Best Scary Books for Teens | Witches, Ghosts, Zombies, Horror
Looking for the best scary books for teens? Need some spooky or cozy Halloween Books for Teens? Here are the top-rated YA witch, ghost, vampire, zombie, and horror reads from the last three years, plus a few cozy paranormal romance picks if you want spooky without the scares.
Best Rated Scary Books for Teens: Witches, Ghosts, Vampires, Zombies & Horror
Over the past 15 years, I’ve reviewed and recommended a lot of scary YA books, everything from witchy covens to full-on zombie apocalypse horror. I combined my favorites from the last three years into one list, sorted by category and by Goodreads rating, so you can quickly find whatever flavor of spooky you’re in the mood for. Not looking for something scary at all? Scroll to the bottom for a few cozy paranormal romance picks instead.
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Quick Picks by Vibe
| If you want… | Start with… |
|---|---|
| A cozy small-town rom-com with a magical twist | Practically Magic by Jen Calonita |
| A witchy read with real emotional stakes and grief at its core | The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland |
| Ghosts, an unreliable narrator, and a mystery you can’t trust | There Are Ghosts Here by Adrienne Tooley |
| Forbidden vampire romance with royal intrigue | Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma |
| A zombie apocalypse with a bloody, anti-heroine lead | If We Survive the Night by Jo Salazar |
| Horror that’s actually funny | Your Boyfriend Needs an Exorcist by Justine Pucella Winans |
| FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED | Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin You’ve Awoken Her by Ann Davila Cardinal The Devouring Light by Kat Ellis |
Top Rated Witch Books for Teens
From apothecaries to dangerous covens, these witchy reads span three years of new releases, now sorted by rating.
Brooms by Jasmine Walls and Teo DuVall
Brooms uses magic to explore racial segregation in the 1930s South, with broom-racing and Scooby Gang energy that makes it impossible to put down. A graphic novel with a lot to say.
- Scooby Gang Energy
- Real historical issues
- Goodreads rating: 4.2
- Pub year: 2023
The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland
Zara will do whatever it takes to claw her dead sister back from the beyond. After a deal with a demon goes horribly wrong, Jude is desperate for help too. Byrne is an orphaned witch who offers invocations, the kind of dangerous magic that asks desperate women to sacrifice a piece of their soul.
- Sister story
- Feminist Themes
- Goodreads rating: 4.06
- Pub year: 2024
A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance
Best friends Mazzy and Nora are dabbling in minor spells when they stumble on a dead body on the beach, alarming enough for their sleepy small town on its own. Soon they’re investigating a possibly dangerous occult group, and the members could be anyone, even people they’ve known their whole lives.
- High school best friendship with spooky fall occult themes
- Perfect fall vibes for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and Wednesday
- Goodreads rating: 4.0
How to Succeed in Witchcraft by Aislinn Brophy
A witchy high school drama unfolds with drama-kid rivalries and a #MeToo-inspired plot, brewing into an enchanting read.
- Theater kid drama
- Explores Sexual Harassment
- Goodreads rating: 3.98
- Pub year: 2023
Extraordinary Quests for Amateur Witches by Kayla Cottingham
After accidentally (?) cursing his ex-boyfriend, Kieran must complete a dangerous quest to undo the spell, all while falling for a brooding new guy with dark secrets of his own.
- M/M story
- Possible love triangle
- Goodreads rating: 3.85
Witchlore by Emma Hinds
An outcast at a college for witchcraft gets help raising his girlfriend from the dead, in this eerie, romantic read.
- College for Witchcraft? Sign me up!
- Necromancy
- Goodreads rating: 3.79
So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky
Nell and her friends are headed on vacation when Nell’s secrets fuse with the island’s tragic history, trapping them all under a curse. Getting out alive means risking everything.
- Girls trip gone wrong
- Spooky haunted island
- Goodreads rating: 3.79
Love Spells Trouble by Nic Davenport
The daughter of a witch and a human agrees to a fake dating scheme with an “It Boy” male witch, and of course, real feelings start to complicate the plan.
