By Marie Hansen–Lehmann

Ever since devouring R.L. Stine’s Fear Street novels when I was a kid, young adult horror novels have always been one of my favorite delights. There is nothing like curling up with a fun and creepy read while sipping a pumpkin spice latte! Lucky for me, October is the best month to let you in on a few of my latest favorites. Here are four books guaranteed to creep you out and inspire you to get in the mood for the season!

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Set in the early 1890s, Zink’s debut novel has all the markings of a classic Victorian horror: spiritualists, romance, séances, and strange all girls’ schools!

After the untimely death of her father, Lia Milthrope discovers a strange mark on her wrist. At the same time, her twin sister Alice begins to grow increasingly distant towards her.

Soon, Lia realizes that her father’s death was a catalyst in the unraveling of a centuries old prophecy—a prophecy that places Lia and her sister at war. In the tradition of Edgar Allen Poe, the atmosphere of the novel is dark and brooding, ominous and eerie. Be prepared to sleep with the light on!

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

All over the country teenagers who die are coming back to life and are going back to school! No one knows why this bizarre phenomenon is occurring but it is happening everywhere. These “zombie teens” (the politically correct term being “different biotic”) are viciously ostracized by their classmates. People are creeped out by their deathly pallor, limited mobility, and strange speech patterns.

Phoebe, a goth-girl from Oakevale High, is determined to support these students and protect them from those less understanding of their differences. But, when Phoebe and her friends join a support group for the differently biotic, Phoebe finds herself in the middle of a love triangle between the leader of the differently biotic teens, Tommy Williams, and the star of the football team, Adam! The novel is strikingly intelligent, witty, and a whole new look at the traditional zombie story.

Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender

Alexis’ sister Kasey seems to never grow-up. Even though she is thirteen years old, she has a massive fixation on playing with dolls. She stores them away in her room and throws a tantrum if anything is even slightly out of place. Alexis thinks her sister is just weird until strange and unexplainable things begin to happen… like the fact that her little sister can switch from being her normal blue-eyed self to a green-eyed murderous child! The novel spins itself into an atmospheric haunting story complete with an old Victorian mansion, spirit possession, and creaking doors! It just begs to answer the question: What do you do when the ghost that is haunting you is your own sister?

Skulls by Noah Scalin

Get inspired to make some creepy Halloween décor with this brilliant photographic exploration of the human skull as art form! For one year, Noah Scalin challenged himself to create a skull a day and post his progress online at www.SkullADay.com. He created skulls out of everything from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and leaves to sewn toys and candle-wax. In addition to the photographs, the book includes four do-it-yourself skulls to help you get started on your own deathly creations!

For Fans of ghostgirl, Fun on Halloween

New York Times Bestselling author Tonya Hurley will appear at Books Of Wonder, 18 West 18th Street, on Halloween to celebrate the release of her new book ghostgirl: homecoming (Little, Brown). Fans in costume will be eligible for a giveaway of ghostgirl merchandise including: ghostgirl Hot Topic tee shirts, ghostgirl prayer candles and ghostgirl tote bags. ghostgirl: homecoming is the second novel in her popular and critically-acclaimed young adult series chronicling the adventures of Charlotte Usher, a misfit teen who accidentally dies in class, wakes as a ghost only to find the afterlife, unfortunately for her, is a lot like life. The ghostgirl audiobook narrated by Parker Posey with music by Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yaz, Erasure) has just been released by Recorded Books.