Because Christmas is Coming

Far be it for me to follow the crowd, but I've read so many lists of book recommendations already this year and not found half the books I'd recommend on them and so I thought, well, if you can't beat them....

So here's my short, but sweet, list of, largely, YA titles, that you really should pop into those teen stockings.

GOLIATH by Scott Westerfeld - for the superb steam-punk illustrations by Keith Thompson and the exciting climax to Alex's and Dylan's story. And if you haven't read Leviathan or Behemoth, the two earlier books in this trilogy, then you really should get them too.

THE TRUTH ABOUT CELIA FROST by Paula Rawsthorn - for the twist that makes you realise that you aren't quite as clever as you thought you were.

GALLOWS AT TWILIGHT by William Hussey - for sheer visceral nastiness delivered with a wicked sense of humour. Given this is one of a series too. You might also want to add the first book, Dawn of the Demontide.

GHOST OF A CHANCE by Rhiannon Lassiter - for a spine chilling thrill and a nice little twist.

And now a couple that weren't actually published this year but ought to be included because they are just so very, very, good:

UNWIND by Neal Shusterman - for a concept that is truly horrifying, a chapter near the end that has you hiding behind the sofa, and being one of the most thought provoking teen books ever.

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman - because you don't need me or anyone else to tell you why you should read it!











And finally:

IF I GROW UP by Todd Strasser - and for no other reason than that it gets more hits than any other review on this blog, and that must mean something...