It’s officially October so Halloween is basically right around the corner. October is the month for all things monstrous and spooky, so here are a few reads that will hopefully help get you festive and ready for Halloween:

1. Monstress | Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda, Rus Wooton, & Jennifer M. Smith

Monstress is probably the most beautiful graphic novel you will ever have the pleasure of reading. It has some of the most stunning artwork I have ever seen. The artwork is also pretty dark and creepy. Along with the plot, which follows a young girl named Maika who has a connection with a dark monster, which sometimes takes control of her and does horrible things. Maika is trying to figure out why she has this monster inside her, along with what happened to her mother.

2. Moonstruck | Grace Ellis And Shea Beagle

This comic isn’t exactly creepy but it is very Halloween-y! Moonstruck is set in a world filled with magical creatures. The main characters are werewolf Barista, Julie, and her friend and co-worker Chet, who is a centaur. When Julie, her new girlfriend, and Chet go to a magic show, the magician casts a spell that turns Chet into a human. Now, Julie, Chet, and the rest of the gang must find the magician and figure out how to get Chet their horse legs back.

3. The Serpent’s Secret | Sayantani DasGupta

The Serpent’s Secret is another story that is filled with monsters. Kiranmala is just a regular kid. Or so she thought. On the day of her twelfth birthday, she returns home to find her parents have vanished and there’s a rakkhosh demon who is trying to eat her alive. It turns out that Kiranmala is no ordinary girl – she is actually an Indian princess and her parents have been kidnapped by the Serpent King. Kiranmala must travel to another dimension and, with the help of two princes and an annoying talking bird, fight demons and save her parents.

4. Through The Woods | Emily Carroll

Through The Woods is probably the creepiest graphic novel that I have ever read. It contains five horror stories centered around the woods, each as chilling as the last. It’s also filled with some amazing artwork that really makes the stories come alive. You can even read one of the short stories, His Face All Red, for free on Carroll’s website.

5. Sawkill Girls | Claire Legrand

Set in the island of Sawkill, this novel is almost like a more mature and creepier Stranger Things. Sawkill Girls follows three girls: Marion, the new girl who is determined to keep her family safe, Zoey, the pariah who is mourning those she has lost and determined to get revenge, and Val, the queen bee who is more tragic and has more secrets than anyone can imagine. In the island of Sawkill girls have been disappearing for decades. A monster lurks in the shadows that nobody has dared to confront. But when Marion, Zoey, and Val come together, they might be able to reveal the secrets of the island and banish the evil that lurks there.