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Ride or Die
NATIONAL BESTSELLER A sleepover at an amusement park turns into a night of terror in this scary middle school read from the New York Times bestselling author of Mine and Camp Scare.
Tonight is Brie’s chance to finally be accepted by the Ems—the most popular girls at school. If she can just keep one potentially reputation-ending secret under wraps, she’ll have the best night of her life, screaming on scary rides and running the Wildwoods amusement park with her new friends.
But when the Ems take a game of truth or dare too far, Brie ends up alone in a creepy abandoned section of the park. There, she meets a group of cool older teens that invite her to join them. They seem friendly enough.
Little does Brie know she’s about to come face to face with a reawakened evil that wants to take her on the ride of her life...make that her death.
Tonight is Brie’s chance to finally be accepted by the Ems—the most popular girls at school. If she can just keep one potentially reputation-ending secret under wraps, she’ll have the best night of her life, screaming on scary rides and running the Wildwoods amusement park with her new friends.
But when the Ems take a game of truth or dare too far, Brie ends up alone in a creepy abandoned section of the park. There, she meets a group of cool older teens that invite her to join them. They seem friendly enough.
Little does Brie know she’s about to come face to face with a reawakened evil that wants to take her on the ride of her life...make that her death.
Audible Audio
First published August 5, 2025
30 people are currently reading
713 people want to read
About the author
Delilah S. Dawson
172 books2,764 followersDelilah S. Dawson is the New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma, Black Spire: Galaxy's Edge, and The Perfect Weapon. With Kevin Hearne, she writes the Tales of Pell. As Lila Bowen, she writes the Shadow series, beginning with Wake of Vultures. Her other books include the Blud series, the Hit series, and Servants of the Storm.
She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.
Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.
She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.
Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
October 12, 2025
Oh gosh...the body horror in this one was little unexpected. Haha!
What Worked: This is my first time reading Delilah S. Dawson, but it definitely won't be my last. If you have middle grade readers who are fans of body horror and creepy amusement parks, this is a great recommendation for them. Not only does Dawson weave in fascinating horror elements, but there are also interesting conversations related to societal expectations, toxic relationships, and self-confidence. The reveals were epic and unexpected in some ways.
If you are looking for some seriously creepy middle grade horror, I highly recommend checking this one out.
What Worked: This is my first time reading Delilah S. Dawson, but it definitely won't be my last. If you have middle grade readers who are fans of body horror and creepy amusement parks, this is a great recommendation for them. Not only does Dawson weave in fascinating horror elements, but there are also interesting conversations related to societal expectations, toxic relationships, and self-confidence. The reveals were epic and unexpected in some ways.
If you are looking for some seriously creepy middle grade horror, I highly recommend checking this one out.
May 11, 2025
Delilah Dawson has tackled Middle Grade Horror previously in books like "Mine" and "Camp Scare". This book, "Ride or Die", felt like it was the scariest and creepiest of the three, despite not dealing with as dark themes necessarily as "Camp Scare".
The plot of this book is basically that Brie goes to a popular kid as school's birthday party at an amusement park. She gets separated from that friend and wierd, creepy stuff starts happening to her. The story of the plot didn't engage me the whole book, although it did work well by the last 50 pages. What makes this book work is the sense of fear and dread and creepiness that pervades it. Delilah has an excellent grasp on atmosphere in this series.
The three teenagers that Brie meets were very interesting and dynamic, and while I figured out the twist very early on, I think the twist will work well for kids.
I don't know if the book will be too scary for the intended audience. If a younger reader who is a fan of scary movies/books reads this, it might work perfectly. However, unless your kid likes scary stuff, I would caution giving them this book.
Still, this was a very effectively scary book for kids that read very quickly. 7 out of 10!
The plot of this book is basically that Brie goes to a popular kid as school's birthday party at an amusement park. She gets separated from that friend and wierd, creepy stuff starts happening to her. The story of the plot didn't engage me the whole book, although it did work well by the last 50 pages. What makes this book work is the sense of fear and dread and creepiness that pervades it. Delilah has an excellent grasp on atmosphere in this series.
The three teenagers that Brie meets were very interesting and dynamic, and while I figured out the twist very early on, I think the twist will work well for kids.
