Nostalgic Nightmare

Bumps in the Night #2

by A.D. Aro

A GASP FROM THE PAST!
Zelda and Mario think their parents are going crazy. After surviving a terrible car accident, they actually start to believe they can travel back in time. And not just to undo the accident. No, they want to go back to childhood. Back to the 1990's. They start to dress like it's the 90's. They swap all the technology in the house. No more streaming. 56K internet. The family beach vacation? Cancelled.
Instead, the Morris family are off to Retro Rad Zone, a 90's themed amusement park with weird rules. No phones allowed. No wandering off alone. Once inside, the terror begins. Nothing is what it seems. Is it all fun and games, or are Zelda and Mario trapped in a NOSTALGIC NIGHTMARE?
Don't miss the second book in the spinetingling new YA horror series BUMPS IN THE NIGHT from A. D. Aro! Perfect for young readers looking to cut their teeth on something scary or nostalgic adults that grew up on Goosebumps, Bone Chillers, Shivers and other 90's horror books!

Genres: Horror, Middle Grade

171 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 8, 2025

About the author

A.D. Aro lives in Salisbury, Massachusetts. He has been a fan of all things spooky his whole life, raised on Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark, and the VHS box art from the horror section of the video rental stores. Currently, he writes a middle grade horror series called Bumps In The Night. "Baby's Breath", his first standalone YA horror novel, will be releasing April 7th, 2026 through Terrorcore Publishing.

He welcomes questions and comments at: bumpsinthenightbooks@gmail.com

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A.D. Aro’s Nostalgic Nightmare is a time-warp thrill ride that throws you straight into the neon-soaked heart of the '90s—with a twist of terror. Aro manages to help readers time travel in this gloriously '90s-referenced read, packed with nods to everything from slap bracelets to Saturday morning cartoons. This second book in the Bumps In The Night series blends retro fun with real horror, as siblings Zelda and Mario find themselves trapped in a nightmare born from their parents’ obsession with the past. Growing up in the '90s myself, I found myself surprisingly on the parents' side—and loved how the story played with that tension. The ending left me grinning; it was the perfect payoff to a ride full of creepy nostalgia and clever commentary. Think Black Mirror meets Blockbuster Video or Are You Afraid of the Dark? meets therapy.

[Shadyside Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book SCREAMS nostalgia lol. It quite literally feels like it was half written for kids who are a fan of goosebumps and the other half written for adults who grew up reading goosebumps. LOTS of nods to the 90’s, combined with a spooky story, and of course some witty humor. Fun read!

[Shiv (The Horrorlander) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book is about a pair of siblings whose parents end up in a near fatal car crash, causing them to want to relive their glory days of the 90s period and research into a phenomenon where you can astral travel back in time. After their crazy obsession of turning their whole lifestyle back to the 90s starts to drive their kids crazy, a family trip is planned at an amusement park called the Retro Rad Zone, themed around 90s. Only problem is the park seems to not exist anywhere on the internet and has strange behaving employees, so will the kids be able to solve the mystery and save the day, or end up in a world of trouble?

The story has good emotional moments and is genuinely funny at points, in addition to sparking the nostalgic feelings intended. Furthermore, some disturbing imagery with the level of illusions the parents fall into with the park.

However, the nostalgic references do feel overdosed to the point it does get annoying and the villain angle does not come into being unveiled until the end of the book with padding apparent. The book also ends abruptly with an ending that I felt dissatisfied with as certain reveals were left predictable and it's dark, but not in a way that felt justified all things considered. Might be some of the worst parents in kids horror.

6/10 Okay

[John Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading the second installment from Alex Aro (A.D. Aro)’s Bumps in the Night book series. This is a middle grade horror series similar to Goosebumps and Scareville - with Alex’s own vision and flare.

This tale begins with our main character (Zelda) after her parents are in an accident. The determination of the accident was caused by a distracted driver that had been texting. Zelda’s parents were fine (sort of) following the accident. But they held a bitterness toward modern society and wanted to go back to the 90’s so much that they changed everything in their lives to match those times. Their ultimate goal - to travel back in time to re-live the glory days.

