YA Horror and Thriller Recommendations

It's officially mid-October, which means it's the most wonderful time of the year--especially for reading! At least where I live, the air is starting to cool off, leaves are falling, fog is rolling in every morning, and the sun is setting earlier and earlier. It's the perfect environment to settle down with something spooky and atmospheric and maybe a bit mysterious. If you're like me and you love to read along with the autumn season, I have a list for you! I love YA horror and thrillers, so I thought I'd recommend some to keep you up at night.

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Horror

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. This, like a few others on this list, is an oldie but a goodie. For fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, this follows Cas, a teenage ghost hunter. He forms a squad, meets a dead girl, and all hell breaks loose. I don't think it's TOO scary but it's definitely got its moments.

Frost by Marianna Baer. This is very much your classic haunted house style of story. Things falling off the walls, strange sounds at night. I really, really liked this one and I can still picture the imagery perfectly in my head. Maybe it's time for a reread.

Tighter by Adele Griffin. I wish more people knew about this! Tighter is a retelling of The Turn of the Screw, in which our semi-unreliable heroine takes a job as a live-in nanny for the summer. From there are spooky shenanigans alongside summer fun, like parties and flirting. The ending is a shocker, too.

Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics. By far the scariest book I've ever read, this is one I highly recommend if you're looking to be terrified. This is a historical book, about a family who is moving from the mountains to a new cabin on the prairie and something sinister awaits them. It is so scary, I am not even kidding. There IS a trigger warning for pregnancy and infant loss, though.

Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook. Another fantastic haunted house story. Isobel moves with her mother to her new stepfather's massive home on some isolated island. The chills are real with this one. Cook employed some fantastic ghost and haunting scenes. I loved it.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll. So begins our slightly unconventional but still scary list. This is a gorgeous graphic novel. It has multiple scary tales inside and the art is just gorgeous. There is a Bluebeard story in here I thought was incredible. The art really is absolutely beautiful, too. I have this one face-out on my shelves because it's irresistible.

Undead by Kirsty McKay. Zombies! And not only that, but the absolute perfect mix of horror and humor. Seriously, I was cracking up the entire time while reading this. If you like British humor, and a voice like Georgia Nicolson, I think you'll like this. A zombie outbreak in the middle of a school ski trip.

Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker. Parker is one of my favorite writers ever, simply because of her sense of atmosphere. She brought this southern town and its mysterious swamp to life in this book. It's spooky without being scary, and just so well crafted. I was obsessed after reading and still am, frankly.

The Call by Peadar O'Guilin. Fae are kind of a big deal in YA right now, but you haven't seen them quite like this. The Sidhe are taking the children and teens of Ireland. At any moment you can be taken to their realm where you have to survive for 24 hours, but it's not as easy as it sounds. The Sidhe maim, disfigure, and torture the kids, and not many make it out alive. It's truly bone-chilling.

Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld and Alex Puvilland. This graphic novel is probably a bit more science fiction-leaning, but that's fine. It's still utterly spooky and a perfect read for this time of year. There's even a haunting hospital scene that's guaranteed to chill you to the bone.

Thrillers

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James. This one is also science fiction, about a girl living all alone on a spaceship headed for a new planet to colonize. Then, something changes and she's not alone anymore. There are so many twists and turns, and if you're like me at all, space is scary enough on its own. This is perfect for those who don't want to be too terrified, but like a good mystery. 

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas. I can't let a thriller post go by without mention of the ultimate in YA thrillers. Dangerous Girls is set over the summer in Aruba, after the main character's best friend is found murdered. What follows is an incredible narrative that keeps you guessing, keeps your heart pounding to the very end. Also, not scary one bit, this one is for the babies who can't handle spooky (like me.)

Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger. This is a story about an agoraphobic girl and a rising pop star falling in love over social media. But there are police reports scattered in between chapters that let you know something is not quite right. I thought this was so much fun and the ending was chilling! Just don't read the sequel lol.

A Good Idea by Cristina Moracho. When Fin's best friend Betty is killed, and her confessed killer is set free, Fin returns home to get to the bottom of things and find justice for Betty. The atmosphere is really gripping and there are wisps of ghostly happenings that keep you turning the pages. Bonus points for a sex positive message and a bisexual heroine who gets it on with guys and girls throughout the book.

Sadie by Courtney Summers. You've likely been hearing about this nonstop since it came out last month, but yes, it really is that good. I highly recommend the audio, since half the book is written in podcast format anyway. This is a murder mystery and a revenge story, absolutely perfect for true crime lovers out there.

Complicit by Stephanie Kueh. This one is on the list of all-time favorite thrillers. It's a master class in unreliability, honestly. The main character's older sister is spectacularly terrible throughout the book, but this whole story wants you to stop judging for a second and pay attention. The ending will rock you.

The Devil You Know by Trish Doller. This one follows a girl who makes the monumentally stupid decision to go on a road trip/hike/canoe trip with two guys she just met, and one of them is, well, let's just say he's Not Nice. What I find particularly chilling about The Devil You Know is its plausibility in the real world. It can, and has happened.

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What are some of your favorite scary stories? Do you go right for the horror of it all or are you more like me and you need something a bit more tame for those long, dark nights?