Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

For as long as he can remember, Jacob's grandfather has told him stories of the Welsh home he lived in as a child, populated with "peculiar" children. Children who can do strange and wonderful things. Hover off the ground, hold light in their hands, become invisible, make plants grow before your eyes. He never believed these tales, until his grandfather is murdered in his own back yard, and Jacob thinks he sees the monster who did it. His parents assume he's had a mental break down, and send him to therapy. When the therapist agrees it might be good for him to go to Wales and find the home where his grandfather lived, Jacob and his father set out for the Welsh countryside. The house is there, but not in the way you would think. And the children? They're real, too. There's adventure, danger, mystery, and romance all woven into this well-written book. One of the best stories I've read all year.

The Tanglewood Terror

by Kurtis Scaletta

Things are far from perfect in Eric Parrish’s quiet Maine town. He’s been wrongly accused of being the school bully. His little brother, Brian, is super annoying. His dad has moved to Boston to pursue a mid-life crisis. Mom works at a boarding school for troubled girls and is completely preoccupied with finding Mandy, one of her students who has run away. There are also some very strange, glowing mushrooms in the woods behind the Parrish house, and they’re spreading quickly. Eric feels there’s something sinister about those mushrooms. When he accidentally discovers Mandy’s hiding place, he keeps her secret, because she also thinks the mushrooms are dangerous. Their sleuthing leads to a painting in a local museum that seems to be depicting the town, 200 years ago, overrun by mushrooms. Legend has it that the whole town actually disappeared. Eric and Mandy set out to make sure that never happens again, but how do you fight an evil fungus? Scaletta takes what could potentially be a silly, unbelievable premise and manages to create a distinctly unsettling feel, as the mushrooms quietly sneak through the floorboards of the Parrish’s home, across the football field at the school, and overrun the lives of the residents of Tanglewood. Eric’s parents, especially his father, are fully fleshed out characters, and Brian goes beyond the typical frustrating little brother to downright heartwarming at times. A good mystery without ever getting too, too scary!

The Monstrumologist

by Rick Yancey

Will, a young orphan, has been taken in by Pellinore Warthrop, a self-proclaimed "monstrumologist," or one who studies monsters. The disturbing opening scene shows Will and the monstrumologist with his latest find, a terrifying creature with a dead girl in his grasp. At first Will thinks the monster is a large, headless, man, but soon finds it's an Anthropopagi, human-like creatures whose mouths are in their chests. The monsters have somehow made it to North America, and Will is carried away in an exciting adventure to study, track, and put a stop to these horrors. If you're looking for blood, guts, and gore, you've come to the right place. These creatures love nothing more than to tear humans limb from limb, and Yancey describes it in great detail. In fact, some parts actually made my stomach turn! Enjoy!

The Orphan of Awkward Falls

by Keith Graves

When Josephine and her parents move to Awkward Falls and she explores the crumbling old mansion next door, she finds a parentless boy living there, Thaddeus. He claims to be the grandson of the late Celcius Hibble, a famous local scientist. Thaddeus eats mainly chocolate and his companions include a robot butler and a cat that he’s raised from the dead. All very interesting, but relatively harmless—until Fetid Stenchley, a hunchbacked cannibal imprisoned in the Asylum for the Dangerously Insane, escapes. He’s been locked up for murdering Hibble, who was his mentor, and he is terrifying and unpredictable from page 1. He’s got an insatiable taste for human flesh, and a strong desire to return to the scene of his most heinous crime, the mansion Thaddeus calls home. Crazy surprises abound, and every few chapters a jaw-dropping new twist emerges. You name it, it’s in here: cloning, immortality, even a substantial nod to Frankenstein. A little scary, a little funny, and awfully suspenseful, this strange, campy tale will be a hit with fans of Greg Taylor’s Killer Pizza. Purposefully spare black and white sketches by the author add to the book’s frenetic feel. Deliciously creepy.

The Darkening

by Maggie L. Wood

Willow is finally settled and content in Mistoreal, helping to raise the evil fairy Nezeral, whom she magicked back to infancy in Captured. She’s also happily dating her sworn knight Brand, although she wishes he’d be a little less formal, and not freak out about the shorts and tank tops she chooses over princess dresses. The peace doesn’t last long, though. The Faerie Queen Cyrraena requires her to play a new game in Clarion. She is supposed to go alone, but when Brand rashly and secretly tags along, he breaks the rules, and they end up in a creepy faerie prison/zoo. Faery twins Dacia and Theon anger their father the king by visiting and helping his human pets, and a new game is their punishment. The four are sent into the Gauntlet, facing all kinds of frightening magical creatures. While the game itself is engaging, many readers may lose interest before they get there. The mix of medieval and modern references are awkwardly placed and ineffective, and Willow is too whiny to elicit much sympathy when her romance with Brand goes south. There are a lot of faery stories on the market these days—unfortunately this one just doesn’t distinguish itself from the crowd.

Captured

by Maggie L. Wood

When Willow’s Nana starts talking about a “summoning,” she assumes her grandma is having some sort of mental breakdown. It wouldn’t be the first time. Willow has been listening to Nana’s stories of another realm that involves magic, castles, and the crystal on her nightstand for as long as she can remember, but always thought they were just meant to entertain her. Unfortunately, the night Nana gets excited about the summoning is also her last, and after Willow calls 911, she sees the crystal glowing, grabs it, and wakes up in another world. In Mistoreal, she’s a princess. A spell has been cast over the citizens, forcing them to play in a human chess game. Willow’s parents have been captured, and it’s up to her to save them. The plot loses a little steam after the set up of the chess, and the too large cast of characters falls flat. However, as a light, fun, fantasy, it serves its purpose. Loose ends are tied up neatly even though this is the first of a planned trilogy. Fans of fantasies with modern ties, such as City of Bones, may find something here.

Countdown

by Deborah Wiles

Eleven year old Franny Chapman lives outside of Washington, DC, with her family in the summer of 1962. Her military father is stationed at Andrews Air Force base, so the events of that year are particularly scary for her. This is the age of the Cold War. She does air raid drills at school, her neighbors are talking about bomb shelters, and she's not sure what all of this means for her. Her older sister is acting weird--she has a secret, and her best friend seems to have decided she doesn't want to be her best friend anymore. Gives a close-up view of what it must have been like to grow up in this scary time in our nation's history. The cool thing about this book is its "documentary" style. Throughout the book you'll find photos, speeches, song lyrics, and more, that give us an authentic feel for the time period. This looks like a really long book, but make sure you flip through it before you dismiss it because you think it's too long! Definitely worth a read, and it will give you something to talk to your grandparents about!

Imaginary Girls

by Nova Ren Suma

Chloe's older half sister Ruby is one of those people everyone is drawn to. She's stunningly beautiful, and fiercely loyal. One night she dares Chloe to swim all the way across the lake to show off at a party, and halfway across, Chloe makes a grim discovery--one of their classmates lying lifeless in a canoe. After the tragedy Chloe is sent to live with their dad, and misses Ruby terribly. One year later, Ruby, now college-aged, comes to get her and act as her guardian. But things are different in their little town. Strange. At their first party after Chloe's return, she sees something...someone...who takes her breath away. I won't ruin the rest of the story by telling you any more! This was my kind of book! Subtly creepy and super suspenseful! Ruby is one of the most complex, interesting characters I've met in a long time, and I was fascinated by what she could do. This book is reviewed for grades 9 and up, so you can find this book in the teen section at the public library or the bookstore.