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Stinetinglers #2
Stinetinglers 2: 10 MORE New Stories by the Master of Scary Tales
From R.L. Stine, the master of horror for young readers, comes ten new stories that are sure to send a shiver down your spine. Two kids embark on a field trip to the zoo...and stumble upon a creature they never expected to meet. A boy makes a machine that puts kids in charge...but at what cost? A child is sure his new house is haunted...but is it just in his head? And each story comes with a personal introduction from Stine himself.
Laced with Stine’s signature humor and a hefty dose of nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers 2 is perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books who want even more scares. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s epic legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. Dive in, and beware: you might be sleeping with the lights on tonight!
Laced with Stine’s signature humor and a hefty dose of nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers 2 is perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books who want even more scares. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s epic legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. Dive in, and beware: you might be sleeping with the lights on tonight!
Audible Audio
First published August 29, 2023
22 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,679 books18.6k 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 108 reviews
September 22, 2023
It seems "Stinetinglers" may be an annual tradition: ten spooky tales to chill the spine and mystify the imagination, just in time for Halloween.
I've long preached that Stine is an exceptional short story writer. Arguably his short stories are better than the longer books. Certainly last year's Stinetinglers was a memorable collection of top-notch Twilight-Zone-for-Kids creepers. This year's collection isn't quite as good, but still far from bad.
Goosebumps fans will delight in a new adventure featuring lawn gnomes, as eerily depicted on the cover. There are also a number of twisty revenge stories that are quite satisfying--deeper emotional dilemmas too than we typically see. Stine's best character is a cleptomaniac kid who finally gets what he deserves when he mistakenly steals a monster egg.
Another highlight involves an invention gone awry. Kids celebrate gaining entry into a world where they have all the power and adults have to worry about being grounded. I enjoyed the way Stine depicted kids casually making world-changing inventions in the family garage. It's inspiring, even if the invention ends up being a nightmare.
Overall, if you haven't read the first Stinetinglers yet, that's the better place to start if you want creepy stories to read over spooky season. After that, definitely jump right into volume two as there are plenty more frights to enjoy.
I've long preached that Stine is an exceptional short story writer. Arguably his short stories are better than the longer books. Certainly last year's Stinetinglers was a memorable collection of top-notch Twilight-Zone-for-Kids creepers. This year's collection isn't quite as good, but still far from bad.
Goosebumps fans will delight in a new adventure featuring lawn gnomes, as eerily depicted on the cover. There are also a number of twisty revenge stories that are quite satisfying--deeper emotional dilemmas too than we typically see. Stine's best character is a cleptomaniac kid who finally gets what he deserves when he mistakenly steals a monster egg.
Another highlight involves an invention gone awry. Kids celebrate gaining entry into a world where they have all the power and adults have to worry about being grounded. I enjoyed the way Stine depicted kids casually making world-changing inventions in the family garage. It's inspiring, even if the invention ends up being a nightmare.
Overall, if you haven't read the first Stinetinglers yet, that's the better place to start if you want creepy stories to read over spooky season. After that, definitely jump right into volume two as there are plenty more frights to enjoy.
August 10, 2023
#1 Stinetinglers ★★★★☆
#2 Stinetinglers 2 ★★★☆☆
This one unfortunately wasn't as much fun as the first Stinetinglers collection, but I still enjoyed it! I think I might have liked it more if I'd read it visually instead of listening to the audiobook. The narrators were a mixed bag and the quality was subpar. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't recommend the audiobook and would definitely suggest grabbing a physical or e-copy instead!
These stories just weren't as much fun as the stories in the first collection, either. They didn't feel quite as spooky or over-the-top as you'd typically expect from Stine!
Thank you to the publisher and LibroFM for the audio review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
✨ Content warnings for:
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March 6, 2023
I read every R. L. Stine book I could get my hands on as a kid. This collection of ten new short stories is the perfect blast of nostalgia. I love that the author writes a little bit about how he was inspired for the story or something in his life he relates to the story. It makes it a little extra cool for me. Especially since I listened to the first Stinetinglers book and he reads those so when I read this one I read those in his voice. I liked these stories even better than the first collection. I thought they were fun and full of good moral lessons. I really liked Kids Rule and a Bad Birthday Party the most, but I honestly enjoyed all of the stories. They were the perfect blend of reality with just a little bit of spooky thrown in. It’s nice to know that R. L. Stine remains an author I can enjoy.
September 20, 2023
2.5⭐
Sadly, this was another mediocre outing of short stories from Stine. Too much familiarity and predictability.
My favorite story in here was Lost and Found (4⭐)
My least favorite story was Spider Salad (2⭐)
Sadly, this was another mediocre outing of short stories from Stine. Too much familiarity and predictability.
My favorite story in here was Lost and Found (4⭐)
My least favorite story was Spider Salad (2⭐)
May 21, 2024
A book of ten new spooky tales! This follows the same format as the first book where RL Stine tells a personal anecdote before each tale noting what his inspiration was. Nostalgia at its finest!
☘️Lucky Me: As someone who believes in good luck charms, this one was very relatable!
🧙🏻♂️Lost and Found: This one gives a whole new meaning to ‘endangered species’
🐶 Mind Blowers: The grass isn’t always greener on the other side - especially if there is a dog.
⏱️ The Stopwatch: A different perspective on a tale from the first book. I agree with him- time is a fascinating theme to explore!
🪞Kids Rule: A two-way mirror that might only have one-way in….
🕷️ Spider Salad: This had me squirming as if I was covered in spiders!
👻 The Ghost in the Wall: House sounds can scare anybody - no matter what age!
🥚The Thief: I love these sort of science fiction stories!
