It’s October, it’s autumn, it’s spooky season, so what better rec list today than a BUMPER rec list of books to read when you want to feel extra spooky! You can even pick your reads based on the emojis below, depending on what you feel like. It’s a win-win situation, I’m sure.
And if you want yet more recs, here’s the list I made last year.
Pick your spooky season emoji of choice!
Witch
The Scapegracers
Hannah Abigail Clarke
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mc, sapphic li, Black sapphic mc, Chinese American bi mc, achillean side characters
Why Should I Read It?
What a surprise! I’m opening this rec list with a book about a teenage lesbian witch and the coven she gathers around her. If you want something that’s not only about witches and taking revenge on shithead boys (although these are excellent things for a book to be about), but also about an outcast finding her people, then you should get on this book right away. And you’d be just in time for the sequel as well!
Payback’s a Witch
Lana Harper
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc, bi li
Why Should I Read It?
If you want the kind of book that fills you with nostalgia for all those classic Halloween films, while adding a whole new twist to that feeling—it’s also a retelling of John Tucker Must Die—then you can’t go wrong with this one. We reviewed it on the blog earlier this month, but suffice it to say it’s one that you won’t want to miss.
The Witchery
S. Isabelle
Goodreads
Rep: Black sapphic mcs
Why Should I Read It?
Alright so this one isn’t out yet and, in fact, isn’t out until next July, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to put it on this list. I mean, for one, have you seen this cover? Is that, alone, not reason enough to want to read this one? A baby witch at a witches’ school, a coven, and a battle for control of a town as Haunting Season approaches? Tell me that doesn’t sound amazing to you.
Weak Heart
Ban Gilmartin
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc with anxiety, Filipino gay mc, Black lesbian mc, lesbian mc, nonbinary side character
CWs: magic requiring self-harm, gore
Why Should I Read It?
While not directly about witches, this book still has a very witchy feel to it. Also you didn’t think I’d not find some way to include it here, did you? It has that perfect spooky season feel to it—like you’re right there on the Isle of Skye with the characters. And a second chance romance that will have you feeling some kind of way.
All Our Hidden Gifts
Caroline O’Donoghue
Goodreads
Rep: sapphic mc, bi genderfluid li, lesbian side characters
CWs: homophobic violence, religious homophobia
Why Should I Read It?
What happens when you find a haunted tarot pack and accidentally disappear your ex-best friend? This, I’m sure, is a question universal to us all, and it’s the question All Our Hidden Gifts sets out to answer. It’s part mystery, part witchy goodness, and truly a book you don’t want to miss out on!
The Relic Spell
Jimena I. Novaro
Goodreads
Rep: Argentine-Japanese American bi mc, nonbinary side character
Why Should I Read It?
I don’t like to use this comparison for this book (namely because this is way better), but if you enjoy the sorts of vibes of the Shadowhunters series, then The Relic Spell may just scratch that itch for you while you wait for the 7,483rd release in the series. It’s got pining because you’re in love with your best friend, it’s got you and your mates are the only people able to stop a spell cast over the town, it’s got all you might want from an urban fantasy. So what are you waiting for?
Ghost
The Dead and the Dark
Courtney Gould
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mcs, Latino bi mc, gay mc
CWs: murder, homophobia, homophobic violence, attempted drowning, child death
Why Should I Read It?
There’s something entirely cinematic about the experience of reading The Dead and the Dark. It’s one of those books you could so clearly see on screen (in fact, it’s one of the books I’d k*ll for an adaptation of). I’ve included this book on almost every rec list it might possibly fit on since I read it, which has to be a sign that you’re doing something wrong by not reading it. Right?
To Break a Covenant
Alison Ames
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc, lesbian li
CWs: animal death, death of a parent, gore
Why Should I Read It?
Sometimes all you want to do is scare yourself out of your wits with a read (or, I assume so, not being very good with scary things myself). This book will do that for you, not only with the out-and-out scariness, but also in the creeping sense of unease you get that something is wrong with the mine. Plus, for all you people who, like me, are not great with horror, there’s also an excellent friends to lovers romance!
