What YA' Reading: Escape with heart racing horror

When it comes to celebrating Halloween, there are two kinds of people. There are those for whom Spooky Season is a year-round way of life. Then there are those who are probably just now gearing up for it with Halloween a little over a month away. Whichever applies to you, here are some new YA horror reads that'll send shivers up your spine. 

How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans

CJ lives in Satterville, Ohio, with her mother and three siblings. Satterville (a.k.a. Slaughterville) is the setting of horror novels by Moon Satter, an anonymous writer whose works feature fictionalized accounts of murders committed by Wolf Man, a serial killer who is still at large. CJ's father survived one encounter with Wolf Man in 1996. CJ was with her dad six years ago when Wolf Man killed him. Now CJ's mom trains her kids in self-defense in case the Wolf Man comes back. CJ thinks this is unlikely until an unpublished Moon Satter manuscript arrives at their door. Soon, CJ must use their knowledge of horror movies to survive the latest killing spree.

This novel isn't the first to skillfully use meta-commentary on the horror genre. That award goes to the Scream films, which is why they are some of my favorites in the horror genre. This book puts the acknowledgement of horror tropes to deft use here in a similar vein, alongside the gruesome scenes you expect from the slasher sub-genre. What makes it all pop is the true crime level of detail to the story's setting and mystery. Fair warning: this novel contains quite a bit of strong language and violence. If that's not your thing, you may want to check out one of our other options in the horror genre. If it absolutely is your thing and you want more like this, check out Final Cut by Olivia Worley. 

Fog and Fireflies by T.H. Lehnen

The world is permanently altered after a long-ago wizard war. A fog covers the land and carries cities and towns within it like ships at sea. The supernatural creatures created by the fog are deadly to adults, so children keep watch on the walls of their settlements. Ogma is a sentry in her windmill town, but as she grows older what used to feel like a game becomes harder and more frightening with each passing season. When her town is attacked and the other children are kidnapped, she finds herself lost in the fog. She’ll need to muster hope and courage if she wants to find her friends.

This scary tale has a heavy dose of fantasy that will be familiar to fans of Hayao Miyazaki's work (Princess Mononoke and the roiling black fluid come to mind immediately). It's also a refreshing twist on children's roles in the horror genre. While it's not the first work of horror to place children as its heroes, it's uncommon for that to be the default as it is here. Most writers will position children as reluctant heroes in the genre. The reversal of roles based on characters' ages is an imaginative way to arrive at the similar themes as other YA and horror works.

Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire by Don Martin

Verity Vox is a witch-in-training who has never come across a problem her spells couldn’t handle. When she arrives in the forgotten coal mining town of Foxfire, she quickly learns even magic has limits. Foxfire was cursed long ago by a traveling magician who vanished into the surrounding Appalachian hills in search of even more power. Now crops won’t grow, people are hungry and their prized possessions rapidly deteriorate. Many folks have gone missing and these disappearances are allegedly connected to the same magician. Verity needs to find a missing girl and a way to break the curse. There's also the mystery of what really lies beneath the mountain.

This fantasy tale is full of atmosphere pulling from the real-life setting of the Appalachian mountains and its small towns to infuse this with a cozier, slower-paced quality than most of the horror genre. This makes it a perfect read if you're seeking autumn vibes or like your scary books to not be too scary. If you like the occult nature but want a harder edge, look for Ruin Road by Lamar Giles, The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs or The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland. If you like the lighter tone, check out The Zombie Apocalypse Running Club by Carrie Mack for a blend of comedy and horror.