I’m not at all into blood and gore, but I do love the haunted, eerie atmospheric worlds inside books until my own house feels full of ghosts and just a little bit off. Curl up under the covers with these chilling books that’ll get under your skin, but not make you want to run away screaming.

17 Creepy Books That Aren’t Scary

1. Remember Me by Christopher Pike

In this harrowing thriller from bestselling author Christopher Pike, a teen girl must solve the mystery of her own murder before the killer strikes again.

2. Fear Street: The Beginning by R.L. Stine

The classic and heart-pounding Fear Street Series from beloved author R.L. Stine is back with the first four books now in one thrilling package!

3. Magic Dark and Strange by Kelly Powell

The Bone Witch meets Sherlock Holmes in this thrilling historical fantasy about a girl with the ability to raise the dead who must delve into her city’s dangerous magical underworld to stop a series of murders.

4. Lies Like Poison by Chelsea Pitcher

Riverdale meets Kara Thomas’s The Cheerleaders in this electrifying, twisted thriller about estranged friends who reunite when someone commits the murder they’d planned—but didn’t go through with—and leaves one of their own to take the fall.

5. Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

I think it’s safe to say that dark mysterious woods are fairly creepy especially when they have a history of being haunted by ghosts. Now Nora, a rumored witch, is trapped in the wicked woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven during a snow storm with a mysterious boy named Oliver, who went missing weeks ago. What will happen? You’ll have to read to find out.

6. Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton

Long ago, a village made a bargain with the devil: when the Slaughter Moon rises, the village will sacrifice a young man to the Devil’s Forest to ensure that the village remains prosperous. But when the Slaughter Moon rises early, a witch, a future saint, and an outcast all must play a role in fulfilling the devil’s bargain.

7. The Creeping by Alexandra Sirowry

Twelve years ago Stella and Jeanie vanished while picking strawberries. Stella returned minutes later, with no memory of what happened. Jeanie was never seen or heard from again. Now Stella is seventeen, and she’s over it. Then along comes a corpse, a little girl who washes up in an ancient cemetery after a mudslide, and who has red hair just like Jeanie did. Suddenly memories of that haunting day begin to return, and when Stella discovers that other red-headed girls have gone missing as well, she begins to suspect that something sinister is at work.

8. The House by Christina Lauren

Gavin lives in the house, the one at the edge of town. Spooky and maybe haunted. Something worse than haunted. And Gavin is trapped by its secrets. Delilah and Gavin can’t resist each other. But staying together will exact a price beyond their imagining.

9. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

This spooky graphic novel features tales about lonely walks in the snow, creepy houses, buried brothers, and other sinister fairytales. The stunning art will lure you in until the late hours of the night.

10. The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

This cozy series will whisk you off to the magical world of faerie. A group of siblings find a secret library in the decrepit estate that they’ve moved into, which then leads them to find an old book, and that’s when the magic and danger begin.

11. The Beast is an Animal by Peternelle van Arsdale

Alys sees soul eaters, abandoned twin sisters who grew into something not quite human. The soul eaters are believed to be guided by the Beast. But the Beast is not what they think he is. And neither is Alys.

12. The Nest by Kenneth Oppel

This one is for fans of Coraline. Steve wants to save his sick baby brother. In order to do this, he begins to make deals. Things take a turn for the strange and disturbing when he realizes who he’s making deals with in his dreams.

13. Winterspell by Claire Legrand

This is a dark and romantic retelling of The Nutcracker that will enchant you to a magical world with plenty of love and intrigue along the way.

14. Tithe by Holly Black

This faerie tale involves deep rivalries between kingdoms, placing sixteen-year-old Kaye at the center of the battle. Obviously, these are not normal faeries—they’re up to much more diabolical ploys in this story.

15. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

This story will definitely send shivers up your spine. There are secrets in the town of Sparrow that requires seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot to make a huge decision in order to save the people she loves.

16. The Rattled Bones by S.M. Parker

Sure, this story involves ghosts and make make you burrow under the covers, but the story itself is full of intrigue and features a strong heroine, Rilla, who you’ll root for throughout the entire book.

17. Lizzie by Dawn Ius

Lizzie is an edge-of-your-seat reimagining of one of the most chilling mysteries in modern history—Lizzie Borden.

Check out these Witchy YA reads that are perfect for Halloween! 

We’re all big readers here. So it’s no surprise that we not only read different kinds of books, but we also read in vastly different ways. Did you know that ancient readers probably primarily read aloud and silent reading was uncommon? Obviously, there are all kinds of ways to read today, and we all have our own unique preferences.

