Monday Matinee- Scary Good Books

Well hello everyone and welcome to our newest feature and one that we are planning on making a link up for anyone who wants to participate. Monday Matinee is a bi-weekly meme where bloggers make book recommendations based of what we’ve been watching lately- because let’s be honest, we don’t read all the time (well most of us don’t). There is no minimum or maximum number of recommendations. Make it yours and tell us all about it.

So, if you decide you want to participate in Monday Matinee be sure to link back to our blog, oh and feel free to use the graphic above!

Well this past weekend my husband and I went and saw The Grudge. It was a fun and nostalgic experience for us and was exactly what we expected: not much story but tons of jump scares (and a few that actually got us which is saying some thing because my husband and I are pretty desensitized). So today, I’m sharing some of my favorite horror movie recommendations and titles that are similar.

If You Loved: Annabelle Creation

You Should Read: Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender

For all you horror movie lovers out there, I deliberately picked Annabelle Creation, instead of the original Annabelle movie that kicked off the franchise, because I think it was more original, both in its scares and plot, than the original. I’m recommending Bad Girls Don’t Die for those who loved any of the Annabelle movies because the source of the horror comes from a doll that Alexis’ younger sister Kasey finds in their new house. There were actually some scenes that reminded me of scene from Annabelle so it was an easy comparison.

If You Loved: Oculus

You Should Read: And The Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

Oculus is one of my favorite horror movies mostly because throughout the whole movie you have no idea what is real and what is illusion caused by the mirror. I’ve recommended And The Trees Crept In (especially on audio) because it gives the same sense of uncertainty about what is really happening. The audio is fantastic and includes terrifying sound effects and background whispering. Its so good and has quite a few twists that will keep you guessing until the last, chilling page.

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If You Loved: The Perfection

You Should Read: The Dark Beneath the Ice by Amelinda Berube

This connection is a bit of a stretch but adore both The Perfection and Berube’s debut too much not to include them in this list. However, both follows young women who went after music and the subsequent horrors they experience are largely linked to those experiences. Both also present a plot that changes and develops and goes in a completely different direction than what I was originally expecting. I highly recommend

If You Loved: The Haunting of Hill House

You Should Read: Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics

The Haunting of Hill House is so much more than a horror series very loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s classic novel. It was won of the most artistic and emotional pieces of digital media I have ever experienced. There are moments that I still get chills thinking about. It was hard to come up with a comparable horror novel (without stating the obvious) so I went with a book that carried similar emotional weight. Throughout both stories there are clear connections drawn between horrific persona and struggles with mental health.

If You Loved: Paranormal Activity

You Should Read: Naomi’s Room by Jonathan Aycliffe

I was just telling my husband that I wished I could have my mind erased and experience the Paranormal Activity movies all over again. Thanks to this franchise we have a joke in our house that when someone accidentally leaves a cupboard open we say that the house’s ghost did it. Joking aside, I selected Naomi’s Room because it is a solid haunted house story. While I was reading this book and would give up in the middle of the night I would remember scenes from Naomi’s Room and, to me, that’s the mark of a fantastic horror novel.

What About You?

What are some of your favorite horror movies? What about your favorite horror novels? Let us know in the comments. We are always looking for new books to add to our TBRs!