Let’s be honest: this has been a scary year already. Between COVID, the election, school closures and an unprecedented upending of life, you would think that YA readers across the board would be looking for light books – a pleasurable escape, if you will.

Yet, those who love spooky books know: scary is our escape. We don’t want fluff; we want blood and ghosts, graveyards and undead cats. Give us witches and houses filled with secrets. You take the cake, we’ll take the poisoned apple.