Back in September 2019 I wrote an article for Ginger Nuts of Horror called “The Strange Disappearance of the Male Lead in YA Dark Fiction” which both ruffled a few feathers and led to considerable discussion in both educational and horror circles. You can read it here The article highlights how male lead characters in modern YA horror fiction have all but disappeared, with nine out of every ten books I read featuring spunky or sassy teenage girls. With a boy providing occasional background support. Since the article was originally published the situation has worsened and the opportunities for a genuine teenage boy reader of 2021 finding a version of himself in a new novel has all but disappeared. This a very worrying trend. This Halloween, to recognise the disappearance of the male half of the species from YA horror fiction this article brings together a selection of my favourite boys from all of the teen horror and dark fiction I have featured in the Young Blood of Ginger Nuts over the last six or seven years. It is, of course, nice to see a historical imbalance corrected in favour of girls, but boys of today’s generation need encouragement too. YA fiction dates quicker than most other literature and we need to move with the times and not leave fifty percent of the population behind because they fall into a perceived ‘reluctant reader’ category or lazy ‘boys play computer games’ stereotype. We all need to see ourselves represented in a book and the publishing world really needs to do better. As arguably the most prolific reviewer of YA horror fiction in the world I now regularly reject for review novels with female leads because there are just so many on the market and proactively seek those which might feature a boy. Our statistics for 2020 and 2021 prove this and I had to dig deep into my archives to produce this list of top boys. The books are presented alphabetically by author. If you have a favourite YA male horror character not included drop me a line via the Ginger Nuts Twitter page. Happy Halloween!  RAY GARRATY from The Long Walk by Richard Bachman Ray Garraty is the ultimate “I don’t give a fuck” teen male lead and although The Long Walk was written as an adult novel it deserves to be recategorized as YA. Every character is a disillusioned teenager trying to escape their humdrum existence by winning a walking race in which you are shot to death for stopping three times. Why would anybody enter a race where 99 out of 100 are certain to be killed? It is never truly explained and that is part of what makes Ray such an enigmatic character. He walks, walks and walks and does not really know why. What is he running from? We never really find out as he drifts in and out of the lives of the 99 other contestants as they walk and die together. It is a crying shame this stunning novel has never been filmed and the concept is oh so simple: 100 boys start a walking race, if you go below a certain speed you are given a ‘ticket’ (a warning) and when you receive three warnings you are shot. The concept is stunning effective as the numbers steadily drop as the walk continues and Ray keeps walking. By far, one of Stephen King’s most underrated novels and still incredibly popular in my school library. Everything from The Hunger Games to Battle Royale owe a huge debt to this stunning book which is a stone-cold masterpiece. Keep walking Ray, you can do it, we know you can. AGE RANGE 13+ SEAN from The Book of the Baku by RL Boyle Sean has an incredibly tough time of it in this highly unsettling debut novel, which it top heavy with the pain of broken families, isolation, guilt and tragedy. The boy has much to contend with and you will feel his pain. If you think this sounds bleak or heavy, do not let that put you off, Sean is a brilliant leading character who deserves every ounce of your empathy. It was also fantastic to read a horror novel with a boy struggling bravely with a disability, whose cause is revealed in tragic flashback. The Book of the Baku plays out in two ‘before’ and ‘after’ narratives, but it is enticing unclear what happened to Sean’s mother when he arrives at his estranged grandfather’s house. A family tragedy has led to him developing a Conversion Order, which means he cannot talk, but he also has a serious leg disability which hampers his mobility and has been bullied because of it. In the past his grandad was a writer who wrote a collection of short stories about a mythical creature, called the ‘Baku’, which feeds on the dreams of children. As Sean reads the terrifying collection, he begins to lose touch with reality and the stories from the book blend into his every-day world, with some real Bababook style moments. This was one of those books where you just will the main character to confront their internal demons, and I was quite literally cheering out loud when some glimmers of light appear. In many ways the life Sean left behind was considerably more harrowing than anything the Baku could do to him and it was brilliantly written into the big reveals which come later in the plot. AGE RANGE 11-15 LINUS from The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks If Jack Ketchum were to write a YA novel it might be something like The Bunker Diary, which is the highest possible praise I can give this stunning novel in which poor Linus really is in the wrong place at the wrong time. You do not need demons or monsters to shock and sometimes the evil of man is more than enough, and The Bunker Diary has that in spades. Linus quickly finds out we live in a nasty world where horrible things happen to children all the time and not everybody gets a happy ending. Perhaps it is the ending which is most troubling? My teenage daughter was totally shellshocked by the final pages and this ranks as one of her favourite ever reads. Linus is a teenage busker who has run away from his wealthy family and is living hand to mouth, after being tricked and drugged he wakes up in a