Let us know in the comments what type of reader you are!

The Pristine Page Turner

The books on your shelf look like they’ve never been opened, but not because you haven’t enjoyed them—you’re just highly protective of your favorite stories and characters. The pages are spotless and the jackets are crisp, all arranged neatly on your shelf. Your series are in perfect order because you had to buy the matching editions; you can’t resist those spines that line up to make a picture. And, of course, you never forget to use a bookmark.

The Dog-earer

You take your books everywhere with you—crammed into backpacks, stuffed into pockets, thoroughly flipped through. You’ve got stashes ready to take along to read in the car, on the train, at the beach, at the dinner table. You’re not afraid of a little wear and tear, and it’s clear that you’ve loved your books with their cracked spines and taped pages. You can find all your favorite parts when you reread from all the dog-eared pages. Plus you’re not afraid to lend your books to others.

The Reading Rainbow

You like making your mark on your reading material, whether with sticky note tabs or highlighters. You’re able to quickly find patterns in your notes, from favorite characters to meaningful quotes. You’ve got pages underlined to go back to the best parts and notes scribbled in the margins to look back on during your next reread.

Team Paperback

You like to travel light and not have too much weighing you down (or you like to cram you bookshelves to maximum capacity). You know that stories not only transport you, but also that paperbacks are also pretty easily transportable. Paperbacks are lighter, cheaper, foldable, and you don’t have to feel too precious about them. They’re pretty low maintenance and are ideal for reading on the go. They’re also simpler to let go, either to send to a friend or leave at the airport for someone else to pick up for their next adventure.

Team Hardcover

You like to go all out with the shiny covers and smell of fresh ink. You like a little weight to your books. Plus it’s not like they’re completely dead weight—they make excellent chairs, trays, tripods, doorstops, and stepstools in a pinch. When they’re not being used for reading time or utility, they make your bookshelves feel like a library.

Team Ebook

You’re all for convenience and ease, and you love that you can have your entire library in your pocket at all times. When you’re in the mood for a certain book, you’ve got it right at your fingertips. You like the sleek speed of seeing your progress as you swipe through pages. You know you don’t have to sacrifice your reading time to keep living the minimalist lifestyle.

The Library Bandit

You like to browse up and down the rows surrounded by other readers. You can appreciate that crinkling noise of the plastic around the book jacket and the knowledge that this book carries the life of its many readers in its pages. You’ve also been known to scramble fast to pick up your holds quickly, you recognize the importance of sharing stories and community, but you’ve also bookwormed your way out of fines by avoiding the library entirely.

The Book Juggler

One story is not enough. You make choose-your-own adventures by starting at least two books at a time. You’ve got to have one for reading while you wait in line and another for bedtime. Or maybe you’ve got a whole pile of books to read for school, so you’ve got to catch up on your dystopian nightmares and swoony romances on the side. In any case, you like to be many places at once, and somehow you manage to keep it all straight.

The Multitasker

Even though you’re a bookworm, the last place you’ll be is sitting quietly in the library. You’re glued to your book as you get dressed, brush your teeth, walk your dog. Doing the dishes one handed is no problem because you’re too invested in the plotlines of fictional characters to put the book down now. You’ve been known to perhaps “procrastinate” by putting off homework or showering so you could get in just a few more chapters.

The Librocubicularist

You love a good bedtime story. It helps you drift off to sleep peacefully and fill your dreams with adventures. And when you wake up, the first thing you do is reach for your book to ease you into the day. You know that living with your head in the clouds is pretty dreamy.

It’s that time of year where everything is decked out in twinkling lights, people are hauling dead trees into their homes, and Santas are on every corner. Do you hear that constant jingling in the air? Is it bells ringing everywhere you turn or is it every last cent in your pocket going towards books instead of gifts for your friends and family?

If you’ve accidentally bought too many books this year and can’t afford anything on your friends’ or families’ wish lists, we’ve got you covered for bookish gifts to craft yourself. Whether it’s your twelfth extra copy of your favorite novel or that textbook that you forgot to return, grab books that you can spare and break out the glitter glue.

1. Classic Ornaments – Grab a classic like A Christmas Carol and tear up some of the most festive passages to decoupage them to make a timeless ornament.

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2. Elegant Glass Ornament –  Curl up some favorite quotes if you’d prefer not to get your hands all gluey.