- Fake dating
- Black Girl Magic
- Fight against gentrification
- Goodreads rating: 3.77
Also worth a look:
The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste
In a country divided between humans and witchers, Venus Stoneheart brews illegal love potions to support her family, until her mother’s murder pulls her into a dangerous revenge plot.
- Political themes and Washington DC setting
- Grief and loss
- Sister story
- Goodreads rating 3.67
The Fate of Magic by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis (Witch and Hunter #2)
Fritzi and Otto must stand together against everything that threatens magic, even if the biggest threat is the bond they share.
- Witch and Hunter Book two
- Witch Trials
- Lots of drama and romance
- Goodreads rating 3.63
Top Rated Ghost Books for Teens
There Are Ghosts Here by Adrienne Tooley
Willa can’t remember how she ended up at a creepy reformatory, and no one will fill her in. Two other girls there, Caroline and Ivy, seem to know her well, in this unsettling speculative thriller with an unreliable narrator.
- Unreliable narrator
- Toxic female friendship
- Tackles some tough topics
- Goodreads rating: 4.14
- Pub date: August 11, 2026 by Delacorte
Among Ghosts (Southlands #5) by Rachel Hartman
A boy on the run from a dragon seeks refuge in a haunted abbey, but finds a treacherous nun, a chorus of murdered girls, and the fearsome Battle Bishop waiting for him instead.
- Set in the world of Hartman’s Seraphina
- Dragons, ghosts, and a haunted abbey
- Award winning author
- Goodreads rating: 3.94
My Keen Knife by Ana Davis
A ghost whisperer and a girl out for vengeance clash in this atmospheric, ghostly tale. When her brother is killed, Adelina inherits his title but must kill those ahead of her in the order of succession.
- Shakespeare retelling; a reimagining of Macbeth
- Portugal-inspired setting
- Goodreads rating: 3.92
Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagi
Inspired by the opera Madame Butterfly, this beautiful book follows a contemporary boy who finds the hundred-year-old diary of a girl, who begins to haunt him.
- Madame Butterfly Retelling
- Japanese setting
- Goodreads rating: 3.77
Also worth a look:
Persephone’s Curse by Katrina Leno
Four sisters who can trace their lineage back to Persephone fall in love with a ghost in their attic.
- Greek mythology inspired
- Goodreads rating 3.65
Bad Creek by Peyton June
Three friends on a trip to a lake where one of their sisters died confront ghosts and deadly secrets in this spooky horror novel.
- Themes of sexuality, religion
- feminist themes
- Goodreads rating 3.6
New Books about Vampires for Teens
I’m sneaking one werewolf book into this section too, since it’s the only one on my list and it fits right in with this crew.
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma
Kidan, an orphan and lost heiress, must infiltrate a dangerous secret society and live with the vampire she suspects killed her family and kidnapped her sister.
- Cruel Prince meets Ninth House
- Set at mysterious Uxlan University
- Book one in the Immortal Dark Series
- Goodreads rating: 4.26 (for book two)
- Free on Kindle Unlimited!
Shadow Bride by Shelby Mahurin (Scarlet Veil #2)
Célie Tremblay is a huntswoman tracking a new evil rising in Belterra, a monster leaving bodies in its wake, each one drained of blood. Célie tracks the killer to Les Éternels, a society ancient creatures, and catches the attention of their king.
- Find both books here
- Goodreads rating: 3.98
- Book one free on Kindle Unlimited
The Nightblood Prince by Molly X Chang
Raised in the palace since childhood as the future bride of the Crown Prince, Fei has only ever known loneliness. To change her destiny, she must change the world as she knows it, torn between two princes with the right choice far from obvious.
- Royal setting
- Love Triangle Goodreads rating: 3.7
A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal (Blood and Tea #2)
After the events of book one, vampires are in danger, and book two raises the stakes even higher. Can an orphan girl save it all?
