By Marisa Rodriguez, School-Age and Teen Services Outreach Coordinator

Are you in the mood for a terrifyingly good read? Check out these YA thriller or horror novels if you dare.

The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror edited by Tori Bovalino
Wicked towns burned to the ground, monsters lurking under a bridge and a lake where the drowned resurface – this collection of short stories has it all. The Gathering Dark weaves tales of monsters, curses and horrifying secrets into everyday life with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the last page. 

The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh
Supernatural skeptic Dare Chase visits Arrington Estate to investigate tales of paranormal activity for her new podcast. Interested in the suspicious details surrounding the alleged ghost’s death, Dare sets out to get to the bottom of what is really going on and is forced to reconsider whether she believes in ghosts or not.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
Victorian gothic fans, this one is for you. Will is an assistant to a monstrumologist – that is, a monster-hunting doctor. When a late-night visitor reveals a gruesome discovery, Will and the doctor set out on their most dangerous case yet.

Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall
Exactly one year after Sara’s sister went missing, she receives a strange text message challenging her to search for a ghost that is rumored to haunt the forest. Convinced that it’s her only chance to find her sister, Sara embarks on a dangerous quest with the help of her friends – but will they make it out alive?

Small Favors by Erin A. Craig
Cottagecore meets horror in this creepy page-turner. Ellerie Downing lives in a quiet village bordered by a forest where, according to local legend, monsters once lurked. When a group of villagers goes missing, the town fears that the monsters may have returned.