I love a good festive book that sets the tone for an upcoming holiday, and with today being Halloween, I want to share a list of my favourite books that spook without the scare and gore factor– because who am I kidding, I’m the biggest scaredy-cat around.
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
A graphic novel for young readers, this story follows Cat’s family as they move to Bahía de la Luna a foggy village up the California coast. Cat’s sister has cystic fibrosis and needs the sea air as well as a nearby clinic. The new village Cat’s family moves to is obsessed with ghosts; their neighbor gives ghost tours and there’s an annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. What’s more the ghosts that live here are real. A cute read about the relationship between sisters, and the relationship between life and death.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Where do I begin with this 850 page fictional masterpiece, and its numerous footnotes that assist readers on the contents found within this magical and fastidiously false historical tome? The novel centers around three magicians competing to be England’s best magician. Set in 19th century England where magic is a distant memory of stories and old spell-books, this gothic novel is sure to delight as readers witness three magicians dueling for power. (This novel is one of my all-time favourites!)
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
This is a magical, uncanny story that involves ghosts, witches, magical gardens, and black cats. A tale of two sisters, Gillian and Sally Owens, raised by their eccentric aunts in a world of spells, love potions and exotica from which they escape – one by running away and the other by marrying. But everyone knows that you can’t run from magic, or can you?
The Witches of New York by Ami McKay
Somewhat of a sequel to the Virgin’ Cure, The Witches of New York follows three witches, Adelaide, Eleanor and Beatrice as they navigate their magical lives through NYC in the late 1800s. Centuries after the Salem, American witches still quietly reside and young Beatrice is about to become a witch that is made, not born.
Other noteworthy books that spook are Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger.
What are your favourite Halloween reads?
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