October bookfest

Mmm, October. It’s my favorite time of the year. The air starts to turn cold, bookstores begin showcasing their horror and dark fantasy selections, and pumpkins begin appearing on doorsteps.

When I was younger, I spent most of the month reveling in all of the horror movies the world offered me. The first time I saw Night of the Living Dead was during a creature feature marathon. Now my passions are divided in threes: books, food, and writing. As I do my three day tour over the next few days I’ll hit on each one.

Today, books :)

I enjoy hitting the bookstores during October and seeing what new horror, dark fantasy, and paranormal books they offer. Mmm, so many books, each offering pretty dark covers that hint at Things Man Was Not Meant To Know (so, of course, man investigates).

Here are some of my current favorites.


Wicked Gentleman, by Ginn Hale. In a beautifully sensual world, a demon and an inquisitor work together to find the inquisitor’s missing sister. Their search forces them to face their past and the more unpleasant sides of their world. My favorite part? They begin falling for one another.

I’ve read Wicked Gentleman many times and each time is a delight. The writing is unbelievably wonderful and the characters complex. I can’t wait to read it again.



World War Z, by Max Brooks. Zombies nearly wipe out mankind. Mankind, though, fights back, and ten years later the narrator of WWZ goes around, interviewing the survivors about their experiences. The anecdotes range from scary to poignant, one of which made me cry the first time I read it.

For a really interesting experience, get the audio version of the book. It’s one thing to read the sections that detail people’s zombie experiences in Europe or Japan. It’s another to hear it.



After Midnight, by Teresa Medeiros. A regency that reminded me of a Scoobie Doo cartoon. Caroline and her sister Portia try to figure out whether their mid sister’s suitor is a vampire. Is he undead? No, he can’t be. Is he? No... maybe. Along the way, Caroline and the guy fall for one another while Portia sets up a romance for the sequel.




Sins & Shadows, by Lyn Benedict. Sylvie is a PI... for the supernatural world. Burnt out after a mission gone bad, Sylvie is in the midst of calling it quits when a mysterious man enters her office, asking her to find his missing lover. It’s a zany, creepy read. My cat, Darian, loves napping beside this one.



Night of the Living Trekkies, by Kevin David Anderson. I saw a book trailer for this a couple weeks ago. Before the trailer was done, I had opened up another screen and pulled up Amazon. By the time the trailer was done, I was halfway through ordering a copy. When the book came, I devoured it like a zombie tearing into flesh. OMG, this book was fun. Zombies + Trekkies = happy me.






Dark Designs, by Luisa Prieto. Yeah, I know, I wrote it. I have a copy on my desk, though, and on occasion I’ll pick it up and begin reading. I wrote the thing and yet it captures me. There’s this guy and he’s trying to get away from a chick with magical tattoos. Will he? I wrote it! I know the answer. Despite that, I have to turn the page and find out.

What are your favorites?