I don't know if the book will be too scary for the intended audience. If a younger reader who is a fan of scary movies/books reads this, it might work perfectly. However, unless your kid likes scary stuff, I would caution giving them this book.
Still, this was a very effectively scary book for kids that read very quickly. 7 out of 10!
July 20, 2025
Delilah S. Dawson definitely knows how to write horror! This one is about Brie, a young teenager who recently changed schools because of some drama caused by her older sister. She's in that new school participating in some sports event. Thanks to Brie's athleticism, Emily, who is one of the Ems (the popular girls), wins a competition. So Emily invites Brie to her birthday party celebration which is taking place at an amusement park where, 30 years ago, 4 teenagers died. The old side of the amusement park where the tragedy occurred is closed off by a big, impenetrable wall. Unfortunately, this afternoon of fun doesn't turn the way Brie had expected..
This book was quite scary, and it tackled themes of interest to me: how to deal with public opinion, how to handle bullies, why are popular kids often mean and cruel toward nerds and those who care about their academic accomplishments, what does it even mean to be popular at school. I loved this book: it was fun, freaking scary, a super quick read, and I'm going to keep reading anything DSD keeps releasing.
This book was quite scary, and it tackled themes of interest to me: how to deal with public opinion, how to handle bullies, why are popular kids often mean and cruel toward nerds and those who care about their academic accomplishments, what does it even mean to be popular at school. I loved this book: it was fun, freaking scary, a super quick read, and I'm going to keep reading anything DSD keeps releasing.
August 8, 2025
•𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐈𝐄
1. Have you ever had a horrible time at an amusement park? It could be worse.
2. Love a spooky, paranormal read? This one is just for you!
3. Were you someone who wanted to fit in with the cool kids? You’ll really relate to Brie!
4. If you’re a fan of RL Stine, you’ll love this one!
5. Are you hiding a secret past? There are plenty of secrets in this story!
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Tonight is Brie’s chance to finally be accepted by the Ems—the most popular girls at school. If she can just keep one potentially reputation-ending secret under wraps, she’ll have the best night of her life, screaming on scary rides and running the Wildwoods amusement park with her new friends.
But when the Ems take a game of truth or dare too far, Brie ends up alone in a creepy abandoned section of the park. There, she meets a group of cool older teens that invite her to join them. They seem friendly enough.
Little does Brie know she’s about to come face to face with a reawakened evil that wants to take her on the ride of her life...make that her death.
1. Have you ever had a horrible time at an amusement park? It could be worse.
2. Love a spooky, paranormal read? This one is just for you!
3. Were you someone who wanted to fit in with the cool kids? You’ll really relate to Brie!
4. If you’re a fan of RL Stine, you’ll love this one!
5. Are you hiding a secret past? There are plenty of secrets in this story!
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Tonight is Brie’s chance to finally be accepted by the Ems—the most popular girls at school. If she can just keep one potentially reputation-ending secret under wraps, she’ll have the best night of her life, screaming on scary rides and running the Wildwoods amusement park with her new friends.
But when the Ems take a game of truth or dare too far, Brie ends up alone in a creepy abandoned section of the park. There, she meets a group of cool older teens that invite her to join them. They seem friendly enough.
Little does Brie know she’s about to come face to face with a reawakened evil that wants to take her on the ride of her life...make that her death.
September 4, 2025
Middle school teens, mean girls, haunted, amusement park, ghosts. This book has all that and more. I picked it up and out of curiousity i read the first page then the second. Before I knew it I was deep into it and actually ended up liking it.
