2024 YA Bram Stoker Award: The Ultimate Ballot Breakdown

Ginger Nuts of Horror breaks down the Preliminary Ballot list of the 2024 YA Bram Stoker Award.

For the last number of years Young Blood, the YA section of Ginger Nuts of Horror, traditionally reviews all the books on the YA Bram Stoker Preliminary Ballot. Four of the ten for 2024 had already appeared on the site previously (and I had read one other without reviewing), so I approached the other five with great interest.

Ultimately this is another underwhelming Preliminary Ballot, apart from Ann Fraistat’s A Place of Vanishing there is little to get the pulses racing. There are also a couple of inclusions which barely qualify as horror and would be better suited to thriller lists. Krystal Sutherland’s blood soaked demon romp, The Invocations, was my standout YA horror for 2024, but instead this list recommends K. Ancrum’s non-horror novel, Icarus, concerning art theft. A totally bizarre selection. 

YA horror does not begin and end in the USA. So it was disappointing, but expected, to see another entirely list from America. The UK has a thriving YA horror scene, so it is saddening to see it neglected once again. Perhaps the HWA need to recategorize this Award as ‘American only’ as nobody else gets a look in.

As I do not believe this list reflects the ‘best’ in YA dark fiction and horror, Ginger Nuts of Horror release its own ‘Alternative Ginger Nut Best of 2024’ much closer to the final award ceremony. We will highlight all the great YA horror released in the UK (and other countries) from 2024 we have enjoyed the most. There is no need to shoehorn thrillers and fantasy novels into this list, as there are more than enough great horror books to choose from and they need to be front and centre.

The Preliminary Ballot does include outstanding LGBTQIA+ representation, a full range of Black and diverse characters, and narratives which are female dominated, which is par for the course these days. Of the few major character boys who do have voices they were entirely either gay or trans, with the only exceptions being a couple of books which have multiple points of view.  

Books Ranked in Order
Ann Fraistat – A Place for Vanishing (9/10) – FINAL BALLOT
Lora Senf – The Losting Fountain (7/10) – FINAL BALLOT
Joelle Wellington – The Blonde Dies First (6/10) – FINAL BALLOT
Natalie C. Parker – Come Out, Come Out(5/10) – FINAL BALLOT
Logan-Ashley Kisner – Old Wounds (5/10)
K. A. Cobell – Looking for Smoke (5/10)
A. R. Vishny – Night Owls (5/10)
Freddie Kölsch – Now, Conjurers (5/10)
Adam Cesare – Clown in a Cornfield 3 3/10 – FINAL BALLOT
K. Ancrum – Icarus (NA, as not a horror novel)

Ann Fraistat – A Place for Vanishing (9/10) – FINAL BALLOT

A Place to Vanish is a clever haunted house novel; backed up with an outstanding setting, sympathetic characters, complex family drama and an unsettling vibe that vibrates from deep inside the foundations of the monstrosity. This horror novel also has much to say about mental health, with the main character being bipolar and recovering from a suicide attempt which led to her family relocating for a fresh start. Libba is a fragile, sensitive, and incredibly well drawn young woman, and her interactions with her younger sister Vivi (who has her own fragilities), single parent mother and potential love interest Flynn help carry the story. 

The story opens when the family move into their new home, uninhabited for years, but has a strong personal connection as Libba’s grandparents disappeared whist living there many years earlier. Libba soon discovers many others have vanished from the house, stretching back over a century. Insects manifest all over the building; Vivi is strangely attracted to the many butterflies, and after the discovery of several masks, which are in the shapes of insects events get stranger, particularly when the girls wear the masks.

A Place to Vanish is a deliciously paced, atmospheric ghost story as the house is top heavy with spirits connected to the masks, who have their own plans for the sisters. The legacy of Libba’s family runs deep in this modern gothic and endlessly inventive haunted house story with a fragile, but highly memorable, lead character. (This review is taken from The YA Horror 400 almanac (2024). 

Lora Senf – The Losting Fountain (7/10) – FINAL BALLOT

Lora Senf has outstanding pedigree in the Bram Stoker Award, with The Clackity reaching the Final Ballot in the Middle Grade category back in 2022 and sequel The Nighthouse Keeper triumphing last year. Both are excellent novels and since book three was published, The Loneliest Place, Senf has expanded into YA with The Losting Fountain. Although her latest effort is not a complete success, I also struggled to decide which age to pitch it at, it is an ambitious and fascinating fantasy (with horror elements) which indicate the author developing as a writer, producing a challenging (albeit confusing) work of fiction.

