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Twisted
Abby Wallis is beautiful, popular, and crazy, and she'll just die if she doesn't get accepted to Tri-Gamma Sorority. But when she is asked to rob a little old lady's antique store, she is horrified when the elderly owner suffers a fatal attack over the harmless prank. Is it murder? Or just a joke on the pledges?
168 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1987
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,722 books19.1k 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 83 reviews
October 12, 2016
Abby is eager to join the Tri Gams, the most exclusive sorority at Rockland State. She says most girls would kill to get into this sorority. They pledge ten girls a year and it's an honor to be asked.
After Abby attends a pledge meeting, Andrea, the president of the Tri Gams, says that when they become members they should be members for life. So, to make sure they will be loyal to the Tri Gams for life they ask their pledges to commit a crime.
One day the pledges are driven to a dark, old, deserted mansion far from town. Once they are there Andrea gives them instructions for the crime they will commit. Most of the pledges think this is a joke. But after the crime is committed they are not so sure.
This book was just okay and sometimes annoying. There were many irritating and unlikable characters (especially the sorority girls/pledges). Only Nina and Jessie were slightly bearable. The boy (Gordon) that the girls were fighting for was an unwashed slob. I couldn't figure out what they saw in him. I'm sure there had to be better guys on campus. Halfway through the book it got somewhat interesting. A so-so read.
After Abby attends a pledge meeting, Andrea, the president of the Tri Gams, says that when they become members they should be members for life. So, to make sure they will be loyal to the Tri Gams for life they ask their pledges to commit a crime.
One day the pledges are driven to a dark, old, deserted mansion far from town. Once they are there Andrea gives them instructions for the crime they will commit. Most of the pledges think this is a joke. But after the crime is committed they are not so sure.
This book was just okay and sometimes annoying. There were many irritating and unlikable characters (especially the sorority girls/pledges). Only Nina and Jessie were slightly bearable. The boy (Gordon) that the girls were fighting for was an unwashed slob. I couldn't figure out what they saw in him. I'm sure there had to be better guys on campus. Halfway through the book it got somewhat interesting. A so-so read.
March 6, 2019
La portada de este libro me hizo comprarlo desde que lo vi.
Quizá es porque me parezco un poco a la chica de la portada. xD
La historia es muy creativa, porque explora un mundo tan complejo como el de la vida en una fraternidad.
Los retos, la selección de habitaciones, y los compañeros son cosas con las que se tienen que lidiar si deseas unirte y si le sumamos a una chica con problemas en los que su hermana de no tan buenas intenciones decide seguirla a su nueva residencia, sabemos que algo terrible está por suceder.
Entre los secretos de toda fraternidad, habrá respuestas que no todos estarán felices de escuchar.
Quizá es porque me parezco un poco a la chica de la portada. xD
La historia es muy creativa, porque explora un mundo tan complejo como el de la vida en una fraternidad.
Los retos, la selección de habitaciones, y los compañeros son cosas con las que se tienen que lidiar si deseas unirte y si le sumamos a una chica con problemas en los que su hermana de no tan buenas intenciones decide seguirla a su nueva residencia, sabemos que algo terrible está por suceder.
Entre los secretos de toda fraternidad, habrá respuestas que no todos estarán felices de escuchar.
December 30, 2021
This could have been much better, but Stine was still early in the horror game at this point. (Heh, get it? I said Point.)
March 30, 2023
Rubbish.
This is Stine's second effort in writing YA thrillers and he hadn't gotten the hang of things yet. This book was nothing but drama, poorly written characters, and his signature double-twist at the end; one part of which was extremely predictable and tired, and the other completely out of left field and uncalled for.
These early Point Horror books have been rough.
This is Stine's second effort in writing YA thrillers and he hadn't gotten the hang of things yet. This book was nothing but drama, poorly written characters, and his signature double-twist at the end; one part of which was extremely predictable and tired, and the other completely out of left field and uncalled for.
These early Point Horror books have been rough.
August 25, 2022
Okay, so lets be fair, this was one of R.L. Stines first horror books published, and while he's improved greatly, this was still fun.
This gem was a thrift store purchase, og 1987 copy (So freaking happy about that). The plot isn't very deep, the basis is young girls preparing to pledge a sorority, but they must commit a crime together to bond them. There is an extra love intrest thrown in there, some little twists, and then your pretty predicated main characters.
A fun quick easy read, no stress, minimal actual horror, and exactly what you would expect to find in cheesy a late 80s ya horror.
This gem was a thrift store purchase, og 1987 copy (So freaking happy about that). The plot isn't very deep, the basis is young girls preparing to pledge a sorority, but they must commit a crime together to bond them. There is an extra love intrest thrown in there, some little twists, and then your pretty predicated main characters.
A fun quick easy read, no stress, minimal actual horror, and exactly what you would expect to find in cheesy a late 80s ya horror.
July 27, 2023
R.L. Stine's second book after Blind Date but the one I read first.
Hence the five star rating for nostalgia purposes.
Early in the career of YA thriller/horror writing it is very low on gore but it is more like a murder mystery due to the main plot which I'll get to shortly.