large basement, with zero windows and no obvious way out. There are cameras everywhere and gradually other teenagers appear in the basement, from different backgrounds, but similar stories of being duped. What does the watcher want and demand them to do? This was an exceptionally chilling novel, which is partly presented through the diary written by Linus, but be prepared for infighting, stress, tears, and a lot worse. The Bunker Diary ranks amongst the darkest and best YA novels ever written. It would scare the hell out of most adult readers. Do not take it lightly. AGE 14+ ADAM from The Hit by Melvin Burgess Although Melvin Burgess has numerous outstanding YA novels The Hit is the one I often find myself recommending most frequently, even if it is not one of his better-known titles. This story has an amazing hook: take a pill which will give you an amazing week, but at the end of it, you pay the price and die. For teenagers, even this startling basic concept of the book is disturbing and can lead to fascinating discussions. What would you do? You don’t need three guesses to figure out what central character Adam does. The Hit crash lands fast and keeps moving at lightning speed, taking the reader into main character Adam's world immediately, sweeping the reader along into a world of riots, surveillance, and inequality. It is set about fifty years or so into a future Britain, where there are huge divides between rich and poor and has many of the hallmarks of a great dystopian thriller. Although this is a controversial subject The Hit has a message of life, the value of it, peer pressure, how you live it and the choices you make are truthful and hard hitting and relevant to all age groups, not just teenagers. This is not for the faint-of-heart, but powerful thought-provoking stuff and deserves a place in YA horror circles as it is considerable bleaker and more thought provoking than most traditional horror novels. AGE RANGE 14+  PETER from Wranglestone by Darren Charlton In Darren Charlton’s excellent Wranglstone zombies are referred to as the ‘Restless Dead’ and amongst the shambling corpses lies a love story between two boys who find each other in a novel which has its own clever take on the zombie mythology. The ‘Wranglestone’ of the title is an excellent location for what is effectively a survival story set a generation or so after a zombie holocaust. Most people are dead and the story focusses upon a group of survivors who live on an isolated island. Early in the story everybody is edgy as when winter arrives, the lake will freeze and that will bring the Restless Dead to their doorsteps. Wranglestone was a fascinating read, for long periods the zombies lurk in the background, with the focus more on Peter and Cooper and their life in the community. Cooper is the more outgoing of the pair and has a role as a hunter and defender, eventually showing Peter the ropes when they have to defend their home. Per, on the other hand, is not the naturally athletic type and is more introverted. I thought the story had excellent world-building, a credible backstory and was a fresh take on the zombie yarn. It was also refreshing to read about a teenager who knew he was gay from the outset, there was no questioning or ambiguity, he had been attracted to Cooper since day one. Neither was he an unrealistic action hero with Darren Charlton giving us a very realistic and believable central character. AGE RANGE 12/13+ THOMAS WARD from The Spook’s Apprentice Series by Joseph Delaney This thrilling and exciting tale of a seventh son of a seventh son, begins with The Spook’s Apprentice, a young boy, Thomas Ward, apprenticed to an exorcist or ghost hunter (the ‘Spook’ of the title), who funnily enough, keeps losing his trainees to horrible accidents and unexplained mishaps. Thomas is also the thirteenth son of a thirteen son. It’s a dangerous job, but somebody has got to do it (and try to survive it). This thirteen-book series is a long haul, but the first few were terrific, and the world the author creates, brimming with creatures such as boggarts is incredibly well drawn and easy to get sucked into. There are also further spin off series including the Starblade Chronicles and other inter-connected short stories. Although its popularity may have waned The Spook’s series is ripe for rediscovery and an excellent introduction to horror with an outstanding sense of time and place in the north of England. AGE RANGE 9/10+ CHARLIE from Whiteout by Gabriel Dylan A huge snowstorm is brewing whilst a group of British sixth form school pupils on a skiing trip, in the remote mountains of Austria and although the story takes in several characters, Charlie steals the show. When the teens arrive, the hotel is weirdly short of staff, the locals have abandoned their shops and there is undiagnosed tension in the air. In the middle of the night one of the girls screams after blood is found and soon discover one of their teachers has also disappeared. They quickly realise something horrible is outside and once a ski instructor is ripped out of the door they are under constant attack. This all happens incredibly quickly and soon the kids are attempting to hide, hoping to wait it out, but with the storm raging it sinks in that no help coming anytime soon. They are completely isolated and being hunted. Whiteout is an outstanding addition to the Red Eye series which is very popular with young teens and the flagship for YA horror in the UK. It was a very gripping book that wasted no time introducing the horror elements and was unrelenting once it got going. The deaths start mounting up early on and blood is spilled at regular intervals in this astonishingly fast-moving novel. This very violent opening section gives the reader terror, action and humour revolving around the time the enemy makes its first bloody appearance and poor Charlie finds himself on the run as his classmates are quickly picked off one-by-one. AGE