Send Shivers Down Your (Book) Spines // Halloween Song Book Tag

Hi, y’all! Let’s ignore the fact that my last post was also a book tag and just come together to celebrate the Halloween season! Halloween is probably my favorite holiday, I just love how carefree and low stakes it feels compared to some other times of the year. Of course, what better way to celebrate than by combining some of the things I love the most?

This Halloween song book tag was originally created by a beautiful chaos of books on Youtube, and I discovered it on Amelia’s blog, Adventures With a Side of Espresso. You should definitely check out their answers as well!

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Thriller

a book that was an absolute page turner

Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl

This book was so utterly addicting, I could barely put it down. I think I finished Neverworld Wake in about three sittings, the last one being the remaining half of the book I had left. Marisha Pessl truly pulled off a thrilling page turner with this book.

Somebody’s Watching Me

a book that gave you serious creeps

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

Anybody who’s read this book can surely attest to this. Pretty Girls is one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever read, it is certainly not for the faint of heart. Safe to say, this book gave me the creeps (along with a lot of other bad vibes).

Vampire

a book you hated so much it was soul sucking (i.e. incredibly tedious to get through)

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

This was one of the most painstakingly boring books I’ve ever read. You’d think a Lizzie Borden retelling would hold more promise, but See What I Have Done fell flat in every way. I have no idea how I got all the way through this book.

I Put a Spell on You

a book featuring witchcraft or magic

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

I wouldn’t say that Sawkill Girls focuses on magic, but it’s certainly there. From family curses to transporting through space in the blink of an eye, this book has it all. Sawkill Girls certainly had me entranced, and I think it’s a perfect read for the spooky season.

This Halloween

your favorite treat/snack to eat while reading

I’m really not much of an eater while reading. If I had to choose a treat, I’d probably say that I enjoy a nice cup of tea when settling down with a book. It’s a little cliche, but I think that’s part of the reason I like it! Something about it just makes the experience so cozy.

Time Warp

a book you like to return to at this time of year

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Not necessarily during Halloween time, but I usually reread Carry On in November. Since it’s my favorite book, I love to re-experience the story around my birthday.

Hungry Like the Wolf

a book you loved so much, you devoured

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Eliza is by no means a small book, but I read it like it was. During my first read, I finished Eliza and Her Monsters in only two sittings (and it would have been one if I didn’t have an event to go to)! There was something about this book that really hooked me and had me reading deep into the night.

The Addams Family

a book featuring a dysfunctional family

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

I have to confess: dysfunctional and twisted family dynamics are pretty much my favorite thing to read about in fiction. So I had plenty of books I could have chosen for this category, but the Roanoke Girls takes the cake. This family may seem like the perfect American household from the outside, but readers learn that things are incredibly sinister underneath.

Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)

a book genre that you are scared or intimidated to pick up

I’m super intimidated by fantasy of any kind. There have been many, many times when I said I would love to get more into the genre, but it just seems so hard to read. I can usually handle a more “low-level” fantasy, but I don’t know if you’ll ever see me picking up something like the Priory of the Orange Tree.

The Twilight Zone

a book with a completely different and unique premise

Tell the Machine Goodnight by Katie Williams

This answer is a bit of a cheat because I haven’t actually read Tell the Machine Goodnight! However, I feel like speculative fiction of any variety would likely be different and unique, and this book has a strong place on my TBR. The idea that humans have a machine to make decisions for them is such an interesting one that surely makes for a unique novel.

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That’s it for my spooky answers! I’m sad that this season is almost over. It hasn’t really felt all that much like Halloween this year to me. So I suppose a Halloween inspired tag is just the way to get in the spirit! Now I just need to watch all the scary movies I can get my hands on.

Until next time!

Ivy