The best 10 Gothic horror books to read this October

With days till October arrives, book lovers across the globe are preparing for spooky reads full of ghosts, vampires, werewolves and crime - enough to satisfy a Horror fan's gothic heart. After attending a recent book club meet last week, where the session ended with each members suggestion for the next read, I was inspired to find my own spooky read... which lead to a long scroll on the inafamous review site Goodreads.

Gothic Horror is an established literary genre which followed Gothic Terror, popularised in the late 18th century. Full of themes of religion, morality, supernatural villainy and human temptation, these novels are a whirlwind of adventure and romance - arguably the foundation for YA angst and the tidal wave of 'Romatasy' stores are now witness to.

Sublime and bleak scenes set up a true gothic horror novel, perfect for nights-in escaping the colder weather. With a variety of subgenres including Gothic Romance and American Gothic, examples of the Gothic have become lasting household names. Mary Shelley, Matthew Lewis and Edgar Allan Poe acting as forefathers for today's Halloween specials - Netflix's Wednesday by Tim Burton being a prime example. Grab a hot chocolate (or pumpkin spiced latte) and scroll for your next read.

With the cultural wave of Western themed shows such as Yellowstone - to the return of cowboy boots and fringe bags - clearly the Wild West is a trend that always return.

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Praised as a "thrillingly seductive sapphic romance for fans of S.T. Gibson's A Dowry of Blood and Emilia Hart's Weyward," by the review site, Dunn's world infiltrates the supernatural as girls begin to fall mysteriously ill upon the arrival of a ghostly woman that comes alive at night and sets the loveless housewife Lenore ablaze.

Set within the wild moors, in the heart of the industrial revolution, Hungerstone is an arguably feminist reworking of Carmilla, which insipired Dracula. Sate your appetite - Ava Reid says its "delicious".

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="AMAZON/Kat Dunn" data-licensor-name="AMAZON/Kat Dunn" /> " data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="AMAZON/Isabel Cañas Isabel Cañas" data-licensor-name="AMAZON/Isabel Cañas Isabel Cañas" /> " data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="AMAZON/Silvia Moreno-Garcia" data-licensor-name="AMAZON/Silvia Moreno-Garcia" /> Emerald Fennel trailer launched three weeks ago. The Yorkshire classic is a heartwrenching tale of moral turmoil, themes of class, race, and love. Carefully construed and ahead of its time, the Bronte text is a testament to the Gothic.

Ticking off the classic checklist of sublime settings, soul-crushing longing, a dashing suitor and authentic heroine, Kathy and Heathcliff's undeniable connection is the literary mirror of twin flames.

In a world of cruelty and abuse, ghost-chasing and immoral social-climbers, the handsome hero is overlooked for the 'bad boy' - a tale as old as time. But in a modern reading, many fans of the novel now suggest that in a world where each character struggles with temptation and sin, whether Heathcliff can be understood after all.

Perhaps just homework for the upcoming 'Wuthering Heights' featuring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, there's no time like the present.

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Building off the philosophy of ownership of life breathed into oil paintings, the notorious Wilde's penchance for scandalous literature did not disappoint with character Dorian Gray.

A Narcissus in his own right, Dorian Gray's obsession with his portrait reaches new levels after he exchanges his soul for eternal youth and beauty. This show of unbounded vanity, corruption and desire, whilst maintaining the pretence of a gentlemanly figure in high society was a shock to early readers, and continues to earn its fame till today. This classic blends the artistic style of the late 19th centruy and the obscene themes of modern literature expertly.

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