It's finally almost arrived once again: All Hallow's Eve, the one night where the veil that separates the living and dead is cast down and spirits are free to roam the streets of Earth. For me, Halloween has always been a favorite holiday. I've always loved the decorations, the costumes, the imagination and of course, the stories. Here's a list of six YA supernatural books you can read to get into the spirit this year.
1. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
This isn't just one of my favorite supernatural books, but one that would be found at the top of my list for my favorite books of all time. Marion's rugged, poetic descriptions and mastery of sarcasm makes the narration of his protagonist, R, a zombie who falls for a human girl, a refreshing read. The novel is set some time after the apocalypse and is packed with action, suspense and fear. R and Julie's journey isn't just a search for a cure to a disease in a destroyed world, but a voyage to resurrect humanity in both the dead and the living. The novel was also depicted in the 2013 film of the same name starring Nicholas Hoult as the lead and Teresa Palmer as Julie (available to stream through Amazon Prime or with DirecTV packages).
This isn't just one of my favorite supernatural books, but one that would be found at the top of my list for my favorite books of all time. Marion's rugged, poetic descriptions and mastery of sarcasm makes the narration of his protagonist, R, a zombie who falls for a human girl, a refreshing read. The novel is set some time after the apocalypse and is packed with action, suspense and fear. R and Julie's journey isn't just a search for a cure to a disease in a destroyed world, but a voyage to resurrect humanity in both the dead and the living. The novel was also depicted in the 2013 film of the same name starring Nicholas Hoult as the lead and Teresa Palmer as Julie (available to stream through Amazon Prime or with DirecTV packages).
2. The Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin
One of the most acclaimed supernatural novels on the YA market today, the story of Mara Dyer is a mystery that both entices and excites from the start of the first novel, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, and only grows through the third and final installment, The Retribution of Mara Dyer. The trilogy tells the tale of a seventeen-year-old girl whose life is changed forever when she discovers she possesses a highly unusual, and dangerous, gift. It's packed with suspense and mystery as the origins of Mara's gift are slowly revealed, as well as romance during her relationship with sardonic and irresistible Noah Shaw.
3. The Infinite Sea (book #2 in The 5th Wave trilogy) by Rick Yancey
The strong cast of characters all fighting to survive in a world that's been wiped out by a series of natural disasters caused by aliens – known as "the Others" – are some of the best I've ever encountered, and although the book leans more toward science fiction than supernatural, the suspense and fear that permeates the characters' lives and seeps into the reader's mind makes it worth a read this season. Like many other dystopians, The 5th Wave will soon be arriving on film as well...
The strong cast of characters all fighting to survive in a world that's been wiped out by a series of natural disasters caused by aliens – known as "the Others" – are some of the best I've ever encountered, and although the book leans more toward science fiction than supernatural, the suspense and fear that permeates the characters' lives and seeps into the reader's mind makes it worth a read this season. Like many other dystopians, The 5th Wave will soon be arriving on film as well...
4. Ruined by Paula Morris
An ideal choice for anyone looking for more intrigue and mystery that horror, Ruined is a book based in New Orleans, Louisiana and follows sixteen-year-old Rebecca Brown after she moves from New York City to live with her aunt. Rebecca quickly meets the ghost of a former servant girl in the nearby cemetery. The spirit, Lisette, is eager to show Rebecca the darker side of New Orleans.
An ideal choice for anyone looking for more intrigue and mystery that horror, Ruined is a book based in New Orleans, Louisiana and follows sixteen-year-old Rebecca Brown after she moves from New York City to live with her aunt. Rebecca quickly meets the ghost of a former servant girl in the nearby cemetery. The spirit, Lisette, is eager to show Rebecca the darker side of New Orleans.
5. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Ghost story aficionados will devour Blake's story of Cas Lowood – a teen with the unusual profession of killing the dead, and his relationship with a girl trapped within curses and rage, unlike any other spirit he's met before. Since her brutal murder, the ghost has killed every human being who has dared cross into her territory, and if Cas doesn’t proceed carefully, he’ll likely be next.
Ghost story aficionados will devour Blake's story of Cas Lowood – a teen with the unusual profession of killing the dead, and his relationship with a girl trapped within curses and rage, unlike any other spirit he's met before. Since her brutal murder, the ghost has killed every human being who has dared cross into her territory, and if Cas doesn’t proceed carefully, he’ll likely be next.
6. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
Helen has been dead for over 130 years. To deal with her personal demons, she attaches herself to different human hosts. The most recent is an English teacher. Pretty normal, right? Nothing seems out of the ordinary to Helen, either, until she notices something different during one of his classes. "Someone was looking at me. A disturbing sensation if you're dead." This novel is an interesting take on the classic ghost story, and will leave you wondering if you can be sure you’re ever truly alone.
Helen has been dead for over 130 years. To deal with her personal demons, she attaches herself to different human hosts. The most recent is an English teacher. Pretty normal, right? Nothing seems out of the ordinary to Helen, either, until she notices something different during one of his classes. "Someone was looking at me. A disturbing sensation if you're dead." This novel is an interesting take on the classic ghost story, and will leave you wondering if you can be sure you’re ever truly alone.
------- Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @elizeckhart