So as most of you know, I am a complete wuss when it comes to horror or anything even remotely creepy. I do not do scary movies. If I accidentally end up embroiled in a scary form of entertainment I will literally turn on all the lights, check the closet and under the bed before I go to bed, look behind the shower curtain before I use the toilet and triple check all the doors. I also won’t sit with my back to the window. All perfectly reasonable. So unlike most of you guys who seem to thrive on terror, I do not make excited lists of bone-chilling movies and books to read at this time of year. Rather I ignore that it’s happening and continue to read as per usual. But over the years I have been made aware of some popular choices and duly added them to my NTBR (Never To Be Read) list. Here are some of those titles.
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The Turn of the Screw was the first horror book I was ever told about, because my Mum liked to tell me the story of how she had to put it in the freezer and sleep with all the lights on when she was reading it. Needless to say, I’ve never even tried it. I read Rebecca a couple of years ago after seeing it enthused about all over BookTube. I thought there were some brilliant things about it – mostly the oppressive atmosphere Du Maurier created at Manderley. Based on that and the premise for The Birds, I don’t think I need to experience this one! I read and loved Jackson’s two memoirs and have found myself wishing there was more of her work I could read. But it’s all so scary that I just can’t! I can’t even watch the show based on this book! I did read quite a few Stephen King books back in high school, which was part of how I discovered that I do not do well with horror. I’ve never even watched The Shining, and I definitely won’t be reading the book.
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Another author who has been talked about a lot on BookTube is Susan Hill, and I think The Woman In Black is one of her best-known books. Too bad I’ll never know what it’s like. I watched the first season of You, and while I loved the concept of the second person address, it was very deeply disturbing by the end. Didn’t help that Penn Badgley did such a good job! My Dad is considering trying this one, so we’ll see how he goes with it! I don’t know much about House of Leaves, but I have heard that it is deeply creepy and the blurb talks about young children wandering off in a house that is bigger on the inside than the outside and that soon begins to torture its occupants. That sounds fun and all, but I think I’ll pass. Bird Box is about a strange future apocalypse where something horrible invades the earth and renders those who look upon it crazy with bloodlust. Survivors are left with the choice of moving through this terrifying world blindfolded or risking looking at whatever this horrible thing is and suffering the consequences. Yeah, no.
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The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales was given to me years ago by someone whose recommendations I normally follow (or at least try). But not this one. It says horror on the back, so I’m out! I’ve heard great things about McCarthy from all kinds of people, but one of the things he seems to excel at is creating a truly and deeply disturbing feeling in his books. Of carefully choosing what to show and what to withhold to maximize impact and fear. While I feel like I would admire his skill, I also think I’d never sleep again. So I’ll take you guys’ word for it on this one.
That’s it for me for this week! Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of these, and if they’re as scary as I think! And let me know which was the scariest book you’ve ever read! Happy Halloween!
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.
My daughter has House of Leaves. Now I can see why she wanted to read it, LOL. She’s the kind of girl who would love a scary story. I’m like you… I just continue to read as normal this time of year.
I wish I could love scary stories… I’m just too much of a wuss!!! It’s physically uncomfortable for me to watch horror movies or read really scary stories.
You’ve got 8 of my favorites on your list. I hope you enjoy your normal reading. 🙂
Check out my TTT
You are my tough-as-nails reading aspiration! I doubt I’ll ever get through even one of these!
You are not the only wuss out there! I’m right here!! I actually don’t mind reading scary stories too much, but I have to be in a certain environment. All the lights have to be on if I’m indoors, I have to have people around me (for protection) and it has to be day time. I will not read these stories at night LOL!!
Have a great week!
Here’s my TTT post.
See I just can’t, not even in a crowded house with the lights on! I remember when all my friends in high school were getting into horror movies and sleepovers became excruciating for me! I spent a lot of time with my eyes closed and my ears tightly plugged.
Hi there! Loved reading your post! I laughed so hard for the comment about your mother putting the book in the freezer. Wha ha ha!! I also used to hide a scary book when I was young. And didn’t Joey from Friends also hid a book in the freezer?
The turn of the screw is quite creepy, sorry to tell you…. But try the audio reading. They are for free on Librivox and then you can just switch it off!
Rebecca is great… Loooooovvveeee it! I haven’t read The Birds though. Neither Bird Box, although I still want to and i’ts on my TTT as well!
I didn’t like You. Haven’t finished it. The Haunting of Hill House is also on my TTT and it’s not that scary. More in your mind I’d say.
Here’s the rest of my list: The would have, should have, could have Halloween reads
Haha! Yeah, it was amusing to me but at the same time I can relate… Yeah, Joey put Cujo in the freezer I think, and then when Rachel made him read Little Women I think he put that in there for the sad Meg part. Again, I can relate! See if I listened to the audio and turned it off I’d just feel like it then inhabited my phone and then I’d have to put my phone in the freezer and then what would I use to call for help when bad things came to get me in the night? I did enjoy Rebecca. I liked that the narrator never has a name, and I thought the suffocating atmosphere was expertly created. I watched the series based on You, but from what I’ve heard I don’t think I’ll bother reading the book.I might try Hill House – of the ones on this list it’s probably the most likely. I loved Shirley Jackson’s memoirs so much!
I won’t be reading any of these this Halloween either! I’m also a wuss. I do hope to read You someday, though. We’ll see if I can scrape up the courage.
I’ve heard that if you watch the series you don’t really need to read it… but I don’t really know as I haven’t tried! I think honestly it’s that I didn’t like spending time in that guy’s head that will stop me reading it more than it being scary though!
I actually have read You, it’s definitely very disturbing! I preferred the TV show, definitely the better route to go, the book was a little overly bloated and repetitive.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/10/27/top-ten-tuesday-287/
Glad to hear it. I’m officially considering myself off the hook!
I’m with you. None of these are in my TBR.
Haha kindred spirits!
Soul mate! I’m with you totally on not doing/reading/watching creepy stuff! Good post!
Glad I’m not the only one!! Yeah, I’ve never had the stomach for that kind of stuff. I went through an ill-advised Stephen King phase when I was about 15… and I still haven’t recovered.
LOL I love this! I’ve read The Haunting of Hill House and it was not scary at all. It’s very different from the show. I found it quite boring – I almost DNF’d it lol Other than that, I haven’t read anything else on your list. Though, House of Leaves is on my list! It’s one of my husbands favorite books and he keeps telling me to read it haha
Does he usually go in for creepy stuff? If so then I’m definitely not going within ten feet!
Great list… horror is not really my genre either but at this time of year it fits! I’ve got The Haunting Of Hill House queued up ready!
After a bonkers and hectic few weeks back at work, I’ve managed to find time for this week’s Halloween TTT… hope you can pop by!
Good luck!! I hope you made it through unscathed!
Good for you for knowing your boundaries.
My post.
Well it’s fairly easy considering my boundary is basically anything even remotely scary! Nary a toe will be dipped in the pool of horror by me! 😉
I’ve heard good things about House of Leaves.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
Me too… but nope.