Keep your lights on and make sure to lock all of your doors, because if you don’t, you’ll be wishing that you had with these young adult horror books.
Welcome to Owl Book World! If you’re new here, then my name is Kaili. Today, I’m talking about young adult horror books that you really should be adding to your TBR. Whether you’re looking for a book for yourself or looking for a book for a teenager in your life, these are all excellent books.
This is a post that I’ve been wanting to do for a while now, because it seems like some readers genuinely didn’t know that there are good young adult horror books out there. Or there are readers out there who kind of want to dig their toes into the genre, but they don’t exactly want to read anything super scary.
That’s why I wanted to create this post. There seem to be a lot of people who don’t know where to start when it comes to horror, and they don’t want to read something pretty extreme. I can’t say that I blame them because the genre can be a bit overwhelming.
So, where exactly do you start? Are young adult horror books okay for adults to read? There are so many questions out there regarding horror, and I’m here to answer all of your horror needs. But before I get started, make sure to check out my post on horror books for beginners.
Ultimate list of YA horror
For those who want to ease into horror and see if they like it, I always suggest young adult or middle-grade horror books. I reason that most of them won’t be as scary as adult books, and most of the time, they aren’t as graphic either. Just a bit of a warning that some young adult horror books can be on the graphic side. It’s hit or miss, and I suggest researching the book if you can’t handle graphic stories. Who doesn’t love a scary ya book every once in a while!
Even though these are the best horror books for teens, I still recommend that adults read them as well. I get YA books aren’t for everyone, but they really have changed a lot over the years, so these stories just might surprise you.
The Folcroft Ghosts by Darcy Coates
The Folcroft Ghosts wasn’t exactly my favorite horror book because it reads more like a middle-grade novel rather than a young adult, so I was a bit blindsided by that. But the book is still pretty good!
The book is about two kids whose mother gets into a pretty bad car accident. They aren’t sure if she’s going to make it. So, unfortunately, the brothers and sisters are forced to go stay with their grandparents. At first, they don’t mind it because their grandparents are good to them. Eventually, things start to get weird, and the kids start to notice that their grandparents are a bit strange. Can they figure out what’s going on before something bad happens?
I do kind of feel like Folcroft Ghosts is the perfect book for those who get scared easily. Since this book isn’t super scary, it’s a good way to ease just about anyone into the horror genre.
If you want to see my full review, then you can find it here.
If you’re interested in The Folcroft Ghost, then you can find it through the link below.
Reaper by Jonathan Pongratz
Reaper is a young adult horror novella about a boy who is babysitting his sister on Halloween night. It’s different because Halloween is one of his favorite holidays. He and his parents always celebrate it by going trick-or-treating.
But this year he’s too old for that. The main perk, though, is that if he does well babysitting her this time, then it’ll become a regular thing, and his parents will give him an allowance. But what happens when a mysterious door shows up in the basement that he’s never seen before? Where does it lead? And why is it just showing up now?
So, Reaper is the first book I read by Jonathan Pongratz, and I loved it. Books that deal with portals are so interesting to me, especially if they are done right. This story really was done right, and it’s not super scary for those who get scared pretty easily.
This is definitely a high recommendation for those who kind of want to ease into horror. The best part is that this book actually kind of reminds me of some of R. L. Stine’s Goosebumps books.
If you’d like to purchase Reaper, you can find it through the link below.
The Ravenous by Amy Lukavics
So, The Ravenous is probably one of the scarier horror books for young adults that I have here.
It is about a military family that has just moved to a new area and doesn’t know anyone yet. They’re having a hard time connecting with people, as a lot of military families do. With their father being deployed and their mother basically being absentee, the four sisters pretty much stay glued to each other despite their age difference.
When the youngest dies in a tragic accident, their mother finds a way to step up her game. She does this by going to someone to bring her baby back to life. But she’s not the same girl she once was. What should the girls do about her? If she’s getting violent, should they consider getting rid of her? But families should stick together, shouldn’t they?
