Fall is here! Fall is here! While the weather is still on the balmy side, fall is definitely upon us!

If you can’t tell by now, fall is my favorite season. I love the cool weather and fall fashion—lots of layers! I love walking outside and inhaling the fresh, crisp air. I love the breathtaking views with its foliage and picturesque images in a pumpkin patch or a nearby lake. I love all of the activities: apple picking, pumpkin picking, hiking, biking, going to fairs (like the Big E!), making fall crafts, and eating delicious fall desserts—like apple crisp!

Another great part of fall is what I call the “spooky season.” Is it just me, or do things look eerier and darker in the months of October and November? With the leaves on the ground and the skeleton-shaped trees, driving past any cemetery or old looking house can send a chill up your spine.

Despite being a big baby, I love being scared. I don’t know why, but I love spooky things: haunted houses, scary stories, and everything Halloween! Granted, while most of the movies I watch during Halloween season are Disney classics like “Hocus Pocus,” “Halloweentown,” “Frankenweenie,” “Corpse Bride,” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” I definitely enjoy other classics like “Halloween,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Sleepy Hollow,” and of course, “Young Frankenstein!”

Along with watching scary movies, I also love to read spooky, horror-filled stories! While the movies may scare me, reading thrilling tales in a book seems to kick it up a notch. Here are some spooky tales/books to read this fall!

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving
A classic short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is a perfect quick read to give you goosebumps and put you into the Halloween spooky spirit.

Carrie by Stephen King
A different kind of spooky tale, Carrie follows the story of Carrie White, a misfit girl who is bullied by her classmates. She discovers that she has telekinetic powers, which she uses to get revenge on those who torment her.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
I know, not exactly scary, but Harry Potter is a wonderful, mild series that contains all of the spooky components: witches, wizards, magic, trolls, and goblins. Dive into the magical world of Harry Potter this Halloween!

The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe
From “The Tell-Tale Heart” to “The Black Cat”, to “The Fall of the House of Usher” to “The Masque of the Red Death”, Poe will have you spooked! His way of writing captivates you and keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first sentence.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
I remember seeing the cover of this book at the Scholastic Fair and cowering in fear. It is now one of my favorites! Pick up this short book by an incredible author and follow the heroine Coraline in this thrilling and dark tale.

Dracula by Bram Stoker
Dive in to this novel that established the conventions of vampire fantasy! Count Dracula is indeed a terrifying character, and he will have you checking your closets before bedtime.

IT by Stephen King
Ah…IT. The terrifying Pennywise the Clown. I’m petrified of clowns, so, naturally, I’ve read King’s novel twice and watched the 1990 film a few times. No, reader, I will not be watching the new adaptation. Ever.

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
“The Yellow Wallpaper” is a chilling tale about a woman in postpartum who goes mad after being trapped in the attic of a Victorian house by her husband. This was a common practice that men executed in order to “confine” women with mental illness, which is a horror story in itself.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Frankenstein is one of the first science fiction novels, and it is indeed one of my favorites! Learn how Frankenstein is not the name of the monster, and how he is a creepy, yet endearing creature.

“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
“By the prickling of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes!” With apparitions, ghosts, and witches, “Macbeth,” where in the world of theater is believed to be cursed if uttered aloud, will have you spooked!

What horror/scary novels do you enjoy? Please share!