🎉 A Bad Birthday Party: Be careful who you neglect…
🎪 What’s In the Claw Machine: Everyone loves a tale about games gone wrong !
☘️Lucky Me: As someone who believes in good luck charms, this one was very relatable!
🧙🏻♂️Lost and Found: This one gives a whole new meaning to ‘endangered species’
🐶 Mind Blowers: The grass isn’t always greener on the other side - especially if there is a dog.
⏱️ The Stopwatch: A different perspective on a tale from the first book. I agree with him- time is a fascinating theme to explore!
🪞Kids Rule: A two-way mirror that might only have one-way in….
🕷️ Spider Salad: This had me squirming as if I was covered in spiders!
👻 The Ghost in the Wall: House sounds can scare anybody - no matter what age!
🥚The Thief: I love these sort of science fiction stories!
🎉 A Bad Birthday Party: Be careful who you neglect…
🎪 What’s In the Claw Machine: Everyone loves a tale about games gone wrong !
September 23, 2025
I figured Stinetinglers 2 would be perfect for spooky season as this is usually the time of the year I read alot of the anthologies I own.I didn't know what tonexpect with this selection of stories.I remember thinking the first was ok,but I'll definitely have to recheck my previous review.Lets jump into the stories
Lucky Me-This one follows this kid that gets a shamrock Goodluck charm that says Lucky Charm on the back.The main protagonist gets this as a gift for his parents birthday,as they have the same birthday.The dad begins wearing it,but bad things begin to happen.The main character gets hit by a car,their dog runs away and the dad loses his job.This one was a really solid start in my opinion.i usually don't love these type of books,but this one was pretty serious,but had some,what I assume is unintentional humor.The twist is fun.It reminded me of Full Moon Fever from Series 2000 I give it a four out of five stars.
Lost And Found- This one follows these two kids goong to a zoo on a school trip.The end up sneaking off and getting lost and discovering an "endangered species".This one I didn't like at first,but the real surprised me with what the kids found and how dangerous these things were.It felt like a sequel or something to another Goosebumps book.I give it a three out of five stars.
Mind Blowers-this one was a body swapping story.It was basically Why I'm Afraid Of Bees only he gets turned into something else and that's the twist.Two out of five stars.
The Stopwatch-This one follows a kid that gets a Stopwatch from his uncle.It turns out it stops more then just time.It stops bullies,and this mean old neighbor.This one was fun For what it was.I give it a three out of five stars.
Kids Rule-This one is about this kid that is working on an invention .It's basically a mirror ,that reverses the real world.So in the mirror world,the parents apologize for not getting chores done and stuff.There is even a mean neighbor who is nice.I liked this one as well.I give it a four out of five stars.
Spider Salad-This one is about a kid that is terrified of spiders.He has his own room outside of his house.Its basically a man cave,but he calls it a me cave.He gets pranked with spiders from his friends.They put them in his salad one day at lunch and dump a whole terrarium full of them on him.Throughout the story his friends want to go inside his me-cave,but he dosnt let them.He keeps claiming when people ask what's inside that he has his collection in there.This one was predictable,but in the worst way possible.The twist made no sense.This was the worst story here in my opinion.I give it a two out of five stars.
The Ghost In The Wall-this follows a kid who thinks his new house is haunted.He is constantly picked on by his cousin who comes to stay with him.Things begin to get weird,when a picture falls off the wall all by itself.His cousin sees this closet that has a loose panel and says thats where the ghost is.This one had a good,but confusing ending.I give it a four out of five stars.
The Theif-This one follows this kid that likes to steal things.He steals a phone from his friend,and a book from somebody else.One day his mom talked him to see some sea turtles and he steals an egg to do an experiment.He wants to film it for science or something.The turtle egg hatches and out comes this monster thing with six legs and three eyes and suction cups.It grows bigger and bigger.This one had the best ending,and I really liked that we got a monster story.I give this one a five out of five stars.
A Bad Birthday Party-this one follows a kid with no friends and everyone runs away from him.He states through the story he knows why they run from him.His dad owns a movie theatre, and there is this new movie coming out all of the kids in his class wants to see.So he invited them all for a birthday party.This one I was mixed on.I liked the reveal.I figured it would be something like what we got.I'm thankful Stine threw in a story with this in it.But I didn't feel like it made alot of sense.I give it a three out of five stars.
What's Inside The Claw Machine - This one follows two kids that grew up I'm a circus.They have a chimpanzee that is part of there act that loves bananas.They get a new Claw machine at their circus.One of the kids touch the inside of the machine and hw gets shrunk down and trapped inside.After this something happens,and it's hilarious.I gave this one a four out of five stars.
Overall I thought Stinetinglers was a fun little collection.Ill be honest I don't remember much from the first collection,but I think I liked this one more.I give it a four our of five stars.
Lucky Me-This one follows this kid that gets a shamrock Goodluck charm that says Lucky Charm on the back.The main protagonist gets this as a gift for his parents birthday,as they have the same birthday.The dad begins wearing it,but bad things begin to happen.The main character gets hit by a car,their dog runs away and the dad loses his job.This one was a really solid start in my opinion.i usually don't love these type of books,but this one was pretty serious,but had some,what I assume is unintentional humor.The twist is fun.It reminded me of Full Moon Fever from Series 2000 I give it a four out of five stars.
Lost And Found- This one follows these two kids goong to a zoo on a school trip.The end up sneaking off and getting lost and discovering an "endangered species".This one I didn't like at first,but the real surprised me with what the kids found and how dangerous these things were.It felt like a sequel or something to another Goosebumps book.I give it a three out of five stars.
Mind Blowers-this one was a body swapping story.It was basically Why I'm Afraid Of Bees only he gets turned into something else and that's the twist.Two out of five stars.
