Top Ten Tuesday: Scary Book Covers

Happy Top Ten Tuesday! Here is a special Halloween edition. Our topic is Scariest Book Covers.

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme started on the Broke and the Bookish blog.

 They set the topic, we make the lists. Visit their site to see more on this topic!

We all judge books by their covers. It’s human nature and that’s just fine. Time to celebrate some good old fashioned freaky cover art! Happy Haunting!

Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, illustrated by Stephen Gammell

These books always scared the bejeezus out of me. The illustrations are really creepy and because of them and the content, this book has been challenged and banned in some places.

Your House is on Fire, Your Children All Gone by Stefan Kiesbye

Kids. They’re creepy. Oh and on top of that, when tilted the right way, it says “If You Tell on me You’re Dead.”

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

First, great title. Second, the long dark hair will always make my skin crawl because of the movie The Ring. On top of that, you have the fog, black and white motif with spurts of blood. Good job cover designers.

30 Days of Night by Steve Niles, Illustrated by BenTemplesmith

Yes this is a graphic novel series, and yes it’s freaky. These vampires are very monstrous and the art is hazy around the edges in grayscale with well-placed detail and color. I can still see those extended jaws and sharp teeth when I close my eyes…

The Mammoth Book of Terror

Amanda handed this book over and said “It terrifies me every time I see it.” Yes. Yes it does. Don’t order what he had.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Creepy zombie reaching for you on the cover? Yep that’ll do it. Actually that zombie looks the child of a 30 Days of Night vampire. What sweet hell is this!?

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Well if evil children are scary, changeling babies are also creepy. Honestly, add fog and it becomes eerie.

The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft

Yes of course Lovecraft is getting a shout out. I actually love the artwork on this one.Very elegant for a squid faced monster.

Hell House by Richard Matheson

This is an instant horror classic. The cover and title pretty much cover exactly what Matheson’s creep-tastic book is about.

Active Birth by Janet Balaskas

Ahhhhhhhhh!!!! First there’s a "presence in your womb area" feeding off of you. Second, you know that woman is probably pushing that baby out in her living room. Just standing up and there goes baby. I’m freaked out, but good for you natural Mommies. Good for you!

What book covers terrify you?

~Kristin M.