RANGE 12+ THE NARRATOR from The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman The Ocean at the End of the Lane is, hands-down, my favourite Neil Gaiman novel and I have read the majority of them. It is predominately seen through the eyes of a little boy and features the scariest babysitter/nanny of all time who terrifies the child. Hell, she even terrified me. This breath-taking blend of fantasy and horror is almost impossible to pigeonhole and possibly takes the best bits from many of Gaiman’s other novels; increasing the fear-factor from Coraline and The Graveyard Book, includes snatches reminiscent of Stardust, but without the huge page length of American Gods. It might very well be Gaiman’s masterpiece with old and dangerous magic filtering into the world. On one level it reads like a YA novel, on another it is a story of loss, aging, and childhood memories. I adore its strange blend of coming-of-story, childhood fear and nostalgia, not to mention very old magic. Life might not be normal for a boy whose nearest neighbours are a family of ancient witches, including a little girl who he befriends, in this dark and brooding tale of childhood and witchcraft which is half-forgotten and is totally unforgettable to the reader. Genius. But watch out for that babysitter…. AGE RANGE 13+  NATHAN from the Half Bad Trilogy by Sally Green If you’re after a top-notch thriller which perfectly blends the supernatural and magic, then look no further than Half Bad. In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and central character 16-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan's father is the world's most powerful and dangerous Black witch, and his mother is dead. He has a very tough life. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his seventeenth birthday, or else he will die before inheriting full witch powers. Throw in a dash of romance and the result is an outstanding pare-turner in which poor Nathan is sent through the magical wringer, with two cool sequels to follow. AGE RANGE 12+ HARK from Deeplight by Frances Hardinge Deeplight is set on a beautifully described sprawling archipelago called the Myriad, hundreds of tiny islands which trade with each other for survival. The action begins on the Island of Lady’s Crave where two fourteen-year-old street urchins Hark and his best friend Jelt scraping a living. Myriad is a superb creation and if you’re after a location to fire the minds and imaginations of young teenagers then look no further than Deeplight. Hardinge is also one of those authors who is equally comfortable writing from a male and female perspective, she portrays boys incredibly well, with Hark being a fine example. For centuries the islanders lived in dread of the terrible gods that lurked in the deep seas, giant sea-monsters who could attack boats and ships without warning. However, thirty years before the novel begins there was a cataclysmic event where all the god-monsters unexpectedly killed each other. In the three decades since the monster gods died, fisherman and travellers have discovered fragments of the dead creatures whilst out fishing or swimming. Two teenagers get sucked into this world when they find a very strange piece of ‘godware’, which is most definitely not fake. Lands which are drawn so vividly they become real enough to touch are truly special and Frances Hardinge has created such a place in Deeplight which is backed up by sensitively drawn characters. AGE RANGE 12+ OTORI TAKEO from Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn Across the Nightingale Floor is literary and intelligent fiction with a magical touch, touching upon both supernatural and folk elements, set in the world of feudal Japan. Sixteen-year-old Otori Takeo sees his entire family murdered by a warlord’s elite warriors and swears bloody revenge and begins a long and vicious vendetta. Lord Iida Sadamu, warlord of the Tohan clan, soon realises he has picked a very dangerous fight, but he has his own unique ways of defending himself. Otori Takeo has the magical skills of his ancient tribe; preternatural hearing, invisibility, a second self (a seriously cool ‘shimmer’ which gives the appearance of bilocation) that enable him to begin his quest for revenge in a truly mesmerising series. The first three rank amongst my favourite YA series ever, irrespective of genre. Masterpieces and I do not say that lightly and much of that is attributed to the voice of Otori Takeo. AGE RANGE 13+ FINN from The Darkmouth Quartet by Shane Hegarty Blending horror, adventure and comedy is never easy, Shane Hegarty completely nails it in this highly engaging series which will have you sniggering, it is also ideal to read aloud to younger children who might want a taste of horror which is not too threatening, but still had a certain edge. Monsters, known as ‘Legends’, invade the town of Darkmouth and youngster Finn discovers he is the last line of defence against the evil hoards. Can the nerdy, animal loving twelve-year-old save the world from the swarms of vicious creatures which include the legendary Minotaur? He’s willing to give it a go, learn on his feet (and how to swing a sword) and fulfil his destiny of becoming a true Legend Hunter with the help of some of his friends. Many young boys will see a little bit of themselves in Finn and the best books are often those were quite normal kids find themselves doing out of character things. Which ten-year-old does not want to slay a demon? AGE RANGE 10+  JUSTIN from Hide and Seeker by Daka Hermon Hide and Seeker adds a strange twist to the traditional game of hide and seek which results in a rash of disappearances in the close-knit, mainly Black, neighbourhood where the story is set. It has some good chills, nice character developments and solid pace which will have kids turning the pages quickly. Those who like a spooky story are going to speed through Hide and Seeker in no time at all. Hide and Seeker has an