College girls and sororities I will never understand but I guess just out of high school you aren't quite ready to give up those same old dramatic shenanigans...
Abby Wallis is wanting to pledge to the Gamma Gamma Gamma sorority at Rockland State her freshman year of college. It is starting a new life after graduating North Shore High School and trying to put the last year behind her and be a Tri Gam girl.
Her sister Gabriella doesn't think it is a good idea to be associated with such snobs and care more about school work but Abby did that before in high school. Joining a sorority and one of the most popular on campus sounds exciting and there are always mixers with the fraternities of course...
Abby heads to the pledge meeting and all of the positive thoughts go right out the window when she sees Leila Sherman heading into the same building ahead of her. She and Leila use to be BFFs but that all changed once Gordon came into the picture. Not when he was dating Abby but when he decided he liked Leila better and Gordon dumped her is when it all went wrong.
Abby doesn't blame Gordon though because well she can't still help but think about how cute he is and she remembers how well they got along until...they didn't and Gordon chose Leila. Instead of being angry, Abby is more nervous to run into Leila.
Abby is able to avoid Leila but also runs into another classmate from North Shore, Nina. Abby and Nina were friends until eighth grade because once high school came around they went on different academic paths. Dark, dramatic looking Abby joined the paper and wrote poems and blonde yet young looking Nina joined Pep Club and was cheerleader.
They have an awkward conversation at first but Abby can't help but be glad to see Nina...more than she is to see Leila there and trying to avoid a conversation with her. Once the meeting gets started, we meet a few other girls.
There's the Tri Gam president, Andrea Volner, and she is blonde and put together like a real 1980s preppy girl. She is also very passionate about the sorority and gives a speech that Abby mostly tunes out.
There is one pledge named Rebecca Reeves, redhead and another preppy girl in her Benetton with a flare for green that makes Abby think of a fashionable grasshopper given her height.
Then there is Jessie Harvard.
She arrives late to the meeting due to bassoon lessons and she is dressed in jeans and a school sweatshirt with her hair a frizzy brown, red-rimmed eyeglasses as well. Abby knows she probably needs the glasses but is not impressed with how Jessie is dressed, late or not.
Rebecca tells Abby silently that she is a legacy pledge because her sister was a Tri Gam. Not a guarantee she'll get in but Jessie has a step up despite constantly making jokes and interrupting the rest of Andrea's speech to her annoyance.
The next part of Andrea's speech Abby doesn't tune out.
The small pledge class of ten will be cut down to only five girls being pledged as Tri Gams. In order to see who can make the sorority, they are going to take them out of town to do a little initiation task. It's a tradition every year to have the new pledges...commit a crime.
Before that little trip even happens, a lot goes down that night after the pledge meeting.
Abby has coffee with Nina and learns that she and Leila are roommates who live on campus. Leila is still going with Gordon but her parents are not impressed that he has graduated but has no job or even any plans to go to college at all. That was fine to be a slacker in high school but not now but they still let Leila go out with him because she has quite a temper.
Leila shows us that temper when Nina gets back to the dorm. She isn't a fan of Nina hanging out with Abby and probably talking about her and Gordon to the other girl. Leila also calls Nina out saying she was spying on her and Gordon the other day while they were lip-locking in his car on campus. Nina claims no such thing about being a Peeping Tom and watching them but does say that she did see them.
Leila is the more bitchy and childish one as she leaves the dorm and tells Nina she can't be a roommate with a snoop. Nina is left in tears.
On Abby's end, she receives a surprise visit in her room that night from Gordon. They haven't seen each other in a year and at first Abby isn't thrilled to see him but Gordon says that he is there to apologize. Good memories flood back to Abby and she starts to kiss Gordon, at first he resists but then kisses Abby back.
Soon the Tri Gams are heading out of town to another one near the ocean and an old house out on the dunes in a yellow mini bus. Nina and Leila are not speaking to each other still and Abby can't stop thinking about her and Gordon kissing...especially when Andrea assigns Abby and Leila to room together.
Nina and Rebecca are sharing a room, two other girls named Ruby and Emily are roommates and Andrea has her own room it seems...that's a shock. Jessie isn't keen on sharing space with anyone either and asks if she can have her own room and gets her way only because three girls decided not to participate and pledge thanks to the fact they have to commit a crime.
Good for them having sense and not having to be a part of the things to come, I say.
Andrea takes them on a tour of the town, slow because it is no longer summer and tourist season, and they stop at an antique shop ran by an older woman named Mrs. Driftwood. This is to get a lay of the land because Andrea tells the girls when the older woman is out of earshot that tomorrow they are coming back...to rob the jewelry cases and the cash register.
This all while one of them ties up Mrs. Driftwood and another...keeps a gun on the old lady.
Abby and Leila think this is all a joke, Andrea and Jessie take it completely seriously, Ruby right out refuses to join them and Nina draws the short straw of having to be the one in charge of the gun.
