Children’s / Teenage fiction: Horror and ghost stories

Book SynopsisThis house eats and is eaten . . . "A riveting debut from a remarkable new voice! Trang Thanh Tran weaves an impressive gothic mystery in which Jade's father is determined to restore a decrepit home to its former glory and Jade is the only person who feels the soul-crushing devastation of colonialism lingering within its walls." --Angeline Boulley, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Firekeeper's Daughter A House with a terrifying appetite haunts a broken family in this atmospheric horror, perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic. When Jade Nguyen arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father, she has one goal: survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house Ba is restoring. She’s always lied to fit in, so if she’s straight enough, Vietnamese enough, American enough, she can get out with the college money he promised. But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. The walls exude a thrumming sound while bugs leave their legs and feelers in places they don’t belong. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. And at night Jade can’t ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves cryptic warnings: Don’t eat. Neither Ba nor her sweet sister Lily believe that there is anything strange happening. With help from a delinquent girl, Jade will prove this house--the home they have always wanted--will not rest until it destroys them. Maybe, this time, she can keep her family together. As she roots out the house’s rot, she must also face the truth of who she is and who she must become to save them all.Trade ReviewA riveting debut from a remarkable new voice! Trang Thanh Tran weaves an impressive gothic mystery in which Jade's father is determined to restore a decrepit home to its former glory and Jade is the only person who feels the soul-crushing devastation of colonialism lingering within its walls. * Angeline Boulley, #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER *She Is a Haunting is a beguiling feast of a book that drew me in immediately with its exquisitely unsettling atmosphere, vivid prose, and creeping horrors—both supernatural and all too human. * Kate Alice Marshall, author of I AM STILL ALIVE and RULES FOR VANISHING *Electric and unsettling with a deliciously rich theme readers will sink their teeth into, She Is a Haunting is my absolute favorite new entry in the gothic genre. Layers of identity, fright, and heartfelt romance are tenderly laid one over the other, creating a richly complex story that questions the very nature of a haunting. Trang Thanh Tran is a force to be reckoned with. * Courtney Gould, award-winning author of THE DEAD AND THE DARK *

