The philosopher Thomas Hobbes had his theories about human nature, to sum up what he says is this, humans are all born evil. Applying that theory to this story, he's right.

It’s midwinter, which means it’s time to curl up with a good book. For me, this often means curling up with something spooky or scary. While the Autumn months are my favorite in terms of coziness and spooks, there is something about the dark of Winter that makes me want some darker spooks. If you also like to be spooked in the Winter months, or if you’re just looking for something a little more thrilling, here is a list of my favorite spooky books, stories, and authors so far (have I said “spooky” enough yet?).

I knew I was going to like this when it started out with some random douchebag mumbling nonsense, whacked out on a cocktail of drugs. Specifically ketamine, fentanyl, and crack. For sure, that would likely kill the most hard core drug addict, but it sounds like a wild ride down a short rabbit hole.

Junji Ito is hailed as one of the innovators for different takes on the idea of horror. He had made several stories over the last thirty years to present the abnormal ways anyone or anything can be a threat. From grease, balloons, or a shape. He's been the one to change our viewpoint on an average item or routine. And keep our lights on at night. My list will be ten of the stories that have changed my perspective as well as what still shakes me to my core. This list will not have what I believe is the scariest to downgrade other stories he's done. It's an equal list of eerie.

Just before Christmas I did what I usually do. Scour Amazon (UK) for new books, DVDs, Signed CDs, or whatever takes my fancy. This year was difficult. Having already spent what felt like a small fortune on books; hardbacks, limited editions signed copies, self published, traditionally published and secondhand. I was looking to pick up a few on the cheap. (Greatest achievement was a hardback at £0.88, and a very well reviewed crime thriller from J.D Robb for £1.30).

James Patterson is an author that has used words to go global. I read his fictional novel Cradle & All out of curiosity and was taken through a wild perspective with criminal fiction, religion, and conspiracy theories. Patterson has been labeled as one of the world’s richest authors, he has had most of his pieces in The New York Times Bestseller's list. The idea of playing on the story of the recurring Virgin Mary and Virgin Satanist is diabolical. As I read the story, I was literally scared to read the next page because of how gruesome the details were. It was almost as if the story was real but I had to break away from the novel and remember it was a fictional story.

I don’t normally do poetry. Like your typical ‘cain wagger,’ I don’t get it, and I’m not sure I even want it. If you’re going to ryme or rap, fucking throw a beat behind it.

Magpie marks author Sophie Draper's second novel. Her first novel (Cuckoo) being a critical success and a worthy addition to any psychological thriller genre fan. Following on in those footsteps, Magpie marks a return to the psychological genre, but with a focus on suspense rather than being a thriller. This marks a nice distinction between the two books (as both being named after birds with a similar font and cover, I wouldn't blame you if you thought they were part of a series).

Despite being released to largely positive reception in late November 2018, I only came across this book by accident. Scrolling through AmazonUK looking for new books, or anything that took my fancy. Down to £2 for the paperback delivered to my door, I thought why the hell not.

Ghost stories are often called some of the scariest pieces of writing of all time, and they make up a great majority of the horror genre. Written from the beginning of literature onwards, people have always been interested in the movements of those who are already gone and have written many stories for and about them. Some are based on real experiences, some are completely fictitious (well, you better hope they are) and some have grounding in historical or fantastical realities.

Stephen King's Doctor Sleep: A Book Review

Halloween is right around the corner and, with the holiday season presenting many spooks, I think it’s good to remember the literature that can also scare the living hell out of us too. There are many ways I like to celebrate Halloween, and one of them is by reading and re-reading some of my favourite scary reads on the way up to the special day. Others ways I like to celebrate are watching scary films and making some seasonal bakes such as things pumpkin flavoured and biscuits normally containing dark chocolate, raisins and toasted nuts. I’ve always been a big fanatic of Halloween because I love dressing up even if I’m not going anywhere. I like to make cookies and give them creepy aspects. Last year, I made my brother a cookie shaped and decorated like the Slenderman. Anyways, this list is meant to be a bit of fun, so we’ll go through one hundred books you can read to celebrate this holiday season. I’ll talk about ones that are particularly special to me. Before you ask, I only ever include books I’ve actually read myself in lists like this, so you can talk to me about any one of them if you’re having a hard time choosing (I don’t blame you because they’re all so good). I’ll mark some of my favourites with a (*) as well, so make sure you look out for them! Oh, and lastly, these books are in no particular order either.