The Stopwatch-This one follows a kid that gets a Stopwatch from his uncle.It turns out it stops more then just time.It stops bullies,and this mean old neighbor.This one was fun For what it was.I give it a three out of five stars.
Kids Rule-This one is about this kid that is working on an invention .It's basically a mirror ,that reverses the real world.So in the mirror world,the parents apologize for not getting chores done and stuff.There is even a mean neighbor who is nice.I liked this one as well.I give it a four out of five stars.
Spider Salad-This one is about a kid that is terrified of spiders.He has his own room outside of his house.Its basically a man cave,but he calls it a me cave.He gets pranked with spiders from his friends.They put them in his salad one day at lunch and dump a whole terrarium full of them on him.Throughout the story his friends want to go inside his me-cave,but he dosnt let them.He keeps claiming when people ask what's inside that he has his collection in there.This one was predictable,but in the worst way possible.The twist made no sense.This was the worst story here in my opinion.I give it a two out of five stars.
The Ghost In The Wall-this follows a kid who thinks his new house is haunted.He is constantly picked on by his cousin who comes to stay with him.Things begin to get weird,when a picture falls off the wall all by itself.His cousin sees this closet that has a loose panel and says thats where the ghost is.This one had a good,but confusing ending.I give it a four out of five stars.
The Theif-This one follows this kid that likes to steal things.He steals a phone from his friend,and a book from somebody else.One day his mom talked him to see some sea turtles and he steals an egg to do an experiment.He wants to film it for science or something.The turtle egg hatches and out comes this monster thing with six legs and three eyes and suction cups.It grows bigger and bigger.This one had the best ending,and I really liked that we got a monster story.I give this one a five out of five stars.
A Bad Birthday Party-this one follows a kid with no friends and everyone runs away from him.He states through the story he knows why they run from him.His dad owns a movie theatre, and there is this new movie coming out all of the kids in his class wants to see.So he invited them all for a birthday party.This one I was mixed on.I liked the reveal.I figured it would be something like what we got.I'm thankful Stine threw in a story with this in it.But I didn't feel like it made alot of sense.I give it a three out of five stars.
What's Inside The Claw Machine - This one follows two kids that grew up I'm a circus.They have a chimpanzee that is part of there act that loves bananas.They get a new Claw machine at their circus.One of the kids touch the inside of the machine and hw gets shrunk down and trapped inside.After this something happens,and it's hilarious.I gave this one a four out of five stars.
Overall I thought Stinetinglers was a fun little collection.Ill be honest I don't remember much from the first collection,but I think I liked this one more.I give it a four our of five stars.
March 7, 2023
I have always been and always will be an R.L. Stine fan. I've read his adult, teen, and children's stories and I love them all, so this was near and dear to my heart.
I am a fan of the short story form and Stine writes it really well. A few stood out more than others but this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I liked all of the stories, even if some of the adult characters got on my nerves- I love how sympathetic he makes the main characters even if you find out they are evil in the end!My favorites were The Stopwatch, What's in the Claw Machine, and The Bad Birthday Party.
Anyone looking for some fun short stories, maybe to read with kids or for themselves will love this collection. Maybe not as a bedtime story though! 😂
Thank you to NetGalley, Feiwel & Friends, and R.L. Stine for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I am a fan of the short story form and Stine writes it really well. A few stood out more than others but this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I liked all of the stories, even if some of the adult characters got on my nerves- I love how sympathetic he makes the main characters even if you find out they are evil in the end!My favorites were The Stopwatch, What's in the Claw Machine, and The Bad Birthday Party.
Anyone looking for some fun short stories, maybe to read with kids or for themselves will love this collection. Maybe not as a bedtime story though! 😂
Thank you to NetGalley, Feiwel & Friends, and R.L. Stine for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2023
Stinetinglers 2 is a collection of ten scary stories for young readers or for the young at heart. You don't have to be a kid to get a giggle or a shiver from these tales. The fast pace and relatable themes should engage even the most reluctant readers.
This is a collection intended for early to middle grades but you could read it to a younger child or have them read it to you.
I found it more enjoyable than the first volume of Stinetinglers.
Each story is prefaced with an anecdote that tells where the inspiration to write it came from.
The stories themselves are a lot of fun and show the consequences of borrowing things without permission, not being careful what you wish for, bullying, and more.
Whether you have a child who loves to read or you are hoping to instill a love of reading in them you can't go wrong with Stinetinglers 2.
My thanks to Feiwel & Friends
This is a collection intended for early to middle grades but you could read it to a younger child or have them read it to you.
I found it more enjoyable than the first volume of Stinetinglers.
Each story is prefaced with an anecdote that tells where the inspiration to write it came from.
The stories themselves are a lot of fun and show the consequences of borrowing things without permission, not being careful what you wish for, bullying, and more.
Whether you have a child who loves to read or you are hoping to instill a love of reading in them you can't go wrong with Stinetinglers 2.
My thanks to Feiwel & Friends
October 11, 2023
Readers who love R.L. Stine’s popular, long-running Goosebumps series will enjoy Stinetinglers 2. It’s Goosebumps-lite, or should I say Goosebumps-short, since Stinetinglers 2 is a collection of scary short stories that channels Goosebumps genre and style.
The book features ten spine-tingling stories. Most are of the “what if” kind, such as what if you could change bodies with someone else for a day, what if kids were the boss of adults, or what if you’re terrified of ghosts and then find out you are one? Most of the stories offer a dash of humor, albeit somewhat dark at times, but nothing a middle-grade or older reader can’t handle.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the story intros, where the author sets the stage for the upcoming story as well as offers a glimpse of where the story idea comes from. It’s an effective, personal touch to better connect with readers.
