NANCY GIDEON’S HAUNTED OPEN HOUSE GIVEAWAY BLOG HOP

This year Open Book Society is pround and honored to be a part of Nancy Gideon’s Haunted Open House Giveaway Blog Hop! Keep reading to see a list of staff members Dawn & Caro’s Halloween favorites, enter for your chance to win a Harry Potter comic-con bag, and see the list of all the other stops for this fun tour!

Halloween Favorites

By OBS reviewers Dawn & Caro

Favorite Scary Movies:

Dawn’s Picks:

The Exorcist

I first saw the movie as a teenager. I had nightmares of the girl’s head turning all the way around for months. My mom tried to warn me but I wouldn’t listen. I had to see for myself. I’m nearing 40 now and The Exorcist is still one of the scariest movies I’ve ever seen.

The Amityville Horror (1979 version)

I am a sucker for “true” life stories especially if religion is involved. This movie fit the bill. I have watched it many times and the fear does not lessen with multiple viewings.

The Omen 1976 version

I saw The Omen as a teenager as well. Yet another movie with religious connotations. The thought of the antichrist freaked me out.

Caro’s Picks:

Chucky

I watched this movie as a child by accident. If grown-ups tell you that you will be scared, believe them. Toys having life of their own plus being malevolent is no good thing for kids and this, particular, doll still scares me no matter what. I rather watch The Exorcist.

The Omen (1976), Damien: Omen II, Omen III: The Final Conflict

This movies are, by far, one one my favorite horror trilogy of all time. Another movie that I watched at a young age while on a family reunion. I don’t know if to be thankful or not. I should have been scared with scenes of wild animals killing people but it got the opposite reaction of me. I would watch these movies again.

IT (1990)

The moment I saw this movie my like for clowns died just like those poor characters terrorized by Tom Curry in his never forgetable clown suit going by the name of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Remember that bloody bath scene? Well, guess who was scared of taking a bath, now, add to it another Gremlin toilet scene and you have the perfect combo to scare a kid.

Scary Books:

Dawn’s Picks

Stephen King The Boogeyman

I read the Boogeyman in about 7th grade. It scared the crap out of me. I was leery of closets for about 6 months and I still recall how scared I was after reading the short story.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

I read the Historian in 2009. The suspense accompanied with outright fear was off the charts. I have read it a couple of times since then. The scariness factor never loses steam.

Caro’s Picks

Prom Nights From Hell by Stephenie Meyer, Kim Harrison, Meg Cabot, Lauren Myracle, and Michele Jaffe

There is a particular short story in this anthology that definitely scared me. The title of this story is The Corsage by Lauren Myracle. That well known phrase, “be careful what you wish for” had never left me thinking more of wishes than ever before. I felt scared and sadness once the girl made her last wish and it came true.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

This might be a crime novel instead of a horror book, but the horrors that take place in the story remind me that there are more scary things out there than a wicked doll. I was definitely scared to finish reading this book but Lisbeth became one of my favorite heroines.

Scary TV Show/Series

Caro’s Picks

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 4, Ep. 10, “Hush”

I, believe to be a person not afraid of the dark, but if a floating, thin, pale white, creepy men dressed as “The Gentlemen” appear on the streets at the middle of the night, then, I will be scared. This might be the scariest episode of all the series, at least, for me. Those make up artist definitely knew how to scare the viewers.

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

To answer the question, no, I’m not quite afraid of the dark, but what I was sometimes afraid of were some of the stories the “The Midnight Society” told around the campfire. Why do people always like telling scary stories about clowns? I will never know, but any episode involving a clown was always scary. This series along with Goosebumps, were two TV shows that I enjoyed watching or reading its scary stories (back then). One episode, I will for always remember, is “The Tale of the Dollmaker,” it made me want and not want a doll house.

So Weird (Seasons 1-2)

This Tv show was by far my favorite paranormal/sci fi series to watch as a kid. It was like the X-Files for kids. The episodes had mystery and supernatural creatures that made the plot even more interesting. Those who liked the paranormal or started to get interested in the subject, like me, could learn about mythical creatures through this series while Fiona traveled with her family and encountered weird things. It had dragons, mermaids, ghost and so many other things.

And now, withouth further adieu is our giveaway to enter a Harry Potter Comic-Con bag… US residents only!