21 Halloween Reads Ranked by Scare Factor
‘Tis my favorite season – HALLOWEEN SEASON!! I love Halloween! It’s my favorite holiday, so I take my Halloween reading very seriously. And while I love a good horror novel that will make me want to hide under the covers, I also adore a book that will get me in the haunted mood without being actually scary! So here are some Halloween reads starting with the least scary and ending with some truly horrifying reads! Enjoy, witches!!
Scare factor: 1/21 witches, stitches, bitches and glitches! A supernatural rom-com that’s Clueless by way of Netflix’s Wednesday!
This one is perfect for my Halloween fans who are looking for a read more vibes-y than scary! Set in a magical boarding school, this rom-com will have you squealing for joy! Never mind the witches, werewolves, vampires and all manner of other paranormal creatures!
Scare factor: 2/21 cursed warriors. Dark fantasy akin to The Witcher with some creepy monsters!
This dark fantasy is perfect for people looking for Halloween-y vibes without the scares. Sure, there are some creepy creatures, but ultimately this is a fantasy adventure story with a swoony romance (of course!)
Scare factor: 3/21 Oxford students murdered in cold blood. A Sherlock Holmes retelling following Irene Adler as she tries to uncover who is killing her classmates before she’s put into the killer’s crosshairs!
This Victorian murder mystery is the perfect amount of creepy if you’re looking for a Halloween atmosphere with a touch of romance! Irene Adler is pretending to be a boy so she can be part of Oxford’s elite All Souls class. But when her classmates are being murdered, she’ll need to team up with the mysterious Sherlock Holmes to solve the case – all while hoping he doesn’t discover her identity!
Scare factor: 4/21 haunted castles by the sea. A gothic romance based on the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, this one will make you want to wander the halls of a creepy castle by candlelight!
Two sisters must battle a family curse before it casts them both into the sea! Plus there’s plenty of romance and twists to keep you guessing. This one is for my Phantom of the Opera fans! Less outright scares, but the atmosphere is perfect for Halloween!
Scare factor: 5/21 bone goats. Some zombies but keep your weapons handy and you got this!
This dark fairy tale is perfect for fantasy fans who like a bit more of the undead in their folklore. Based on Welsh myth, this story features a gravedigger and a mapmaker on a quest to find the source of a magical curse that causes the dead to rise. But the best part? There’s a zombie goat.
Scare factor: 6/21 sharp, sexy fangs. Just enough blood to sate your thirst!
A brilliant twist on vampire lore, combining classic vampires with the modern world in a way only Queen Holly is capable of! Seriously, these are not your average vampires. But if you’re into blood-suckers for their equal parts terror and charm, you will not be disappointed!
Scare factor: 7/21 creepy boarding schools and their haunted hallways. Perfect for readers looking to dip their toes into horror!
Lois Duncan practically created the YA thriller, and her books are classics for a reason! Down a Dark Hall is one of her supernatural horrors, and it’s perfect for readers who are new to horror or scary reads.
Stalking Jack the Ripper
by Kerri Maniscalco
Foreword by James Patterson
Scare factor: 8/21 Victorian serial killers. Not too scary, but it is about Jack the Ripper. What else could you expect?
From our girl Kerri Maniscalco, yes of Kingdom of the Wicked fame, comes a hunt for Jack the Ripper that will leave you breathless. One girl’s love of forensic medicine will drag her into the Jack the Ripper investigation – and possibly face-to-face with the killer himself!
Scare factor: 9/21 vengeful spirits. Definitely not the scariest, but some of that imagery will haunt my dreams.
This is a hauntingly good read for Halloween! Two girls with the power to call to spirits will have to work together to fend off dangerous ghosts to save their New England town! And did I mention it features a queer friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance?
Scare factor: 10/21 eyeballs. Let there be blood! And lots of it!
This gory gothic fantasy is perfect for people who like their Halloween reads bloody! With a villainous main character, a brutal world, and monstrous mysteries to be solved, this is the perfect read for anyone who wants to be taken on a wild ride with more WTF moments than you can count!