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3. Sparkling Snowflake – If you have a lot of patience and can follow a tutorial, you can weave your favorite stories together into this intricate snowflake.

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4. 3D Paper Star – If you’re tired of making ornaments and want to take things to the next level, it’s time to take some pages from your bigger books to make this 3D star for the top of the tree or you could make a whole bunch to hang from a bannister or a window.

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5. Book Wreath – If you can’t choose just one book to get lost in as you reinvent it as a seasonal decoration, rip out pages from a bunch and make a wreath perfect for the well-rounded reader.

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6. Art for word lovers – Get really artsy for this one by drawing, carefully painting, or printing onto dictionary pages. You could even use dictionary pages to match your friends’ initials to make the gift even more personalized.

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7. Book Page Candle Holder – Show someone that books can really light up their day with this adorable cut-out candle holder (but please do not burn your house down).

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8. Folded Pages Book Display – I have no idea how this foldy business works, but you don’t have to cut pages for this craft! Plus you can get all sorts of customizable patterns to make anything for your music loving friends to your Star Wars fanatic relatives.

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9. Secret Book Safes – For your more, uh, questionable friends or maybe those who like to snack in the library (shh!), this super secretive book safe is perfect.

10.  Literary Envelopes – For your snail mail or stationery loving friend, print out a template and start folding up some cute recycled envelopes. This also works great with old picture books.

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11. Gift tags – Old book pages make great wrapping paper, too (no one will even suspect that you’ve maybe wrapped a new book inside, probably). You can add festive colorful stamps or stickers on top or cut the pages up to make little gift tags.

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12. Book bows – Don’t forget to tie everything up and top your presents off with a fun bow!

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Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) have historically been underrepresented, but the spotlight is finally starting to shift to highlight awesome ladies doing cool things, from nuclear physics to robotics and beyond! Get inspired by these YA girls who are interested in science, math, technology, and changing the world. I hope to see this list grow along with the accomplishments of real women to come!

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Dimple Shah is thrilled when her parents agree to let her attend a summer program for aspirating web developers. Dimple is as incredibly caring as she is intelligent, which is why she’s intent on developing a game that will help her father keep better track of his health and monitor his diabetes without feeling dread and anxiety. Dimple’s character demonstrates that intelligence, confidence, and craftiness are all things to be admired. She also shows that these traits definitely don’t have to be sacrificed in the name of love.

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Andie is a planner with her sights set on getting into a top-tier med school. Her summer is all planned out until a political scandal costs Andie her summer pre-med internship. This lands both she and Dad back in the same house together for the first time in years. Suddenly she’s doing things that aren’t Andie at all—working as a dog walker, doing an epic scavenger hunt with her dad, and maybe, just maybe, letting the super cute Clark get closer than she expected. Her best friends, Palmer, Bri, and Toby, tell her to embrace all the chaos, but can she really let go of her control?

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed

Erin Delillo is one of the three Nowhere Girls, obsessed with marine biology and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Along with Grace Salter, the new girl, and Rosina Suarez, the queer punk girl from a conservative Mexican immigrant family who has dreams of playing music, they fight to avenge the rape of a fellow classmate and in the process trigger a change in the misogynist culture at their high school.

American Panda by Gloria Chao

*coming out in 2018!

Seventeen-year-old Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents’ master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.

With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can’t bring herself to tell them the truth—that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese. Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?

Every Hidden Thing by Kenneth Oppel

Rachel Cartland is on a quest to find a skeleton of a massive dinosaur since it could be her ticket to a different life, one where her loves of science and adventure aren’t just relegated to books and sitting rooms. Because if she can’t prove herself on this expedition with her professor father, the only adventures she may have to look forward to are marriage or spinsterhood.

As her path crosses with Samuel Bolt, the rivalry between their fathers becomes more intense. They’re pushed closer together, but both are eyeing the same prize. Can they join forces to find their quarry or will old enmities and prejudices keep them from both the rex and each other ?

You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone by Rachel Solomon

*coming out in 2018!

Eighteen-year-old twins Adina and Tovah have little in common besides their ambitious nature. Viola prodigy Adina yearns to become a soloist—and to convince her music teacher he wants her the way she wants him. Overachiever Tovah awaits her acceptance to Johns Hopkins, the first step on her path toward med school and a career as a surgeon.