This is one of those strange books which I will have to test run on a few strong readers at school and I will be fascinated by their response, as although a fantasy novel, it does not play by the rules of the genre, beyond some of the story being a journey or quest. The Losting Fountain is both original and thought provoking but probably has too many character points of view.

There are also far too many shortish jarring pieces of text adding choppiness to the flowing narrative, readers will have to be patient and follow the action closely as it is very easy to get lost. This is undoubtedly one of YA books that adults could read without actually realising it was aimed at teenagers. 

The main narratives follow three characters from different time periods, Ember (1913), Sam (1989) and Miles (present day), even though they have distinct voices they are all told in the third person. At various points other perspectives are added into the narrative, few are ever more than a handful of pages and I am unsure they were all necessary. All three teens have problems, from abusive families, being trapped indoors to seemingly being a magnet to supernatural activity.

The book revolves around how the three connect with a place called the Fountain, a realm which exists on a lake outside of time and has the ability to relocate, but which has connections rooted in our world. When the novel opens creatures from the Fountain’s realm have been filtering into Miles’s world and all three teens have a role to play in restoring the natural balance.  Even though not everything hung together perfectly, and at times I struggled with the concept, it is still a rich and captivating journey.

AGE RANGE 13/14+

Joelle Wellington – The Blonde Dies First (6/10) – FINAL BALLOT

Joelle Wellington follows her super dark high school thriller debut Their Vicious Games (2023) with another dark offering, The Blonde Dies First, which is loaded with plenty of engaging teen humour along the way. Although this sophomore effort does not abandon the bitchy teens from her debut, this latest novel is a full blown supernatural demon stalking romp. It also plays around and has fun with horror tropes, hence the title, recently there have been a sizable number of YA horror novels tapping into this.

Teens who love the blend of horror films with snappy larger than life characters should have a lot of fun here, even if at times they come across as slightly shallow. The story is seen from the point of view of twin sister Devon, whilst Drew, Malachi, Leila, Yaya, and Gael all have plenty of page time via Devon.

There is also excellent LGBTQIA+ representation and an underlying social commentary as many of the characters are Black, which plays some part of the story. There were a few weaknesses, even for a teen novel it was angsty and has a particularly slow start. Neither did I find the demon remotely scary or particularly threatening, perhaps because the characters were incredibly accepting of this supernatural entity. 

The plot revolves around Devon and her friends unwittingly become the target of a demon after attending a party where they fool around with a Ouija Board. Soon, they are hunted in stereotypical slasher film order, starting with the blonde, which is Devon, with her bleach blond eyebrows and hair. As she survives the attack, there is then a debate about whether the demon will return for her or jump to another in the group and an argument about who the Final Girl might be kicks off.

Some of this was fun, but it also tested my patience as the twins barely seemed to know each other, with the novel opening with Drew intending to attend college a year early. As the two girls went to different schools there is a whole subplot about their relationship, how they drifted apart and who is at fault, if anybody. Like all good horror films the final act has a twist (which was not really explained) and as a ‘Big Bad’ I felt the demon lacked bite. Overall, a fun and easy read for mid-teens, which has multiple f-bombs. AGE RANGE 13/14+

Natalie C. Parker – Come Out Come Out (5/10) – FINAL BALLOT

I had mixed feelings about Come Out Come Out, which works significantly better as an LGBTQIA+ teen drama than a horror story, as I didn’t find the manner in which they blended together to be particularly convincing. However, it does tackle the lack of acceptance of queer teen kids in small towns convincingly and the difficulties of coming out to their peers and families beautifully. Challenging subjects such as conversion therapy are explored, some of which has similarities to Chuck Tingle’s Camp Damascus.

The current timeline follows two characters – Jaq is a lesbian and Fern is non-binary (they have strangely forgotten these facts) and are expected to fit inside traditional gender norms as girls. It’s unsettling at times, particularly for the ways they are pushed to conform and held back from saying and doing what they actually want to do. In flashback scenes we drop in on a younger Fern trying to speak to her mother about her gender insecurities, only to be completely shut down.

