Children’s / Teenage fiction: Horror and ghost stories

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Book SynopsisNothing ever happens on the Otter Lake reservation. But when 16-year-old Tiffany discovers her father is renting out her room, she's deeply upset. Sure, their guest is polite and keeps to himself, but he's also a little creepy. Little do Tiffany, her father, or even her astute Granny Ruth suspect the truth. The mysterious Pierre L'Errant is actually a vampire, returning to his tribal home after centuries spent in Europe. But Tiffany has other things on her mind: her new boyfriend is acting weird, disputes with her father are escalating, and her estranged mother is starting a new life with somebody else. Fed up and heartsick, Tiffany threatens drastic measures and flees into the bush. There, in the midnight woods, a chilling encounter with L'Errant changes everything ...for both of them. A mesmerizing blend of Gothic thriller and modern coming-of-age novel, The Night Wanderer is unlike any other vampire story.

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Book SynopsisThe Boon family story and their indefatigable gallows humor are Benny Lindelauf's literary memorial to those persecuted by history. A ghost story, a fantasy, a historical novel, and literary fiction all wrapped into one, this highly awarded novel for young readers begins with the Boon family's move to an isolated, dilapidated house. Is it the site of a haunting tragedy, as one of the daughters believes, or an end to all their worries, as their father hopes? The novel's gripping language, enriched by Yiddish, German, and Dutch dialect, plunges the reader into the world of a large, colorful, motherless family.Trade ReviewA 2015 Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book "Every element of the tale has a purpose, and in the end, the multiple layers of past and present separate and come together in surprising, often discomfiting twists and turns... A challenging and entirely unique Dutch import." -- STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews "Nine Open Arms is welcome proof that young adult publishers recognise the value of translated fiction, too. Originally published in 2003, Nine Open Arms has won several esteemed awards in its native Holland." -- Emily Gale, Readings "Delightfully wild and incredibly quirky, this book is one of a kind... Beautifully written, magnificently crafted, this Dutch novel is like nothing you have read before." -- Waking Brain Cells "Lindelauf's masterful rendering of fraught yet loving sisterly ties, snappy dialogue, graveyard mysteries, and "traces of a tragical tragedy" from generations past combine to humorous and poignant effect in this gripping tale of eclectic families and inveterate wanderers in search of a welcoming home." -- STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly "A family of nine moves into the titular rundown brick house in 1930s Holland and tries to figure out its mysteries, including the tombstone in the cellar, a forbidden room, and the homeless man who moves into the hedge." -- The Horn Book "Ultimately, this is a story about storytelling, and it's sure to appeal to readers who dote on Roald Dahl or Polly Horvath and are willing to go further abroad." -- Francisca Goldsmith, Booklist

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Book SynopsisEdge-of-your-seat YA horror perfect for fans of Stranger Things Growing up, Cori, Maz, and Sam were inseparable best friends, sharing their love for Halloween, arcade games, and one another. Now it’s 1992, Sam has been missing for five years, and Cori and Maz aren’t speaking anymore. How could they be, when Cori is sure Sam is dead and Maz thinks he may have been kidnapped by a supernatural pinball machine? These days, all Maz wants to do is party, buy CDs at Sam Goody, and run away from his past. Meanwhile, Cori is a homecoming queen, hiding her abiding love of horror movies and her queer self under the bubblegum veneer of a high school queen bee. But when Sam returns—still twelve years old while his best friends are now seventeen—Maz and Cori are thrown back together to solve the mystery of what really happened to Sam the night he went missing. Beneath the surface of that mystery lurk secrets the friends never told one another, then and now. And Sam’s is the darkest of all . . . Award-winning author of If You Could Be Mine and Here to Stay Sara Farizan delivers edge-of-your-seat terror as well as her trademark referential humor, witty narration, and insightful characters.

