Every year I struggle to find books for Halloween. I love the holiday, but I don’t care to be scared. I was always the kid who cried at the haunted house (and by kid I mean just last year). I try to look for books with the right ambiance for Halloween: dark, mysterious, possibly supernatural but not too frightening. This year I lucked out and found two books that have kept me entertained in the spirit of the holiday without actually causing me sleepless nights.

The Ferryman Institute by Colin Gigl

Charlie Dawson has been saving dead people for 250 years, convincing them to move on to the afterlife. He has never failed an assignment and has gained legendary status because of it. There is just one problem … serving as Ferryman is causing Charlie to slowly lose his mind. When he is secretly given the choice to save a women named Alice from taking her own life, he acts on impulse and suddenly feels right for the first time in a very long time. But now Charlie is in a world of trouble—is he willing to risk the continued existence of mankind for just one person? The Ferryman Institute is written with the right balance of humor and afterlife bureaucratic red tape. Colin Gigl’s characters are witty and endearing. I love the idea of managers and bureaucrats waiting for you on the other side, to help comfort you and lead you into the afterlife. For a book about death, The Ferryman Institute is really about living life to the fullest.

The House Between Tides by Sarah Maine

Hetty Deveraux has arrived at Muirlan, her ancestral home in Scotland, with plans to renovate the property come hell or high water. Before she can even begin, human bones are found on the property and her plans grind to a halt. Now as Hetty begins diving into the history of Muirlan she finds ancient gossip of an unhappy marriage, a missing wife and secrets that will shock the isolated community. The House Between Tides is suspenseful, moving between Hetty in the present day and Beatrice in the 1920s. At first I had a little trouble following along as we jumped between time periods, but as the novel progressed I found I was completely focused on the mystery behind Hetty and Beatrice’s entwined stories. Two women separated by time, coming up against the wishes of those around them. What happened to Beatrice and how will it change Hetty forever?

If spooky but not scary is your Halloween speed, check out the many family-friendly Halloween events happening at your Library.

-Natalie

Natalie is a Children’s Library Assistant at CLP – Sheraden, and really only got the job so she could enjoy the perks (did yinz know about the free books?). Brevity is not her strong suit, so unless you want to waste your lunch hour, stay clear of her.