest, deepest fears. It makes for a great commentary of how the lines of horror and entertainment can be blurred as well as profiting from people’s trauma. It’s bone-chilling and intense throughout the entire story which keeps the reader constantly engaged.
Spook Rating:
Doe
Maris Larsen is the captain of the West Eaton High cheer team. She’s Coach’s favorite and the team worships her. Being on the team makes her feel special—powerful. When she’s leading the girls on the mat, Maris doesn’t have to think about her dead-end life in a dead-end town. She can forget about her depressed mother and absent father and the fact that her girlfriend doesn’t really love her. But when newcomer and Coach’s new golden girl, Genevieve Ray, joins the team, the only thing going right in Maris’s life is suddenly in jeopardy. A bitter rivalry develops between the two, but Maris is determined to take Genevieve down. The knife she needs to wield comes to Maris in her dreams.
While sleepwalking, Maris is visited by a monstrous, decaying beast in the shape of an enormous deer. Doe is an ancient, tired creature who has been wandering, trapped in her current form for decades. She cannot die, but she cannot go on living as she has. Only a girl related by blood to those who bound her in this form can free her, but those girls she loved died years ago—murdered in a fire.
But Maris is somehow linked to Doe’s beloved girls—linked by blood—and so she has the power to free Doe, to unleash her immense power. In Maris’s dreams, she and Doe form a bond, but Maris doesn’t know the creature from her dreams is real. Maris doesn’t understand the danger she’s in. She only knows Doe has promised her a way to win her battle with Genevieve. But for Maris to win, someone has to die, and the only real winner in the end will be Doe.
Going into reading DOE I wasn’t sure what to expect, but what lies in the pages is a slow-burn supernatural tale that leaves the audience with thrills and chills. Barrow does a great job of showing, not telling in this novel which leaves things up to interpretation. I appreciated the open-ended questions and constant guessing of where the plot would take us next. I would describe this novel as a horror that is heavy on suspense and tension, but no jump scares. There are some mentions of body horror which are not extreme, but if you are squeamish you may want to read with caution. Recommended for readers who like supernatural horror mixed with thriller vibe!
Spook Rating:
Make Me a Monster
As a newly certified mortician’s assistant at her parents’ funeral home, her days are not for the faint of heart. Luckily her boyfriend Noah isn’t squeamish, and Meka is finally feeling ready to say the three little words that will change everything.
But then tragedy strikes, and Meka’s world is torn apart. Nothing makes sense, especially the strange things start happening. Ravens are circling her home. Strangers are following her. Someone is leaving mysterious items at her door. And worst of all . . .
The dead don’t seem to be staying dead.
Meka thought she understood death better than anyone. Turns out, the family business is a bit more complicated than it seems. And Meka isn’t the only one desperate to unearth their secrets . . . because the truth may be worth dying for.
Make Me a Monster is a spooky and thrilling read from start to finish. It keeps the readers on their toes through each chapter, and just when you think you’ve figured out the answers to the mystery, you’re thrown in a new direction. The unsuspected surprises made this a very entertaining reading experience. I think the setting of the story alone and having the main character, Meka, who is a mortuary assistant at her family’s funeral home, makes this an eerie read. It’s great for the spooky season or the cooler months, where readers are seeking out thrillers to add to the ambiance. While haunting with its descriptions of death and things that go bump in the night it is also a story grounded in reality.
Spook Rating:
Girl From The Ashes
Gianna and Carter John are best friends, but they couldn’t be more different. Gianna is small for her age, gets straight A’s, and is the teacher’s favorite. Meanwhile, Carter John gets in trouble no matter what he does, just because he’s tall and his voice is loud.
Then one day while working on a class project in the town library, Carter John gets in trouble yet again and reaches his breaking point. As his anger builds, a stack of books flies off the shelf, hitting the librarian.
Now everywhere he goes, strange things are happening. The smell of smoke hangs in the air. Sparks fly when Carter John gets in trouble. And he hears the voice of a young girl singing a song . . . a song about burning . . .
When fires start breaking out around town, Carter John and Gianna are determined to figure out who’s responsible. They are certain that these are no normal fires . . . Something terrible once happened where the town library now stands, and someone’s trying to send them a message about it.
But who is she-and why is she determined to get revenge?
Those who love stories about things that go bump in the night will relish this ghost story. Brown does an excellent job of crafting an ominous atmosphere that has the characters and readers constantly looking over their shoulders. I loved the slow-up build up of horror elements that makes this novel a thrilling read and the mystery aspect gets the reader immersed in the story. Most of all, what stood out in this story was its deep ties to historical events/people such as The Greenville Eight who successfully protested the segregated library system in Greenville, South Carolina. It talks openly about racism’s long-lasting effects and educates the reader how access to libraries wasn’t always equal.
Spook Rating:
How To Sell a Haunted House
When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world.
Most of all, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. Unfortunately, she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market.
But some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…
Haunted house stories are my favorite type of horror novel even though they tend to leave me freaked out. This is my first Hendrix novel experience and he does not disappoint with a story of navigating grief, discovering decades long family secrets, and puppets with sinister intent! I am not the biggest puppet fan so this reading experience was intense. The book feels like a slow-burn and takes its time ramping up the horror elements into action-packed scenes that have the reader on edge. The house itself feels ominous and I liked how the brother and sister have to reconcile their estranged relationship in order to stop the madness that keeps them from selling the house. It’s spooky, a tad gory, and spine-tingling.
Spook Rating:
She Eats The Night
Chinese American twins, Milly and Billy, are having a tough time. On top of the multiple failures in their personal and professional lives, they’re struggling to keep their restaurant afloat. Luckily their parents, Ipo and Keon, are in town for their annual visit. Having immigrated from Hong Kong before the twins were born, Ipo and Keon have supported their children through thick and thin and are ready to lend a hand—but they’re starting to wonder, has their support made Milly and Billy incapable of standing on their own?
When Ipo forces them to help her clean up the house next door—a hellish and run-down ruin that was the scene of a grisly murder—the twins are in for a nasty surprise. A night of terror, gore, and supernatural mayhem reveals that there is much more to Ipo and her children than meets the eye.
If you love Junji Ito stories this first installment of the Night Eaters series will appeal to you. It’s artwork is beautiful, yet grotesque at the same time. Lu and Takeda make a great duo for this story of a family who’s kids discover dark family secrets after an incident supernatural terror. The horror elements are unsettling in this first volume immersing the reader into an atmosphere that will have them looking over their shoulder. The mystery element keeps the reader guessing for more and wondering what other terrifying secrets will be uncovered next.
Spook Rating:
Do you have any “Spooktastic Reads” you’ll be reading for Halloween? Do you have any recommendations to share? Comment below!
