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Try Not To Die #1
Try Not to Die: At Grandma's House
Get ready for a heart-pounding, spine-tingling interactive experience.
In this horror story, you are David...
...a newly orphaned teenager determined to protect Sam, your tomboy sister,
and fight the evils lurking around every corner of... Grandma's house?
David and Sam survive a terrible accident, only to make it to the worst place in the Virginia mountains - Grandma's country cottage. Don't let the lace doilies and cups of tea fool you; you're sharing a home with terrifying creatures and an inescapable darkness.
Your life hangs in the balance with each decision, and the monsters know every closet, hidden door, and shadowy nook of the house. If you die, you take little Sam down into the grave beside you. Can you discover a way out of this innocent-looking hell hole before you get ripped to shreds?
Rediscover the joys of choosing your path inside this dark and twisted tale. Readers are calling Try Not to Die: At Grandma's House a true page-turner, and they can't get enough of this dark and twisted tale. It's a rollercoaster ride of fear and excitement that will leave you breathless until the very end.
Don't miss out on this unforgettable experience. Click the BUY button now and step inside Grandma's house if you dare.
In this horror story, you are David...
...a newly orphaned teenager determined to protect Sam, your tomboy sister,
and fight the evils lurking around every corner of... Grandma's house?
David and Sam survive a terrible accident, only to make it to the worst place in the Virginia mountains - Grandma's country cottage. Don't let the lace doilies and cups of tea fool you; you're sharing a home with terrifying creatures and an inescapable darkness.
Your life hangs in the balance with each decision, and the monsters know every closet, hidden door, and shadowy nook of the house. If you die, you take little Sam down into the grave beside you. Can you discover a way out of this innocent-looking hell hole before you get ripped to shreds?
Rediscover the joys of choosing your path inside this dark and twisted tale. Readers are calling Try Not to Die: At Grandma's House a true page-turner, and they can't get enough of this dark and twisted tale. It's a rollercoaster ride of fear and excitement that will leave you breathless until the very end.
Don't miss out on this unforgettable experience. Click the BUY button now and step inside Grandma's house if you dare.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 26, 2013
200 people are currently reading
682 people want to read
About the author
Mark Tullius
60 books1,295 followersMy writing covers a wide range, with fiction being my favorite to create, with two dozen or so titles under my belt. There are 18 titles in my YA interactive Try Not to Die series and 24 more in the works. I also have two nonfiction titles, both inspired by a reckless lifestyle, playing Ivy League football, and battering the hell out of my brain as an unsuccessful MMA fighter and boxer. Unlocking the Cage is the largest sociological study of MMA fighters to date and TBI or CTE aims to spread awareness and hope to others that suffer with traumatic brain injury symptoms.
I live in sunny California with my wife, two kids, five cats, and one demon. Derek. He makes special appearance on my social media
You can also get your 3 free books by signing up to my newsletter. This letter is only for the brave, or at least those brave enough to deal with bad dad jokes, a crude sense of humor, and loads and loads of death.
Derek and I would love to have you join us!
Here are all my links -
Newsletter - https://subscribepage.io/TulliusNews
https://youcanfollow.me/MarkTullius
I live in sunny California with my wife, two kids, five cats, and one demon. Derek. He makes special appearance on my social media
You can also get your 3 free books by signing up to my newsletter. This letter is only for the brave, or at least those brave enough to deal with bad dad jokes, a crude sense of humor, and loads and loads of death.
Derek and I would love to have you join us!
Here are all my links -
Newsletter - https://subscribepage.io/TulliusNews
https://youcanfollow.me/MarkTullius
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 18, 2025
It’s been years since I read a choose your own adventure book and I couldn’t had made a better choice. This is my first time reading this author and he has written a very great book. He truly has captured the concept of choose your own adventure books.
David and his little sister Sam are sent to their grandparents house after surviving a horrific accident. David is tasked with surviving by not being killed by his grandparents, also protecting his littler sister Sam who just likes to do her own thing. At times I really wanted to scream at the book because I truly feel David’s pain.
Reading this book on my kindle helped with the page turning and when I made the wrong decision I was able to go back to the last scene. This book is very forgiving when you make a wrong decision.
I’ll definitely have to be looking into more of these books. I miss these kinds of books very interactive and having to think on your feet.
David and his little sister Sam are sent to their grandparents house after surviving a horrific accident. David is tasked with surviving by not being killed by his grandparents, also protecting his littler sister Sam who just likes to do her own thing. At times I really wanted to scream at the book because I truly feel David’s pain.
Reading this book on my kindle helped with the page turning and when I made the wrong decision I was able to go back to the last scene. This book is very forgiving when you make a wrong decision.
I’ll definitely have to be looking into more of these books. I miss these kinds of books very interactive and having to think on your feet.
July 18, 2024
Fantastic concept but didn’t fully hit for me. Honestly thought I’d like this book a lot more.
Grew up reading the “Give Yourself Goosebumps” books by RL Stein and expected this to be an adult version of those. It honestly wasn’t. Even though it is labeled as horror, this read can be handled by a younger audience.
