The best YA horror books that engage with mental health

The first time I read it—and yes, there have been a few times—I could not put this book down.

Romy Silvers is the only crew member to survive an accident during interstellar travel, and she’s got the trauma to prove it. Her only communication with other people is by email. At first, she’s ecstatic when she finds out another ship has been sent to join her. But then the messages from Earth start getting weird.

The author does a brilliant job of casting doubt as to how much of what’s going on is real—and how much is in Romy’s head. I wouldn’t have thought being alone in space could be so terrifying, but the tension and feeling of creeping dread did not stop until the ending—which left me reeling.

The idea of characters finding their own dead bodies in a corn maze was pretty much a “Shut up and take my money!” situation, and this book did NOT disappoint.

It starts off weird (in the best possible way) and only gets weirder. I had some ideas of what was going on, but I didn’t bother trying to guess because I was too hooked on the story. There are so many creepy things going on that every chapter is a new horror.

I loved Sadie’s inner dialogue and anxiety, and I loved how she and Logan worked together to try and find their way out. Sadie is an unlikely heroine in many ways, but her flaws and self-awareness end up being her biggest assets.

I LOVE anti-heroes, and Okiku, as a vengeful ghost who horrifically kills child murderers, is perfect.

A lot of books end with a character’s trauma as if surviving is the only important part of the story. But Okiku didn’t survive her trauma-—and she is furious, taking out all her pain and rage on people who prey on the weak. When Okiku makes a connection with a lonely, cursed boy, she starts to wonder if she can help prevent tragedy instead of cleaning up after it. Through an unlikely friendship, Okiku and Tark come together and show that it’s never too late to heal.

If I’m making it sound like this is a sweet story of friendship and redemption, be warned—this book is terrifying.

I could not believe how good this retelling of Carrie is.

Like the original, Maddy is the victim of an abusive parent, but in this case, it’s about both race and religion. The added layer is *chef’s kiss*. I loved how it’s both faithful to the original Carrie and entirely its own thing. The author did an amazing job of putting me in Maddy’s head so that I was right there with her as she struggled with how to navigate her life. 

Maddy was so relatable, and she desperately wanted to fit in but at the same time be true to herself. I’m an adult now (usually), but my inner teenager kept shouting, “Yes! That’s exactly what it’s like!” All of Tiffany D. Jackson’s books are great, but this one is my favorite.

The first time I read this book, I was blown away by how twisty and creepy it was.

Silla is a wonderfully complex heroine. Is she paranoid, or is the manor really cursed? How much is she imagining and how much is real? Every time I thought I knew where the book was going, I was wrong. It just gets weirder and more unsettling as the book progresses.

As I read it, I just kept thinking that things didn’t make sense. But it was so compelling that I couldn’t stop, even when I was very confused. The ending pulls it all together with a completely satisfying ending that explained every question I had. It goes darker than most YA, but I loved it for going all in.