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Book SynopsisGrowing up, Cori, Maz, and Sam were inseparable best friends, sharing their love for Halloween, arcade games, and one another. Now it's 1992, Sam has been missing for five years, and Cori and Maz aren't speaking anymore. How could they be, when Cori is sure Sam is dead and Maz thinks he may have been kidnapped by a supernatural pinball machine?These days, all Maz wants to do is party, buy CDs at Sam Goody, and run away from his past. Meanwhile, Cori is a homecoming queen, hiding her abiding love of horror movies and her queer self under the bubblegum veneer of a high school queen bee. But when Sam returns-still twelve years old while his best friends are now seventeen-Maz and Cori are thrown back together to solve the mystery of what really happened to Sam the night he went missing. Beneath the surface of that mystery lurk secrets the friends never told one another, then and now. And Sam's is the darkest of all . . .Award-winning author of If You Could Be Mine and Here to Stay Sara Farizan delivers edge-of-your-seat terror as well as her trademark referential humour, witty narration, and insightful characters.

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Book SynopsisOrder now and receive the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last-featuring gorgeous sprayed edges, as well as exclusive special design features. This breathtaking collectible is only available on a limited first print run, a must-have for any book lover while supplies last in the US and Canada only.The instant New York Times bestseller"This beguiling series opener...checks all the boxes for romantasy veterans." - Publishers WeeklyThe scariest school on earthIs about to experience real fear...Most schools are about being the best. This school? It's about being the worst. Calder Academy is where the rogue paranormals go. The ones who break the rules or lose control. And when that happens for vamps, werewolves, witches, and dark fae? It gets pretty freaking scary.I should know. Because I'm trapped here.Look, every seventeen-year-old girl thinks their mom is a tyrant. But mine just happens to run Calder Academy, which paints a giant target on my back. The way I make it through these dark halls is by steering clear of the things-and kids-who go bump in the night.Especially Jude Abernathy-Lee.But when a freak storm hits our isolated island, I'm stuck without a backup plan. The power is gone. The lights are out. And our worst nightmares are suddenly real-and out for blood.Now the only way to survive is to align myself with one evil to avoid the other.And the only thing worse than the idea of getting close to Jude? Secretly loving every minute of it. The Calder Academy series is best enjoyed in order.Reading Order:Book #1 Sweet NightmareBook #2 Sweet ChaosBook #3 Sweet Vengeance

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Book Synopsis“I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is not truly one, but truly two.” In a quest to discover his inner self, celebrated physician Dr Henry Jekyll, uncovers a monster. At first he attempts to conceal this but gradually Hyde becomes stronger and stronger, dominating Jekyll and ultimately destroying them both. First published to immediate acclaim in 1886, this mesmerising thriller is a terrifying study of the lightness and darkness living inside every human soul.

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Book SynopsisThere is magic and mystery surrounding the vale of Sleepy Hollow. It is home to a host of ghostly sounds and goblin spectres, none more infamous than the Headless Horseman. This figure rides out in the witching hour of night. If one is not careful, a traveller can lose everything in one evening – their wits, their heart, their head… The foolish school teacher, Ichabod Crane, is besotted with the lovely Katrina Van Tassel. Surely there can be nothing to stand in the way of his designs on her fortune. Sadly for him, imagination is a dangerous thing in Sleepy Hollow, and Katrina is in the sights of another who claims to have bettered the Horseman in a race. Which suitor will succeed and which is destined to become part of Sleepy Hollow’s legend forevermore?

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Book SynopsisMia’s best friend Holly died when they were thirteen. But years later, Holly still hasn’t left her. Spending the summer in New York, Mia is hoping to escape the visions of Holly that haunt her life at home. There she meets Rav, a parapsychology student, who convinces her to take part in a study into why some people see ghosts. Soon she is caught up in the investigation of Halcyon House, which is reputed to be haunted by a poltergeist. As Mia confronts her fears, what she learns about the house and herself will change her life forever. A tense psychological thriller for fans of ONE OF US IS LYING, A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER and THIS LIE WILL KILL YOU.

