Christine Carlson

If you're an aspiring writer or a lover of teen fantasies, you'll want to put the date, December 21st on your calendar. Local author, Maggie Stiefvater, will be visiting the Salem Church Library to talk about books and writing. Teens and adults are invited to drop in during our regular Lit Bistro time, 3:30-5:00. Ms. Stiefvater will be joining us from 4:00-5:00. Ms. Stiefvater is the author of two fantasy series. One of her books, Shiver, has been on the New York Times bestseller list.

Here are some books to get you started (after you finish the rest of her books, of course!):

If you haven't read Robin McKinley's newest book, you might want to check it out (published in 2008):
 

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a really popular book – I know why it’s one of your favorites! Kiki Strike and Maximum Ride are two other great stories with plenty of action. The books below might give “Benedict Society” a run for its money with their mystery, extraordinary powers, great characters and adventure!

The Girl Who Could Fly , by Victoria Forester.

If you haven’t read the rest of the books in the trilogy, you’ll definitely want to start there (Touching Darkness is #2 and Blue Noon is #3). Here are some other books with magical aspects and teens doing cool things:

You were looking for historical fiction, for teens but also possibly for adults. Since Angels Watching Over Me is also a Christian fiction title, I included a few YA books in that category as well.

Historical fiction:

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin.

The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance.

The Girl Who Could Fly, by Victoria Forester.

The perfect companion to H.I.V.E., except a little less evil. This is one of my favorites!

When homeschooled farm girl Piper McCloud reveals her ability to fly, she is quickly taken to a secret government facility to be trained with other exceptional children, but she soon realizes that something is very wrong and begins working with brilliant and wealthy Conrad to escape.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket.

Here are similar titles to The Sight, by David Clement-Davies.

Wolf-Speaker, by Tamora Pierce.

I had a great time finding book matches for The Girlfriend, by R.L. Stine. You said that you liked the horror, suspense, and descriptive writing. Here are some other books that you might enjoy next!

A Ghost In The Family,by Betty Ren Wright.
While visiting his friend Jeannie's eccentric Aunt Rosebud in a boarding house that may be haunted, ten-year-old Chad comes across a mystery involving a missing diamond bracelet.