This is by far one of my favorite young adult horror books because it is so well-written and so creepy.
If this book is something you’d like to purchase, then you can find it in the link below.
Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare
Clown in a Cornfield is one of the top reads that I have read this year. Granted, I didn’t do a review of it on my blog because I couldn’t really get a good thought process on what I wanted to talk about with it.
Clown in a Cornfield is a young adult slasher book by Adam Cesare. It’s about Quinn Maybrook, who just moved to a new town with her father. Her mother just passed away, and her father needs a new start.
So, Quinn is just trying to make it until graduation so she can move and get out of a town that she didn’t want to move to. As the town battles between new and old traditions, Quinn and her father get caught in the middle. Will they be able to make it out okay?
I think this book has been my only 5-star read of 2021, and it completely deserves it. I highly recommend this book if you really want horror books for young adults, because it is such a good book. It’s highly talked about in the horror community, and it will bring back so much nostalgia if you’ve watched a lot of 80s/90s slasher movies. Granted, this book does take place in the present time, but the storyline gives off that vibe.
If you would like to purchase this book (do it!!), then you can get it through the link below.
Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman
Full Tilt is a horror book for young adults that you should be able to finish in a day. This book follows sixteen-year-old Blake, who is watching his little brother Quinn.
You would think that they would be somewhat similar, but Quinn is the risk-taker out of the two of them. Blake is the more cautious and dependable of the two.
When Blake takes Quinn to a carnival, there’s something strange about the place. He soon realizes what it is after Quinn runs off, and he has to chase after him. Will Blake be able to get Quinn back?
So, this one wasn’t exactly one of my favorite ya horror books, but it’s still really good. The ending surprised me and has one of those WTH moments that I love so much. I always love a good ending that you can’t see a mile away.
This is another book that I would actually recommend to those who are trying to ease into horror. It has its moments, but Full Tilt isn’t super scary, and it’s a book you can get through quickly.
If this is a book you would like to purchase, you can find it through the link below.
Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis
Harrow Lake is a horror book for young adults that actually came out last year. This book follows Lola Nox, who just so happens to be the daughter of a popular horror film director.
When he gets attacked in the streets, he starts to worry for his daughter and sends her to live with her grandma since he can’t keep his eyes on her all the time. But Lola doesn’t even know her grandma. She’s never met her and hasn’t talked to her either.
It just happens that her grandma lives in the town where Lola’s father filmed one of his most iconic films. Most of the town is obsessed with it, and they have a festival for it every year where tourists can come and visit.
But what does Lola do when she gets a creepy, stalkerish fan herself? It doesn’t help that Harrow Lake is already a weird town, but will it be the death of her?
This was one of my favorites from last year, and I highly recommend everyone read it. The pacing is super fast, and I just ended up liking the whole vibe from the plot to the creepy little town.
If you want to see my full review, then make sure to check it out here.
If you’re looking into buying this book, then you can find it through the link below.
Wicked Little Deeds by Kat Ellis
Wicked Little Deeds is a Ya horror book that came out early in 2021. I have to say that Kat Ellis is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This is by far one of the best YA horror books that I have read this year.
This story follows Ava, who lives in a small town. Nightmares have plagued her since her parents were brutally murdered. Now that someone else close to her has been killed, she is the primary suspect. Burden Falls has its secrets, and they are bound to escape soon.
This story is perfect because it is a small-town horror story with urban legends. There are so many twists and turns, and a mind-blowing ending that was the absolute best!
I don’t recall there being anything graphic in this story, but please don’t take my word for it. Typically, graphic books don’t stand out to me much because I read and watch a lot of horror. So, unless there’s rape or animal abuse, most of the time I won’t remember.
Just a little bit of warning, though. When I read this story, it was called Wicked Little Deed, but I guess right before it was published, they changed the title to Burden Falls.
