Easily the scariest book I've ever read

Cox, M. (2016). Nine Candles of Deepest Black. Reston, VA. Curiosity Quills Press. 9781620076774; paperback; $19.99 (also available in e-book)

After her older sister dies in a car accident, Paige and her family move to a “quiet town where nothing ever happens” outside of Philadelphia to pick up the pieces of their family and move on. Paige can’t move on though because her parents act as though she doesn’t exist and her sister’s ghost hangs out in her bedroom. Paige becomes friends with some girls at school who practice witchcraft and she thinks everything will get better after they conjure a desire spell after school one day, but people start getting hurt and dying under strange circumstances that seem directly related to their spell. This isn’t what Paige wanted at all, but can she stop it in time before the dark spirits kill everyone she knows and loves?

The author's blog can be found here: http://www.matthewcoxbooks.com/ it's pretty cool because he includes a playlist for the book in case you want some mood music.

Short and spooky

Carroll, E. (2014). Through The Woods. New York, NY. Margaret K. McElderry Books. 9781442465961; Paperback; $15.99 (also available in e-book and hardcover)

Five short and terrifying stories grotesquely unravel through gruesome and unsettling illustrations. This is not a graphic novel to put down - and certainly not one to read if you want to sleep well at night.

Because the stories are short, there is no way to describe them without giving away key points of the plot of each story, so instead of doing that, I want you all to see exactly how terrifying the illustrations are in this beautiful horror graphic novel:

If you are interested in learning more about the author, her website is: http://www.emcarroll.com/

This book has also received numerous awards as well:

• ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens
•  ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults - Top Ten
•  ALA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
•  Abraham Lincoln Book Award Master List (IL)
•  Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Selection Title
•  Cybils Award Finalist
•  Eliot Rosewater High School Master List
•  KSRA YA Book Award Master List (PA)
•  Kansas State Reading Circle List High School Title
•  Maine Student Book Award Master List
•  NYPL Best Books for Teens
•  Texas Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List
•  Thumbs Up! Award Winner

-Simon and Schuster

Hilariously scary

Damico, G. (2016). Wax. New York, NY. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 978-0544633155; Hardback; $17.99 (also available in paperback and e-book)

Paraffin, Vermont is known for it’s world famous Grosholtz Candle Company and it’s 17 year old viral video embarrassment, Poppy Palladino. Poppy is tormented by a school bully about her reality TV singing flop constantly and when he goes too far and dresses a wax figure as her, she decides to get even by finding who made the lifelike wax figure to begin with. Her investigation into the origin of this wax figure leads her to a very weird realization that maybe these wax figures are more than just wax and maybe some of the townspeople are slightly less human than she once thought. With the help of a suddenly animated wax figure named Dud, she resolves to find out what’s really going on in Paraffin and hopefully save the townspeople while she’s at it - if she can avoid getting replaced with a wax replica herself.

If you love funny horror, this is definitely a great book for you!
Check out the author's website: https://ginadamico.wordpress.com/

A hair-raising sequel

Blake, K. (2012). Girl of Nightmares. New York, NY. Tor Teen. 9780765328687; Paperback; $9.99 (also available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook)

After Anna Dressed In Blood sacrifices herself to save Cas, Thomas, and Carmel from the Obeahman threatening to eat their souls, Cas finds himself dreaming of Anna every night and seeing her when he hunts other murderous ghosts. He knows she’s crossed over, but Cas fears that Anna isn’t in the right place and decides to find a way to help her get away from the Obeahman for good. His quest takes him on a haunted and bloody  journey he won’t soon forget - if he survives to remember it, that is. Can Cas save Anna the way she saved him or will he die trying?

This is definitely a sequel that cannot be read if you didn't read the first book, so if it sounds interesting to you, please pick up Anna Dressed In Blood first!

Check out the book trailer if you're still on the fence about continuing Cas and Anna's story: 

In case you don't feel like scrolling back through previous posts, here's the author's website again: http://kendareblake.com/

Graphic novel ghosts

Brosgol, V. (2011). Anya’s Ghost. New York, NY. First Second. 9781596435520. Paperback; $9.99 (also available in e-book and hardcover)

Anya is just trying to get through high school without being picked on for her weight, her Russian heritage, and the fact that she’s not exactly cool, when she falls down a well and discovers a dead body. Anya’s biggest fear is that she will end up just like the skeleton she’s next to until the ghost of said skeleton appears and helps her to get help. Anya and her ghost become friends and Anya’s ghost even helps Anya to get the things she desperately wants in life, but what Anya doesn’t realize is that her ghost has different motives than just friendship and has plans to stay out of that well forever - no matter what the cost.

