Get Ready for the Chills: A YA and MG Horror Round Up March/April 2024
Welcome to another edition of ‘Young Blood,’ the YA and Middle Grade arm of the Ginger Nuts of Horror, with ten brand recent reviews.
Ann Fraistat’s A Place for Vanishing is the pick of the ten and is an outstanding haunted house novel developed around a teenager with deep personal problems attempting to recover from a suicide attempt. Looking for a fresh start, her family relocate to a house with a complex and dangerous history. Melissa Albert’s The Bad Ones blends fantasy, small town urban myths and toxic teen friendships in a drama surrounding the simultaneous disappearance of four individuals. Jamie Costello’s The Midnight Clock is a captivating time travel novel in which a teenager heads back to 1955 and attempts to prevent a huge miscarriage of justice.
SJ Wills’s Bite Risk 2: Caught Dead is a terrific werewolf sequel to last year’s Bite Risk and perfectly bridges the gap between Middle Grade and YA. Melissa Welliver’s Soulmates and Other Ways to Die does the same, a romantic comedy in which a gene mutation connects everybody in the world to somebody else, whether they like it or not.
This month we have two books by the publisher Barrington Stoke, who specialise in high interest books for kids with lower reading ages. It is great to see them releasing more darker fiction as opposed to their usual social dramas. Melinda Salisbury’s EchoStaris an outstanding school-based drama in which a sophisticated app ruins the lives and friendship of two teenage girls. In Marcus Sedgwick’s Ravencavewe are treated to a great supernatural drama with a smart plot shift which turns the moving story on its head.
The final three books are all entertaining Middle Grade reads, firstly, Kathryn Foxfield drops down from her usual YA with Things That Go Bump and a group of kids fooling around in an IKEA style store. Hayley Hoskins’s The Whisperling takes us back to the late Victorian era and a teenage girl, who can communicate with the dead, trying to help her best friend who has been accused of murder. Finally, Emily Randall-Jones’s The Witchstone Ghosts is a supernatural mystery set on a tiny island off the Cornwall coast about a little girl who can also see ghosts and longs to see the spirit of her recently deceased father.
The books are reviewed alphabetically.
Get Ready for the Chills: A YA and MG Horror Round Up
Melissa Albert – The Bad Ones
Publisher : Penguin
The YA section of Ginger Nuts has reviewed most of the fiction of Melissa Albert, which deftly blends dark fantasy with witchcraft, teen angst, family drama and relatable characters. The Hazel Wood (2018) and sequel The Dark Country (2020) leaned heavily towards fantasy, whilst Our Crooked Hearts (2020) has more in common with her latest, The Bad Ones. The story has a great opening hook, although ultimately it did not live up to the hype and the entity which lurks at the back of the book was a tad disappointing. I liked the idea that the being might be connected to a childhood game (although that idea is more Middle Grade than YA) and the rhyme “Goddess, goddess, count to five In the morning, who’s alive?” had certain charms, but not exactly any fear factor. Even though The Bad Ones has a strong mystery element throughout, doubling up with strong characterisation, in parts the story dragged and the pay-off was not particularly worth the wait.
The Bad Ones has a smart opening; one chilly winter night, four people who are not connected to each, vanish without a trace in a small town. Main character Nora’s best friend Becca is one of the four. Much of the novel has Nora desperately searches for answers to discover what happened to her estranged best friend. A fair bit of the novel explores the complicated friendship of the two teenagers, who had not spoken for a while at the time of the disappearance, which has a parallel second narrative beginning six months earlier. There were some nice reveals and although the use of the goddess urban legend was clever it lacked whack and at nearly four-hundred pages the book became a trudge. The characters and their relationships remained its great strength; Nora and her mother had a prickly time, the backstory about Becca’s family and the appearance of a new boy whom Becca did photography with and Nora is attracted to. Toxic relationships, friendship, witchcraft, and Nora following clues to solve a decent supernatural mystery are the order of the day. AGE RANGE 13+
Jamie Costello – The Midnight Clock
Publisher : Atom
Jamie Costello is the YA penname for adult crime writer Laura Wilson whose fascinating teen debut Monochrome (2022) impressed me greatly a couple of years ago. This clever dystopian speculative thriller is set after an undiagnosed phenomenon causes everyone to see in black and white or monochrome, bringing the world to its knees. The Midnight Clock is a fascinating change of direction in which dystopia is abandoned in favour of a beguiling time travel story which catapults a teenage girl back to 1955, whilst retaining the ability to return to the present day. The teen gets sucked into a complex murder mystery and potential miscarriage of justice which she tries to rectify by fiddling with time.
