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Fear Street #42
Killer's Kiss
Fear Street -- where your worst nightmares live...
Delia and Karina are always competing. From getting the best grades, to being the most popular, to dating the cutest guys -- they always fight for the top spot.
This year, they both want Vincent -- the hottest guy at Shadyside High.
Karina's determined to get Vince. She'll do whatever it takes. And if she can't have him, she'll make sure no one else can either....
Including Delia.
126 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1997
57 people are currently reading
2435 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,680 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 - 29 of 146 reviews
January 18, 2015
Moral of the story: Do not wear hoop earrings or purple lipstick. Of course, a person with any sort of taste would not wear purple "Midnight Wine" lipstick to begin with.
Prime Suspects: Delia, Karina, Delia's sister Sarah
Plot: Delia Easton and Karina Frye have always been in constant competition. Right now they are competing for the prestigious Conklin Award - and the love of douchebag Vincent Milano (he of the "trademark" smile). Since I've been reading Sweet Valley for some time now, I feel some similar themes running through each series (and super craptastic writing, though Fear Street really does take the cake. Probably because it wasn't ghostwritten). For instance, there is always a sociopath running amok. In this book it seems like everyone is a whacko in some respect, but, of course, they had to make it seem as though everyone was guilty.
Personally, I think Delia Easton's biggest crime is wearing purple lipstick with an all-red outfit (and she wants to win the award to get into an NYC fashion school. Snort.) Delia is pretty useless. She is the Elizabeth Wakefield of Shadyside High (Shadyside... did Eminem attend here?). Karina Frye is much more like Jessica Wakefield: perennially beautiful and good at absolutely everything. Also determined as fuck. Always in love with douchebags. The usual.
The other major player is Delia's sister Sarah who gets in petty fights with her and even ends up kissing Vincent at one point (this dude is a pedophile in training. I don't miss him).
Deaths: Only one - Vincent. I was surprised. Plenty of threats, however. Plenty of proclamations of innocence as well, but that's nothing new.
Whodunnit: Karina is the biggest suspect throughout most of the book. In the beginning (after catching Vincent the Douche and Delia together), she literally assaults Delia in the gym or something and basically rips Delia's hoop earring from her earlobe (freaking ouch! and exactly why I don't wear them). At one point Delia and Karina call a truce, but Delia sees her kissing Vincent again and gives that idea up pretty quickly. Delia constantly finds her work for the Conklin Award sabotaged, and she admits that she cannot prove that Karina is at fault. Had I not flipped to the end in the beginning, I would have suspected Delia's sister Sarah, who stares at her sinisterly and threatens her many times (due to these petty fights and her schoolgirl crush on Vincent). When Vincent's birthday party is held, we find that Delia arrives late claiming to have been assaulted (again) in Karina's home before the party. The next morning Vincent turns up dead in the abandoned mansion where the party was held. He has a purple lipstick print on his cheek. Delia shows the police how the lip print on his cheek and the one on the paper she kissed are actually reversed - meaning that someone with a tissue blot of Delia's could have put the lip print on Vincent's cheek to frame her. So you might be surprised (or not) to find out that Delia is the killer after all.
Motive: Right before prom, on a visit to Karina in the psych ward, Delia spills it all out to Gabe about how Karina just had too much. Ah, so Delia is Robin Hood, then? Delia sabotaged herself during the Conklin award auditions and she was the one who framed Karina for fucking her up before the party. She then killed Vincent that night and left his body for gone in the mansion come daylight. Since she displays no emotion whatsoever for someone who claimed to love him "so much" throughout the entire book, it is fairly obvious just what the twist will turn out to be. It's always who you least expect it to be, right? At any rate, Delia and her Midnight Wine lipstick are fucking nutters. It's a shame she never met Margo from Sweet Valley High. On the bright side, at least when you hate a character in Fear Street they get the axe. Come to think of it, however, I think I hate the girls more for actually loving Vincent than I hate Vincent himself.
Prime Suspects: Delia, Karina, Delia's sister Sarah
Plot: Delia Easton and Karina Frye have always been in constant competition. Right now they are competing for the prestigious Conklin Award - and the love of douchebag Vincent Milano (he of the "trademark" smile). Since I've been reading Sweet Valley for some time now, I feel some similar themes running through each series (and super craptastic writing, though Fear Street really does take the cake. Probably because it wasn't ghostwritten). For instance, there is always a sociopath running amok. In this book it seems like everyone is a whacko in some respect, but, of course, they had to make it seem as though everyone was guilty.
Personally, I think Delia Easton's biggest crime is wearing purple lipstick with an all-red outfit (and she wants to win the award to get into an NYC fashion school. Snort.) Delia is pretty useless. She is the Elizabeth Wakefield of Shadyside High (Shadyside... did Eminem attend here?). Karina Frye is much more like Jessica Wakefield: perennially beautiful and good at absolutely everything. Also determined as fuck. Always in love with douchebags. The usual.
The other major player is Delia's sister Sarah who gets in petty fights with her and even ends up kissing Vincent at one point (this dude is a pedophile in training. I don't miss him).
Deaths: Only one - Vincent. I was surprised. Plenty of threats, however. Plenty of proclamations of innocence as well, but that's nothing new.
Whodunnit: Karina is the biggest suspect throughout most of the book. In the beginning (after catching Vincent the Douche and Delia together), she literally assaults Delia in the gym or something and basically rips Delia's hoop earring from her earlobe (freaking ouch! and exactly why I don't wear them). At one point Delia and Karina call a truce, but Delia sees her kissing Vincent again and gives that idea up pretty quickly. Delia constantly finds her work for the Conklin Award sabotaged, and she admits that she cannot prove that Karina is at fault. Had I not flipped to the end in the beginning, I would have suspected Delia's sister Sarah, who stares at her sinisterly and threatens her many times (due to these petty fights and her schoolgirl crush on Vincent). When Vincent's birthday party is held, we find that Delia arrives late claiming to have been assaulted (again) in Karina's home before the party. The next morning Vincent turns up dead in the abandoned mansion where the party was held. He has a purple lipstick print on his cheek. Delia shows the police how the lip print on his cheek and the one on the paper she kissed are actually reversed - meaning that someone with a tissue blot of Delia's could have put the lip print on Vincent's cheek to frame her. So you might be surprised (or not) to find out that Delia is the killer after all.