That night, Gordon sneaks into Abby and Leila's room. He followed them and Abby thinks Gordon came to see her but uh...no, Leila's his girlfriend, remember? Abby is embarrassed and Leila gives her a look before sneaking off with Gordon to another part of the house.
I guess if they were starting to become friends again that all just went out the window Gordon just climbed in through...
Boy problems should be the least of Abby and Leila's worries as they go with the other girls except for Ruby back into town the following morning. Andrea stays on the bus with the driver (convenient, isn't it?) and what was supposed to be quick and easy becomes a nightmare...
A twisted love triangle, cat fights, paranoia and pandemonium lead up to a climax with twists and reveals that honestly you can see coming from the very beginning but it is still a pretty tense atmosphere. The ending is a bittersweet one with equal parts of insanity and sadness but still some character growth and that can put a smile on your face.
If you haven't read Twisted, it's a book I can recommend checking out to form your own opinion but don't expect a masterpiece. It is from R.L. Stine so expect something so bad it's good or the complete opposite...whichever one you prefer is up to you.
Hence the five star rating for nostalgia purposes.
Early in the career of YA thriller/horror writing it is very low on gore but it is more like a murder mystery due to the main plot which I'll get to shortly.
College girls and sororities I will never understand but I guess just out of high school you aren't quite ready to give up those same old dramatic shenanigans...
Abby Wallis is wanting to pledge to the Gamma Gamma Gamma sorority at Rockland State her freshman year of college. It is starting a new life after graduating North Shore High School and trying to put the last year behind her and be a Tri Gam girl.
Her sister Gabriella doesn't think it is a good idea to be associated with such snobs and care more about school work but Abby did that before in high school. Joining a sorority and one of the most popular on campus sounds exciting and there are always mixers with the fraternities of course...
Abby heads to the pledge meeting and all of the positive thoughts go right out the window when she sees Leila Sherman heading into the same building ahead of her. She and Leila use to be BFFs but that all changed once Gordon came into the picture. Not when he was dating Abby but when he decided he liked Leila better and Gordon dumped her is when it all went wrong.
Abby doesn't blame Gordon though because well she can't still help but think about how cute he is and she remembers how well they got along until...they didn't and Gordon chose Leila. Instead of being angry, Abby is more nervous to run into Leila.
Abby is able to avoid Leila but also runs into another classmate from North Shore, Nina. Abby and Nina were friends until eighth grade because once high school came around they went on different academic paths. Dark, dramatic looking Abby joined the paper and wrote poems and blonde yet young looking Nina joined Pep Club and was cheerleader.
They have an awkward conversation at first but Abby can't help but be glad to see Nina...more than she is to see Leila there and trying to avoid a conversation with her. Once the meeting gets started, we meet a few other girls.
There's the Tri Gam president, Andrea Volner, and she is blonde and put together like a real 1980s preppy girl. She is also very passionate about the sorority and gives a speech that Abby mostly tunes out.
There is one pledge named Rebecca Reeves, redhead and another preppy girl in her Benetton with a flare for green that makes Abby think of a fashionable grasshopper given her height.
Then there is Jessie Harvard.
She arrives late to the meeting due to bassoon lessons and she is dressed in jeans and a school sweatshirt with her hair a frizzy brown, red-rimmed eyeglasses as well. Abby knows she probably needs the glasses but is not impressed with how Jessie is dressed, late or not.
Rebecca tells Abby silently that she is a legacy pledge because her sister was a Tri Gam. Not a guarantee she'll get in but Jessie has a step up despite constantly making jokes and interrupting the rest of Andrea's speech to her annoyance.
The next part of Andrea's speech Abby doesn't tune out.
The small pledge class of ten will be cut down to only five girls being pledged as Tri Gams. In order to see who can make the sorority, they are going to take them out of town to do a little initiation task. It's a tradition every year to have the new pledges...commit a crime.
Before that little trip even happens, a lot goes down that night after the pledge meeting.
Abby has coffee with Nina and learns that she and Leila are roommates who live on campus. Leila is still going with Gordon but her parents are not impressed that he has graduated but has no job or even any plans to go to college at all. That was fine to be a slacker in high school but not now but they still let Leila go out with him because she has quite a temper.
Leila shows us that temper when Nina gets back to the dorm. She isn't a fan of Nina hanging out with Abby and probably talking about her and Gordon to the other girl. Leila also calls Nina out saying she was spying on her and Gordon the other day while they were lip-locking in his car on campus. Nina claims no such thing about being a Peeping Tom and watching them but does say that she did see them.
Leila is the more bitchy and childish one as she leaves the dorm and tells Nina she can't be a roommate with a snoop. Nina is left in tears.
On Abby's end, she receives a surprise visit in her room that night from Gordon. They haven't seen each other in a year and at first Abby isn't thrilled to see him but Gordon says that he is there to apologize. Good memories flood back to Abby and she starts to kiss Gordon, at first he resists but then kisses Abby back.
Soon the Tri Gams are heading out of town to another one near the ocean and an old house out on the dunes in a yellow mini bus. Nina and Leila are not speaking to each other still and Abby can't stop thinking about her and Gordon kissing...especially when Andrea assigns Abby and Leila to room together.
