Gosh, I read SO much during October. Not so much towards the end of the month as I had a really bad headache.
I read a fair few short stories again this month and I had a Spooky, Erie, Creepy theme going on. Horror isn't a genre I read much of... Usually! I've really enjoyed reading these books and I can now safely say, I enjoy a good horror or creepy story!


I started with Penpal by Dathan AuerBach. One of the best books I have read this year! Creepy, eerie and so unique. I found it very hard to put down, It took me no time at all to read! Very good book, 250 off pages, I highly recommend this book. 'Penpal' started off on Reddit and then published as a book! Amazing. You can read my review here.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman. This is actually a children's/young adult book but gosh it's spooky! It's a quick read with only 208 pages. Coraline explores her new house, only to find her "other" parents. They have buttons for eyes. I wrote a full review on this book.

A photo posted by ★ sara ★ (@the.bookhub) on Oct 3, 2016 at 1:04am PDT

 
Ocean at the end of the lane by Neil Gaiman. Another really creepy, different, unique style. Perfect read for October! It's a chilling story, kept me intrigued all the way through. I felt really connected to the characters, too! It's a fairly easy read. Anything by Neil Gaiman is perfect for October. I can't wait to read more of Neil Gaimans books!

We have always live in a castle by Shirley Jackson.
Neil Gaiman was actually inspired my Shirley Jackson apparently and I can see why! We have always lived in a castle is kind of creepy and left me a bit like "Wow, what did I just read?" It's another perfect read for October. Book review coming soon!  This book is only 160 pages, if you'#re looking for something quite chilling and quick to read, this book is for you :)


A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. 
This book was recommended to me by my friend Laura (Checkout her book blog - Laura In Bookish Land..It's an awesome blog!) It's also on Zoella's new reading list. It's kind of weird to start off with but it's written so well! Here's the blurb: "The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.
But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…
This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.
It wants the truth." 
Honestly, I truly couldn't put this book down. It's really creepy and it left me wanting more and more. I was finding myself reading this book quickly. Perfect read for October, I can not wait to see the movie.




The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R Carey. 
What can I even say about this book? I was blown away. Fast paced Zombies, a cross between 'The Walking Dead' and 'World War Z'.. the chapters are short but the book is long, I however, read this book really fast, it's SO good, the writing style is amazing and I just. WOW. You need to read it! If you read one book this year, let it be this one! I can not wait to see the movie, honestly.. It's top of my list! You can read my full book review of 'The Girl With All The gifts' here.


Scary Stories To Tell In the Dark
Honestly? I was not that spooked out by this book but then it aimed at children/young adults. A couple of the stories left me feeling a little "WHOA!" that was creepy. The stories are very short though, only a page or two long, this book honestly doesn't take long to read and would be perfect for reading aloud on Halloween! This book also includes spooky illustrations and poems. Beware though, back in the 90's this book was banned from schools in America! I'd recommend children over the age 12, depending on the child. Perhaps parents should read it first! I did write a more in depth review 'Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark'


Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin 
This is a classic and it's an old story. There's also a movie and apparently a remake of the original movie. I really didn't know much about this book and I honestly think that was a good thing! It took me a little while to get into but once I'd got into it I found it quite fast paced and easy to read. Rosemary and her husband settle into a New York apartment that has a sinister past... Surrounding deaths and witch craft, people eating babies! It's crazy. Rosemary and her husband befriend an elderly couple that live in the same building... All is not what it seems though. Another perfect read for Halloween and only 256 pages! (Full review of Rosemary's baby here). Also I'd like to add, the movie is pretty true to the book.


I also read 'Of Mice & Men' Another book that was recommended to me. I was not sure about this book to begin with as it's an old book and the language and the way it;s written is something a little different but after a few pages I soon got use to it. It's a classic book, it does contain some swearing (so be warned). It's quite a fast paced book. Hard to review without giving away spoilers but I will say the ending is not what I was expecting. Maybe I should have expected it? I'm yet to watch the movie. (Pages: 121.. I actually read most of this book on the bust and in total it probably took me less than two hours to read)

What have you read in October? Do you have any spooky book recommendations? Let me know in the comments :)