Read more less

Book SynopsisInstant New York Times bestseller! At Camp Mirror Lake, terror is the name of the game . . . but can you survive the night? This heart-pounding slasher by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Fear Street. Charity has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in this full-contact terror game, as Charity and her summer crew recreate scenes from a classic slasher film, The Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic the fear, the better for business. But the last weekend of the season, Charity’s co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity’s role as the final girl suddenly becomes all too real. If Charity and her girlfriend Bezi hope to survive the night, they’ll need figure out what this killer is after. As they unravel the bloody history of the real Mirror Lake, Charity discovers that there may be more to the story than she ever suspected . . .Trade ReviewA spine-tingling camp slasher with a cast of characters you can’t help but root for. * Ryan Douglass, author of New York Times bestseller THE TAKING OF JAKE LIVINGSTON *Delightfully creepy. . . . Plan to read You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight under a blanket with a flashlight, but only if you’re willing to stay up late. As horror fans know, there’s always one last twist at the end. * BookPage *Bayron’s abundant use of familiar twists and turns draw on the genre’s classic predecessors to craft a gory and darkly funny read that is sure to satisfy slasher fans. * Publishers Weekly *In this latest novel, Bayron (My Dear Henry, 2023) integrates the traditional conventions of a slasher novel with the story of a queer, Black girl protagonist who subverts the trope of 'Black people dying first.' Bayron's foray into the YA horror space helps continue the effort of decentering whiteness in the genre. The overall campiness of the novel will appeal to fans of ’90s horror films, and make the book as fun as it is terrifying. * Booklist *Kalynn Bayron's writing is alchemy itself, blending contemporary fantasy with a dose of haunting mystery and a dropper of gothic fiction. An intoxicating tale about the power of about Black motherhood and daughterhood, and family bonds that can't be broken. Like the poisonous plants Briseis tends to, This Poison Heart is mesmerizing and beautiful. * Tracy Deonn, New York Times bestselling author of LEGENDBORN, on THIS POISON HEART *Thrilling and magnetic, This Poison Heart pulses with true Black girl magic and endless mystery. * Julian Winters, award-winning author of RUNNING WITH LIONS, on THIS POISON HEART *A verdant read as rich as the greenery within it, This Poison Heart will wrap its vines around you and never let go. * Kayla Ancrum, author of THE WICKER KING, on THIS POISON HEART *Bayron takes an old story, turns it on its head, and makes it her own with a stunning display of pacing, character, and legacy. * E. K. Johnston, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on THIS POISON HEART *This Poison Heart masterfully weaves a unique story grounded in the depths of Greek mythology and Black girlhood, ideal for lovers of folklore or those who enjoy the thrill of a well-paced and unanticipated adventure. * Booklist, starred review, on THIS POISON HEART *Bayron weaves science and Greek mythology into a captivating lore that lends weight to this fantastical contemporary story. She conjures entertaining and realistic dialogue and attentive characterization, while incisive descriptions and sumptuous prose evoke a wonderfully gothic atmosphere. * Publishers Weekly, starred review, on THIS POISON HEART *Kalynn Bayron does more than re-write a fairy-tale. . . . She breaks it apart and rebuilds it into a wholly original and captivating story where girls finally decide for themselves who lives happily ever after. * Brigid Kemmerer, author of the New York Times bestselling Cursebreaker series, on CINDERELLA IS DEAD *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisMr. and Mrs. Noodleman don't know what to do. They've left city life behind and moved to the country with hopes of being farmers. But their dreams turn grim when nightly visits from Boo Cow scare the Noodlemans' hens so much, they won't lay any eggs! These first-time farmers are at a loss. Why is Boo Cow haunting them, and how can they banish this ghostly bovine visitor? Baehr's fun and accessible text make this book a great read-aloud. With unexpected twists and turns, BOO COW keeps readers guessing as they attempt to solve the mystery on the Noodlemans' farm.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first book in the spine-tingling Dark Matter trilogy about the frightening effects of a biological experiment gone wrong.An epidemic is sweeping the country. It spreads fast, mercilessly. Everyone will be infected. . . . It is only a matter of time. You are now under quarantine.Young teen Callie might have been one of the first to survive the disease, but unfortunately she didn't survive the so-called treatment. She was kidnapped and experimented upon at a secret lab, one that works with antimatter. When she breaks free of her prison, she unleashes a wave of destruction. Meanwhile her older brother Kai is looking for her, along with his smart new friend Shay, who was the last to see Callie alive.Amid the chaos of the spreading epidemic, the teens must find the source of disease. Could Callie have been part of an experiment in biological warfare? Who is behind the research? And more importantly, is there a cure?

Read more less

Book SynopsisSofia is new in town, desperate for a fresh start at her new school. On her first day, she meets three seemingly perfect girls who invite her into their circle. Sofia's expectations are shattered when her new friends kidnap Brooklyn, a troubled classmate, and attempt to save her. The girls stage an exorcism, but their efforts spiral wildly out of control. Over the course of one weekend, Sofia will learn more than she ever bargained for about friendship, secrets, and the terrifying darkness of the human soul. In an astonishing final showdown, Sofia will learn who is good and who is evil. What she discovers is the biggest surprise of all...Trade Review"This pulse-pounding, debut novel creates a wickedly creepy atmosphere where mean girls quickly turn homicidal." - SLJ

