A very good Fear Street book, with all that that implies.
The enduring franchise relaunches with yet another No.1.
Fear Street was never quite the brand Goosebumps was; grittier and bloodier than the latter’s Twilight Zone–esque stories. This offering hopes to leverage that grit, and it leans heavily on terror tropes of old, particularly evoking Stephen King. Of course, this is what Stine (Mary McScary, 2017, etc.) has always been best at: tossing current trends, personal fears, and literary legacies into a blender and delighting in the result. Readers will delight too. Ruth-Ann and Rebecca Fear are two affluent sisters in the 1920s, squabbling for love and control of their futures. In the present, Harmony and Marissa Fear are fighting similar psychological warfare with mixed results. Witchcraft rears its head, and the Fear family curse spans time itself and locks these two pairs of white siblings in a peculiar, terrifying dance. The excitement is in the execution, and Stine hasn’t lost his ability to pull strings and make readers squirm, flipping pages as fast as possible in anticipation for the next bloodcurdling sight. The book’s ending is a bit muddled: The resolution is creatively exciting but doesn’t make much sense when considered for internal logic. But then, Stine’s work has never been about substantive thought. Stine is about mood, tingles, and blood. This title has got plenty of that.
A very good Fear Street book, with all that that implies. (Horror. 12-16)Pub Date: July 24, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-269425-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2018
An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills.
A group of teens stranded in a snowstorm discovers a murderer in their midst.
While traveling on the highway to a state theater competition, Nell and her friends Min, Raven, Adam, and Jermaine are caught in a dangerous blizzard. Their teacher, Mrs. McElroy, who is driving the minivan, decides to stop for the night at the run-down and shady-looking Travel Inn and Out. The motel is labyrinthine and spooky, with dingy corridors and walls adorned with moldering kitsch. Nell and the gang meet another group of kids who are also stranded by the storm, making fast friends. A game of Two Truths and a Lie starts out flirty and fun but devolves into something more sinister when one slip of paper reads “I like to watch people die,” and “I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve killed.” The snow falls and the winds howl, and soon power and cell service are lost, cutting off the motel patrons from the outside world. As the first victim is discovered and the body count begins to grow, the terror becomes palpable. Everyone at the motel seems to have an insidious secret: Will Nell be able to uncover the killer before they strike again? An homage to Agatha Christie, Henry’s locked-room mystery is tautly plotted, with quick-moving nail-biting chapters, relatable characters, and a deftly wrought setting that paradoxically manages to feel both claustrophobic and sprawling. Nell is White; there is diversity among the secondary characters.
An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills. (Mystery. 12-16)Pub Date: May 24, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-32333-8
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
An action-packed, magic-filled exploration of natural resource abuse.
A coven of problem-solving witches takes on a mission that tests their friendship and bonds.
Witches Anadil, Hester, and Dot are summoned to Red Isle when the animals of the Dark Lands are found starving after sludge kills all the vegetation. Mother Sorastra, the leader of the Dark Lands, confronts Prince Lexius of the neighboring Light Lands, arguing that he’s abusing nature’s gift of raaka, a resource used to power clever inventions. But Prince Lexius blames Mother Sorastra for breaking a truce and causing the pollution. The conflict escalates when citizens of the Light Lands are murdered, and their facial features are erased. Pale, white-haired Anadil, brown-skinned, black-haired Hester, and Dot, who has brown skin and Afro-textured hair, arrive in time to stop the outbreak of war and attempt to solve the mystery of the face-stealing killer. When a coven of witches impersonating the trio appears, Anadil, Hester, and Dot must overcome their bickering and work through hurt feelings in order to band together and bring peace and balance to Red Isle. This graphic novel features cleverly realized characters: Anadil with her team of magical rats, Hester with her pet demon, and Dot with her ability to summon confectionary are memorable leads. The relationship between Anadil and Hester adds a hint of romance to the story, and the environmental themes add real-world relevance. Vivid illustrations with saturated colors create a fantastical backdrop for the fast-paced storyline.
An action-packed, magic-filled exploration of natural resource abuse. (Graphic fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780062979681
Page Count: 272
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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