July YA and Middle Grade horror roundup
In recent months I have been struggling to find the time for Young Blood reviews of YA and Middle Grade fiction, but instead of letting time drag on, here is a smaller more select roundup than usual.
I enjoyed all four of the books reviewed, on the Middle Grade front we have Kevin Garone’s I Know What UFO Did Last Summer, the first entry in a promising light-hearted science fiction series. I have already read the second, which was also highly entertaining, and will be reviewed in the next round up.
Two of the other three authors were very familiar to me, as co-authors Julia Rust, David Surface and Mary Watson all featured in my YA Horror 400 almanac. Their latest releases are also highly recommended, Saving Thornwood and Strange Nature, which has a Dark Academia vibe, which I would not rate as highly as Watson’s previous work. Finally, we have Jay Martel’s Codebreaker, which was more of a conspiracy thriller, but was also a top-notch page-turner.
The books are reviewed alphabetically.
UFOs, Conspiracies, and Chills: Our July YA and MG Horror Roundup
Kevin Garone – I Know What UFO Did Last Summer (Alien Survival Guide Book 1)
I Know What UFO Did Last Summer is a totally charming and humorous read aimed at the Middle Grade age group of nine to twelve. The central character is alien obsessed twelve-year-old Marv, who plays everything with a straight bat (this is what makes him so funny). As the story evolves, we find out that Marv has ‘cried wolf’ many times and sees aliens hiding under every rock.
His family and friends humour him and I chuckled heartily as Marv drops various anecdotes about his various (false alarm) alien adventures. The enemy, when they eventually turn up, were rather generic, but the story is enhanced by the entertaining three way friendship of Marvin (code name: Gold Leader), Jace (code name: Baller One) and Nora (code name: Space Cadet). The story opens when Nora arrives in town and Marv (no surprises here) initially suspects Nora’s father of being an alien.
Every chapter includes a humorous (or dumb) anecdote from Marv’s favourite book Alien Survival Guide Book, which he uses as a blueprint to his own adventures. Friendship beats strongly at the centre of the story, even if Nora and Jace do not believe in UFOs, they tag along with the deadly serious Marvin, enjoying the midnight camps and other fun romps in the American countryside where teachers and parents are far away in the distance.
I also loved the long suffering Mum lurking in the background, who could read her eccentric son like a book. Once the adventure picks up pace it is a lot of fun and I Know What UFO Did Last Summer could be pitched perfectly at kids who are struggling to engage with reading and are seeking a none-too-serious read and I have already bought a copy for my school library. There is a sequel out later in 2025, Night of the Living Toilet Paper, where Marv and friends bounce back for another adventure which is strongly connected to this one. AGE RANGE 9-12
Jay Martel – Codebreaker
Codebreaker is a conspiracy thriller, whilst not horror, is well worth a look, being a fun and highly entertaining read for teens who enjoy solving puzzles, twists and going up against the ‘man’ (being the all-powerful American government).
Mia Hayes’s life is turned upside down when government agents appear at her house seeking an object they believe her father has stolen. As her father is a respected academic this is a bolt from the blue and in the immediate chaos which follows her mother is killed, her father disappears, and she finds herself on the run, suddenly aware that she cannot trust anybody. However, coming from a family obsessed with puzzles, her father has left her one final mystery to solve, which lies at the heart of the book.
Mia is super-smart and has been well trained by her father, and soon this high school student finds herself on the run. Most of Codebreaker takes place on the move, you will have to suspend belief, but it is very good fun, especially when hacking, double agents, lots of technology and some romance are thrown into the mix.
Clever clues are dropped here and there, the reader is also given puzzles to solve (sorry, I got none of them correct) and as Mia zones in on the truth learns more about her family and who her father really was. I would have loved this when I was thirteen and had a great time piggybacking on Mia’s trials as she finds herself in a deep and complex conspiracy. Who needs Jack Bauer when you have Mia Hayes? Go Girl! AGE RANGE 12/13+
Julia Rust & David Surface – Saving Thornwood
Julia Rust and David Surface are a husband and wife team who I previously reviewed and featured in my YA Horror 400 almanac with their excellent Angel Falls (2022). Although Saving Thornwood is an entirely different beast to their previous novel, it contains many of the same hallmarks, including excellent characterisations, teens with believable and credible issues and an unexplained supernatural occurrence which connects two seemingly very different characters, who might actually be very similar.
