6 Books That Will Scare the Bejeebers Out of You!

We all like a good scare from time to time, but admittedly, I like the kind that I can switch off when I want. You know the type. You’re watching a haunting flick, the scene grows still, the ax is about to drop, and then suddenly…Yup, it’s time for popcorn. I’ll gladly grab the snacks.

Just another reason I love books, I can literally take a moment to catch my breath. Nothing freaks me out more than the unexpected and unexplained.

How about you? What scares you? We all have our shudder-worthy reads that scare the bejeebers out of us. Here are a few of my favorites:

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab. This book has it all: hauntings, mysteries, history, the “veil,” and communication beyond the grave. Tweens, teens, adults, and all who enjoy a story that could” actually manifest” into reality will enjoy this thrilling read.

Don’t Scream: 60 Tales to Terrify by Blair Daniels. Somewhere buried in this little gem of a book is a story that will frighten you as much as the cover does. Kind of like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Daniels presents a collection that hits all the scare triggers and hopefully will never be banned.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. If you follow me on Social Media, you know that every time the topic of scary books comes up, I toss out this title. Okay, it’s less about scary and more about crime, but let me tell you why it scares the bejeebers out of me. And here’s why. We had to read the book and watch this movie in my sixth-grade literature class. Seriously! I didn’t sleep for a week. Thankfully, times have changed, but this will always remain on my list of super scary books.

Pet Sematary by Stephen King. Is there anyone out there who isn’t freaked out by Stephen King’s books? He’s the “king” of the genre, and each of his books has its own dedicated following of fans for different reasons. As a huge animal lover, this one hit home for me.

Woman in Black by Susan Hill. This was one of the books I was introduced to audibly. I was driving in the car and caught myself white-knuckling a few times. Any book or movie that includes past lives, souls not properly interned, or residual hauntings is ultra scary. It’s all unknown and probably not such an outlandish idea. That adds the extra element of fear. I also liked the movie adaptation, but the book is much better (and scarier).

And last but not least….

Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls Series #1) by Maggie Stiefvater. Less scary than the books mentioned above, but engrossing in its own right. This has the mystery, romance, and Twilight-ish elements all rolled into one and is probably on every young adult’s bookshelf for a terrifying read.