Review: Forbidden Secrets (Fear Street Sagas #3) by R.L. Stine

Title: Forbidden Secrets

Series: Fear Street Sagas #3 (can be read as a standalone)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: September 1996

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: The dark power of the Fear family consumes all those connected with it. No one can escape the evil of the family's curse—not even the Fears themselves.

Savannah Madison doesn't believe that. She marries Tyler Fear. But then she goes with him to Blackrose Manor. That's when the deaths begin. That's when she learns his terrible secret.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

I have been reading Fear Street books since I was in middle school and I remember that this was one of the first books I ever read. I didn’t remember any of the story when I read this now, but I distinctly remembered that cover.

Review: House of Whispers (Fear Street Sagas #2) by R.L. Stine

Title: House of Whispers

Series: Fear Street Sagas #2 (Can be read as a standalone)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: June 1996

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Welcome to the house of Fear.

The dark power of the Fear family consumes all those connected with it, The Fears. Those they love—and hate. The entire town of Shadyside. All are tainted forever by the evil of the family’s curse. No one can escape.

Amy Pierce knows nothing of the terrifying Fear history when she arrives for a visit with Simon and Angelica Fear. Their New Orleans mansion is beautiful—but Amy senses something evil there. Something that watches her. Waits for her.

My rating: ★★★★☆

It would not matter to Angelica that Amy was part of her own family. If Angelica found out the truth about Amy, she would kill her.
Because Angelica was evil. Pure evil.

I love the Fear family lore. It’s so interesting and often evil. One of my favorite families to follow has always been Simon and Angelica Fear, so I was very happy to see that Angelica played a big role in this book! We first met Angelica in the Fear Street Saga trilogy where we saw that even before she married into the Fear family, she herself had a little bit of magic at her hands. Well, in this book we meet her cousin Amy who may or may not have an an affinity for magic as well. I thought this aspect of the book was SO interesting! When I first read about Angelica in the trilogy, I was a little surprised to learn that she already possessed magic, so it was nice to learn a little more about the Pierce family.

Review: A New Fear (Fear Street Sagas #1) by R.L. Stine

Title: A New Fear

Series: Fear Street Sagas #1 (can be read as a standalone)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery, thriller

Publication date: March 1996

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: The Fear name brings fortune... and doom.

The dark power of the Fear family consumes all those connected with it. The Fears. Those they love—and hate. The entire town of Shadyside. All are tainted forever by the evil of the family’s curse. No one can escape.

Nora Goode and Daniel Fear hoped to end the curse of the Fear family. But on their wedding day, a horrible fire swept through the Fear mansion, taking the life of every member of the doomed family.

Except one. A new Fear. The child of Nora and Daniel. Will he be able to live his life untouched by the evil of his family? Or will the dark forces claim yet another Fear for their own?

My rating: ★★★☆☆

It has been a minute since I visited Fear Street, so I thought it was time to get back to it. I actually only have two more Fear Street series to read before I’m completely caught up, and honestly, it makes me so sad. I love this world so much!

Review: Life is Short and Then You Die by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Life is Short and Then You Die

Authors: Kelley Armstrong, R.L. Stine, Y.S. Lee, Melissa Marr, Amanda Witt, Rachel Vincent, Jeff Somers, Eileen Rendahl, David Bart, Jeff Soloway, Julie Tollefson, Joseph S. Walker, Anthony Franze, Barry Lancet, Emmy Laybourne, Jonathan Maberry, Stepehn Ross, Caleb Roehrig, Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, horror, mystery

Publication date: September 2019

Published by: Imprint

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: Adolescence is a time of “firsts.” First kiss. First love. First loss. First job. The first taste of adult responsibilities, and the first look at an independent life away from both the restrictions and the security of home.

And in this case, a very different type of “first”: murder.

This short story collection of murder mysteries adds a sinister spin to the joy and pain of firsts that have always been a major part of life, whether it be high school cliques who take the term “backstabbing” too seriously, stumbling upon a body on the way home from school, or receiving a Snapchat message that promises something deadly.

My rating: ★★★★☆

Even though I haven’t read anything by her in a while, I love Kelley Armstrong and was very excited to read this anthology edited by her! In fact, the first story in the book was actually written by her!