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Book SynopsisA darkly comic Dickensian ghost story from Blue Peter Award winner Gareth P. Jones: it's not the dead you'll need to worry about!Sam Toop lives in a funeral parlour, blessed (or cursed) with an unusual gift. While his father buries the dead, Sam is haunted by their constant demands for attention. Trouble is afoot on the 'other side' - there is a horrible disease that is mysteriously imprisoning ghosts into empty houses in the world of the living. And Sam is caught in the middle - will he be able to bring himself to help?Blue Peter Award winner Gareth P. Jones has woven a darkly comic story, a wonderfully funny adventure that roams the grimy streets of Victorian London.Trade ReviewFunny, gruesome and scary, with the great setting of a funeral parlour, this is an action packed adventure full of the darker and dirtier details of life in Victorian London. * Lovereading4kids *With an appealingly gothic setting, this pacey and exciting mystery perfectly blends comedy with the dark, spooky and supernatural. There are plenty of funny and gruesome moments that will appeal to young readers; but this is also a well-researched, thoughtful and compassionate novel, that takes inspiration from the Victorian preoccupation with mourning and death. Jones skilfully manages a complex series of interlocking storylines and an engaging cast of characters in this witty, action-packed and hugely entertaining ghost story. * Booktrust *This is a wonderful tale of crime, retribution and spiritualism, set in a richly historical London full of Fagin-like thieves and bent policemen. Jones balances the razor-sharp wit and huge cast of characters with a genuinely gory and chilling underbelly that asks questions about life and death. And is very funny... * Daily Mail *Constable & Toop is the perfect blend of belly laughs and supernatural scares * The Week Junior *Lost Stars is a really lovely, sweet book which I recommend for anyone looking for a reminder of what it was like to be a teenager in the 1980's but also, on a more serious note, a book about the tragedy of death and loss in the family unit and how we choose to deal with it * Swirl and Thread *