Read more less

Book SynopsisJust back from rehab, Casey regrets letting her friends Shana, Julie, and Aya talk her into coming to Survive the Night, an all-night, underground rave in a New York City subway tunnel. Surrounded by frightening drugs and menacing strangers, Casey doesn't think Survive the Night could get any worse...until she comes across Julie's mutilated body in a dank, black subway tunnel, red-eyed rats nibbling at her fingers. Casey thought she was just off with some guy - no one could hear her getting torn apart over the sound of pulsing music. And by the time they get back to the party, everyone is gone. Desperate for help, Casey and her friends find themselves running through the putrid subway tunnels, searching for a way out. But every manhole is sealed shut, and every noise echoes eerily in the dark, reminding them they're not alone. They're being hunted. Trapped underground with someone or something out to get them, Casey can't help but listen to Aya's terrified refrain: "We're all going to die down here."Trade Review"Vega morphs a teen-rebellion story into horror and does a nifty job with both...scary and gory, tailor-made for fans of the genre." —Kirkus Reviews"Readers will be glued to the pages, trying to figure out who or what is the terror that lurks beneath the surface." —Booklist"With this pulse-pounding, nail-biting novel from the author of The Merciless, Vega creates immediately likable and relatable characters." —School Library Journal"This exhilarating teen thriller will appeal to readers who crave a nail-biting page-turner." —School Library Connection

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Ira Fishman wins a prize in the machine outside a candy store, he’s disappointed it’s not the squirt gun he had his eye on. The little black plastic box looks like a camera, but when Ira presses the green button on top, nothing happens. After dinner that night, Ira can’t believe what he sees in his room: a boy with the same clothes—and face—as Ira! He tries to get this second Ira to leave, but it’s no use. Deciding to have a little fun, Ira makes the boy go to school in his place—but it’s a disaster. The new Ira isn’t good at math like the real Ira, and he’s horrible at softball. Worst of all, he plays with the girls during recess! Ira’s clone is ruining his rep—fast. And when a third Ira shows up, Ira number one has to find a way to make the others disappear for good before his whole world is turned upside down. But how do you get rid of yourself?

Read more less

Book SynopsisRandi and her twin brother, Tyler, didn’t think it was such a great idea for their family to spend the summer in a vacant house in a small town called Blairingville. Boringville seemed more like it. But as it turns out, the vacation was anything but boring! There’s a surprise in every closet here—and not the good kind. Alien creatures are lurking, mysterious dolls are growing, and there’s a sinister twelve-year-old boy with a powerful hypnotic pendant who may hold the key to the entire mystery. Now if Randi can just escape a monster’s clutches, send some space visitors back to who knows where, and regain control of her free will, she might just get her family back home in one piece. It’s another scary good read from the master of shriek-out-loud horror, R.L. Stine.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis used to be such a nice, quiet town. But that was before all the zombies. When twelve-year-old Mike and his friend, Karen, go to see a horror movie called Zombie Town, the last thing they expect is for the title characters to come down off the screen and chase them through the theater. And it’s not popcorn these hungry creatures want to chomp on—it’s human brains! Now Mike and Karen frantically try to flee through the panicked streets of their hometown before shuffling bands of zombies turn every last citizen into a ravenous flesh-eater. But if Mike thinks he’ll be safe once he reaches his house and warns Mom and Dad, he’d better think again. When the zombies say it’s lunchtime, no home is safe! Zombie Town is R.L. Stine’s delightfully spooky take on the horror genre that’s infecting the world, bite by bite.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat if everyone you love was snatched away or permamently changed? The sci-fi mystery deepens in Deception, book 2 of the Dark Matter trilogy, as teens Kai and Shay search for answers and each other.Shay believes she is a carrier of a deadly disease. She survives the Aberdeen flu only to surrender herself to the goverment and unwillingly become a test subject in an effort to find a cure. With the help of the mysterious Dr. Alex Cross, Callie's father, Shay and other survivors will attempt to escape.Meanwhile, a heartbroken Kai joins up with the lovely Freja who is also being hunted because of her special abilities; they race to find Shay before vigilante hunters find her first. Kai's sister, Callie, continues to hide a secret--she is the true carrier, and her goal is to find the man who killed her and make him pay. As they fight for survival, loyalties are tested. Is Callie who she says she is? Should Shay trust Alex, the man her mother ran away from--a man Kai hates? Will Kai forgive Shay for her betrayal? Only one thing is certain: they are stronger together.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIsabel and Jane are the Extraordinary Peabody Sisters, conjoined twins in a traveling carnival freak show - until an ambitious surgeon tries to separate them and fails, causing Jane's death. Isabel has lost an arm and a leg but gained a ghostly companion: Her dead twin is now her phantom limb. Haunted, altered, and alone for the first time, can Isabel build a new life that's truly her own?

