Need a Scare? Check out our Halloween eBooks and Audioreads
The days are getting shorter and shadows are growing longer. Halloween waits just around the corner. We don’t know exactly what that holiday will look like in the current environment, but we do know a spooky read is a fun way to enjoy it. Read a classic horror novel out loud to the family, or listen to something eerie as you go for walks in the woods. PWPL offers up some fun choices on our Halloween display, but if you’re stuck in quarantine, not ready to venture inside, or sitting at home with a cold, you can still enjoy a Halloween scare with Libby.
If you want to read or listen to a book without leaving the comfort of the sofa, check out this selection of audio and eBooks you can read or listen to from your smartphone or other smart device.
Scary eBooks and Audio Reads for Your Halloween
Here are a few books to listen to or read on the fly from your smart device. Wait for Halloween or get a jump in today!
• Dracula by Bram Stoker. This novel fits in perfectly with our other amazing display, Epistolary novels. Told from letters between characters, telegrams, memos, and diary entries, this classic tale is perfect for preteens and teens to hear read aloud or to catch up on one of the first vampire tales.
• Zone One by Colson Whitehead. You can expect more than a genre read when you pick up a Whitehead novel. Zone One is no different. However, this one is set in the middle of a pandemic. Perhaps this novel is even more frightening now than when it was written in 2011. Regardless of time, it’s a great example of how a literary novel can scare you to your bones.
• Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. In the first of this series, readers are introduced to Cas Lowood, who has inherited an unusual job – killing the dead. This book has him on the hunt for Anna, a ghost who still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder.
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. One of the few Victorian horror novels written by a woman, Frankenstein is as much a novel on faith and philosophy as it is a monster. Don’t let the philosophical arguments fool you; it’s still a scary read.
• Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage. A creepy tale of motherhood and a woman trying to come to terms with her own estranged mother, Baby Teeth isn’t a novel for the faint of heart. With themes around disability and the inescapable bonds of family, this novel will scare you. It will also give you a lot to consider when you turn the last page.
• The Witching Hour by Ann Rice. Rice’s vampire novels straddle horror with drama, but this series of epic storytelling creates a dynasty – one that is haunted by the past. As with her other works, she proves that the present is always informed by the sins of yesterday.
• Turn of the Screw by Henry James. Both a mystery and a tale of suspense, this ghost story of a governess and the children she cares for has inspired movies, tv shows, a play, and even an opera. It’s another classic horror read that hasn’t faded with time.
• Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey. If non-fiction scares are more for your taste, check out one of NPR’s picks for Great Reads of 2016. In this book, Dickey is on the hunt for America’s ghosts. As he unpacks ghost stories, he also delves into the mysteries of the past that still haunt us.
• The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James. St. James has created a thrilling ghost story to convey the complexities of life for women in 1920s England. A depiction of early Victorian ghost hunters, this novel will surprise you as much as scare you.
• The Late Bus by Rick Jaspar. Written for a young adult audience, this novel will keep readers of all ages on the edge of their seats. After a beloved bus driver passes away, Lamar, the novel’s main character, starts to see otherworldly beings attack his afternoon school bus. Lamar must rescue the bus’s passengers while trying to quell the ghost who could destroy them all.
Check out Libby’s Other Spine-Chilling Offerings
As the heat is finally clicking on and the leaves fall around us, it feels like a cozy time in Marquette. If you’re ready to dim the lights, grab a blanket, and read a chilling tale, Libby has even more options available. Go to your Libby app, and Halloween will be one of the categories. Simply click the link to find your next scary read.