outstanding opening, main character Justin has not seen his best friend Zee for over a year. He disappeared, but now upon his return Justin and other local kids have been invited to Zee’s house for a welcome home party. Nobody knows where he has been. However, things do not go as planned as Zee is not the same boy who vanished and soon a harmless game of hide and seek be the cause of the abduction of another child? Before long, the disappearances are traced to what happened to Zee and Justin and his motley band of friends find themselves going up against a boogieman type creature called ‘The Seeker’. The ten-year-old version of myself would have loved this book. AGE RANGE 10-12 JULIAN from Nine by Zach Hines Nine is set in an alternate universe (which is an almost identical version of our world) except for the fact that everybody has nine lives. Most people plan their own death, even making an event out of it before they return in their next incarnation. This process is incredibly well described and visualised; the government encourage their population not to spent too long on each of the nine stages (or sections) of their life before moving onto the next. If you are on the initial stage, you are known as a ‘one’ and the next stage is a ‘two’ and so on. Most older teenagers are already onto ‘three’ and also, when you return in your new body, you might be older, but your new ‘model’ will have lost any excess fat or other imperfections it might have picked up, there might also be other enhancements. The very clever story revolves around teenager Julian, who is the only ‘one’ in his school, this does not bother him, but others laugh at him and even his family find this vaguely uncomfortable as a certain negative stigma is attached to it. This is obviously the weirdest kind of peer pressure. As the story moves on it develops into a complex mystery thriller, but also has much to say about sexuality and there are many (often funny and serious) metaphors thrown into the mix were losing your ‘two’ or ‘three’ might be compared to something else. Julian’s journey is a very strange one, but it is highly worthwhile joining him. AGE RANGE 13+ THOMAS CALE from The Left Hand of God Quartet by Paul Hoffman The Left Hand of God is an outstanding fantasy series and a very challenging read which could be read by adults as well as teenagers. The story is set in the Sanctuary of the Redeemer, which is similar to a monastery for trainee monks or orphans, who are treated horribly by their masters, the Lord Redeemers. Everybody serves in the name of the One True Faith, the religion of the land. The story focusses upon a boy called Thomas Cale who becomes strongly connected to an ancient prophecy whilst the Lord Redeemers plan to use his for their own purposes. Fantasy fiction does not get much better than this, soaked in atmosphere, intrigue and the fear that the prophecies might be real. Thomas Cale is a highly complex character and as the plot moves on he grows and begins to dominate the book in more ways than one. It’s also set in an exceptionally well-developed world, which is very like ours, but not quite. AGE RANGE 13+ GABRIEL AND ERIC from The Outrage by William Hussey Whilst The Outrage is not strictly a horror novel, its author is fast becoming a very distinctive literary voice in the LGBTQ+ movement. The Outrage continues this exploration with a single-sex relationship in a sinister and scarily dystopian version of the UK. In this society gay relationships are banned and the government, the Protectorate, once seen as a loony fringe party enforce the ‘Public Good’. This means that women must keep their hair from being too short, films which show positive gay relationships are banned and those who are gay have to keep it hidden, otherwise they will end up in a prison camp for reconditioning. The story focusses on two gay teenagers Gabriel and Eric and tells their story in tandem, ‘before’ and ‘after’ whilst they try to live in a society where being homosexual is a crime. Both are outstanding and individualistic voices. Things are made worse by the fact that Eric is the son of the chief inspector at Degenerate Investigations and Gabriel is a natural rebel who enjoys rocking against the system. There were so many things I loved about this book; the beautiful unapologetic relationship, the background characters who were secretly in the rebellion and the references to the Underground Railroad, which helped slaves escape the southern states of America in the 19th Cenuury. The scariest thing about the book was how real if felt, with some sections feeling eerily familiar, or still practiced in many countries. AGE RANGE 13+  JOEY CROUCH from Rotters by Daniel Kraus Rotters is a highly original, and slightly demented novel, about a straightlaced teenager sent to live with the father he does not know in rural Iowa after the sudden death of his mother. Moving to the sticks is the least of Joey’s worries as soon he is sucked into the shadowy world of modern-day grave robbing. In Rotters the main character is thrown completely in the deep end without a lifebelt, the straight ‘A’ trumpet playing nerd quickly realizes that his father is not happy to see him but eventually worms his way into the strangest of subcultures and things quickly go from dark to pitch black. Joey Crouch was an outstanding character and watching him spiral off the rails was a truly exhilarating experience. AGE RANGE 14+ ALEX from Monstrous Devices by Damian Love Monstrous Devices has a beautiful old-fashioned mystery feel to it which expertly blends spooky goings on, with thrills and adventure. Twelve-year-old Alex is bullied at school and since he has started secondary things have got decidedly worse as his mother gives him little room to breathe. Things take an interesting turn when Alex’s eccentric grandfather sends him a weird little (and very old fashioned) toy robot and then appears himself promising to take the boy on an