Nina and Rebecca are sharing a room, two other girls named Ruby and Emily are roommates and Andrea has her own room it seems...that's a shock. Jessie isn't keen on sharing space with anyone either and asks if she can have her own room and gets her way only because three girls decided not to participate and pledge thanks to the fact they have to commit a crime.
Good for them having sense and not having to be a part of the things to come, I say.
Andrea takes them on a tour of the town, slow because it is no longer summer and tourist season, and they stop at an antique shop ran by an older woman named Mrs. Driftwood. This is to get a lay of the land because Andrea tells the girls when the older woman is out of earshot that tomorrow they are coming back...to rob the jewelry cases and the cash register.
This all while one of them ties up Mrs. Driftwood and another...keeps a gun on the old lady.
Abby and Leila think this is all a joke, Andrea and Jessie take it completely seriously, Ruby right out refuses to join them and Nina draws the short straw of having to be the one in charge of the gun.
That night, Gordon sneaks into Abby and Leila's room. He followed them and Abby thinks Gordon came to see her but uh...no, Leila's his girlfriend, remember? Abby is embarrassed and Leila gives her a look before sneaking off with Gordon to another part of the house.
I guess if they were starting to become friends again that all just went out the window Gordon just climbed in through...
Boy problems should be the least of Abby and Leila's worries as they go with the other girls except for Ruby back into town the following morning. Andrea stays on the bus with the driver (convenient, isn't it?) and what was supposed to be quick and easy becomes a nightmare...
A twisted love triangle, cat fights, paranoia and pandemonium lead up to a climax with twists and reveals that honestly you can see coming from the very beginning but it is still a pretty tense atmosphere. The ending is a bittersweet one with equal parts of insanity and sadness but still some character growth and that can put a smile on your face.
If you haven't read Twisted, it's a book I can recommend checking out to form your own opinion but don't expect a masterpiece. It is from R.L. Stine so expect something so bad it's good or the complete opposite...whichever one you prefer is up to you.
June 3, 2025
”Round and round. Bigger and bigger circles- until her mouth, her chin, her cheeks were all red… blood red.”
February 24, 2016
Wow, this was just crappy.
The story was boring, nothing really happened, the girls (and Gordon) were highly annoying and then we also have POVs switching in the middle of the story. Which was really annoying. One moment we would have Abby, then suddenly switch to Nina and even one time we switched to Leila. I hate it when this happens. I don't mind if it is clearly said, or when it is done at the beginning of a chapter, but now? No.
I don't like how we had two plots. Abby's x Leila x Gordon and whatever happened between them, and then the whole sorority stuff that got out of hand. I just wish the author had kept to 1 plot and not try to add another one. I can imagine why he added it (giving more depth to Abby, and explaining what happened to her and who Gabriella is), but I think it would have been better had he made a separate book about it.
The sorority stuff? Horrendous, that they do this kind of crazy stuff to pledge/allow members to join. Bleh. Disgusting.
The story was pretty boring up until the end. Then everything started to go wrong and it was quite interesting to read what happened there.
The end? Meh, typical R.L. Stine ending. Would I recommend this one? Not really.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
The story was boring, nothing really happened, the girls (and Gordon) were highly annoying and then we also have POVs switching in the middle of the story. Which was really annoying. One moment we would have Abby, then suddenly switch to Nina and even one time we switched to Leila. I hate it when this happens. I don't mind if it is clearly said, or when it is done at the beginning of a chapter, but now? No.
I don't like how we had two plots. Abby's x Leila x Gordon and whatever happened between them, and then the whole sorority stuff that got out of hand. I just wish the author had kept to 1 plot and not try to add another one. I can imagine why he added it (giving more depth to Abby, and explaining what happened to her and who Gabriella is), but I think it would have been better had he made a separate book about it.
The sorority stuff? Horrendous, that they do this kind of crazy stuff to pledge/allow members to join. Bleh. Disgusting.
The story was pretty boring up until the end. Then everything started to go wrong and it was quite interesting to read what happened there.
The end? Meh, typical R.L. Stine ending. Would I recommend this one? Not really.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
January 1, 2022
Looking intently into the mirror, she began applying lipstick to her lips, lightly at first and then pressing harder and harder. Her hand moved in quick circles, smearing the soft lipstick over her lips, on her chin, under her nose. Round and around. Round and around. She smeared the lipstick in wider and wider circles, covering her lower face, and then her cheeks.
She stared in the mirror, admiring her work. Round and around. Bigger and bigger circles- until her mouth, her chin, her cheeks were all red... blood red.
Despite the vivid description, which is to be expected, this book was a huge let down.
July 5, 2021
R.L. Stine's second ever horror book is such a fun read! The classic set-up of "How far would you go to join Greek Life in college?" It has great pacing and is definitely darker than the goosebumps books. Looking forward to more like this!
October 27, 2019
I was actually tempted to give this one two stars instead of three, since it was really quite terrible. The fact that it took me 10 days to read says to me that it's definitely not amongst my favourites.