October 28, 2025
actual rating: 3/5 stars
read for reading anticipated 2025 horror 24 hour readathon vlog: https://youtu.be/_hM9A6zz7_o
i'm giving this 3 stars, which feels like the most middle-ground rating i could give, and honestly that's exactly what this book was. fine. not bad. not great. just fine.
normally i don't pick up middle grade often, but when i do, i almost always love it. something about that age group just works for me. this wasn't the case here, which is weird and disappointing. i didn't dislike it, but i wasn't blown away by some of the choices either. i'd still recommend it for younger readers who this is actually meant for, just not as enthusiastically as i'd hoped.
the setting slapped though. i loved the creepy amusement park atmosphere because i'm obsessed with amusement parks as horror settings. my favorite slasher literally takes place at an amusement park, so this vibe was tailored for me. the book nailed that unsettling fairground energy where everything looks fun but the air tastes wrong and you can't shake the feeling that something's watching you from behind the funhouse mirrors.
the body horror was surprisingly strong too. it might even be too much for some kids in this age group, which i personally loved. the book doesn't hold back or talk down to its readers, and i respect that. it trusts young people to handle genuinely disturbing imagery, which they absolutely can.
i also appreciated the themes. this tackles conversations kids desperately need to have like societal expectations of young girls, toxic friendships, self-confidence, dealing with other people's opinions, handling bullies, why popular kids can be so cruel, and what popularity even means. all of that felt necessary without being preachy or after-school-special about it.
the horror itself just wasn't my thing. it was strong enough and probably works great for the target audience, but it didn't hit for me personally. my biggest issue is that we never find out why these horrific things are happening. i get it, it's middle grade with a tighter page count, so maybe the author didn't want to bog it down with explanations. but the way it was handled felt so clunky. the main character literally asks another character why this is happening and they're like "oh, it just happens. we don't know why, but it does." that moment waved a giant neon sign that screamed "don't think too hard about this!" unexplained horror can work beautifully when it's done with intention, but pointing it out like that made it feel like the author didn't have an answer and hoped we wouldn't notice.
this was fine. i'd hand it to younger readers who want something creepy with solid themes about surviving middle school's social warfare. but it didn't work for me as an adult reader. the horror needed either more explanation or way less acknowledgment of its own plot holes.
read for reading anticipated 2025 horror 24 hour readathon vlog: https://youtu.be/_hM9A6zz7_o
i'm giving this 3 stars, which feels like the most middle-ground rating i could give, and honestly that's exactly what this book was. fine. not bad. not great. just fine.
normally i don't pick up middle grade often, but when i do, i almost always love it. something about that age group just works for me. this wasn't the case here, which is weird and disappointing. i didn't dislike it, but i wasn't blown away by some of the choices either. i'd still recommend it for younger readers who this is actually meant for, just not as enthusiastically as i'd hoped.
the setting slapped though. i loved the creepy amusement park atmosphere because i'm obsessed with amusement parks as horror settings. my favorite slasher literally takes place at an amusement park, so this vibe was tailored for me. the book nailed that unsettling fairground energy where everything looks fun but the air tastes wrong and you can't shake the feeling that something's watching you from behind the funhouse mirrors.
the body horror was surprisingly strong too. it might even be too much for some kids in this age group, which i personally loved. the book doesn't hold back or talk down to its readers, and i respect that. it trusts young people to handle genuinely disturbing imagery, which they absolutely can.
i also appreciated the themes. this tackles conversations kids desperately need to have like societal expectations of young girls, toxic friendships, self-confidence, dealing with other people's opinions, handling bullies, why popular kids can be so cruel, and what popularity even means. all of that felt necessary without being preachy or after-school-special about it.
the horror itself just wasn't my thing. it was strong enough and probably works great for the target audience, but it didn't hit for me personally. my biggest issue is that we never find out why these horrific things are happening. i get it, it's middle grade with a tighter page count, so maybe the author didn't want to bog it down with explanations. but the way it was handled felt so clunky. the main character literally asks another character why this is happening and they're like "oh, it just happens. we don't know why, but it does." that moment waved a giant neon sign that screamed "don't think too hard about this!" unexplained horror can work beautifully when it's done with intention, but pointing it out like that made it feel like the author didn't have an answer and hoped we wouldn't notice.
this was fine. i'd hand it to younger readers who want something creepy with solid themes about surviving middle school's social warfare. but it didn't work for me as an adult reader. the horror needed either more explanation or way less acknowledgment of its own plot holes.
August 27, 2025
A new MG horror perfect for fans of Hive and Small Spaces.