My main complaint with Try Not To Die At Grandmas is that it didn’t feel like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” novel. Whenever the reader is given a choice here, there is technically only one right way to pick. If you pick the wrong one, you’ll die on the next page or 2 and be told to try again. It got annoying because the “wrong” choices didn’t do anything. They didn’t give any additional story or develop the book any further. I get the series is “Try Not To Die” but I would have liked more different outcomes with choices. At the end of the day it didn’t feel like it mattered.
However, the concept is fun and I liked trying to guess which option the author “wanted me to pick”, but I didn’t feel like the choices did anything. Upon successfully getting to the end I was left thinking it was a cool concept with a below average story - averaging out to a 3/5 rating.
This is the first book in the series so I’m definitely going to give some of the other ones a chance. Some of those other titles sound interesting and have potential. Even if the next one doesn’t impress me either, I’ll still probably read a few more because these books are nostalgic and the gimmick is so damn fun.
Grew up reading the “Give Yourself Goosebumps” books by RL Stein and expected this to be an adult version of those. It honestly wasn’t. Even though it is labeled as horror, this read can be handled by a younger audience.
My main complaint with Try Not To Die At Grandmas is that it didn’t feel like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” novel. Whenever the reader is given a choice here, there is technically only one right way to pick. If you pick the wrong one, you’ll die on the next page or 2 and be told to try again. It got annoying because the “wrong” choices didn’t do anything. They didn’t give any additional story or develop the book any further. I get the series is “Try Not To Die” but I would have liked more different outcomes with choices. At the end of the day it didn’t feel like it mattered.
However, the concept is fun and I liked trying to guess which option the author “wanted me to pick”, but I didn’t feel like the choices did anything. Upon successfully getting to the end I was left thinking it was a cool concept with a below average story - averaging out to a 3/5 rating.
This is the first book in the series so I’m definitely going to give some of the other ones a chance. Some of those other titles sound interesting and have potential. Even if the next one doesn’t impress me either, I’ll still probably read a few more because these books are nostalgic and the gimmick is so damn fun.
August 26, 2025
4.5⭐️ (Rounded up)
Try Not to Die At Grandma’s House is a thrilling, fast-paced horror gamebook perfect for fans of slasher films or dark escape-room vibes. The audiobook format offers two reading modes: an interactive experience (choose-your-own-path) and a linear “survivor” option. This is the 1st book in the popular Try Not to Die franchise series and will resonate with readers who love “choose your own path” stories and emotional survival horror! There’s also a sequel, Try Not to Die Back at Grandma’s House, now available on Kindle, in paperback format, and on audio!
The story follows teenager David and younger sister Sam, who, after the sudden death of their parents, are sent to live with their grandparents in a remote house nestled deep in the Virginia mountains. The house holds dark secrets, and danger lurks around every corner. As David, the reader is forced to make critical decisions at the end of each short chapter, and there’s an urgent need to unravel what’s really happening in Grandma’s house. Only one narrow path of decisions leads to survival and escape!
In the physical book or audio “Interactive” mode, readers will navigate 41 chapters with branching choices at the end of each chapter. A wrong choice leads to a sudden, often gory death, while correct choices edge the reader closer to uncovering the mystery of what’s going on at Grandma’s house and surviving. Only one path leads to freedom, which is revealed in the "survival" mode of the audiobook—it’s recommended to listen only after successfully completing the story via the interactive mode. No matter which route you take, the narrative is fast-paced and adrenaline-driven from start to finish. When making choices, it’s important to pay close attention to how the choices are worded and the small details—in some chapters hints of bad outcomes are given, while in others detours are designed to fool you!
The isolated house setting, surrounded by a high fence to keep out dangerous predators, immediately sets a horrifying tone for this atmospheric story. The house sits in the remote Virginia mountains, far from neighbors, towns, or any quick escape—and the remoteness intensifies the danger for David and Sam! A grandmother’s home usually evokes feelings of comfort and nostalgia, but by making it threatening instead, the book adds a layer of unsettling psychological tension right from the siblings’ arrival. The house itself has so many unsettling features that heighten the siblings’s anxiety—narrow hallways, locked doors, windows that need to remain shut, and creaking staircases, almost feeling like a maze where one wrong step could be fatal!
David and his younger sister Sam are at the emotional heart of the story. Every choice the reader makes as David has additional weight because the outcome doesn’t just affect him—it affects Sam too! David is a cautious, thoughtful protagonist. Since the siblings are still processing the death of their parents, he feels it’s his job to look out for Sam. His decisions are an internal struggle between doing what's best for himself and what might keep her safe. In contrast, Sam is impulsive, headstrong, and curious—she’s not always as aware of the danger as David, and readers will need to tread carefully when she comes up with schemes or resists David’s help! Her childish outbursts sometimes make her seem younger than she is, but they also add more drama and tension to the story. The sibling bond adds a compelling layer to the story, and readers will definitely feel emotionally invested in their survival, adding extra hesitation to every branching choice!
Despite the characters being young, readers should be aware of the graphic content in some of the stomach-churning, gruesome death scenes when wrong choices are made. The book is marketed as adult horror, though its storyline is similar to teen-oriented survival horror, so it’s also suitable for older YA to adult readers. If reading the physical book or listening in the interactive mode, with well over a dozen ways to die, you’ll likely have multiple deaths before making it to the end. The final chapters are extremely fast-paced and filled with shocking reveals, pulse-pounding tension, and horrifying creatures that you won’t soon forget! The story has an open-ended conclusion, but this was likely intentional by the author to create anticipation for the sequel—and readers will be eager to read it immediately afterwards!
