Creepy Tales and Strong Heroes: Black Main Characters in Teen Fiction

Sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes aren't the only things to look forward to in the fall.

As the weather changes, let's curl up with some spine-chilling and haunting books such as All These Sunken Souls: A Black Horror Anthology.

Everyone needs a vacation, but some trips aren't what they seem. This is a lesson Jay learns in the chilling dystopia The Getaway. Jay and his family are vacationing at the luxurious Karloff Country Resort, where everyone is having a good time until his friend Connie goes missing. Soon, Jay will have to decide what's more dangerous: the monster in your home, or the nightmare outside the hotel walls?

For Madison Washington, Springville High School is hell. As a social outcast, she's a frequent target for bullies. In the polarizing thriller The Weight of Blood, she's taking center stage at the school's first-ever integrated prom. Following the release of a racist viral video, Maddy realizes that by attending prom, her biracial identity isn't the only uphill battle she must fight...

Something wicked this way comes. In The Taking of Jake Livingston, Jake has quite a bit on his plate. Not only is he openly gay, but he's also the minority at his prep school. Also, he has the ability to see and communicate with the dead. However, things take a turn when he meets the ghost of Sawyer, a ghost who went on a shooting rampage whilst alive. The problem? Sawyer wants to possess Jake's body to finish what he started. Who knew adolescence could be so complicated?

Mesmortes Coven Academy isn't your regular school. Logan learns this and more in the captivating novel The Witchery. As the new girl in town, her arrival is just in time. Every fall, people are attacked by Wolves as part of the Haunting Season. Iris, Thalia, and Jaliah, known collectively as the Red Three, take Logan under their wing to not only help Logan control her powers but to break the years-long curse of this magical town.

The Bronx is more than just a borough in New York. It's known for being the birthplace of hip-hop, many shopping centers, and where children have mysteriously disappeared for the last few months. In the killer novel Burn Down, Rise up, Raquel's blind eye is unturned when her crush Charlize's cousin goes missing. The duo teams up and uncovers the truth behind the disappearances: a terrifying underground urban legend could destroy not only the city but the world as they know it. 

What horror novel gives you the chills? Let us know in the comments below.