The Book-Addled Brain

I love books.  I love to read them.  I love to talk about them.  I love to give my friends reading recommendations.  So I thought it would be fun to start a monthly post where I suggest a few of my favorite books that fit a certain theme.  What better theme for the month of October than some spooky books?  Shall we? 

Now the first two books are not "scare your pants off" scary, only slightly spooky in their creepy, gothic-y goodness.  Sometimes the most terrifying thing isn't necessarily the boogeyman who jumps out and grabs you, but the chilling terror that lurks unknown in the shadows.

First up...

Dracula - Bram Stoker    

First published in 1897, Bram Stoker's Dracula is a masterpiece of the horror genre and marks the creation of the vampire in its modern form.  I read this for the first time last fall and it became an instant favorite of mine.  I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to read this novel, but at the same time I wish I could go back and read it again for the very first time.  Every word was absolute gothic perfection.

Next...

The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters 

The Little Stranger is a sinister tale of a haunted house set in postwar Britain.  When Dr. Faraday, a country doctor, is called to attend a patient at Hundreds Hall,  he has no idea what strange and terrifying experiences await him.  While there is nothing overtly scary within the pages of The Little Stranger, I found myself sufficiently creeped out enough to avoid reading it at night.

And finally...

The Shining - Stephen King 

Prepared to be scared.  The Shining has a permanent place on my bookshelf, with a special spot reserved in the freezer whenever the need should arise.