It leads up to a 90’s themed park where things arent what they seem. Zelda and her brother try to discover what’s going on!

Solid job by Alex. I am so proud of him and what he is doing. This is a solid little story. I score this as a very strong 4/5 ⭐️ read and will continue to shout him and his works out! 🖤

[Graveyardreads Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so excited for A. D. Aro's second book of the series Bumps in the Night Nostalgic Nightmare. This was just as fun as In the Mall of Madness. This Y/A horror tales us on a journey to the 90s world with the humor of today's generation.
It has plenty of 90s references from music to fashion that us 80's and 90's kids would relate to. The kids are hilarious, and their parents' strange behavior are a perfect pun to the funny dialogue from the kids.
It's not scary at all. It's just a fun, weird, and enjoyable story that is perfect for that young reader who loves a great adventure.
Rating 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

After surviving a car accident, Mario and Zelda’s parents start to believe they can travel back in time specifically to the 90’s.
They cancel everything and take them all to a 90’s themed amusement park called Retro Rad Zone where the rules are strict and very weird. Is it as easy to leave as to enter?

Another Bumps in the Night story this time with enough 90’s nostalgia to give you all the vibes of that decade. With the tagline “party like it’s nineteen ninety..die” evoking not only Goosebumps but also Point Horror this is a crazy fun, fast paced horror adventure.

[Autumn Ketchum · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOOOOOOOOW!!! This was so good. It had me giggling and kicking my feet laughing out loud with the fun 90s references. It was relatable in many ways, what it’s like to be a nostalgic adult missing those golden days of our childhood in the 90s. The dread slowly creeped in, and it did not disappoint! That ending had me saying “WHOOOOOOA!” Highly recommend. Very reminiscent of Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark? This was a very fun read and written well!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 90s nostalgia is STRONG in this one and the ending is DARK...I loved it. It's a very fast, compulsive read. I think this would be great for kids who want something more intense than Goosebumps or...darker than Goosebumps...but without the gore or teen romance you tend to find in YA horror. This series is a blast and I can't wait to read more!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is all that and a bag of chips! From the dad wearing double denim to cheesy but lovable banter between the siblings this was a totally quick and entertaining read.
The horror goes from creepy to gross to existential. Well suited for a younger reader but still plenty for the adult to enjoy.
Read this one if you need a warning about the dangers of dwelling on the past and romancing the 90s.

[Rebecca White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, shit.

If yer looking for a nice and peaceful nostalgic trip down memory lane with Lisa Frank rainbows and butterfly clips dancing in the breeze, you are NOT going to get that here!

Does this read have all of the amazing 90s nostalgia we could ever hope for and some we even forgot about? Hell yea! But it’s dark AF 😂

I thought the first installment for this series was dark and I was definitely here for it but this one blew the first out of the water. Aro keeps jacking up the goosebumps (pun? You decide!) and I’m loving it!

This series leaves you thinking give me more, now!

[E.D. Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

My guy A. D. Aro is back at it again with Bumps in the Night #2: Nostalgic Nightmare! This book follows Zelda, her little brother Mario, and their parents’ descent into 90s madness.

It’s chock full of awesome 90s references like Biker Mice from Mars, The Boxcar Children, Tamagotchis, and Lemmings (a computer game I’d honestly forgotten even existed). This is the first book in the series written from the character’s POV, and A. D. did a fantastic job capturing the voice of a child immersed in the 90s, oblivious to the classic stuff around her.

I also loved the more subtle 90s references. One of my favorite lines felt like a nod to the iconic "Got Milk?" ads but with a visceral horror twist:

“'Part of a complete breakfast!' Dad exclaimed, looking up with a disgusting, chunky milk moustache."

Touché, A. D., touché.

