|
|
| Little Darlings by Melanie GoldingThe premise: Recovering in the hospital after the birth of her twins, exhausted mom Lauren Tranter is visited by a sinister figure who tells her "I'll take yours and you can have mine." Her doctors blame sleep deprivation for her seeming hallucinations.
What happens next: Lauren's twins mysteriously vanish from a park, but when they're found unharmed, only Lauren knows that something is terribly wrong...these babies aren't hers.
Read it for: a haunting take on changeling folklore; an unflinching depiction of contemporary motherhood. |
|
| Inspection by Josh MalermanThe experiment: What if separating the sexes made kids smarter? The pseudonymous M.O.M. and D.A.D. aim to accomplish just that in the sex-segregated schools they rule with rigidity and violence.
Is it for you? Though Inspection doesn't mine larger questions regarding gender and sexuality, it's a thought-provoking horror-thriller where every character is an unreliable narrator, whether by necessity or ignorance.
For fans of: Lord of the Flies and other works of psychological fiction. |
|
| The Invited by Jennifer McMahonWhat it is: a compelling ghost story with a twist -- a haunted house is built, rather than moved into.
How it happens: Drawn to the traumatic history of her property (hint: it involves witches), Helen Wetherell collects artifacts connected to the grounds, hoping to build them into her new home. Her efforts reveal long-buried secrets...and unleash vengeful ghosts.
Try this next: For another fresh take on a haunted house story, check out Ezekiel Boone's The Mansion, set in a smart home menaced by its own AI. |
|
|
The Cabin at the End of the World
by Paul Tremblay
What it's about: Eric and Andrew are enjoying a well-earned vacation with their seven-year-old daughter, Wen, until a quartet of weapon-wielding strangers appears, warning that the apocalypse is imminent...unless one of the family members sacrifices another.
About the author: Paul Tremblay is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of A Head Full of Ghosts.
Why you might like it: Reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, this thought-provoking home invasion thriller wrestles with questions of morality in the face of survival.
|
|
| Broken Lands by Jonathan MaberryWhat it is: a gory, action-packed YA zombie novel that will appeal to both teens and adults.
Read it for: the large cast of diverse and well-developed characters; the cliffhanger ending.
Series alert: Set in the world of Jonathan Maberry's bestselling Rot & Ruin novels, Broken Lands is the 1st in a new series that takes place shortly after the events of Fire & Ash.
Nominee, Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel |
|
| Baby Teeth by Zoje StageStarring: seven-year-old daddy's girl Hanna and her mother Suzette, who Hanna considers competition for her father's affections.
Who it's for: Readers who love sinister "bad seed" stories will enjoy Hanna's escalating psychopathic antics and her disturbing knack for antagonizing her long-suffering mother.
Reviewers say: "deviously fun" (Publishers Weekly); "deliciously creepy" (New York Post).
Nominee, Superior Achievement in a First Novel |
|
| The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten WhiteWhat it is: a twisty YA retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
What sets it apart: Narrated by Elizabeth Lavenza (a passive minor character in the original novel), this Gothic tale offers a new perspective on a classic story by exploring themes of feminism, power, and captivity.
Try this next: For another female-centric spin on a classic horror novel, try Megan Shepherd's The Madman's Daughter, inspired by H.G Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau.
Winner, Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel |
|
Contact your Reader Services librarians at (847) 720-3280 for more great books! |
|
|
|
|
|