Hello, Book Nerds! Welcome back to Reading Has Ruined My Life or welcome if you are new. As always, my name is Hannah and I am your captain on this journey into my bookcases.
Spooky Season is winding down. Le sigh. I’m not ready for it to be over. I want the season to continue on for much, much longer. And I guess today’s post can help you continue the Spooky Season vibes long past October 31. Today I’ve brought you book recs with spooky vibes. And to help you pick what books you should read, I’ve based my book recs off of cryptids. Yes that’s right, book recs based on your favorite cyrptid!
Here's your Hannah lore drop of the week: I love cryptids. I’ve started a whole series on my podcast, Nothing to See Hear, called Cryptid Corner. I have one episode out, it dropped last week, I don't know when my next Cryptid Corner episode will be so you'll just have to go to the show’s YouTube page and hit that subscribe and notification bell button. Or follow us over on Spotify and get notified there.
Today I’ve picked five cryptids that I love and I’ve found some books that match their vibes. You’ll find five books per cryptid and you’ll hopefully find your next read. These recs are based off of vibes alone. I have tried to feature reads that don’t include the name of the cryptid in the title, but some of those have made their way in. No one asked for this but I’m excited so let’s crack in!
5. We have to kick these recs off with the man, the myth, the legend: Mothman. Everyone’s favorite cryptid from West Virginia, he may be friend but he may also be foe. Nobody knows. I think Mothman is friend, but for others he’s a harbinger of doom as he’s often spotted before disaster strikes. So here are five reads that are either cozy and comforting, feature some haunting Appalachia vibes/folklore, or feature the end times. Mothman, he’s so versatile
· Dear Mothman by Robin Gow
· A Murder in the Mountains series by Heather Day Gilbert
· Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
· The Keblear Horror by Glenn G. Thater
· The Ritual by Adam Nevill
4. The Fresno Nightcrawlers bring us in at number four. These lil guys are the first cryptids I talked about on my podcast. They’re also one of the most adorable cryptids. They’re just chillin, they’re living their lives and being elusive. No one has really any idea as to what the Fresno Nightcrawlers could be, they’re literally a pair of walking pants, but they could be aliens! No one knows though. For the record, I think the Fresno Nightcrawlers are friends; they’re friend shaped! Now since this cryptid could be an alien you’ll find some science fiction reads, and some reads where the monsters are friends or at the very least they’re not the enemy.
· Stonefish by Scott R. Jones
· Fly By Night by Tara O’Connor
· The Moon Children by Jack Williamson
· A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
· The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
3. Bringing us in at number three is the Jersey Devil. The Jersey Devil is a great bit of folklore and we’ve once again returned to the haunted Appalachia vibes; though he’s technically not part of Appalachia. Anyway, enjoy some reads featuring haunted woods, monsters who stalk the forest, and just a tad bit of Gothic Lit. You’ll also find this cryptid appears in quite a few of the reads I’ve recommended.
· The Jersey Devil by Hunter Shea
· The Pines by Robert Dunbar
· The Lurking by Gary Gentile
· A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw
· The Lodge by Chris Coppel
2. The Chupacabra is next up on this list. The Chupacabra, AKA Goat-Sucker, is an absolute menace. To me, the Chupacabra is a chaos gremlin so you’ll find some chaotic yet fun reads below. Also, the Chupacabra is an interesting take on vampires, I’m just saying.
· Highway to Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore
· Fangs by Sarah Andersen
· Rouge by Mona Awad
· I Saw Satan at the 7-Eleven by Christopher Brett Bailey
· A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
1. Finally, at number one, we have the Queen of Cryptids: The Loch Ness Monster. Everyone’s favorite girl. And if she’s your favorite then here are some horror reads featuring large bodies of water. While I believe Nessie to be a kind, gentle soul, I can’t pass up the opportunity to recommend some books that make my skin crawl because they’re all about horrors hidden in large bodies of water. Though there may also be some recs in there that have some more wholesome vibes.
· Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
· The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith
· They Came From the Ocean by Boris Bacic
· From Below by Darcy Coates
· The Treasures of the Lochs by Hunter White
Thus endeth our lists! I do so hope you’ve found a fun new read today. With that, I shall bid you all adieu. I will see you all again next week with my favorite post of the year. Oh I can’t wait!
Until then, stay safe, wash your hands, and read some good books for me.
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