Overall, Try Not to Die At Grandma’s House is a modern, darker spin on traditional Choose Your Own Adventure style horror and will keep readers on edge and fully entertained from start to finish. The combination of nightmarish horror and the engrossing puzzle-like narrative will appeal to a wide range of readers. The companion audiobook is a fantastic reading option, and its “survivor” mode will appeal to readers who’d rather enjoy the story without the pressure of choices! Anyone who enjoys puzzle-like branching narratives and relishes the challenge of finding the right path amidst numerous deadly traps will absolutely love this book and series!
Try Not to Die At Grandma’s House is a thrilling, fast-paced horror gamebook perfect for fans of slasher films or dark escape-room vibes. The audiobook format offers two reading modes: an interactive experience (choose-your-own-path) and a linear “survivor” option. This is the 1st book in the popular Try Not to Die franchise series and will resonate with readers who love “choose your own path” stories and emotional survival horror! There’s also a sequel, Try Not to Die Back at Grandma’s House, now available on Kindle, in paperback format, and on audio!
The story follows teenager David and younger sister Sam, who, after the sudden death of their parents, are sent to live with their grandparents in a remote house nestled deep in the Virginia mountains. The house holds dark secrets, and danger lurks around every corner. As David, the reader is forced to make critical decisions at the end of each short chapter, and there’s an urgent need to unravel what’s really happening in Grandma’s house. Only one narrow path of decisions leads to survival and escape!
In the physical book or audio “Interactive” mode, readers will navigate 41 chapters with branching choices at the end of each chapter. A wrong choice leads to a sudden, often gory death, while correct choices edge the reader closer to uncovering the mystery of what’s going on at Grandma’s house and surviving. Only one path leads to freedom, which is revealed in the "survival" mode of the audiobook—it’s recommended to listen only after successfully completing the story via the interactive mode. No matter which route you take, the narrative is fast-paced and adrenaline-driven from start to finish. When making choices, it’s important to pay close attention to how the choices are worded and the small details—in some chapters hints of bad outcomes are given, while in others detours are designed to fool you!
The isolated house setting, surrounded by a high fence to keep out dangerous predators, immediately sets a horrifying tone for this atmospheric story. The house sits in the remote Virginia mountains, far from neighbors, towns, or any quick escape—and the remoteness intensifies the danger for David and Sam! A grandmother’s home usually evokes feelings of comfort and nostalgia, but by making it threatening instead, the book adds a layer of unsettling psychological tension right from the siblings’ arrival. The house itself has so many unsettling features that heighten the siblings’s anxiety—narrow hallways, locked doors, windows that need to remain shut, and creaking staircases, almost feeling like a maze where one wrong step could be fatal!
David and his younger sister Sam are at the emotional heart of the story. Every choice the reader makes as David has additional weight because the outcome doesn’t just affect him—it affects Sam too! David is a cautious, thoughtful protagonist. Since the siblings are still processing the death of their parents, he feels it’s his job to look out for Sam. His decisions are an internal struggle between doing what's best for himself and what might keep her safe. In contrast, Sam is impulsive, headstrong, and curious—she’s not always as aware of the danger as David, and readers will need to tread carefully when she comes up with schemes or resists David’s help! Her childish outbursts sometimes make her seem younger than she is, but they also add more drama and tension to the story. The sibling bond adds a compelling layer to the story, and readers will definitely feel emotionally invested in their survival, adding extra hesitation to every branching choice!
Despite the characters being young, readers should be aware of the graphic content in some of the stomach-churning, gruesome death scenes when wrong choices are made. The book is marketed as adult horror, though its storyline is similar to teen-oriented survival horror, so it’s also suitable for older YA to adult readers. If reading the physical book or listening in the interactive mode, with well over a dozen ways to die, you’ll likely have multiple deaths before making it to the end. The final chapters are extremely fast-paced and filled with shocking reveals, pulse-pounding tension, and horrifying creatures that you won’t soon forget! The story has an open-ended conclusion, but this was likely intentional by the author to create anticipation for the sequel—and readers will be eager to read it immediately afterwards!
Overall, Try Not to Die At Grandma’s House is a modern, darker spin on traditional Choose Your Own Adventure style horror and will keep readers on edge and fully entertained from start to finish. The combination of nightmarish horror and the engrossing puzzle-like narrative will appeal to a wide range of readers. The companion audiobook is a fantastic reading option, and its “survivor” mode will appeal to readers who’d rather enjoy the story without the pressure of choices! Anyone who enjoys puzzle-like branching narratives and relishes the challenge of finding the right path amidst numerous deadly traps will absolutely love this book and series!
June 12, 2024
A spooky (and very Final Destination) choose your own adventure of two kids who go to live with their grandparents.
I came across this one on Twitter? Maybe a blogger? And I just had to have it. Horror x choose your own adventures? Heck yeah!
😨Seeing how it all started for our two kids and what happened to them. It was definitely sad and shocking, and really set the tone of the book.