Where is the horror you might ask? That’s the major problem with Come Out, Come Out there is not much of it and is rather forced. Early in the narrative Fern sees the ghost of Mallory, which triggers an odd memory from five years earlier, when Mallory was still alive and in her friendship group. A presence in the forest caused them to lose the memories of their true sexual identities.

Things get worse (or better) for Fern when she lands the lead role in the next school production, she is playing the female lead with another girl who has already come out as gay but is playing a male character in the play (which Fern dreams of). As a teen drama this was a very thoughtful novel but as a supernatural horror novel it fails to convince. The novel convincingly asks who are the monsters? And the answer is certainly not the queer kids and their identities which the true monsters of the novel attempt to erase. AGE RANGE 13+

Logan-Ashley Kisner – Old Wounds (5/10)

Although Old Wounds has some strong moments some of the book falls flat, as a monster novel it offers nothing new beyond the manner in which it approaches gender. For the first half of this 340 page book you might not realise it is a horror story, as it spends a lot of time exploring transgender issues, as both main characters Erin and Max are trans.

Things are complicated further by the fact that they were once a couple but have kept their distance from each other until deciding upon this road trip to California, where Max is desperate to finally be able to transition. The complex issues the two teenagers face is undoubtedly the strongest part of the story, the lack of acceptance by their family and their struggles at school. This part of the narrative was very informative and there is much for LGBTQIA+ teens to connect with or mull over. 

The horror part of the story took too long to arrive and when it did is rather underwhelming, it also has some connection to gender and I did wonder whether this was necessary, as it adds another layer of the nuances of gender on top of the horror. This was interesting but simply pushed the fact that this was supposed to be a horror novel further into the background. Whilst on the road to California the friends unwisely stop off in a small town where they are stalked by incredibly stereotypical local rednecks and a creature which only feeds on girls.

There were some decent action sequences, but ultimately too much went unexplored regarding the monster and its legend. Erin and Max carried the story and the rednecks just came across as cliches and the monster did not really add too many scares. As a novel about the issues facing trans teens this was a notable book, the blend of this and as a YA horror novel fails to convince. AGE RANGE 13+ 

K. A. Cobell – Looking for Smoke (5/10)

Looking for Smoke is a solid thriller, which has been favourably compared to the likes of Karen McManus, and although it has elements of horror I would suggest there are many more appropriate genuine horror novels published in 2024 more suitable for this list than this effort. The author KA Cobell is a Native American, from the Blackfeet tribe, with the story set on a Blackfeet reservation.

The narrative has terrific representation for Native American culture and traditions naturally threaded into a story with heart wrenching realistic themes, paralleling the experience of indigenous women in modern day America. It is partially inspired by the real Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement, which shines a light on the many disappearances, which are rarely investigated by the police. This was a slow burning thriller, with the middle part so slow I almost gave up, and I would question whether the snail pace will hold the attention of genuine teen reader (as I struggled). 

The story kicks-off on the annual Indian Days celebration, which is a festival that highlights the cultural traditions of the tribe. This includes a ‘Giveaway’, where members of a family that have suffered recent losses honour their dead by passing out gifts to the community. Despite being new to the area and being only half Blackfeet, main character Maura is pulled into the Giveaway and after another young girl is murdered becomes a suspect.

The story then shifts perspectives between Maura and three other teens, Loren, Eli, and Brody. All are suspects, with other characters thrown into the mix, the novel concerns how they attempt to clear their names, having to rely upon each other despite both distrust and dislike. Secrets are slowly revealed (too slowly) in this tight knit community as the story drops clues, utilises a podcast at other times, which is highlighted by a very realistic setting and tough subject matter. One could easily argue that ‘horror’ is in the eye of the beholder, but this was much more of a ‘who-dunnit’ thriller than a horror novel. AGE RANGE 13+

A. R. Vishny – Night Owls (5/10)

I found Night Owls to be a distracting read but the execution lacked bang and the narrative slightly flat and bland. The story makes a big deal of its Jewish tradition and there are many references to Jewish culture etc, the main characters are Jewish, and the story takes part in a Jewish part of New York.

However, this would have worked better if the main characters and plot had more umph, events plodded along at a single pace and there was little in the way of threat or fear, even when the dead and demons start bleeding into our world. Both main characters (sisters) are Jewish vampires, but they are portrayed as so human it is easy to forget they are creatures of the undead, except for an occasional mention of them being hungry and holding back on eating the guy who sells their theatre tickets.