adventure. The robot behaves oddly and soon the old man (in secret) whisks Alex to Paris to meet an old friend and find out more about the device. However, things do not go to plan and Alex finds himself alone, being hunted and stranded in a foreign city. Scary times for a mummy’s boy and I’m sure many readers will secretly wish they were Alex! I loved the way Monstrous Devices took the time to explain the original principles of robotics and its origins in the 1920s and as Alex goes on the run, the normally timid little boy, has to find extra reserves as he realises others are often the robot and will do anything to get it. Supernatural elements are threaded into the story, which also heads into Prague and the monsters known as Golems. This was an engaging page-turner with a hero thrown in at the deep end, but the attention to detail in Paris, Prague and the backstories was outstanding. It also had a cool ending and sequel The Shadow Arts is now out. AGE RANGE 10+ JAZZ DENT from I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga Jazz Dent is one of the most troubled, but fascinating characters in modern YA fiction and considering his horrific backstory teen readers should find him irresistible. Hopefully most older teens with a passing interest in horror will have heard of the infamous Hannibal Lecter, for those not old enough to read Thomas Harris’s monstrous creation Barry Lyga’s I Hunt Killers is the next best thing. Jazz Dent, for the most part is a very likable kid but is avoided by many because he is the son of America’s most notorious serial killers. Billy Dent was responsible for the death of over one hundred people, many whilst Jazz was growing up. The novel opens with Billy in prison, serving multiple life sentences, and Jazz trying to rebuild his life in the same small town where they lived when his father was actively killing. Not surprisingly, Jazz has a host of personal and emotional problems connected to his damaged upbringing. Jazz might be likable, but he is also troubled with an unhealthy interest in death, crime scenes and is friends with the local sheriff. Early in the novel a new body is found, Billy is convinced it is a copycat paying tribute to his father, whom he has not seen since sentencing. Becoming a suspect himself, he fights to clear his name, but other bodies appear and soon he decides to visit his infamous father in prison before things get even worse. I Hunt Killers was a fine example of blending the serial killer thriller with horror and for the most part you will not realise this a YA novel, with much of it being very mature. Like Hannibal Lecter, Billy Dent is a superb character, and when he makes his first appearance, behind bars, the novel truly lights up. AGE RANGE 14+ BENNY IMURA from the Rot and Ruin Series by Jonathan Maberry Rot and Ruin is an outstanding series (also known as the Benny Imura sequence) set in a zombie infested world. When Benny turns fifteen, he needs to find a job otherwise his rations will be cut in a beautifully described isolated community of apocalyptic survivors. Expecting to get a job with his brother, things take a stranger and more compassionate turn when the full extent of his brother’s occupation is revealed. This was Maberry’s YA debut, which remains the best zombie teen series in the business, through a combination of strong characterisation, clever plot and very well developed post-apocalyptic world near the Mexican border. Dust and Decay is a rare example of when the sequel matches the original. Maberry is simply a terrific author to gets teens reading, with his intensely fast-paced fiction, loaded with page-turning action sequences and likable characters which kids can easily connect with. The author recently returned to this world in a second series which begins with Broken Lands, and sees Benny Imura return with a host of other characters and further zombie adventures. AGE RANGE 12+  IAN FOSSER from The Gravedigger’s Son by Patrick Moody Patrick Moody’s debut novel The Gravedigger’s Son tells the sad tale of a ten-year-old boy who is the son of the local gravedigger. For hundreds of years Ian Fosser’s descendants have always been gravediggers, a position he will inherit from his father in due course. However, the very gentle Ian would rather work with herbs and study, escaping the generations old family traditions. Ian is tutored in the matters of the dead by a 400-year-old ghost called Bertrum and to ensure the dead are truly at peace, the words heaven and hell are never used, but the gravedigger’s role is an important one in this process. Ian might only be an apprentice but before long he is sucked into a supernatural mystery involving his dead mother, his friend Fiona who has the power to hear the restless dead and an old family feud. Amazingly the whole of this beautiful novel is set pretty much entirely in the graveyard and the world Moody creates is so believably vivid you’ll be cheering for Ian right up to the superb ending. AGE RANGE 10+ LUKA KANE from The Loop by Ben Oliver If you’ve after a cool twisty futuristic thriller then welcome to The Loop. Main character Luka Kane has been imprisoned within this weirdly looped shaped prison for over two years and is on a death sentence. However, there is a catch if inmates submit to medical experiments then their execution will be delayed. This happens all the time, but the experiments are very dangerous, might lead to death or having part of their body cut-off and replaced with an artificial limb. Luka was an engaging character and I loved the way he passed his time reading what to us are contemporary novels, but to him are from the distant past. Ben Oliver carefully drips information about what is going on in the real world beyond the prison, revealing the circumstances behind the Third World War and the fact that the world population is miniscule compared to what it once was. The bottom line: the machines are in charge. Early in proceedings