There are many novels on the market featuring ‘Butterfly Effect’ stories where changing something in the past impacts the future, but there are unlikely to be many as oddball as The Midnight Clock. Millie is temporarily living with her father and his new (much younger) partner whilst her mother is in Greece and spends her time antagonising them. Her father’s flat is in a converted section of an old women’s prison and in the foyer the clock from the prison has been retained and Millie feels drawn to it. Initially thinking she has been dreaming or sleepwalking, she finds herself transported back to the prison in 1955, a week before the execution of Annie Driscoll and when she returns to her own time begins researching into this tragic woman’s life. What follows is an immersive back and forward drama where Millie uses the present to investigate the past in what develops into a convoluted mystery. I am not 100% certain I understood all the aspects of the time ripples, but I enjoyed the romantic storyline, the jokes over how the meaning of words change (‘gay’ and many others), the reveals about the clock and the manner in which the past connected with the present. This was a clever character driven drama which kept things low key and avoids the loud dramatics of films like Back to the Future and was all the better for it. AGE RANGE 12+
Kathryn Foxfield – Things That Go Bump
Publisher : Scholastic
Ginger Nuts has reviewed all four of Kathryn Foxfield’s YA horror novels Good Girls Die First (2020), It’s Behind You (2021), Tag You’re Dead (2022) and Getting Away With Murder (2023) and was interested to see how she fared in dropping down to Middle Grade. Writing for both age groups is a tricky business, not always successful and certainly not as easy as one might think. Things That Go Bump was a commendable first attempt and although it lacked scares, much of it played for laughs, is perfect for the top end of primary school or first year of secondary. The kids in the story are all in Year 6 (final primary year in England) and the generally non-threatening creatures they discover lurking in the store will be too dull for older readers. But pitched at the correct level there is a lot of fun to be had mixed in with the snappy dialogue and kids running around a deserted (or haunted even) superstore in their pyjamas.
The main strength of Things That Go Bump was not the horror or the adventure element of the story, it was the characters and their very believable interactions. Olive’s dad loves buying furniture from the Flatback (think Ikea) superstore and after Olive and her best friend Ada have an unsettling experience with a wardrobe he purchased there recruit a group of friends to hideout in the store and investigate further. The problem is Oliver and Ada have a serious falling out and the normally quiet and mousy Olive has to readjust without her louder and more confident friend. A lot of it is played for laughs, including run-ins with store employees and increasing bumps in the night. Things move fast and there is a lot of running and jumping around, however, it got a bit repetitive and could have been much shorter without too much momentum being lost. Overall the book has a positive message about standing up for yourself, friendship and facing your fears. As it played for laughs and is an extremely easy read it did lack scares and even for this age group could have been creepier. However, parents can be reassured this is an enjoyable read to give to their kids without fear of them getting nightmares. AGE RANGE 8-11
Get Ready for the Chills: A YA and MG Horror Round Up
Ann Fraistat – A Place for Vanishing
Publisher : Delacorte Press
Ann Fraistat’s debut What We Harvest was an absolute cracker and her sophomore effort A Place to Vanish is equally fascinating. In her earlier novel a strange crop blight called Quicksilver destroys the produce of the idyllic farm community, which is extremely popular with tourists, before spreading to people and turning them into beings no longer human. Whilst A Place to Vanish has a bubbling environmental message A Place to Vanish is a more traditional haunted house novel, which is backed up by an outstanding setting, sympathetic characters, family drama and an unsettling vibe that vibrates from deep inside the history of the house. First and foremost this is a horror novel, but has much to say about mental health, with the main character recovering from a suicide attempt which has led to her family relocating for a fresh start. Libby was a fragile, sensitive and incredibly well drawn character and her interactions with her younger sister Vivi (who has her own fragilities), single parent mother and potential love interest Flynn was all first rate. The personal problems of Libby raised this book beyond the levels of genre fiction and the manner in which it blended with the developing supernatural story was a real standout.