But one thing could wreck their carefully planned futures: a genetic test for Huntington’s, a rare degenerative disease that slowly steals control of the body and mind. It’s turned their Israeli mother into a near stranger and fractured the sisters’ own bond in ways they’ll never admit. When the results come in, one twin tests negative for Huntington’s, and the other tests positive.These opposite outcomes push them farther apart as they wrestle with guilt, betrayal, and the unexpected thrill of first love. How can they repair their relationship, and is it even worth saving?

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This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada

Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash though firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.

That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.

Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?

Do you dream about casting a spell so you can dine beneath ceilings of floating candles and recite eerie lines from your favorite book (of spells) while you tiptoe through a haunted forest? Halloween is the perfect time to make this transformation. Grab your favorite spine-chilling books and get ready to transform your home into a creepy abode where your favorite fictional worlds can come alive.

Have your trees be the first to greet any unexpected guests by making ominous eyeballs from reflective materials. At night, it will really feel like they’re going Through the Woods.

Make a graveyard in your own yard of your favorite horror authors’ headstones.

Pumpkins are always a versatile medium for painting your favorite book quotes, carving your favorite characters, or even Mod Podging pages of your favorite book (if you have multiple copies and can spare the raggedy paperback for this one).  (Source)

What’s Halloween without a good dose of melancholic pumpkins with Edgar Allan Poe’s face carved into them?

You can add to the gloom by placing some (dead) plants inside jars to create little displays with your oldest books and and ravens of all kinds (maybe even An Enchantment of Ravens).

The rest of your books can be wrapped up and disguised as big spell books. (Source)

These books are best read beneath the glow of these floating candles, made from paper towel rolls, hot glue for the melting wax around the edges, and electric tea lights. Just use some fishing wire and tape magic to make them float from the ceiling.

Other flying decorations can include a macabre flock of faeries in the spirit of Holly Black’s Tithe. (Source)

These eye-catching roses feel like they’re from the Unwind Dystology.

Glue some cogs, bolts, and washers to regular plastic spiders to give them some Mortal Instruments steampunk flair.

Bake up some kooky cookies inspired by the cover of Book of Shadows. (Source)

Let us know in the comments if you try any of these DIY projects or if you have other book-related spooky settings you’d like to transform your home into for the holiday. Have a hauntingly good Halloween!

In Suzanne Young’s Hotel for the Lost, Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the Hotel Ruby, a grand, mysterious hotel full of secrets.  In the (spooky) spirit of Halloween, I’ve rounded up 9 eerie hotels where you can spend the night…if you dare.

1. Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, CO) 

Paranormal activity has been reported since the 1970s. The owners F.O. Stanley and his wife Flora purportedly appear as guests in the Billiards Room or make the piano play. This hotel is perhaps better well-known as the inspiration for Stephen King’s novel The Shining.

2. The Marshall House (Savannah, GA)

Would you expect anything less than ghosts, the sound of children running through the hallways, faucets mysteriously turning on by themselves, and rattling doorknobs from the oldest hotel in Savannah? It acted as a hospital three times, and remains were found under the floorboards during renovations. Sleep tight.

3. The Bourbon Orleans Hotel (New Orleans, LA)

Though it’s only been a hotel for about 50 years, the Bourbon Orleans has previously been used as a ballroom, legislative meeting place, and convent, which means you can now spend the night with the ghosts of confederate soldiers, Catholic nuns, and orphans.

4. Hotel Andra (Seattle, WA)

Come here for a never-ending jazz age party. However, the sounds of music and breaking glass on the ninth floor seem to immediately stop whenever anyone makes a trip up to that floor.

5. Gadsden Hotel (Douglas, AZ)

Ghost sightings are so common that there two binders at the front desk for guests to write down their experiences. According to the reports, visitors have experienced having their TVs turned off, hair pulled, and being momentarily pinned to their beds so they could not move.

6. The Hawthorne (Salem, MA)

No surprise that this place would be haunted—the 17^th century Salem witch trials left a lot of restless spirits. Guests have reported being touched by invisible hands as well as the sounds of a child crying at night.

7. Lizzie Borden’s House (Fall River, MA)

If you’re not impressed by orbs and disembodied laughter, you can stay at the infamous axe murderer’s house, which is now a bed and breakfast, and sleep in the same rooms where her family’s bodies were found.

8. Shanley Hotel (Napanoch, NY)

There’s not only a creepy basement and hidden rooms, but a ghost cat that was caught on video.

9. The Cecil (Los Angeles, CA)

This hotel had to be rebranded and renamed (it’s now known as Stay on Main) because of its history of at least three murders, several suicides, and the disturbing death of Elisa Lam. Her body was found inside the sealed water tank after guests had complained of the water tasting funny.

