Book Recommendations; Ten Shorter Yet Spooky Books To Pick Up For Dewey's Readathon

As it's Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon later this month and it is October and soon Halloween after all, I decided I wanted to write a book recommendation list of shorter horror books (in this case, less than 250 pages) to pick up for this awesome readathon. I usually read spooky books for Dewey's Readathon in October and I suspect I'm not the only one. And even if one doesn't participate in that readathon, it's still fully possible to read these horror books. They could work great as Halloween reads too.

There's a mix of more known and some underrated books here. Also, if anyone wants to read some spooky middle grade books regardless of page number, feel free to check out (insert blog link).

Anyway, here's my ten short and spooky book recommendations.

Cirque Berserk by Jessica Guess

Description from Goodreads

The summer of 1989 brought terror to the town of Shadows Creek, Florida in the form of a massacre at the local carnival, Cirque Berserk. One fateful night, a group of teens killed a dozen people then disappeared into thin air. No one knows why they did it, where they went, or even how many of them there were, but legend has it they still roam the abandoned carnival, looking for blood to spill.

Thirty years later, best friends, Sam and Rochelle, are in the midst of a boring senior trip when they learn about the infamous Cirque Berserk. Seeking one last adventure, they and their friends journey to the nearby Shadows Creek to see if the urban legends about Cirque Berserk are true. But waiting for them beyond the carnival gates is a night of brutality, bloodshed, and betrayal.

Will they make they make it out alive, or will the carnival’s past demons extinguish their futures?

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

Description from Goodreads

People move to New York looking for magic and nothing will convince them it isn't there.

Charles Thomas Tester hustles to put food on the table, keep the roof over his father's head, from Harlem to Flushing Meadows to Red Hook. He knows what magic a suit can cast, the invisibility a guitar case can provide, and the curse written on his skin that attracts the eye of wealthy white folks and their cops. But when he delivers an occult tome to a reclusive sorceress in the heart of Queens, Tom opens a door to a deeper realm of magic, and earns the attention of things best left sleeping.

A storm that might swallow the world is building in Brooklyn. Will Black Tom live to see it break?

Harkworth Hall by L. S. Johnson

Description from Goodreads

“Ask him about his wives.”

Caroline Daniels must marry, and marry well. But in her remote corner of England eligible suitors are few and far between, and none hold a candle to her closest friend, Diana Fitzroy.

When Sir Edward Masterson arrives, he seems the answer to Caroline’s financial worries, though she instinctively dislikes the reticent, older merchant. Soon Sir Edward has set his sights on acquiring both Caroline and the decaying Harkworth Hall.

Caroline’s future seems secure, save that his enigmatic secretary hints at a dark secret, and Sir Edward shows an unusual interest in tales of monsters … and the blood in Caroline’s veins.

Tethered by Bryce Gibson

Description from Goodreads

THE BITE IS WORSE THAN THE BARK!The rural area where nineteen-year-old Aiken Pine grew up is a place that nobody seems to leave, but Aiken is one that got away-at least for a little while.Before Aiken became a high school dropout, he had big plans for the future. But one horrible mistake changed everything.When his younger sister stabs the head cheerleader, Aiken is forced to go home. Everybody says it was bullying that led to the fight, but Aiken is convinced there's more to the story.As he begins to unravel the mystery, Aiken is faced with other things from the past-an intricate web of secrets and lies among high school friends.And, even with all of that, Aiken has another problem... there's a sinister dog that's been following him around.A dog that's out for blood!

Paranormal Detective (Mona Livelong #1) by Valjeanne Jeffers

Description from Goodreads

A Steamfunk Horror Novel

A serial killer is snuffing out the lives of affluent people of color in Monterrey, North America. Hard-boiled, homicide detectives Curtis Dubois and Harold Lowe are assigned to the case. But when they realize that the killer may not be human, Mona Livelong, a young paranormal detective, is brought in to help solve the case. As Mona races to unravel the clues to save Monterrey, she finds herself caught up in a terrifying plot to change the very face of North America.

His Final Girl by Brooklyn Ann

Description from Goodreads

DON’T GO IN THE WOODS

Computer nerd, Wes Carpenter, dreads having to spend ten days at summer camp with the rest of his in-coming high school senior class. But when he meets strong-willed and confident farm girl, Linnea Langenkamp, everything about being away at camp improves immediately. When a malicious prank awakens an ancient evil, turning their summer romance into a bloodbath, Wes and Linnea pray they make it home alive while fighting for the survival of their classmates. With Wes’s ingenuity and Linnea’s knowledge of the forest, together they may be able to stop the killer, save the camp, and maybe even find their happily ever after on the way.

Hunger on the Chrisholm Trail by M. Ennenbach

Description from Goodreads

The first cattle drive of the season leaves Texas for Abilene, Kansas along the Chisholm Trail, but unforeseen terrors lay hidden in the natural beauty of the land. In the heart of Indian Territory lies the sleepy town of Duncan, a friendly respite from the dusty land. But something lurks in the untamed West - a powerful creature that hunts to satiate its horrifying hunger. The land will run red with blood, and only Karl Beck has a chance against this ancient evil.

The Woman in White by Susan Hill

Description from Goodreads

Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral Mrs Alice Drablow, the sole inhabitant of Eel Marsh House, unaware of the tragic secrets which lie hidden behind the shuttered windows. The house stands at the end of a causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but it is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black - and her terrible purpose.

The Well by Marie Sexton

Description from Goodreads

Twenty years after prom queen Cassie Kennedy is brutally murdered, six teenagers break into the house where she was killed to hold a seance. Haven knows his cousin Elise only wants to scare the crap out of him and his friends, but he's willing to put up with one of her pranks if it means a chance to spend a few hours with the new kid in town, Pierce Hunter.

But when morning comes, Elise has disappeared without a trace.

Twelve years later, Pierce and his twin brother Jordan are professional paranormal investigators, starring in their own ghost-hunting TV show. When Pierce calls Haven, insisting they return to the supposedly haunted building one last time, Haven reluctantly agrees. He's nervous about seeing Pierce again, but he's determined to get some answers. Did they really speak to Cassie's ghost that night? What happened to Elise? And the biggest mystery of all - how did she know the secret of the well?

Hearthstone Cottage by Frazer Lee

Description from Goodreads

Mike Carter and his girlfriend Helen, along with their friends Alex and Kay, travel to a remote loch side cottage for a post-graduation holiday. But their celebrations are short-lived when they hit and kill a stag on the road. Alex s sister Meggie awaits them in the cottage, adding to the tension when her dog, Oscar, goes missing. Mike becomes haunted by a disturbing presence in the cottage, and is hunted by threatening figures in the highland fog. Reeling from a shock revelation, Mike begins to lose his grip on his sanity. As the dark secrets of the past conspire to destroy the bonds of friendship, Mike must uncover the terrifying truth dwelling within the walls of Hearthstone Cottage.