Overall, this book was rad; a masterclass in suspense-building with an edge of your seat ending. Book two kept the fun middle-grade horror vibes alive and picked up perfectly where book one left off. I can’t wait to get my hands on book three: Clowning Around! Until then, I’ll be taking my own Voyage Mental back to my 90s youth.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you long for the days of green slime and Happy Meals? What if you could revisit your past as your adult self? In A.D. Aro's middle grade horror novel, he explores what happens when Mario and Zelda's parents grow tired of modern distractions and embark on a family bonding experience that harkens back to the 90s. But not everything is as cool as it seems to Mario and Zelda as their family trip takes an unsettling turn.

In A.D. Aro's second book in his Bumps in the Night series, he captures the horrific thrill that Scholastic Book Fair era adults will love and that youth audiences will enjoy and discover for the first time. Follow him on Instagram and support this indie author in his love for nostalgic children's horror with a modern twist.

[Fionna Cosgrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger of a book by A.D. Aro, with enough gross out moments, twists and turns to keep young and old flicking those pages.
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I gotta say, parenting is tough and if given the option to cruise back in time to long evenings of beach side drives listening to Spice Girls, Nirvana and Alanis Morissette (check out that range), and eating bbq chips and disproportionately hot, hot pockets... I might just buy a ticket for one. Don't tell my kids, though.
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Fast paced and action packed, this is a delightful read for lovers of nostalgic horror, fans of goosebumps and kids that love a cheeky, not so happy ending...
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This is Book 2 in the Bumps in the Night Series, with Book 3 recently released! Get on it!

[Pulp_Fiction_Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you ever wish you could go back to the 90's? I know I do! I felt very akin to the parents in this book as I suffer from that terrible affliction called nostalgia. I loved all the Shameless '90's references that were littered throughout and the subtle ones too (like a family with the surname Morris being stuck at a creepy theme park. Sound familiar my fellow goosebumps enthusiasts?) This didnt have your typical big bad villain/monster but delivered its horror in a much more existential way. This is book two in the 'Bumps In The Night' series', I've loved them so far and book three looks like the best one yet!

[Jennifer Sahms · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Nostalgic Nightmare, the second book in the Bumps in the Night series, and you can definitely see the growth in A.D.'s writing. This book is packed with nostalgic references that took me right back to my childhood, perfectly capturing the essence of the ’90s. From the pop culture nods to the overall atmosphere, it felt like a true throwback for those of us who grew up in that era—especially fans of Goosebumps. A.D. did a fantastic job crafting a story that balances eerie chills with that classic '90s feel. I can't wait to dive into the third book in the series!

[Andrew Michel · Rating 5 out of 5]

While training future teachers one of the classic lessons professors impart is how to leave the learner (or in this case, the reader) wanting more. This is my only complaint about this story. I wanted more. Once it really got going it ended. Again, just like “mall of madness” the ending is somewhat surprising but refreshing. Not all stories have a happy ending and that seems like what Aro has established early on in this series. And I’m here for it.

[Cameron Chaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and loved the first book in the Bumps in the Night series by A.D. Aro, so much so that I immediately picked up this second book. Nostalgic Nightmare is just as dark as In the Mall of Madness, but in a different way. While it's a love letter to the '90s, it is also a cautionary tale about nostalgia, when an adoration of the past becomes too much. I feel Aro skates that fine line very well here.

[Jacqueline Hoarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was more like an Are You Afraid of the Dark? Episode than the first. I loved it! All the 90’s references were so great, I kind of want to go to that theme park now too even though I know I shouldn’t ;)

[Rachael Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me gripped I didn’t want to put it down I felt like I was there with the characters I never wanted it to end out of 10 this has to be a 20! I haven’t enjoyed a book this much for a while it’s a million percent worth reading !

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[John Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to Mall of Madness, Nostalgic Nightmare feels more directly targeted towards the 90s kids who grew up reading Goosebumps. And maybe it offers a little meta critique too. That being said, sometimes all the references felt excessive. I liked the maggots though!

[Kat Dicker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two keeps the spooky nostalgia train rolling. You don't need to read book one to understand it, so if you start here, that's totally fine! You will particularly love the references to this if you are a millennial but it is great fun for all ages!

I'm so glad I started reading the Bumps in the Night series, I am excited to read the next book!