Obviously, Stinetinglers 2 is recommended reading for Goosebumps and soft-horror fans, but it also may appeal to reluctant readers intimidated by full-length books.
Many thanks to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book for review.
The book features ten spine-tingling stories. Most are of the “what if” kind, such as what if you could change bodies with someone else for a day, what if kids were the boss of adults, or what if you’re terrified of ghosts and then find out you are one? Most of the stories offer a dash of humor, albeit somewhat dark at times, but nothing a middle-grade or older reader can’t handle.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the story intros, where the author sets the stage for the upcoming story as well as offers a glimpse of where the story idea comes from. It’s an effective, personal touch to better connect with readers.
Obviously, Stinetinglers 2 is recommended reading for Goosebumps and soft-horror fans, but it also may appeal to reluctant readers intimidated by full-length books.
Many thanks to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book for review.
March 7, 2023
I enjoyed reading this book, I have always loved the books by R.L.Stine, it gives a feeling of nostalgia. I read this with my son and we bonded over this book, he loves goosebumps so it was a great to share this with him. It was filled with short stories that my son and I took turns reading. Such a marvelous spooky book.
September 28, 2025
Maybe it's the nostalgia talking, but all my favourite Goosebumps books had some kernel of truth to them, a wizened little heart that spoke to a real, earnestly held fear in my child-mind - and that continues to whisper to me now.
Or, they were just such batshit, far-out, ridiculous, mind-melting fun that I couldn't help but love them. Stinetinglers 2 didn't quite deliver on either of those fronts, but it was still a fun listen.
Thanks to Macmillion Audio and Libro.fm for the ALC!
Or, they were just such batshit, far-out, ridiculous, mind-melting fun that I couldn't help but love them. Stinetinglers 2 didn't quite deliver on either of those fronts, but it was still a fun listen.
Thanks to Macmillion Audio and Libro.fm for the ALC!
September 14, 2023
Another Stinetiglers book full of fun 10 short stories by the famous R.L. Stine.
So there are lucky charms, gnomes, a stopwatch, birthday wishes and soooo much more.
These stories were not as spooky as the first book but they were still so much fun to read.
I have loved R.L. Stine's books as a kid and still as an adult. These are made for middle schoolers but I love the Nostalgia feeling that I get from them and since I have been into his books I always have to read his new ones just because that's what I enjoy.
My favorite short story I think had to be The Ghost in the Wall.
I also really enjoyed that R.L. Stine talks a little bit before each new story. Such a great addition to this book. Kinda felt like The Slappy World books where Slappy talks a little bit in the book. So Awesome!
If you want some quick easy reads then this is a book to check out.
I am so glad that I was able to read this book (ARC) early, thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Above is my review which is honest and voluntary.
So there are lucky charms, gnomes, a stopwatch, birthday wishes and soooo much more.
These stories were not as spooky as the first book but they were still so much fun to read.
I have loved R.L. Stine's books as a kid and still as an adult. These are made for middle schoolers but I love the Nostalgia feeling that I get from them and since I have been into his books I always have to read his new ones just because that's what I enjoy.
My favorite short story I think had to be The Ghost in the Wall.
I also really enjoyed that R.L. Stine talks a little bit before each new story. Such a great addition to this book. Kinda felt like The Slappy World books where Slappy talks a little bit in the book. So Awesome!
If you want some quick easy reads then this is a book to check out.
I am so glad that I was able to read this book (ARC) early, thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. Above is my review which is honest and voluntary.
August 14, 2023
It’s hard to say who enjoyed this more: My husband and I or our kids.
This is a delightfully clever collection that isn’t truly scary but lets kids *feel* like they’re reading something scary.
There’s a touch of the eerie and some instances of haunting in these, but they’re really more karmic than anything, cautionary tales that the universe mostly corrects itself. There’s some “you get what’s coming to you” vibes to these, but mostly it’s subtler than that, more of a wink-nudge sense of irony than themes of outright revenge.
The humor is simple enough that kids will get it on their own, but also clever enough that it should delight adult readers as well. Even after all these years, Stine really seems to just get it, and really nails that difficult balance to strike between kids’ fascination with scary stuff and just how scared they can really handle being.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is a delightfully clever collection that isn’t truly scary but lets kids *feel* like they’re reading something scary.
There’s a touch of the eerie and some instances of haunting in these, but they’re really more karmic than anything, cautionary tales that the universe mostly corrects itself. There’s some “you get what’s coming to you” vibes to these, but mostly it’s subtler than that, more of a wink-nudge sense of irony than themes of outright revenge.
The humor is simple enough that kids will get it on their own, but also clever enough that it should delight adult readers as well. Even after all these years, Stine really seems to just get it, and really nails that difficult balance to strike between kids’ fascination with scary stuff and just how scared they can really handle being.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
July 31, 2024
Growing up with Goosebumps was amazing, so lately I’ve been reading pretty much everything that R.L. Stine has wrote. This book is filled with the classic twists and turns, humors, and creep level as his usual writing. It also contains ten different short stories that all come with a preface to how the story came to life and also a cool illustration relating to the story you’re about to read. I have nothing bad to say about this book, if you like R.L. Stine and his writing, definitely worth giving a try, it’s good!
There are stories about all different things in the book. From getting lost at the zoo, ghosts, birthday parties, claw machines, and even stolen turtle eggs. Each story is unique and has its own spooky factor about it. They are just fun, cool, twisted short stories that are an easily enjoyable.
There are stories about all different things in the book. From getting lost at the zoo, ghosts, birthday parties, claw machines, and even stolen turtle eggs. Each story is unique and has its own spooky factor about it. They are just fun, cool, twisted short stories that are an easily enjoyable.