But not only that, there are plenty of other authors I’m familiar with and love that also contributed to this anthology! So exciting!

Review: Darkest Dawn (Fear Street Nights #3) by R.L. Stine

Title: Darkest Dawn

Series: Fear Street Nights #3

Previous books in this series: Moonlight Secrets (#1) | Midnight Games (#2)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: August 2005

Published by: Simon Pulse

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: When you can't sleep, there's always NIGHTS.

The Night People are safe at last. After all the ugly pranks and vicious murders, things have finally returned to normal. The friends who are left are trying to forget and move on, taking comfort by meeting up late-night at their old hang out, Nights.

It was the ancient spirit of Angelica Fear that caused all the trouble. And now she's been destroyed once and for all. Burned in a fire.

But if it's true that the horror is dead, what did Angelica mean when her voice cried out from the flames?

...The Evil Lives!

My rating: ★★★☆☆

Jamie and Dana thought they defeated Angelica Fear in the last book, but that may not be the case after all.

"Angelica, are you here?" I whispered. "Are you here?"

Review: Midnight Games (Fear Street Nights #2) by R.L. Stine

Title: Midnight Games

Series: Fear Street Nights #2

Previous book in this series: Moonlight Secrets

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: July 2005

Published by: Simon Pulse

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: When you can't sleep.
there's always NIGHTS.

Dana Fear isn't thrilled about spending her senior year at Shadyside High. The Fear family history goes way back in this town, and she's not so into lugging around the baggage.

But then she gets in with the Night People. Shadyside's pretty cool when it's 3 A.M. and you're chilling at a bar called Nights with your new best friends.

Until the evil returns, and the Night People start mysteriously disappearing one by one. Dana swears she has nothing to do with it. But all fingers point in one direction. Because there is, after all, a new Fear in town....

Things go bump in the Night...

My rating: ★★★☆☆

My name is Fear, but I'm not evil.

Oh. My. God. My wish in my review for the last book for more Fear family stuff came true! We got an actual Fear in this book!

Review: Moonlight Secrets (Fear Street Nights #1) by R.L. Stine

Title: Moonlight Secrets

Series: Fear Street Nights #1

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: January 2005

Published by: Simon Pulse

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: When you can't sleep, there's always NIGHTS.

It all started with Lewis and Jamie. They were sneaking out late at night to be together. Then their friends started joining in. First at the old burned-down Fear Mansion. Later at the local bar Nights.

They called themselves the Night People. And they carefully protected their secret world. No parents, no work, no stress. Just chilling with friends in their own private after-hours club.

But then the nights turned dark. Unexplainable accidents, evil pranks... and then, later, the killings. The Night People know they have to stop the horror all by themselves, or else they risk exposure -- not to mention their lives.

Things go bump in the Night...

My rating: ★★★☆☆

After a year of no Fear Street, I’m finally getting back into it this year! This is my second series of the year, and I went into it a little apprehensive just because these books can be hit or miss, but this one turned out to be pretty okay!

Review: The Bad Girl (New Fear Street #4) by R.L. Stine

Title: The Bad Girl

Series: New Fear Street #4 (can be read as a standalone)

Previous books in this series: The Stepbrother (#1) | Camp Out (#2) | Scream, Jennifer, Scream! (#3)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: December 1999

Published by: Parachute Press

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Dawn and Jan never liked science class. But when they stumble across a formula that brings the dead back to life, it becomes their favorite subject. Jan came up with the formula. She was just fooling around—she didn't expect anything to happen. But now the formula is bringing things back to life. A frog. A dog. A human being. And they're coming back evil.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

As soon as we were introduced to our two main characters I knew I wasn’t going to like them. One was sneaking around behind her boyfriend’s back, and both of them were just terrible humans who found bullying entertaining. But the point was to dislike them, which made the classic R.L. Stine ending that much better!

Review: Scream, Jennifer, Scream! (New Fear Street #3) by R.L. Stine

Title: Scream, Jennifer, Scream!

