Top 5 Halloween Recommendations

I am usually not a big "thematic" reader, and don't tend to select books based on what season or holiday it is. So when I first saw the subject for this week's Top 5 Wednesday, I was not even sure if I had 5 recommendations that would be perfect for Halloween. Well, it turns out I do, and here they are. I did try to arrange them by the level of "spookiness" if you will.

*Top 5 Wednesday was created by GingerReadsLainey and the link to the Goodreads group can be found here.

1. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

This book was seriously scary. It is a new take on the story of Dracula. Vampires in Kostova's book are neither friendly nor attractive. They are creatures of evil, death, and horror. I do not want to give anything away about the plot, but if you want to read a book about vampires that is not paranormal romance this is the book to check out. It will keep you on the edge of your seat, and if you read late into the night, be prepared to be scared. A great Halloween read in my opinion.

2. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

This is Brown's first book in a series about symbologist Robert Langdon. But like most readers, this was not the first book in the series I read. I started with his more famous DaVinci Code, which I thought was good, but way over-hyped. And then I picked up Angels & Demons... This book does not have anything supernatural in it. But the reason I decided to include it in my list is because of how scared it made me feel. I remember reading it at home on a Sunday afternoon, alone in a quiet apartment and feeling completely terrified. In this book, we follow Robert Langdon to Rome where he investigates a series of murders each of which contains symbolic clues. I think it is Brown's best novel and I highly recommend it.

3. Night World series by L.J. Smith

L.J. Smith is better known as the author of Vampire Diaries. However, I personally really liked the nine-part series of hers called Night World. I cannot say that the books are overly scary but they are quite dark and feature witches, vampires, and shape-shifters. I did quite enjoy all of the stories and I think they  make a great selection for this time of year.

4. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

I feel like I have been mentioning this graphic novel on my blog quite a bit lately, but it is quite an excellent story. I was pleasantly surprised when I read it earlier this year. And since we are talking about Halloween recommendations, what would make a better selection than one featuring a ghost! I also think that the book can be quite spooky particularly for younger readers.

5. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

This was another recent read for me and one that I enjoyed. It reads more like historical fiction and is very atmospheric, but it is also focused on supernatural forces and secret societies. I also like the feminist themes in this book and the message that basically any woman has the potential of being a witch. Halloween is definitely associated with witches, so if you like historical fiction with a supernatural twist, look no further.