Sarah xXx

P.S If you feature books often on your blog or social media etc, or enjoy bookish discussions, my friend Laura and I made a Facebook group: Bookish Worms please feel free to join :)

"A masterpiece of spellbinding suspense, where evil wears the most innocent face of all…

Rosemary Woodhouse and her struggling actor husband Guy move into the Bramford, an old New York City apartment building with an ominous reputation and mostly elderly residents. Neighbors Roman and Minnie Castavet soon come nosing around to welcome the Woodhouses to the building, and despite Rosemary's reservations about their eccentricity and the weird noises that she keeps hearing, her husband takes a special shine to them. Shortly after Guy lands a plum Broadway role, Rosemary becomes pregnant, and the Castavets start taking a special interest in her welfare. As the sickened Rosemary becomes increasingly isolated, she begins to suspect that the Castavets' circle is not what it seems…" 

Genre: Fiction/Classics/Horror
Pages: 246 

A young couple 'Rosemary & Guy' move into a well known, popular apartment in New York City. The old tenant who lives there before them passed away in a coma but for some reason she blocked off a storage closet.. And what is with all the herbs she was growing? Rosemary spends a lot of time decorating and arranging the apartment to her liking. They quickly become friends with an elderly couple who also live in the same apartment block - The Castavets. When 'Hutch' Rosemary's friend finds out where she and her husband is living, he explains the sinister, creepy background that comes with the building. Like, the sisters who use to eat children and the witch craft that surrounds the building. It doesn't put Rosemary and Guy off though. Guy ends up being offered a really good role ion Broadway. Rosemary starts feeling very isolated and she starts hearing weird, strange noises.... She suspects there is more to the Castavets than they're letting on! And then Rosemary falls pregnant....

This book! Where do I start? I read this book fairly quickly because I really wanted to watch the movie. It's easy to read and is written really well. Right from the start though, it seemed a bit strange. A young girl commits suicide not long after Rosemary has befriended her... And the Castavet's seem really... Different and strange. Mrs Castavet is nosy and just plain strange in my opinion. When Rosemary falls pregnant, the Castavets help Rosemary all they can, they even recommend a top doctor and insist that Rosemary sees him. Mrs Castavet makes Rosemary a special drink every day, full of vitamins and goodness for the baby. Hutch, Rosemary's friend tragically goes into a coma..  A lot happens in this book, it's fast paced and hard to put down. I already knew the ending and I'm not sure why? (I think someone had perhaps told me about the movie or book a long time ago) I realised this half way through the book but even so it was still good. 
I rated this book 4 stars.

The movie is also fairly true to the book. I liked the movie, it was equally as creepy as the book! The acting was amazing in my opinion. 

Have you read or seen the movie? What have you been reading lately? :) 

Sarah xXx 

P.S My friend Laura and I have created a Bookish group over on Facebook, if you're a book blogger or post about books on Instagram/social media or maybe just would like to join in book discussions, feel free to come over and join:  Bookish Worms Facebook Group
 

"The day after they moved in, Coraline went exploring....
In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close.
The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.
Only it's different.
At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.
Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.
Critically acclaimed and award-winning author Neil Gaiman will delight readers with his first novel for all ages."

Genre: Children's/Fantasy/Fiction
Pages: 208

This is actually children's (middle grade) book but I really wanted to read this book followed by watching the movie. My friend Laura recommended this book to me as it's one of her favourite books and I am really glad I read it. I really liked it a lot. It didn't take too long to read because it is a children's book with a couple of illustrations here and there.
The story follows a little girl 'Coraline'. She has just moved into a really big, old house with her mum and dad. The house is converted into apartments and have other people living in them. One miserable wet day, Coraline goes exploring in the house and finds a little door. Behind the door is a brick wall. That is exactly how and where the creepiness begins...
A great book, full of little twists and turns. Creative, witty yet quite dark, too! I really enjoyed this book. I know that my middle son will also enjoy reading this book.
I rated this book 4.5 stars.

I also really liked the movie although it is different to the book. The extra's that have been added into the movie fit perfectly and I'm not sure if I prefer the movie to the book or verse visa. I liked both equally. 

I can't wait to read more Neil Gaiman books. I enjoy the way he tells stories.

Have you read Coraline? Or perhaps seen the movie?

Sarah xXx