Canadian Gift Guide

Today’s gift ideas aren’t really Halloween-based, to be fair, but they’re definitely of the season, if you’ll follow me. Like I said on Monday’s post, the idea behind Halloween gifts is a little odd to me, but a spooky, chilling book like the ones I’m about to share might make a great thematically appropriate gift for a totally unrelated gift-giving occasion. Like, for example, a friend who has a birthday, or another friend who deserves a thank-you gift. Why not scare ’em? Tis the season!

Gossip Girl Psycho Killer by Cecily Von Zeigesar
And you thought everyone’s favourite Upper East Siders were gone with the sequel? Think again. This book, in the vein of reimagined classics like Pride & Prejudice and Zombies (albeit minus the literary pedigree) goes back to the beginning, with a twist. The very first book is retold with everyone being a psychopath killer. Serena’s mysterious return and discovery that Nate and Blair are a couple doesn’t incite mere rage, but murder – and of course, Blair, never one to be one-upped, gets in the spirit of things. Grisly glam anyone?

The Passage by Justin Cronin
I read this book earlier this year, and I can tell you already that as the sequels to it come out, it will only gain MORE momentum and attention – so get on the train early! On paper, it’s a cross between a vampire and a zombie story. A plague sweeps the nation, killing many, but turning others into an extremely fast and difficult-to-kill species that is desperate to grab what’s left of the human race. It’s nearly 800 pages, but I promise you won’t be able to put it down for a second.

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
Something for the younger set with this one – a fast-paced adventure tale of friendship and time travel, all starting on Halloween. Eight boys set out to visit a haunted house with their friend Pipkin, only to find themselves swept away through the past to understand the meaning of Halloween. It may be decades old, but the haunting graphics and thrilling story will definitely excite kids just coming out of the trick-or-treater age.

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
We’ve covered off slashers, zombies, vampires, and magic – now how about some ghosts? In this chilling page-turner, an aging rocker buys a curio, only to realize it’s the ghost of one of his former groupies. A ghost hell-bent on revenge for said groupie’s suicide. If you’re still a tad skeptical, consider Joe Hill’s literary pedigree – he’s the son of the incomparable master of the horror novel, Stephen King.

The 13 Nights of Halloween by Guy Vasilovich
Finally, a picture book that channels the likes of Coraline. The 13 Nights of Halloween is both cute and eerie, an adaptation of the 12 Days of Christmas only with spooky-themed gifts, starting with a skeleton key. If you’ve got a niece or nephew, or a grandkid that’ll be trick or treating at your place this year, consider nurturing their mind instead of rotting their teeth with a fun picture book like this one.