Motive: Right before prom, on a visit to Karina in the psych ward, Delia spills it all out to Gabe about how Karina just had too much. Ah, so Delia is Robin Hood, then? Delia sabotaged herself during the Conklin award auditions and she was the one who framed Karina for fucking her up before the party. She then killed Vincent that night and left his body for gone in the mansion come daylight. Since she displays no emotion whatsoever for someone who claimed to love him "so much" throughout the entire book, it is fairly obvious just what the twist will turn out to be. It's always who you least expect it to be, right? At any rate, Delia and her Midnight Wine lipstick are fucking nutters. It's a shame she never met Margo from Sweet Valley High. On the bright side, at least when you hate a character in Fear Street they get the axe. Come to think of it, however, I think I hate the girls more for actually loving Vincent than I hate Vincent himself.
July 31, 2022
Delia and Karina are both being played by the same guy, Vincent - who manages to convince Delia time and time again that there's absolutely nothing going on between he and Karina.
Not to mention the two girls are also competing for the same prestigious scholarship, and someone is sabotaging all of Delia's hard work. Delia would do anything to win that award - and Vincent... too bad Karina feels the same way.
Not to mention the two girls are also competing for the same prestigious scholarship, and someone is sabotaging all of Delia's hard work. Delia would do anything to win that award - and Vincent... too bad Karina feels the same way.
February 28, 2022
Teenage melodrama, girl fights, a douchey two-timing boyfriend, and lots and lots of purple lipstick in the shade of MIDNIGHT WINE. Seriously, this damn lipstick is mentioned incessantly...Delia puts a fresh coat on, blots with a tissue, makes out with her douchey dude (which, ewww, imagine that purple lipstick smearing everywhere)...lather, rinse, repeat until the book ends.
Quick random notes and observations:
- Seriously, that was the book in a nutshell. But you also have one of the girls bellowing dramatically "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I hate you! I hate you all!!" Which.... LMAOOOOO. RL Stine and his girl protag's juvenile theatrics!!
- Delia, the cringey purple lipstick-wearing girl, also has quite the funky taste in clothing: black suede miniskirt, black suede-fringed vest over a purple lace bodysuit with red platform shoes from the thrift store. WITH a copious amount of Midnight Wine lipstick, natch.
- Delia's best friend Gabe is seriously the best. He bake cookies for her when she's had a shitty day and tells her, "Have a cookie. Cookies solve all problems." Seriously, an absolute SAGE if I've ever heard one.
- Only 1 lousy death, well deserved. But honestly, they all shoulda died...douchebag boy with his "Vincent-Milano-trademark-smile", and the 2 bonehead girls for fighting over him.
3 out of 5 smears of Midnight Wine lipstick smooches all over your face. You turn your head but you can't escape it... might as well give in to the persistent purple passion while you're still alive. 💜💀
Quick random notes and observations:
- Seriously, that was the book in a nutshell. But you also have one of the girls bellowing dramatically "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I hate you! I hate you all!!" Which.... LMAOOOOO. RL Stine and his girl protag's juvenile theatrics!!
- Delia, the cringey purple lipstick-wearing girl, also has quite the funky taste in clothing: black suede miniskirt, black suede-fringed vest over a purple lace bodysuit with red platform shoes from the thrift store. WITH a copious amount of Midnight Wine lipstick, natch.
- Delia's best friend Gabe is seriously the best. He bake cookies for her when she's had a shitty day and tells her, "Have a cookie. Cookies solve all problems." Seriously, an absolute SAGE if I've ever heard one.
- Only 1 lousy death, well deserved. But honestly, they all shoulda died...douchebag boy with his "Vincent-Milano-trademark-smile", and the 2 bonehead girls for fighting over him.
3 out of 5 smears of Midnight Wine lipstick smooches all over your face. You turn your head but you can't escape it... might as well give in to the persistent purple passion while you're still alive. 💜💀
December 23, 2011
I remember reading this ages ago and peeing my pants in terror. Back in elementary school, these books were like crack to me. There once was a time when there was a whole shelf of just Fear Street books. As a kid, the cover was what drew me to it. Not this cover, but the cheesey 90's one. I recall thinking the boy on the cover was gorgeous. Hopefully that's what Vincent looked like because if he was a jerk at least make him a good looking jerk. I must say that I was kind of pissed by the first page of the book. Not the actual chapter mind you, but the teaser that goes before the cover page. Normally, it's just a passage that hints at some terrible thing happening to the main character, but it isn't the main terrible thing. So, I read that hoping it would peak my interest and the plot was spoiled for me. It was a direct passage of an important thing that happens in the last three chapters. Then, I knew straight on that . I was just like, 'really? thanks a lot for ruining that for me...'
Since I was reading this for the second time, I wasn't as shocked at the ending. Though at first read, I was definitely shocked by the twist. This is actually one of the better Fear Street books. With most R.L. Stine books the build-up of the story is amazing, but then things go down hill at the big reveal. I've read several FS books that are absolutely enthralling, but then it's ruined by a super crappy ending that is lame and makes no sense. This book was an exception. Everything was carefuly crafted and at the very end when you figure out what happened, you're knocked off your feet. The ending was sort of in the same lane as the movie .
Vincent was a douche and aside from him being attractive, I don't get why the two girls wanted him. He was a two timer and I was hoping he'd get caught from the get go. Why is it whenever there's a guy with two girlfriends, the girls get super pissed at each other and the guy gets to go unblamed. Sure, you can hate the other girl if you want, but the boyfriend was the one knowingly messing around on both of them. I was in shock by how both Karina and Delia kept going right back to him, despite his cheating ways. I know no one deserves to , but I was secretly happy because .