September 19, 2024
I went with the audio for this one. It had a multi-narrator cast, mostly based on the perspective of the story, and they were pretty much all solid.
This is 10 new short stories from the master of middle grade horror. Again, I’m not really sure on the legality of these things, but I’m always left wondering why all of his stories aren’t under the umbrella of Goosebumps. It’s his signature style anyway.
With that being said, these 10 are spooky, eerie, a little silly, and some even have a blend of scifi. Stine continues to prove that he has quite the imagination, and I loved that these featured an introduction for each story. The intros were even recorded by Stine too, and I love that their inspiration is mostly from his childhood experiences. I just can’t imagine writing that many stories, some of which feature similar ideas and plot lines. Like how do you keep track?
While I wouldn’t necessarily put these on the level of Tales to Give You Goosebumps or the somewhat longer shorts in Goosebumps Triple Header 1, these are still enjoyable stories for a quick little read. I love their covers too.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-stinet...
This is 10 new short stories from the master of middle grade horror. Again, I’m not really sure on the legality of these things, but I’m always left wondering why all of his stories aren’t under the umbrella of Goosebumps. It’s his signature style anyway.
With that being said, these 10 are spooky, eerie, a little silly, and some even have a blend of scifi. Stine continues to prove that he has quite the imagination, and I loved that these featured an introduction for each story. The intros were even recorded by Stine too, and I love that their inspiration is mostly from his childhood experiences. I just can’t imagine writing that many stories, some of which feature similar ideas and plot lines. Like how do you keep track?
While I wouldn’t necessarily put these on the level of Tales to Give You Goosebumps or the somewhat longer shorts in Goosebumps Triple Header 1, these are still enjoyable stories for a quick little read. I love their covers too.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-stinet...
April 16, 2023
This was a really fun read! I always love Stine's stories and what I especially love about this collection is that he always includes a little insight into why he wrote each story.
October 22, 2025
I enjoyed this audiobook. I didn’t care for as many stories this time around. My faves were Lucky Me, Lost and Found, Kids Rule, and Ghost in the Wall.
March 5, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the advanced copy.
R.L. Stine is one of the top-most people responsible for my love of horror, both reading and writing it (along with Alvin Schwartz, of course). While I mostly read more adult horror these days, there's something so warm and nostalgic about cracking open a scary children's book by R.L. Stine.
Stinetinglers 2 features ten new short stories. It's a bit funny at times when I'm reminded these are new, modern Stine stories by random mentions of YouTube and Netflix, but then a few sentences later he'll write "capture on video" or "I started the Minecraft game" which sounds odd for a kid in 2023 to say. I found it charming, though - Stine is 79 years old, after all, and I'm dreading the day we'll no longer get new Stine stories so I don't want to be too hard on him. He at least does better than King when writing kids lol
Also, before each story is a little note from the author, which is usually an anecdote from his childhood that he supplies as the inspiration for the story you're about to read. This is a very Stine thing to do and I loved it, but then I'm a writer and I find it fascinating to hear from other writers about what inspired them or a particular story of theirs.
Some of my favorites of the bunch include:
Lost and Found - super fun and genuinely creepy! Two girls get lost at the zoo and encounter some creatures they wish they hadn't, which I'm deliberately not spoiling as it took even me by surprise lol I think kids will really love this one.
Mind Blowers - a creepy Freaky Friday-esque story with some cool sci-fi (reminiscent of the horror movie Possessor). A little disappointed the doc wasn't a villain, but still very enjoyable. I think the idea behind this one would make for a good full-length Goosebumps, especially with that classic ending!
The Stopwatch - Stine got a little too real here, with the voice of the protagonist coming through very strong and authentic. It almost felt more like I was reading Stephen King here, which was an odd feeling, but wow was this one good. A seriously scary standout.
A Bad Birthday Party - this was just sad until it got weird. The twist isn't out of left field but it was still so weird and so goofy. Loved the ending lol
I'm unsure if it's intentional (assuming it is) but there are some recurring settings and themes: luck, time, zoos, and, strangely, salami pizza. Overall this was a great bunch of horror shorts for kids that I'm sure they'll all love - and you will too, if you grew up a Stine fan like me!
R.L. Stine is one of the top-most people responsible for my love of horror, both reading and writing it (along with Alvin Schwartz, of course). While I mostly read more adult horror these days, there's something so warm and nostalgic about cracking open a scary children's book by R.L. Stine.
Stinetinglers 2 features ten new short stories. It's a bit funny at times when I'm reminded these are new, modern Stine stories by random mentions of YouTube and Netflix, but then a few sentences later he'll write "capture on video" or "I started the Minecraft game" which sounds odd for a kid in 2023 to say. I found it charming, though - Stine is 79 years old, after all, and I'm dreading the day we'll no longer get new Stine stories so I don't want to be too hard on him. He at least does better than King when writing kids lol
Also, before each story is a little note from the author, which is usually an anecdote from his childhood that he supplies as the inspiration for the story you're about to read. This is a very Stine thing to do and I loved it, but then I'm a writer and I find it fascinating to hear from other writers about what inspired them or a particular story of theirs.
Some of my favorites of the bunch include:
Lost and Found - super fun and genuinely creepy! Two girls get lost at the zoo and encounter some creatures they wish they hadn't, which I'm deliberately not spoiling as it took even me by surprise lol I think kids will really love this one.
Mind Blowers - a creepy Freaky Friday-esque story with some cool sci-fi (reminiscent of the horror movie Possessor). A little disappointed the doc wasn't a villain, but still very enjoyable. I think the idea behind this one would make for a good full-length Goosebumps, especially with that classic ending!
The Stopwatch - Stine got a little too real here, with the voice of the protagonist coming through very strong and authentic. It almost felt more like I was reading Stephen King here, which was an odd feeling, but wow was this one good. A seriously scary standout.