At first I thought "Abby is a bitch", but then I thought "Wait, no, Leila's actually a bitch". I guess they're both examples of what not to do with a friendship. Hoes before bros! Anyway ... what made this book so bad? The writing itself wasn't that great. Perhaps it was an earlier work of R. L. Stine's and he hadn't quite found his mojo yet. Okay, I just looked it up and it seems it was his second Point horror book (the first being Blind Date, which I haven't yet re-read/reviewed).
Anyway, it was bad because of moments like around page 126, when we're hearing over and over again how "poor" Abby is. "poor Abby. Poor, confused Abby." etcetera! Then in the end, it becomes I also found the teen talk pretty unconvincing, especially in comparison to some of Stine's later work. He certainly got better over time.
In theory, this plot line was pretty good - but on paper it just seemed silly.
Something that confused me - why did Abby think Gordon was hot when she described him as unwashed? I mean, dirty hair and skin from weeks of no showers is NOT a sexy trait in a person, so I just don't get it.
As usual, see the spoiler tag below for my detailed page-by-page notes. ;)
Twisted - notes
At first I thought "Abby is a bitch", but then I thought "Wait, no, Leila's actually a bitch". I guess they're both examples of what not to do with a friendship. Hoes before bros! Anyway ... what made this book so bad? The writing itself wasn't that great. Perhaps it was an earlier work of R. L. Stine's and he hadn't quite found his mojo yet. Okay, I just looked it up and it seems it was his second Point horror book (the first being Blind Date, which I haven't yet re-read/reviewed).
Anyway, it was bad because of moments like around page 126, when we're hearing over and over again how "poor" Abby is. "poor Abby. Poor, confused Abby." etcetera! Then in the end, it becomes I also found the teen talk pretty unconvincing, especially in comparison to some of Stine's later work. He certainly got better over time.
In theory, this plot line was pretty good - but on paper it just seemed silly.
Something that confused me - why did Abby think Gordon was hot when she described him as unwashed? I mean, dirty hair and skin from weeks of no showers is NOT a sexy trait in a person, so I just don't get it.
As usual, see the spoiler tag below for my detailed page-by-page notes. ;)
Twisted - notes
September 25, 2021
2.5 // While I do love me some R. L. Stine, this story was pretty messy. The POVs kept changing mid chapter which made it hard to keep track of who was being talked about. The story was decent, but not as great as some of his later works. I picked this up from a Little Free Library in my town, and I’m pretty sure it’s an early print of the book, which is cool!
November 16, 2022
2.5/5 rounded up to a 3.
This was not one of the better entries in the Point Horror series. It's a fairly basic story that doesn't really get interesting until the second half of the book and the entire setup is based on a twist that's blatantly obvious. R.L. Stine is usually reliable at writing interesting young adult horror but unfortunately this is one of the his lesser books.
This was not one of the better entries in the Point Horror series. It's a fairly basic story that doesn't really get interesting until the second half of the book and the entire setup is based on a twist that's blatantly obvious. R.L. Stine is usually reliable at writing interesting young adult horror but unfortunately this is one of the his lesser books.
July 25, 2021
Psychopath sorority girls + classic teen thriller vibesss
October 31, 2019
So, funnily enough, the protagonist is the only character in this book that sucks. Leila kind of does at first too, but later on she seems much more human than Abby, the main character. It starts out with Abby being a bitch to her sister Gabriella about joining the Tri Gam sorority. Gabriella doesn’t want her to join. Then Abby’s mom comes in to talk to her, but she never says anything to Gabriella, which is significant.
The book essentially takes place over one night with the Tri Gam pledges completing their initiation. There’s Leila, who Abby believes stole her former boyfriend Gordon from her. There’s Nina, who is a childhood friend of Abby’s. Jessie is the laissez faire one that doesn’t seem to know social decorum. And there is Andrea, the TG leader. There are other girls, but they aren’t as relevant to the plot.
So, to become TGs the girls must all rob a store. Pledge Ruby declares that she is staying home and not being a part of it. Leila is positive it’s all a joke. They draw straws to see who will end up holding the pistol. Nina gets that delightful job. Because she’s a cunt, Andrea waits outside and makes the girls do her dirty work.
While inside they smash the cases to get the jewelry, and then the owner, Mrs. Driftwood, comes out. The girls try to tie her up but instead end up making her have a heart attack. Jessie confirms that she’s dead.
The girls head back to the house with Andrea, unsure what to do now that their initiation took such a wrong turn. Andrea tells them to remain calm, and Nina suggests they call the police. Andrea calmly reminds them there is no phone in the house. Then all the girls start blaming one another for what happened.
Also, Gordon is around, having showed up to spend time with Leila. Abby, however, is convinced he’s there for her.
Then Andrea turns up dead with Jessie once again confirming the death. Now the girls really don’t know what to do. Then Gordon shows up at the door soaking wet. Nina and Jessie saw him run around the house and say he killed Andrea. Gordon has no idea what they are talking about, and Abby confesses that he was with her.
Except... he wasn’t. Abby is deluded. Leila tries to tell her this, but she will not listen. The girls lock Gordon in a room until they can figure out what to do with him. Then Leila demands to talk to Abby upstairs.