Since I was reading this for the second time, I wasn't as shocked at the ending. Though at first read, I was definitely shocked by the twist. This is actually one of the better Fear Street books. With most R.L. Stine books the build-up of the story is amazing, but then things go down hill at the big reveal. I've read several FS books that are absolutely enthralling, but then it's ruined by a super crappy ending that is lame and makes no sense. This book was an exception. Everything was carefuly crafted and at the very end when you figure out what happened, you're knocked off your feet. The ending was sort of in the same lane as the movie .
Vincent was a douche and aside from him being attractive, I don't get why the two girls wanted him. He was a two timer and I was hoping he'd get caught from the get go. Why is it whenever there's a guy with two girlfriends, the girls get super pissed at each other and the guy gets to go unblamed. Sure, you can hate the other girl if you want, but the boyfriend was the one knowingly messing around on both of them. I was in shock by how both Karina and Delia kept going right back to him, despite his cheating ways. I know no one deserves to , but I was secretly happy because .
October 10, 2015
This book is ridiculous. None of the characters are likeable, I think they're all crazy anyway, and the way the story is wrapped up is stupid. The twist at the end would have been interesting had it actually had something to back it up with. It just didn't really make sense.
October 3, 2022
This story really is everything a teen drama should have: 2 ex best friends at war, a two timing boyfriend between them and a murder.
It was pretty cliched overall but there were a few different possible suspects which made it fun to try and guess who the killer was. I would however hope that girls nowadays are less likely to fall for a cheating jerk like Vincent.
It was pretty cliched overall but there were a few different possible suspects which made it fun to try and guess who the killer was. I would however hope that girls nowadays are less likely to fall for a cheating jerk like Vincent.
March 16, 2022
From my original blog post on my personal blog, There's The Girl With The Blog, on blogspot.com:
Vincent Milano and Delia Easton get done making out on his couch. Delia is always wearing this dark purple lipstick and leaving lip prints on Vincent's face and napkins, tissues and notebook papers blotting her lips. Not that Vincent minds because Delia is just one of those girls that everyone notices with her wild style and dark curls but he admits that Delia isn't beautiful. Oh no the other girl he's seeing is much more beautiful: the blonde and blue-eyed, Karina Frye, whom reminds him of Michelle Pfeiffer.
Yep, Vincent's a two-timer seeing two girls at the same time and not just any girls but Karina and Delia who go head-to-head over everything. Who had the best grades, the most friends, the hottest guys and now over an award that's pretty much a scholarship sort of deal but neither girl knows the other is dating Vincent so either they are both just really self-absorbed or not that smart.
When Vincent realizes that the fireplace clock is broken and that Karina will be at his house any minute, he tries to usher Delia out when only minutes ago he was thinking about nothing but making out with her some more...what a jerk.
So the minute Delia's car is out of sight, Karina's car arrives and Vincent thinks he got away with something big until Karina flips out...by seeing the purple lip print on his cheek! Apparently, Delia is the only one who wears that shade so Karina knows she was there which I guess makes her a little smarter than I thought.
Vincent explains that Delia just came for some notes and kissed him on the cheek as she left...no big deal since he didn't kiss her back. Karina is too livid to eat out of Vincent's hands and leaves saying how much she hates Delia...angry enough that Vincent is kind of afraid of her.
So the following day at school, Delia is in the gym with her friends, Gabe Denver and Britty Myers. It's pretty clear that Gabe has a crush on Delia but she only has eyes for Vincent and if not thinking about her boy toy, Delia's thinking about winning the Conklin Award scholarship.
Besides Delia and Karina, there are four others and another boy they know named Stewart Andrews competing for the award which Delia thinks Karina will win because she goes around acting like Little Miss Perfect. Britty is friends with both girls and can't understand why they fight so much since they all use to be best friends and I can tell you why: Vincent. All of a sudden, Karina enters the gym and attacks Delia.
She outright starts choking her and even pulls her earring out of her ear...ouch! Delia has no idea what this is about but Karina keeps mentioning that she won't win but this clearly isn't about some award...especially when Vincent's name comes up. Karina is still upset about seeing Delia's lipstick on Vincent's cheek last night and has some serious anger issues. When Vincent is at Delia's house the next evening, he ignores Delia telling him about Karina this and Karina that but Delia can't forget how insane she was and of course, Delia is still clueless to his two-timing.
We learn Delia has a sister named Sarah, who is fifteen and a tomboy, when she catches her spying on the couple and she gives her a hard time in a rather nasty way. Sarah, being embarrassed in front of Vincent, tells Delia she'll get back at her after running away with one of Delia's drawings for her portfolio to present to the Conklin Award judges.
We see the next day, Stewart asking Delia out on a date for the weekend so they both can get their minds of the competition but Delia turns Stewart down, saying that she and Vincent are going together but doesn't Stewart already know that? Delia soon finds Stewart in a conversation with Karina in a storage closet and thinks Karina asked Stewart to ask her out so that Karina could get Vincent alone.
She tells this to Britty and even though the other girl thinks Karina and Delia are letting this get out of hand, agrees to talk to Karina to see what's going on with her thinking Vincent is her boyfriend. Karina is obviously the smarter of the two and knows exactly what Delia's up to sending Britty as a sort of spy so that the plan goes up in smoke.
At the talent part of the competition (other than painting which I guess all of the contenders have to do?) for the award, Stewart performs a magic act, Karina sings an Italian opera piece and just as Delia is going up to perform a song she wrote on an acoustic guitar...she finds all of the strings cut and a decomposing rat stuffed inside the sound hole!
Of course, Delia accuses Karina but maybe it wasn't her as Delia sees sister Sarah in the audience smiling and leaving with the other girl...or maybe that was a grin on Stewart's face while he was offstage? Delia goes home that afternoon to find a note on the door from Vincent. To make up for not being at the show today, he wants to take Delia out dancing so she heads over to Britty' house to get back her skirt and finds Brit and Gabe making her cookies to feel better...aww.
