5 BIPOC Halloween Special Novels

The end of October is upon us! While we still have quite some time before the end of fall, giving us plenty of opportunities to enjoy those aesthetic fall vibes. But what about Halloween? Every year on the 31st we celebrate All Hallows’ Eve–the night before celebrating departed souls. The next day is All Saints Day (a Christian holiday honoring the dead) or Samhain (the pagan festival). Even though the holiday has its designated time, we can still pick up some Halloween-Esque thrillers and chillers for a good by-the-fire read.

Certain Dark Things

Silvia Morena-Garcia

In this fantasy thriller, a street kid meets a dangerous descendant of the Aztec blood drinkers. In a mix of cops, criminals, gangs, vampires, and madness, these two find a deep connection while being on the run.

Frankenstein in Baghdad

Ahmed Saadawi

In an attempt to get the government to see the strewn body parts on the streets of Baghdad so they can get a proper burial, Hadi, our protagonist, accidentally recreates a figure similar to the classic monster, Frankenstein. A rough and terribly honest commentary on modern Iraq, this twisted thriller is an absolute October must-read.

Skin Folk

Nalo Hopkinson

A collection of Caribbean folklore recreated into modern stories makes an excellent addition to this creepy list of BIPOC spook season favorites. While this collection of 15 different stories deals mostly with fantasy, it also makes comments on rejection, ownership, womanhood, colonization, and the value of human life.

Fledgling

Octavia E. Butler

This vampire fantasy novel with themes of SciFi is one of Butler’s best sellers. It contains themes of identity, loneliness, tolerance, adversity, and the discovery of one’s self. TW!! This book does contain sex scenes that may be offputting to some readers due to the physical (not actual) age of the character. I have my own thoughts about it, but you should give it a read and make your own.

Cemetery Boys

Aiden Thomas

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. This book contains themes of acceptance, gender dysphoria, blood magic, and LGBTQ+. This book brings a mix of deep-rooted Mexican culture, with a murder mystery. To top it off, there are passages of Spanish in the book, which really immerse you in an authentic cultural experience.

Finding a good book can be hard sometimes, and finding a good specifically themed BIPOC book can be downright impossible. However, I highly recommend these titles to fill that void. Are there any genres or themes you would like to see recommended in BIPOC or Queer reading? Leave a comment!

Edited by Rebeca Edwards.