The dead - Charlie Higson

The sequel to Higson's The Enemy is actually a prequel! But it does go a long way into explain how the London (and presumably the rest of England) has been infected by a mystery virus.

Ed and Jack lead a band of boys who have survived the initial infection, in an attempt to escape the chaos of the adults who have succumbed to the virus.

They come under the 'protection' of Greg, a bus driver, who has collected a number of survivors on his tour bus.

Fast paced and action packed - the boys fight there way through to London - in the hope of finding other survivors, more food and a safe refuge. Pretty gruesome in places - mature teen reader material.

If you enjoyed The Enemy then this is a must. Book number three is due out this year - check out Higson's website here

The strain - Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Yep vampires - but not as we know them!!

Much like The passage, the world of The strain is under attack from the dark and demonic 'Master' and his rapidly increasing vampire hordes - whose stingers (and there are some great descriptions of these in action) replace the more commonly known fangs we associate with vampires . A great opening - which reads like a CSI investigation - a plane lands and all of the passengers appear to have died at the exact same moment of time. Or have they? As the scientific world struggles to comprehend and contain the 'virus' they believe is in action, the story becomes more personal for Dr. Ephraim Goodweather and his family.

The story is a complex one - the vampire master is one of 7 ancients who are all linked (aka The passage), but live under a fragile truce which is about to be tested.

The first of a trilogy - and maybe even a film...a fast paced thriller for vampire lovers.

Check out the website here - that's scary in itself!!!

iboy - Kevin Brooks

I have been a long time fan of Kevin Brooks. His books often deal with a harsher look at the life of disenfranchised teens. His style is very contemporary and very gritty. iboy is no exception.

A shocking attack begins the story - and for this reason I would recommend this only to mature teen readers. The attack changes Tom and Lucy forever - in different ways. Tom's brain has somehow merged with the mobile phone that is embedded in his head. A phone that provides him with continual online hook-up with the entire mobile network. Just how will he use this power?

Set against a backdrop of housing estate gangs, drugs and violence, Brooks provides a tense and emotional journey.