excitement builds nicely towards a potential breakout; but this is tricky because inmates have devices attached to their hearts which will explode if they leave the prison grounds. There is much for young teenagers to enjoy in The Loop, which is a top-notch fusion of science fiction, thriller, and dystopia. Book two, The Block was recently released. AGE RANGE 12+ TOBY from The Death House by Sarah Pinborough I am always on the lookout for novels where teens can make strong emotional connections with the characters and in my experience, there are few better than The Death House and Toby. In the years I have been recommending this amazing dystopian thriller I always tell the readers to watch out for the stunning ending, more than a few freely admit to crying when they get there. Certain readers think the climax is unnecessarily downbeat, I am not sure, whatever your opinion it is wonderful that it encourages such debate, discussion and a few tears. The Death House is a haunting mix of dystopia, where everything is kept enticingly vague with children infected with a virus being shipped to a remote orphanage on an island which they call ‘Death Houses’ because the survival rate is zero. What follows is a quite beautiful and haunting look at the teens who live there, waiting to die, whilst trying to live. The story is seen from the point of view of Toby, who has been in the Death House longer than everybody else (who are all dead) and what changes when a couple of girls arrive amongst the latest bunch of inmates. YA writing has never been better as young love begins to blossom on the island and Toby’s inner voice is pitch perfect. An absolute stunner and I loved it more than you can ever imagine with Toby being one of the main reasons why. AGE RANGE 13+ BRYAN from The Devil’s Footsteps by EE Richardson Some years ago, this author really intrigued me, in her early twenties wring three terrific horrors on the bounce, which started with this terrific bogeyman story, before disappearing from the scene, or at least changing direction. I love horror novels which have creepy rhymes and there are none better to “13 steps to the Dark Man’s door” which are on the first page of The Devil’s Footsteps. A dare goes horribly wrong after Bryan’s younger brother it taken by the creature known as the Dark Man after the hypnotic skipping rhyme summons the creature. The story is picked up five years later with Brian prepared go to any lengths to find his brother, even if it takes him to Hell itself. Most believe the Dark Man as a dumb old legend, but he knows better and battles to keep the memory of his brother alive. I have recommended this novel to hundreds of kids in the years since I first read it and have bought countless copies for my school library. AGE RANGE 10/11+  DAN CRAWFORD from Asylum by Madeleine Roux Ayslum, first published in 2013, has since spawned two sequels and three novellas, including a prequel and follows in the footsteps of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by using atmospheric black and white photography. This engaging and documentary style adds both tension and ambiguity to a fast-paced thriller set in an old building which was once a mental asylum before being converted for summer college courses. It has not been modernised too much and some of the original trappings of the old hospital are still visible, including vintage photographs which have the habit of turning up in odd places. Sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford has been accepted for the summer program at the New Hampshire College Prep and is looking forward to spending time with other intellectually minded kids. He quickly makes friends with Abby and Jordan, but a weird photo left in his bedside table throws him off his game and he begins to snoop into the history of the asylum. He soon uncovers the startling fact that it was once the last stop for the criminally insane. For the most part the story is quite restrained and slowly they realise that they all have connections to the hospital. It is a relatively easy and undemanding read with Dan and his friends being pulled out of their comfort zones with some clever twists and turns in the final third. AGE RANGE 12+ GRUBBS GRADY from Lord Loss and the Demonata Series by Darren Shan The Demonata is a stunning ten book horror series which begins with Lord Loss and concludes with Hell’s Heroes and along the way make sure you check out the awesome Slawter (book three) and Bec (book four), of just do yourself a favour and read them all. I have been a fan of Darren Shan for over twenty years and whilst many authors have tried their hands at writing female characters, Darren just about always concentrates on the male point of view. This series effortlessly blends fantasy with wild gory horror and although they are standalone novels, they are best read in sequence. The first few pages of Lord Loss let you know what you’re in for when Grubbs Grady witnesses his family being very violently murdered by demons, part of the mystery is why. I’ll never forget the first time I read this, and one character is ripped in half, incredibly bloody for a kid’s book! I later heard the author speak at an event and he read this scene aloud to about 500 kids, you could hear a pin drop. Darren Shan could really work the room! After the family massacre Grubbs goes to live with his uncle, but the demons are never far away as we realise the Grady family is well and truly cursed and is a theme throughout the series. I also loved the recurring chess theme that pops up here and there across the series and after a few books you will be hoping that book old Grubbs catches a break! AGE RANGE 11/12+ DARREN SHAN from The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan Between 2005 and 2005 we were blessed with the awesome twelve book Saga of Darren Shan series in which a teenager sells his soul to save a friend after he is bitten by a spider at a dodgy circus