The story kicks off when Libby’s family move into a new house, which has been uninhabited for years, but also a strong connection to their family as it is rumoured to have played a part in the disappearance of Libby’s grandparents some years before. Early in the novel Libby researches the disappearances and realises many others have vanished also, going back over a century. There are bugs and insects all over the house, Vivi is strangely attracted to the many butterflies and after the discovery of masks, which are in the shapes of insects such as beetles events get stranger, particularly after the girls try the masks on. A Place to Vanish was a deliciously paced, atmospheric ghost story as the house is top heavy with spirits who have their own agenda for the two girls. The story picks up when Libby meets Flynn who has an unhealthy interest in the house and his own reason for inserting himself in their investigation. The legacy of Libby’s family runs deep in this modern gothic tale and endlessly inventive haunted house story with a fragile, but highly memorable lead character. Highly recommended. AGE RANGE 13+
Hayley Hoskins – The Whisperling
Publisher : Puffin
The Whisperling (published back in 2022) recently caught my eye when I noticed it was long listed for the Young Quills Historical Fiction Prize, it is rare for supernatural fiction to be nominated for that award, so I tackled Hayley Hopkin’s Middle Grade debut with some interest. Set in the Bristol area of southwest England in 1897, the main character, young teenager Peggy Devona can communicate with ghosts. She keeps this gift a secret, and although it was common for seances to occur during the Victorian era where there was a fascination with life after death, those who run these operations were usually charlatans, which also plays a key role in the story. However, there are a select few who can truly connect with the dead and they are known as ‘whisperlings’ and none of the real deal would work in Mr Bletchley’s Psychic Emporium, where the second part of the story is set. Genuine whisperlings are feared by the public at large and are often hounded out of their homes, threatened or called names like ‘creepers’ or worse.
The story revolves around Peggy’s best friend Sally being accused of murdering her boss, ending up on trial to be hanged, and Peggy’s attempts to save her, which involve her being outed as a whisperling. This was an entertaining novel with a light supernatural touch which does not dwell on ghosts and seances too much and instead build’s its narrative through the struggles of Peggy to save her friend. Of course, this was dangerous times for young girls and they had little rights and obstacles are repeatedly put in her way. Peggy was also adopted and there is a developing story about the origins of her family and the whisperling gift. The supernatural story and solid historical detail were balanced nicely with the mystery to uncover the real killer and save Sally. This was an engaging read with bright realistic characters to connect with that is ideal for top end of primary school to Year Seven. The sequel The Whisperling Twins is released late in 2024. AGE RANGE 9-12
Get Ready for the Chills: A YA and MG Horror Round Up
Emily Randall-Jones – The Witchstone Ghosts
Publisher : Chicken House
The Witchstone Ghosts caught my eye after it was nominated for the Branford Boase Award. I always enjoy see supernatural or ghost stories in the running for this prestigious prize aimed at debut novelists. This was a thoroughly enjoyable Middle Grade drama aimed at children aged nine to twelve, which takes a folk horror Wicker Man style dark turn in the final fifty pages, but do not worry everything works out fine in the end. Initially set in London, main character Autumn Albert can see the dead, some she chats with and others she finds annoying so that she has to find alternative ways of getting to school. Struggling to make friends, her closest companion is a Victorian era chimney sweep ghost and Autumn is a very sympathetic and beautifully drawn character whom readers will quickly identify with. However, early in the novel tragedy strikes and after the sudden death of her father in a sea accident she has to relocate with her mum to a tiny island off the coast of Cornwall.