👻The grandparents were terrifying, though in the later parts I wasn’t sure if they were really that bad… So I am still on the fence. On the one hand I can see that they care, but on the other hand the things they do/say/how they act is just not good.
😱The bad endings? Well, prepare for Final Destination kind of deaths. For reals. I had NOT expected that given that I thought this was a MG/young YA. My stomach was NOT happy, haha. The details. YIKES (just to name one, the MC at one point falls of a branch… gets impaled on the fence below him as he lands with his jaw/neck on it and then more disgusting details pop up, yup). That is also what gave me some “fun” nightmares. Thanks.
😍The choose your own adventure part. That is what sold me next to the horror parts. You can get quite a few choices, a lot of them are bad endings, but there are some good ones as well. I liked that just by reading most of the choices you aren’t sure which will bring a good ending or a step in the right direction. Sometimes you can just read from the choices if something will go bad or not, but here at times I was like, wait will this lead to good or bad? I love that my Kindle was able to do this book, I have had a few of these books not work, which meant I had to map things out, thankfully not this one.
😀The characters were quite interesting, though I have to say that our MC didn’t really feel like 15/16? His sister felt more like 10-ish at times. But I did like both of them and how different they were. Our MC was more laid-back, more chill, whereas his sister was more gung-ho and went for things without always thinking about it.
🥰That cover is just so cool!
😮Seeing what the beast is, what the creatures are, and what grandpa is up to. In regards to the beast, I have to say that I had a suspicion early on. I won’t spoil it, but it wasn’t that hard to deduce.
🙀The last part of the story in which everything goes up a level and things get very harrow and scary.
😕I am not sure how I felt about the ending. After all this, I expected something grand, something WOW. Maybe there is another good ending that is hidden under everything, I tried going back and forth with each option, but maybe I just missed one.
But all in all, I am very happy with this book! It was spooky, creepy, scary, and you are constantly on your toes. What is going on in that house? I would recommend it!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I came across this one on Twitter? Maybe a blogger? And I just had to have it. Horror x choose your own adventures? Heck yeah!
😨Seeing how it all started for our two kids and what happened to them. It was definitely sad and shocking, and really set the tone of the book.
👻The grandparents were terrifying, though in the later parts I wasn’t sure if they were really that bad… So I am still on the fence. On the one hand I can see that they care, but on the other hand the things they do/say/how they act is just not good.
😱The bad endings? Well, prepare for Final Destination kind of deaths. For reals. I had NOT expected that given that I thought this was a MG/young YA. My stomach was NOT happy, haha. The details. YIKES (just to name one, the MC at one point falls of a branch… gets impaled on the fence below him as he lands with his jaw/neck on it and then more disgusting details pop up, yup). That is also what gave me some “fun” nightmares. Thanks.
😍The choose your own adventure part. That is what sold me next to the horror parts. You can get quite a few choices, a lot of them are bad endings, but there are some good ones as well. I liked that just by reading most of the choices you aren’t sure which will bring a good ending or a step in the right direction. Sometimes you can just read from the choices if something will go bad or not, but here at times I was like, wait will this lead to good or bad? I love that my Kindle was able to do this book, I have had a few of these books not work, which meant I had to map things out, thankfully not this one.
😀The characters were quite interesting, though I have to say that our MC didn’t really feel like 15/16? His sister felt more like 10-ish at times. But I did like both of them and how different they were. Our MC was more laid-back, more chill, whereas his sister was more gung-ho and went for things without always thinking about it.
🥰That cover is just so cool!
😮Seeing what the beast is, what the creatures are, and what grandpa is up to. In regards to the beast, I have to say that I had a suspicion early on. I won’t spoil it, but it wasn’t that hard to deduce.
🙀The last part of the story in which everything goes up a level and things get very harrow and scary.
😕I am not sure how I felt about the ending. After all this, I expected something grand, something WOW. Maybe there is another good ending that is hidden under everything, I tried going back and forth with each option, but maybe I just missed one.
But all in all, I am very happy with this book! It was spooky, creepy, scary, and you are constantly on your toes. What is going on in that house? I would recommend it!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
October 26, 2024
Remember the choose your own story books we had as a kid? Well, apparently there are some for adults too.
I really enjoyed this one, although I do feel like maybe it was more young adult, and I have recently discovered that I am an old adult (thanks to my 11 year old for letting me know). I am terrible at decision making, so I actually used a random number generator to help pick my choices, some went well, others led to the death of a character.
A fun read, and I look forward to reading the others.
I really enjoyed this one, although I do feel like maybe it was more young adult, and I have recently discovered that I am an old adult (thanks to my 11 year old for letting me know). I am terrible at decision making, so I actually used a random number generator to help pick my choices, some went well, others led to the death of a character.
A fun read, and I look forward to reading the others.
September 19, 2025
I received this book as a free download and really like the concept. I loved reading Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid.