A Bad Birthday Party - this was just sad until it got weird. The twist isn't out of left field but it was still so weird and so goofy. Loved the ending lol
I'm unsure if it's intentional (assuming it is) but there are some recurring settings and themes: luck, time, zoos, and, strangely, salami pizza. Overall this was a great bunch of horror shorts for kids that I'm sure they'll all love - and you will too, if you grew up a Stine fan like me!
July 6, 2023
Following-up the 2022 middle grade collection, Stinetinglers, R. L. Stine returns with another ten stories that pit kids against the uncanny: Stinetinglers 2.
"Lucky Me" finds young Chuck Lucky chancing upon a lucky charm that may well give his family the boost they need. But why does his parents' luck seem to be taking a turn for the worse since he's given it to them? Is it cursed? Maybe broken? If the latter, can it be fixed before it's too late?
In "Lost and Found," best friends Rosie and Audra ditch their field trip companions at the zoo for a little personal exploration time. Soon enough, they find themselves caught in danger's way. While escaping that, they wind up in a secret part of the zoo, which is not a home to an attraction but to something that wants to remain hidden. Can the girls escape this small but nevertheless dangerous threat before it silences them forever?
"Mind Blowers" is a tale of weird science body swapping, which gives small-for-his-age Skippy Simon a chance to grow six inches by trading bodies with soccer team star Hardy Harper for twenty-four hours. What could possibly go wrong? Well, maybe there's more to a sports champion than the body alone …
When consistently tardy and bullied Eli Fortunato is given a surprise gift by his beloved uncle, he discovers it has the supernatural power to stop time for everyone around him. He remains unaffected and can interact with the world just fine. Can he use this to catch up on his life and pull one over on the Vossel twins, or will "The Stopwatch" and its strange power turn against him?
Sonny Russell and his best friends Enrico and Bert are tired of parents, mean neighbors, and other adults making all the rules. When he builds a magic mirror that allows them access to a flipped world where kids have the power, they find themselves charmed and then terrified. Will they return home, or are they trapped forever in a place where "Kids Rule?"
Van Siderman has strong reactions to spiders. When his best friends Ari Becker and Lindy-Sue take advantage of this, teasing or bullying him under the guise of "helping him," he plots revenge. What form that revenge takes is surprisingly nasty in the squirm-worthy horrors of "Spider Salad."
After Joe and his family move into a new house, he starts to hear strange things and see eerie presences in his room. Is the house haunted or is this just a manifestation of his ghost obsession? Joe believes it is the former, and searches for the culprit. If he can he find "The Ghost in the Wall," what can Joe do to convince it to leave him alone?
Carlo Boyle collects things … and they don't necessarily belong to him. Sometimes these items are other people's belongings, such as the phone his school chum forgot he loaned out. Sometimes they are trinkets he finds. After witnessing turtles hatching at the Nantucket Sound, he gets the idea to take one home. However, he and his best friend Kira soon learn the error of their ways when the egg hatches … and what's inside is not what they were expecting. "The Thief" is a monster of a yarn with an out of this world conclusion.
No one wants to hang out or play with Jimmy Lupo other than his cousin Lucy Wolfe. He misses out on birthday invitations, he's given lousy excuses, and he's excluded. So, he plots a way to get back at these folks. Can Lucy talk him out of the plan to host "A Bad Birthday Party" before it is too late?
When Mary-Jane "MJ" Rice and her fellow carnival kid and friend Teddy are given the opportunity to test out a brand new claw machine, they soon discover that it's not as easy to win the prizes as it might appear. Can the machine itself be thwarting their efforts or is it just malfunctioning? When Teddy tries to fiddle with the interior, he vanishes … and she soon learns the truth. "What's in the Claw Machine?" Something evil …
R. L. Stine's Goosebumps was a surprise hit way back in the day, and although he'd made a career on the Fear Street titles as well as other YA horror entries before that (Blind Date, the first novel released under the R. L. Stine name, was a part of the seminal Point Horror line. The author would be a regular contributor to that line from 1986-1995), the middle grade books provided a boost to his career. Television adaptations came in the wake of those books as well as a movie starring Jack Black and a sequel that does not. In many ways, the Goosebump books defined middle grade horror for the 90s and the 00s, by virtue of being the most popular and widely read entries in that market. Stine has returned to the form over the years, with The Nightmare Room and Mostly Ghostly series and numerous revamps and returns to Goosebumps via Goosebumps Horrorland, Goosebumps SlappyWorld, and other lines. The Stinetinglers are his latest additions, differentiated by the fact that they offer short stories instead of full length chapter books. Regular readers of Stine might recall the Tales to Give You Goosebumps series of collections. The Stinetinglers are in that mold.
The stories are not necessarily written with an eye toward deathless prose. The sentences are polished with an eye toward ease of reading, and a clear conveyance of information. Mood and atmosphere are interwoven into the descriptions, and there are some squirm-worthy or gross moments, but they are never gratuitous or gory. Each of the stories builds to a twist ending, much like jokes build to a punchline. As a reader in my forties, there was little that was unpredictable here, but I still found myself smiling at the way Stine would conclude some of these yarns. The tales blend humor and fright, often tackling real world issues in the guise of fiction.
Each of the stories is accompanied by an autobiographical introduction, where the author briefly touches upon his inspirations for the tale that follows. These provide some insights into Stine's own youth and creative process. They also give a hint of what is to follow, but they never spoil the story itself.
As well, each story is accompanied by an illustration. These are often eerie things, including renditions of moments from the yarn to come as well as the occasional metaphoric encapsulation.