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis“Stephen King’s It meets Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight ... in a frightening story of horror and fantasy woven together to create a delectable tale of the macabre … romance and action. Snyman’s storytelling will have people lining up for the next book.” - School Library JournalSHADOW GROVE IS A PERFECTLY PLEASANT TOWN ... Shadow Grove isn't a typical town. Bad things happen here. Children disappear, one after the other, and nobody is doing anything about it. Parents don't grieve, missing posters don't line the streets, and the sheriff seems unconcerned. Seventeen-year-old Rachel Cleary lives on the outskirts of Shadow Grove, next to the creepy forest everyone pretends doesn't exist. Usually the forest is filled with an eerie calm, an unmistakable graveyard solemnity. But the trees have started whispering, forgotten creatures are stirring, and the nights feel darker than ever. Something is stalking the residents of Shadow Grove, changing them into brain-dead caricatures of themselves. It's up to Rachel to stop the devouring of her hometown before all is destroyed and everyone she loves is forever lost.“With its boogeyman-like creature based in lesser-known folklore, the novel is unique, as well as creepy and unsettling. The familiar small town atmosphere is imbued with a chilling aura, and the mystery at the heart of the book keeps pages turning. The Night Weaver introduces a world of myth, intrigue, and darkness with considerable technique.” - Foreword Reviews “Snyman’s creative adoption of English folklore adds a unique twist, and satisfying frights abound. An enjoyable, frenetically paced fantasy.” - Publishers WeeklyTrade Review"Stephen King's It meets Stephenie Meyer's Twilight ... in a frightening story of horror and fantasy woven together to create a delectable tale of the macabre -- romance and action. Snyman's storytelling will have people lining up for the next book." -- School Library Journal"With its boogeyman-like creature based in lesser-known folklore, the novel is unique, as well as creepy and unsettling. The familiar small town atmosphere is imbued with a chilling aura, and the mystery at the heart of the book keeps pages turning. The Night Weaver introduces a world of myth, intrigue, and darkness with considerable technique." -- Foreword Reviews"Snyman's creative adoption of English folklore adds a unique twist, and satisfying frights abound. An enjoyable, frenetically paced fantasy." -- Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor a small New England town, Shadow Grove has an uncanny ability to attract the worst kind of trouble. Not that the residents are too concerned about the various horrors living among them. As the leaves change color and the weather grows colder, a foul presence is making itself known by leaving peculiar gifts for the students of Ridge Crest High. At first, the presents seem harmless—and a rash of accidents seem coincidental—but when seniors Rachel Cleary and her Scottish cousin, Dougal Mackay, find a boneless body in the boiler room, things take an ominous turn. Something vicious is on the loose in Shadow Grove, but with Orion Nebulius gone, Rachel has little hope of anyone getting out alive.Trade Review"Snyman interweaves action, intrigue, and horror into one novel. This book will make a great starting point for teenagers who haven't yet found cult classics such as The Exorcist and A Nightmare on Elm Street." -- Beronica Puhr, School Library Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisThey'll lure you in with fruit and gems and liquor and dancing, merriment to remember for the rest of your life. But that's an illusion. The market is death itself.Beneath the streets of York, the goblin market calls to the Wickett womenthe family of witches that tends to its victims. For generations, they have defended the old cobblestone streets with their magic. Knowing the dangers, they never entered the marketuntil May Wickett fell for a goblin girl, accepted her invitation, and became inextricably tied to the world her family tried to protect her from. The market learned her name, and even when she and her sister left York for Boston to escape it, the goblins remembered.Seventeen years later, Lou, May's niece, knows nothing of her magical lineage or the twisted streets, sweet fruits, and incredible jewels of the goblin market. But just like her aunt, the market calls to her, an echo of a curse that won't release its hold on her family. And when her youngest aunt, Neela, is kidnapped by goblins, Lou discovers just how real and dangerous the market is.To save her, both May and Lou will have to confront their family's past and what happened all those years ago. But everythingfrom the food and wares, to the goblins themselvesis a haunting temptation for any human who manages to find their way in. And if Lou isn't careful, she could end up losing herself to the market, too.

