Get In the Halloween Spirit with These 4 Books that Made It To The Big (and Small) Screen

This month's Karli Sherman Productions Book of the Month Hocus Pocus is based on one of my favorite Halloween movies... Hocus Pocus! If you haven't watched Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+ you are missing out! I was excited to see how the movie would measure up and I can tell you I really really enjoyed it!

Now, the first part of this month's Book of the Month is the book adaptation of the film. So there aren't many surprises if you're a die-hard Hocus Pocus fan. But what I thought was really cool was that they went in a completely different direction for the sequel. The sequel in the second half of the book is NOT the same story as the movie that Disney just released!! So it's definitely worth the read if you're a Hocus Pocus fan!

If you love Halloween as much as I do, then you know there are tons of movies and shows out there to get you in a spooky mood. But did you know a lot of them were originally based on books?? If you're looking for a book to get you in the Halloween spirit, look no further! Whether you love creepy supernatural horror or trillers are more your speed, these books are the perfect spooky season read.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

"The classic supernatural thriller by an author who helped define the genre. First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting;' Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own."

Don't let the age of this book fool you. This novel is a quick, creepy read that will haunt you well after it's over. If you enjoy ghost stories, this one is for you. The Haunting of Hill House is as chilling as it is intriguing. I guarantee, the only reason you will want to put it down will be to check to make sure your doors are locked and that noise you heard was just the wind.

Carrie by Stephen King

"Unpopular at school and subjected to her mother's religious fanaticism at home, Carrie White does not have it easy. But while she may be picked on by her classmates, she has a gift she's kept secret since she was a little girl: she can move things with her mind. Doors lock. Candles fall. Her ability has been both a power and a problem. And when she finds herself the recipient of a sudden act of kindness, Carrie feels like she's finally been given a chance to be normal. She hopes that the nightmare of her classmates' vicious taunts is over . . . but an unexpected and cruel prank turns her gift into a weapon of horror so destructive that the town may never recover."

Yep, your favorite teen soaked in pig's blood at prom was originally written by the master of horror himself, Stephen King. If "Carrie" is one of your go-to Halloween movies, be sure to read the original novel that dives even deeper to this classic story.

The Red Dragon (Book 1 of the Hannibal Lector Series) by Thomas Harris

"Feed your fears with the terrifying classic that introduced cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter.

FBI agent Will Graham once risked his sanity to capture Hannibal Lecter, an ingenious killer like no other. Now, he’s following the bloodstained pattern of the Tooth Fairy, a madman who’s already wiped out two families.

To find him, Graham has to understand him. To understand him, Graham has only one place left to go: the mind of Dr. Lecter."

Not into the supernatural side of Halloween? Serial killer thrillers more your speed? The Red Dragon is the first novel that the Hannibal series that inspired the movie of the same name (and the sequels "Hannibal" & "Silence of the Lambs") starring the incredible Anthony Hopkins.

I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan

"Four teens fight to outsmart a killer who intends to avenge a young boy's death in this suspenseful thriller that inspired the classic horror film.

After a party, four teens are in a hit-and-run accident that results in a young boy's death. Unable to deal with the consequences, they leave the body behind and make an anonymous phone call to the police, tipping them off.

The group makes a secret pact to bury the memory of that night and never speak of it again, but when one of the girls receives a note that reads "I know what you did last summer," their dark lie is unearthed. With twists and turns at every corner, they'll have to fight to stay steps ahead of a killer determined to make them pay."

If you love the Young Adult genre, don't miss the novel that the 1990s teen scream movie by the same name was based on. This is another super quick read, but it will keep you on your toes. This is also another great choice if you aren't a fan of the supernatural stuff, and would rather stick to suspense.

Did you find something great to add to your reading list? Did you find out that one of your favorite Halloween movies was based on a novel? Let me know over @karlishermanproductions on Instagram! I'd love to see what you're currently reading and hear about all of your favorite spooky reads.

Stay excellent (& stay spooky!!)