On her way back home, Delia sees Karina with Vincent and crashes her car! While Vincent is calling Delia's parents, Karina rushes over to check on Delia and now both girls know that Vincent has been dating both of them at the same time! FINALLY DELIA! Karina apologizes for attacking Delia and calls a truce but even though Delia agrees to the truce it still doesn't mean she'll give up Vincent and oh my god...
Okay...so...not because of the accident but a lame excuse, Vincent tells Delia he has to do a rain check on the offer to go out dancing. Vincent is a little worried that his life will be ruined if Karina and Delia decide to be best friends again so he gives Delia the story that whatever Karina said to her was all just bunk and Delia believes it. This is also where we find out that now Vincent is a three-timer and his other girl just so happens to be...Sarah!
When the time comes to show her art to the judges, Delia finds that all of her drawings have been defaced with her own Midnight Wine lipstick and completely ruined! Running off, Delia finds Karina with Vincent and at this point, I do feel a little sorry for her. It's never really fun when you have a frenemy but is Karina really that crazy when someone else had better access to destroy her pictures?
Over at Britty's, Delia talks about dropping out of the competition but her friend convinces her not to because even if Karina is responsible for sabotaging Delia and gets kicked out, Delia still has a chance to win. Of course, Delia turns it all around to how she has to get the award to get out of Shadyside but none of that is worth it if she has to lose Vincent to Karina.
Despite Britty trying to convince Delia that Karina is better off having Vincent and how many other guys would love to go out with her, Delia leaves to go and talk with Vincent but gets a surprise to see Sarah there in her clothes and make-up, making out with her man.
Sarah and Vincent aren't at all sorry so Delia gets in a nasty comment to her sister and Vincent says he was just trying to give the younger girl pointers and it seems Delia might finally be realizing the truth about Vincent but no...of course, NO.
Vincent is a master-manipulator and Delia tells him he has to talk to Karina because all of this is getting out of hand and Delia is worried about what the other girl might do next.
What is in store in this torrid love triangle between Vincent, Delia and Karina? Which girl will win Vincent's heart or will this lover boy get what he deserves?
This book took a lot to get through in reviewing it and trying not to spoil Killer's Kiss for anyone who has not read it. First off with the characters, I couldn't really stand any of them except for Gabe, Britty, Stewart and even Sarah. Vincent of course is just a complete jerk that rivals Bobby Newkirk from Double Date but might even be worse.
Delia is just not very bright in the first half of the book and Karina is so much smarter but she is still quite horrible. Once you get to the last few chapters, it gets interesting and has a really good twist where the ending just fizzles out. It's not comical or sad it just ends...that's about it. I would recommend it just to find out the twist/ending that all Fear Street books have and that's not really saying much...but I've read worse.
Vincent Milano and Delia Easton get done making out on his couch. Delia is always wearing this dark purple lipstick and leaving lip prints on Vincent's face and napkins, tissues and notebook papers blotting her lips. Not that Vincent minds because Delia is just one of those girls that everyone notices with her wild style and dark curls but he admits that Delia isn't beautiful. Oh no the other girl he's seeing is much more beautiful: the blonde and blue-eyed, Karina Frye, whom reminds him of Michelle Pfeiffer.
Yep, Vincent's a two-timer seeing two girls at the same time and not just any girls but Karina and Delia who go head-to-head over everything. Who had the best grades, the most friends, the hottest guys and now over an award that's pretty much a scholarship sort of deal but neither girl knows the other is dating Vincent so either they are both just really self-absorbed or not that smart.
When Vincent realizes that the fireplace clock is broken and that Karina will be at his house any minute, he tries to usher Delia out when only minutes ago he was thinking about nothing but making out with her some more...what a jerk.
So the minute Delia's car is out of sight, Karina's car arrives and Vincent thinks he got away with something big until Karina flips out...by seeing the purple lip print on his cheek! Apparently, Delia is the only one who wears that shade so Karina knows she was there which I guess makes her a little smarter than I thought.
Vincent explains that Delia just came for some notes and kissed him on the cheek as she left...no big deal since he didn't kiss her back. Karina is too livid to eat out of Vincent's hands and leaves saying how much she hates Delia...angry enough that Vincent is kind of afraid of her.
So the following day at school, Delia is in the gym with her friends, Gabe Denver and Britty Myers. It's pretty clear that Gabe has a crush on Delia but she only has eyes for Vincent and if not thinking about her boy toy, Delia's thinking about winning the Conklin Award scholarship.
Besides Delia and Karina, there are four others and another boy they know named Stewart Andrews competing for the award which Delia thinks Karina will win because she goes around acting like Little Miss Perfect. Britty is friends with both girls and can't understand why they fight so much since they all use to be best friends and I can tell you why: Vincent. All of a sudden, Karina enters the gym and attacks Delia.
She outright starts choking her and even pulls her earring out of her ear...ouch! Delia has no idea what this is about but Karina keeps mentioning that she won't win but this clearly isn't about some award...especially when Vincent's name comes up. Karina is still upset about seeing Delia's lipstick on Vincent's cheek last night and has some serious anger issues. When Vincent is at Delia's house the next evening, he ignores Delia telling him about Karina this and Karina that but Delia can't forget how insane she was and of course, Delia is still clueless to his two-timing.
We learn Delia has a sister named Sarah, who is fifteen and a tomboy, when she catches her spying on the couple and she gives her a hard time in a rather nasty way. Sarah, being embarrassed in front of Vincent, tells Delia she'll get back at her after running away with one of Delia's drawings for her portfolio to present to the Conklin Award judges.
We see the next day, Stewart asking Delia out on a date for the weekend so they both can get their minds of the competition but Delia turns Stewart down, saying that she and Vincent are going together but doesn't Stewart already know that? Delia soon finds Stewart in a conversation with Karina in a storage closet and thinks Karina asked Stewart to ask her out so that Karina could get Vincent alone.
