The Best Spooky Horror Books For Your Fall 2025 TBR, According To Reviews

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

While fall 2025 promises some much-anticipated book releases, there's a notable amount of already-released titles that deserve a place on your autumnal reading list. Alongside the cozy feels brought by the changing weather, we're ready to harness ghostly haunts and witchy spells to cultivate a spectacularly spooky vibe this year. Though edge-of-your-seat mysteries and thrillers can be a great way to tap into this spine-tingling energy, there's arguably nothing that fits the Halloween season better than horror books. 

Ranging from gothic atmospheres and haunted houses to gory slashers and psychological torments, the horror genre is a diverse category with a lot to offer readers. We've taken to BookTube recommendations and Goodreads reviews to identify the best horror books to add to your reading list, pulling from both classic novels and new releases to cultivate that fall vibe. Given that the genre often features dark and potentially disturbing themes and depictions, we encourage readers to check trigger warnings as needed.

Haunted house tales are a staple of the Halloween season, with "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson being a well-known classic. Combining both psychological and supernatural horror, the 1959 novel follows four individuals gathered to investigate the paranormal activity of the titular Hill House, with occult scholar Dr. Montague leading the charge. He's joined by his assistant Theodora, the notorious house's heir Luke, and a fragile young woman named Eleanor. While they each have their own reasons for agreeing to the investigation, the malevolent presence of Hill House may be more than any of them bargained for.

"It's one of the most classic haunted house stories of all time for a reason," YouTube creator Possessed by Horror said of the novel. "I love the horror atmosphere and the house atmosphere, but also the horror descriptions in this. I think it's genuinely really spooky if you like haunted houses." "The Haunting of Hill House" boasts an average rating of 3.81 stars on Goodreads, with other reviewers emphasizing the book's dark atmosphere, ongoing suspense, and complex characters as standout elements. I can personally recommend this classic as a worthwhile read, with the gothic energy making it an especially great addition to any autumnal reading list.

In addition to the witchy romance books to add to your fall TBR, the darker side of magic makes for great, fright-filled reading material. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "The Bewitching" is a July 2025 release that brings major magical vibes, pairing a bewitching horror tale with dark academia and historical fiction. In 1990s New England, graduate student Minerva discovers the real-life disappearance that inspired horror author Beatrice Tremblay's novel "The Vanishing." She begins to suspect that the malign presence that haunted Tremblay and her friend, one that parallels tales from her Nana Alba's adolescence in Mexico, might be plaguing the halls of her Massachusetts university.

"Dangerous witches, powerful curses, and unseen, unidentifiable entities lurking in the shadows — this supernatural tale intertwines three timelines into a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you leave the lights on for a month," reviewer and Medium author Nilufer Ozmekik said on Goodreads. Other reviews echo praise for how Moreno-Garcia seamlessly weaves together the 20th-century-spanning timelines, with readers also highlighting the creepy vibes and the haunting supernatural elements that are crafted along the way. Tagged for fall reading and rated 4.07 stars on Goodreads, this is a witchy title to keep on your radar for the end of 2025.

For readers who like slow-burn horror, "Bad Cree" by Jessica Johns is a supernatural-tinged title to check out this fall. In this 2023 release, Mackenzie is haunted by vivid nightmares related to the sudden death of her sister Sabrina, with the young Cree woman being transported back to a memory of a weekend at her family's lakeside camp. When her dreams begin colliding with reality, as she's stalked by the crows from her nightmares, she travels back to her rural Alberta hometown in search of answers. While she's welcomed back by her close-knit family, Mackenzie's dreams continue to escalate as she's forced to confront violent truths about her family and community.

"There's a lot of water [and] woodsy, magical stuff. Magical feelings," BookTuber BooksandLala explained in her fall recommendations video. "It's not a witch, magic-spell kind of story, but it feels perfect for fall." In addition to these vibes, reviewers note that "Bad Cree" has a major focus on grief, culture, and family that contribute to the reading experience. With an average rating of 3.91 stars on Goodreads, the slow-burn suspense and Indigenous perspective of this novel definitely make it a worthwhile read.

Tananarive Due's "The Reformatory" is the next fall-ready title on our list, with the historical fiction deftly combining supernatural horror with social commentary. This southern gothic tale, set in 1950s Florida, follows Robbie Stephens Jr. as he's thrust into the horrors of the Gracetown School for Boys. The 12-year-old was sentenced to a 6-month stay at the reformatory after kicking a classmate in defense of his sister Gloria, but his ability to see ghosts quickly uncovers unsettling truths about the institution and the boys who attended before him. As Robbie navigates his own survival with the help of friends, Gloria is determined to free her brother from his grim fate. 

"'The Reformatory' is incredibly engaging, with well-drawn characters that make you root for them and worry for their safety from the first page," YouTube creator PlantBasedBride wrote on Goodreads. "Due doesn't shy away from the horrors of prisons for children masquerading as boarding schools, nor does she shy away from the realities of life in the South for Black people during the Jim Crow era." With an average rating of 4.45 stars on the reading platform, other reviewers highlight the novel's powerful storytelling, rich descriptions, and historical relevance. Additionally, it's noted as being great for the fall season, with several users tagging "The Reformatory" for autumn and Halloween.

Not only do dark academia novels make for great book club material, but they can also bring a spine-tingling vibe perfect for the Halloween season. For example, C. G. Drews' "Don't Let the Forest In" is a YA horror fantasy novel set at Wickwood Academy and centered around friends Andrew Perrault and Thomas Rye. While the two high school students feel a deep loyalty to one another, bonding over Andrew's dark fairytales and Thomas' grisly artwork, their relationship is tested when the monsters from their imaginations come to life. The two are tasked with battling the violent creatures each night, but as their deep bond strengthens, so do the monsters plaguing the forest.

"'Don't Let the Forest In' felt like a dark fever dream and I mean that as a compliment," reviewer Krysta said on Goodreads. "The writing is immersive, with just the right amount of intrigue and pull to keep you from looking away ... even when things start to take a turn for the worse." This YA novel averages 4.09 stars on the reading app, with the book's macabre, haunting atmosphere and queer representation being standout elements for reviewers. Additionally, the dark academia setting definitely cultivates autumnal vibes, making this a great read to pick up for fall 2025.

To create this list of spooky horror books, we used Goodreads, YouTube, and book blogs to identify titles recommended for autumn reading. We also focused on including novels that feature staples of the horror genre and the Halloween season, such as witches, dark academia settings, and haunted houses. Our selections were limited to publications with an average rating of 3.8 stars or higher on Goodreads, with reviews and personal experiences with titles and authors helping to tailor our picks. Lastly, we strove to curate a list diverse in authors, tropes, and perspectives.