If you’d like to stay forever among the haunts or simply continue on with your paranormal investigation, you can take a look at Haunted Rooms, which lists haunted hotels in each state and overnight ghost hunts! And if you’ve already stayed at one of those hotels or plan to, PLEASE let us know about your experiences in the comments!

“Three Girls. Three spirits. Three demons. Three witches. They’re these three spirits who have been around forever.” You can read about these three beautiful, mysterious girls in Fury by Elizabeth Miles, available right now as a free read!

The furies in the novel are loosely based on the the Erinyes in Greek mythologies, deities of vengeance. They’re typically depicted as crones with blood-shot eyes with snakes for hair and wings. I’ve used some of these classic elements in my interpretation, but also made them younger with the signature features they’re described with in Fury. There’s Meg, the pixie girl with a scarlet choker around her neck; Ty, with fiery red flowing hair; and Ali, with bright blood-red lipstick. They seek revenge by punishing high schoolers for their misdeeds and reckless behavior. They leave a trail of red orchid petals in the path of their destruction as a warning before they wreak havoc and torment their chosen victims.

Let us know in the comments how you imagine these creatures or show us your own fan art!

The Dark Library is full of secret books on alchemy and ancient remedies, including the Elixir of Life. This becomes vital for Victor Frankenstein when his twin brother Konrad falls ill. When doctors prove to be unsatisfactory, Victor takes it upon himself to risk his own life as he embarks on a quest to create the formula that will keep his brother alive. You can read more about this dramatic, fantastic adventure—This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel—right now!

Alchemy was the precursor for modern chemistry, conducted in the Islamic world in the Middle Ages and then in Europe from the 13^th to the 18^th centuries. Alchemists contributed to metallurgy, metalworking, making inks/dyes, preparing extracts and liquors. Their practice generally involved the divine, sometimes combining different belief systems. Here are some essential alchemists to familiarize yourself with the basics before diving into This Dark Endeavor.

Hermes Trismegistus (“Thrice Great”)

• Author of the Corpus Hermeticum, sacred texts that provide the basis for a spiritual, philosophical, and magical tradition called Hermeticism
• A legendary figure who might be a representation of combination of Greek god Hermes and Egyptian god Thoth
• Both were gods of writing and magic, and also were psychopomps, who guided souls to the afterlife
• Hermeticism greatly influenced the Renaissance and Reformation
• The tradition descends from a doctrine that affirms the existence of a single, true theology present in all religions
• The “thrice great” references that he knew the three parts of the wisdom of the whole universe: 1. Alchemy, 2. Astrology, and 3. Theurgy
• The “hermetic tradition” refers to alchemy, magic, astrology, and the texts are divided into two categories: the philosophical and the technical hermetica. The former pertains to philosophy and the latter to magic, potions, and alchemy.

Ostanes

• A pen name used by several pseudo-anonymous authors of Greek and Latin works beginning in the Hellenistic period
• From Persia
• Imagined to be a master sorcerer, a magus/mage, on top of being an alchemist
• First mentioned the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher’s Stone
• A teacher of Alexander the Great

Nicolas Flamel

• A French scribe and manuscript-seller and husband to Perenelle Flamel
• Believed to have discovered the Philosopher’s Stone and achieved immortality
• Supposedly learned alchemical secrets on the road to Santiago de Compostela
• He designed his own tombstone, which features carved symbols and images of Chris, St. Peter, and St. Paul. It is on display at the Musée de Cluny.
• His is reputed to have succeeded at the two goals of alchemy: using the Philosopher’s Stone to turn base metals into gold and achieving immortality with the Elixir of Life

Perenelle Flamel

• Wife of Nicolas Flamel
• Had money from two previous husbands
• Generous benefactor, investing in churches and hostels and commissioned religious sculptures

Jabir ibn Hayyan (“Geber”)

• Popularized the idea of the Philospher’s Stone to combine mercury and sulfur to make gold
• Took a rational approach to his lab procedures and chemical operations while practicing alchemy
• He was also an astronomy, astrologer, engineer, geographer, philosopher, physicist, pharmacist, and physician
• The word “gibberish” is derived from his name

Isaac Newton

• Besides studying physics and math, he spent time on alchemy
• He may have deliberately left his writing on alchemy unpublished out of fear of punishment and scrutiny by the scientific community (and also because he was a perfectionist)
• Newton was on a quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone
• It’s said that he was not the “first of the age of reason but that he was the last of the magicians.”