Books for Halloween
- Dan
- Oct 2
- 4 min read
Halloween is right around the corner, and that means it's time for some spooky reads! I have some great recommendations, including Phantom Algebra. Read on to discover books that will give you chills and send tingles down your spine. Oh, and don't miss out on the giveaway below—a $100 Amazon gift card.
Books for Halloween
If you're looking for a unique take on the oft-used horror trope of the haunted house, The Staircase In The Woods is sure to delight.
Blurb:
Five high school friends are bonded by an oath to protect one another no matter what.
Then, on a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something extraordinary: a mysterious staircase to nowhere.
One friend walks up—and never comes back down. Then the staircase disappears.
Twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared. Now the group returns to find the lost boy—and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods.
Spelunkers beware! Danger lurks beneath the City of Light! Although more of a thriller than an out-and-out horror, Under the Surface delivers ghastly scenes aplenty that will keep readers flipping pages.
Blurb:
Ruby is terrified to cave to her feelings for Sean and risk him crushing her heart.
Sean is pumped to spend a week with Ruby in Paris on their senior class trip, and he’ll wait however long until she’s ready to take things further.
But when Ruby’s best friend sneaks out the first night to meet a mysterious French boy, Ruby goes after her with two classmates, but caves to another temptation: attending mystery boy’s exclusive party in the Paris catacombs, the intricate web of tunnels beneath the city, home to six million long-dead Parisians. Only they never reach the party.
Underground, as something sinister chases them, they get lost in the endless maze of bones, uncovering dark secrets about the catacombs…..and each other. And if they can’t find a way out, they’ll die in the dark beneath the City of Light.
Aboveground, Sean races to find the girl he loves as a media frenzy over the four missing teens begins.
From award-winning author and rising YA star Diana Urban comes a twisty tale of four teens lost in the dark beneath the City of Light and the race to find them.
Monsters and snark go hand-in-hand in this fantastically entertaining monster story that will get even reluctant middle graders reading.
Blurb:
Ever since the monster apocalypse hit town, average thirteen year old Jack Sullivan has been living in his tree house, which he’s armed to the teeth with catapults and a moat, not to mention video games and an endless supply of Oreos and Mountain Dew scavenged from abandoned stores. But Jack alone is no match for the hordes of Zombies and Winged Wretches and Vine Thingies, and especially not for the eerily intelligent monster known only as Blarg. So Jack builds a team: his dorky best friend, Quint; the reformed middle school bully, Dirk; Jack’s loyal pet monster, Rover; and Jack’s crush, June. With their help, Jack is going to slay Blarg, achieve the ultimate Feat of Apocalyptic Success, and be average no longer! Can he do it?
Told in a mixture of text and black-and-white illustration, this is the perfect book for any kid who’s ever dreamed of starring in his or her own comic book or video game. And then grab the rest of the series, now a New York Times bestseller!
Admittedly, this is my contribution to the spooky genre. I like to think that it fits right on the shelf with the aforementioned books. YA readers will enjoy the story and love Zuri.
Here's what readers are saying.
I loved Zuri Williams. The author does an excellent job writing strong, good, teenage girls. This was a terrific story and my great nieces will be getting it for Christmas this year. Highly recommended for great world building and fascinating characters - Reviewer on BookBub
Based on a scale of 1-5, Phantom Algebra merits a 7. Reviewer on BookBub
You can also see the Midwest Book Review's review published today.
Blurb:
Zuri and her mother settle in Pinedale, North Carolina, to start over. For years, they’ve been on the run from Zuri’s father, a retired boxer and full-time gangland enforcer.
In Pinedale, Zuri finds a gym where she can train in mixed martial arts to pursue her dream of becoming a champion fighter. At Pinedale High, she discovers friends among the outcasts, academic challenges, and something unexpected...ghosts.
When Zuri encounters a tween phantom haunting the library, her life is turned upside down and inside out as she attempts to help the spirit. This incurs the wrath of devils, living and dead. Zuri will need her martial arts prowess, heart, and the aid of friends to protect everyone she loves.
Enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs October 1 – October 31, 2025.
Winner will be drawn on November 3, 2025.
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