Spooky Reads and Netflix Watches to Darken Your Days Up To Halloween

Halloween is getting closer and closer and I can’t tell you how excited I am!

I’m not entirely sure what I’ll be this Halloween (last year I was Rosie the Riveter) but I’m leaning towards Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service or a Greek tragedy (like Medusa or Achilles).

These past few days I’ve been loading up on some darker content to get ready for the creepiest day of the year and I thought I’d share a bit of my watchlist and reading list with y’all to help you through to October 31st!

TO WATCH:

THE CURIOUS CREATIONS OF CHRISTINE MCCONELL

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Do you like baking? Would you like to watch a master baker share some of her brilliance? Do you like dark humor and stylish costumes? Do you like silly puppets like when you were young? And do you like dark and spooky designs? If you said yes to any of these things, then I highly recommend you check out this strange delight of a show.

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE

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I just started watching this one, but I have to say that it’s already shot its way up as one of my favorite horror shows, and favorite shows in general. The cinematography, the acting, the production design, the direction, and the constant eerie vibe make this an unforgettable haunting watch for October.

ERREMENTARI: THE BLACKSMITH AND THE DEVIL

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Though CGI can do amazing things for a screenplay, there’s nothing like old-fashioned make-up and prosthetics to make a film really shine. This film is very strange but it’s also a great piece of story-telling. If you’re interested in a Basquian descent into Hell and Faustian bargains, I think you might enjoy this.

SUPERNATURAL

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You really can’t go wrong with Supernatural. A superb cast, amazing humor, fun mysteries, cool monsters, and angel/demon references make this a wonderful addition to anyone’s watchlist!

CORALINE

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This animated film is a lot darker than I think people realize. I thought it was pretty creepy when I was younger and I still think it’s creepy now. The 3D stop-motion and color palette make this a stand out as well as the unquestionably freaky third act in the film. Button eyes still make me shiver.

THE CONJURING

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This is for the big league horror freaks. If you can stand slasher films and want to move up to something more supernatural and psychological, The Conjuring is your film. I don’t think many horror films actually scare me, but this one for sure did. I was TERRIFIED after watching this film, even after watching it with six other girls…

RAVENOUS (LES AFFAMES)

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Zombie films can seem a bit repetitive and so it’s hard to find one that is really unique. All zombie concepts eventually seem too similar. You either get slow zombies like The Walking Dead or hella fast ones like 28 Days Later and World War Z. And the characters are usually just meh. So I started looking for zombie films with more substance and I found that in this French zombie film! It’s much more artistic than your usual zombie flick so be prepared if you end up checking this out!

PENNY DREADFUL

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For those of you who don’t know, penny dreadfuls were a series of cheap literature produced back in the 19th century. The subject matter often varied but was gothic in nature; Vampires, werewolves, and witches gained even more literary popularity during this time. The show builds off this phenomena and brings these stories to life in the Victorian era. It’s dark, erotic, and filled with well-known monsters we’ve come to love. And the cast is superb. Fans of Eva Green will adore her even more after watching this series.

AHS

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I’ve watched three seasons of this show, though not in order. I just finished Murder House and I’ve also watched Hotel and Roanoke. But this series isn’t your usual horror. It rides more on the gory and the peculiar rather than run-of-the-mill jumpscares. Much of it is slow burn and character focused. I’d look into it if only to see how brilliant Jessica Lange and Evan Peters are.

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LOOKING FORWARD TO:

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

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I never really watched the original Sabrina series, but this darker version of it seems more to my taste. Check out the trailer and see if it interests you! I know it does for me and I can’t wait to see what horrific adventures await.

TO READ:

IT | Stephen King

If you despise clowns and want to justify why you dislike them, then this book will certainly give you reasons to be afraid of them. And if you don’t have a fear of them, you will after reading this long and terrifying journey.

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HOUSE OF FURIES | Madeleine Roux

It’s not the best book I’ve read, but it’s got all the wicked and terrible things you look for during this time of the month. Devils, demons, witches, ghouls, and the like. You know, classic horror fiction. And the book itself is GORGEOUS.

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THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS | Leigh Bardugo

We all know fairytales were originally dark cautionary tales told to children. And Leigh Bardugo blessed us with some new ones to entertain ourselves with. The illustrations and grim nature of these stories will definitely feed the darkness in you.

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DREAD NATION | Justina Ireland

Zombies can be considered a tired concept, but not all stories about them are. This book feels fresh and new with its unreliable yet badass narrator/protagonist who is also a woman of color and non-heterosexual. Also, the time period is during the post-Civil War era. Need I go on?

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HUNTING PRINCE DRACULA | Kerri Maniscalco

Dark mystery and grisly detail give this book a well-earned place in YA horror fiction. Murders made to look like the work of Dracula himself can only encourage lovers of vampire lore to give this book a try.

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THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN | Holly Black

I’m not a huge fan of the glitzy and glamorous versions of vampires. So I have Holly Black to thank for this wonderfully horrific tale of hideous vampires and endless misery. The characters aren’t all that amazing and the story is a bit dull but the atmosphere and chilling concept are 100% creeptastic.

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LOOKING FORWARD TO:

THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE | Stephanie Perkins

I love the film When A Stranger Calls and this book’s title reminds me of it. I’m more frightened by quiet thrillers that hold a grain of reality in them than outright gorefests. So, this book calls to me this October.

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COURT OF SHADOWS | Madeleine Roux

The second book to House of Furies! I’m really looking forward to diving back into this eerie and disturbing tale.

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THE WICKED DEEP | Shea Earnshaw

Can’t have a proper Halloween without exploring a tale about witches! I’ve heard this is a good one so it’s on my list to read. I might not read it before October ends but at least I’ll have it in my arsenal for next year!

There are so many other great reads and watches, but I couldn’t include them all. This post would be way too hella long for all that LOL.

But there are other watches that aren’t on Netflix you might also check out: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic, and Halloweentown among many.

As for reads, I don’t actually read all that much horror fiction, so if you have any other recommendations, feel free to share!

Until then, thanks so much for stopping by! Until next time ❤

 

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