The windswept island of Imber was a wonderful location for the majority of the story, with Autumn longing to see the ghost of her father, who strangely never appears. However, her best ghost friend from London does and she also makes friends with Lamorna, daughter of the island’s big landowners, a girl with secrets of her own. The story revolves around the friendship of the two girls, the appearance of another ghost looking for her brother and the mystery of her dead father who originally came from the island. Autumn is surprised there are so few ghosts on the island (I loved the way she puts up with them, always showing empathy) and begins to investigate the significance strange witchstones which led to ancient curses and a particularly dark local history. Ultimately the story concerns, family, loss, friendship and has a satisfying and positive ending. AGE RANGE 9-12
Melinda Salisbury – EchoStar
Publisher : Barrington Stoke
Barrington Stoke are the UK’s leading publisher of high interest fiction aimed at kids with lower reading ages and are dyslexia friendly. The content of the excellent EchoStar is aimed at kids of eleven plus, who have a reading age of around eight, but this was such a tight story anybody could read it and it had me hooked for a highly entertaining hour. In recent times Barrington Stoke have attracted many leading YA authors and I always take a particular interest when a hi/lo book is written by an author I am a fan of. I have read most of Melinda Salisbury’s dark fantasy and horror fiction and was intrigued how she would fare with shorter, easier to read fiction. If you have never come across Melinda, my top tips include the Sin Eater’s Daughter series (2015-17), Told Back the Tide (2020) and Her Dark Wings (2022).
It is also heartening to see that Barrington Stoke, who historically focused on realistic issue-based fiction, are now releasing more genre fiction. 2023 saw Hiliary McKay release ghost story Jodie and YA horror author Cynthia Murphy gave us Welcome to Camp Killer. EchoStar gripped from the very start; fourteen-year-old Ruby discovers that her best friend Deva is using an experimental type of AI technology to help her at school. She has a tiny camera in her classes and via an earpiece the computer helps her answer questions and get better grades. Apart from drama, Ruby is doing terribly at school and if her grades do not improve will not be allowed to go on a summer acting course. Seeking help from the AI, she uses Deva’s passwords to access the information she needs to track down the shadowy AI. In doing so, she compromises Deva’s deal who gets cut out of the AI experiment. This leads to the girls falling out and Ruby finds herself alone and without anybody except the AI. This was a very clever book, as it pitches the insecurities of teenage girls, friendship issues, bullying and the hustle and bustle of school life absolutely perfectly. It was an easy, but gripping read and an incredibly well-structured story which will hook everybody. For readers interested in this sort of AI technology and the threats it poses I also highly recommend Naomi Gibson’s gripping Every Line of You (2021). AGE RANGE 8-13.
Marcus Sedgwick – Ravencave
Publisher : Barrington Stoke
Since Marcus Sedgwick sadly passed away in 2022, both his posthumous works Wrath (2022) and Ravencave (2023) have been for Barrington Stoke, the UK’s leading publisher of high interest fiction aimed at kids with lower reading ages and are dyslexia friendly. The content of the excellent Ravencave is aimed at kids of eleven plus, who have a reading age of around eight, but this was such a moving and engaging ghost story anybody could read it and it had me gripped for the duration.Both Wrath and Ravencave made the Long List stage of the prestigious Carnegie Medal and Sedgwick clearly had a knack for writing this different brand of fiction. I am unsure how many unpublished Sedgwick books remain, however, should Ravencave turn out to be the last, he has a stellar back-catalogue to be remembered by. Considering Sedgwick was never particularly seen as a horror, supernatural or genre writer, he visited these areas with some regularity in some outstanding books, including My Swordhand is Singing (2006), White Crow (2010), Midwinterblood (2011), Dark Satanic Mills (2013), The Ghosts of Heaven (2014), The Monsters We Deserve (2018) and many other thrillers or dramas.