The Taking of Jake Livingston
Ryan Douglass
Goodreads
Rep: biracial Black gay mc, Black gay li, gay mc
CWs: suicide attempt, domestic abuse, homophobic violence, homophobic slurs, implied paedophilia & rape, gore, violence, school shooting, animal abuse
Why Should I Read It?
This is pretty much classic Halloween material—a boy being haunted by a malevolent creature that wants him for some unknown, and clearly nefarious, reason. It’s what Halloween dreams are made of! And, you know, if anyone was looking to adapt a book into a film, this would be a great one to go for, very atmospheric and menacing.
Ghost Wood Song
Erica Waters
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc, lesbian character
CWs: past sexual assault, past child abuse, violence, murder
Why Should I Read It?
Sometimes ghosts belong to a single person, but sometimes they belong to a family. That’s the case here, in a book about a girl who finds herself haunted, and goes digging up the past in an effort to find out why. It’s a gorgeously written book, one where the world of it consumes you just a bit, that will leave you a bit hollow and achy in the best way possible.
Specter Inspectors
Bowen McCurdy
Goodreads
Rep: sapphic mcs, nonbinary mc
Why Should I Read It?
Do you like your spooky season reads to be a little bit chaotic, with a few hijinks thrown in, and perhaps a side of demonic possession? Well, you’re in luck with this one! It follows a bunch of teens who run a paranormal investigation show, one which has just gained a lot of attention after apparently capturing a genuine event on camera, and who end up in a haunted house. It came out in paperback just yesterday, so trust me on this and get on it!
Pumpkin
Afterlove
Tanya Byrne
Goodreads
Rep: British Indo-Guyanese lesbian mc, lesbian li
CWs: death, mentions of suicides & overdoses
Why Should I Read It?
Who doesn’t want a story about becoming a grim reaper, be honest now. No one, that’s right! And Tanya Byrne has the perfect story for you! It’s also proof of the sheer power of lesbian love, overcoming even death. If you haven’t read this book yet, what on earth are you doing?
Black Water Sister
Zen Cho
Goodreads
Rep: Chinese Malaysian lesbian mc, Indian American lesbian side character
CWs: violence, attempted rape
Why Should I Read It?
When you think of pumpkins, you probably don’t get the kind of vibes this book has. Actually, any of the books I’ve recced for this emoji to be fair…woops. But anyway! Imagine being haunted by your grandmother who wants you to be her emissary in the real world, but she “forgets” to tell you that perhaps she’s promised a local deity to get revenge on a rival businessman. That’s the level of chaos we have going on here! Perfect, right?
House of Hollow
Krystal Sutherland
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc, lesbian mc
CWs: gore, body horror, past suicide, compulsion, sexual assault
Why Should I Read It?
If you want your books to have more of a creepy feel to them than terrifying, this one is for you. It follows three sisters who, as children, disappeared for a time and showed back up with no idea of what had happened to them. And then, years later, one of them disappears again, and a strange man seems to be following them. It’s the perfect creepy read for a dark night.
Summer Sons
Lee Mandelo
Goodreads
Rep: achillean mc, bi li, bi trans side character, achillean side character, Black gay side character
CWs: gore, violence, blood, f slur, internalised homophobia, implied suicide, body horror, animal death, drug use
Why Should I Read It?
More gothic than previous recs, this is a book that really evokes the sweltering heat of summer and terror of a haunting. If you want to be consumed by a story, this will do just fine—it’s the kind to keep pulling you in until you lose any desire to stop reading, because that’d mean not living in this world for whatever time it allows you.
Werewolf
The Devourers
Indra Das
Goodreads
Rep: Indian cast & setting, achillean mcs
CWs: gore, violence, rape
Why Should I Read It?
I’ve recced this one a lot recently, it feels like, but it genuinely deserves it. It’s the kind of standalone novel that leaves you wanting so much more of the world. You finish it, and you have to sit a while before you can do anything more, just to absorb it all.