The initial premise of the story is far-fetched, a door between the 19th and 21st centuries miraculously opens, which connects two girls from 2022 and the 1850s together, but if you are happy enough to swallow that then most of the rest of this highly thoughtful book is very much grounded in reality. I would not call this a horror or supernatural novel; it’s more of a timeslip drama. It certainly features horror, which is more centred in the awful conditions the patients of the Thornwood Asylum have to live with in the 19th century storyline.
The action opens after Annie Blake’s father has a psychotic episode and ends up in Thornwood. Annie struggles with this, as her father refuses to leave the hospital and gets involved in a campaign to save the building from developers. Annie has her own problems, having kissed her best friend back home, and struggles to cope her unstable father.
The story circles back to 1856 and Mary Donovan, who along with her sick brother has been committed to the hospital. Mary, an incredibly feisty character, fights against the cruel system and attracts the attention of the head psychiatrist Jonathan Blackwell who uses her in his research. The story revolves around how the girls help each other, with a Back to the Future vibe, of how events from 1856 could change the fortunes of the hospital in the present.
Although a relatively slowly paced drama, with lots of detail on historical hospital practices, I found Saving Thornwood to be a highly moving book, populated with memorable support characters which shines a light on mental health issues. There is much to enjoy for fans of historical dramas, spiky teenage girls, friendship, with highly entertaining dialogue which highlights the clash of cultures and differences between 1856 and 2022. A memorable and thoughtful read. AGE RANGE 13+
Mary Watson – Strange Nature
I am a big fan of Mary Watson, with two of her novels The Wren Hunt (2018) and Blood to Poison (2022) both featuring in my own YA Horror 400 almanac. Hailing from South Africa, her fiction has tackled the horrors of Apartheid, and as a resident of Ireland, she has also written fiction with a focus on Irish mythology.
Her latest Strange Nature is most definitely in the latter’s camp, being a Dark Academic tale set in an Irish college. Although Strange Nature just about held my attention, I was invested in seeing how things played out, it dragged and felt genuine teen readers might struggle with the sluggish pace. Far too much of the story was built around main character, eighteen-year-old Jasmine, investigating the death of another college student she barely knew. There were narrative reasons for this, but it was not enough to build the story around and some of the more interesting stuff (Jasmine’s relationship with her absent grandfather) is kept too far in the background.
Jasmine is in her final year at school and pretends to go to the local college and befriends a group of students who are a year older than her. They are all too self-obsessed to ask what she is studying and accept her into their friendship circle, none of these older students were particularly interesting and the power of the novel is restricted by the blandness of the characters.
In the opening of the story, when Jasmine is a little girl, her lecturer grandfather tries to strangle her grandmother, and how this connects to the main story was more engaging, but it was pretty obvious where the narrative is heading. Strange Nature was a decent story but it lacked bang and is aimed at older teens who have slightly more patience. AGE RANGE 14+
Tony Jones
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The Young Blood Library on Ginger Nuts of Horror
For fans of Young Adult (YA) Horror and Middle Grade (MG) Horror, the Young Blood section of book reviews on the Ginger Nuts of Horror website is a treasure trove worth exploring. This curated segment delves into the darker side of youthful literature, offering insights into the chilling narratives that have captivated young readers.
The beauty of YA and MG horror lies in its ability to tackle complex themes such as fear, identity, and resilience, all while maintaining an accessibility that appeals to younger audiences. Readers can expect reviews that highlight not only the spine-tingling plots but also the emotional depth and character development that are essential to these genres.
The Ginger Nuts of Horror Review Website showcases a diverse array of titles, from debut authors to established names, making it easy for fans to discover hidden gems and upcoming releases. The reviews are penned by passionate contributors who share a deep love for horror, ensuring that each piece is both informative and engaging.
By checking out this section, readers can stay ahead of the curve on the latest trends in YA and MG horror, enriching their reading experience and connecting with a community that shares their enthusiasm for all things eerie and unsettling. Whether you seek thrills or thoughtful narratives, Young Blood has something for everyone.