Not a word is wasted in this atmospheric and chilling ghost story, with a family searching for their roots in rural Yorkshire. Young James is bored out of his mind, being dragged around various old ruins as his dad tries to trace his family’s history until he hears the laughter of a young girl. Whilst his parents argue and his elder brother ignores him, James follows the little girl and a shocking discovery turns the story completely on its head. Everybody has been on family holidays where things go wrong, but not quite like this one, where a cunning plot shift will have you rereading some passages with new insight. This is ultimately an incredibly sad, but highly engaging ghost story which does not rely on cheap scares and instead focusses on a clever narrative, beautifully described landscapes and the fate of an ignored lonely little boy. AGE RANGE 8/9 to TEEN.
Get Ready for the Chills: A YA and MG Horror Round Up
Melissa Welliver – Soulmates and Other Ways to Die
Publisher : Chicken House
We reviewed Melissa Welliver’s previous novel, the amusingly quirky My Love Life and the Apocalypse last year, a cute rom com with a science fiction ‘girl meets almost human robot boy twist.’ Melissa’s follow-up Soul Mates and Other Ways to Die is another quirky rom com but is in no way derivative of its predecessor. Both novels have similar first-person joint narratives, where both male and female characters tell the story in alternating chapters. Even if the book structure of ‘boy meets girl’ follow a similar pattern this latest novel is built around a very clever hook which is sure to catch the eye of teen readers. Due to an unexplained gene mutation, for the last ten years, everybody has a soulmate somewhere in the world waiting to be discovered. And there are fancy apps to help you make the connection and find that person. However, there are serious downsides, if you’re soulmate dies or gets injured, you die also or feel their pain if it’s an accident. For example, early in the novel a plane crashes and this is because the soulmate of the pilot died, causing the second death and thus the crash.
Zoe is extremely safety conscious, scared of most things, and takes zero risks. Early in the novel the app pairs her with Milo, who is the complete opposite of her and likes to take risks. Initially they do not look like a great match, but hey, this is a romantic comedy, so you can guess where the plot will head. Both sixteen-year-old characters were great fun, ably supported by larger-than-life friends who mostly find their match to be hilarious. The plot is built around the pair initially trying to break the match via an urban myth which claims there is a woman out there who can do the job, which develops into a conspiracy adventure thriller and the origins of gene mutation. All of this takes Zoe in particular deeply out of her comfort zone and it was all light-hearted fun, with the many odd ways the gene mutation impacted lives explored in very observant and down to earth ways. AGE RANGE 11/12+
SJ Wills – Bite Risk 2: Caught Dead
Publisher : Simon & Schuster Children’s UK
Back in 2023 we thoroughly enjoyed Bite Risk, the werewolf themed debut of SJ Wills. This was a clever update on the werewolf myth, with a sinister corporation pulling the shots in the town of Tremorglade, where when the full moon rises everybody over the age of fifteen or therabouts turns into a werewolf. However, the town folks counteract the monthly transformation by caging themselves when the full moon rises. For the sake of spoilers I am not going to go into detail how Bite Risk connects to Caught Dead, except for the fact that the story is picked up six months after what is now referred to as ‘Rippocalypse’ from the end of book one. Caught Dead has a useful potted guide summary of what went down in Bite Risk so this sequel could be read as a standalone novel, however, I would recommend reading Bite Risk first as the pair complement each other perfectly. Like its predecessor Caught Dead bridges the gap between Middle Grade and YA perfectly and could be read by anybody in secondary school.
Sel, Elena and Mika all return with their own narratives, which are built around when the next ‘Howl Night’ will occur as they are now all old enough to turn into werewolves. As the fact that werewolves exist is no longer a secret, hate groups have sprung up and tourists appear at Tremorglade hoping for some excitement. The main story is developed around the arrival of a new, immensely powerful creature, which is so strong it can hunt and kill werewolves or cause deadly infections. Caught Dead is loaded with lots of cool touches; Sel runs an online channel which explains the ins and outs of life at Tremorglade and life as a werewolf to prevent the spread of misinformation. This was another fast-paced action horror thriller, give a healthy dose of mad scientists and big guns thrown in, which concludes nicely for a potential third instalment. AGE RANGE 11/12+
The Heart and Soul of YA and MG Horror Book Reviews
Author
Discover more from Ginger Nuts of Horror
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