Wilder Girls
Wilder Girls is one that I read a while back, I think maybe sometime within the year that it came out. I really enjoyed reading this one, but I know a lot of people probably didn’t want to read it considering it came out around the time of COVID.
I highly suggest reading this one though especiall considering it has a dystopian feel to it.
Here is what Wilder girls is about.
Eighteen months ago, the Baxter School for Girls was put into quarantine. The Tox hit, and Hetty’s life has been pulled from under her.
The sickness started slowly. The teachers started to die one by one, but then it started to infect the students. Instead of dying, their bodies start to become strange and foreign to them. They are cut off from the world, and now they have to take care of themselves.
Outside of the school’s fence are the woods, and the tox has made it even more dangerous than before, and they are scared to wander that far. They were promised a cure, but instead, it’s taking over everything.
When Byatt goes missing, Hetty is determined to find her even if she has to break quarantine. She doesn’t really want to brave the horrors that lie beyond the school, but when she does, Hetty realizes that there’s much, much more to the story than they were told.
Horrid
I remember buying this book on my kindle because of the cover alone. It’s creepy and there’s just something eerily pretty about the cover.
Maybe I’m alone in that feeling and I’m just crazy. I can’t wait to read this one though. If you’ve read it already I would love to hear your thoughts!
Here is what Horrid is about.
After her father dies, Jane’s mom moves her from all that she knows in sunny California to the dreary house in Maine where her mom grew up. They just need a fresh start, but behind the house’s doors is so much history that makes them feel all alone.
As fall starts to arrive, Jane starts to settle into the home. She falls into the comfort of the old books in the home and the memories of her dad. She starts to make new friends, but has started dealing with bullying from the local “bad seed”.
On top of that, her mom seems to be spiraling with the return to her childhood home, but won’t tell Jane why. But then Jane discovers the “storage room”. Her mom has been keeping it licked but she finds out it’s not a storage room at all. In fact, it’s a little girl’s room that has been left untouched for years.
Is it anguish? Mental illness? Or something more…scary?
Rules for Vanishing
Rules for Vanishing has popped up for me a lot, but honestly I haven’t seen much of it lately.
However, this is one that I would really like to try and read soon. It seems eerily creepy and the synopsis alone makes it a great fit for scary YA novels.
Here is what Rules for Vanishing is about.
One time a year, there’s a path that appears in the forest, and Lucy beckons. Is there anyone brave enough to find her?
One year ago, Sara’s sister, Becca, went missing. High school life still hasn’t settled back to normal. Now that her sister is gone, Sara isn’t sure whether her former friends don’t like her or if they are scared of her. Now the days of eating lunch by herself are starting to blend together. When she gets a text message from one of her “friends” to “play the game” to find the local legend ghost, Lucy.
Sara feels like this is the only way to find her sister before it’s too late. Even though she really hasn’t spoken to them in a year, she finds herself deep in the forest surrounded by darkness, her friends, and their cameras following her down. Together, they are going to have to rely on their strengths in order to survive.
The Dead and the Dark
The Dead and the Dark is another one I’ve been meaning to read. It’s been on my radar for a while now, but it’s like they say reading and buying books are two seperate hobbies.
Here is what The Dead and the Dark is about.
There is something wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. The teenagers there are disappearing and are turning up dead. On top of that, the weather isn’t normal at all. All of the people there seem to be pointing to the popular ghost hunters who have returned to town.
Logan is the daughter of one of those paranormal investigators and has never been to Snakebit before. But when they arrive, she feels like there are a lot more secrets buried there than they told her.
Ashley’s boyfriend was the first to go missing, and she has felt him there ever since. Now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, she can feel his ghost following her, and the one person she can seem to trust is the mysterious Logan. When they team up to figure out what is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals some things about the town, their families, and themselves that the two of them are not ready for.
The Dead House
So I don’t really know or remember really as to why I picked The Dead House up but I’m really glad that I did. This is a pretty fast read if you ever do decide to pick it up and if you’re anything like me then you’re probably going to to get just as mad with it as I did.
