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Goosebumps House of Shivers #2
Goblin Monday
A brand new Goosebumps series is coming―prepare to be scared like never before!
Mario Galagos is joining his best friends Todd and Jewel on their annual holiday visit to snowy Vermont. Everything looks picture perfect at first. But then Mario finds a small statue of a strange, ugly creature in the garden and brings it inside. Little does he know the stone creature is actually a real, live goblin. By bringing it inside, Mario has just started a war with all of its hideous goblin friends!
Mario Galagos is joining his best friends Todd and Jewel on their annual holiday visit to snowy Vermont. Everything looks picture perfect at first. But then Mario finds a small statue of a strange, ugly creature in the garden and brings it inside. Little does he know the stone creature is actually a real, live goblin. By bringing it inside, Mario has just started a war with all of its hideous goblin friends!
146 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2024
22 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,679 books18.7k followersRobert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children's literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
January 26, 2025
Goblin Monday is the 2nd-book in the House of Shivers series.
This entire franchise holds a very special place in my heart, and I was excited when I learned that Stine was adding another limb to the Goosebumps family tree.
I really enjoyed the 1st-installment, Goosebumps: House of Shivers: Scariest. Book. Ever., when I read it last year. It was fast-paced, with a great antagonist and spooky creatures. Overall, a very solid Goosebumps read.
Jumping into this one, I was feeling confident and loved how this one kicked off. The set-up was great and I was anticipating a solid ride all the way through.
In this story we follow Mario. He grew up in South Florida and has very recently moved North with his family. On his first winter break, he gets invited along a holiday trip with his new friends, Todd and Jewel.
Todd and Jewel's grandparents live in Vermont and their parents take them up there every year. When Marco gets invited along for the trip, he is ecstatic. He's going to get to see snow for the first time!
He's warned on the car ride up that Grandpa Tweety and Mom Mom are a bit on the eccentric side, but they're purportedly harmless and wickedly entertaining.
Mario enters their home with an open heart and excitement for all the adventures that lay ahead that week. Little did he know that soon he would be fighting for his life.
As the cover and synopsis indicate, this story does involve goblins. The way Stine introduced the idea of goblins being on the Vermont property, and slowly bringing them to life on the page, was engaging and admittedly, creepy as heck.
Mario didn't notice the ominous nature of the events happening at the home as quickly as I thought he would, but once he did, it was hard watching him try to get his friends to believe in the things he had seen and experienced.
They weren't taking him seriously, brushing off his concerns, and I was getting as frustrated as he was!
I found almost the entirety of this book gripping and fun, but the very end just blew the whole thing for me.
Ultimately, I was really conflicted on how to rate it. It's so good, I was hooked, right up until the final two scenes. I was seriously was thinking that this could actually be a unicorn 5-star Goosebumps read.
But then, Stine just did his thing where the end is so freaking bizarre and makes no sense in context with the rest of the story. Why, Mr. Stine? Why?
Honestly though, even with that being said, it's still absolutely worth a read. There were some genuinely scary scenes up until those final few moments.
There's a lot of creepy content involving birds, and wandering around in a snow-filled forest feeling like something is following you. The build-up and development was great, but yeah, that ending; not good.
Obviously, I still recommend this to any fan of the Goosebumps franchise. We all know at this point the tricks that Stine oftentimes pulls at the end. To long time Readers, you'll most likely just SYH at this conclusion.
And as far as new Readers go, I always encourage jumping in on new series from the beginning, as soon as you can. It's fun to just read along from the start as they're released, and I plan to continue to do so with this series.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Scholastic Paperbacks, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
It looks like the 3rd-installment is going to be a Mummy story and I'm so ready for it. I will never stop reading R.L. Stine's work, because no matter how old I get, you're never too old for Goosebumps!!
This entire franchise holds a very special place in my heart, and I was excited when I learned that Stine was adding another limb to the Goosebumps family tree.
I really enjoyed the 1st-installment, Goosebumps: House of Shivers: Scariest. Book. Ever., when I read it last year. It was fast-paced, with a great antagonist and spooky creatures. Overall, a very solid Goosebumps read.
Jumping into this one, I was feeling confident and loved how this one kicked off. The set-up was great and I was anticipating a solid ride all the way through.
In this story we follow Mario. He grew up in South Florida and has very recently moved North with his family. On his first winter break, he gets invited along a holiday trip with his new friends, Todd and Jewel.
