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: