The Stitchers (Fright Watch #1) by Lorien Lawrence

Something weird is going on on Goodie Lane...Quinn Parker and her dad used to talk about the "Oldies" who lived on the street and how there was just something weird going on with them.  Her dad passed away though and now she and her neighbor, Mike, are starting to investigate again.  They are running in the morning and notice it's almost eerie how they all come out each morning at the same time and do the same routines.  As they continue investigating they start to research and find out that these houses have never changed the owners.  The pond at the end of the lane is spooky and things just don't add up.  As they get closer to the 4th of July they realize they are running out of time before something happens to one of them!

Great horror book with lots of suspense and supernatural weirdness.  

 

The Companion by Katie Alender

 

Margot was in a car wreck with her whole family and she was the sole survivor.  She is sent to an orphanage, where no one likes her because she screams at night with nightmares.  She is sent to be a companion for a girl who doesn't talk at a remote house in the woods.  She can either stay there or go to the state institution. She feels like things are weird, but she agrees to give it a try.  She ends up becoming "friends" with the mother and starts to acclimate to the house.  Her nightmares have stopped, but her companion, Agatha, starts to come out of her weird state and Margot starts to get the feeling that things are not what they seem.  

LOVE the gothic vibe and twisty turns.  

The Unmapped Chronicles: The Bickery Twins and the Phoenix Tear by Abi Elphinstone

 

Fox and Fibber are twins who are also rivals.  Their parents have their own businesses and have pitted the twins against each other.  When Fibber runs off they end up in an antique store and find a marble that actually is a Phoenix tear.  The shop owner sends them off to help the Unmapped worlds and Fibber hops on a train to escape Fox, but he jumps on at the last minute with her.  They end up heading to Junglestop and find out it is being destroyed by a harpy.  It is up to the two of them to learn how to work together to help save the area and get rid of the harpy.

Fun story, but Fibber learns that she and Fox need to be brother/ sister, not rivals and they both learn to stand up to their parents and just be kids.

This Town is Not All Right by M. K. Krys

 

Beacon, Everleigh and their dad are moving from California to a New England small town. They are staying at a local bed and breakfast until they find a place to live.  Things just feel weird to Beacon and the kids do not seem normal.  Once they start school they are required to take a "vitamin shot."  Beacon is DEATHLY afraid of shots and  runs away.  After Everleigh has the shot she is different.  Beacon has met a boy that seems normal, but really likes science.  He helps Beacon start to unravel what is going on with the town and why his sister changed.  Do you believe in aliens????

Fast reading, twisty turny book.  The ending will leave you worried about what comes next.  

The Nightmare Next Door by Joel A. Sutherland

 Matt and Sophie have moved into a new neighborhood over school break.  The house next to them looks like a run down farm.  They see a horse in the field and someone in the window, but no one will come to the door.  As Matt and Sophie meet some neighbors they learn the past of their house and the house next door.  The horse they see is dead.  The man they see is dead.  The boys who lived in their house are dead.  As they try to help the ghosts move on, they become involved in ways they did not anticipate.

Another great horror story.  Quick read.  

Field of Screams by Joel A. Sutherland

 Darius's dad died last year, but he is looking forward to his cousin coming to visit.  They always go to the corn maze each year.  Darius is glad his cousin is there, but not super excited about going to the maze without his dad.  As they are dropped off Darius realizes he has forgotten his cell phone at home.  Darius and his cousin head in and he notices things are not normal.  When they get into the maze things go really weird, like things are quiet and no one is around.  They come across a "ghost" boy and something truly evil.  As they escape the maze, they are caught by the maze owner and they are not sure if they will ever escape.  

Great short horror book.  Reminded me of R. L. Stine's books.  

Quintessence by Jess Redman

Alma moves to Four Points and is dealing with something from her past.  She meets the Shopkeeper at Fifth Point and he gives her a Quintescope, which helps you see light.  He tells her she must find the Starling and others who will help her.  As she goes about her way she ends up joining the Astronomy club and together the three of them start solving the mystery and helping the Starling get home.  

Great middle school novel.  Deals with anxiety and making friends.  