Todd and Jewel's grandparents live in Vermont and their parents take them up there every year. When Marco gets invited along for the trip, he is ecstatic. He's going to get to see snow for the first time!
He's warned on the car ride up that Grandpa Tweety and Mom Mom are a bit on the eccentric side, but they're purportedly harmless and wickedly entertaining.
Mario enters their home with an open heart and excitement for all the adventures that lay ahead that week. Little did he know that soon he would be fighting for his life.
As the cover and synopsis indicate, this story does involve goblins. The way Stine introduced the idea of goblins being on the Vermont property, and slowly bringing them to life on the page, was engaging and admittedly, creepy as heck.
Mario didn't notice the ominous nature of the events happening at the home as quickly as I thought he would, but once he did, it was hard watching him try to get his friends to believe in the things he had seen and experienced.
They weren't taking him seriously, brushing off his concerns, and I was getting as frustrated as he was!
I found almost the entirety of this book gripping and fun, but the very end just blew the whole thing for me.
Ultimately, I was really conflicted on how to rate it. It's so good, I was hooked, right up until the final two scenes. I was seriously was thinking that this could actually be a unicorn 5-star Goosebumps read.
But then, Stine just did his thing where the end is so freaking bizarre and makes no sense in context with the rest of the story. Why, Mr. Stine? Why?
Honestly though, even with that being said, it's still absolutely worth a read. There were some genuinely scary scenes up until those final few moments.
There's a lot of creepy content involving birds, and wandering around in a snow-filled forest feeling like something is following you. The build-up and development was great, but yeah, that ending; not good.
Obviously, I still recommend this to any fan of the Goosebumps franchise. We all know at this point the tricks that Stine oftentimes pulls at the end. To long time Readers, you'll most likely just SYH at this conclusion.
And as far as new Readers go, I always encourage jumping in on new series from the beginning, as soon as you can. It's fun to just read along from the start as they're released, and I plan to continue to do so with this series.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Scholastic Paperbacks, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
It looks like the 3rd-installment is going to be a Mummy story and I'm so ready for it. I will never stop reading R.L. Stine's work, because no matter how old I get, you're never too old for Goosebumps!!
October 10, 2024
Spooky Season 🧛🏻♀️ 🕷️ 🔪 ☠️ 👻 ⚰️
Nostalgia is more miss than hit these days. Either I'm jaded (quite possible), or these newer books lack the magic of their predecessors. While I didn't trust Mario's friends, neither was I scared by the goblins. Twist wasn't twisty.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic Paperbacks
Nostalgia is more miss than hit these days. Either I'm jaded (quite possible), or these newer books lack the magic of their predecessors. While I didn't trust Mario's friends, neither was I scared by the goblins. Twist wasn't twisty.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic Paperbacks
November 15, 2024
I read this to six-year-old Nolan, a few chapters a day, tearing him away from Fortnite YouTube watching. He balks at pausing the TV-- and then listens eagerly for a bit. I had my influencers steering me to books and the library, I hope to nudge him in that direction. This book was steady... but scored at times when we'd both burst out laughing, "Oh, no, they didn't go there!" We'll be hitting the library after school today for more.
February 22, 2024
This was an enjoyable nostalgic read. I really enjoy the Goosebumps series and I'm glad itsback.
March 8, 2024
Happy Goblin Monday on a Friday. Goosebumps House of Shivers continues. The first one, Scariest Book Ever was a good but not that good start. It showed promise and I was curious to see how things fare going forward.
So let's see. Mario js with his friends Todd and Jewel visiting their grandparents, called Grandpa Tweety and MomMom. He's excited as it's in snowy Vermont, and he's never seen snow.
Everything seems cool but Tweety js a storyteller and claims there are goblins to watch out for. Mario sees a goblin about. Is this all just another story? If not, what are these goblins wanting?
So off the bat I thought was good, but like Scariest there are asterisks. To get the flaws out, this has the Stine mystery formula and the issues that come with that. A few things that prove to be pointless, and some dragging as we wait for the pin to drop. Hardly the worst case of this but it is there.
Pacing is a bit over the place, with some slow parts. Not everything adds up logically although not terribly so. I wasn't sure where this would land as I read it. It can feel derivative but I think it pulls through.
The writing is better than average. There's more put into the characters early on, and they have good chemistry. There's more solid horror here than usual for more recent Goosebumps as well.
Scariest I guess had some of it but this goes harder into it. There's good winter atmosphere basically the whole time and a fair amount of solid tension. Plus some dark bits, including one Stine staple that makes a grand return.