Read more less

Book SynopsisShy high school junior Riley Kowalski is spending her winter break on a research trip to Antarctica, sponsored by one of the world’s biggest tech companies. She joins five student volunteers, a company-approved chaperone, and an impartial scientist to prove that environmental plastic pollution has reached all the way to Antarctica, but what they find is something much worse… something that looks human. Riley has anxiety - ostracised by the kids at school because of panic attacks - so when she starts to feel like something’s wrong with their expedition leader, Greta, she writes it off. But when Greta snaps and tries to kill Riley, she can’t chalk it up to an overactive imagination anymore. Worse, after watching Greta disintegrate, only to find another student with the same affliction, she realises they haven’t been infected, they’ve been infiltrated - by something that can change its shape. And if the group isn’t careful, that something could quickly replace any of them.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Tess and Eliot stumble upon an ancient book hidden in a secret tunnel beneath the school library, they accidentally release a devil from his book-bound prison, and he’ll stop at nothing to stay free. He’ll manipulate all the ink in the library books to do his bidding, he’ll murder in the stacks, and he’ll bleed into every inch of Tess’s life until his freedom is permanent. Forced to work together, Tess and Eliot have to find a way to re-trap the devil before he kills everyone they know and love, including, increasingly, each other. And compared to what the devil has in store for them, school stress suddenly doesn’t seem so bad after all.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMoon Basin has been haunted for as long as anyone can remember. It started when an explosion in the mine killed sixteen people. The disaster made it impossible to live in town, with underground fires spewing ash into the sky. But life in New Basin is just as fraught. The ex-mining town relies on its haunted reputation to bring in tourists, but there’s more truth to the rumors than most are willing to admit, and the mine still has a hold on everyone who lives there. Clem and Nina form a perfect loop - best friends forever, and perhaps something more. Their circle opens up for a strange girl named Lisey with a knack for training crows, and Piper, whose father is fascinated with the mine in a way that’s anything but ordinary. The people of New Basin start experiencing strange phenomena - sleepwalking, night terrors, voices that only they can hear. And no matter how many vans of ghost hunters roll through, nobody can get to the bottom of what’s really going on. Which is why the girls decide to enter the mine themselves.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHaunting of Hill House meets found-footage horror in this edge-of-your-seat thriller that explores the power of family ties and the trauma that lurks there. When Sophia Galich was twelve, she starred in her older sister Layla's amateur horror movie Vermillion, which recorded raw footage of her very real reactions to scenes her sister concocted in their old Californian house on the coastCashore House. In the years after the film's release, Sophia's relationship with her sister became more strained, while her memories of the now-infamous house fueled her nightmares. Vermillion amassed an army of fanatical fans who speculated about the film's hidden messages, and it was rumored that Layla made a pact with the devilher soul in exchange for fame and arcane knowledge. Sophia dismissed this as gossipuntil Layla disappeared. Now, Sophia must study the trail of clues Layla has left behind, returning to the very place where it all began. As she gets closer and closer to Cashore House's haunted heart, she must once again confront the ghosts of her childhood. But the house won't reveal its secrets without a fight.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Emile's aunt declares he must marry or be disowned for being gay-he runs away to hide as a servant in Count Montoni's mansion. In their service, Emile tends to the family who all suffer a strange affliction on the full moon. And after overhearing suspicious family arguments, he finds a body on the estate, drawing the attention of a handsome doctor as well as the count's charismatic nephew, Henri. Before Emile can sort out his affections or unravel the growing Montoni family mystery, his identity is revealed and his aunt comes to collect him. When she arrives, Count Montoni forces everyone to depart to the remote Udolpho Castle-where there are no witnesses and no chance for escape. There, Emile realizes that he will have to risk his life to find the love he deserves-and survive the Montoni family.