This definitely is one of the perfect ones on the creepy YA horror list.
Here is what The Dead House is about.
Elmbridge High burned down twenty-five years ago. Three people were killed in the fire. Carly disappeared. Now a diary has been found in the school. This diary belongs to Kaitlyn, Carly’s identical twin sister. But Carly doesn’t have a twin…
Now the police records, psychiatric reports, and transcripts of video footage have been reopened. The pieces of the diary that survived show deceit, violence, and murder. Instead of answering their questions, it raises more questions.
Who was Kaitlyn? Why did she only appear at night? Did she actually exist, or did Carly have a disturbed mind?
The Mary Shelly Club
When I first started to read The Mary Shelly Club I wasn’t really sure if I was going to like it or not really. It start off a bit slow for me, but it eventually started to pick up and it ramped up speed.
Ulitmately, I think The Mary Shelly Club is perfect for those of you who like books where horror fanatics take things a little too far.
Here is what The Mary Shelley Club is about.
Rachel is the new girl, and she’s really trying to make a fresh start at Manchester Prep. She’s one of the few scholarship kids at the school, and it’s causing her to struggle to fit in. But then she gets caught up in a prank gone wrong, and now she ends up with more enemies than friends.
To her surprise, the prank grabs the attention of the Mary Shelley Club. It’s a secret club of students who only have one thing in mind: to come up with the scariest prank to induce real fear. When one of the pranks escalates, the competition starts to turn cutthroat.
Someone targets the club itself, and now Rachel has to track down the real-life monster, even if this means she has to confront the dark secrets from her past.
This Delicious Death
This Delicious Death is a book that kind of reminds me of that show IZombie or maybe even a YA version of The Santa Clarita Diet.
With that being said this is one that I still need to pick up and read. Focusing on books has been hard lately!!
Here is what This Delicious Death is about.
Three years ago, with the melting of the Arctic, it released something unknown into the atmosphere. It caused a small percentage of people to transform, which became known as the Hollowing. The ones who were impacted became intolerant to normal food and were only able to get any substance by eating the flesh of other humans.
Those who went without became feral and turned on their friends and family. But scientists were able to make a version of human meat that would help satisfy their hunger. Ultimately, things slowly start to return to normal, even though there’s still an everlasting fear of the people they have named ghouls.
Zoey, Celeste, Valeria, and Jasmine are ghouls who live in Southern California. This is their last thing together before their graduation, and they decided to go to a musical festival in the desert. With them is their cooler filled with seltzers and SynFlesh. Now they are ready to party.
On the first night of the festival, Val goes feral and kills and eats a boy there. Other guests start to disappear around them, and they quickly realize that someone is drugging the ghouls to make them feral. If they can’t figure out how to stop it, no one will be safe.
The Haunting
Natasha Preston has quickly bombarded the scary young adults novels with a bang. It for very good reason too.
Here books are very fast paced stories that do a good job captivating your attention. If you’re looking for slow paced story based books then I don’t think that Natasha Preston is the right person for you.
Either way her books are good!
Here is what The Haunting is about.
Penny wants to forget about her ex, Nash. His father was arrested for the brutal murder of four teenagers on Devil’s Night last year.
Her parents won’t allow her to have anything to do with him or his family. Now that spooky season is on the way, it’s hard for her not to think about that, but she’s trying.
It stops when she goes to the Halloween store with her friends to find a costume. Instead, she finds a girl from school bleeding out on the floor of a dressing room. She’s been stabbed.
Is this a copycat killer? The adult says no, but Penny knows better.
If you like this book though then make sure you check out The Lake.
Let’s Split up
Let’s Split Up is one of the YA horror books I haven’t read yet but I feel like I should.
The title is just especially funny to me with that being one of the bigger horror tropes out there. Do you think splitting up is one of the best ideas for these kids to do?
Here is what Let’s Split up is about.
When the “it-couple” Brad and Shelley are murdered, a group of friends has to investigate.
