Spooky Scary Book Tag

YAY! and also BOO! for spooky book tags :) This tag was originally created by Clever Fox. Check out her video here! I don't read "scary" books that often, so I had to dig deep for this tag! BUT! I thought of some *great* books that I don't get to talk about very often because I read them a while ago or they just haven't naturally popped up for me to mention. So I'm excited to have the opportunity to share them with you! Keep reading for my "spooky" answers or watch the video above!





1. What goes bump in the night? Name a book that has legitimately scared you while reading it. 

I don't tend to get "jumpy" reading, it's more of a feeling that stays with me after I've put the book down. When I wake up in the middle of the night, what book is going to creep me out enough that I'll have trouble falling asleep? That book most recently, was easily, "Behind Closed Doors" by BA Paris. This is a thriller about a couple, Jack and Grace. To all appearances they have the perfect marriage, but it becomes pretty obvious to the reader that that is a facade... anddddd I don't want to spoiler anything so that's all that I am saying! This book is one that kept me up at night multiple times while I was reading it and afterwards. This book really spoke to my fear of feelings of panic and being trapped, and never knowing who you can trust. "Behind Closed Doors" might not be the most eloquent book ever, BUT it is very well plotted and suspenseful.Check out a throwback 60 second book review I made for Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris by watching the video below.

2. Jack O Lanterns and Classic Costumes: A book you always reach for during halloween time.

I love to read scary books or thrillers around Halloween- but I don't have any one in particular that I always reach for because I pretty much never re read books, like ever. It's a blessing and a curse, but circling back to reread a book just isn't something I enjoy doing, most of the time. But! I have read some really good thrillers in the past that you should check out such as "Birdbox" by Josh Mallerman, "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, "Mystic River" by Dennis Lehane  and "The Passage" by Justin Cronin. I created a 60 second book review for "Bird Box" by Josh Mallerman, check it out below!

3. Black Cats and Magic Mirrors: A book you love that is laced with superstition and/or magic. 

It's not quite magic, but it does have lots of ghosts though, and that's "Lincoln in the Bardo" by George Saunders, which I absolutely loved! This is a historical fiction novel about Willie Lincoln and his well known father, Abraham. If you don't tend to like "spooky" but you want ghosts in a book, this is a good pick! This book does have a fairly specific audience though. I think as a reader you need to enjoy historical fiction and also it's a bit of a tough read- to be honest. "Lincoln in the Bardo" will likely test some of your skills as a reader - but it was entirely worth to me the effort that I put into it. Check out the video below for a 60 second book review I created for "Lincoln in the Bardo" by George Saunders.

4. Witch’s Brew: Favorite witch character in any book/series. 

Hermoine. Easy. She's also my favorite Harry Potter character. When the first book came out I was in middle school, and while I've come to love all of the characters in that wonderful story now - I can remember just like begrudgingly reading it so that I could get to a scene with Hermoine.

5. Ghouls and Ghosts: A book that still haunts you to this day (good or bad). 

"Room" by Emma Donaghue- which has haunted me since I read it over a year ago, in good and bad ways. It is terrifying to imagine being stuck in a room and knowing that there is someone likely living that scenario right now, is chilling. In fact, the week after I finished reading it they found a woman who had been helf captive inside someone's home. I just can't imagine- partiuclarly being a mom myself, and going through all of that pregnancy, birth, having an infant, and doing all of that ALONE? Absolutely chilling. But I'm also haunted by "Room" in a good way, and I've thought of it when my son and I are bored and I'm like you know we have everything here - you and me, we got this. Reading this book, there were so many encouraging messages to me about the bond between mothers and their children, and the strength that women and mothers have in difficult moments.

6. Haunted Graveyard: You’re all alone in a haunted graveyard, you get ONE book to give you comfort, which is it? 

Either "Bossypants" by Tina Fey or "Yes, Please" by Amy Poehler OR "Talking as Fast As I Can" by Lauren Graham. These books were laugh out loud funny for me - I love all of these writers and women, they are just amazingly talented and beautiful people. I know I can only take one of them haha but I think any of those three would really help me out in that situation, that by the way, I would *never* allow myself to be put into.

7. The Undead: Favorite supernatural creatures to read about (i.e. vamps, zombies, werewolves, etc). 

Definitely zombies. In most zombie novels, the focus of the story is usually not on the zombies themselves but a group of people who are trying to survive in the apocalypse. I don't like/ have a hard time suspending disbelief, so when the focus isn't on the "magical" elements of the story, I tend to enjoy it a lot more!

8. In the dead of night: Pick a book with a black cover. 

I chose "Girl on the Train" which I *CAN NOT BELIEVE* I haven't read, yet!

9. Trick or Treat?

Treat. If I was trick or treating and someone like pulled a quarter from behind my ear or did some sort of card trick. I would not have been happy. Treats all the way!

What are some spooky books that you have enjoyed!? Share them below! What are your answers to these tag questions? What book has haunted you?