Shuddersome

I was going to do one big old Halloween post. Recommendations, a TBR, Shay’s tag... but then I realized I could split them up, which seemed better (for me), so I will do the Halloween tag the day before actual Halloween, and the bookish stuff today so that you have time to go fetch some of these for actual Halloween creeptastic reading (and coloring)!

First, a fun look at a coloring book that I received for review!

The Vampire Combat Field Guide: A Coloring and Activity Book For Fighting the Bloodthirsty Undead by Roger Ma
Published by Berkley on October 6th 2015
Pages: 64
Format:Paperback

In The Vampire Combat Manual, Roger Ma, the nation’s preeminent expert in undead warfare, prepared the average citizen to defend against a brutal vampire attack. But without appropriate training, even the most adept slayer of bloodsuckers can be left vulnerable.

Therefore, the Institute for Undead Combat Studies has once again created an essential practice handbook for anyone seeking to avoid serious injury, infection, or death at the hands of a vampire. This comprehensive guide includes:
*Detailed illustrations to aid in identifying various types of the undead and their vulnerabilities, as well as anatomical drawings you can color to promote knowledge retention
*Interactive mental and physical exercises that will teach invaluable fighting techniques and prepare you for battle
*Work pages to hone weapon selection, defensive and offensive techniques, and precise staking strategies
*and much more!

With the proper preparation, no one need fear death by exsanguination or an eternity spent in darkness. Learn to ward off these bloodthirsty creatures while you can—or say good-bye to your days in the sun…

This is so much fun! It isn’t just coloring, but it has activities, and tutorials. And I dare say that these fighting techniques could help you fend off any creature of the night. Now, there is some violence/gore (I mean, I guess you can color it as gory as you’d like 😉 ), so I won’t be giving it to my four year old, but anyone teenaged and up would definitely enjoy this, especially around Halloween! There’s also a zombie edition, which, let’s be honest, I will be buying.

A few pages, for your entertainment? Of course! These are the more family-friendly ones, and quite frankly, some that I had quite a bit of fun with:

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Yes, this was so fun. I may not be the world’s best colorer, but who even cares?! Thanks, Berkeley!!

And now, some books that I have read that were probably creepy.

I have rated them with my actual ratings (the pumpkins) and given them creepy ratings (the skulls). They also link to Goodreads.

 

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hw1

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hw2
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And some that I would absolutely love to read ASAP!

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(Sorry, wayyyy too tired to link to all these. I have faith in your ability to google.)

So, which of these have you read? Any spooky suggestions? What scary story would you love to read this Halloween?

Posted October 22, 2015 by Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight in Funsies, Review / 31 Comments

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31 responses to “Shuddersome Stories (and Other Halloweenish Things)

  1. I’M STILL TERRIFIED FROM UNWIND AND IT’S BEEN LIKE 3 YEARS. *hyperventilates* I will never ever be okay…ergo I’m going to reread it! (Yes, yes just don’t question this logic…) And then finish the series. And AFJDSAKLD MINNOW BLY WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC AND TERRIFYING. Cult books give me the heebies.

  2. Ahh these sound waaay too spooky for me. I dislike horror so much … I get nightmares, it’s pretty embarrassing seeing as how I’m an adult with a kid. I can deal with “haunting” books, though, and I’d recommend The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle if you haven’t read it yet, I think it’s a perfect autumn read.

  3. OOH HALLOWEEN COLORING BOOKS? Give it to me now. I read Unwind and I didn’t find it terrifying until a nightmare a few days later, so there was that. *shivers* I think I ought to check out Daughters Unto Devils and Blood and Salt — both have been highly rec’ed to me and I need some Halloween reads!

    • RIGHT!? Coloring books are always fun, plus it’s zombies and vampires! Unwind is just messed UP. Which is the genius to it if you ask me 😉 Blood and Salt was fabulous, and actually DuD is one of those that I actually like MORE the more I think about it!

  4. Funny – I didn’t think of Unwind as being that creepy. I think because my brain was busy overanalyzing all of the amazing moral quandaries presented in the book. But, yeah – when I think back on it, of course the concept is WAY creepy! I really want to read Minnow – I remember your review of that one got me very interested in the book.

    P.S. One of these days I will figure out how to get CommentLuv working for me properly again. Anyway, my discussion post from today mentions you (in a good way, I promise!)

    • Unwind is creepy as HELL. Especially when you really sit down and think about it. All the political stuff and the ethical questions… plus BEING unwound.. yeah, terrifying! But I know what you mean- at first it’s not like, funny or anything, but you’re too engaged in the story to be as horrified as you should be 😉

      OH and CommentLuv only works for me half the time too, who even knows hahaha. And I saw your post long before this (luckily I subscribe to your emails, because if I didn’t, well… I would be REALLY out of the loop hahha). I also loved your post, and it made me smile. 😀

  5. Wow! You definitely read your fair share of scary books!! I’ve read very few, honestly, though I own quite a few. This season so far I’ve only read A Madness so Discreet (which totally wasn’t scary, but a little creepy I’d say) and Slasher Girls & Monster Boys, which I listened to on audio and really enjoyed. I own so many others, like Miss Peregrine’s, Anna Dressed in Blood, The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, etc. So many that people keep saying to read, but I never actually do. I also have You, which I’m not sure is really scary, but I’ve heard it will leave me totally creeped out. That one I plan to listen to as soon as I finish my current read.