Stinetinglers 2 offers a good cross section of the style of stories Stine made his reputation on. There are moody creep-outs, gentle gross-outs, and eerie events aplenty with characters that middle grade readers can easily connect with. None of the stories are too disturbing (though the spider one might trigger a stronger response from those suffering arachnophobia), and for adult readers they are clever tales told in the Saki tradition. Sure, the twist endings will only be mind-blowing for the younger readers they are aiming for, but the book itself is an entertaining enough read for all ages.
#
Special thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
"Lucky Me" finds young Chuck Lucky chancing upon a lucky charm that may well give his family the boost they need. But why does his parents' luck seem to be taking a turn for the worse since he's given it to them? Is it cursed? Maybe broken? If the latter, can it be fixed before it's too late?
In "Lost and Found," best friends Rosie and Audra ditch their field trip companions at the zoo for a little personal exploration time. Soon enough, they find themselves caught in danger's way. While escaping that, they wind up in a secret part of the zoo, which is not a home to an attraction but to something that wants to remain hidden. Can the girls escape this small but nevertheless dangerous threat before it silences them forever?
"Mind Blowers" is a tale of weird science body swapping, which gives small-for-his-age Skippy Simon a chance to grow six inches by trading bodies with soccer team star Hardy Harper for twenty-four hours. What could possibly go wrong? Well, maybe there's more to a sports champion than the body alone …
When consistently tardy and bullied Eli Fortunato is given a surprise gift by his beloved uncle, he discovers it has the supernatural power to stop time for everyone around him. He remains unaffected and can interact with the world just fine. Can he use this to catch up on his life and pull one over on the Vossel twins, or will "The Stopwatch" and its strange power turn against him?
Sonny Russell and his best friends Enrico and Bert are tired of parents, mean neighbors, and other adults making all the rules. When he builds a magic mirror that allows them access to a flipped world where kids have the power, they find themselves charmed and then terrified. Will they return home, or are they trapped forever in a place where "Kids Rule?"
Van Siderman has strong reactions to spiders. When his best friends Ari Becker and Lindy-Sue take advantage of this, teasing or bullying him under the guise of "helping him," he plots revenge. What form that revenge takes is surprisingly nasty in the squirm-worthy horrors of "Spider Salad."
After Joe and his family move into a new house, he starts to hear strange things and see eerie presences in his room. Is the house haunted or is this just a manifestation of his ghost obsession? Joe believes it is the former, and searches for the culprit. If he can he find "The Ghost in the Wall," what can Joe do to convince it to leave him alone?
Carlo Boyle collects things … and they don't necessarily belong to him. Sometimes these items are other people's belongings, such as the phone his school chum forgot he loaned out. Sometimes they are trinkets he finds. After witnessing turtles hatching at the Nantucket Sound, he gets the idea to take one home. However, he and his best friend Kira soon learn the error of their ways when the egg hatches … and what's inside is not what they were expecting. "The Thief" is a monster of a yarn with an out of this world conclusion.
No one wants to hang out or play with Jimmy Lupo other than his cousin Lucy Wolfe. He misses out on birthday invitations, he's given lousy excuses, and he's excluded. So, he plots a way to get back at these folks. Can Lucy talk him out of the plan to host "A Bad Birthday Party" before it is too late?
When Mary-Jane "MJ" Rice and her fellow carnival kid and friend Teddy are given the opportunity to test out a brand new claw machine, they soon discover that it's not as easy to win the prizes as it might appear. Can the machine itself be thwarting their efforts or is it just malfunctioning? When Teddy tries to fiddle with the interior, he vanishes … and she soon learns the truth. "What's in the Claw Machine?" Something evil …
R. L. Stine's Goosebumps was a surprise hit way back in the day, and although he'd made a career on the Fear Street titles as well as other YA horror entries before that (Blind Date, the first novel released under the R. L. Stine name, was a part of the seminal Point Horror line. The author would be a regular contributor to that line from 1986-1995), the middle grade books provided a boost to his career. Television adaptations came in the wake of those books as well as a movie starring Jack Black and a sequel that does not. In many ways, the Goosebump books defined middle grade horror for the 90s and the 00s, by virtue of being the most popular and widely read entries in that market. Stine has returned to the form over the years, with The Nightmare Room and Mostly Ghostly series and numerous revamps and returns to Goosebumps via Goosebumps Horrorland, Goosebumps SlappyWorld, and other lines. The Stinetinglers are his latest additions, differentiated by the fact that they offer short stories instead of full length chapter books. Regular readers of Stine might recall the Tales to Give You Goosebumps series of collections. The Stinetinglers are in that mold.
The stories are not necessarily written with an eye toward deathless prose. The sentences are polished with an eye toward ease of reading, and a clear conveyance of information. Mood and atmosphere are interwoven into the descriptions, and there are some squirm-worthy or gross moments, but they are never gratuitous or gory. Each of the stories builds to a twist ending, much like jokes build to a punchline. As a reader in my forties, there was little that was unpredictable here, but I still found myself smiling at the way Stine would conclude some of these yarns. The tales blend humor and fright, often tackling real world issues in the guise of fiction.
Each of the stories is accompanied by an autobiographical introduction, where the author briefly touches upon his inspirations for the tale that follows. These provide some insights into Stine's own youth and creative process. They also give a hint of what is to follow, but they never spoil the story itself.
As well, each story is accompanied by an illustration. These are often eerie things, including renditions of moments from the yarn to come as well as the occasional metaphoric encapsulation.
Stinetinglers 2 offers a good cross section of the style of stories Stine made his reputation on. There are moody creep-outs, gentle gross-outs, and eerie events aplenty with characters that middle grade readers can easily connect with. None of the stories are too disturbing (though the spider one might trigger a stronger response from those suffering arachnophobia), and for adult readers they are clever tales told in the Saki tradition. Sure, the twist endings will only be mind-blowing for the younger readers they are aiming for, but the book itself is an entertaining enough read for all ages.