- Slow burn romance
- Found family
- Revenge themes
- Goodreads rating: 3.7
The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood and Boyfriends by Jamie D’Amato
Brennan is a vampire, which makes college life considerably more complicated. With rumors of a missing student and a rise in strange “animal attacks” near campus, Brennan has to figure out what’s going on, fast.
- Set at Sturbridge University
- M/M romance
- Humorous
- Goodreads rating: 3.7
Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray (werewolves)
After a vicious werewolf attack, Vanessa loses her best friend, her father, and her home. With no other choice, she joins Castle Severi, where she’s mesmerized by Prince Sinclair Severi (who’s promised to her nemesis) and his brooding, disgraced cousin Calix.
- Crescent City meets Fourth Wing
- A glittering royal court
- Goodreads rating: 3.7
Also worth a look:
Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes
A thrilling romantasy about monsters, magic, and a compelling newcomer in town.
- High school setting
- Mysterious newcomer in town
- Goodreads rating 3.65
- Free on Kindle Unlimited
A Bite of Pepper by Balazs Lorinczi
A skateboarding vampire falls in love with an artist in this charming graphic novel.
- Skater girl
- F/F romance
- Goodreads rating 3.5
Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis (werewolves and vampires)
Mira grew up on legends of wolves that protected humans from vampires. As she begins her freshman year of college, strange animal attacks start occurring on campus, and as the Blood Moon rises, she’ll come to know a world that will shatter her past and change her future.
- Goodreads rating 3.39
- Free on Kindle Unlimited
New Zombie Books for Teens
If We Survive the Night by Jo Salazar
Quinn has bounced around foster homes and landed at a residential treatment center for girls with issues. One night she sneaks onto the roof and witnesses the start of a zombie apocalypse. Turns out zombie hunting might be exactly what she’s good at.
- Walking Dead vibes
- Anti-heroine
- Apocalyptic horror
- Goodreads rating: 4.25
- Pub date: August 25, 2026 by Sourcebooks
Also worth a look:
Make Me a Monster by Kalynn Bayron
As a mortician’s assistant at her parents’ funeral home, Meka is used to unusual things. But nothing prepares her for the ravens circling her house, the strangers following her, and the mysterious items someone keeps leaving at her door.
- The undead!
- Cute romance
- Goodreads rating 3.68
New Horror Books for Teens
Your Boyfriend Needs an Exorcist by Justine Pucella Winans
Schuyler, an evil spirit, is crushing hard on Wren, who has a bad boyfriend named Enzo. When Schuyler accidentally possesses Enzo’s body, she has to (gets to?) pretend to be him while she figures out how to get out. Or does she even want to?
- A queer Jennifer’s Body
- Horror with comic vibes
- Goodreads rating: 4.21
- Pub date: September 1, 2026 by Bloomsbury
Hazelthorn by CG Drews
Evander has lived on the Hazelthorn estate ever since he was taken in by his guardian as a child. He can never leave the estate, never go into the gardens, and most importantly, never again be left alone with Byron’s grandson, Laurie. But Evander is still obsessed with him.
- Ward of a reclusive billionaire
- Creepy garden
- Goodreads rating: 4.21
This Raging Sea by De Elizabeth
Loch Creek seems like a harmless, witchy New England tourist trap. But when Briar’s best friend vanishes from a seaside carnival, the only person who can help her find him is Morgan, her biggest enemy. As past and future collide, a seductive yet evil underwater entity still needs its sacrifice.
- Small town coastal setting
- Missing friend
- Goodreads rating: 3.89
And the Trees Stare Back by Gigi Griffis
In Vik’s village and the cursed forest beyond it, danger is everywhere. Deep in the woods, a lantern-eyed spirit waits to disappear anyone who wanders too far past the tree line. Vik knows, because five years ago she led her little sister Anna over that line and never saw her again. So when Anna stumbles back on the anniversary of her disappearance, it’s nothing short of a miracle.
- Cursed forest
- Sister Story
- Goodreads rating: 3.82
Also worth a look:
How to Survive a Horror Movie by Scarlett Dunmore
A horror movie enthusiast is sent to boarding school on a deserted island. She’ll need everything she learned from those movies to survive.