Series: New Fear Street #3 (can be read as a standalone)

Previous books in this series: The Stepbrother (#1) | Camp Out (#2)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: December 1999

Published by: Parachute Press

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: They knew cheating would be risky. But they never thought it could be deadly. When Shelli and her friends cheat on their college placement test, they think they have just secured their future. Until Shelli's best friend, Jennifer, threatens to turn them all in. Now they must prevent the truth from being revealed. And they will stop at nothing, even murder... But their plan backfires. And they suddenly realize that they are the ones in danger!

My rating: ★★★★☆

The premise of this book was not my favorite. I mean, these guys are cheaters, so it was gonna be really hard for me to feel sympathetic when bad things started happening. And I was right.

Review: Camp Out (New Fear Street #2) by R.L. Stine

Title: Camp Out

Series: New Fear Street #2 (can be read as a standalone)

Previous book in this series: The Stepbrother

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: April 1998

Published by: Parachute Press

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Maria was nervous about going camping from the beginning, but her two best friends manage to persuade her it will be fun. However, it soon turns out that Maria had been right to worry, and the girls' lives are in great danger.

My rating: ★★★★☆

Maria was not entirely looking forward to going on a camping trip with her friends. But things start to look up when they come across some guys that could be potentially fun to hang out with. It’s unfortunate that these guys start acting like complete psychos soon after they meet and the girls realize that their lives are in danger. I guess Maria was right to worry about this trip after all.

Review: The Stepbrother (New Fear Street #1) by R.L. Stine

Title: The Stepbrother

Series: New Fear Street #1

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: January 1998

Published by: Parachute Press

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: He's come back from the dead to get her!

Sondra started having terrifying nightmares right after her new stepbrother moved in. Nightmares about her own death. Nightmares about being murdered.

A psychic tells Sondra that she is remembering events from a past life. And the person who murdered her may be after her in this life, too. He may be someone close to her. Someone living in her very own house.

He may be... her stepbrother.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I was a little apprehensive going into this book because these sorts of books tend to be hit or miss for me, but omg it was so much better than I was expecting! Which was really nice because it has been well over a year since I last read a Fear Street book.

Review- Fear Hall: The Conclusion (Fear Street: Fear Hall #2) by R.L. Stine

Title: Fear Hall: The Conclusion

Series: Fear Street: Fear Hall #2 | Fear Street #47

Previous book in this series: Fear Hall: The Beginning

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: August 1997

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Having fled her dorm room, college freshman Hope hides out in an abandoned sorority house on campus where she discovers that the evil she is trying to escape has become a part of her.

My rating: ★★☆☆☆

So, in the last book we found out that Hope had DID, or a split personality disorder. In this book we see when/why she developed these other personalities, aka her supposed roommates. Her mother was just so terrible to her! It was awful! And we also find out when Darryl, her other personality, appeared.

Review- Fear Hall: The Beginning (Fear Street: Fear Hall #1) by R.L. Stine

Title: Fear Hall: The Beginning

Series: Fear Street: Fear Hall #1 | Fear Street #46

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: July 1997

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Hope couldn’t wait to get to college. She was going to share a dorm room with her three best friends. Even better, her boyfriend, Darryl, would be living on the boys’ floor downstairs. Fear Hall was going to be a blast... until things take a terrifying turn.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

I was very excited to read this duology! It takes place at a college! A college that is apparently 50 miles from Shadyside. But of course, the Fears gotta stick their noses everywhere, which is why one of the dormitories is called Fear Hall. Ooof. Sucks. There’s all these stories about Fear Hall involving ghosts, creatures, and disappearances. I kinda love that 😆 And it might be the only thing I liked... 😬

Review: Into the Dark (Fear Street #49) by R.L. Stine

Title: Into the Dark

Series: Fear Street #49 (Can be read as a standalone)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: October 1997

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Paulette Fox refuses to let her blindness stop her from living a full life. But one thing she's never done is fall in love - until now. Paulette knows Brad Jones is the only guy for her.

Even when her friends see Brad commit a horrible crime, Paulette is sure that he's innocent. Her friends tell her he's out of control. That she will be his next victim. But Paulette knows he would never hurt her.

Is Paulette right about Brad? Or has her love put her in terrible danger?

My rating: ★★★★☆

I was very interested to read this book because we have a main character with a disability, and that’s something you get pretty much never in these books. I was excited! But I was also apprehensive. I wasn't sure how this character was going to be handled, but this was pretty well written!

