Nightbooks

Written by: J. A. White

First line: After his family had finally fallen asleep, Alex slung the backpack over his shoulder and snuck out of the apartment, easing the front door gently home so it didn't slam shut. 

Why you should read this book: Alex has loved scary stuff ever since he was little, but when his notebooks full of handwritten spooky tales start to feel like a liability, he has no idea that his plan to dispose of them will land him smack in the middle of his own horror story. Kidnapped by Natacha, a witch who wants his stories for her own diabolical purposes, he's trapped in his own building, in an apartment that is much bigger on the inside, and much more mysterious than anything he's ever imagined. Along with another kidnapped child, Yasmin, and a seemingly hostile cat called Lenore, Alex must figure out how to defeat Natacha and escape his strange prison before Natacha or her strange domain turn on him.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You accidentally saw a zombie film when you were four and it scarred you for life.