That's Not My Name by Megan Lally

 

Mary has amnesia. She is found by the side of the road and taken to a police station and a man who has her birth certificate and photos frantically comes to take her home. But Mary doesn't remember this father who takes her to a cabin in the woods, doesn't answer her questions, and tries to dress her in conservative clothes. As a reader, it's pretty clear that this man might not be her father, but who is he and why does he have photos of her? 

Meanwhile, in a separate story, a teenager named Drew is searching for his missing girlfriend, Lola. He was the last one to see her alive and is a suspect in her probable murder. All he wants is to find Lola alive. 

These stories are going to intertwine and the real question is whether or not Mary is Lola and whether she will live long enough to be found. This is a gripping mystery for high schoolers. I was hoping it would work for middle schoolers who are clamoring for thriller/murder mysteries, but there was enough language and themes to make me feel like this is better left for 9th-12th graders. Definitely recommended for older teens looking for a suspenseful thriller.  

Beasts by Ingvild Bjerkeland

 

It is so hard to find horror books for middle schoolers and young teens. This one really grabs you with its short chapters and chilling plot. Abdi is a 13-year-old on the run from beasts who have wreaked havoc on the known world. He's in charge of his younger sister after the death of their mother, and they are on a quest to get to their father who they believe is on an island. Everyone is hiding, desperate to survive, and no one trusts anyone. Can Abdi keep his sister alive and get to safety? This book won awards in Europe and crossed over to the US in 2025. I love the hairy cover but have found that middle schoolers aren't picking it up, so booktalk this title and emphasize the horror and suspense. Highly recommended for middle school collections. 

Grin by D. W. Gillespie

 

Danny is a seventh grader who loves video games, and he is understandably thrilled to spend a week with his Uncle Bill, the owner of PixelWorks, a huge video game arcade. Danny has heard of a rare game called Grin from his favorite video game streamer, and he is shocked to find his Uncle Bill unboxing the game in his warehouse. Rumor has it that everyone who has ever played the game has died tragically, but that doesn't stop Danny and his uncle from trying it out. When the game takes over Uncle Bill, Danny risks his own life to save his uncle and himself. Middle schoolers are always asking for horror books, and this is a rare title that will not disappoint (while also being completely appropriate for young teens). Highly recommended for middle school libraries. 

A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff

Books build empathy, and this genre-bender goes deep into the experiences of transgender teens as they face off against actual demons bent on destroying them. The main character, who goes by the name A, is 14 years old and is forced to go to a therapy group called SOSAD (Saving Our Sons and Daughters) by parents who have no desire to understand or learn about A's identity. Students from SOSAD occasionally disappear, and A ends up running away from home with the help of a monster made of trash to try to save one of those friends. A is helped by a Rabbi and her husband, who explain elements of Jewish mythology, including how golems have intervened to help people throughout history. It's an action-dystopian-horror-fantasy that's steeped in Jewish mythology, so there is a lot of plot to keep readers going, but at it's heart it's about acceptance of trans kids in a world bent on destroying them. This book, written about and for kids who are 14-16 years old, is a fine example of #youngteenlit

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

 

After nearly drowning (or maybe actually drowning), Cass has a new best friend (Jacob, who is a ghost) and she has the ability to pull aside the Veil and step into the world of the dead. Although she knows it's dangerous, she just can't stop going between worlds. She doesn't tell her parents, who are experts in the supernatural, and when they take her to Edinburgh, Scotland, she is overwhelmed with ghosts who make even greater demands on her. Cass must figure out what her purpose is and how her best friend Jacob is involved. It's a vivid introduction to Edinburgh and some of its gruesome history. This creepy story is a solid choice for 6th and 7th graders. It's the first in a series, with the next two books taking place in Paris and New Orleans. 

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Five students are serving detention in a locked room and one of them is killed. One of them must be the murderer. But which of these teens--a jock, a princess, a brain, and a drug dealer--would have wanted Simon (the outcast) dead? That is the premise of this mystery that has been flying off the shelves of my library this year. The author got her idea for the characters from The Breakfast Club, and as you might expect, each character is much more than the stereotypes that others see. The big reveals (there are several of them) did not surprise me, but kids have been enjoying it and a movie is in the works. Recommended for 8th-up. 

Far, Far Away by Tom McNeal

The best part of this fairy tale-ish book is that the narrator is the long-dead ghost of Jacob Grimm. He is wandering the world trying to finish some unknown task. He has latched onto the only human he has ever found that can hear his voice—a boy named Jeremy Johnson Johnson. Jeremy's mother, long gone now, left him with a love of fairy tales. Jeremy's grandfather, now deceased, left him with a small bookstore that makes no money. Jeremy's father lays in bed all day watching TV. At times it seems that the ghost of Jacob Grimm is Jeremy's best friend. He even helps Jeremy try to earn some money on a local game show. Things change when a wild-haired girl named Ginger includes him in her schemes and befriends him. Unfortunately she leads him into trouble with the town baker who becomes an integral part of the story. What happens next is dark and disturbing and very much like a Grimm Fairy Tale. This book is intelligent, haunting, and unique. I would recommend it to readers from 7th grade through adults, especially those who like variations on fairy tales.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Conor's mother is dying from cancer and he is having a recurring nightmare every night. A nightmare that he can't tell anyone about. But one night after midnight a monster shows up. It originates from the yew tree behind his house, but this monster is able to walk. It's also able to talk and tell stories and it demands the truth. Conor thinks it can't be real but how else could he explain the leaves of the yew tree strewn about his floor in the morning and the destruction that the monster can cause? Conor's grandma is called in to take care of him when his mother is hospitalized. His estranged father also comes to visit from America. But Conor is essentially alone with his fear about the bleak future of his mother. It doesn't help that he is bullied at school and at odds with his former best friend. Patrick Ness is a fabulous writer and in his hands this story is compelling, creepy, and so, so emotionally true. Perhaps because I lost my mother to cancer I especially relate to Conor's emotional journey. I'm not going to lie to you, the end of this book will break your heart. Recommended for older middle school readers through adults.