Scare factor: 11/21 haunted pinball machines. A comedic horror perfect for fans of Stranger Things.
If you love a throwback teen horror, you will adore this book! Set in 1992, an ex-friend group is rocked by the return of their missing friend. The catch? Their friend is still twelve years old after being five years gone, trapped in a supernatural pinball machine! Equal parts scary and witty, this one will keep you on your toes!
Scare factor: 12/21 doomed debutantes trapped in a haunted manor. A supernatural historical fiction that will keep you guessing.
In 1921, four debutantes will compete to become heir to an unspeakably large fortune. But there’s something sinister hidden behind the walls of the manor. This one will have you shining lights in the shadows of your room and wanting to sleep with the nightlight on.
Scare factor: 13/21 dark web videogames. Fans of Black Mirror and psychological thrillers will love this one!
Margot Harrison is queen of the twisty psychological thriller, and this novel brilliantly twists modern fears of technology and its addictive tendencies and good old-fashioned psychological horror! It may get you looking at the internet a little bit differently once you’re through with it.
Scare factor: 14/21 Ouija boards. Okay, I’m not saying I’m scared to go to sleep, but I will be cleansing my house with sage tonight.
1920’s New York City with a side of the supernatural? Yes, please! This book is spooky, filled with the occult and all things supernatural. Don’t let the glitter fool you, behind the glitz are some dark, dark secrets – and plenty of scares!
Scare factor: 15/21 ghosts. A classic ghost story that will have you jumping at every odd creak! Yeah, no, I didn’t need to sleep tonight.
A classic, chilling ghost story that will guarantee you’ll be keeping the lights ON. Seriously, this will have you checking under your bed and hiding under the covers!
Scare factor: 16/21 serial murderers. Ugh! I’m just gonna check if the doors and windows are locked. Also… where did I put my old baseball bat?
Do you love serial killer dramas a la Mindhunter or Silence of the Lambs? Well, I’ve found your new obsession! Reading this book left me breathless and a little disturbed. After the final page, I had to lay down. Literally.
Scare factor: 17/21 culty shadow magic. No, I will not be picking up any books on shadow magic – or trying to become an influencer – anytime soon.
Three years ago, Bella dumped her best friend Kerry to follow her dreams of becoming an influencer. And wouldn’t you know it, she’s become famous for her epic, manifesting glow up. But Kerry, still burned from being abandoned, picks up a self-help shadow magic book and decides it’s time for a little revenge. But what emerges is more than she bargained for, and neither girl is prepared for what is about to haunt them both.
Scare factor: 18/21 Saints of Fear. I think this book has made me permanently afraid of the woods.
Can you say atmosphere? This gothic horror will make the hair on the back of your neck rise. In the Bavarian forest of the Hexenwald in a village where women feed their terror to an ancient saint of fear, one girl is born without the ability to feel fear. And what follows is a terrifying journey into the heart of the forest and the heart of her past.
Scare factor: 19/21 heart-eating demons. Hilarious and genuinely terrifying, this novel is campy and will make you want to sleep with the lights on.
If you are a fan of Jennifer’s Body, you will love this queer supernatural horror! Ren says he’s in love, but his best friend Colin has some questions about this new guy. What follows is a genuinely freaky story about what happens when a fairytale dream of romance turns into a deadly nightmare.
Scare factor: 20/21 daisy-eyed demons. How does a graphic novel have jump scares? Horrifying.
This graphic novel is gorgeous and terrifying. When a troubled teenager disappears, his friends are determined to find him. But what starts as a simple investigation to try and discover where he might have gone soon turns into a full blown haunting and journey into the paranormal.
Scare factor: 21/21 undead animals brought back to life. Mommy, I would like my blankie please.
Atmospheric and tense, May the Dead Keep You is heart-wrenching and horrifying, and loosely based on Wuthering Heights. It’s got atmosphere for days, and will keep you up at night! Not for the faint of heart, let me tell you!