She tells this to Britty and even though the other girl thinks Karina and Delia are letting this get out of hand, agrees to talk to Karina to see what's going on with her thinking Vincent is her boyfriend. Karina is obviously the smarter of the two and knows exactly what Delia's up to sending Britty as a sort of spy so that the plan goes up in smoke.
At the talent part of the competition (other than painting which I guess all of the contenders have to do?) for the award, Stewart performs a magic act, Karina sings an Italian opera piece and just as Delia is going up to perform a song she wrote on an acoustic guitar...she finds all of the strings cut and a decomposing rat stuffed inside the sound hole!
Of course, Delia accuses Karina but maybe it wasn't her as Delia sees sister Sarah in the audience smiling and leaving with the other girl...or maybe that was a grin on Stewart's face while he was offstage? Delia goes home that afternoon to find a note on the door from Vincent. To make up for not being at the show today, he wants to take Delia out dancing so she heads over to Britty' house to get back her skirt and finds Brit and Gabe making her cookies to feel better...aww.
On her way back home, Delia sees Karina with Vincent and crashes her car! While Vincent is calling Delia's parents, Karina rushes over to check on Delia and now both girls know that Vincent has been dating both of them at the same time! FINALLY DELIA! Karina apologizes for attacking Delia and calls a truce but even though Delia agrees to the truce it still doesn't mean she'll give up Vincent and oh my god...
Okay...so...not because of the accident but a lame excuse, Vincent tells Delia he has to do a rain check on the offer to go out dancing. Vincent is a little worried that his life will be ruined if Karina and Delia decide to be best friends again so he gives Delia the story that whatever Karina said to her was all just bunk and Delia believes it. This is also where we find out that now Vincent is a three-timer and his other girl just so happens to be...Sarah!
When the time comes to show her art to the judges, Delia finds that all of her drawings have been defaced with her own Midnight Wine lipstick and completely ruined! Running off, Delia finds Karina with Vincent and at this point, I do feel a little sorry for her. It's never really fun when you have a frenemy but is Karina really that crazy when someone else had better access to destroy her pictures?
Over at Britty's, Delia talks about dropping out of the competition but her friend convinces her not to because even if Karina is responsible for sabotaging Delia and gets kicked out, Delia still has a chance to win. Of course, Delia turns it all around to how she has to get the award to get out of Shadyside but none of that is worth it if she has to lose Vincent to Karina.
Despite Britty trying to convince Delia that Karina is better off having Vincent and how many other guys would love to go out with her, Delia leaves to go and talk with Vincent but gets a surprise to see Sarah there in her clothes and make-up, making out with her man.
Sarah and Vincent aren't at all sorry so Delia gets in a nasty comment to her sister and Vincent says he was just trying to give the younger girl pointers and it seems Delia might finally be realizing the truth about Vincent but no...of course, NO.
Vincent is a master-manipulator and Delia tells him he has to talk to Karina because all of this is getting out of hand and Delia is worried about what the other girl might do next.
What is in store in this torrid love triangle between Vincent, Delia and Karina? Which girl will win Vincent's heart or will this lover boy get what he deserves?
This book took a lot to get through in reviewing it and trying not to spoil Killer's Kiss for anyone who has not read it. First off with the characters, I couldn't really stand any of them except for Gabe, Britty, Stewart and even Sarah. Vincent of course is just a complete jerk that rivals Bobby Newkirk from Double Date but might even be worse.
Delia is just not very bright in the first half of the book and Karina is so much smarter but she is still quite horrible. Once you get to the last few chapters, it gets interesting and has a really good twist where the ending just fizzles out. It's not comical or sad it just ends...that's about it. I would recommend it just to find out the twist/ending that all Fear Street books have and that's not really saying much...but I've read worse.
July 16, 2024
2.5⭐️
September 30, 2023
Oh yeah, R.L. Stine and his two best friends turn to enemies plot 😅 High school drama makes it clear that this book is written for teens. But honestly Vincent deserved that for his "Vincent-Milano-trademarked smile".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2021
In honor of both Valentine's Day, and a new set of reprints coming out this week, I wanted to o back to Fear Street with a romance-ish themed entry. I used up the notable ones so I was mostly left with this...and I wanted to wait til I got access to the Secret Admirer reprint before reading it.
This is one I want to review, not exactly because it has tons of things to mock, but because being able to spoil will give me more freedom to more easily detail the pros and cons. Until then, this is a rare entry where the twist saves it as it's actually a really good twist. Given certain things, I had the idea for this in the back of my head, but didn't think Stine would go for it ...but he did, and I love that. It turns things on its head but actually makes sense, at least by this series' standards.
Before that, there was parts where I was thinking a certain character was being too dumb to the point of annoyance, and the ending actually makes up for it, having it make sense why they acted that way. That so rarely happens.
Outside of that, it's fairly typical and does a lot of stuff I've seen before. It does similar things to Double Date and The Boy Next door but doesn't comment to it like those did and that hurts the story rather than help. Things like that did hurt it, but it kept a decent clip and didn't drag or mander too much.
It did have a classic blatant red herring that went nowhere though. So yeah, merely decent but the twist is really good and saves it...that last line is so forced though lol.
REDHEAD WATCH: None, shockingly.
POP CULTURE WATCH: Michelle Pfeiffer The 2005-ish reprint keeps this so no reprint watch this time, this is the only notable pop culture thing I caught.
CONTINUITY WATCH: Vincent holds a party in an abandoned mansion on Fear Street that could possibly be the same way one from Halloween Party. It’s not stated and likely wasn’t meant to be but it’s the closest to a callback we get here, not counting the mentions of recurring dance club Red Heat.
ANIMAL DEATH WATCH: There’s a dead rat shoved into a guitar case.
DEATH COUNT: 1
This is one I want to review, not exactly because it has tons of things to mock, but because being able to spoil will give me more freedom to more easily detail the pros and cons. Until then, this is a rare entry where the twist saves it as it's actually a really good twist. Given certain things, I had the idea for this in the back of my head, but didn't think Stine would go for it ...but he did, and I love that. It turns things on its head but actually makes sense, at least by this series' standards.