This was fast-paced and action packed with lots of decisions to make. I didn’t love the ending I got, but the book could be re-read it for a different experience. I’d possibly read more from this author, however I feel like the TNTD series are targeted towards / best suited to a young teen audience. 3.5 ⭐️
This was fast-paced and action packed with lots of decisions to make. I didn’t love the ending I got, but the book could be re-read it for a different experience. I’d possibly read more from this author, however I feel like the TNTD series are targeted towards / best suited to a young teen audience. 3.5 ⭐️
December 3, 2023
I love a choose your own adventure! Took me right back to my childhood. Loads of ways to die, just one correct combination to get to the end without dying. I died numerous times, made some poor choices 😂 but wouldn’t have it any other way! The objective “Try Not To Die” Rachel’s objective, quick Rach, let’s try and die as many ways as possible before we get to the end! 😂
October 28, 2023
Not for Me
Interactive stories just aren’t for me! Great storyline but don’t like the premise of choosing and failing! Very creative though!
Interactive stories just aren’t for me! Great storyline but don’t like the premise of choosing and failing! Very creative though!
August 19, 2023
I love this whole TNTD series! I try to die on purpose just for the fun of it!
August 13, 2016
Wow. It's been a long time since I've read a book where I could choose my own story. I remember reading Escape from the Carnival of Horrors, Night in Werewolf Woods, and Scream of the Evil Genie as a pre-teen. I couldn't get enough of those books back when I was younger.
But I was a bit hesitant when I began this because I'm not a pre-teen anymore. I am older and therefore I thought it would be harder to become engrossed in these types of books. And now here I am. Engrossed.
I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did, honestly. I thought I'd run into a couple of dead ends because of my horrible decision-making skills, then maybe put the book down in frustration a couple of times, but I wasn't expecting anything like this.
I laughed, I was grossed out, and altogether entertained.
I actually went ahead and read every scenario until I reached the end. Grizzly deaths and all! Which is rare for me. I never did that while reading Give Yourself Goosebumps. It was just too infuriating for the younger me.
I guess with age comes patience.
And if there's anything I've learned from Try Not to Die, it's that I am still the world's worst decision-maker. Why must every other path I choose end in death?!
I don't have any real complaints, though. The death scenes weren't too disturbing, the writing wasn't choppy, and there weren't any characters I wanted to choke the life out of (always a good thing!).
The story was entertaining, the dialogue never once felt forced, and I would easily recommend this book to another reader.
Try Not to Die: At Grandma's House is well-written and I wouldn't hesitate in picking up the second book.
But I was a bit hesitant when I began this because I'm not a pre-teen anymore. I am older and therefore I thought it would be harder to become engrossed in these types of books. And now here I am. Engrossed.
I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did, honestly. I thought I'd run into a couple of dead ends because of my horrible decision-making skills, then maybe put the book down in frustration a couple of times, but I wasn't expecting anything like this.
I laughed, I was grossed out, and altogether entertained.
I actually went ahead and read every scenario until I reached the end. Grizzly deaths and all! Which is rare for me. I never did that while reading Give Yourself Goosebumps. It was just too infuriating for the younger me.
I guess with age comes patience.
And if there's anything I've learned from Try Not to Die, it's that I am still the world's worst decision-maker. Why must every other path I choose end in death?!
I don't have any real complaints, though. The death scenes weren't too disturbing, the writing wasn't choppy, and there weren't any characters I wanted to choke the life out of (always a good thing!).
The story was entertaining, the dialogue never once felt forced, and I would easily recommend this book to another reader.
Try Not to Die: At Grandma's House is well-written and I wouldn't hesitate in picking up the second book.
May 21, 2023
5✨
I loved this Try not to die horror story. I read through it making sure to choose the wrong choices first.
Each choice delivered. I didnt feel like there were any loose ends or rushed parts.
The characters were children, but I could relate to their choices and feelings.
The creature were fascinating, tbh. I would love AND hate to see one/hundred 🤪
I don’t recommend listening to this in Audio form. The true enjoyment comes from Choosing Your OWN Adventure.
The back of the book states: There is just one correct path.
My statement is just this: Try Not To Die at Grandma’s house!
I loved this Try not to die horror story. I read through it making sure to choose the wrong choices first.
Each choice delivered. I didnt feel like there were any loose ends or rushed parts.
The characters were children, but I could relate to their choices and feelings.
The creature were fascinating, tbh. I would love AND hate to see one/hundred 🤪
I don’t recommend listening to this in Audio form. The true enjoyment comes from Choosing Your OWN Adventure.
The back of the book states: There is just one correct path.
My statement is just this: Try Not To Die at Grandma’s house!
May 30, 2025
If you enjoyed choose your own adventure books as a kid, you will love the Try Not to Die series. And, if you don't enjoy those types of books, you can read the survivor version and it's still a great read.
David and his younger (but oh so spunky) sister, Sam, are forced to go live with their grandparents in West Virginia after their parents die in a horrific car wreck. Their older brother was living with the grandparents when he died and they are both skeptical about going there to live with Grandpa Joe (ex-military) and Grandma Barb. But, something strange is definitely going on in the woods and it's going to be tough to just survive!
The book is interactive, giving you several options at the end of each chapter. You choose and then you either survive or DIE! Once you lose your life, you are able to go to the right choice and continue reading. I lost track of how many bad choices I made, but I definitely enjoyed my gruesome demise each time!
The narrator, Joe Hempel, is one of my favorites and he did his usual great job with this one. Even listening to the audiobook, it was easy to navigate through the book by virtue of the prompts. You will definitely enjoy the one I look forward to revisiting Grandma's house to see what happens next!