Even the ending is dark which I like. The Goblins are decent legit threats as well. This tension makes it work, as I did get wrapped up in it despite the flaws in the structure.
Then there's the twist. Half if it is typical and predictable given how some characters act. The other half…I love. It's kind of dumb and feels a bit forced to justify a certain setup/payoff.
But it's so refreshing and unique. It's exactly what I have been wanting out of these. It reminds me of a certain book in one of the ripoff series…
It's kind of brilliant and flips things on their head. The climax, twist and final note gives this one of the stronger endings we've seen in a while.
Oh and the climax is set on Monday, hence the title. It is cut from familiar ckoth, with some wheel spinning. It is partially sloppy in a way I've seen in the more middling to just Decent Slappyworlds.
But it makes up for it with solid horror and a good ending. That 3rd act surprisingly saves it, and feels better done than Scariest which mainly felt a bit directionless.
It's not great and is stuck between a mild good and fairly good, but like Scariest it also feels ike a step in the right direction. If “generally typical well with some refreshingly aspects” is the quality we're in for, I think we're in good hands. BTW, I land on this being a bit better than Scariest overall.
There I go thinking way too much about a book for a kids again lol. Hey may as well stay up to date on the series and see what he's doing.
So there it is. It gets a mild recomend, mainly for the tension and darker bits. Next book we'll be back to the realm of mummies so that'll be fun.
For me, I gotta catch up on Slime Doesn't Pay. Stay tuned soon enough for that. See ya then…
(We get “dry as cotton”, we are SO back)
So let's see. Mario js with his friends Todd and Jewel visiting their grandparents, called Grandpa Tweety and MomMom. He's excited as it's in snowy Vermont, and he's never seen snow.
Everything seems cool but Tweety js a storyteller and claims there are goblins to watch out for. Mario sees a goblin about. Is this all just another story? If not, what are these goblins wanting?
So off the bat I thought was good, but like Scariest there are asterisks. To get the flaws out, this has the Stine mystery formula and the issues that come with that. A few things that prove to be pointless, and some dragging as we wait for the pin to drop. Hardly the worst case of this but it is there.
Pacing is a bit over the place, with some slow parts. Not everything adds up logically although not terribly so. I wasn't sure where this would land as I read it. It can feel derivative but I think it pulls through.
The writing is better than average. There's more put into the characters early on, and they have good chemistry. There's more solid horror here than usual for more recent Goosebumps as well.
Scariest I guess had some of it but this goes harder into it. There's good winter atmosphere basically the whole time and a fair amount of solid tension. Plus some dark bits, including one Stine staple that makes a grand return.
Even the ending is dark which I like. The Goblins are decent legit threats as well. This tension makes it work, as I did get wrapped up in it despite the flaws in the structure.
Then there's the twist. Half if it is typical and predictable given how some characters act. The other half…I love. It's kind of dumb and feels a bit forced to justify a certain setup/payoff.
But it's so refreshing and unique. It's exactly what I have been wanting out of these. It reminds me of a certain book in one of the ripoff series…
It's kind of brilliant and flips things on their head. The climax, twist and final note gives this one of the stronger endings we've seen in a while.
Oh and the climax is set on Monday, hence the title. It is cut from familiar ckoth, with some wheel spinning. It is partially sloppy in a way I've seen in the more middling to just Decent Slappyworlds.
But it makes up for it with solid horror and a good ending. That 3rd act surprisingly saves it, and feels better done than Scariest which mainly felt a bit directionless.
It's not great and is stuck between a mild good and fairly good, but like Scariest it also feels ike a step in the right direction. If “generally typical well with some refreshingly aspects” is the quality we're in for, I think we're in good hands. BTW, I land on this being a bit better than Scariest overall.
There I go thinking way too much about a book for a kids again lol. Hey may as well stay up to date on the series and see what he's doing.
So there it is. It gets a mild recomend, mainly for the tension and darker bits. Next book we'll be back to the realm of mummies so that'll be fun.
For me, I gotta catch up on Slime Doesn't Pay. Stay tuned soon enough for that. See ya then…
(We get “dry as cotton”, we are SO back)
August 1, 2024
R.L. Stine needs to step his game up and revert back to doing similar plotlines as the original series, or just end this nonsense altogether. This felt like basically a rehash of its predecessor, the clickbait title that this new series began with. This however was even more predictable than that book, and possibly even more predictable than Slime Doesn't Pay!, another new one from my former Lord and savior, R.L. (who, again, at this point, probably needs to hang it up). I'm at a point where it feels like all of his books are the exact same; if you've read one, you've read them all, and if you know how his stories end, you'll find yourself knowing exactly what happens as soon as the conflict in the story is introduced. Some epic violence towards the end almost makes me want to give this a higher rating, but otherwise a 2/5 seems high.