This was both scary and touching, and it seems as though critics have agreed. Anya's Ghost won the 2011 Cyblis Award, the 2012 Harvey Award, and the 2012 Eisner Award. It was also nominated for the 2011 Bram Stoker Award for best graphic novel.

Check out the book trailer:

And if you like the style of this graphic novel, check out Vera Brosgol's other books: http://verabee.com/books

Some history, some horror

Winters, C. (2013). In The Shadow of Blackbirds. New York, NY. Abrams Books. 978-1419705304; Hardback; $17.95 (also available in e-book, audio book, and paperback)

1918 is a hard year to be a 16-year-old girl. Mary Shelley Black is sent to live with her aunt in San Diego when her father is arrested for treason in the midst of World War I in order to be in a better climate as the Spanish Influenza is taking over the world, closing down schools and threatening everyone with death. When Mary Shelley finds herself grieving over the loss of her first love to war, she is struck by lightning and momentarily killed. When she comes back to life, she seems to bring the spirit world back with her despite her skepticism regarding Spiritualism and spirit photography - a hot new craze among the grieving. When her love returns to her begging her to help him, she must find the strength to help her dead lover while staying hopeful that the flu doesn’t kill her first.

I can't express how good this book is. It is not only creepy and at times terrifying, but it happens to be based in history, SO you are technically reading some historical fiction as well. It was a 2014 Morris Award finalist as well as having been nominated for the 2013 Bram Stoker Award, but if you want to see the whole list of awards this book has received, check out the author's website: http://www.catwinters.com/p/in-shadow-of-blackbirds.html - the list would take up my entire post. 

The book's website can be found here: http://blackbirdsnovel.com/

Here's the book trailer as well:

Excellent gamer sci-fi

Cline, E. (2011). Ready Player One. New York, NY. Broadway Books. 9780307887443; Paperback; $16.00 (also available in ebook, audio book, hardcover, and audio cd)

The real world is not great for 18 year old Wade Watts in the year 2044. Luckily he has school issued access to the world’s first (and greatest) virtual reality interface, OASIS, where he can hang out with friends, attend school, and get away from his sad life outside of OASIS. When the 1980’s obsessed creator of OASIS dies, it is announced that he will be leaving his entire fortune and control of OASIS to the first player to make it all the way through his contest. This contest quickly becomes life or death for many players including Wade when it is also announced that IOI, an evil corporation deadset on monetizing OASIS, plans on winning the contest. Wade is confident in his knowledge of the distant past to win the contest and keep OASIS a refuge for others like him, so long as IOI doesn’t kill him first.

This book is an adventure and is truly unputdownable if you are into video games and it won the Alex Award for adult books that especially appeal to teens. There's a fan art tumblr in existence if you so choose: http://readyplayerone.com/ but MOST excitingly (at least to me) is that Steven Spielberg is working on the movie adaptation set to release in March of 2018! Given all of the tech in this book, it is going to be fascinating to see it on the big screen. 

Adventures in Graphic Novels

Smith, J. (2005). Bone: Out From Boneville. New York, NY. GRAPHIX. 9780439706407; Paperback; $12.99 (also available in hardcover, e-book, and video)

Out From Boneville is the first of 9 books that tell the story of the Bone boys - Fone Bone and his cousins Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone as they find themselves outcasted from their hometown of Boneville into a desert where they are separated by a swarm of locusts. The story follows Fone Bone in his journey to locate his cousins and get back on the road to finding their way back home. Along the way, Fone Bone is chased by rat creatures who keep threatening to bake him in a quiche, protected by a red dragon who seems to only appear to him, and helped by a beautiful human girl named Thorn and her cow-racing Granny. Will Fone Bone and his cousins be reunited before the rat creatures get to practice their culinary skills on them? Will anyone ever believe Fone Bone about the big red dragon who keeps helping him? You’ll have to read the whole series to find out!

If you are more into watching than reading, there is a great animation up on YouTube.com that enacts the entire volume:

There is also a video game available through TellTale Games. Their website is: https://web.archive.org/web/20070304215937/http://www.telltalegames.com:80/bone?

Urban legends at their finest in horror

Kurtagich, D. (2016). And The Trees Crept In. New York, NY. Little, Brown and Company. 978-0316298704; Hardback; $17.99 (also available in e-book, audio book, and audio cd)

When Silla and Nori run away from home to live with their aunt Cath, they assume their lives will get better. Instead, Aunt Cath tells them stories of The Creeper Man, a child-stealing demon that lives in the woods. Silla thinks it’s all just a joke until Aunt Cath goes mad and locks herself in the attic - that’s when the trees begin moving closer. As Silla struggles to keep her and her sister safe from The Creeper Man, she struggles to stay sane as well. Will The Creeper Man come and take Nori away? Will they live to tell the tale? Twist your way through this lyrical story to find out!

