Party Games: A Fear Street Novel

Gr 9 Up—Lurking on Fear Street are many more page-turning (albeit formulaic) horrors from the beloved author. This first installment of the revamped series has the classic Stine recipe: told from one character's point of view in a linear chronology, with a focus on plot over character or context development. Each chapter is a cliff-hanger and readers can anticipate the type of scare they're in for—until the final twist. The novel is written from the perspective of contemporary teenager Rachel, who is delighted to be invited to her crush Brendan Fear's birthday party on his remote private island. The cursed Fear family and has a terrifying reputation, and when teenagers start being murdered at Brendan's party, it seems the curse is becoming a reality. The book was frightening—with ghosts, masked robbers, and even red-eyed bats—but the mayhem is committed offstage and the details aren't too gruesome. Also, despite the romantic plot line, there was nothing raunchier than a kiss. The simple language and horror themes will appeal to many readers, including reluctant ones. A volume that proves why Stine's books endure.—Lisa Nowlain, Darien Library, CT