January 1, 2024
Major thanks to NetGalley and NOT Scholastic (for its decision in keeping diverse titles on race and sexuality in a separate category for schools to decide in how literature should be fed to children) for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest thoughts:
The inverse of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘺 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘞𝘰𝘭𝘧.
Ever felt like you saw something and your entire family doesn’t believe you? At sight of little gremlins, Mario tries to prove to his family that they exist, over and over again to a very startling end.
Lots of fun, keeps you on your toes, and perfect for the holidays when you’re in and around family. Will make you distrust your relatives a bit more. As you should, kiddos 👀 👀 👀
Because honestly, the adults at Scholastic are keeping you from reading ALL books. Books are for EVERYONE. It’s the everythingness about books that provide education not just in your educational life, but your 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 life. Read everything. Don’t let censorship stop you. Adults don’t know any better than you. Believe me. They’re experiencing life for the first time just as much as you are.
Read everything.
The inverse of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘺 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘞𝘰𝘭𝘧.
Ever felt like you saw something and your entire family doesn’t believe you? At sight of little gremlins, Mario tries to prove to his family that they exist, over and over again to a very startling end.
Lots of fun, keeps you on your toes, and perfect for the holidays when you’re in and around family. Will make you distrust your relatives a bit more. As you should, kiddos 👀 👀 👀
Because honestly, the adults at Scholastic are keeping you from reading ALL books. Books are for EVERYONE. It’s the everythingness about books that provide education not just in your educational life, but your 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 life. Read everything. Don’t let censorship stop you. Adults don’t know any better than you. Believe me. They’re experiencing life for the first time just as much as you are.
Read everything.
March 1, 2024
This book was very similar to a couple of other goosebumps books and didn’t really bring a unique idea to the table. It was also rather predicable. The second half of the book was fun at times but nothing I haven’t already seen from R.L. Stine.
January 20, 2024
Who doesn’t like a goblin story set in the winter? ❄️ this was fun. I think people who love RL Stine & enjoy YA will like this one. It’s a quick read and it’s a great story for an actual young adult reader to get into semi spooky or fantasy books.
**Advanced copy received from publisher in exchange for an honest review **
**Advanced copy received from publisher in exchange for an honest review **
March 7, 2024
Oof.
What a disappointing follow up to Scariest. Book. Ever! - the first and explosive opening entry to the House of Shivers series.
This one had some frustrating moments, predictable plot twists, and yet another weak "surprise" ending.
What a disappointing follow up to Scariest. Book. Ever! - the first and explosive opening entry to the House of Shivers series.
This one had some frustrating moments, predictable plot twists, and yet another weak "surprise" ending.
October 25, 2024
I liked the ending
March 10, 2025
i’m feeling warm and fuzzy over this. goosebumps is so charming and special, even after all these years.
April 10, 2024
This is another solid, entertaining entry from 'House Of Shivers' without being anything spectacular. It has a very similar vibe and setting to the previous book in the series and like the previous book leans more into fantasy rather than horror. A problem I had was throughout the book multiple things are set up and by the end we never get a payoff for a few of them which was frustrating. I will say that there are a few dark scenes in here which I did appreciate, especially as I was extremely worried that it was going to be a lawn gnomes style rehash just focusing on pranks and mischief from the titular goblins but I am happy to report it was anything but that.
December 9, 2023
R.L. Stine was my favorite author as a kid. I loved Goosebumps and the Fear Street series, so I was so excited to receive this book to review.
Reading this instantly brought me back to the books I loved so much. The way he writes is so entertaining and easy to read. I love how he still has the chapters end with cliffhangers and adds a big twist at the end.
This book is a little more violent than I remember Goosebumps being. The ending is pretty over the top silly but I think children would enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Reading this instantly brought me back to the books I loved so much. The way he writes is so entertaining and easy to read. I love how he still has the chapters end with cliffhangers and adds a big twist at the end.
This book is a little more violent than I remember Goosebumps being. The ending is pretty over the top silly but I think children would enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
February 8, 2025
I just finished Goblin Monday from the House Of Shivers Series on a Saturday! For those of you who don't know I've been moving and got a new job.So it's harder for me to finish books but God willing I'll make the time.I decided to read this one because it actually snowed here in Georgia for the first time in like ten years,so I thought it was perfect.Mario our protagonist is kind of in the same boat as me.He's never seen snow and is excited when he gets invited to go stay with some friends on winter break.I think this is the first time a character is going to stay with friends and not actually family.I could be wrong though.He quickly meets the grandparents in this place He's staying in like Mommom,a lady who loves to make delicious stew and knit.We got Tweety who is the grandpa who loves going and calling for birds,hence the nickname.and we also have the family of Mr.and Mrs.Sims and the two kids named Jewel and Todd.We learn that Tweety is a writer and he writes stories about Imps,faries and goblins.He tells a frightening story about an imp that got inside his washing machine.One afternoon Mario sees a rabbit and he wants to take pictures so he runs to grab it only for rhe rabbit to be torn open when he comes back.Mario notices the rabbit wasn't eaten just ripped up.Tweety tells him it was probably a goblin as he's seen them here before.Mario is of course skeptical until he runs into a goblin and it attacks him.He goes to take a picture only for the goblin to break the camera and run off.Mario tries telling the other two kids about what's going on but no one believes him.Mario tries to take his mind off of everything so he explores the house and finds a closet in Mommom's knitting room full of very small outfits with a hole in the back.There is a northern door he goes inside and it has something even weirder that I won't spoil.He finds a photo album filled with pictures of the Goblins that he saw at parties and stuff.Tweety dismisses all of this by saying it's a photoshoped photo his fans of his books sent him.Mario has to prove something is up so he follows Tweety in the woods and catches him eating a bird straight out of the trees.He tries agian to catch him with the help of his friends but they don't see they are distracted looking at turkeys.I saw where alot of people didn't really like this book and I was wondering why,until the last fifteen or so pages.I get it.But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this book until the end.In fact I'm not sure if I dislike the ending or not.If it wasn't hinted at throughout I would've not liked it at all I think,but it actually was.This book had some excellent imagry,decent pacing and some good mysteries.Id give it a four our of five stars.
November 4, 2024
You know I had to include a GB in my October TBR of spooky reads, and why not one from the new series?
I found this to be perfectly timed for me. Its middle grade nature was refreshing, palette cleansing almost. It’s such a quick read that it’s compulsively readable, and I enjoyed that there was a longer buildup to this one, allowing for some tension and self doubt, even though I didn’t really have to worry about the stakes.
Grandpa Tweety is a storyteller, so when Mario gets invited to their house, he has no idea if he’s supposed to believe him or not. Todd and Jewel, his own grandchildren, don’t know if the stories are made up either. But when the siblings’ parents go missing during a snow storm, things start to accelerate. Grampa Tweety and MomMom don’t seem that concerned, urging to kids to play and have fun—this happens more than once, urging the reader to wonder why they’re being so lackadaisical. Mario thinks he catches something on his camera but doesn’t, and his friends just think he’s spooked. He has to wonder if maybe he is just scaring himself.
Naturally in Stine fashion, Mario is not just spooked, and it’s a very twisty-turny Goblin Monday for everyone. I found the goblins to be pretty creepy, and the fact that they were described as being almost as large as the teens grossed me out for some reason (maybe I was thinking of Gremlins). A pretty standard—although never any less fun and satisfying—Stine ending with a twist right after the twist. I didn’t guess the first.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-gooseb...
I found this to be perfectly timed for me. Its middle grade nature was refreshing, palette cleansing almost. It’s such a quick read that it’s compulsively readable, and I enjoyed that there was a longer buildup to this one, allowing for some tension and self doubt, even though I didn’t really have to worry about the stakes.
Grandpa Tweety is a storyteller, so when Mario gets invited to their house, he has no idea if he’s supposed to believe him or not. Todd and Jewel, his own grandchildren, don’t know if the stories are made up either. But when the siblings’ parents go missing during a snow storm, things start to accelerate. Grampa Tweety and MomMom don’t seem that concerned, urging to kids to play and have fun—this happens more than once, urging the reader to wonder why they’re being so lackadaisical. Mario thinks he catches something on his camera but doesn’t, and his friends just think he’s spooked. He has to wonder if maybe he is just scaring himself.
Naturally in Stine fashion, Mario is not just spooked, and it’s a very twisty-turny Goblin Monday for everyone. I found the goblins to be pretty creepy, and the fact that they were described as being almost as large as the teens grossed me out for some reason (maybe I was thinking of Gremlins). A pretty standard—although never any less fun and satisfying—Stine ending with a twist right after the twist. I didn’t guess the first.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-gooseb...
June 26, 2025
Goblin Monday by R.L. Stine is the second book in the Goosebumps House of Shivers series. Recently moved from Florida to Philadelphia, Mario Galagos is off to snowy Vermont for winter break with his neighbors, Todd and Jewel, on their family vacation. Todd and Jewel's grandparents are welcoming but a bit quirky, and they remind Mario of elves he had seen in a graphic novel. When Mario makes a strange discovery in the garden, he soon realizes there might be some truth to the folkloric stories Grampa Tweety likes to tell around the kitchen table.
Goblin Monday is an fast-paced, enjoyable, and entertaining horror story for readers of all ages. I enjoyed the isolated snowy setting, the eccentric characters, and the folkloric elements. I've always been drawn to mythical creatures, so goblins added an extra layer of enjoyment. Of course, Stine adds plenty of twists and turns with a surprise ending. I did like this second installment better than the first one, and ended up giving it 3.5 stars. I plan to continue the series since I have already purchased the next two books.
Goblin Monday is an fast-paced, enjoyable, and entertaining horror story for readers of all ages. I enjoyed the isolated snowy setting, the eccentric characters, and the folkloric elements. I've always been drawn to mythical creatures, so goblins added an extra layer of enjoyment. Of course, Stine adds plenty of twists and turns with a surprise ending. I did like this second installment better than the first one, and ended up giving it 3.5 stars. I plan to continue the series since I have already purchased the next two books.
March 10, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Scholastic Paperbacks for a free digital copy of Goblin Monday by R.L. Stine in exchange for an honest review. I am a huge R.L. Stine fan, and if you are like me, then this book will be right up your alley. I think it fits perfectly in the age range for middle grade scary. I love the mystery, all the twists, and its creepy parts too.
When Mario travels to his friends', Todd and Jules, grandparents' house in Vermont, strange things start to happen. Are Grandpa Tweety's stories true, is he just a fantastic storyteller, or is something strange going on? This book really keeps you turning those pages to find out what is going to happen next. I think kids as well as parents will enjoy this spooky read.
When Mario travels to his friends', Todd and Jules, grandparents' house in Vermont, strange things start to happen. Are Grandpa Tweety's stories true, is he just a fantastic storyteller, or is something strange going on? This book really keeps you turning those pages to find out what is going to happen next. I think kids as well as parents will enjoy this spooky read.
February 23, 2024
Goblin Monday on a Friday sounds about right! This one was full of twists and turns as well as red herrings (NO pun intended - when you read, you'll get it) that literally piled up until the last sentences of the story. It made me want to watch M. Night Shyamalan's The Visit, also. And not because of similar plots, really, but just due to the nature of visiting grandparents and sensing that something just isn't quite right. Had a good time with BOOK TWO in this new Goosebumps House of Shivers series from the master of MG HORROR!
March 12, 2024
I continue to be impressed that RL Stine has written what feels like about a zillion Goosebumps books at this point, yet he continues to come up with cute and clever ideas to keep the series fun.
You can see the ending of this one coming from miles away, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good one.
Probably not recommending this one for young kids if your family has beloved pet birds, but otherwise this is fun for all ages, cleverly creepy and just spooky enough without being too much for a younger audience.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
You can see the ending of this one coming from miles away, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good one.
Probably not recommending this one for young kids if your family has beloved pet birds, but otherwise this is fun for all ages, cleverly creepy and just spooky enough without being too much for a younger audience.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
June 18, 2024
I like this book a lot mainly because every single chapter I was hooked in to the book and it just made me to want to keep reading when I was very very tired and I also loved the twist and how it has a cliffhanger at the end of every single chapter. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
March 14, 2024
I can't help it! I love everything Goosebumps, especially the new ones in the House of Shivers series so far. I loved the twist and actually wasn't expecting it 😂
These were my favorite books back in the day and still are! I really can't wait for my daughter to get old enough so we can read them together! 📚🖤
These were my favorite books back in the day and still are! I really can't wait for my daughter to get old enough so we can read them together! 📚🖤
December 4, 2023
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
Mario is going to enjoy his first experience with snow when his friends Todd and Jewel bring him along on their family vacation to visit their grandparents in Vermont. When they arrive, Mario soon learns the Grandpa Tweety and Grandma MomMom are quite eccentric. Grandpa Tweety loves his birds and spins yarns about goblins, imps and gremlins. He's even written books about them. MomMom loves making stews and sews strange outfits. But the real horror begins when Mario finds that the fairy tales may not be made up stories after all.