It’s set in a small community in California where rumours are able to spread as fast as a fire. The rumour is that the ghost who haunts the house where they were murdered has finally taken revenge.
Cam, Jonesy, Amber, and the new girl investigate the rumors that have spread seem closer to the truth than they thought was possible. While they enter the mansion, the thought of splitting up will either be the best… or worst decision they have made.
Two Sides to Every Murder
Two Sides to Every Murder is such a blast to read. Danielle Valentine has quickly become one of my favorite authors as of late and I’ve gotten to the point where I will pick up every single book she writes.
Fair warning… Her stories come with a twist that is bound to make you mad.
Here is what Two Sides to Every Murder is about.
Normal people’s births aren’t immortalized in a police report. Unfortunately for Olivia, she was boring during the memorable Camp Lost Lake murders.
Seventeen years later, Olivia’s life is pretty perfect. That is, until she finds out that the man she calls dad isn’t actually her biological father. Now she needs to know about her heritage, and the only place she knows to look is Camp Lost Lake.
A majority of people don’t spend their young years on the run with someone who was accused of murder. But Reagan did. In the public’s opinion, her mom is guilty of the Camp Lost Lake murders, and they have been in hiding since. Reagan believes that her mom is innocent, and she has to clear her name.
Luckily for both Olivia and Reagan, the camp is finally reopening. It’s giving them the perfect opportunity to find answers, but someone is determined to keep the past a secret. Even if that means murdering someone.
There’s Someone Inside Your House
It’s been a while since I’ve read There’s Someone Inside Your House, but I do remember it not being one of my favorites.
But this is the perfect time for you to go and read it because there’s a movie out for it on Netflix. This is probably one of the few times that I think I enjoyed the movie a little bit better than this one.
Heres what There’s Someon Inside Your House is about.
Makani assumed she had left her past back in Hawaii. Now she’s settling with her grandma in Nebraska, and she’s found new friends. She has even fallen for the mysterious outsider, Ollie. But her past isn’t that far away from catching up to her.
One by one, the students of Oxborne High start to die in gruesome murders. Each of them has a terrible flair. As her terror grows, she also finds that her feelings for Ollie are getting deeper. But Makanl has to confront her dark secrets before anything comes from it.
You’re not supposed to die tonight
You’re not Supposed to Die Tonight is actually a pretty fun read. I’m sure many of you will enjoy it because it’s a fast paced novel that really keeps you guessing through the story!
Here is what You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight is about.
Charity is excited because she has the job of her dreams. She gets to play the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. The guests are paying to be scared with this full-contact terror game. Charity and her crew recreate parts of the classic movie Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic it is, the better it is for business.
During the last weekend of the season, her coworkers start to disappear. When one of them is found dead, Charity realizes that her role as the final girl becomes way too real.
If they survive the night, they’ll need to figure out what the killer is after. Is there more to the story of Mirror Lake?
The Weight of Blood
The Weight of Blood is the first book I read by Tiffany D. Jackson. I’m going to be honest about this one though, I didn’t really like it all that much.
When I checked it out at the library I didn’t realize that it was a Carrie retelling basically and Carrie was never one of my favorites. But that’s really the only reason why.
Here is what The Weight of Blood is about.
In Springville, at least those who are still alive, the residents are questioned by the police about what happened on prom night. They all answered with the same three words…Maddy did it.
Madison is an outcast at her small-town Georgia high school. She’s been the target of teasing by bullies for a while now. She’s just dealt with it because she’s dealing with other pressing matters. That is, until one morning a surprise rainstorm shows her well-kept secret… She’s biracial. Her entire life, she has been white-passing, especially since her father, Thomas, is white.
A viral bullying video is what pulls the curtains back on Springville High’s racist roots. The student leaders are the ones who plan to host the school’s first integrated prom in order to show unity.
Her classmates aren’t done with her yet, though. But what they don’t know is that Maddy has another secret they haven’t found out about, and it could possibly cost them their lives.
