A new anthology from Kelly Link is always a cause for celebration, even more so when the theme is monsters.

Anybody familiar with Link’s Steampunk! anthology will recognise the format of Monstrous Affections: the superstars of young adult – authors like Cassandra Clare and Holly Black – alongside the up-and-comers. The final product is a captivating exploration of things that go bump in the night.

Patrick Ness’s take on a high school demon rock band in ‘This Whole Demoning Thing’ is in turns hilarious and angst-filled, whereas Paolo Bacigalupi’s ‘Moriabe’s Children’ is a haunting ode to the ocean and the mysterious krakens that live within.

This is a truly diverse collection that will have you laughing as well as hiding under the covers while you read. It’s perfect fare for readers 13 and up, and one of those wonderful books that will appeal to adult readers as much as to teens.

Holly Harper