🎢
Welcome to Wildwoods amusement park where thirty years ago some teens died. Now it’s the location of a overnight lock in as Brie tries to get in with the cool clique: the Ems, at her new school. Brie has been hiding every since her mom and older sister became infamous—so much so that she had to change schools, but she decides she doesn’t care about popularity when the Ems lock her in the abandoned section of the park where reawakened evil tries to kill her and ghosts try to save her.
🤡
Ok this was CREEPY! @delilahsdawson came write middle grade horror! It was so suspenseful and the
audiobook narrator nailed the atmosphere throughout. Clowns, rides trying to kill you, melting zombies—what more could you want from a paranormal scary book?
CW: bullying, body horror, death, gore, toxic relationship, toxic friendship
🎢
Welcome to Wildwoods amusement park where thirty years ago some teens died. Now it’s the location of a overnight lock in as Brie tries to get in with the cool clique: the Ems, at her new school. Brie has been hiding every since her mom and older sister became infamous—so much so that she had to change schools, but she decides she doesn’t care about popularity when the Ems lock her in the abandoned section of the park where reawakened evil tries to kill her and ghosts try to save her.
🤡
Ok this was CREEPY! @delilahsdawson came write middle grade horror! It was so suspenseful and the
audiobook narrator nailed the atmosphere throughout. Clowns, rides trying to kill you, melting zombies—what more could you want from a paranormal scary book?
CW: bullying, body horror, death, gore, toxic relationship, toxic friendship
August 7, 2025
Creep-tastic! Ride or Die is an absolute must-read for horror lovers—especially middle grade readers. This one is loaded with spooky, skin-crawling elements that are just the right amount of terrifying fun:
🎢Haunted-feeling old amusement park
🤖Creepy robotic mascot—Pickax Pete
🪲Bug horror, moldy snacks, and swampy legends (hello, Monster Max!)
But beyond the scares, there’s a lot of heart with meaningful messages about friendship, embracing what makes you different, and navigating the pressure to fit in. Brie is a super relatable FMC, and many middle graders will connect with her desire to fit in with “the Ems” (aka the cool but mean girls).
🎧Narration Note: Dominique Salvacion brings Brie’s fear, anxiety, and desperate survival instincts to life, while also adding layers of eerie tension. I loved her chilling voice for Pickax Pete. “Who needs a bonk-bonk?” = instant shivers 😱
Final Verdict: 👍 Perfect for any horror lover, but especially middle graders. Just don't read with the lights off.
🎢Haunted-feeling old amusement park
🤖Creepy robotic mascot—Pickax Pete
🪲Bug horror, moldy snacks, and swampy legends (hello, Monster Max!)
But beyond the scares, there’s a lot of heart with meaningful messages about friendship, embracing what makes you different, and navigating the pressure to fit in. Brie is a super relatable FMC, and many middle graders will connect with her desire to fit in with “the Ems” (aka the cool but mean girls).
🎧Narration Note: Dominique Salvacion brings Brie’s fear, anxiety, and desperate survival instincts to life, while also adding layers of eerie tension. I loved her chilling voice for Pickax Pete. “Who needs a bonk-bonk?” = instant shivers 😱
Final Verdict: 👍 Perfect for any horror lover, but especially middle graders. Just don't read with the lights off.
September 6, 2025
HRCYED - Spooky Creatures (spirit)
This was a delight: a nice break and a quick read. A bit preachy, but the audience is middle schoolers, and the message of being true to yourself was more for them than me. I will definitely have my kiddos read this... once they can handle the gore.
Definitely a horror genre book, even for the MS audience. Not scary, but had a lot of horror elements to it.
This was a delight: a nice break and a quick read. A bit preachy, but the audience is middle schoolers, and the message of being true to yourself was more for them than me. I will definitely have my kiddos read this... once they can handle the gore.
Definitely a horror genre book, even for the MS audience. Not scary, but had a lot of horror elements to it.
November 10, 2025
3.75⭐️
For a middle grade horror, this was creepy
For a middle grade horror, this was creepy
December 5, 2025
My son and I read this one at the same time after he discovered it at the book fair. He loves horror and roller coasters so this was right up his alley. I thought it was pretty decent! A good entry level horror for a middle school kid.