Before that, there was parts where I was thinking a certain character was being too dumb to the point of annoyance, and the ending actually makes up for it, having it make sense why they acted that way. That so rarely happens.
Outside of that, it's fairly typical and does a lot of stuff I've seen before. It does similar things to Double Date and The Boy Next door but doesn't comment to it like those did and that hurts the story rather than help. Things like that did hurt it, but it kept a decent clip and didn't drag or mander too much.
It did have a classic blatant red herring that went nowhere though. So yeah, merely decent but the twist is really good and saves it...that last line is so forced though lol.
REDHEAD WATCH: None, shockingly.
POP CULTURE WATCH: Michelle Pfeiffer The 2005-ish reprint keeps this so no reprint watch this time, this is the only notable pop culture thing I caught.
CONTINUITY WATCH: Vincent holds a party in an abandoned mansion on Fear Street that could possibly be the same way one from Halloween Party. It’s not stated and likely wasn’t meant to be but it’s the closest to a callback we get here, not counting the mentions of recurring dance club Red Heat.
ANIMAL DEATH WATCH: There’s a dead rat shoved into a guitar case.
DEATH COUNT: 1
April 4, 2019
5 ⭐
I'm pretty sure I read this book when I was in school.
Delia needs intense psychiatric help ASAP. Hope she gets the help she needs. Don't get why people get boy crazy. There's other things in life, like books or good movies.
I'm pretty sure I read this book when I was in school.
Delia needs intense psychiatric help ASAP. Hope she gets the help she needs. Don't get why people get boy crazy. There's other things in life, like books or good movies.
April 8, 2025
Joa also das war ein Reinfall.
Die dümmsten Charaktere die es je gab.
Die Story macht nicht wirklich Sinn und endet schrecklich. Einfach nicht gut, schade.
Die dümmsten Charaktere die es je gab.
Die Story macht nicht wirklich Sinn und endet schrecklich. Einfach nicht gut, schade.
Read
September 5, 202512 year old me was gobsmacked with that ending!!
April 30, 2022
dont know what i expected LOL
January 17, 2016
Posted originally on my blog:
The Writer's Inkwell
If there's one thing you can learn from this book, it's that teenage girls are really stupid when it comes to teenage boys. From personal experience, I can vouch for this fact. I did a lot of stupid things over a boy as a teenager and believed a lot of stupid lies. But I never caught the guy I was seeing with another girl and just believed everything he said.
But Delia and Karina both do. It's surprising because they are both supposed to be highly intelligent. But I suppose this just proves how much your judgment can be clouded as a teen. Karina first discovers Vincent is seeing both her and Delia when she sees Delia's lip prints on his cheek in Midnight Wine lipstick. Ignoring the fashion faux pas that is Delia's choice of lipstick, I was surprised by Karina's attack of Delia in front of everyone. Not because it happened. That part made sense. But because just a few days later, when Karina tells Delia the truth, she's acting so reasonable and understanding to how and why he was doing it. Of course, that didn't stop either girl from continuing to see the jerk.
The one thing this book has going for it is the fact I was wrong about who was behind everything. I truly thought Delia's sister was the one doing all the terrible things. After all, she had no qualms dressing up as her sister and making out with Vincent. But what do I know? I kind of wish I hadn't borrowed so many of these books at once. I think I'm getting burned out on all this teen horror/thriller. Might be time to take a break from Fear Street.
The Writer's Inkwell
If there's one thing you can learn from this book, it's that teenage girls are really stupid when it comes to teenage boys. From personal experience, I can vouch for this fact. I did a lot of stupid things over a boy as a teenager and believed a lot of stupid lies. But I never caught the guy I was seeing with another girl and just believed everything he said.
But Delia and Karina both do. It's surprising because they are both supposed to be highly intelligent. But I suppose this just proves how much your judgment can be clouded as a teen. Karina first discovers Vincent is seeing both her and Delia when she sees Delia's lip prints on his cheek in Midnight Wine lipstick. Ignoring the fashion faux pas that is Delia's choice of lipstick, I was surprised by Karina's attack of Delia in front of everyone. Not because it happened. That part made sense. But because just a few days later, when Karina tells Delia the truth, she's acting so reasonable and understanding to how and why he was doing it. Of course, that didn't stop either girl from continuing to see the jerk.
The one thing this book has going for it is the fact I was wrong about who was behind everything. I truly thought Delia's sister was the one doing all the terrible things. After all, she had no qualms dressing up as her sister and making out with Vincent. But what do I know? I kind of wish I hadn't borrowed so many of these books at once. I think I'm getting burned out on all this teen horror/thriller. Might be time to take a break from Fear Street.
May 19, 2021
I should probably stop revisiting these as an adult, because while some hold up, others like this one are just a waste of time. I don't remember reading this one as a kid, but I'm sure I would have been annoyed and disappointed. I prefer the Fear Streets that have supernatural elements and genuine creepiness. This was just bad teen drama with a murder of a dull character.
May 16, 2009
This is the reason why I love fear street books. They always have a twist in the end. Not only is it a twist, but it's a twist that no one and absolutely no one saw coming. This book is awesome. I recommend it to people who like suprises.
September 13, 2020
4 stars (reread). This one holds up in a lot of ways (mainly the ending), but you can definitely tell it was written in the 90s and I'm not going to lie this made me so nostalgic and happy. Review to come.
October 10, 2016
I have always really enjoy reading R.L Stine books, hes been my favorite author since my teens years, i really liked this book, it had a little bit of everything drama, suspense, mystery. Overall a great read. i finished this entire book in just 5 days :)
April 25, 2013
loved this book! the twists and turns were flawless. The only thing I didn't quite like was how their wasn't really a main character. youll know what I mean when you read this book.
