Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I've Read or Own That Are Too Creepy, Scary, or Gory for Me to Read Now



Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.    


Happy Halloween! Hope you have lots of trick or treaters if you enjoy that sort of thing. We will be ready, but we don't get anywhere near the amount we used to. Many of the towns around here have Trunk or Treats, and how much candy can kids eat? 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a Halloween freebie. My title is a long one, but I hope you'll indulge me. Here are the...

Top Ten Books I've Read or Own That Are 
Too Creepy, Scary, or Gory for Me to Read Now


I've read this and watched the TV movie. Not for me these days.


I read this when it first came out. I've seen parts of the movie, but not the whole thing. No desire to repeat this one.


I own the newer edition that came out after the movie starring Daniel Radcliffe. I've never been able to crack it open.


My husband loved all The Exorcist books and movies, including the 2016 television series with Geena Davis. We own the book, but I just can't even think about reading it. 


I've owned this book forever. I could just never read it. Now it is in my husband's bookshelf because he is a huge Stephen King fan.


This story always disturbed me.


Keeping in mind that I am petrified of drowning, I don't know why I ever thought I could read this. I still can't even be in the same room if Jaws is on TV. 


This is one of my husband's favorite movies, so no surprise that we own the book. I just will never crack it open. 


Dead kid planted in a burial ground behind the grieving father's property that is said to bring things back to life. Nope. No way. Never. However, I learned that Dale Midkiff from the Love Comes Softly series played Dr. Louis Creed in the 1989 movie, which almost makes me want to see it. 


We definitely own this book, and the husband has watched the movie more than once. I'm pretty sure more than one person hesitated getting in to the shower after reading this one and watching the movie scene. I will remain blissfully unaware of both.

I'm not sure when my tastes changed. Honestly, there is some light horror I can still read. I tend to enjoy gothic horror. It's just not a genre I seek out these days. 

16 comments:

Kelly Lyn said...

Thanks for visiting my post.

I could never read It. I have a fear of clowns. I did like Misery.. both the book and the movie. I like the movie more because I grew up watching it.

Pam said...

Like you, I can't read or watch horror movies. But my 15-year-old loves the stuff! She's read and watched Pet Semetary and enjoyed them both. She says the movie is a bit cheesy, but I'm still not going to watch it!

Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/favorite-mysteries-ive-read-in-2023/

Lex @ Lexlingua said...

Oh, wow, these are the true horror type of books (not the spooky-but-not-really types)... I've seen some of these movies, of course, but I suspect they were easier than the books!
~Lex (lexlingua.co)

Lydia said...

Some Toronto neighbourhoods are seeing fewer trick-or-treaters, too,.

THe Woman in Black was excellent.

Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.

Emily said...

Wow they look scary. I will just about do Gothic fiction and that is on the edge of my comfort zone 😂

I doubt we will get any trick or treaters here. We are on the edge of the village (in the UK)

Happy Halloween!

Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2023/10/31/top-ten-tuesday-halloween-freebie-halloween-books-plus-links-to-previous-halloween-posts/

Rebecca said...

When I read IT, my then spouse was away on business. IT scared me so much I had to have all the lights on in the house, including the basement lights, for me to be able to sleep.

Great list!

Rita said...

The Exorcist scared the heck out of me. I do enjoy the Stephen King ones though.
Here is my list: https://www.storiedconvo.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-fro-halloween/

Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse said...

I feel the same way about Stephen King. He's too much for me to read now. I used to love his stuff years ago.

Snapdragon said...

Yeah Stephen King write some gory stuff in his books. The Amityville Horror is exaggerated by the author as to what the family really experience.

Cindy said...

Fabulous post, and YES!! SAME! I used to read (and watch!) Stephen King's books, I couldn't do it now!!

Cheryl Malandrinos said...

Kelly Lyn, It being a clown never made sense to me. Totally creepy, though.

Pam, I remember going to the movies to see Hellraiser with my husband when we were younger. I would never do that now.

Lex, too much description in some of those books.

Lydia, I think we had 15 tonight. I bought way too much candy again. LOL!

Emily, gothic fiction doesn't bother me as much either.

Rebecca, I would do the same thing in your shoes.

Rita, the head turning around scene did me in.

Deanna, so glad I'm not the only one.

Snapdragon, I agree.

Thanks, Cindy. Knowing I'm not the only one helps.

Susan said...

I used to be a huge Stephen King fan, but I can't stomach his books anymore either. I value my sleep and my sanity too much! Ha ha.

Happy TTT!

Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense said...

Misery is the kind of story that leaves your bones aching afterward. Can totally understand not wanting to revisit it.

Poinsettia said...

I wouldn't be able to read any of these either! I've never been a big horror fan. Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!

Cheryl Malandrinos said...

Susan, I totally hear you.

Alicia, great way to describe Misery.

Poinsettia, I'm much more mystery than horror.

Thanks for visiting, everyone.

Dedra @ A Book Wanderer said...

I don't seem to be able to handle horror like I used to. I was always more of a Dean Koontz fan, but I've read a few of King's books. I do have Misery on my shelf, and I'd like to read Jaws someday, too, but I completely understand why you wouldn't want to! Great list!