This book deals with abuse - readers beware!

Check out the author's website for even more spooky praise and reviews (plus book trailers!) http://www.dawnkurtagich.com/and-the-trees-crept-in/

The absolutely heart-wrenching story of a different culture

Alexie, S. (2007). The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York, NY. Little, Brown and Company. 9780316013697; Paperback; $15.99 (also available in hard cover, audio book, and e-book)

Arnold Spirit, Jr., or Junior as he’s known on the reservation, wants more out of life than to follow in his parents footsteps and remain a poor Spokane Indian on the reservation. He decides to switch to a white school off the “rez” but he quickly finds himself outcasted at both his new school and on the rez. His best friend, Rowdy, won’t talk to him anymore, he is booed and shunned at his old school during basketball games, and his sister moves to Montana to be with her new husband, so Junior makes light of the situation through his drawings. Although his life is never easy, Junior still has a way of laughing through it. Will Junior and Rowdy be friends again? Will he ever fit in...anywhere?

Here's a list of the awards this book has won:

National Book Award for Young People's Literature

American Indian Youth Literature Awards for Best Young Adult Book

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry

Odyssey Award for best audiobook for children or young adults

California Young Reader Medal

Here's an article that Sherman Alexie wrote regarding the censorship of his book (and all teen books, really): Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood

If you want to know more about Sherman Alexie and his books, his website is: http://fallsapart.com/

Street Lit romance

Buckhanon, K. (2005). Upstate. New York, NY. St. Martin’s Press. 0312332688; Hardback; $19.95 (also available in audio book, paperback, and e-book)

“Dear Natasha, Baby the first thing I need to know from you is do you believe I killed my father? I need to know if you believe what everybody saying about me because I need to know if you got my back.” (p2). “Dear Antonio, What happened? Did you kill him? Did you really do it?” (p5). When Antonio gets arrested, tried, and convicted for his father’s murder, he and his girlfriend Natasha promise to stay together and keep in touch through writing letters back and forth for the duration of his 10 year sentence. Antonio struggles to hold on to who he really is while locked up but Natasha struggles to let go of who she used to be on the outside as they grow together and apart through their letters. Once Natasha makes up her mind about leaving Antonio to go live her life, Antonio struggles with wondering if the whole world is leaving him behind and if he and Natasha could ever find a way to be together again.

This book won the Terry McMillan Young Author Award as well as an American Library Association ALEX Award, Audie award for Literary Fiction, and Hurston-Wright Foundation Debut Fiction nomination. 

This would be a great book for anyone dealing with a tough relationship or with friends or family in prison. 

You can check out the book (and author's) website: http://www.kalisha.com/books/upstate/

 

Some lighthearted drama in chick lit

Bates, M. (2014). Awkwardly Ever After. New York, NY. Kensington Publishing Corp. 9780758295163; Paperback; $9.95

Mackenzie and Logan are THE it couple right now at Smith High, which is weird because Mackenzie is queen of the geeks and Logan is destined for Prom King, but now that these two have hit it off, maybe anything can happen! Mackenzie’s best friend, Melanie, was supposed to be set up with Logan’s best friend, Spencer but Melanie has someone else in mind and can’t think of a way to tell Mackenzie “Sorry Mackenzie. I’d just rather date your little brother than your boyfriend’s best friend. That’s fine with you right?” (pg. 14) When Melanie ditches her friend Isobel with Spencer to chase after Mackenzie’s brother, Isobel finds herself trying to figure out why Spencer even wants to hang out with her. When he asks her to prom, she thinks “It had to be some kind of setup... Geeky girl goes to prom only to find out that it was one big joke cooked up by the popular kids at her high school” (pg 109). Well, Isobel plays along because her favorite band has announced that will play at her prom because the lead singer is dating Smith High’s very own Corey O’Neal! Will Corey be able to come to terms with Tim’s rockstar lifestyle AND handle the strain of homophobic protesters outside his own prom? Will Melanie ever be able to follow her heart? Will Isobel find out what Spencer’s real motives are? Find out if everyone gets their Awkwardly Ever After.

