5 Book Recs Based on Your Favorite Nostalgic Halloween Movie!🎃
I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite parts of October is watching all the classic spooky season movies I grew up with. It brings back all those fond memories of childhood fall festivities, Halloween costume planning, and the joy of filling up your candy bucket while trick-or-treating (even if you had to fight your mom about wearing a jacket with your costume because it was too cold). If you’re in the middle of your yearly Halloween movie binge or haven’t had time because of the hot new books dropping recently, here are some ghoulish book recommendations based on some of our favorite nostalgic Halloween movies!
If you like Hocus Pocus (1993), then you might like Dead Man’s Float
While there might not be a big musical number led by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy in the middle of Dead Man’s Float, this story will surely leave you gasping for air. There is no doubt that Hocus Pocus is one of the most classic Halloween movies of all time, as the dubious Max unleashes the iconic Sanderson sisters to enact their revenge on Salem. Shawn Sarles' haunting YA horror novel follows this same hair-raising idea, except this time, a seemingly harmless prank unleashes a ghost with unfinished business and intent on finding its killer. If you’re in the mood for a more frightening version of the classic Hocus Pocus story, I recommend you start reading Dead Man’s Float now!
If you like Halloweentown (1998), then you might like Shadow Coven
Halloweentown is well-known for its inclusion of literally all things Halloween and its empowering story of a young witch who will go to extreme lengths to save her family and the world from an evil power. Similarly, S. Isabelle’s second installment in The Witchery series, Shadow Coven, centers around a group of witches who must defeat magical and mundane threats to save themselves and their coven forever. While there might not be any friendly skeleton cab drivers, Shadow Coven includes some kick-butt witches just like Marnie and her family that will surely have you reaching for the spellbook this Halloween! Start reading now!
If you like Casper (1995), then you might like Sixteen Souls
Casper the Friendly Ghost is a staple nostalgic character during the Halloween season. How could you not love the sweet and cute little ghost who falls for the girl who moves into the very mansion he’s haunting? Fans of the movie Casper will have no problem jumping into the spooky yet swoony YA debut Sixteen Souls by Rosie Talbot. This ghostly tale is about sixteen-year-old Charlie, who gets dragged into hunting down the cause behind the mysterious disappearances of several famous spirits by an irritating yet charming new ghost seer in town. Sixteen Souls is sure to give you chills, all while making your heart melt as Charlie must deal with his growing crush and work to save York’s spirits at the same time. Start reading Sixteen Souls now!
If you like Beetlejuice (1988), then you might like Beholder
Whether you became a fan by watching the 1988 film with Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder or the quirky modern-day musical, there is no denying that Beetlejuice has cemented itself as one of the most iconic ghost stories of all time. While Ryan La Sala’s Beholder is much more mysterious and sinister than the joke-filled dark humor of Beetlejuice that we’re used to, both stories explore a world where dark, evil powers must be stopped before they have the chance to take over fully—one just comes in a pin-striped suit with green hair. Start reading BEHOLDER!
If you like Scooby Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost (1999), then you might like At the Speed of Lies
It goes without saying that any Scooby-Doo! film or episode is a year-round classic. But during the Halloween season especially, there is something even more thrilling about watching the gang from Mystery Inc. kick some monster butt. This undefeatable group of friends is no stranger to solving their town’s mysteries; still, Quinn Calvet from Cindy L. Otis’ At the Speed of Lies certainly wasn’t expecting to get swept into the mystifying chaos of her town’s latest disappearances. Fans of Scooby-Doo! will love this modern twist on mystery solving that we’ve all grown to love, thanks to Velma, Daphne, Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby. And while Quinn might be well on her way to becoming the “it girl” of The Whine, her town’s growing social media platform, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to the original it girls–The Hex Girls from Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost. Start reading At the Speed of Lies!
