Scary Short Stories From Popular Teen Authors!
This is a fun collection of short stories involving popular authors of young adult fantasy. Sarah Mlynowski of Bras and Broomsticks tells a story about two girls going on a cruise. They are scoping out guys so one of them can lose their virginity. The two girls befriend another girl who warns them about a string of vampire attacks on cruise ships. Bodies are found overboard drained of blood. When Kristin finds the guy of her dreams and they are finally alone, we find out she has a secret of her own. Virginity has an entirely different meaning to these girls.
Claudia Gray, the author of the Evernight series, takes on a witches vacation filled with rivelry. Every year this coven gets together to work magic. Her mom’s coven from college and their families meet and the men in the family really have no idea that their wives and daughters are witches. Cicely hates Kathleen. The two have been rivals since they were little kids. When Kathleen brings a new boyfriend on vacation, Cecily suspects the boyfriend has been bewitched. Now Cecily must decide whether to risk performing powerful magic beyond her years.
Maureen Johnson of 13 Little Blue Envelopes fame writes about two sisters, the French countryside and a strange curse. When people hear a story about the French Revolution they are compelled to commite murder.
Cassandra Clare, author of City Of Bones & City Of Ashes, writes about a family that vacations next to an ancient witch. The villa staff’s warnings are not enough to keep two curious teens from approaching her beach house.
The story that was truely terrifying was saved for last. Libba Bray, author of A Great And Terrible Beauty, scared me to death with her “Nowhere Is Safe.” A group of teens backpack through Europe and decide to go off the beaten path near Budepest for a little adventure. They go to small village for a festival with a dark history. They find ghosts, a frightening history of devil worship and a terrifying evil shrouded in mist and dense forests. I had a lot of trouble getting to sleep after reading this one!
Some ideas for discussing with teens:
How is reading a collection of short stories different than a full novel? Which did you like better?
Talk about which stories were your favorites?
Did you think the students in Nowhere Is Safe were brave or stupid?
Talk about superstitions and how legends can shape the way we think.
Desperate circumstances can make people do horrible things. Talk about what would make a village sacrifice their own children.
The Most Intense YA Read So Far Of 2009!
The story takes off running when we learn Mary’s father is likely one of the Unconsecrated. Her mother, in her grief decides to join him rather than stay alive. The description of her change and how she’s dragged into the forest by her ankle is great horror story telling! Mary must suffer the consequences when her brother hands her to the Sisterhood because the boy she loves has not asked for her hand in marriage. The story takes another fantastic twist when we learn someone from the outside has found their way to the village. Mary won’t stop until she has answers about the girl, Gabriella.
This book is about so many different themes woven beautifully together. It’s about wanting. The hunger and want of the Unconsecrated is unending. They keep going even as their bodies can no longer move. Mary’s mother wants her husband so much she is willing to become one of the Unconsecrated. It is about dreaming of the great perhaps. Mary knows there is something out there. That curiosity never wavers. She puts herself in dangerous situations in an attempt to satisfy her curiosity. I could barely breathe as she hid in the basement of the Cathedral trying to find out what happened to Gabriella. She knows if she’s caught she’ll likely be tossed into the forest as food for the zombies. It is about love verses duty. Mary wants Travis, but Travis is willing to step aside because his brother loves her too. It is about how The Sisterhood withholds information and keeps the population ignorant, because they feel it will save lives. But mostly for me, this book is about the search for truth, even though everyone you know tries to stop you. Mary never stops believing. The ending, even though not a happy one, is satisfying. I love the way she figures out the gates and which one goes to the ocean. I love the struggle to survive and not accepting the status quo.
I can’t wait for Carrie Ryan’s second book, The Dead-Tossed Waves, where we learn about Mary’s daughter. The Dead-Tossed Waves will be released in March 2010.
Some ideas for discussing with teens:
Talk about how the strict enforcers of religious rules are women and not men. Does this change things?
Talk about Mary’s mother’s decision to join the Unconsecrated. If a loved one was lost, would you do the same?
Did The Sisterhood have a right to keep the villages away from the truth?
Talk about sacrifice. For example how Travis was willing to sacrifice himself to save the others. He was also willing to sacrifice his love for Mary so his brother could marry her.
Is duty more important than dreams?
Did The Sisterhood have a right to keep the villages away from the truth?
Talk about sacrifice. For example how Travis was willing to sacrifice himself to save the others. He was also willing to sacrifice his love for Mary so his brother could marry her.
How do you think Gabriella was infected? Why was she so much faster than the others? Any theories?
Talk about how Mary felt when she found the pictures of New York City. She was amazed by the buildings and had no idea places like that once existed.
Why did Travis wait to long to share information about Gabriella?
Talk about the ending. What should happen next?
