Spooky books that are worth the nightmares

I have gone on record and said I am a massive scaredy cat - and I will stand by this statement. However, every so often I read a book that ends up scarier than I expected, and instead of putting it down, I am already so drawn in I know I have to finish it. My overactive imagination will attempt to punish me with nightmares, but with these books, I found they were worth the nightmares I had after reading them.

1. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

When I first picked up this book, I thought it was just going to be a mild spooky gothic story. And it was - until it takes a hard left turn into full horror the last 25% of the story. The way the story set all of it up was brilliant, but my nightmares were terrifying after I read it. Probably the scariest book on this list, I highly recommend it. It also showed off Mexican culture in a beautiful way, while calling out the racism that has always been prevalent in Mexican spaces.

Mexican Gothic is available through Penguin Random House.

2. The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent

Listen, if you've read this book you probably will say two things: 1. it's not scary, and 2. it's not spooky either. However, as we've talked about before, I get scared easily. And the idea of slowly freezing and starving to death has haunted my nightmares since I first learned about The Donner Party. However, in addition to the parts of this book I absolutely hate, the mystery at the center of this novel gripped me immediately. It's a beautiful story about family and the bonds people build with each other.

The Stillwater Girls is available through Amazon

3. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

Jane Eyre has never been so delightfully spooky. This modern retelling is told through the different points of view of the two Mrs. Rochesters. One is writing in a makeshift journal, while the other is slowly realizing something is wrong - and nobody will tell her what it is. It's a fascinating look into the two different psyches, and comes to an ending I truly didn't see coming. Overall, I loved it, but it left me terrified of being trapped in an attic with no way of getting out.

The Wife Upstairs is available through Macmillan Publishers