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Book SynopsisPetronella moves to Charis Cottage hidden in the thick dark woods at the bottom of a track on the outskirts of Fort Willow. Everything is perfect. Except for one thing. Since she moved an enormous black tree has appeared in her back garden in the shape of a giant with a big black circle on the ground under it. Petronella finds out it is a deep pit and is terrified to go near its ridge. But one night... How is the tree linked to: - The creepy night-time visits by the Hooded Horseman? - The boy ghost, Percy, Petronella finds in her bed one night? - The invasion of ghosts of the ancient Strincas population all over Fort Willow? Trade Review“Kids will like this. Girls will like it for romance and boys will like it for the scare factor.” - Ann Klausing, Bookseller for Books-A-Million“This is a cross between fantasy, horror and mythology. It reads like a fairy tale and I liked it.“Petronella and her cat are living in her cottage and doing well without the other villagers. Being a bit odd, she has a snail garden. And, one day, she notices a big black tree that she can't recall having been there before. She doesn't know it's going to play an important part in her life.“Her cat is the one that starts it all. He digs up a skull and some bones and takes them home with him. When the villagers find some other bones in the same vicinity, they dig them up, too. They think they've found a missing family and that Petronella is the killer. When the bones come back to life and they find themselves confronted with people who died long, long ago, the villagers get concerned. Especially since the murdered peasants are reclaiming their homes and land...“The Hooded Horseman (another peasant from the past) visits Petronella and tells her that she is the chosen one and has a quest to do to help the peasants and right the wrongs of the land and people long dead. Petronella is willing, even if it means visiting the equivalent of hell.“The author does a nice job of writing a tale that is unique and interesting to read. I couldn’t stop reading until I found out how it all ended. I bet you won’t be able to either.“Happy reading.” - Jo Ann Hakola, Bookseller, USA“I loved this book. The plot was unique to me and the creatures were amazing, there is no need for illustrations as the description of the characters is so good that they leap into your imagination in picture form.“This book has mild horror, adventure, and morality which all work so well together. The main character – Petronella – becomes a much loved focus of the book and the change in the village is masterfully worked. Some children may find the old English speech of some of the characters hard to adjust to but I am sure that they will get there in the end. This does make distinction between the modern time people and the ancient characters much easier.“I would be delighted to read more by this author as I found this book totally enthralling and give it a star rating of 5/5 – I loved it.” - Adele Symonds, Reviewer, UK“This was presented as a supernatural chiller and I must admit…it was a fantastic and unique read for MG and YA readers.“I do think that the author showed wonderful imagination in creating this world and these characters.” - Jolene Haley, Librarian, USA“Petronella & the Trogot is introduced as a supernatural chiller. People who lived almost 1,200 years ago, members of the Strincas civilization, start appearing and living in modern day Fort Willow. Needless to say the Strincas resurrection scares (off) many modern day citizens. If that were not enough, Bentley adds a hooded horseman (think Legend of Sleepy Hollow) and a black, evil monster tree in Petronella’s back yard.“In Part 1 one you get to know Petronella ‒ our protagonist, modern day Fort Willow inhabitants, the Strincas, and the evil Lord Fortesque. In Part 2 Petronella and Percy, a Strinca, investigate the tree and find themselves on a journey. Their journey is similar to Dante’s Inferno with a modern twist...“Let me put my teacher hat on for a minute…I think this novel would be a good companion to students reading Dante’s Inferno. As much as I enjoy the Inferno, a lot of time must be spent on background information. Who are all these people in Dante’s hell? What did they do? Why did he punish them in this particular way? In Petronella & the Trogot, you know who all the offenders are. I enjoyed reading the novel.” - Rebecca Wallace, Educator, USA“I enjoyed reading Petronella & The Trogot; it was a chilling tale however I wasn’t fully hooked until the second part... I would liken the second part, Petronella’s journey into hell and investigation of an evil, monstrous tree in her backyard to a miniature version of Dante’s Inferno. Because Dante’s The Divine Comedy especially The Inferno is one of my favorite pieces of literature I was hooked immediately. It was almost in the same structure as the inferno as well with various ‘sinners’ having punishments that put a cruel twist on their crime. I also really liked Bentley’s creative use of language, some of the characters, ex. Strincas, had a cool old-Englishy way of speaking.“So overall this is a good read that I recommend especially for those who have a fond spot for The Inferno. It has spooky creatures, adventure, and some romance.” - Patrice Caldwell, Reviewer, USA“Petronella and The Trogot is a slightly creepy, and enchanting book. Cheryl Bentley created this very interesting and original storyline for this book. This book is a twist between supernatural and urban fantasy.“The people of Fort Willow hate Petronella, who is slightly green, walks around bare foot, and her house is in front of a giant mysterious tree. One day Petronella’s cat digs up a skull, and that day will change Fort Willow forever. After the cat digs up the skull then the skull's torso it brings to Petronella’s house, it brings the ghost of the Hooded Horseman. In the field where the cat dug up the skull torso, more skeletons were found and every skeleton put back together brought that person back to life. These people are the Ancient Strincas, and Petronella is the Chosen One who decides what happens to them.“Petronella was a fun and interesting person to read about. She was really loving and caring. Yes, she has a rough outside but on the inside she is a generally caring person. The Strincas were really interesting and fun to read about also...“For me this book was not that scary, it was thrillingly fun to read. The storyline grabs you and traps you in it for an action packed ride.“I really liked this book. Cheryl Bentley did a beautiful job on this book. Petronella and The Trogot is a riveting and action packed novel. I recommend this book for any one looking for a thrilling but fun read.” - Brittan Hardy, Reviewer“Petronella, a woman who is described as ugly, moves into a village, Fort Willow. But all is not well ‒ Strincas, the village’s inhabitants from thousands of years ago are waking up and moving in to the village and a hooded horseman tells Petronella she is the chosen one, the one that will rescue his people from the Trogot, a large tree in her garden that leads into a sort of hell/eternal punishment. Petronella, and a strincas boy Percy have to navigate their way through the Trogot to save the Strincas...“I did enjoy Part 2 of the book... It was soon revealed that the Strincas were brutally murdered by the Lord of the Manor when a thief hit his wife’s head. The hooded horseman gives Petronella a device that is able to control the Strincas and a black box that will save her but only seven times. He also tells her she is the chosen one, although he doesn’t explain what that means. Now we come to the titular Trogot, the massive black tree in Petronella’s garden, which is a gate to hell. Petronella and Percy (a Strincas boy that used to live in Petronella’s house) venture into the Trogot to look for Percy’s parents, who have been trapped there.“I have to say, the Trogot journey was my favourite bit of the book. The ideas of punishment and the way that Cheryl Bentley presented the punishment and the guardians were very interesting ideas ‒ I just wish they were a little more developed.“...I did find myself chuckling at some of the funnier lines.” - Laura Noakes, Reviewer, UK “Full of ghosts and ghoulies, this is an imaginative tale.” - Bertrams Book Wholesalers

