I grew up in the 80s, the era of horror super-franchises. Most would be familiar with Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween, but there were so many more. Oscar-winning films the decade prior like The Exorcist and Jaws ushered a new wave of new horror. Whether it was advancement in visual effects, or improvement in production, the genre was everywhere. And I couldn’t get enough. Those experiences have possessed my pen and continue to rule my reading choices. I hope you enjoy these recommendations as much as I did. There’s a lot we can learn about ourselves when we’re scared.
I wrote...
Mystic of the Midway
By
A.A. Blair
What is my book about?
A pop-culture paranormal mystery that has scored extremely high with audiences during bedtime reading.
Effie knew she wasn’t the same after her accident but didn’t realize how different she had become until her family vacation. When Effie begins to hear whispers and have visions things get really strange! Effie finds a love letter to her mother that isn’t from her father! A strange mystery girl seems to follow her wherever she goes but vanishes before Effie can confront her. Even the rides in the amusement park begin to speak to her! Effie wonders; is she going crazy? Or, are all the things that are happening trying to tell her something?
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The Books I Picked & Why
The Doll's Eye
By
Marina Cohen
Why this book?
Hadley was starting her new life, even if it was against her will. Moving to her new/old house bothered by a neighbor fascinated by bugs and a step-father she loathed, Hadley wished for things to be as they used to be: when she didn’t have to share her mother. But the more she resists her new life, the more she becomes immersed in the house’s mysterious past.
The Doll’s Eye is a creepy mystery that builds towards an unexpected outcome, reminding us that divorce is hard, but running away from our problems can be even more perilous.
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The Night Gardener
By
Jonathan Auxier
Why this book?
The Night Gardiner is a truly creepy tale of courage and strength. Set in the Victorian era, Kip and Molly become orphaned as they seek refuge from their famine struck home in Ireland. Molly finds work at the Windsor Estate which is haunted by a tragic spirit and creepy tree that controls the estate’s inhabitants.
Molly and Kip inspire as they uncover the mystery of the tree and persevere. The story celebrates the strength of the two orphaned children, the sacrifices they have made and their plight to build a new life in a new country. Their bond overcomes the most sinister of spirits, highlighting the importance of family.
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Bad Girls Don't Die
By
Katie Alender
Why this book?
Bullies beware! Bad Girls Don’t Die features a vengeful poltergeist that possesses the little sister of protagonist Alexis Warren.
Alexis is a lonely misfit teenager on the fringes of her high-school social scene. Her home life isn’t much better as her mother’s desire for corporate success leads to regular dinner table conflict. The sisters find comfort in each other, but that’s when Alexis notices a change in her sibling Kasey. Subtle at first, Kasey’s transformation into a malicious psychopath sends Alexis into an investigation that reveals a small-town secret of a fatal bullying incident.
Bad Girl’s Don’t Die is a story of sisterly bonds, secret pasts, and the sacrifices that are sometimes made to protect loved ones.
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Ghost Boys
By
Jewell Parker Rhodes
Why this book?
Ghost Boys is the tragic tale of seventh-grader Jerome Rogers. Set in inner-city Chicago, Jerome Rogers is a good student doing his best to navigate his adolescence. As a young black man Jerome is warned by his parents to avoid negative influences.
But in a moment of innocence, Jerome is shot and killed by a police officer, mistaking Jerome’s toy pistol as the genuine article. The story is all too familiar. As a ghost, Jerome finds brotherhood amongst a collection of specters who have suffered a similar fate. Historical figure Emmet Till guides Jerome through his anger and grief as he comes to terms with his fate.
Ghost Boys is an important novel to help raise awareness of injustice, tragedy, and its impacts on the victim’s families and their communities.
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City of Ghosts
By
Victoria Schwab
Why this book?
Cassidy Blake is a ghost whisperer. She helps troubled spirits find eternal peace. While on vacation in Edinburgh, Scotland, the City of Ghosts, Cassidy encounters the Raven in Red, whose own tragic tale has turned her into a Ghost collector. Her power is undeniable and Cassidy is pulled through the veil and into the in-between. Now a ghost herself, Cassidy needs the help of a rival Ghost Whisperer, Lara. They join forces to save Cassidy and return her to the land of the living, ending the Raven in Red’s reign of terror.
City of Ghosts reminds readers of the importance to ask for help and how personal tragedy can forever affect the lives of those impacted.