Once again, Stine has brought a modern sensibility to his Goosebumps tales. These are not the stories of the 90. Goblin Monday was more intense and had some much more graphic scenes than were ever in the older Stine books. Though towards the end there was a bit of real silliness, this was definitely a tale that will appeal to more than just kids.
Mario is going to enjoy his first experience with snow when his friends Todd and Jewel bring him along on their family vacation to visit their grandparents in Vermont. When they arrive, Mario soon learns the Grandpa Tweety and Grandma MomMom are quite eccentric. Grandpa Tweety loves his birds and spins yarns about goblins, imps and gremlins. He's even written books about them. MomMom loves making stews and sews strange outfits. But the real horror begins when Mario finds that the fairy tales may not be made up stories after all.
Once again, Stine has brought a modern sensibility to his Goosebumps tales. These are not the stories of the 90. Goblin Monday was more intense and had some much more graphic scenes than were ever in the older Stine books. Though towards the end there was a bit of real silliness, this was definitely a tale that will appeal to more than just kids.
December 8, 2023
I received the ebook via NetGalley so as always, thank you.
This is the first Goosebumps book that I’ve read in well over ten years and thought it was pretty good. It took me back to the feeling I had reading the older ones.
This story felt more mature than the OG Goosebumps books. I enjoyed that because it felt like the series grew up with its original audience. So it does mention blood and dead animals and such.
Didn’t take too long to read so overall I think it’s worth the read.
This is the first Goosebumps book that I’ve read in well over ten years and thought it was pretty good. It took me back to the feeling I had reading the older ones.
This story felt more mature than the OG Goosebumps books. I enjoyed that because it felt like the series grew up with its original audience. So it does mention blood and dead animals and such.
Didn’t take too long to read so overall I think it’s worth the read.
December 2, 2024
A slowish build to an almost anticlimactic ending which doesn’t suit the rest of the book. Almost like it was tacked on as an afterthought.
October 13, 2024
Having the first House of Shivers book as an opportunity to iron the kinks out of the new Goosebumps series, we can see what it might actually round into with book two, Goblin Monday. Seventh-grader Mario Galagos has never seen snow, but he'll get his chance as he joins his friend Todd Simms and Todd's older sister Jewel on their family vacation to Vermont. Todd and Jewel's grandparents, MomMom and Grampa Tweety, are eccentric but sure to be lots of fun. Mario is ready to play in heavy drifts of snow for the first time.
MomMom and Tweety are almost elven in form, and treat Mario as though he were their own grandson. MomMom constantly prepares warm, hearty meals and Tweety shows off his menagerie of birds. A fantasy author, he loves telling about his encounters with goblins, which he insists are true. The family chuckles, but Mario is confused; Tweety acts serious about goblins being real. One morning Mario encounters a green-furred goblin in the snow; it attacks before scampering away. Todd and Jewel laugh at Mario's story, but he's spooked. Is it safe here?
Todd and Jewel notice they haven't seen their parents around the house. MomMom and Tweety claim Mr. and Mrs. Simms went for a walk and probably took refuge from the snowstorm happening now, but Mario wonders if goblins are to blame for their disappearance. His concerns about Tweety rise sharply when he spies the old man luring a bird to land on his arm...and he proceeds to eat the bird, feathers and all. Todd and Jewel refused to believe Mario’s story about the goblin; how could he convince them their grandfather ate a bird in the wild? Mario has to open their eyes before something terrible happens, and that means capturing a goblin as proof. It's risky; can Mario pull it off?
Goblin Monday has some cozy Christmasy scenes near the beginning, but the story feels joyless compared to what R.L. Stine served up decades prior. The twist at the end isn't bad, but feels mechanical, so I can't get excited about it. Still, this book is a step in the right direction for House of Shivers; unlike the debut entry, the narrative mostly makes sense and an attempt is made at a clever finish. Robert Ball's cover art pleases the eye. Who knows? House of Shivers could have decent days ahead.
MomMom and Tweety are almost elven in form, and treat Mario as though he were their own grandson. MomMom constantly prepares warm, hearty meals and Tweety shows off his menagerie of birds. A fantasy author, he loves telling about his encounters with goblins, which he insists are true. The family chuckles, but Mario is confused; Tweety acts serious about goblins being real. One morning Mario encounters a green-furred goblin in the snow; it attacks before scampering away. Todd and Jewel laugh at Mario's story, but he's spooked. Is it safe here?