Neither do either girl come across as teenagers (they are over one hundred years old) and neither were particularly good company and I wonder whether genuine teen readers will have similar trouble connecting with them. 

These vampires are slightly different from the traditional creature, they are ‘estries’ which are owl-shifting female vampires from Jewish tradition (I looked them up on Wikipedia) who only feed on other Jews. The sisters Molly and Clara run an old theatre, whilst Molly is in love with Anat, whom she keeps secret from her sister. Meanwhile Clara half-flirts with one of their employees Boaz, who sees dead people.

At a certain point Anat disappears and the three go on the hunt for her, which takes them to New York’s supernatural underworld and a powerful demon they have to keep on the good side of but has his own agenda. The story also focused on the dynamics of the sister’s relationship and I was interested in more details in the circumstances which led to them managing the theatre. I have read a few YA horror novels which dip into Jewish culture and so it was good to read another which takes a fresh angle. AGE RANGE 13+

Freddie Kölsch – Now, Conjurers (5/10)

Weighing in at 430-pages Now, Conjurers was another novel which seriously tested my patience and was way too long, dragging with a self-indulgent single one person POV. Set at the tail end of 1999, with a Y2K vibe crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it felt that far too many of these pages feature main character Nesbit Nuñez going around in circles, moping over the murder of his dead boyfriend Bastion Attia. 

The novel opens after the murder of Bastion, with Nesbit unable to grieve openly as his relationship with the star quarterback had been kept secret, except from the other members of his witch coven (Dove, Drea, and Brandy). The novel effectively captures the stigma associated with being gay, the fear of being outed, particularly in small towns which gossip and judgment is everywhere. Even though Now, Conjurers is very much grief centred, it is also light in tone and might have been a stronger novel if it went darker and deeper than the lightweight manner which mirrors teen films of the nineties, such of The Craft. 

I found Now, Conjurers to be a challenge to finish and the characters to be too cartoony in nature to be believable and struggled to follow how their magical powers worked. Also, I have read an endless cycle of YA horror novels set in the eighties and nineties, which portray these decades as if they are some extension of the Dark Ages. Perhaps 1999 is too recent a period to have a truly different ‘vibe’ even if a coming of age storyline is rather timeless in the American smalltown setting.

The narrative might have had more variety if it was expanded beyond the single POV and the supernatural villain had more bite and the campy elements more restrained. Losing your first love is tough and Now, Conjurers does nicely capture this, backing it up with a neat ending which is not all smiles and is more believable because of it. AGE RANGE 13+

Adam Cesare – Clown in a Cornfield 3: the Church of Frendo (3/10) – FINAL BALLOT

Adam Cesare needs to call time of his Clown in a Cornfield series as it has completely run out of gas. Cesare attempts to take the series in a new direction but instead scores a massive own goal by abandoning the location of Kettle Springs and cutting some popular characters (Cole and Rust) from the first two books. A few years ago the original Clown in a Cornfield was a breath of fresh air in the YA horror scene and was a deserved winner of the YA Bram Stoker Award.

This third instalment is tired, old hat and a weak conclusion which lacks both clowns and cornfields. Cesare does continue to push the boundaries for what levels of violence you can get away with in a YA novel, but some creative kills are not enough to save a flat, boring and tedious novel.  

Credibility is stretched from the outset, as at some point between Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives and book 3 The Church of Frendo the main character and cool final girl Quinn Maybrook goes on an (almost) murderous spree hunting the followers of Frendo. The reasons for this are murky and Quinn moves from being the hunted to being the predator. However, as this is a YA novel Cesare pulls his punches and revenge does not necessarily mean full blown murder.

This is fair enough, as having mass murderer central ‘hero’ characters in YA novels is exceptionally rare, but not unheard of, check out Summertime of the Dead (2015) by Gregory Hughes, where revenge genuinely means murder.  As Quinn hunts down the followers of Frendo the cult is explored in more detail and with new characters. AGE RANGE 13/14+

K. Ancrum – Icarus (NA, no grade, as not a horror novel)

Even though I have read Icarus, I am declining to fully review this novel as it is just not horror, not in the slightest, and I have no idea why this book ended up on the Bram Stoker Preliminary Ballot.  I recently gave this book to a very well-read fourteen-year-old, who enjoyed it a lot, when I told her it had been nominated for a “teen horror award” she was totally flabbergasted! The HWA need to look at how this novel ended up on the Ballot. 

