Review: The Babysitter by R.L. Stine

Title: The Babysitter

Series: The Babysitter #1 | Point Horror #5

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: December 1989

Published by: Scholastic

Source: Own paperback

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Synopsis:

From the minute that Jenny accepts the Hagen babysitting job, she knows she has made a terrible mistake.

First there is the dark and gloomy Hagen house, filling her with dread and horror. Then the crank phone calls start, and Jenny discovers a creepy "neighbor" prowling in the backyard. When she finds a threatening note in her bag, she realizes that this isn't a harmless game.

But who wants to hurt her? What kind of maniac is willing to scare her... to death?

My rating: ★★★★☆
The Babysitter was a pretty good book, overall. I was a big fan of the classic premise—recent attack on babysitters... OMG is Jenny next?!—and mystery of it all. I was also imagining Jenny babysitting on Fear Street, because that would just be the perfect setting for this! But alas, this is not a Fear Street book.

I loved Jenny and her super overactive imagination! It was just so fun to be inside her head and see how her mind worked as she came up with all these insane scenarios. For example, before her first night of babysitting, she was freaking out a bit because she didn’t know the family. I mean, what if the kid was a monster, what if the parents are weird, what if the family is in some secret cult and when Jenny finds out they lock her up in the basement for the rest of her life so she can’t tell anyone?! What if the house is haunted by a ghost girl trapped in the attic and Jenny accidentally sets her free then the ghost inhabits her body and is never the same again?! Seriously, these were the things going through her head and I totally loved it!

And then we have Chuck, who is relatively new in town, and a potential love interest for Jenny. Initially, I actually liked him because he was just really funny and an overall fun guy. But then he pulled an awful prank on Jenny that was totally NOT funny! What a jerk!

But overall, I really enjoyed the read! It had a really creepy atmosphere and tons a tension with the creepy calls and threats. As for the mystery behind these threats, well, I had an idea, but the reveal still got me. This character was super weird to begin with, but damn, I didn’t know how off the rails this person was! It has an insane ending but I just don’t know how Jenny didn’t see it sooner!

I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series, because apparently, these horrible babysitting experiences aren’t over for Jenny just yet. Poor Jenny...

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a link to your review or comment below! :)