A great scary movie is always fun leading up to Halloween, but nothing beats reading a truly terrifying book. Movies are great because they show us all the same thing hoping to play on the fears of the audience, it works for some but not for others.

That's the great thing about books, each reader interprets them differently conjuring their own imagery. When it comes to horror books, the imagination can be a dangerous thing in some cases. Leading up to Halloween here are 10 books that will leave you sleeping with the lights on.

1. Pet Semetery - Stephen King

A perfect example of the book being far scarier than the movie. When I read this book for the first time I became not only scared but visually uncomfortable. What's dead should stay that way.

2. Dracula - Bram Stoker

Nothing is ever as good as the original. Bram Stoker gave us the original vampire and it even a century later it is still scaring people silly. One of my favorite books of all time.

3. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

Again we go back to the beginning. When Frankenstein was written, science was no where close to where it is today, so the idea of creating your own monster truly did scare people. Still worth the read today.

4. Hell House - Richard Matheson

From the same pen that brought us I Am Legend, comes Hell House, a supernatural thriller. The house in question is said to corrupt and destroy all those who walk through its doors. Stephen King even called this the scariest haunted house book ever written.

5. Superstitious - R.L. Stine

What list of horror books wouldn't be complete without the first horror author that most kids are introduced to. Stine has done adult fiction, and Superstitious is a great read playing off of traditional superstitions and why people should pay more attention to them. You'll find yourself throwing salt over your shoulder in no time.

6. The Exorcist - William Peter Blatty

Already widely considered the scariest movie of all time, the source material is a hell of a lot scarier than what you see on screen. Based on true events, Blatty's account of what transpired will have you considering attending church.

7. The Silence of the Lambs - Thomas Harris

As with most titles on this list, the movies came after the original novels made an impact on society. The Silence of the Lambs inspires fear with its name alone, I mean who wouldn't be scared of Hannibal Lecter?

8. The Call of Cthulhu - H.P. Lovecraft

This cult classic is always worth the read leading up to Halloween. Lovecraft created this along with his book The Necronomicon which some people even believe to be the "how to" manual on conjuring up demons.

9. Coraline - Neil Gaiman

Already adapted as a movie for children, this story originated as a truly mind-bending novel, one in which Coraline must save the souls of three dead children in order to free her parents and escape with her own life.

10. Salem's Lot - Stephen King

King deserves a second spot on this list simply because he is "the king" of adult horror. Salem's Lot takes another crack at vampirism with terrifying results. King even goes as far as to say this is his favorite book of all the stories he has written.

Have we missed your favorite? Let us know.