For anybody interested, it is a decent but far-fetched, drama thriller with strong LGBTQIA+ representation about a teenager who repeatedly steals valuable artwork from (somebody his father has a long term beef with) and replaces them with high grade copies. Along the way he falls for the son of his father’s adversary and there are family secrets rattling all over the place in a story that almost staggers into the realms of fan fiction. Why are parents such scumbags? The highly likable Icarus deserved much better and at least the developing relationship is reasonably cute. But it features no horror beyond having your life messed up by dysfunctional family. 

Tony Jones

Praise for the YA Horror 400 almanac, published in 2024:

“The YA Horror 400 is such a good and constructive push for YA horror.” JEREMY DE QUIDT (YA author of The Wrong Train & The Toymaker)

“A must have for anyone looking to help connect younger readers to the best genre in the world. Expertly compiled by Tony Jones” PHIL HICKES (Middle Grade author of the Aveline Jones and Shadowhall Academy series)

“So excited that my books have been featured here. Teachers and librarians – this is the PERFECT resource for you!” LORIEN LAWRENCE (Middle Grade author of The Stitchers series)

“If you’ve ever wished there were an easily accessible almanac of YA horror, I’ve got great news, Tony Jones, who has been reviewing and supporting my work since I first started and is one of my biggest professional cheerleaders has released his YA Horror 400 almanac! I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to contribute to it, too. What a cool project! Go Tony!” AMY LUKAVICS (YA author of Daughters Unto Devils & The Ravenous)

“I want to alert English teachers and librarians to the most definitive resource I’ve ever seen highlighting the best YA horror novels since 2008. 400 of the best dark fiction for readers 9-15+ . Where do you go for advice yourself to know what to purchase? It’s all here. What do you give a middle-grade reader or teen with a taste for the darker side? This … and let them pick and choose their own! CLIFF McNISH (YA author of Breathe & The Hunting Ground)

“Librarians! Bloggers! Readers! Educators! I am wildly pleased to see The Call on, and between, the covers of THE YA HORROR 400 by Tony Jones. Reviews of brilliant books, author interviews. Scares aplenty.” PEADAR Ó GUILÍN (YA horror/fantasy author of The Call duology)”

“Great news for teen horror fans! The YA Horror 400 is out! A massive horror almanac w/ fab features including fear factor ratings, articles, notes from authors and much more. Absolutely perfect for librarians, teachers and anyone who reads YA horror.” BRYONY PEARCE (YA author of Savage Island & Raising Hell)

“The YA Horror 400 is a fabulous resource for librarians, parents, and fans of horror kidlit.” Lora Senf (Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Blight Harbor series)

“I highly recommend the YA Horror 400: an almanac of 400 teen horror novel reviews published between 2008-2024 by Tony Jones, featuring reviews of the best YA and middle grade horror (including my own novel Channel Fear”. LISA RICHARDSON (YA author of Channel Fear)

“Teachers, librarians, readers… This brand new almanac from horror guru Tony Jones is all you need to navigate your way through YA spookiness, gore and thrills. SJ Wills (YA author of the Bite Risk series)

For fans of Young Adult (YA) and Middle Grade (MG) horror, the Young Blood section of book reviews on the Ginger Nuts of Horror website run by Tony Jones, is a treasure trove worth exploring. This curated segment delves into the darker side of youthful literature, offering insights into the chilling narratives that have captivated young readers.

The beauty of YA and MG horror lies in its ability to tackle complex themes such as fear, identity, and resilience, all while maintaining an accessibility that appeals to younger audiences. Readers can expect reviews that highlight not only the spine-tingling plots but also the emotional depth and character development that are essential to these genres.

Ginger Nuts of Horror showcases a diverse array of titles, from debut authors to established names, making it easy for fans to discover hidden gems and upcoming releases. The reviews are penned by passionate contributors who share a deep love for horror, ensuring that each piece is both informative and engaging.

By checking out this section, readers can stay ahead of the curve on the latest trends in YA and MG horror, enriching their reading experience and connecting with a community that shares their enthusiasm for all things eerie and unsettling. Whether you seek thrills or thoughtful narratives, Young Blood has something for everyone.

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