But when Leila finally makes it upstairs, she doesn’t find Abby... she finds Gabriella. She finds Abby saying she’s Gabriella. Yep, good old Abs has a split personality. The worst part? We are given no explanation for how it was brought on or caused other than Leila “stealing” Gordon from Abby. Way to set back the feminist movement, Stine.
Gabriella/Abby now has the gun, and she forces Leila to the basement. But she doesn’t anticipate Gordon being there. They all three start to fight. Up above, the other girls hear the scuffle and head downstairs. Everyone, including the reader, is very confused at this point. Gordon finally gets Abby/Gabriella subdued.
And then... Andrea shows up at the top of the stairs. What? Yep, Leila was right all along. The whole thing was a sick joke. They pull the stunt every year, and Mrs. Driftwood is also in on the gag and therefore not dead (what a sadistic old lady). Nina berates Andrea for the terrible prank, which Andrea assumes to be her resignation from the TGs. Nina says no fucking way-she’s not leaving now! Instead, she plans to outlaw the prank from every happening again to other pledges.
But Leila is out. She can’t take it anymore at all. She tells Gordon she just wants to be with him and finish school. Then she hugs Abby/Gabriella and apologizes to her for everything. Abby is taken away in an ambulance... with Gabriella right by her side “reassuring” her it’ll all be all right.
The book essentially takes place over one night with the Tri Gam pledges completing their initiation. There’s Leila, who Abby believes stole her former boyfriend Gordon from her. There’s Nina, who is a childhood friend of Abby’s. Jessie is the laissez faire one that doesn’t seem to know social decorum. And there is Andrea, the TG leader. There are other girls, but they aren’t as relevant to the plot.
So, to become TGs the girls must all rob a store. Pledge Ruby declares that she is staying home and not being a part of it. Leila is positive it’s all a joke. They draw straws to see who will end up holding the pistol. Nina gets that delightful job. Because she’s a cunt, Andrea waits outside and makes the girls do her dirty work.
While inside they smash the cases to get the jewelry, and then the owner, Mrs. Driftwood, comes out. The girls try to tie her up but instead end up making her have a heart attack. Jessie confirms that she’s dead.
The girls head back to the house with Andrea, unsure what to do now that their initiation took such a wrong turn. Andrea tells them to remain calm, and Nina suggests they call the police. Andrea calmly reminds them there is no phone in the house. Then all the girls start blaming one another for what happened.
Also, Gordon is around, having showed up to spend time with Leila. Abby, however, is convinced he’s there for her.
Then Andrea turns up dead with Jessie once again confirming the death. Now the girls really don’t know what to do. Then Gordon shows up at the door soaking wet. Nina and Jessie saw him run around the house and say he killed Andrea. Gordon has no idea what they are talking about, and Abby confesses that he was with her.
Except... he wasn’t. Abby is deluded. Leila tries to tell her this, but she will not listen. The girls lock Gordon in a room until they can figure out what to do with him. Then Leila demands to talk to Abby upstairs.
But when Leila finally makes it upstairs, she doesn’t find Abby... she finds Gabriella. She finds Abby saying she’s Gabriella. Yep, good old Abs has a split personality. The worst part? We are given no explanation for how it was brought on or caused other than Leila “stealing” Gordon from Abby. Way to set back the feminist movement, Stine.
Gabriella/Abby now has the gun, and she forces Leila to the basement. But she doesn’t anticipate Gordon being there. They all three start to fight. Up above, the other girls hear the scuffle and head downstairs. Everyone, including the reader, is very confused at this point. Gordon finally gets Abby/Gabriella subdued.
And then... Andrea shows up at the top of the stairs. What? Yep, Leila was right all along. The whole thing was a sick joke. They pull the stunt every year, and Mrs. Driftwood is also in on the gag and therefore not dead (what a sadistic old lady). Nina berates Andrea for the terrible prank, which Andrea assumes to be her resignation from the TGs. Nina says no fucking way-she’s not leaving now! Instead, she plans to outlaw the prank from every happening again to other pledges.
But Leila is out. She can’t take it anymore at all. She tells Gordon she just wants to be with him and finish school. Then she hugs Abby/Gabriella and apologizes to her for everything. Abby is taken away in an ambulance... with Gabriella right by her side “reassuring” her it’ll all be all right.
March 16, 2026
Great Idea, Disappointing Execution (2.5/5 Stars)
The title definitely fits! This sorority thriller starts with a seriously twisted premise but doesn't quite stick the landing.
What Works:
The whole setup is genuinely disturbing: a sorority head making girls commit actual crimes for initiation? That's dark in a way that grabs you. I found myself liking Abby and Jessie because I honestly couldn't predict what they'd do next, and they kept me guessing. Similarly, Nina and Leila rounded things out nicely too; I especially felt for Nina since she seemed like the only one reacting like a normal person to this insane situation while everyone else dove right in.
What Falls Short:
There's so much wasted potential here. Leila and Abby's feud get built up but never really go anywhere meaty.
