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6 YA Horror Series You Could Be Reading

I was over at Dread Central and they had posted a list of 5 horror series you should be reading, and it’s an interesting list. Inspirational, even. So I’m going to thank them for the idea and offer you a list myself of YA series you should read, if you haven’t already. There are so many more, it’s hard to limit it to just a few. Enjoy! If you have other ideas, I’d love to know them!

 

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Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender (Book 1: Bad Girls Don’t Die, Book 2: From Bad to Cursed, Book 3: As Dead As It).

Creepy ghostly possession is now apparently a “thing” in the horror genre, according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, but Katie Alender was way ahead of the trend in this series about a girl whose younger sister is possessed by a malignant ghost.

 

 

The Enemy by Charlie Higson (Book 1: The Enemy, Book 2: The Dead, Book 3: The Fear, Book 4: The Sacrifice, Book 5: The Fallen, Book 6: The Hunted)
A plague hits London, transforming nearly all adults into zombies. Children and teens are on their own, fighting for survival in post-apocalyptic world. Higson, somewhat controversially, claimed to be writing for boys, but he has strong female characters as well. The books in this series are fast paced and action packed, and there’s plenty of gore, but not at the expense of character development.

 

 

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Zom-B by Darren Shan (13 book series).

Darren Shan gets hardcore in Zom–B. B, the protagonist, is not a nice person. B comes from an abusive environment that reeks of racist attitudes, and has not problem passing that on to weaker victims. The first half of the first book sets up B’s background, character, and moral dilemmas, but the second half has all the graphic gore and zombie action fans of zombie novels could desire. There is a surprising twist at the end of the first book that will change your perception of B, and Shan handles it well.
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The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie and Alyssa Sheinmel. (Book 2: The Awakening of Sunshine Girl)

This series is based on a YouTube webisode series, Sunshine Girl, created by Paige McKenzie. After Sunshine Griffith moves from sunny Texas to gloomy Washington, she discovers she is living in a haunted house, inhabited by a malicious spirit. Fast paced, intense, and incredibly creepy.

 

 

 Asylum by Madeleine Roux. (Book 2: Catacomb, Book 3: Sanctum).

 

This is a creepy, photo-illustrated series with a design similar to that of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. It begins by introducing students in a summer college prep program that just happend to take place in a renovated mental asylum. Nothing could go wrong there, right? The photos give the story a disturbing sort of realism. As a digression, Ms. Roux also is an alumna of my own alma mater, although I’ve never met her personally.

 

 

Lockdown: Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith. (Book 2: Solitary, Book 3: Death Sentence, Book 4: Fugitives, Book 5: Execution)

 

In a dystopian future where there has been a massive backlash against teen crime, 14-year old Alex, caught committing a burglary, is sentenced to time in the underground prison Furnace. Violent, rife with gang activities, and patrolled by monstrous creatures, Furnace is a terrifying place to try to survive, and Alex decides to make the attempt to escape. Gripping and fast-paced, Smith takes you on a breathless tour of the next thing to hell.

 

Posted on December 13, 2015 by , Reply

Book Review: A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay


A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

William Morrow, 2015

ISBN-13: 978-0062363237

Available: Hardcover and Kindle

Once in a while, a book comes along that does more than stand out from the pack. It wields a power so strong, sings its story with such dissonant melody, and builds characters that you both love and dislike. These books keep you rooting for a happy ending on every page even though all signs point to a black place that seems unavoidable. A Head Full of Ghosts is a novel that deserves praise from every reviewer.

The plot centers on a New England family being slowly torn apart by a mysterious illness affecting their teenage daughter. A television crew moves in to film a reality show about her descent and to record the family falling apart, naming it “The Possession.” A priest is invited in to help despite a decided conflict of faith between family members. Although there have been plenty of stories of possession, this one stands alone.The subtlety of the storytelling and the characterization of the family themselves, the Barretts, drives A Head Full of Ghosts on a slow burn that will have readers scrambling to figure out the mystery of what lives between the pages.

Is fourteen-year-old Marjorie truly possessed? Mentally ill? Or just seeking attention in a family on its last thread of sanity?

Marjorie’s younger sister, Merry, narrates the tale. She watches her sibling descend and transform into someone else—someone she once knew. Merry spins her tale, from the first signs of the “possession,” to the invasion of the television crew, to the religious fervor that festers both inside the house and out in the society where the Barretts must still survive. Her innocent voice fuels the story as readers are allowed to view Merry’s family through her young eyes and ears, as yet unaware of the evils of the mind and soul. The relationship between her and Marjorie is touching and frightening and written superbly by Tremblay. Providing some counterpoint is a blogger who interjects her views on the history of the family through an analysis of the television show. Her connection is slowly revealed and seamlessly strengthens the novel in a manner which elevates the initial intrusion on the narrative into something that becomes essential.

Paul Tremblay has created something special here. Call it a psychological thriller or a mystery, a horror-filled supernatural tale, a dark family drama, or something else. But don’t dismiss it as just another possible “demon-within” story. It is one of the few novels that is sure to leave you chilled and unsettled. Hopefully, by this time next year, all of the critics will have been proven right, the novel will rack up accolades from every dark corner, and readers will cherish A Head Full of Ghosts as a modern classic. Highly recommended for adults.

 

Contains intense psychological horror

Reviewed by David Simms

 

 

Posted on July 15, 2015 by , Reply

Book Review: The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson

The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2015

ISBN-13: 978-0399256622

Available:  Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle edition, Audio

Secret societies, mass murder, a journey into the land between life and death, and a cataclysmic event that threatens to destroy all of London—The Shadow Cabinet is full of action, intrigue, and answers that are exactly what fans of the Shades of London series have been waiting for.

The third installment of Maureen Johnson’s Edgar-nominated, bestselling series picks up where the cliffhanger ending of Johnson’s last book, The Madness Underneath, left off. Rory Deveaux has the ability to see and destroy ghosts. She and other the other members of the ghost squad, still reeling from the death of Stephen, are on a search for answers. What they discover leads them to an ancient cult, a sinister plot, and a final showdown unlike anything they’ve encountered before.

Fans of conspiracy theories and Illuminati-like, secret organizations will delight in the secrets that are uncovered in The Shadow Cabinet. The ending leaves readers with no doubt that big things are coming for Rory and the rest of the squad.

Johnson’s characters are diverse and captivating. Rory’s offbeat humor and innate ability to find herself in difficult situations makes her a protagonist readers can easily connect with. Narcissistic siblings Sid and Sadie offer a hypnotizing blend of detachment, egocentric affection, and twisted, hilarious interactions that will simultaneously delight and unnerve readers. Johnson’s wit lends itself beautifully to the development of both the storyline and the characters.

The Shadow Cabinet offers ample background for readers who have not read the first two books in the series, without bogging down established fans with an unnecessary retelling of events. This third installment could easily stand on its own as an intriguing read. Recommended for ages 12 and older.

Reviewed by Heather Hurley

Posted on July 10, 2015 by , Reply
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