- Slasher horror
- Creepy Boarding School
- Goodreasds 3.63
The Creeping by Alexandra Sirony
Twelve years ago, Stella and Jeanie vanished. Stella returned minutes later with no memory of what happened; Jeanie was never seen again. Now memories are starting to resurface, along with a pattern of missing red-headed girls.
- Folktale inspired
- Missing girls
- Reissued from 2015
- Goodreads 3.65
The Devouring Light by Kat Ellis
Rival musicians and their bands get stranded on the way to a rock festival and take shelter in an eerie, decaying house. But bodies start piling up and secrets come to light.
- Music themes
- Creepy haunted house
- Goodreads rating 3.5
You’ve Awoken Her by Ann Davila Cardinal
The Hamptons is the last place Gabi wants to be, especially after she witnesses a woman dragged under the ocean by a mysterious creature.
- Hamptons Setting
- Ocean creature
- Goodreads 3.5
Showstopper by Lily Anderson
At the Ghostlight Youth Theater Camp’s monthlong musical-theater intensive, Faye is finally ready to take center stage, until the drama turns deadly.
- Theater kids
- Goodreads 3.5
Beautiful Brutal Bodies by Linda Cheng
Tian is a singer-songwriter with a massive online following, and Liya is her childhood friend, tasked with protecting her at all costs. But Liya is hiding a beastly secret of her own.
- Girl and her musician best friend
- Goodreads 3.5
New Cozy Paranormal Romance for Teens
Want spooky without the scares? This is a warm and cozy new trend in YA we hadn’t really seen before: low-stakes magic, small-town charm, and swoony rom-com energy. These are our favorites so far, plus one more worth a look below.
Practically Magic by Jen Calonita
This cozy, witchy YA rom-com is perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls and The Ex Hex. When Hadley learns that her overprotective older sister cast a protective spell on her to guard against heartbreak, she flips out and accidentally reverses all their spells, and magical mayhem ensues.
- Sister rivalry and hijinks
- Set in Mystic Hollow, an adorable small town brimming with gossip and magic
- Goodreads rating: 4.04
- Pub date: August 25, 2026 by Avon A
How (Not) to Renovate a Haunted House by Jenny Howe
Amity is the new girl in town who thinks the house she just moved into might be haunted. Theo is an amateur ghost hunter with a scar that looks suspiciously like Harry Potter’s. Together, they have to find, and evict, whatever otherworldly tenants are living in her house.
- Plus-size girl with anxiety falls for golden retriever guy
- Rom-com with ghost hunting
- Goodreads rating: 4.02
- Pub date: July 21, 2026 by Delacorte
The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
Nursing a broken heart, Calisa is staying at cranky Great Auntie Zee’s Vermont B&B, The Faraway Inn, for the summer. But why is the inn more spooky than charming? Maybe Jack, the cute groundskeeper’s son, can help her figure it out.
- Small town vibes
- Cozy witchy fantasy
- Goodreads rating: 3.8
- Pub date: March 31, 2026
Everything She Does is Magic by Bridget Morrissey
A brooding witch and a bubbly mortal fall into a charming sapphic romance neither of them saw coming.
- F/F romance: spirit princess and a witch
- Book one in the Fableview series (book two releases in 2027)
- Goodreads rating: 3.75
Also worth a look:
Brewed with Love by Shelly Page
A cozy sapphic paranormal romance about a witch trying to save her family’s apothecary with help from her best friend.
- Apothecary setting
- F/F romance
- Goodreads rating 3.66
No Charm Done by Tori Anne Martin
In this sapphic enemies-to-lovers rom-com, rival witches have a hex-off for the affections of the new boy in school, but end up more interested in each other.
- Sapphic enemies to lovers
- Hex off!
- Book 3 in the Oakhaven witches series
- Goodreads 3.6
Want even more Scary Books for Teens? Check out my post on new YA Paranormal Books for 2024 and 2023!