April 24, 2025
4.5
A horror in a theme park? yes, please. I loved the concept. Brie wants to belong, so when the opportunity to attend a mean girl's birthday at a theme park, she plays with it, even if the birthday girl is humiliating and bullying her guests/friends. She dares Brie to enter a closed location of the part. There are really cool vivid scenes when she is alone, scary, or horror. I won't say more about this part, but she is not alone.
I understand why the author made some decisions at the end. It was a good ending, appropriate for middlegraders and those leaving chapter books behind. The novel has a teaser of another (a previous volume, and I it's already on my whishlist for my next visit to the local bookstore).
Also this author is writing Ravenlof Heir of Strahd. Knowing this makes me want to read all her books.
A horror in a theme park? yes, please. I loved the concept. Brie wants to belong, so when the opportunity to attend a mean girl's birthday at a theme park, she plays with it, even if the birthday girl is humiliating and bullying her guests/friends. She dares Brie to enter a closed location of the part. There are really cool vivid scenes when she is alone, scary, or horror. I won't say more about this part, but she is not alone.
I understand why the author made some decisions at the end. It was a good ending, appropriate for middlegraders and those leaving chapter books behind. The novel has a teaser of another (a previous volume, and I it's already on my whishlist for my next visit to the local bookstore).
Also this author is writing Ravenlof Heir of Strahd. Knowing this makes me want to read all her books.
July 16, 2025
I received an ARC copy of this book. Here’s my honesty review.
I really liked this book!
From the start of the first page I knew I was going to love it!!
It’s really intriguing and suspenseful, I couldn’t put it down the farther I got into it!!
This is definitely one of my new favorites!
I really liked this book!
From the start of the first page I knew I was going to love it!!
It’s really intriguing and suspenseful, I couldn’t put it down the farther I got into it!!
This is definitely one of my new favorites!
August 26, 2025
This is Mean Girls in an Amusement Park at night. It’s not really scary but it was a fun ride.
November 2, 2025
I admit I am not exactly the target audience for this book but I do love to read children's books. Generally I find them very relaxing. And there's nothing more fun in my opinion than a scary story about amusement park rides. The very idea that something might go horribly wrong while you are safe reading at home - now there is a good thriller... Sadly this one came close but it didn't exactly deliver.
Now I can't say if it's because I'm an adult, but I found it way too easy to guess what was going on in here. It was "right in my face" obvious but Bria just didn't get it. Instead she was wondering around all confused, thinking maybe she was seeing stuff. After awhile this started to get frustrating. And then I started to get impatient too. I just wanted the book to get to the end so Bria could finally figure out the truth I had known from page 60. Yes, page 60! The book has 210 pages. So basically about a third of the way through.
Then there was this guy inside a suit, a plushie suit that is supposed to be the park mascot. I found him to be very annoying! He keeps appearing throughout the story saying "who needs a bonk bonk?" - it's supposed to be scary as he has a big pickaxe but instead I only got annoyed. You know, the "oh no, not him again".
I think the book does have some good messages in it. Here they are:
"And don't fall for any of their pranks," CJ added. "You can always say no. Anybody who would make fun of that is definitely not your friend."
"Good boundaries make good friends, as my dad, the school counselor, used to say," Trip added.
Because the main character, Bria, has a problem with people. She's very into following rules and worries a lot about doing the wrong thing, about getting into trouble. She feels bad about telling lies or the possibility that she might annoy someone but that means she hangs back and stays silent. I could certainly relate to Bria easily. That wasn't the issue.
It was just too easy to guess.
Now I can't say if it's because I'm an adult, but I found it way too easy to guess what was going on in here. It was "right in my face" obvious but Bria just didn't get it. Instead she was wondering around all confused, thinking maybe she was seeing stuff. After awhile this started to get frustrating. And then I started to get impatient too. I just wanted the book to get to the end so Bria could finally figure out the truth I had known from page 60. Yes, page 60! The book has 210 pages. So basically about a third of the way through.
Then there was this guy inside a suit, a plushie suit that is supposed to be the park mascot. I found him to be very annoying! He keeps appearing throughout the story saying "who needs a bonk bonk?" - it's supposed to be scary as he has a big pickaxe but instead I only got annoyed. You know, the "oh no, not him again".