David and his younger (but oh so spunky) sister, Sam, are forced to go live with their grandparents in West Virginia after their parents die in a horrific car wreck. Their older brother was living with the grandparents when he died and they are both skeptical about going there to live with Grandpa Joe (ex-military) and Grandma Barb. But, something strange is definitely going on in the woods and it's going to be tough to just survive!
The book is interactive, giving you several options at the end of each chapter. You choose and then you either survive or DIE! Once you lose your life, you are able to go to the right choice and continue reading. I lost track of how many bad choices I made, but I definitely enjoyed my gruesome demise each time!
The narrator, Joe Hempel, is one of my favorites and he did his usual great job with this one. Even listening to the audiobook, it was easy to navigate through the book by virtue of the prompts. You will definitely enjoy the one I look forward to revisiting Grandma's house to see what happens next!
March 6, 2024
DNF - Link Not Working
Usually I don’t rate DNF books, however there’s an issue present that has nothing to do with the written material that stopped me from finishing.
When Sam takes off into the woods to find Tim’s final resting place, we’re given three options. Two of them lead to dead ends, whereas the third routes the reader to the end of a different choice seemingly unrelated to the scene. Since the sections aren’t labeled with the choice made, it’s impossible to know where I was meant to land as a reader (without spoiling other options later in the story).
Taking this issue into consideration, I’ll rate based on what I could read.
Try Not To Die feels like an adult story written in the style of those old school choose your own adventure books. I LOVE THAT. Yes, some parts feel a bit stilted and rushed, but I FELT like each possible option was our lead trying to make decisions live in the moment. That “what if” scenario keeping them frozen in place more often than not, making up what MIGHT happen, unsure where to go next.
Fantastic idea, just wish I could’ve finished.
Usually I don’t rate DNF books, however there’s an issue present that has nothing to do with the written material that stopped me from finishing.
When Sam takes off into the woods to find Tim’s final resting place, we’re given three options. Two of them lead to dead ends, whereas the third routes the reader to the end of a different choice seemingly unrelated to the scene. Since the sections aren’t labeled with the choice made, it’s impossible to know where I was meant to land as a reader (without spoiling other options later in the story).
Taking this issue into consideration, I’ll rate based on what I could read.
Try Not To Die feels like an adult story written in the style of those old school choose your own adventure books. I LOVE THAT. Yes, some parts feel a bit stilted and rushed, but I FELT like each possible option was our lead trying to make decisions live in the moment. That “what if” scenario keeping them frozen in place more often than not, making up what MIGHT happen, unsure where to go next.
Fantastic idea, just wish I could’ve finished.
April 3, 2024
I recently had the pleasure of reading my first 'Try Not to Die' and I must say, it was an incredibly enjoyable experience. As a newcomer to this series, I was unsure of what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by the thrilling and engaging storyline. The author's ability to vividly bring the characters to life in my mind truly made the reading experience immersive and exciting.
I found myself on the edge of my seat during the many narrow escapes that David and Sam faced, feeling the adrenaline rush with each decision I had to make. Even when I made the wrong choice and met an untimely demise with Sam, I couldn't help but appreciate the unexpected twists and turns that kept me captivated throughout the book.
Overall, I can confidently say that 'Try Not to Die at Grandma's House' was a wonderful read that left me eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series. I am already looking forward to diving into my next 'TNTD' adventure and experiencing more thrilling escapades with these dynamic characters like these.
I found myself on the edge of my seat during the many narrow escapes that David and Sam faced, feeling the adrenaline rush with each decision I had to make. Even when I made the wrong choice and met an untimely demise with Sam, I couldn't help but appreciate the unexpected twists and turns that kept me captivated throughout the book.
Overall, I can confidently say that 'Try Not to Die at Grandma's House' was a wonderful read that left me eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series. I am already looking forward to diving into my next 'TNTD' adventure and experiencing more thrilling escapades with these dynamic characters like these.
September 25, 2024
This was better and worse than the average Choose Your Own Adventure book I've read. There is only one path that leads to actual survival. All others end in grisly and imaginative death. What I liked best about this was that at the end of each death there is a link to go back and make a new decision which will pop you out at the previous choice menu. So much easier than starting over from the beginning and trying to remember the steps you took before making such an awful decision. The negative to this book is that while the story is more detailed it also doesn't really make sense. Some major plot points are somewhat skipped over. Also, because there's only one ending the book is actually rather short. There's only so many choices you can make that lead to the true ending. After the interactive portion of the book the whole survivable story is presented so you can read it in its entirety. I wish there had been multiple options to survive so you could see different aspects of the story but is that worth giving up on details that make the story believable. Not sure yet.
October 28, 2024
This book is like Goosebumps, but for adults. Darker.
I LOVED Goosebumps as a kid, so this book was like a trip down memory lane. 🖤
I was on the egde of my seat the entire book. I truly felt like I was the main character, living through the fear and horrors that bestowed upon Tim and Sam. The plot of the story is ridiculously insane, from start to finish. The choices for the decisions were great, and at times, I struggled which decision to make.
But I do wish the "choices" you get to make resulted in more of an outcome. If you chose "wrong", you die, and go back and try again. So I get it, but I figured there'd be multiple options with literal differences in the outcome. But I had so much fun with this book!
