Tuesday 22 September 2015

Top Ten Tuesday | My (very over-ambitious) Halloween TBR!


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!


This week's theme is all about the books on our Autumn TBR. As I've said many times before I'm not a fan of TBRs - I often feel bogged down by them and I feel like I've 'failed' if I don't read the books on my TBR or if I read a book that isn't on my TBR at all - but I do like seasonal TBRs. I love these because I don't pressure myself to read all of these books, but I love the chance to talk about books that fit a certain theme.

In Autumn I like to try and read as many spooky books as I can during the build up to Halloween, so those are the ten fifteen books I've picked today!


My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier: Is this book spooky? No idea, I haven't read it yet! But it does include a possible murder, and it's been likened to Rebecca, which is most definitely a psychologically spooky read. Plus I love Daphne du Maurier and I want to read more of her work.

Sugar Hall by Tiffany Murray: This book is published by the publishing house where I work, Seren! It's a ghost story set in the border between England and Wales during the '50s, so perfect for this time of year. One of my colleagues and I will be reading it throughout October - come and join us!

The Bird's Nest by Shirley Jackson: Shirley Jackson is my favourite horror writer. I love her. I now own all of her novels, and one of her short story collections, that have been published in the Penguin Modern Classics editions and I'm slowly working my way through them all. This one's next!

Carrie by Stephen King: I don't like Stephen King's books. There. I said it. There's just something about his writing style that means he and I don't get along, and it irritates me that his main characters are almost always writers. Seriously dude, write about someone else for a change. Having said that, I did enjoy Misery when I read it because there was nothing supernatural in it - as much as I love supernatural elements in the stories I read, I don't like them when King writes them - but I'd really like to give Carrie a try because I'm pretty sure it was the first novel of his that got published, and the concept does interest me. I've got it on my kindle, so we'll see what I think of it!

The Poor Clare by Elizabeth Gaskell: This little novella is the story of a family curse. I've read one of Gaskell's ghost stories before and enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to this one.


The Raven's Head by Karen Maitland: I think this is Karen Maitland's most recent novel, and I still haven't read anything of her's which, as a lover of historical fiction, is practically scandalous. She writes historical crime/mystery novels set in Medieval Europe, and this book sounds particularly spooky!

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix: This is a haunted house story, set in IKEA. IKEA! Okay, so it's not actually called IKEA in the book but we all know it's IKEA, right? Right. What I love most about this book, though, is that it's set out like a department store catalogue. It's the same size, shape and feel as a catalogue, and it even has an order form in the front. It's adorable! Even if I don't end up liking this book (it seems to have very varied feedback on Goodreads) I'm still glad to own it because I love it when publishers do something different like this.

How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back and White Trash Zombie Gone Wild by Diana Rowland: I love this series, and with the fifth book coming out next month I'm looking forward to getting all caught up with the series so far!

This Strange Way of Dying by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: As you know if you've been following my blog for a while, I adored Silvia Moreno-Garcia's debut novel, Signal to Noise, and now I'm really eager to check out some of her short stories. This collection sounds like the perfect collection to read as Halloween approaches!



Half Bad and Half Wild by Sally Green: I've been meaning to start this trilogy for the longest time (I meant to read Half Bad with Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight earlier this year and completely failed) and after I picked up a copy of Half Wild for just £1 at the weekend I figured I might as well give the series a try!

Demon Road by Derek Landy: I pre-ordered a signed, limited platinum edition of Derek Landy's latest book and I'm very excited to read it - I'm saving it for October!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: I'm pretty sure I put this book on my spring TBR, and I still haven't read it. I really want to, though! I did read the first chapter and I got distracted by something else, but considering it basically opens in a graveyard I think it's a pretty good read for this time of year.

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst: This is more fun than spooky, it sounds like a very entertaining reading experience and I'll turn to it when I'm in the mood for a giggle.

Which books made your list?

18 comments:

  1. Demon Road is on my autumn TBR as well, I got the signed, limited edition copy from my local bookstore. Hope you enjoy The Raven Boys!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2015/09/22/top-ten-tuesday-23/

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    1. *high five* Here's hoping we both enjoy Demon Road!

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  2. THE RAVEN BOYS!! I definitely recommend that one, I hope you'll love it as much as I did - it's one of my all-time favorite series ♥ I also really want to read Half-Bad so I'll be looking out for your thoughts on that one for sure^^ I've never,ever read a Stephen King book. O.O I'm too much of a wimp haha XD But I'll be curious to see how you make out with Carrie! Happy Halloween Reading Jess! xx

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    1. I promise I'm going to get to it soon! ^_^ I'm hoping to get around to Half Bad before Halloween, and I'll definitely review it once I do. In all honesty I don't think you're missing much by not reading Stephen King (something a friend of mine would disagree with vehemently, but he's wrong and I'm right) but if you're ever curious I recommend Misery. :) Thanks for stopping by, Micheline! x

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  3. Despite my name (or maybe because of it) I've never been able to bring myself to read "Carrie" lol My TTT

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  4. OK, I'm so intrigued by Horrorstör - the premise has totally sucked me in! :)

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  5. I really need to read Gaskell and Jackson! I didn't know Gaskell wrote ghost stories, so I will have to try to pick some up this October. Glad I'm not the only one who STILL hasn't read The Raven Boys! I've been meaning to read it for years at this point.
    Great List Jess!

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    1. I recommend reading 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson and 'The Old Nurse's Story' by Elizabeth Gaskell to start with, and when it comes to Jackson's novels I recommend starting with We Have Always Lived in the Castle. ^_^ *high five* Solidarity! Although I do really need to cross it off my TBR soon...

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  6. Only one i've read is the Raven Boys. I only read the first book, but I ended up really liking it, even though I hated Shiver (also by the author).

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    1. I'm determined to cross The Raven Boys off my TBR soon!

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  7. I hope you enjoy your fall reading! That Shirley Jackson book looks interesting

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  8. I just added 2 more books to my wishlist thanks to your list. I really need to read The Demon Road as I bought it on my Kindle when it was released. The Raven's Head looks great and while I have read TONS of King, I have never read Carrie. I do hope to read Cujo in October though.

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    1. Well I'm glad my list convinced you to add more books to your TBR, though I'm sure there are already plenty of books on it as it is. ;)

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  9. Okay so, you need to read Half Bad and Half Wild (Half Wild is WAY better, IMO), and then we shall read Half Lost together. And plot Annalise's demise (seriously, you have to tell me what you think of her!) Definitely read The Raven Boys! And I want to read IKEA Horror book too! I should add this to my wishlist. Fabulous choices, I hope you love them!
    Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight

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  10. Great list! I haven't read any of the books here, but they look like they're worth a look at.
    Have a great day,
    Amy x

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