#
Special thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2023
Lately, YA and Middle Grade horror have been both comfort food and palate cleanser. Somehow a lot of it passed me by as a kid. Which is okay because I'm getting an exceptional amount of joy out of reading so much of it as an adult. I've loved revisiting the older stuff. But I don't want to be a grouchy old millennial who thinks everything was better when I was a kid. Especially as we're in such a good time for YA and MG horror (and probably other genres but I don't read them much). Stinetinglers 2 (which I've been unable to find in searches because I kept reading it as "Spinetinglers" and thinking there was a conspiracy against one of the best-selling children's novelists of all time) hits the spot. Ten spooky tales, each with an author's intro, make up this collection. Each one has the charm and fun that has made RL Stine so beloved for decades. This book will be perfect for a kid just getting into horror or for a lifelong Stine reader.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for the advance copy!
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for the advance copy!
March 31, 2023
Two kids embark on a field trip to the zoo...and stumble upon a creature they never expected to meet. A boy makes a machine that puts kids in charge...but at what cost? A child is sure his new house is haunted...but is it just in his head? And each story comes with a personal introduction from Stine himself.
Description: Laced with Stine’s signature humor and a hefty dose of nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers 2 is perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books who want even more scares. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s epic legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. Dive in, and beware: you might be sleeping with the lights on tonight!
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book! RL Stine has been my go-to author since I was a child so I was so excited to read this one!!
And of course, RL Stine does it again!
Description: Laced with Stine’s signature humor and a hefty dose of nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers 2 is perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books who want even more scares. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s epic legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. Dive in, and beware: you might be sleeping with the lights on tonight!
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book! RL Stine has been my go-to author since I was a child so I was so excited to read this one!!
And of course, RL Stine does it again!
March 8, 2023
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
Stinetinglers 2 - Another 10 new short tales from R. L. Stine. Once again Stine brings us modernized Goosebumps-ish stories in short form. And again, the writing is a little more dynamic than the more formulaic series of the past, and with the short story format, they stay on point. Some are better than others, but for the most part they contain tongue-in-cheek humor and surprise twists. Fans of Stine, or even those new to his writing, should enjoy this book.
Stinetinglers 2 - Another 10 new short tales from R. L. Stine. Once again Stine brings us modernized Goosebumps-ish stories in short form. And again, the writing is a little more dynamic than the more formulaic series of the past, and with the short story format, they stay on point. Some are better than others, but for the most part they contain tongue-in-cheek humor and surprise twists. Fans of Stine, or even those new to his writing, should enjoy this book.
April 5, 2025
This was okay. None of the stories were super memorable except the claw machine one and maybe the one about the boy with no friends.. Worst Birthday Ever, I think? Another one felt like a direct rip off his own Goosebumps book that he wrote about the boy who turns into a bee.
But my daughter and I still shared a few laughs and the stories were the right length to get through in a night, which I appreciated.
But my daughter and I still shared a few laughs and the stories were the right length to get through in a night, which I appreciated.
March 3, 2023
Stinetinglers 2 brings 10 new stories from R.L. Stine. These were everything I expected from the author of Goosebumps and did not disappoint even though I haven't read Goosebumps in a long time. These stories continue to show how actions have consequences. My favorite story was the one where kids stepped into a mirror that reversed everything- including the roles of kids and adults. Overall, this is a great thrilling read for all ages. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital advanced copy!
March 5, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review!
I did enjoy this one more than the first one. All of the stories were interesting and had a good moral lesson to them. Some of the endings were goofy, but they had a goosebumps charm to them. I also like how RL Stine mentioned his inspiration for the stories at the beginning of each one. I’d recommend this for children who enjoy spooky stories or people chasing goosebumps nostalgia like me.
I did enjoy this one more than the first one. All of the stories were interesting and had a good moral lesson to them. Some of the endings were goofy, but they had a goosebumps charm to them. I also like how RL Stine mentioned his inspiration for the stories at the beginning of each one. I’d recommend this for children who enjoy spooky stories or people chasing goosebumps nostalgia like me.
May 10, 2023
A collection of stories, bite size tales of terror, from the ever iconic R.L Stine! As a huge fan of Stine, I had high hopes for this book and I wasn’t disappointed. Filled with creepy and weird stories, it is sure to thrill any kid or young adult who reads it.
August 16, 2024
Would have enjoyed as a kid.
January 21, 2024
Just like the first, an absolute blast. If you like Goosebumps, this is for you. It reads like ten snack size Goosebumps books.
October 19, 2023
I read this in preparation for a spooky stories program at the library, and my two main complaints are how dated the writing style is and how you couldn't tell most of the stories were scary until the last page or two, which isn't the vibe I'm going for.
October 31, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley, for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Stinetinglers 2 by R.L. Stine. I was thrilled to receive this copy for free in exchange for my honest review as I loved reading this author's Fear Street books growing up.
I was delighted with this book because it was super creepy for a kid's book, and it definitely put me in the mood for Halloween. I loved how many, if not all, the stories ended in a cliffhanger because it lets the readers mind wonder what happened.
Four out of five stars is what I gave Stinetinglers 2 by R.L. Stine. This is a great book for kids eight to twelve years old.
I was delighted with this book because it was super creepy for a kid's book, and it definitely put me in the mood for Halloween. I loved how many, if not all, the stories ended in a cliffhanger because it lets the readers mind wonder what happened.
Four out of five stars is what I gave Stinetinglers 2 by R.L. Stine. This is a great book for kids eight to twelve years old.
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