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Book SynopsisThe blood Feeds the hunger That threatens everything It starts when Claudia offers her a yellow rose. Immy has been in love before – many times, across many lifetimes. But never as deeply, as intensely as this. Claudia has never been in love like this either. But then, this is her first time with a vampire. The forbidden thirst for blood runs deep in Immy. And within her mind clamour the voices, of all the others she has been, their desires, and their wrongs. A unique verse novel by the award-winning author of The Deepest Breath and The Space Between.Trade Review"By linking vampirism to themes of queer desire and community as well as repeating personal cycles, Grehan freshens an old trope, building both a central romance and lifetimes-long connections that are by turns realistically sweet and thorny." * Publishers Weekly, starred review *"Grehan’s verse novel skilfully charts uncertainty, temptation and the course of a strange, desperate love." -- Imogen Russell Williams * The Guardian *"Emotionally rich and gloriously queer." * Kirkus, starred review *"A fresh, dark take on the vampire myth and desire, Baby Teeth shows vampires haunted by their pasts and memories, where immortality is not one long life but a broken patchwork of different experiences. It will twine around your heart and bite, ever so gently. I adored it.” -- Helen Corcoran"Delicious and unsettling." -- Claire Hennessey * The Irish Times *"An intense, immersive read from one of Ireland’s most interesting and innovative young writers." -- Sarah Webb * Irish Independent *"Grehan evocatively conjures Immy’s tragic sense of isolation and hard-won self-acceptance." * Financial Times *'Grehan is not the first Irish writer to push the boundaries of vampire fiction ... Yet Grehan delves much deeper into the risky relationship between vampire and lover, as a means of exploring modern LGBTQ identity for her young adult readership.' -- Pet O'Connell * The Echo *"It’s personal. Powerful. Passionate." -- Hanna-Rose Sullivan * Paper Lanterns *'Beautifully crafted.' * Kirkus, 'Best of 2022: Our Favourite Teen & YA Books' list *"Absolutely beautiful." * Down the Rabbit Hole *"This enchanting work is an excellent addition to LGBTQIA+ and verse novel collections." * School Library Journal *"Grehan keeps the vampiric vibes flowing with this unique, darkly beautiful and emotional read." * CultureFly *"Baby Teeth is an unexpected LGBTQ+ novel in verse; it takes elements of horror and mixes them with romance, resulting in a changeling of a book that reimagines vampire myths for the twenty-first century. * Foreword Reviews *"...queer vampire stories are still relatively uncommon, and this will be welcomed." * Booklist *"This book is heady, it pulls you into it, capturing so beautifully love and longing, particularly between women. A moving story of what it is to be accepted for who you are completely." ***** reader review * Swear by the Books *"Very weirdly uniquely wonderful." * NetGalley *"I'll be delighted to recommend this book to a wide range of folks who are looking for something fresh and attractive." * NetGalley *"Soft and sweet, tender and dark, and helplessly sad. The desire-filled romance evokes a specific type of fresh, earthy, heartfelt sapphic wonder which I absolutely adore." * NetGalley *"A really engaging read." * NetGalley *"I am such a sucker for a novel in verse and this was excellent." * NetGalley *"I recommend it to anyone who needs more sapphic vampires in their lives." * NetGalley *"I highly recommend this book, especially if you love paranormal stories or just want to try out a lyrical novel in verse story. BUT SERIOUSLY A NOVEL IN VERSE FEATURING A SAPPHIC VAMPIRE!! YOU ALL NEED IT." * NetGalley *"An absolutely lovely little book with beautiful writing. There needs to be more sapphic vampires because hello wow." * NetGalley *"Recommend for those looking for something new in their reading routine." * NetGalley *"I loved this, this was an amazingly written story! There isn't enough sapphic stories but this sapphic vampire one is amazing." * NetGalley *'It's toasty, ribbon in hair, sexy, lusty, heart breaking, woods, moss, cottagecore vibes.' * NetGalley *'I would recommend this to anyone who likes novels in verse, vampires and lesbian stories.' * NetGalley *

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