Artie and the Wolf Moon
Olivia Stephens
Goodreads
Rep: Black sapphic mc, Black sapphic li
Why Should I Read It?
Ever wanted a middle grade graphic novel about a girl who suddenly finds out that she’s actually a werewolf? Well, here all your dreams are coming true! With a sweet romance, and a story about finding your place in the world, and your people (or wolves, as the case may be), this is one you won’t want to miss.
No Gods, No Monsters
Cadwell Turnbull
Goodreads
Rep: Black bi mc, Puerto Rican American sapphic mc, biracial bi ace trans mc, nonbinary side character, Black bi side character
CWs: implied sexual abuse, drug abuse, implied domestic abuse, police brutality, gun violence
Why Should I Read It?
Say you want a more urban fantasy, then this book is for you. It’s the kind of book that asks, what would happen if we suddenly discovered paranormal creatures existed? How would we react? It’s a very thoughtful novel in that sense, one that unfolds to leave you with still more questions and a burning desire for the sequel.
Magic to Brew
Grace Ellis & Shae Beagle
Goodreads
Rep: Black sapphic mcs, nonbinary side character
Why Should I Read It?
Looking for a lighthearted graphic novel about a werewolf going on a date with her girlfriend only to get caught up in all sorts of chaos? Then look no further than Moonstruck, which offers you exactly that! It has the sweetest characters, and some gorgeous art, so what more could you ask for.
Vampire
Curses, Foiled Again
Sera Trevor
Goodreads
Rep: gay mcs
Why Should I Read It?
Who would not be enticed by a book featuring a romance between a vampire and a witch, I ask you. Well, you’re in luck! This book does just that! It is, in addition to this, also just a whole lot of fun. Almost nothing more you could ask for in life.
Heart of Stone
Johannes T. Evans
Goodreads
Rep: autistic gay mc, gay mc with ADHD, trans side characer
CWs: period typical homophobia, internalised homophobia
Why Should I Read It?
Vampire hires a secretary. Vampire falls in love with secretary. A simple story, but done very well here. If you want less of the fear and fright, but still a book in keeping with spooky season vibes, then I would highly recommend this one. It’s a quiet kind of romance, one that feels just like a warm hug.
The Lost Girls
Sonia Hartl
Goodreads
Rep: bi mc, bi li, bi side character
CWs: blood, gore, violence
Why Should I Read It?
Imagine your boyfriend turns you into a vampire at the age of 16 then, 30 years later, ditches you for a younger model. What do you do? Why you plot to kill him with his other two ex-girlfriends of course! If you want your books with a healthy serving of bloody vengeance and female fury, then this one’s for you.
Zombie
Out of Salem
Hal Schrieve
Goodreads
Rep: genderqueer mc, lesbian character
CWs: misgendering, deadnaming, death of family members, body horror, police brutality, racism, bullying
Why Should I Read It?
You cannot possibly go wrong with a book that stars a genderqueer zombie and a lesbian werewolf now, can you? Add onto that being forced into a partnership as outcasts, sprinkle in some found family, and surely you have the perfect Halloween read.
Wranglestone
Darren Charlton
Goodreads
Rep: gay mc, gay li
Why Should I Read It?
If you ever wanted one of those zombie apocalypse YA books that were so big a few years back, but you wanted it to be gay, then this book (series!) is for you. It stars a useless gay who is really not cut out for this survival shit, and his infinitely more competent boyfriend, and offers some very sweet, love-filled moments in amongst the gore and horror of zombies. Perfect, right?
Lay Your Zombie Down
Erica Abbott
Goodreads
Rep: lesbian mc, lesbian li
Why Should I Read It?
No one has time to strike up a romance in amongst a zombie apocalypse, right? Except that these people do, in between fighting the undead and trying their best to survive. It’s only a short novella, but it will leave you with a hunger for more.
What would you rec?
If you like this post, please consider supporting me on ko-fi.
3 Comments
Siobhan
Thanks for the fantastic list! my poor wallet tho… ;_;
readsrainbow
oops? 😅
Pingback: