23 Monsters, Ghosts and Cannibals, Oh My!

Monsters, Ghosts and Cannibals, Oh My! By: Sarah Vandermolen Sports Editor

As the leaves change color and the Starbucks drinks get warmer, autumn comes blowing in along with our favorite fall festivities: pumpkin carving, apple picking and horror story reading. If you're not a reader, you can still enjoy this story by watching the film adaptation. Directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, "The Shining" is sure to leave you scared and confused.

Fall is the perfect time to snuggle up with a cozy blanket, dim lighting and the scariest book you've ever read. If you're unsure what book you want to dive into for this season, fear not (yet)! I've gathered an assortment of horror books that will bring a chill to your spine.

A true classic that I believe everyone should read is "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. Onwww.goodreads.com, this novel has 3.84 stars out of 5 stars. Like every good horror story, this book makes you jump at any sudden noise and question everything you've ever known.

Although this book isn't all that scary in the gory sense, it does serve as a great thriller and a perfect introduction to scarier stories. If you make it to the end, hopefully, you'll pick up on the deeper meaning embedded within the novel.

Another horror classic is "The Shining" by Stephen King (4.25 stars). Let's be honest, any novel by King serves as a horror classic, but this one is a universal favorite. The Shining has a little bit of everything: ghosts, psychic abilities and death (a whole lot of death). This one is sure to freak anyone out. If you're interested in reading something that you can eventually watch, another novel for you is "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson (3.83 stars). You've probably heard of the Netflix adaptation that shares the name of this novel because it's based on the book. Perhaps you've heard of the sister series, "The Haunting of Bly Manor," based on the novella "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James (3.40 stars).

Either way, whether you read them or watch them, I highly recommend both novels/series. They are both such amazing ghost stories with so much heart, you're sure to grow increasingly attached to the characters. However, don't come after me if you finish it in tears.

Now, let's get into the freaky side of horror stories. Lately, I've been noticing many… odd book recommendations on my TikTok feed. Almost all of them have to do with cannibalism. I know what you're thinking, but this has nothing to do with me and my analytics. There's been a lot of praise surrounding two books specifically, "Tender Is the Flesh" by Augustina Bazterrica (3.90 stars) and "Lapvona" by Ottessa Moshfegh (3.66 stars).

From what I've seen, “Tender Is the Flesh” is mainly about cannibalism, with a deeper meaning attached. “Lapvona,” on the other hand, is more of a supernatural story with additional elements, including cannibalism. I'm sure these books are great and their messages make them worth reading. In fact, I plan on purchasing "Tender Is the Flesh" with my next paycheck.

Listen, I understand that this topic may be a little too horrific to read about, but I personally won't knock it until I try it. By that, I mean reading the novel, not indulging in human flesh.

Of course, if nonfiction is your fancy, true crime is the way to go. I know it can be a little creepy reading about howrealpeople were kidnapped or murdered, but you can't deny that it sure is interesting.

University of St. Francis senior and VP of Sustainability, Lexi Fatlan, highly recommends "Mindhunter" by former FBI agent John Douglas (4.07 stars), stating:

Douglas documents his time interviewing countless killers and becoming a criminal profiler in his book "Mindhunter." It's fascinating to see how he analyzes crime scenes and everyday life to pinpoint behavioral patterns that lead back to the culprit that an untrained mind would never pick up on.

He also touches base on how most killers are masters of manipulation and analysis and how those key traits are also skills he has honed to perfection. He just utilizes them differently, which goes to show how anyone can possess the ability to be a killer. That is why, most of the time, the killer is not someone we would initially suspect.

Overall, this book is a must-read for any true crime fanatic (or if reading isn't your thing, give the TV show a chance)! I would warn potential readers that it is quite graphic at times because Douglas is a man of details.

When I think of a good horror story, I want something that will make me afraid of the dark and have me sleeping with a weapon under my pillow. If that's not for you, maybe pick up a true classic – any of the "Goosebumps" books.

Happy reading!