Review: The Deadly Fire (Fear Street: The Cataluna Chronicles #3) by R.L. Stine

Title: The Deadly Fire

Series: Fear Street: The Cataluna Chronicles #3

Previous books in this series: The Evil Moon (#3) | The Dark Secret (#2)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller, historical

Publication date: October 1995

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis:

Death on wheels...

The Doom Car has already destroyed racecar driver Stan McCloy, but his brother Buddy still can’t seem to stay away from it. There’s something about that gorgeous Cataluna...

Something ancient and evil. But all Buddy sees is a way to win back his girlfriend from Will,the mysterious guy she’s been seeing. Just one race and Sara will be his. Just one explosive race... to the death.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

Dying in this car is no accident...

First of all, this book is called The Deadly Fire... but there is literally NO deadly fire in this entire book, whatsoever! Does not compute.

Anyway, I really liked the premise of this series—a cursed girl born under a bad moon, time travel, magic, evil car... Yes please!

The people of the colony hated me because I was different. I had done no one harm but the people blamed for all their bad luck. They called me evil.
And finally I proved them right.
I murdered—and I enjoyed it.

And this is why I was rooting for her and NOT William! He was awful and he can go fuck himself. 😒 Catherine literally did nothing to deserve her fate. She was just defending herself from all the assholes in her colony. Though I do admit that she may have done a smidge too far with all the murdering for fun 🤷‍♀️ Lol. But I do have a theory that every person she’s killed in the car she thought was Will... so idk. Lol.

Unfortunately, at the end of the book, Will finally catches Catherine and destroys her. He also destroys the car and basically undoes everything that happened in the books, including all the death Catherine caused, which... meh. Especially because Will’s dad and brother are alive again.... Those assholes 😒 And poor Catherine! BUT a twist happened there at the end that made me VERY happy. We end the book with Will meeting his new baby sister who, get this, has a freaking red crescent moon on her forehead... like Catherine did! Yes, bitch! How do you like Catherine now, you dick! Ha! 😏 So, because William destroyed the car and undid everything, he now has no memory of all he went through in the last three books, and therefore, doesn’t recognize the mark. Hehehe. 😈

So the present-day idiot we get in this book is Buddy. The reason I say this is because this car turns everyone who wants it into dicks! All the main characters just turn into complete morons when they want/get the Cataluna.

So, this Buddy fellow... he beat up his brother pretty good over the damn car. The scene was insane. I really thought he had beat him to death! He didn't, but still! Also, his girlfriend was awful! He should’ve just dumped her as soon as she blatantly started hanging out with some other guy. I did not like her. But her actions may have been due to, again, the Cataluna 🙄

There was one mention in this book, in the present day, where the main character goes to Gary Brandt’s party who is originally from The Overnight! I always love these little Easter Eggs!

Overall, I enjoyed the series. Even though the characters were meh, I really liked the premise and the just desserts ending of this book, which I was a huge fan of!

The Fear Street connection: I’m pretty sure Fear Street wasn’t even mentioned once 🤷‍♀️😒

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! 😊