BLOGTOBER DAY SIX: Top 5 Saturday

Top 5 Saturday is hosted by Amanda at Devouring Books. You list five books with a common theme that you either have or have not read. This week’s prompt is DARK READS.

Also, since there are two of us doing this tag, it’s technically a top ten! More books for you!

Bree:

I’m not great at mixed lists, so I accidentally picked all books I’ve already read. Which is good I guess because I interpreted this weeks prompt as “gritty, psychologically-scarring content with splashes of grotesque imagery.” As weirdly specific as it is, the books I listed are not as horrific as I made them seem. Generally I’m a pretty tame reader, so these are just like traumatizing lite.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

I read this one a while ago, but I guess you could say it left an imprint on my brain. A vivid imprint. Anyways the story follows the son of a infamous serial killer. X years after his father was caught and sent to prison, someone is recreating all of his kills. No one believes Jasper, so it’s up to him to stop his father’s copycat from taking any more victims. What A Lovely YA Novel.

Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer

This book is gruesome. Maybe even the most vivid on the list? There are quite a few things that happened that had me flinching to myself. Just because the main character can turn her nerve endings off and on, DOESNT MEAN I CAN. There are some lines I don’t want to cross in my reading. *flinches in memory*

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Ooof lets talk about graphic!! The scene with Hetty’s eye caught me completely off guard and I was very horrified!! Actually I was horrified most of the book! Still gave it five stars though! (Read my full review here.)

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This book was a trip. One I do not want to repeat. Nope, no thank you. Never again. You can enjoy your spooky, damp mansion in Mexico by yourself!! Loved Noemí though.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

This book is great! It’s less “psychologically-scarring” and more like “spooky, questionable cultish rituals and society”. Oh and some like creepy ghoulish stuff too. I also remember at least one graphic injury occurring. So, a pretty well-rounded book by most scales. (WHERE IS BOOK TWO LEIGH *the real trauma*)

Tree:

I’m not really a fan of dark books, but these are book that had darker themes or creeped me out a bit. I’ve read four out of the five books, but the last one I need to read before my book club meeting in a few weeks, but I’m a bit scared.

These books all could have picked for having “darker” cover themes too.

As Good As Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3) by Holly Jackson

This ONE WAS A STRESSFUL TIME. It’s pretty dark for YA (not that I read a ton of thriller/darker YA to begin with to I might be off base with that claim). But, this book was intense and a time.

Final Girls by Riley Sager

This was a gripping and intense read but the whole concept of the “final girl” is very dark in itself.

Little Monsters by Kara Thomas

I had a hard time sleeping after I finished this one. The ending was just A LOT.

Night Film by Marisha Pessel

This book wasn’t that creepy but then there is a solid few chapters that creeped me out! I didn’t let myself listen to this one when it was dark because I’m ~sensitive~ and I had a bad nightmare a few weeks ago and I didn’t even want to chance another one.