YOUNG ADULT HORROR AND SUSPENSE LITERATURE

Red Rider's Hood

Author: Neal Shusterman

Publisher: Puffin, 2006

Summary: After learning that there are werewolves in his city, a sixteen-year-old is even more surprised to discover the identities of the hunters who drove them out decades earlier, but he soon infiltrates the Wolves gang to help destroy them for good.

Why we recommend it: This book provided a fast pace, unique telling of the classic Little Red Riding Hood tale we are all very familiar with, while adding an interesting twist.

Fearstreet Series

Author: R.L. Stein

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Summary: Kody Frasier returns to 99 Fear Street to star in a movie about the evil that had murdered her sister, Cally, but Cally's ghost has vengeful plans of her own.

Why we would recommend it: R.L. Stine has continued to capture young readers with his compelling mysteries and world of the supernatural.

Don't Look Behind You

Author: Lois Duncan
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Summary from Novelist: “Seventeen-year-old April finds her comfortable life changed forever when death threats to her father, a witness in a federal case, force her family to go into hiding under assumed names and flee the pursuit of a hired killer. Includes material on the Federal Witness Protection Program.”

Why we would recommend it: This is a gripping, fast paced read that’s hard to put down.

Raven's Gate

Author: Anthony HorowitzPublisher: Scholastic Press
Summary from Novelist: “Sent to live in a foster home in a remote Yorkshire village, Matt, a troubled fourteen-year-old English boy, uncovers an evil plot involving witchcraft and the site of an ancient stone circle.”

Why we recommend it: This book is book one in an upcoming series. Its terror and mystery keep this quick-paced book in the hands of readers waiting to see what will happen next.

BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE

Author: Annette Curtis Klause
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Summary from Cynthia Leitich Smith: “A sensual exploration of Vivian's longing for a calm life beyond her wolf pack. She falls in love with a human, what her people call a "meat boy," but she wonders whether he will accept her for what she is. Though her wolf nature is explored in all its bloodiness, at times she could be any teenager who's not sure who she is or where she fits. More fantasy than horror; one sexy werewolf story. One of my favorite YA books of all time! Ages 12-up. HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION”.

Why we would recommend it: We would recommend Blood and Chocolate because it is a growing of age novel that shows teens that they can endure friendships and love and the trust and sense of belonging that comes with that. This is also a classic that combines horror and suspense with romance that makes a great enticing read.