Likewise, Ruby and Emily might as well be furniture for all they add to the story.
Moreover, you can tell this is early Stine. The writing style feels different—way too much description and dialogue that drags without building tension. There's literally two pages about Abby seeing a deer while they are on their way and how it makes her feel. Why? It kills any momentum the story had.
The ending also has two twists: one you'll see coming from miles away, and another that's so infuriating it made me dislike the characters even more.
Verdict:
Twisted has a solid, creepy concept and a few characters worth following, but the execution is just odd. As a Stine fan, I wanted to like this more, but the bloated writing and weak payoff make it skippable unless you're curious about his early work.
Perfect for: Stine completists and readers who don't mind slow-burn 90s YA horror.
The title definitely fits! This sorority thriller starts with a seriously twisted premise but doesn't quite stick the landing.
What Works:
The whole setup is genuinely disturbing: a sorority head making girls commit actual crimes for initiation? That's dark in a way that grabs you. I found myself liking Abby and Jessie because I honestly couldn't predict what they'd do next, and they kept me guessing. Similarly, Nina and Leila rounded things out nicely too; I especially felt for Nina since she seemed like the only one reacting like a normal person to this insane situation while everyone else dove right in.
What Falls Short:
There's so much wasted potential here. Leila and Abby's feud get built up but never really go anywhere meaty.
Likewise, Ruby and Emily might as well be furniture for all they add to the story.
Moreover, you can tell this is early Stine. The writing style feels different—way too much description and dialogue that drags without building tension. There's literally two pages about Abby seeing a deer while they are on their way and how it makes her feel. Why? It kills any momentum the story had.
The ending also has two twists: one you'll see coming from miles away, and another that's so infuriating it made me dislike the characters even more.
Verdict:
Twisted has a solid, creepy concept and a few characters worth following, but the execution is just odd. As a Stine fan, I wanted to like this more, but the bloated writing and weak payoff make it skippable unless you're curious about his early work.
Perfect for: Stine completists and readers who don't mind slow-burn 90s YA horror.
August 1, 2021
An early Point Horror book by Stine, this one again plays with the stereotypes of the American teen experience, in this case the idea of "pledging" to a sorority. Here a bunch of girls are going out to pledge to Tri-Gamma sorority, through a special pledge which involves committing a crime.
Of course, as usual, not everything is as it seems, but who knows what and who is playing a part and who isn't is part of the fun of the book. More of a thriller with elements of a whodunit than actually a horror novel, you spend a lot of time trying to piece together what is going on, with a lot of it playing like a locked house mystery, with some pretty satisfying twists towards the end. It ain't called Twisted for nothing folks.
Focusing mostly on young women's experiences and dynamics, with only a kind of passive male character in the whole book, this makes it a particularly interesting novel. Of course we can't ask too much depth from the novel, taking into account the target audience and the time it was written in, and most of the characters are some riff on a stereotype or another, and everyone is straight and white, so it isn't breaking any particularly new ground here, but it's still really enjoyable.
Of course, as usual, not everything is as it seems, but who knows what and who is playing a part and who isn't is part of the fun of the book. More of a thriller with elements of a whodunit than actually a horror novel, you spend a lot of time trying to piece together what is going on, with a lot of it playing like a locked house mystery, with some pretty satisfying twists towards the end. It ain't called Twisted for nothing folks.
Focusing mostly on young women's experiences and dynamics, with only a kind of passive male character in the whole book, this makes it a particularly interesting novel. Of course we can't ask too much depth from the novel, taking into account the target audience and the time it was written in, and most of the characters are some riff on a stereotype or another, and everyone is straight and white, so it isn't breaking any particularly new ground here, but it's still really enjoyable.
November 13, 2024
* Gordon and Abby used to date, until he dumped her for her best friend Leila. Abby is not impressed by this, she wants Gordon back.
* Abby and Leila are both pledging for a sorority- tri-gamma, they're told that as hazing isn't allowed they'll be expected to commit a crime to bind them together as sisters.
* They go off on a bus to an old hotel, Andrea who's leading the trip tells them that they'll be robbing an antiques shop, and threatening the woman who works there with a gun.
* They go ahead with the heist but something goes wrong and the employee ends up dead. They go back to the hotel, but hear a gunshot and find Andrea dead.
* Abby goes off the deep end and switches to another personality called Gabriella. She threatens Leila with the gun, and then Gordon took.
* Gordon gets the gun away from her just in time for Andrea and the shop lady to turn up saying that they're not really dead and the whole thing was a joke. Leila decides she's quitting the sorority, Nina says she's getting rid of this stupid weekend for future pledges, and Abby has to go off in an ambulance.
* Abby and Leila are both pledging for a sorority- tri-gamma, they're told that as hazing isn't allowed they'll be expected to commit a crime to bind them together as sisters.
* They go off on a bus to an old hotel, Andrea who's leading the trip tells them that they'll be robbing an antiques shop, and threatening the woman who works there with a gun.
* They go ahead with the heist but something goes wrong and the employee ends up dead. They go back to the hotel, but hear a gunshot and find Andrea dead.
