ME Recommends: Halloween Reads
With spooky season upon us, the ME team have offered up their top Halloween reads, along with their favourite sweet snacks to eat them with. From apocalyptic horror to children’s classics and witchy mythology, we’ve got recommendations to suit every taste.
Juliet recommends…
Colson Whitehead’s Zone One is set in a post-apocalyptic America after a mysterious virus has swept the nation, turning people into zombies. Set over a three-day period where Mark Spitz and his colleagues attempt to help clear New York of remaining zombies so survivors can live there again. However… things don’t go to plan. I found the novel fascinating stylistically as it’s peppered with non-linear flashbacks explaining Mark’s life pre-pandemic to how he ended up where he is now. It’s beautifully written but also quite devastating! Pair it with Charbonnel & Walker’s spooky truffles.
Liza recommends…
At heart, I am a scaredy-cat, so when it comes to books at Halloween time, I turn to a childhood classic: Cranberry Halloween by Wendy and Harry Devlin. This adorable picture book follows Maggie and Mr Whiskers as they try to raise money for a new dock in the town of Cranberryport after it gets destroyed in a storm. There is a costume party to raise money and even pirates get involved! Perfect with some chocolate covered cranberries.
Rachel recommends…
I don’t read much horror anymore (too scary!), but when I was younger, I absolutely loved the YA Point Horror series and devoured the whole lot. In retrospect they were probably a little closer to crime than true horror, but they are well worth checking out of your local library if you want a seasonal, but not overly spooky, read! Eat with toffee apples!
Kiya recommends…
I’ve been reading and loving Briefly, A Delicious Life by Nell Stevens – I’ve never read a ghost story like it! Set in 1838 and narrated by Blanca, the ghost of a teenage girl who died three hundred years before, the story begins with the tumultuous arrival of Frederic Chopin and George Sand at a monastery in Mallorca.
Whilst the locals are deeply suspicious of the newcomers and their unconventional ways, Blanca immediately falls in love with George – a beautiful woman who dresses in men’s clothes. A dark and delicious ghost story full of yearning, tenderness, and sex.
Maybe *slightly* too late to count as a Halloween snack, but the Cadbury’s Mini Bonfire logs (a honeycomb version of the classic Mini Roll) are a great seasonal treat. Like if a Crunchie and a Mini Roll had a baby. What’s not to like?
Catriona recommends…
If you’re a fan of Greek mythology but still want to read for the season, Circe is a great option. Circe, daughter of Helios, is outcast from the rest of her family for having neither the powers nor allure of the rest of her siblings and turns to the world of mortals for companionship. Upon falling in love with a human fisherman, Circe discovers that she possesses the power of witchcraft and is thus exiled to the deserted island of Aiaia. It is there that we follow Circe on her discovery of herbal medicines and enchantment. Pair with wild strawberry Candy Kittens sweets — the best!