A Few (Not Too Scary) October Book Recommendations

Who's that person that's making an October book recommendation post in the middle of October? Yep, that's me. I've just been seeing loads of October book recommendation videos and blogposts that included very dark and scary books, and I wanted to make my own post with books that aren't that scary. Sure, it's the perfect time of the year to read scary books, and if that's what you like then go for it! But if you're even a bit like me and can't handle super scary stuff because it keeps you up at night, and you stay far away from any horror or thrillers, then this post is for you!

The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse by Brian Farrey is a book I read last month and totally loved! It's about these two girls, a princess and a 'normal' girl, who are both drawn to the dark and scary woods near the village that no one dares to enter called the Dreadwillow Carse. The book is definitely dark and haunting at times, but because it's a MG book it's not 'I-can't-sleep-because-of-this-book-creepy'. It also deals with a few mental-health topics in an excellent way, so I can't recommend this one enough!

October is the perfect time for magical-realism, so that's why The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman is also on this list. This book definitely has an eerie feel to it, but it's very beautiful and reads like a dream (mostly because you have no idea what's going on most of the time). Actually, all of Neil Gaiman's work might be perfect for October, and I should definitely pick up some of his other books this month.

When I think about October, I think about Halloween. And when I think about Halloween, I think about those kids dressed up as movie and book characters I've seen in movies. We don't celebrate Halloween here, so I have no idea if it's actually like that, but those dressed up kids reminded me of one of my favorite NA books called The Collector's Society. In this book, a bunch of characters from different works of literature form some sort of society to save other bookish characters, because someone is trying to destroy all bookish worlds. The series is excellent and it has some great characters, but just so you're warned: the series does get a lot darker the further it progresses.

If you want to read something this month that deals with mental health, I'd definitely recommend Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand! This one's about a girl named Finley who has to spend her summer at her grandparent's house. Finley struggles a lot with anxiety and depression, and Everwood, a forest kingdom she often writes about, is her only escape. 
The way this book deals with mental health is excellent, and the way Finley feels is described in such a way that it feels very raw and real. Some Kind of Happiness also gives off very autumn-y feels even though it's set in summer, because it's mostly set in a forest.

Next is a book you should be reading soon anyway because the movie is coming out soon and that's A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. A Monster Calls is about a little boy named Conor who get's a visit from a monster at night, and reading about monsters seems like a bit of a Halloween-y and October-y thing, right? The illustrations in this book give off very dark vibes, and the story is very haunting and heartbreaking. Fair warning: you will cry while reading this one. 
Oh, and I know the whole monster and dark illustrations thing sounds very scary, but it's not too bad!

And if you're an absolute daredevil who does want to read something scary, I have a Dutch YA thriller recommendation for you: Mel Wallis de Vries. Literally any of her books. I used to devour them when I was younger, and they all gave me goosebumps and kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm not sure if they're translated into English, but they're definitely available in both Dutch and German!

So, what books will you be reading this October?