in the first novel Cirque Du Freak. Over twelve books, you will be totally captivated by Darren’s terrifying journey from human to half-vampire to Vampire Prince. And what an astonishing ride! Make sure you read the books in the correct order, which are broken down into loosely connected trilogies as Darren struggles to hold onto his humanity as larger than life characters such as Mr Crepsley are forever pulling him into darker and darker territory. The Saga of Darren Shan ranks as one of the high points of post 2000 YA horror literature, it is atmospheric, funny, realistic, moving and terrifying. All twelve are short and incredibly punchy, perfect for the any horror or fantasy reluctant readers in your life. AGE RANGE 11+ ALEX SAWYER from the Furnace Series by Alexander Gordon Smith Sadly, these days few kids are aware of the exploits of the legendary Steve McQueen in The Great Escape and his attempts to escape from a German POW camp, however, the Escape from Furnace series has a teenager with a similar character, Alex Sawyer. After ending up in the clink the boy is forever dreaming of escaping from Furnace Penitentiary which is buried deep underground. Convicted of a crime he did not commit Alex vows to escape otherwise only death lies ahead as the life, in more ways than one, is slowly sucked from the convicts. However, in Furnace there are worse things than death and soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night and giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows. Behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a great character who lurks in the shadows pulling the strings. As the series develops, Alex starts to uncover the truth about Furnace's deeper, darker purpose and his actions grow ever more dangerous, risking everything to expose this nightmare that's hidden from the eyes of the world. A very cool fusion of adventure, action and horror as Alex battles to escape in a series which gets darker with every book with his humanity in increasing pearl. AGE RANGE 11+  NATHANIEL from The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud The Bartimaeus series remains one of the genuine high points of post-2000 fantasy and dark fiction, beautifully straddling genres and creating a magical delight which looked like it had concluded as a trilogy in 2005 with Ptolemy's Gate before a surprise fourth entry appeared a few years later. The series opens with Nathaniel, a magician's apprentice, summoning up the djinni Bartimaeus, instructing him to steal The Amulet of Samarkand (also the name of the first book) from the powerful magician Simon Lovelace. When the 5,000-year-old djinni Bartimaeus is summoned he is amazed how powerful a magician the young boy is, who is also hell-bent on revenge against old enemy Lovelace. Set in a modern-day version of London controlled by magicians, these wonderful, funny and electrifying, supernatural thrillers are totally irresistible as Nathaniel works for the government and the djinni, who is a real scene-stealer, is simply wonderful. AGE RANGE 11+ ANTHONY LOCKWOOD from The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud There are few more engaging and imaginative fantasy writers effortlessly blending the supernatural with the fantastic than Jonathan Stroud. The Lockwood and Company series takes up back to a very atmospheric 1930s version of Britain where ghosts and spirits routinely appear. However, only young people have the psychic abilities required to see-and eradicate-these supernatural entities. Many different Psychic Detection Agencies pop up to handle this dangerous work, but they are in fierce competition with each other for the same business. Lockwood and Company (a couple of teenagers) operate without any adult supervision as they bid for success with limited knowledge, but soon Lucy, Anthony and George find themselves hired to work in one of the most haunted houses in Britain and have to solve the mystery of The Screaming Staircase in the first book of this highly entertaining, inventive and funny series which effortlessly mixes chills with adventure. AGE RANGE 11+ JOHN CLEAVER from I Am Not A Serial Killer Series by Dan Wells Gleefully nasty thriller series which begins with I Am Not a Serial Killer about a teenage mortician who helps the family business, with serious, serious issues, who believes he may have serial killer tendencies or is a sociopath. He’s the sort of kid who would write a school ‘heroes’ essay on serial killer John Wayne Gacy, but at the same time his inner voice is beautifully conflicted and he is a brilliantly drawn teenager. This sort of negative attitude gets him serious trouble with his teachers who would much rather an essay on Martin Luther King, Gandhi or Nelson Mandela! Although you might say it is a book about a teen with ‘issues’, John Cleaver was an outstanding lead, with the plot taking a surprising supernatural turn well into the action. AGE RANGE 13+ CAL from Parasite Positive by Scott Westerfeld Exciting, vaguely futuristic vampire novels Parasite Positive and Last Days have a twist in which vampirism is seen as a disease. Main character Cal picks up this infection and is a carrier who then gives it to his girlfriend and tracks down those he has infected with the disease who are called ‘peeps’ creating ghoul like vampire creatures. The second novel cleverly develops this supernatural apocalypse with five teenagers fighting for survival as the deadly epidemic spreads. These days it is the norm for spunky teenage girls to save the world, so it was nice to see the shoe on the other foot in this duology. AGE RANGE 13+  CALLUM from A Hunter’s Moon by Danny Weston Set in 18th Century Scotland, Danny Weston’s A Hunter’s Moon is a fast-paced supernatural thriller which is top-loaded with local folklore and historical intrigue. Teenager Callum’s life is turned upside down when his father loses a pile of money at cards. As a result, he ends up working as a