I plan on reading the rest of the series.
I LOVED Goosebumps as a kid, so this book was like a trip down memory lane. 🖤
I was on the egde of my seat the entire book. I truly felt like I was the main character, living through the fear and horrors that bestowed upon Tim and Sam. The plot of the story is ridiculously insane, from start to finish. The choices for the decisions were great, and at times, I struggled which decision to make.
But I do wish the "choices" you get to make resulted in more of an outcome. If you chose "wrong", you die, and go back and try again. So I get it, but I figured there'd be multiple options with literal differences in the outcome. But I had so much fun with this book!
I plan on reading the rest of the series.
February 19, 2025
Een interactief verhaal, waarbij je zelf de keuze bepaalt die jij als hoofdpersoon maakt. Als je de verkeerde keuze maakt, ga je dood en mag je opnieuw proberen de juiste keuze te maken. Er is maar één correcte route door het boek.
Je keuze bepaalt daardoor niet hoe je verhaal verloopt, maar of je alle mogelijke doodlopende wegen hebt geprobeerd. En als je het boek uit hebt, denk je aan al die stukjes verhaal die je niet hebt gelezen door meteen de juiste keuze te maken. Best jammer.
Het verhaal zelf laat wel wat open eindjes over en flink wat zaken onverklaard. Misschien dat die in een van de vervolgen worden opgelost. Het doet maar een beetje af aan het plezier dat ik beleefde aan de gruwelijke verkeerde keuzes.
Je keuze bepaalt daardoor niet hoe je verhaal verloopt, maar of je alle mogelijke doodlopende wegen hebt geprobeerd. En als je het boek uit hebt, denk je aan al die stukjes verhaal die je niet hebt gelezen door meteen de juiste keuze te maken. Best jammer.
Het verhaal zelf laat wel wat open eindjes over en flink wat zaken onverklaard. Misschien dat die in een van de vervolgen worden opgelost. Het doet maar een beetje af aan het plezier dat ik beleefde aan de gruwelijke verkeerde keuzes.
May 31, 2025
I feel like I failed these kids here 🤣 I died too many times. Hopefully, I do a better job in the second book.
I thought hearing about David and Sam's reason for being with their grandparents was hard for me to read. I empathized with David in the beginning with the driving. I liked how protective David was and Sam made me smile with her personality. I could relate to their feelings about their brother Tim in the beginning, it made me connect with both of their characters.
I liked the setting of the grandparent's house, I would've been exploring just like they did after the warning they got and what they were hoping to find. It would be hard not to go back to the spot that they did. I liked the creatures, they sounded creepy. Especially what was inside of them.
I thought hearing about David and Sam's reason for being with their grandparents was hard for me to read. I empathized with David in the beginning with the driving. I liked how protective David was and Sam made me smile with her personality. I could relate to their feelings about their brother Tim in the beginning, it made me connect with both of their characters.
I liked the setting of the grandparent's house, I would've been exploring just like they did after the warning they got and what they were hoping to find. It would be hard not to go back to the spot that they did. I liked the creatures, they sounded creepy. Especially what was inside of them.
May 15, 2023
I loved this book and all of its nostalgic qualities.
I’ve often thought why isn’t there a choose your own adventure for adults, well there is and it’s this and it’s awesome!
I had so much fun reading this, and explaining to my niece what a choose your own adventure was. She is now hooked, as this is a book for all members of the family to enjoy and try to survive!
I can’t wait to get my hands on more of this series. They are perfect for when you want a fun light horror but still with a good storyline! Plus who doesn’t want to be a little more involved in the decision making and outcome of the stories they read!
I’ve often thought why isn’t there a choose your own adventure for adults, well there is and it’s this and it’s awesome!
I had so much fun reading this, and explaining to my niece what a choose your own adventure was. She is now hooked, as this is a book for all members of the family to enjoy and try to survive!
I can’t wait to get my hands on more of this series. They are perfect for when you want a fun light horror but still with a good storyline! Plus who doesn’t want to be a little more involved in the decision making and outcome of the stories they read!
December 15, 2024
2 siblings lose their parents in a terrible accident, they are put into the care of their grandparents who live out in the mountains. Nothing is right when they arrive, their grandparents act strangely, they aren't allowed outside after dark and there are monstrous creatures living in the woodland around them.
Their escape and survival is in your hands...will you make the right decisions to make it out of Grandmas house?
I really enjoyed the nostalgia of reading a choose your own ending book, its been such a long time since I have read anything like this and I would 100% give another of this "Try Not To Die" series a go. However this one was too young adult for me and perhaps a little more sci-fi than horror for my liking, its a 5 star concept but the story line wasn't to my taste which brought it down to a 3 star.
Their escape and survival is in your hands...will you make the right decisions to make it out of Grandmas house?
I really enjoyed the nostalgia of reading a choose your own ending book, its been such a long time since I have read anything like this and I would 100% give another of this "Try Not To Die" series a go. However this one was too young adult for me and perhaps a little more sci-fi than horror for my liking, its a 5 star concept but the story line wasn't to my taste which brought it down to a 3 star.
