February officially marks the season of love on the calendar! Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate someone special. It could be a significant other, parent, pet… anyone can be a valentine. And what better to gift your valentine than a new book! I mean, why would you want flowers and candy when you could have books? Here are some books I think would be perfect for Valentine’s day, and some that I just think you should read anyway! 

#5. Later  by Stephen King

Well, Stephen King has done it again. In this book, he tells the story of a young boy with the power to see the dead. He helps solve mysteries and crimes, with some eventful stops along the way. King does an amazing job of capturing the differences in how people think due to their age. As we watch the protagonist grow, we watch his thought processes change as well.

In classic Stephen King fashion, the book does have some strong themes, such as drugs and violence. But, it is still an extremely interesting story. And before you get freaked out over how long King’s books can be, this one is only 256, which is just enough to keep you occupied!

#4. Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood

Perfect for Valentine’s Day, this book is a heartwarming story of brothers, grief, and new relationships. After losing his younger brother in a car accident, Charlie is haunted by his ghost. His brother keeps Charlie from really living life, especially when he meets and falls in love with sailor Tess. Ben Sherwood crafts a beautiful tale about grief, and learning to let go after a tragedy. 

This one is sure to pull at your heartstrings, and the movie version of the book is no less moving. As a warning, this book dives very deep into grief and loss. However, I believe it’s an amazing representation of growth.  

#3. Get Even  by Gretchen McNeil 

If you’re a fan of teen series like Pretty Little Liars or Alphas, you will love this book. Set in an elite private school, there is no shortage of snobby classmates for our four main characters. But no one at school knows that these four girls are actually best friends. They are part of a secret group called Don’t Get Mad, or DGM, that takes revenge on school bullies, both students and teachers. 

One day, one of their targets is found dead with their card in their hand, making DGM the center of attention. Author Gretchen McNeil tells a nail biting tail of how far a group would go to keep a secret. This series was also recently turned into a TV show! 

#2. Fear Street Novels by R.L. Stine

When you think of author R.L. Stine, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely his ever popular children’s series Goosebumps. What a lot of people don’t know is that he has a series for teens as well, the Fear Street Novels. This summer, three of them were turned into movies produced by Netflix. 

I can’t only recommend one book, though, because the whole series has more than 60! Each book is a mystery, some supernatural, some true crime. Due to the majority of them being published in the 90’s, the series almost serves as a time capsule. These quick reads are perfect for any mystery lovers!

#1. You Will Be Mine by Natasha Preston

Natasha Preston truly can’t write a bad book. This time, I’m highlighting one of her more romantically – themed books. But don’t be mistaken: this book is not exclusively a romance novel. In reality, it’s about a group of friends who are being harassed by a secret admirer. Slowly, the members of the friend group begin to be eliminated.

This book plays into readers’ sense of paranoia, and gives them a chance to be a detective alongside the protagonist, Lyla. With suspects galore, it’s almost impossible to narrow it done to just one. And when the real culprit is revealed, you will not see it coming! You will not be able to stop turning the pages!