Review: Cat (Fear Street #45) by R.L. Stine

Title: Cat

Series: Fear Street #45 (Can be read as a standalone)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: May 1997

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: The cat came back...

Marty never liked the cat—it always got in the way at basketball practice. But he never meant to kill it.

Now Marty thinks he’s going crazy. He sees cats everywhere. He knows they want revenge.

Too bad Marty doesn’t have nine lives. Because his first one is almost over.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

This book was weird. I mean, Marty kills a cat, but said cat doesn't stay dead and then he starts seeing cats everywhere and thinks they’re after him for revenge 😂 It’s nuts. But honestly, I didn’t hate it, craziness and all. Lol.

Review: The Boy Next Door (Fear Street #39) by R.L. Stine

Title: The Boy Next Door

Series: Fear Street #39 (Can be read as a standalone)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: June 1996

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: This guy’s got killer looks...

Lauren and Crystal think Scott has it all. He’s handsome. He’s the new star of Shadyside High’s football team. And he’s moved in right next door! Both girls will do anything. Say anything. Try anything to get the chance to go out with him. That’s all either of them want.

But that’s all Scott’s last girlfriend wanted, too—and now she’s dead.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

This book was messed up. SCOTT was messed up! He’s such a shady character, I don’t know how these girls ever fell for him.

Review: Deadly Games (Fear Street Collector's Edition #7) by R.L. Stine

Title: Deadly Games

Series: Fear Street | Fear Street Collector's Editions

Books in this omnibus: The Fire Game | Night Games | Truth or Dare

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: August 1998

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Three books that show that even a simple game between friends can turn deadly!

"The Fire Game:" Setting fires on a dare is exciting--until Jill and her friends are the ones who get burned.

"Night Games:" Diane loves sneaking out in the middle of the night and playing pranks. Then one of the pranks leads to murder.

"Truth or Dare:" Someone isn't playing fair--and they would rather kill than tell the truth.

My rating: ★★★★☆
It’s all fun and games until someone dies 💀

Review: Night Games (Fear Street #40) R.L. Stine

Title: Night Games

Series: Fear Street #40 (Can be read as a standalone)

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: November 1996

Published by: Archway Paperback

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Living on the edge...

Diane loves sneaking out in the middle of the night. Her friends do, too. They have the town all to themselves. Every night they come up with a new prank to play.

But then Diane’s boyfriend, Lenny, wants revenge on a teacher, and the pranks turn to murder. Now Diane and her friends are in too deep.

Much too deep... with no way out.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

We didn't know it. But the Night Games had already begun for us.
And so had the terror.

Review: The Girlfriend by R.L. Stine

Title: The Girlfriend

Series: Point Horror

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: December 1991

Published by: Scholastic

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: She's bad. So bad...

Scotty has the perfect life. And the perfect girlfriend. But one weekend while she's away, Scotty goes just a little... astray.

Suddenly he has a new girlfriend. One who won't go away. His one wild night has become a nightmare.

Because his new girlfriend has decided that she loves Scotty... to death.

My rating: ★★☆☆☆

This book started off surprisingly slow. Thirty pages in and nothing was happening. Just Scotty and Lora being perfect or whatever.

Review: The Dead Girlfriend by R.L. Stine

Title: The Dead Girlfriend

Series: Point Horror

Author: R.L. Stine

Genre: YA, mystery thriller, horror

Publication date: August 1993

Published by: Scholastic

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Annie just met Jonathan. She doesn't know about his last girlfriend.

Doesn't know how beautiful she was. Doesn't know how popular.

Doesn't know how she died.

But Annie is about to find out. Because Jonathan's old girlfriend might be dead.

But she isn't gone...

My rating: ★★☆☆☆

I don’t know why all the male characters in these types of books are always horrible, but they are. And Jonathan was a piece of work. Annie is one of those girls where the guy terrifies her, but she’s attracted to him at the same time, and it drives me nuts! If you’re scared of him, stay the hell away! Good grief! This guy’s mood swings were just... he ANGRY after someone slashed Annie’s tires. It was crazy! Dude, chill!