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDash and the crew are on a mission to save their summer vacation home from competing evils in the third installment in the creepy Black Sand Beach graphic novel series, perfect for fans of Gravity Falls, Rickety Stitch, and Fake Blood.After reading Dash?s journal from the previous summer?the summer he doesn?t remember?the kids piece together that Dash''s new ghost girl friends were really puppets of a darker evil that collects the identities of its victims. And now that evil has come to call. Kelsey and Casey visited Black Sand Beach in the 90s, back when it was a legit beach town with boogie boards, ice cream, T-shirt shops. But they weren?t on a summer escape. They were tagging along on their dad?s monster-hunting mission. They found one. And it ate them.Now, back in the present, Dash and his crew must put this face-stealing monster to rest. Before the Darkness, and all the evil of Black Sand Beach takes Dash . . . forever.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinter Break turns deadly when Rory Quinn and her treasure-hunter grandmother travel to Iceland in search of an enchanted artifact. Their mission is to recover a blood-smeared stone that legend says will lead whoever possesses it to the nearest doorway to Hell. The client’ s grandson, Einar, took the stone at the request of his favorite heavy metal band. As part of a publicity stunt, the band plans to open the closest doorway, rumored to exist deep inside one of Iceland’ s many volcanoes, in just three days. Along with Einar’ s twin brother, Gunnar, Rory and Gram will need to navigate glaciers, ice caves, and volcanic tunnels in search of the missing artifact. But can the three of them recover the stone before the band unleashes anything evil into the Icelandic wilderness? As the team grows closer to Einar, Rory is growing closer to Gunnar, too. But she can tell he’ s keeping secrets from her. Big ones, that when revealed, will cause her to question almost everything she’ s ever believed.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSusan Pearson has written her own unique version of the popular song, “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,” introducing four children who go out at night in search of a ghost. After squish-squash-squooshing through a swamp, rustle-rustle-rat-a-tattling through a cornfield, and overcoming all kinds of obstacles on their journey, they come face to face with a ghost in a graveyard. Then—RUN! RUN! RUN!—they race back to the safety of their warm, cozy house. S.D. Schindler’s spirited illustrations bring warmth and humor to this lively rhyming read-aloud.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat happens when you’re the only human student in a school for ghosts?Lenny has no idea of the adventure he’s in for when his parents decide to take an extended research trip and sign him up for a boarding school in an old German castle. But even before leaving for the school, it seems like something is trying to prevent Lenny from going…Once he arrives at Shadowsnout Castle Academy, a couple more things become clear: (1) this is not your average school, and (2) Lenny is probably in some serious danger. Lenny needs an escape plan—and fast.As Lenny makes his way through the school (and some most unusual classes), he’s plunged into a world of turning heads, rhyming radio ghosts, invisible pirates, and floating maidens, each with their own creepiness factor—and, surprisingly, charm. And when the school comes under attack by outside forces, Lenny finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew. What if, mayb

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat happens when you’re the only human student in a school for ghosts?Lenny has no idea of the adventure he’s in for when his parents decide to take an extended research trip and sign him up for a boarding school in an old German castle. But even before leaving for the school, it seems like something is trying to prevent Lenny from going…Once he arrives at Shadowsnout Castle Academy, a couple more things become clear: (1) this is not your average school, and (2) Lenny is probably in some serious danger. Lenny needs an escape plan—and fast.As Lenny makes his way through the school (and some most unusual classes), he’s plunged into a world of turning heads, rhyming radio ghosts, invisible pirates, and floating maidens, each with their own creepiness factor—and, surprisingly, charm. And when the school comes under attack by outside forces, Lenny finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew. What if, mayb

Read more less