I think the book does have some good messages in it. Here they are:
"And don't fall for any of their pranks," CJ added. "You can always say no. Anybody who would make fun of that is definitely not your friend."
"Good boundaries make good friends, as my dad, the school counselor, used to say," Trip added.
Because the main character, Bria, has a problem with people. She's very into following rules and worries a lot about doing the wrong thing, about getting into trouble. She feels bad about telling lies or the possibility that she might annoy someone but that means she hangs back and stays silent. I could certainly relate to Bria easily. That wasn't the issue.
It was just too easy to guess.
June 7, 2025
Ride or Die by Delilah S. Dawson is a middle grade horror novel that follows Brie. Brie desperately wants to be a part of the cool girl clique at her school known as “the Ems” but it’s almost impossible. After she ends up in the Ems good graces, she gets to join them for a night of fun at a local theme park. But things don’t go according to plan and Brie ends up getting more thrills than she expected.
This was so fun. There is something so nostalgic about middle grade horror. This one takes place in an amusement park at night which I feel like was a dream of mine growing up but it made it terrifying! This book had some creepy elements that any reader can enjoy.
There are some great messages in here as well. Mainly around is it worth being a different person to fit in with the cool crowd? I think that’s something that a lot of middle schoolers have to deal with so this book is perfect for the age group it’s aimed for.
This was just a great time full of fun rides and scary encounters with some important messages for kids. I will be getting a copy of this to add to my home library for my kids to read!
This was so fun. There is something so nostalgic about middle grade horror. This one takes place in an amusement park at night which I feel like was a dream of mine growing up but it made it terrifying! This book had some creepy elements that any reader can enjoy.
There are some great messages in here as well. Mainly around is it worth being a different person to fit in with the cool crowd? I think that’s something that a lot of middle schoolers have to deal with so this book is perfect for the age group it’s aimed for.
This was just a great time full of fun rides and scary encounters with some important messages for kids. I will be getting a copy of this to add to my home library for my kids to read!
March 9, 2025
Ｅｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
5 ☆
The cover art is amazing and totally caught my eye. I will definitely be purchasing the paperback for my personal library! The premise also caught my attention. Brie is invited by the Ems, the most popular girls in school, to a sleepover at an amusement park. Brie thinks she'll have the best night of her life. But when the Ems take a game of truth or dare too far, Brie ends up alone in a creepy, abandoned section of the park. There, she meets a group of cool, older teens who invite her to join them. They seem friendly enough. Little does Brie know she's about to come face to face with a reawakened evil that wants to take her on a ride to her life or death.
This YA mystery was the right pace, had the right amount of suspense, and is right for a young adult audience. I would highly recommend it to middle school children. This book will keep their attention. I enjoyed this book myself as an adult.
Thank you, Netgellay, and Random House for the Ebook in exchange for my honest review.
5 ☆
The cover art is amazing and totally caught my eye. I will definitely be purchasing the paperback for my personal library! The premise also caught my attention. Brie is invited by the Ems, the most popular girls in school, to a sleepover at an amusement park. Brie thinks she'll have the best night of her life. But when the Ems take a game of truth or dare too far, Brie ends up alone in a creepy, abandoned section of the park. There, she meets a group of cool, older teens who invite her to join them. They seem friendly enough. Little does Brie know she's about to come face to face with a reawakened evil that wants to take her on a ride to her life or death.
This YA mystery was the right pace, had the right amount of suspense, and is right for a young adult audience. I would highly recommend it to middle school children. This book will keep their attention. I enjoyed this book myself as an adult.
Thank you, Netgellay, and Random House for the Ebook in exchange for my honest review.
August 9, 2025
ARC provided by Delacorte Press/Random House Children's/Delilah S. Dawson via Toppling Stacks Tours. All opinions are mine and freely given.
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'Ride or Die' by Delilah S. Dawson is a fun middle grade horror read, set in an amusement park with a secret, dark history.. during a sleepover for a birthday party.
The story follows Brie, who's hiding a secret of her own that caused her to flee her old school, looking to start over. Hoping to be accepted into what she sees as the safety of the most popular group at her new school, she's willing to do just about anything to make that happen.
