Goosebumps: Say Cheese and Die by R.L. Stine

Say Cheese and Die! is a horror, speculative fiction, children’s literature novel and the fourth book in the Goosebumps series written by R.L. Stine. The story is about four friends Greg, Michael, Doug, and Shari who together decide to investigate the Coffman House, an old crumpling building where many alleged ghost stories originated from. During their search, they find a strange camera where you take a picture but it shows a spooky dark outcome. Goosebumps was definitely one of my favorite childhood horror series which its many different spooky plots. I would recommend this book to middle school students who haven’t experienced reading the series to do so because it is seriously and awesomely spooky!

Sameer Khan

Lord Loss by Darren Shan

Lord Loss is a horror fiction and children’s literature novel written by Darren Shan, it is the first book of the Demonata series. The main character of the story is Grubbs Grady who is the younger child of a family that is obsessed with chess. He notices that there was a growing unease amongst his family. On a night full of death and darkness, Grubbs first encounters Lord Loss and his evil minions and he learns three things: “the world is vicious and cruel”, “magic is possible”, and “demons exist”. Darren Shan is one of my favourite authors in the horror genre with his explicit detail of and terrifying imagery together with an excellent story create one of the best horror books I’ve read. I would recommend middle school and high school students to read this book and other in the series.

Sameer Khan

The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Birth of a Killer by Darren Shan

This is a prequel series to The Saga of Darren Shan. It follows Larten Crepsley’s life before he meets his vampire assistant. Larten runs away after he kills his boss. An outcast, alone in a cemetery, he soon meets Seba Nile, an old vampire, and begins his life as a creature of the night. Along the way he meets many people and learns new things. This series falls under action, adventure, and fantasy. This series is four books long, and can be finished faster than The Saga of Darren Shan. The series is recommended for middle school ages.

Luqman Sattar

The Saga of Darren Shan: Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan

Darren and his friend Steve go to this mysterious Cirque du Freak, and find out that one of the people in there is a vampire. After the main character, Darren Shan (yes, the author named the main character after himself) steals the vampire’s spider, things begin to go wrong. The spider (which is like really super poisonous) bites Steve. The vampire (whose name is Larten Crepsley) agrees to help, but under the condition that Darren becomes his apprentice. This book series was one of my favorite series, and was filled with action up until the last book (there are twelve). I recommend this book to anyone, especially middle school.

Luqman Sattar

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews, a New York Times bestseller happened to fall in my hands unexpectedly last week and I finished in under two days (along with the attached sequel I will review next). I caution readers about this book as it make trigger any strong emotions or discomfort.

The story takes place in 1957, where two children, Cathy and Chris, and their mother, impregnated with twins, await their father on his 35th birthday. An officer arrives instead with the tragic news that their father has died. The family is forced to move to their mother’s house where they’re coldly greeted by their grandmother who openly despises them all, the twins now having been born. She loathes her daughter and grandchildren for the reason that they are the children of the devil, because of a “sinful” marriage between their mother and her husband, who is her half uncle. While staying the attic, for a number of years abandoned by their neglecting widow of a mother, changes occur, emotions and feelings change between the children, more specifically Cathy and Chris after been kept contained in an attic to grow and develop.

This book is one of the first books I have started in months and have managed to finish in less than twenty-four hours. It’s captivating, emotionally, and certainly a page-turner. If you haven’t already gotten the hint, I think it’s appropriate to say that this book includes quite a bit of incest. Usually when people hear this word, they feel sick to the stomach but this book could possibly change your perspective. After viewing their relationship with the children and with each other, their mother have no role in their lives anymore, they take up the roles of parents. They take care of the twins, make sure they’re happy and safe, even when they’re kept inside the walls of an attic, far from sunshine, air, and more importantly, a normal life.

I would highly suggest this book for anyone who is looking for something that will keep them on the edge of their seat, or something rather daring.

Eman Fathala

Vampirates by Justin Somper

Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean is the first book of a fantasy horror series written by Justin Somper. The book is about Two twins, a brother named Connor, and his sister named Grace. After their father's death, Connor and Grace see that they have no place left for them in their town, so they set off for the sea. But soon, a vicious storm arrives and destroys their boat separating the twins from one another. While drifting across the vast expanse of sea, Connor is pick up by one of the most notorious pirate ship ever to roam the sea, the Diablo. Connor learns how to wield a cutlass, but is he ready for the pirate life in order to find his sister? Meanwhile, Grace is pick up by a mysterious ship with bat-winged sails. she discovers that the crew is made up of Vampirates! But it turns out that most of the Vampirates are nice......except for Sidorio. I really enjoyed reading this book because of its original plot and amazing story, it was very thrilling to read, and lots of action, adventure, and suspense. It would recommend this book to people who are interested in fantasy, horror, and adventure books.

Sameer Khan