February 7, 2020
This was a lot of fun! I used to love those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books and this was just like that. I downloaded this on a free for kindle day deal and I’m glad I did. The story is suspenseful, a bit creepy, and I died a lot, but I’m glad that the “try again” and the choice options were set up like links that immediately took me back or to the next choice. I finally made it to the end and the story ended rather abruptly so I still want to know what happens next! I would enjoy reading another one of these.
September 4, 2021
I could not believe a “horror” story with a choose my own ending! I died a million deaths, and also found that my teens enjoyed this book – we would keep tabs on who choose what ending – with an “oh man- I choose that one too!. This was oh so much fun, and in addition was a good read. As I remember the old choose your ending – there was just a couple of endings one obvilusly bad and one to “die” for! I gave this honest, voluntary review after being given a free copy of the book with no monetary compensation.
March 26, 2024
Gah!
Sooooo word to the wise, if you just want a straight forward book you read from start to finish, for sure look for the table of contents. If you just go where kindle starts, you're literally playing with fire. So many wrong turns and back pacing. It was fun at first but I quickly hated it but I was in too deep. Once I got through the choice to the ending (which is basically a cliffhanger) I find out there's a survivor version.... Just a straight through story. Sooooo look for it or play the game. Up to you .
Sooooo word to the wise, if you just want a straight forward book you read from start to finish, for sure look for the table of contents. If you just go where kindle starts, you're literally playing with fire. So many wrong turns and back pacing. It was fun at first but I quickly hated it but I was in too deep. Once I got through the choice to the ending (which is basically a cliffhanger) I find out there's a survivor version.... Just a straight through story. Sooooo look for it or play the game. Up to you .
December 8, 2024
I read the original Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid, and this was a fun older version. Amazon says they are geared for ages 12-18, so it's still fairly low stakes horror. It was written well with a campy sort of Sci-Fi horror. If you don't want to do the interactive version, you can read the survivor version at the end. The first couple of choices seemed like common sense if you wanted to live, but they get harder as you go along. Did I make it through flawlessly? No, but what's the fun in that? I plan on reading more of these as fun little fillers in between my longer novels.
December 14, 2024
I absolutely love choose your own adventure books and this one was fantastic. It was such a fun, thrilling and fast paced read. You can fly through this book so quickly. This reminded me of an ever so slightly creepier version of a Goosebumps book which I definitely appreciated. It had that R.L. Stein nostalgia factor and there were also parts that were pretty creepy. I did choose the death endings *several* times and had to go back to make different choices but I got the survivor ending after all. I will without a doubt be checking out the others in this series.
March 14, 2025
This is an excellent reminder of my childhood and why I was a kid who just fell in love with books. The choose your own adventure books were my favorite as a kid and when I heard the premise of this book, I couldn’t wait to read it. The author did not disappoint.
The book really does give you so many different stories to choose from. I loved the characters and could not wait to see what peril I was getting them into with my choices or if I was finally making things and well. Kudos to the authors and I look forward to reading the next book!
The book really does give you so many different stories to choose from. I loved the characters and could not wait to see what peril I was getting them into with my choices or if I was finally making things and well. Kudos to the authors and I look forward to reading the next book!
June 24, 2020
This was a weird story even made worse with all the alternate endings played in the last 45 minutes. I didn't like the narrator changing his voice for the different characters, especially the sister's voice. I guess this is an interactive book that doesn't work as an Audiobook as it plays all the "choices" at the end. I finally stopped listening to it after 15 minutes of the alternate scenes. This was just an OK book.
December 19, 2020
Choose your own adventure!
When I wasakid I loved these kinds of books. It was always so exciting to try a new one and I'd spend hours flipping back and forth,trying to get every outcome, so it is super cool to see that these are still a thing. The story definitely gave me The Visit vibes for awhile, but ended up being pretty unique. I only wish I could have gotten more from the ending. I'll definitely consider trying more from this series!
When I wasakid I loved these kinds of books. It was always so exciting to try a new one and I'd spend hours flipping back and forth,trying to get every outcome, so it is super cool to see that these are still a thing. The story definitely gave me The Visit vibes for awhile, but ended up being pretty unique. I only wish I could have gotten more from the ending. I'll definitely consider trying more from this series!
April 4, 2022
I wasn't expecting YA, despite the title.
I'm not a fan of "choose your own story", and didn't realize that's what this was.
I actually won a bundle of books 1-3 from a GR giveaway, and there wasn't an actual book summary posted. I thought I did enough research, to see that this was something that I wanted to read but I got my wires crossed somewhere along the way as this wasnt the type of horror I was expecting.
I'm not a fan of "choose your own story", and didn't realize that's what this was.
I actually won a bundle of books 1-3 from a GR giveaway, and there wasn't an actual book summary posted. I thought I did enough research, to see that this was something that I wanted to read but I got my wires crossed somewhere along the way as this wasnt the type of horror I was expecting.
May 13, 2023
I received a signed physical copy from Mark Tullius of this book- which should more aptly be called- a HUGE kick of nostalgia. I quickly learned two things- I miss having control of a narrative, and, I suck at staying alive! This book was such a fun adventure filled with mystery, my only complaint was I didn’t want to end! I worked so hard to survive and was so invested in my character, I felt a compulsive need to continue his journey!
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