The Devouring Light
When doing some research in order to update this blog post I found The Devouring Light. Just looking at the cover alone makes it look like a good fit for creepy ya horror books. In fact I just put a hold on this at the library it has caught my attention!
Here is what The Devouring Light is about.
Haden, Deacon, and their separate bands are standing on the side of the road on their way to a rock festival. At the time, Haden thinks that this is the worst thing that could happen.
But she’s wrong.
They are stuck in the swamplands and have no way out, but then they happen upon a creepy, decaying house. At first, it seems like a safe haven in the middle of a storm.
But unfortunately, the house isn’t just abandoned. It has been waiting for them.
Bodies start to pile up, and the walls start to close in. Secrets come to light. If they aren’t able to survive long enough, then the house will claim them forever.
The Scammer
It seems like The Scammer was going getting a lot of attention when it first came out and it’s well deserved.
I didn’t really know about The Scammer until I first joined a book club near me. I was a little late and I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish before the meet up but I requested the book from the library anyways.
This is actually the second book I’ve read by Tiffany D. Jackson and she does a great job with setting up creepy YA horror books, but this is by far my favorite of her even though it quite frankly made me mad (in a good way).
Here is what The Scammer is about.
Jordyn is finally out from under her overprotective parents. Now she’s ready to succeed in prelaw at a prestigious historically black university in Washington DC. Once her roommate’s brother is released from prison, she doesn’t expect her to invite him into their home to stay for a while. Even though it makes her feel a bit uncomfortable, how could she say no to her new best friend?
Devonte is older, charming, and very intelligent. He starts to implement himself by pushing every student he meets to make better choices. Jordyn feels like there’s something wrong beneath the friendly advice, but his following seems to be growing pretty fast. When one of her roommates goes missing, she gets the help of the university’s only white student to uncover the mysteries that she has found herself trapped in.
The Blonde Dies First
I actually got an advanced copy of The Blonde Dies First and I still haven’t managed to get to it yet. Still though this is one of the scary young adult novels that you really need to add to your TBR.
Here is what The blonde Dies First is about.
Devon’s twin sister, Drew, is always leaving her behind. At this point, for Devon, it’s normal. Since Drew will be leaving for college a whole year early, Devon is determined to have The Best Summer Ever with her.
At first, she commits to the bit a little too much, and they realize, along with their friends, why you should never mess with an Ouija board. Especially when you want to have the best summer ever, and now they find themself being followed by… a demon?
There’s no mistaking that the venomous figure isn’t alive, but it doesn’t feel very demonic. It actually feels very human and is going after them like a stereotypical slasher movie kill order. That means Devon, as the blonde, is the one who is supposed to die first, and her crush, Yaya, is the one who must be the final girl.
Devon doesn’t like playing by the rules, though. It doesn’t change when it’s a demon that makes up the rules. The longer this goes on, Drew and Yaya start to slip away, no matter how much she tries to help them all survive. Is their horror movie knowledge up to par to be able to flip the script?
The forest demands its due
Just looking at the cover of this one is really giving me creepy YA horror books.
This is the first time I’m actually hearing about this one and it sounds right up my alley as well. I’m hoping I can get to it soon. Hopefully it’s worth reading!
Here is what The Forest Demands its Due is about.
Regent Academy has a long history in Winslow, Vermont, and so does the forest that surrounds it. The school is best known for molding teenagers into leaders, but there’s a lot more to its history.
Douglas is seventeen and wants nothing to do with the Regent’s king-making. At this point, he’s just trying to survive. When a student is murdered the next day, no one seems to remember him even existing. That is, except for himself and the groundskeeper’s son, Everett.
As he tries to figure out the truth, he awakens a horror that is hidden in the forest, and it reveals secrets that have been there for centuries. There’s a vengeful creature that wants blood as payment for a debt that is over 300 years in the making. Otherwise, it will swallow the school whole into darkness.