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Gene has learned how to survive in a hostile world. He never lets anyone see him sweat. He makes no facial expressions. He scratches his wrists when something is funny. He never eats fruits or vegetables or drinks water in public. If the people around him discover that he is a "heper" (their word for human) they will devour him instantly in a frenzy of blood and gore. Gene goes to high school and tries to avoid notice. But when he wins a lottery and is chosen for the heper hunt, he can't hide any more. He will be expected to hunt and kill the last known hepers in the world. This is the story of Gene's training and the eventual heper hunt. It's full of suspense and action, and is already very popular, especially among guys at my school. The word vampire is never used, but the bloodthirsty people who control Gene's world clearly bear a lot of similarities to vampires. At first glance this didn't sound like it would be my kind of story, but the author really drew me in and made me care about Gene and the other hepers. Fans of dystopian fiction will enjoy this even though it's in a slightly different genre. Recommended for 7th-12th graders.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

The most peculiar thing about this book are the strange historical photographs of children—one levitating, one covered in bees, another holding up a huge boulder with one hand. They are all part of the stories that Jacob's grandfather has always told him about the orphanage in Wales where he lived during World War II. After grandfather dies under strange circumstances, Jacob is compelled to go to the mysterious island in Wales that might hold some answers about his grandfather's bizarre stories. What he finds is an abandoned orphanage, more old photographs, and evidence that these peculiar children may still be alive. What he finds out about people who are "peculiar" and the forces that haunt them is alarming and it all fits into place with grandfather's unbelievable stories. Grave danger is lurking and Jacob must choose a new path in life. It's weird and creepy and definitely interesting. Unfortunately, it's a set-up for a sequel that is as yet unpublished. I think this book looks like a book for younger readers, but really would be most appropriate for 7th-10th grade readers of horror, suspense, and mystery books.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This book has it all. For those who like horror and suspense it's dark and creepy, and the book begins and ends with an attempted murder. But at the same time it's also got humor and heartwarming family moments, a sweet friendship between a boy and a girl, and it becomes a tearjerker on the final page. It's hard to believe that an author could take such a ridiculous sounding plot and put so much substance to it, but Neil Gaiman did it. Nobody Owens (Bod for short) survives the murder of his entire family when as a toddler he wandered into a nearby graveyard. Now he is being lovingly raised by the dead residents of the graveyard and the mysterious Silas who is neither alive nor dead. Bod is human but has been given some special powers in the graveyard. His early adventures are within the graveyard, but as he gets older he longs to see a little more of the world and even go to school. Eventually he finds out that the man Jack who killed his family is still after him and he will not ever be safe until he confronts this enemy. It's really a story of growing up, moving away from the "family" that raised you, confronting your fears, and moving into the wider world. It will be a popular middle school book and would be a great read-aloud. And of course, it won the Newbery Medal for 2009.

Demonkeeper by Royce Buckingham

Can there be a funny book about an evil beast that hunts (and sometimes kills) teenagers? This book has just the right mix of horror, fantasy, and humor to pull you in and make you keep reading. Nat lives alone in a very scary house where he is the demonkeeper. The job involves controlling his minions (3 little demons who are supposed to help him) and feeding the beast in the basement (a really evil thing that wants to escape). Nat makes the mistake of leaving the house for a date with a girl (strictly forbidden) and while he is gone some kids break into the house and unknowingly release the beast. When a very creepy "thin man" enters the picture, Nat has to fight two evil beings to keep his job as demon keeper. Good thing he finds a pretty understanding girl to help him out of this mess. Like I said, it's creepy and funny at the same time. I think middle school guys will especially like this one.

Tunnels of Blood by Darren Shan

This is book three in the Cirque Du Freak series that is extremely popular with middle school kids (mainly guys). I confess that this is the first one of the series that I have read all the way through, and I read it because someone in my Prime Time class challenged me to read it for the Winter Reading Challenge. To be perfectly honest, I thought it was boring! I was surprised at how little action there was except right at the end when Darren comes up against the evil Vampaneze. I also thought the writing about Darren's romance with Debbie was terrible--no real kids would talk that way. I think it's great that kids love these books, but they are not for me! I'd much rather read a vampire book with better characterization like Twilight by Stephanie Meyer.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

I kept hearing about this book from good readers and I decided I had better get it for our library and that I had better read it myself. Actually, I listened to it on CD in my car. I would say it's all about romance, but it's the vampire fans who have been reading it. At the risk of telling too much, I will just say that Bella falls in love with Edward, so much so that she is willing to live with the fact that Edward can hardly keep from killing her. As is always the case, love that is up against impossible obstacles is the strongest. If you can hold out through many chapters of longing and love, you will get to some good action in the end. Some reviews said this was for high school readers, but in my opinion there was nothing inappropriate for younger teens. Highly recommended for fans of romance and/or vampires.