 

Confessions: The Murder of an Angel by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Tandy is back in the last book.  She just caught her best friend, C. P., and her boyfriend (?), James, together. She has checked herself in to a mental hospital to help deal with all she has gone through in the last few months. As she is leaving the hospital and headed back to school, things go crazy again.  She is feeling like she is drugged and finds herself about to jump off their balcony, someone drives by and shoots at her, and her whole family is on a plane that crashes.  As things ramp up with attacks on her life she really doesn't know who to trust and even thinks if she has to die to take down Angel Pharmaceuticals she will.  

I think this is the best book of the whole series.  I felt like Tandy was an unreliable narrator, but...  I wish there was more to the Angel family series, but since this was from 2015 I don't think there will be.  Great wrap up to the series.  

 

Confessions: The Paris Mysteries by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

The third book in the series finds Tandy in Paris.  She has just found James Rampling, her boyfriend, and spends one day with him, when he disappears again and tells her he is trying to keep her safe.  She and her brothers and their guardian, Uncle Jacob, are living in their grandmother's estate.  She has left them a nice inheritance dependent upon their behavior and not disgracing the family.  Tandy's twin, Harry, is having some issues with taking drugs and he has also been recruited for his musical ability to perform as the opening of  a concert.  As Tandy discovers information about her long-dead sister, Katherine, she begins to wonder if she was murdered and if their Uncle Peter had something to do with it.  

The book over all would be fine for 7th and up.  Does deal with drugs, sex, and a house burning down, but nothing graphic.  

 

The Mysterious Messenger by Gilbert Ford

Maria's mother, Madame Destine, is as "psychic" or she pretends to be one to swindle people out of their money or possessions.  That is how they survive.  Mr. Fox, their landlord, is in on it as well.  Maria is "homeschooled", which means she goes to the library and researches people they can scam.  She has a friend, Edward, who is a ghost and he gives her messages.  He tells her about a client her mom has, Mrs Fisher, and that she has a treasure in her house.  As Maria tries to help Mrs. Fisher find her treasure, she keeps it from her mom and she sneaks around with her neighbor.  Lots of secrets come out as she follows the clues.  

 

Windswept by Gwen Cole

Have you ever wished you could blink and be where ever you wanted to go?  Well in this book there are drifters who can travel anywhere in the world in the blink of an eye.  Sam encounters such a person on the subway one day after school, but she doesn't know it at the time.  She just knows there is a cute boy sitting across from her.  Reid (the boy) notices Sam as well.  He is a drifter and has dropped out of school, doesn't have a job and is homeless.  He has one friend, Jake, who is also a drifter from Australia.  As Sam and Reid begin to get to know one another he shares his secret with her and she begins to travel the world.  Sam also starts to learn her family has kept secrets from her after they leave on a weekend trip.  Reid learns about drifters starting to go missing and no one can find them.  Sam and Reid begin working together to try to solve the mystery, but will they solve it before they get caught?

Told in two voices, the book reads pretty quickly and after the beginning of them getting to know one another I couldn't quit reading.  I think boys and girls will enjoy this book, and I think it is perfect for middle school or high school.  I could see this turning into a series...please?  

City of Gold by Will Hobbs

The Hollowell family has moved to Colorado to start over after their dad died.  Owen wakes up one night to his mules whinnies and discovers they have been stolen.  He tracks them and finds them, but the man who stole them threatens to shoot him so her returns home.  As he tells his mom what happened they come up with a plan and he sets off to find where the man takes them.  He arrives in a mining town and finds his mules, Hercules and Peaches, but can't seem to get them back.  Then his younger brother Till shows up and they convince the sheriff to go after the mule rustler.  

This is not my favorite historical book, but it did give a lot of history and information about the west and the mining era.  The author also included a note at the end with lots of history and his research from writing the book.  Would be good for older elementary and up.  

Confessions: The Private School Murders (#2) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Tandy solved her parents murder/ suicide in the first book Confessions of a Murder Suspect.  Now Tandy's oldest brother, Matthew, has been arrested for murdering his girlfriend.  Tandy doesn't believe he could have done it, could he?  As she works through his arrest, private school students are starting to show up murdered around town and she is also starting to get some of her memories back about her former boyfriend, James Rampling.  On top of that there is a new guardian for the kids and venomous snakes, spiders and reptiles start showing up all over their apartment building.  Tandy has lots of new cases to solve, but will she solve them before she gets hurt??

Loved this book!  Lots of great sidebar "confessions" and character development.  Had one point of some "sexy" type remembering from her relationship with James, but nothing too steamy.  Would say 7th and up.