For once, he might have the chance to get the one thing he had always felt he lacked: power. If he’s not careful, though, he will find out that power tends to corrupt everything.
how to survive a slasher
I feel like How to Survive a Slasher is perfect for Halloween books for young adult. I mean come on look at that cover!
This is actually the first time I’m hearing about this one and I know I’m going to have to try and read it soon!
Here is what How to Survive a Slasher is about.
CJ’s hometown, Satterville, is known as slasherville, and there’s a reason for that. It was the setting for not one but two Friday the 13th-style massacres.
The first one, CJ’s dad, is the only one who survived. The second one, only CJ survived. No thanks to the mysterious writer whose books went bestseller over it all, and now the town and CJ will be defined by the horrific past.
When a new, unpublished manuscript shows up addressed to CJ, he realizes that instead of this one being set in the past, it is now set in the present. When the book says the first murder is supposed to happen, CJ is determined to stop it. But while trying to save one person, the final girl winds up dead.
CJ has gone from being an extra to now being a lead.
YA Horror Books that are a Series
So, I’m going to group these three and talk about them. I wouldn’t necessarily group Diary of a Haunting as a series. They’re grouped as a series mostly because they’re all by the same author, and they are all in some way about a diary.
I read all three of the Diary of a Haunting series when I was younger, and they are all pretty creepy. All of them deal with a diary that something is attached to, and the girls have to go through something pretty scary, the more they write in them. These are the perfect books for you if you like haunting type books, and the best thing is that you don’t have to read these in any particular order.
If you would like to grab any of these, you can find them below.
Diary of a Haunting | Possession | Book of Shadows
Teenage horror books from the 90s
If you’re looking for young adult horror books published in the 1990s, I highly recommend R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike. These two were essentially the kings of horror and thrillers in the 80s/90s. I don’t think there will ever be a time when I don’t praise these two, especially since I was constantly reading their books when I was younger. Now that I’m talking about it, it makes me want to start reading their books again!
Clonclusion to the best Young Adult Horror novels
I feel like posts like these really and truely show that scary YA horror books aren’t what they used to be cracked up to be. They were so cheesey back in the 90s but as of recents years authors have really vamped up their writing and the gore in these very thrilling yet very terryifying reads.
If you’re filling up to it then I’m sure you’ll be able to find some great middle grade horror novels as well.
If you like this post about young adult horror books, then make sure to subscribe to my newsletter! I will be constantly updating this post once I find more books and actually read them. Subscribing to my newsletter will help you stay up to date on it!!
Let me know what some of your favorite horror books are!
It has been a while since I have read a horror book – I’ve enjoyed the odd Stephen King horror-esque book and I loved RL Stine and Point Horrors when I was younger. I would definitely love to read more in the genre though. Some great suggestions here.
If you get any of them I hope you enjoy them!
Fantastic article and great choice of books! I so love Darcy Coates, and the Diary of a Haunting series was great. I still want to read Clown in a Cornfield, got it on my Kindle, so very soon!
I really hope you enjoy it!
I’m really not much of a horror reader although that being said my favourite book series of all time is The Diviners by Libba Bray which definitely has some horror elements to it but definitely isn’t straight up horror! I also used to LOVE the Goosebumps books when I was a kid! I have heard such great things about Clown in a Cornfield though so it’s good to see that you also liked it.
I really need to read The Diviners. I heard a lot of good things about it but I wasn’t sure if it would be something I would enjoy.
I really want to read Clown in a Cornfield, it’s been in my Amazon basket for weeks now! I absolutely love a good horror book so love these suggestions!
This is definitely your sign to get it!
My boys loved R.L Stine and Christopher Pike when they were young. Your updated suggestions sound great – very creepy – even for adults!
Thank you!
I have been wanting to read Harrow Lake for a while. I like creepy books. Thanks for this list!
I hope you get the chance to read Harrow Lake soon!
Harrow Lake was one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy some of the others!