Here's my booktalk video:

Marni Bates has her own website if you want to learn more about her other books in this series: https://marnibates.com/about/

Horror in the woods

Hartinger, B. (2016). Three Truths and a Lie. New York, NY. Simon Pulse. 9781481449601; Hardback; $17.99 (also available in ebook, audio book, paperback)

Have you ever played three truths and a lie? The object of the game is to figure out which statement is a lie by looking at the speaker’s tells. Couples Rob and Liam and Mia and Galen decide to play when they get stuck indoors during a particularly rainy night at Mia’s family’s cabin in the Pacific Northwest. However, for Rob, Liam, Mia, and Galen, the object of the game morphs from figuring out the lie to figuring out who is trying to scare, or worse, kill them and why. As the weekend goes on, everyone reveals that they have secrets, deadly secrets, and not everyone who started playing the game will make it out alive. So, are you ready to play Three Truths and a Lie?

This book includes mentions of drugs, sex, homosexuality, and quite obviously violence - best suited for high school aged kids and up.

Here is the author's book trailer for Three Truths and a Lie:

If you would like to read an excerpt to see if it's for you, one is available at the publisher's website: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Three-Truths-and-a-Lie/Brent-Hartinger/9781481449601

Ghosts, Love, Horror.

Blake, K. (2011). Anna Dressed in Blood. New York, NY. Tor Teen. 9780765328656; Hardback; $10.99 (also available in ebook, paperback, and audiobook)

Cas is just your typical teenage ghost hunter, moving around the country with his witch-mom and demon sniffing cat to rid the world of murderous spiritual leftovers. Wait, what? When Cas is enrolled at his new, new, new, new high school, he doesn’t plan on making friends since he knows he’s there for just one reason - to kill a ghost named Anna Dressed In Blood who haunts a spooky old mansion and kills any person who trespasses there. However, a group of fellow students follow him to Anna’s mansion one night and find themselves fighting for their lives against Anna Dressed in Blood. Despite the fact that Cas is there to kill Anna and that Anna’s whole purpose is to kill anyone who enters her home, Anna spares Cas’s life and somehow Anna and Cas become close - too close. As they get to know and fall for each other, Cas wonders if he can even go through with killing Anna. Will Anna Dressed in Blood be the first ghost Cas can’t kill?

Excitingly, this book has a sequel (Keep your eye out for my booktalk of it!) AND is in the works to become a movie adaptation! Here's the press release: http://deadline.com/2016/05/anna-dressed-in-blood-movie-maddie-hasson-cameron-monaghan-stephenie-meyer-1201748437/

Fantastic Fantasy

Collins, S. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York, NY. Scholastic. 97804390232528; Paperback; $8.99 (also available in e-book, audio book, and hard cover)

Once each year a boy and a girl are chosen from each district of what’s left of North America to fight to the death in the Hunger Games - a nationally televised event where the participants are pit against each other in an unknown territory to fight to be the last tribute standing. When Katniss Everdeen’s little sister gets chosen as a tribute, she fears her sister cannot survive the brutality of the games. Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place since she knows she has a better chance of surviving the games than her younger sister and this is her last effort to keep her family safe. Katniss knows she’s good with a bow and arrow, but will that be enough to keep her alive during the Hunger Games?

This novel was also adapted for the big screen with an all-star cast. Check out the trailer:

You can also check out the Hunger Games Wiki: http://thehungergames.wikia.com/wiki/The_Hunger_Games

And the series' website can be found here: http://www.scholastic.com/thehungergames/

LGBTQ Fiction

Katcher, B. (2009). Almost Perfect. New York, NY. Delacorte Press. 9780385736640; Paperback; $9.99

Logan Witherspoon, a track star at his small town high school, has his world turned upside down when  his girlfriend of 3 years cheats on him. He thinks he’ll never get over her until a new girl comes to school. Sage Hendricks is unlike any other girl Logan has ever known - she’s exceptionally tall, funny, charming, and beautiful. As Logan and Sage fall head-over-heels for each other, Logan finally finds out the secret that Sage has been hiding from him and the world - she was born a boy. This secret comes with many troubles for Sage and Logan as Logan finds himself grappling with his feelings for the girl that was “Almost Perfect.”

Check out the author's website: http://briankatcher.com/

This book won the Stonewall Book Award (2011) and was an honorable book in the James Cook Book Award (2011)

Realistic Fiction

Asher, J. (2007). Th1rteen R3asons Why. New York, NY. Penguin Group. 978-1595141712; Hardback; $17.99 (also available in paperback, audio book, and ebook)

How would you cope with your crush committing suicide? What would you do if afterwards, you received a box of cassette tapes that explain why it happened and one of the tapes was addressed to you? When Clay receives a box of cassettes after his classmate, Hannah, commits suicide, he has no idea that they will change his life, but shortly, he’ll learn how he could have potentially saved Hannah’s after listening to her “Thirteen Reasons Why.” This book is written from both the perspective of Clay and Hannah – Clay in the current moment and Hannah through her recorded tapes. It’s easy to tell the difference between the two voices since Hannah’s words are written in italics and separated from Clays with the play, pause, and stop symbols. Reading both sides of the story really puts Hannah’s struggles in perspective with what Clay and the outside world saw in Hannah. Even though we already know what happens to Hannah from the very beginning, the mystery of why it happens unfolds and it’s impossible to keep yourself from trying to figure out ways to change Hannah’s mind. Hopefully, after hearing Hannah’s story, all of us will be able to recognize the warning signs and keep others from finding their own “Thirteen Reasons Why.”