servant/slave to Frazer McCloud as payment for his father’s debt and McCloud is a tough master. Early in the novel the pair are hired to kill a wolf which is terrorising a local community some miles away. Once they arrive they realise the local farmers believe that the killer is not a wolf, but a creature from Scottish mythology called Cù Sìth. What follows is a very entertaining thriller in which Callum and Frazer realise that the Colonel who hired them has not told them the full story and something very nasty lurks in the encroaching forests and is hungry. I particularly enjoyed the interactions between the characters in A Hunter’s Moon. Initially McCloud is painted as a real bad guy, but he grows on the reader as the plot moves along. Likewise, the developing friendship between Callum and local girl Mhairi, the innkeeper’s daughter, came across as authentic, particularly as she has a strange air about her. I enjoy fiction which has a convincing folklore spin and A Hunter’s Moon had me checking Wikipedia a few times, all of which is blended into a convincing Scottish setting. Young horror and thriller fans will get quickly sucked into this engaging plot, especially as the body count increases, and even those readers who do not read much historical fiction will easily tap into this engaging novel populated with believable characters. AGE RANGE 10-13 WILL HENRY from The Monstrumologist Series by Rick Yancey This atmospheric gothic series has it all: monsters, corpses, spooky catacombs, atmosphere and loads of great scares, not to mention three bloody sequels which are top heavy with formidable creatures. Will Henry is an apprentice to Dr. Pellinore Warthrop and telling the wildest of stories, in diary format, revealing the darkest secrets of the world’s most famous Monstrumologist and his dodgy experiments. The ‘mad scientist’ may well remind you of a crazy version of Sherlock Holmes and although Will does not genuinely like Warthrop, he is loyal and loves the excitement and unpredictability of working with the scientist. Set in the Victorian era, the atmosphere is outstanding, and for a children’s book is incredibly gory. In The Terror Beneath (the first book) a group of monsters from any person's worst nightmare begin to wreak havoc on the sleepy New England town of New Jerusalem and Will has to swing into action to save the day. If I had read this as an eleven-year-old I would have been blown away and given anything to be Will! AGE RANGE 11+ MACKIE from The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff Brenna Yovanoff’s debut The Replacement is an entertaining teen riff on the popular folklore changeling story in which a fairy child replaces a human child stolen by the fairies. The setting for the novel is the very superstitious small town of Gentry which has very old connections to the fairy world and because of that, strange occurrences are quite normal. I really liked the fact that main character, sixteen-year-old Mackie, is fully aware he is a changeling right from the start. He also bucks the stereotypes of most teenage boys and is neither strong, a sports star or popular with the girls, he would rather fade into the background and has complex health issues due to his true nature. Gentry is subject to the subtle rule of the fairy world who demand a blood tithe every seven years in exchange for the town's prosperity. Blended into Mackie's story is that of his friend and potential love interest Tate which helps develop a convincing balance of supernatural story with a teenager who has obvious identity issues. Eventually the story takes us to the underworld of Gentry and the home of the fey, where Mackie must decide if he belongs. This was a great tale of Celtic mythology blended into a contemporary American setting. AGE RANGE 12+ Tony Jones TODAY ON THE GINGER NUTS OF HORROR WEBSITE FILM REVIEW - DUNE (2021) the heart and soul of Young Adult Horror Fiction Reviews
It’s time for another trip into the world of YA and amongst the nine books we have this month are some absolute belters. Tori Bovalino, with her debut The Devil Makes Three blows it out of the park with what must be the coolest school library in existence, and the teen librarian who finds herself in a supernatural mess is a terrific lead. Not far behind is Diana Rodriguez Wallach’s Small Town Monsters, which takes in exorcisms and possessions with a quality Latinx flavour in a town where things always go bump in the night. I was a massive fan of Stephanie Perkins timely diversion into horror back in 2017 with There’s Someone Inside Your House and the teen queen is back with another beauty The Woods Are Always Watching, this one has some Hillbilly Horror scenes which will have the toughest horror fans wincing. The Taking of Jake Livingstone was another impressive debut, with Ryan Douglass passionately writing about a gay Black teenager who sees dead people, with a catchy blend of teen social commentary and the supernatural. Although it is not particularly horror I just had to feature Naomi Gibson’s startling high concept debut Every Line Of You, in which an AI being called Henry becomes a lonely teens best friend and more in a twister which refuses to play by the rules. Elsewhere real-life TV ghost hunter Yvette Fielding tries her hand at kid’s books with The House in the Woods (Ghost Hunter Chronicles book 1), Kendare Blake returns with All These Bodies, Nina Laurin is inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray with The Last Beautiful Girl and gives it a social media and Instagram shake-around. Last, but not least, we feature Ruth Estevez’s strange tale of monsters, disappearances and underground waterways in The Monster Belt. There is some fine reading to be had here and some terrific novels for school libraries or that favourite teenager in your life. They are presented alphabetically by author.  Kendare Blake – All These Bodies |
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