Todd and Jewel notice they haven't seen their parents around the house. MomMom and Tweety claim Mr. and Mrs. Simms went for a walk and probably took refuge from the snowstorm happening now, but Mario wonders if goblins are to blame for their disappearance. His concerns about Tweety rise sharply when he spies the old man luring a bird to land on his arm...and he proceeds to eat the bird, feathers and all. Todd and Jewel refused to believe Mario’s story about the goblin; how could he convince them their grandfather ate a bird in the wild? Mario has to open their eyes before something terrible happens, and that means capturing a goblin as proof. It's risky; can Mario pull it off?
Goblin Monday has some cozy Christmasy scenes near the beginning, but the story feels joyless compared to what R.L. Stine served up decades prior. The twist at the end isn't bad, but feels mechanical, so I can't get excited about it. Still, this book is a step in the right direction for House of Shivers; unlike the debut entry, the narrative mostly makes sense and an attempt is made at a clever finish. Robert Ball's cover art pleases the eye. Who knows? House of Shivers could have decent days ahead.
December 10, 2023
I spent the last couple years scouring bookstores and the internet to collect all of the original Goosebumps books. They played such a huge role in my childhood and I believe why I love horror so much.
I was so pumped when I got approved to read an ARC of the second book. I tried getting the first but couldn’t. Didn’t seem like you need to worry so much about not reading them in order.
I’d say the book is good for middle grade and up. Some parts are more “violent” so be aware if you are a parent concerned about stuff like that. The book is goofy and classic Goosebumps.
I’m excited for new generations to discover Goosebumps. Thank you to NetGalley, R. L. Stine and Scholastic for the opportunity to read this book. I have written this review voluntarily.
I was so pumped when I got approved to read an ARC of the second book. I tried getting the first but couldn’t. Didn’t seem like you need to worry so much about not reading them in order.
I’d say the book is good for middle grade and up. Some parts are more “violent” so be aware if you are a parent concerned about stuff like that. The book is goofy and classic Goosebumps.
I’m excited for new generations to discover Goosebumps. Thank you to NetGalley, R. L. Stine and Scholastic for the opportunity to read this book. I have written this review voluntarily.
April 2, 2024
I picked this up this afternoon and pretty much finished it in one sitting.
Mario is looking forward to seeing the snow, and now that he's tagging along with his best friends and their parents to Vermont, that's exactly what he'll be doing. Except, there's something really strange going on inside this house. And Todd and Jewel's grandparents are a little odd...
Well, that was a creepy and totally fun story! It's quite unsettling. From the very beginning, I could tell there was something lurking in the background, and those grandparents sure are weirdos. Not to mention the freaky creatures.
Anyway, I really enjoyed it. I also liked the twist followed by another twist. Very cool.
So far, I'm liking the House of Shivers series.
Mario is looking forward to seeing the snow, and now that he's tagging along with his best friends and their parents to Vermont, that's exactly what he'll be doing. Except, there's something really strange going on inside this house. And Todd and Jewel's grandparents are a little odd...
Well, that was a creepy and totally fun story! It's quite unsettling. From the very beginning, I could tell there was something lurking in the background, and those grandparents sure are weirdos. Not to mention the freaky creatures.
Anyway, I really enjoyed it. I also liked the twist followed by another twist. Very cool.
So far, I'm liking the House of Shivers series.
December 18, 2023
I loved these books growing up, R.L. Was even in town for an event but I was unable to get to see him ( I don’t think anyone could of realized how popular he was going to be!!) so seeing that it was on Netgalley I needed to request an ARC.
It had the same feel of the Goosebumps books that I remember and a great intro into the world of horror.
Grandpa Harlan reminds me of Tony DeTerrlizis books.
The memory room with the bird feet sounds terrifying!
The twist end really nailed home how great this brought back the Goosebumps feels!
It had the same feel of the Goosebumps books that I remember and a great intro into the world of horror.
Grandpa Harlan reminds me of Tony DeTerrlizis books.
The memory room with the bird feet sounds terrifying!
The twist end really nailed home how great this brought back the Goosebumps feels!
December 15, 2023
Riveting middle grade read. I loved the mystery of the grandparents and their home. So many exciting and strange things. And then things got creepy. Fantastic read.
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