Check out the book's website at http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/
Also, the book has a Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/thirteenreasonswhybook
Also, also, Selena Gomez stars as Hannah in the mini series on Netflix!

Uproariously Funny and Informative Nonfiction

Burcaw, S. (2014). Laughing at my nightmare. New York, NY. Roaring Book Press. 978-1-62672-007-7; hardback; $17.99

(also available in ebook, paperback, and audiobook)

Laughing at my nightmare is a hilarious memoir written by Shane Burcaw about his life growing up with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and his quest to make sure everyone he encounters knows that he’s not mentally handicapped – just physically handicapped. He chronicles his life from childhood through his early 20s when he started his successful blog, Laughing at my nightmare, and non-profit of the same name. Shane wholeheartedly believes that laughter can be the best medicine and hopes that you laugh with him, at him, near him – because as long as you are laughing, you can get through anything.

Instead of writing about his disease as a struggle, Shane writes about struggles that all teenagers go through but with an added obstacle of having zero control over his body. Due to the language and some of the subject matter, this book would be most enjoyable for high schoolers looking to read a nonfiction book about someone who understands just how awkward being different from everyone else can be. This is also a great book to read if you want to learn more about SMA and growing up with a disability, however, because of some of the comments made about mental disabilities, proceed with caution if that is a sensitive subject area for you.

Shane’s blog can be found at laughingatmynightmare.tumblr.com and his foundation at www.laughingatmynightmare.com.

A Gripping Historical Fiction

Zusak, M. (2006). The Book Thief. New York; NY. Alfred A. Knopf. 9780385754729; Paperback; $7.79

(also available in hardcover, audiobook, ebook, and now a major motion picture)

The Book Thief takes place between 1939-1943 in Nazi Germany and follows the life of Liesel Meminger, a young girl living in an impoverished area of Molching, Germany, as narrated by Death while he tries to make sense of the happenings of World War II. Liesel was adopted by her new family when her mother and father were found out to be communists during Hitler’s reign. She has never been a great reader, but is drawn to books and steals titles that hold a significant meaning to her. As her reading skills grow, her storytelling helps her neighbors during the air raids and her family while hiding a Jewish man in their basement. Liesel’s opinions of the Nazi party shift as her family’s kindness toward this “dangerous” stranger in their basement teach her compassion and tolerance – qualities that will follow her throughout her life.

To say this book is haunting is an understatement. It transports you to one of the darkest times in human history and makes you feel like you are living right next to Liesel Meminger on Himmel Street. History has taught us the events of the Holocaust, but after reading this story, the events of World War II will feel less like a fact in a history book and more like a lived memory of your own. With Death as the narrator, it’s easy to relate the prejudices of the past to those still present today, which makes The Book Thief relevant no matter what year you live in. While the story focuses on a young girl, boys and girls of all ages can benefit from and relate to the story of Liesel and the kids on Himmel Street.

For more information about the book, author, movie, or to find discussion questions for book clubs, visit: http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/.

A Fast Classic

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. 978-0-06-440731-1; paperback; $7.99

(Available in hardcover, paperback, e-book, audiobook, and graphic novel)

Monster is about the felony murder trial of 16-year-old Steve Harmon. Steve has been implicated in the robbery and murder of a convenience store clerk and despite a lack of evidence against him, his defense attorney must fight to prove his innocence against the jury and prosecution’s preconceived notions about the character of a young black man from an impoverished neighborhood. The story is written from the perspective of Steve Harmon in jail while he waits for the trial as well as during the trial itself. Steve has decided that the only way he can stay sane in these unthinkable circumstances is to view his life as a movie and the novel reads like a movie script.

This book has been recognized with the Michael L. Printz Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Award for subject matter that is still a hot topic in the United States justice system today with the Black Lives Matter movement. This book is a great, nail-biting look into the prejudices of the justice system toward the African-American community. At 281 pages, Monster is a surprisingly fast read that will haunt you long after Steve Harmon’s trial is over.