August 7, 2023
I have been re-reading the Fear Streets from start to finish because I loved them so much as a kid. Looking back there are 3 other I gave on star to but I think this is actually the worst Fear Street. It doesn’t even make sense. Like most of the others that I gave bad reviews for the main male character is so terrible and oozing toxic masculinity. Gross. Furthermore, the two main girl characters are competing for this guy and a prestigious academic scholarship and by there behaviour in the book they both seem like boarder line morons. They have the top grades in school and excel in arts and music but can’t figure out this guy is dating both of them when they each see the other making out with him?
The twist ending was dumb and obvious although it could have been either one of these crazy dingbat girls as they were both totally irrational, out of control, and did not have a grasp on reality. Maybe Stine didn’t have a firm grasp either when he wrote about two of the most talented, beautiful, and intelligent girls with everything going for them being obsessed with a total mouth breather who treated them like idiots and garbage and even though they had the top minds in school just seemed to run away when things happened or scream down hallways and violently attack each other like maniacs on the loose.
Oh and the adults in the book don’t comment or step in when;
1- Their son is having multiple different girls over every night (sometimes more than one) to make out on his living room couch.
2- Teachers, coaches, and the nurse do nothing when Karina tries to choke Delia to death in front of the whole student body.
3- None of the adults or students (including her friends) intervene when Karina apparently comes in ranting and screaming through the gym, across the basketball floor while a game is going on, up the bleachers and then while screaming the whole time scratches up and then chokes Delia…?
4- Delia’s parents (although we don’t ever really meet them in the book) don’t care that she was attacked at the basketball game and they also decide not to go to the police after Delia has been knocked out from behind, tied up and kept in a house, and is completely battered and bruised.
5- Delia’s parents let their 15 year old daughter date their other daughter’s older boyfriend. It doesn’t state that they were told this but I have sisters and 100% the older sister would be telling the parents.
6- In what is supposed to be a serious competition the judges and teacher don’t do anything when during the competition a students guitar is ruined and a dead rat is inside it and then on another day that student’s art portfolio is vandalized with threatening messages on it.
I am a teacher, and I know this is set in the 90s, but I think an adult would have stepped in.
Conclusion, this is a bad book.
The twist ending was dumb and obvious although it could have been either one of these crazy dingbat girls as they were both totally irrational, out of control, and did not have a grasp on reality. Maybe Stine didn’t have a firm grasp either when he wrote about two of the most talented, beautiful, and intelligent girls with everything going for them being obsessed with a total mouth breather who treated them like idiots and garbage and even though they had the top minds in school just seemed to run away when things happened or scream down hallways and violently attack each other like maniacs on the loose.
Oh and the adults in the book don’t comment or step in when;
1- Their son is having multiple different girls over every night (sometimes more than one) to make out on his living room couch.
2- Teachers, coaches, and the nurse do nothing when Karina tries to choke Delia to death in front of the whole student body.
3- None of the adults or students (including her friends) intervene when Karina apparently comes in ranting and screaming through the gym, across the basketball floor while a game is going on, up the bleachers and then while screaming the whole time scratches up and then chokes Delia…?
4- Delia’s parents (although we don’t ever really meet them in the book) don’t care that she was attacked at the basketball game and they also decide not to go to the police after Delia has been knocked out from behind, tied up and kept in a house, and is completely battered and bruised.
5- Delia’s parents let their 15 year old daughter date their other daughter’s older boyfriend. It doesn’t state that they were told this but I have sisters and 100% the older sister would be telling the parents.
6- In what is supposed to be a serious competition the judges and teacher don’t do anything when during the competition a students guitar is ruined and a dead rat is inside it and then on another day that student’s art portfolio is vandalized with threatening messages on it.
I am a teacher, and I know this is set in the 90s, but I think an adult would have stepped in.
Conclusion, this is a bad book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2019
In 'Killer's Kiss', Delia and Karina used to be best friends but now they're fighting over Vincent. Little do they know that he's two-timing them. In the meantime, they're also competing for an award. With tension running high, it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt..
All the main characters namely Vincent, Delia and Karina were insufferable. I especially despised Vincent who had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. I found it baffling that he could be any girl's object of affection. Apart from his "Vincent-Milano-trademark-smile" (*pukes*), he had nothing to offer. The girls weren't any better either as they easily believed every dumb lie he told them.
Several unpleasant incidents occurred before someone actually took some serious action. However, the identity of the perpetrator was obvious since . I got tired of seeing the word 'lipstick' on almost every page and don't even get me started on the dim-witted cops and the lame ending.
Overall, 'Killer's Kiss' should've been titled 'Too Much Lipstick, Too Little Plausibility'.
All the main characters namely Vincent, Delia and Karina were insufferable. I especially despised Vincent who had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. I found it baffling that he could be any girl's object of affection. Apart from his "Vincent-Milano-trademark-smile" (*pukes*), he had nothing to offer. The girls weren't any better either as they easily believed every dumb lie he told them.
Several unpleasant incidents occurred before someone actually took some serious action. However, the identity of the perpetrator was obvious since . I got tired of seeing the word 'lipstick' on almost every page and don't even get me started on the dim-witted cops and the lame ending.
Overall, 'Killer's Kiss' should've been titled 'Too Much Lipstick, Too Little Plausibility'.
July 11, 2024
Actual rating is a 2.75 to 2.9.
Yikes, I have been reading Fear Street books for years and first started reading them when I was a teen. I loved them growing up, and some of them still hold up. But some of them like Killer's Kiss are a confusing mess of bad characters, weird dialogue, unlikable protagonists, and predictable endings. All of the characters were annoying, or unlikable. The story dragged on, and it lacked any sort of common sense. The entire book is 2 to 3 people fighting over a man that ain't shit. Like the worst F-boy ever. I almost gave it 2 stars but because of nostalgia and the hilarious ending, I give it 2.75 to 2.9. Do you want to easy read? Then it's for you. Do you like a good plot, characters, and pacing? Not for you.
Would not recommend it. He has written much better books.