* Abby goes off the deep end and switches to another personality called Gabriella. She threatens Leila with the gun, and then Gordon took.
* Gordon gets the gun away from her just in time for Andrea and the shop lady to turn up saying that they're not really dead and the whole thing was a joke. Leila decides she's quitting the sorority, Nina says she's getting rid of this stupid weekend for future pledges, and Abby has to go off in an ambulance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2021
This is my very first R.L. Stine book and though I’m not the target audience for this I’ve been wanting to give his work a try. I went into this knowing that it would read a little young for me so I was prepared for that. Having said that, I enjoyed the plot twist in this book. I didn’t see it coming at all! I didn’t like any of the characters, but it’s probably because I couldn’t relate to any of them…even putting myself in their age range. I would not have hung out with any of these girls in school. As a matter of fact, these were precisely the girls I would’ve purposely stayed away from. It’s a good thing I was the weird metal chick and stayed to myself I guess. All in all i would say this book was just ok. I have a few more Stines on my shelf and I’m looking forward to reading them.
3 stars.
3 stars.
April 25, 2024
We are now entering the nostalgic world of the Point Horror Series. Every story is new, each scare ready to make you jump, scream or maybe lead to a murder.
Meet Abby. She has a dream. She wants to pledge a sorority. We all know how important college life is until it becomes a nightmare. Before joining, there is something you need to know.
Firstly this prank is like no other
Secondly this prank requires you to frighten, scare someone
Thirdly the gun
Are you starting to feel uneasy? You should be because something goes wrong
And leads to the death of the sorority president
Is this a prank gone wrong
Or
Is it something more sinister and twisted?
Read and find out because we all know R L Stine is a brilliant storyteller and his horror stories are gripping.
Meet Abby. She has a dream. She wants to pledge a sorority. We all know how important college life is until it becomes a nightmare. Before joining, there is something you need to know.
Firstly this prank is like no other
Secondly this prank requires you to frighten, scare someone
Thirdly the gun
Are you starting to feel uneasy? You should be because something goes wrong
And leads to the death of the sorority president
Is this a prank gone wrong
Or
Is it something more sinister and twisted?
Read and find out because we all know R L Stine is a brilliant storyteller and his horror stories are gripping.
January 28, 2019
This was an interesting read. R.L Stine definitely takes his readers on a loop. I don't want to spoil it, but I did reread the first two chapters when I got to the end. It was the ending that made you want to go...wait did that really happen? I took away a star because when I looked at the first chapters, I wish there were more hints to the shocking ending. Some sign that would have made me slap my forward and think, "How did I miss that."
If you like R.L. Stine, I will recommend this book because it shows his versatility as a writer.
If you like R.L. Stine, I will recommend this book because it shows his versatility as a writer.
September 11, 2017
Let me begin with the fact that I love R.L Stine. This book however, was fairly boring. It wasn't bad, just kind of 'meh'. I was hoping that it would be darker and it just wasn't. I felt as though he had toned it down, for some unknown reason? Not sure. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Solid 3 Stars for a mildly entertaining book about a sorority that has a little dark humor in it.
October 24, 2022
The biggest issue with this Point Horror endeavor by prolific children's author R.L. Stine is its highly predictable and there's no big reveal because of how predictable it all is. Still, there's the brittle bones of an unnerving psychological thriller in this coffin of easy expectation and I enjoyed the descriptions of the main setting our characters are dropped in. Bland, yet never boring.
June 3, 2024
This is a nice quick easy read with a double twist at the end. After rating it 4 stars I went back and read some of the reviews left by others and some of them didn't rate it as highly so maybe a part of my rating is for nostalgic reasons? I use to read A LOT of R.L. Stine books when I was in school.
July 30, 2019
I personally enjoyed the book. Okay some bits were a little cheesy but I was so quick to assume how it’s all gonna go down and it becomes shock after shock. R.L Stine left cliff hangers at the end of every chapter so it was hard NOT to keep on reading.
4/5 stars from me.
4/5 stars from me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2024
While it was fairly predictable, this one was so fun to read! Abby wants into the best sorority, but is she willing to commit a crime to get in? Will she lose her mind in the process?
This was a very quick read, I love the old, campy horror books!
This was a very quick read, I love the old, campy horror books!
May 25, 2026
A decent novel with a twist that was not to bad. But the book moved a little slow for me and was league's worse that Blind Date. Just a fine book that I wanted just a little more from.
My R.L. Stine Ranking:
1. 4* (1986) Blind Date
2. 3* (1987) Twisted
My R.L. Stine Ranking:
1. 4* (1986) Blind Date
2. 3* (1987) Twisted
July 24, 2017
yikes
May 7, 2018
One of top 3 favorite R.L. Stine books. Definitely one of his best. Even on re-reads when I knew the ending, it still hooked me.
July 17, 2018
Not a good depiction of , but an ok trash book. Also, seemed kind of old fashioned with all of that "My reputation, I'll get kicked out of school!" stuff, what kind of school do they go to? But otherwise, it had surprisingly good characterization, lol.
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