    Great post, Shannon!! 🙂

    • It surprised me, because I don’t read very many! I was going to add A Madness, but then I felt the same, that it wasn’t really scary, per se. I REALLY want to read Slasher Girls & Monster Boys too. And hmm now I am intrigued by You! I look forward to your thoughts to see if it is worth it 😀

  6. For some reason I don’t really read scary or creepy books. I did read You which was creepy but in a “I hope this can never really happen” way. There are some on your list that I want to get to like These Shallow Graves and We’ll Never Be Apart.

  7. Ooh I like that coloring/activity book. How fun! I really hope to read These Shallow Graves and The Dead House soon. Hopefully you’ll get to some of those books too. I love spooky and scary books this time of the year!

  8. Okay, first of all, I NEED that coloring book and the zombie one. I need them now!

    I’ve been wanting to read all the spooky books but I’ve kind of been majorly slumping all month and haven’t read any even though October is the perfect month for them! I do highly recommend the Dreamhouse Kings series by Robert Liparulo. I’ve haven’t read them in forever but I loved them and, from what I remember, they’re pretty creepy and just all around cool and strange. I am seriously considering impulse buying Blood and Salt because I want something creepy to read and I’ve heard all the good things about it. I also really need to catch up on Unwind, I read the first forever ago and haven’t touched the others but it is nice and creepy.

    I’m rambling! Lovely post, Shannon, can’t wait to see you do the tag next week. 😉

  9. That coloring book is a riot. I love how you even wrote in your answers for the scenario. LOL Just the cover of Ashes is freaking me out so with your 5 skull creep factor I think I’d better steer clear.

  10. First of all, COLORING BOOKS ARE FUN! I’m more into patterns and stuff though, and those that are more for color pencils than crayons XD BUT A COLORING BOOK THAT’S PERFECT FOR HALLOWEEN WOULD BE AMAZEBALLS!

    Also, happy to see The Unwind on this list… it scared me and made me sad and touched me all in one ;___; Amazing book that book ;__;

  11. I usually stay away from the really creepy reads, altough that’s still vague. I do like slightly creepy reads or where I get a bit of the chills, but I don’t want books that are so scray they freak me out and I cna’t sleep. I bought a thriller by Kelley Armstrong recently called The Masked Truth, but beside that I can’t really think of any creepy reads. I read a cyber thriller called Echoes recently that was a bit creepy.

    I have heard of some of the books in this post, but I haven’t read any of them. That’s cool there’s a creepy colourign book, although I don’t think that’s something for me.

  12. I really liked Hotel Ruby. I loved creed and Dark Inside. Wasn’t big on sweet madness it was okay just felt like for such a short book,… it took forever to get to the good stuff. Just finished This Monstrous thing and feel it took forever too. Slow for 2/3 of book then the last third was pretty awesome. I enjoyed Never Be apart, loved loved loved Shallow Graves it was very creepy. I also enjoyed Shutter and Dead House. Started the Unquiet and i am not so sure about it yet. I really really really want to read the Creeping. Lots of good books here.

  13. I love all your graphics and recs but I was looking through all of those and going NOPE NOPE NOPE xD I’m such a wimp when it comes to creepy stuff. Though I’m forcing myself to get over that so I can read This Monstrous Thing, A Madness So Discreet, and Slasher Boys 😀

  14. I think the only book on this list that I have read is The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly. I just read it this month and I loved it! Many of the others are on my TBR though. One book I read a couple years ago is Dismember by Daniel Pyle. It isn’t as gory as the title would suggest, but it is SCARY! I am so glad I read that one during the day. The ending is bit open ended though and the author isn’t sure if there will be a sequel. D’oh!

  15. That colouring book actually looks pretty neat Shannon! I love the fun tips and the zombie theme hehe (I’m a big zombie buff). The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly is one of the best books I’ve read this year, and would be perfect for Halloween! I have Unwind, I should pull it out for Halloween too.

  16. I’ve read The Creeping and Unwind, both of which I enjoyed. I’m looking forward to reading Daughters Unto Devils, The Dead House (which I just got a signed copy of, and a brief flip through the pages looks unique and amazing), and Slasher Boys and Monster Girls. I’ve also heard amazing things about Blood and Salt, and I hope to get my hands on that one soon!

  17. I’ve seen a Zombie coloring book like that Vampire one, looks like fun! Love your book choices, some I’ve read, and some that are on my TBR list as well! Fun post!

  18. I ALSO HAVE TO DO A HUGE HALLOWEEN POST THANKS FOR REMINDING ME!

    And loling at the Zombie coloring book hahaha. I would totally want one. AND UNWIND. I LOVED UNWIND but totally agree that it is SUPER CREEPY. I didn’t think Minnow Bly was all creepy, just her LACK OF HANDS.

  19. That colouring book sounds fantastic! Lol, I miss them. I can’t remember the last time I saw one of those. 🙁 On the other, I have read some of your recs! Unwind, for example, was so realistic and horrible it was creepy! You should read the Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey. It’s my absolute favourite book series, and it’s very grueson and disturbing horror. Perfect for the time! 🙂

  20. There’s so many different horror novels out there and I haven’t even began to read enough of them! Unwind, Feed and also Blood and Salt sound so good! I also know The Secret Lives of Minnow Bly is a retelling of the Handmaid’s Tale and seeing as I am a retelling junkie I know that is gonna be the next one I am going to make myself busy with reading.

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