Yikes, I have been reading Fear Street books for years and first started reading them when I was a teen. I loved them growing up, and some of them still hold up. But some of them like Killer's Kiss are a confusing mess of bad characters, weird dialogue, unlikable protagonists, and predictable endings. All of the characters were annoying, or unlikable. The story dragged on, and it lacked any sort of common sense. The entire book is 2 to 3 people fighting over a man that ain't shit. Like the worst F-boy ever. I almost gave it 2 stars but because of nostalgia and the hilarious ending, I give it 2.75 to 2.9. Do you want to easy read? Then it's for you. Do you like a good plot, characters, and pacing? Not for you.
Would not recommend it. He has written much better books.
January 9, 2023
It takes a while to get to any kind of horror (and I use that term loosely) in this one. It’s mostly a Lifetime or Soap Opera drama. None of the characters are even remotely likable. Delia and Karina are both convinced the other wants everything they have to an annoying degree. Delia is habitually mean to her sister and then never once considers her sister might seek revenge for it down the line. Vincent is a womanizing jerk. All of the girls involved with Vincent are either too insecure to kick him to the curb or too stupid to realize he’s doing it on purpose because he knows they all let him get away with it.
Ultimately in the end they pretty much all got exactly what they deserved, which may have been the only brief satisfying moment for me with this book.
Ultimately in the end they pretty much all got exactly what they deserved, which may have been the only brief satisfying moment for me with this book.
September 6, 2024
Fear Street novels have huge nostalgia factor to me because our school library had all of them and I read them all. This one, however, was not as clever as the others.
Delia and Karina are in love with the same guy, who is a total jerk and decides to date them both - without their knowledge. Unfortunately for him one of the girls is a little more possessive than the other...
I like Fear Street novels because they usually involve a group of people which is fun and guarantee at least one climactic moment, however here none of the main characters were likable and the direction of the story was so predictable that that it felt lazy.
It does get points for nostalgia though and it is, after all, meant for a teenage audience.
Delia and Karina are in love with the same guy, who is a total jerk and decides to date them both - without their knowledge. Unfortunately for him one of the girls is a little more possessive than the other...
I like Fear Street novels because they usually involve a group of people which is fun and guarantee at least one climactic moment, however here none of the main characters were likable and the direction of the story was so predictable that that it felt lazy.
It does get points for nostalgia though and it is, after all, meant for a teenage audience.
October 24, 2024
I’ve always loved R.L. Stine books. He’s the one that got me started on horror/thrillers. This book was as good as I remember. A total plot twist at the very end! Delia was edgy, hardworking, different from everyone else. You know, sociopath different? And Karina, she had everything going for her. The pretty, rich, always loved type of girl. You know, the perfect fall girl for a premeditated murder. It all went without a hitch, but you know how girls are, eventually you have to tell someone what really happened.
I want to add that the Fear Street books are perfect for any young reader who wants to get into horror/thrillers before diving in to someone like Aron Beauregard (my favorite horror author)
I want to add that the Fear Street books are perfect for any young reader who wants to get into horror/thrillers before diving in to someone like Aron Beauregard (my favorite horror author)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2025
/4 stars
This was entertaining. Unsuspected killer, man hoe, and a fashionably challenged protagonist? First of all, Karina and Delia shouldn’t have been enemies. Vincent should’ve been the enemy. He was going after any and very girl in his path and then blaming the both of them.
The little sister Sarah was a nightmare. First someone needs to call child protective services because a 15 year old with an 18 year old? And also I 100% thought she was the killer. Karina was obviously innocent. Delia did have murderistic tendencies but for once I was surprised by a Stine book. It’s not too wild the she killed Vincent and framed Karina but we were in her POV so we normally get an inkling of a hint.
Someone needs to tell Delia that her “favorite” red, brown, yellow, and purple sweater needs to take a ride to the mental hospital with her. This girl is like a fashionably challenged maleficent. Also where were her parents? Stine is normally so keen on calling them Mr. and Mrs. whatever. At least she had a good friend. Britty is probably the most normal friend I’ve seen in these books. No redheads to note.
This was entertaining. Unsuspected killer, man hoe, and a fashionably challenged protagonist? First of all, Karina and Delia shouldn’t have been enemies. Vincent should’ve been the enemy. He was going after any and very girl in his path and then blaming the both of them.
The little sister Sarah was a nightmare. First someone needs to call child protective services because a 15 year old with an 18 year old? And also I 100% thought she was the killer. Karina was obviously innocent. Delia did have murderistic tendencies but for once I was surprised by a Stine book. It’s not too wild the she killed Vincent and framed Karina but we were in her POV so we normally get an inkling of a hint.
Someone needs to tell Delia that her “favorite” red, brown, yellow, and purple sweater needs to take a ride to the mental hospital with her. This girl is like a fashionably challenged maleficent. Also where were her parents? Stine is normally so keen on calling them Mr. and Mrs. whatever. At least she had a good friend. Britty is probably the most normal friend I’ve seen in these books. No redheads to note.
June 7, 2022
I have a big problem with stories that involve love triangles and manipulation in relationships. It’s just not fun to read about.
There’s a… there’s a point where I think rationally that it’s time to cut the line and go and when characters not only go past that point but WAY past that point, it’s frustrating to read.
What’s even more frustrating is when Stine lays solid ground work for an interesting twist like if it was the sister who was playing these two girls off each other so she could swoop in and take the boy, proving once and for all that she isn’t as unattractive and undesirable as her sister claims, but then goes with the more expected “I did it all to myself,” path.
There’s a… there’s a point where I think rationally that it’s time to cut the line and go and when characters not only go past that point but WAY past that point, it’s frustrating to read.
What’s even more frustrating is when Stine lays solid ground work for an interesting twist like if it was the sister who was playing these two girls off each other so she could swoop in and take the boy, proving once and for all that she isn’t as unattractive and undesirable as her sister claims, but then goes with the more expected “I did it all to myself,” path.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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