When the girls.. collectively known as 'the Ems'.. coerce her into an abandoned section of the park, she ends up meeting a group of cool older kids that seem to be much nicer. Unfortunately, there's a malignant force present as well, that's going to make surviving the night a bit more of a challenge.
I don't normally read middle grade stories. I'm far from the target audience in most cases and I find even a lot of young adult authors have a tendency to feel like they're talking down to the reader, dumbing down the writing, or just plain weak at it.. which makes me hesitant. None of that happens in 'Ride or Die.'
Sometime back, I read another of Dawson's novels.. called 'Midnight at the Houdini.' I had absolutely fallen in love with her characters and her world building, the way she crafted her settings in visual emotions. And it was absolutely the same here with this little horror story.
Did I have to suspend disbelief a bit? Yes. Even as a kid, I know one hint of the first odd situation would have been plenty to send me looking for the way out. For it to go on as long as it did, while necessary for the story, it was a bit of a stretch.
All that aside, Dawson is great at capturing the personalities of her characters and really understanding who they are through and through. They're well-developed and distinctive. Charming even.
It was creepy and fun. A great read for middle graders and adults, alike. I loved it and can't wait to read some more titles from this author.
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August 22, 2025
(4.0 Stars)
This is a Middle Grade Horror book, and while I'm about 40 years outside of the target demographic... I can still enjoy a good story. And that is what this is... a good story. For reference, about the same group of readers who would enjoy the Goosebumps books/movies.
This author writes great characters, and really shines in shorter works.
What I like about this story, is that in addition to the psychological thriller aspect of it, it touches on common worries of "tweens", and even into high school. Acceptance by peers, the struggle of individuality over pack mentality, and even being embarrassed by your family. It doesn't just paint the characters with a broad brush, and it gives them nuance, and growth.
Back to the thriller aspect... That was also done well. The book has a good pace, and the audiobook narrator was excellent.
This is a Middle Grade Horror book, and while I'm about 40 years outside of the target demographic... I can still enjoy a good story. And that is what this is... a good story. For reference, about the same group of readers who would enjoy the Goosebumps books/movies.
This author writes great characters, and really shines in shorter works.
What I like about this story, is that in addition to the psychological thriller aspect of it, it touches on common worries of "tweens", and even into high school. Acceptance by peers, the struggle of individuality over pack mentality, and even being embarrassed by your family. It doesn't just paint the characters with a broad brush, and it gives them nuance, and growth.
Back to the thriller aspect... That was also done well. The book has a good pace, and the audiobook narrator was excellent.
August 2, 2025
A chilling middle grade horror story about a young girl who gets trapped in an abandoned part of an amusement park where things are not as they seem and a sinister presence is out for blood. Great on audio and perfect for fans of the Small spaces series by Katherine Arden. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
August 9, 2025
This was a solid fun ya ride. A little too ya in some parts but the descriptions given in the book and the fact I had just been to an amusement park made it all that more vivid in my mind
September 15, 2025
Fun ride!!!!
October 2, 2025
Book 76 for 2025. 3.5/5 stars for this middle grade horror. Trying to get into spooky season!
November 22, 2025
I read this book with my son. It was a good YA thriller. Enjoyed it!
December 17, 2025
Creepy amusement park! Mean girl! Ghosts! Teens in peril! Very fun middle grade spooky read.
July 13, 2025
Ride or Die is a suspenseful book with a surprising amount of heart and life lessons. It definitely leans on the younger side of things, but it’s obviously written for that audience. The atmosphere in the story was so eerie and even though I kinda had things figured out, it still was tense but extremely fast paced. The characters were great and the main character goes through a very important journey that is nicely fleshed out. Overall, anyone who enjoys YA or Middle Grade horror, I definitely would suggest checking this book out!
February 28, 2025
While trying to fit into the Ems, the most popular girl group in her new school, Brie unwittingly signs up for a night of torture from her new friends as well as something more sinister. As the night wears on and Brie faces the unknown, she learns about herself and about life--she just has to survive until morning.
This novel by Delilah S. Dawson perfectly combines horror while addressing issues of self acceptance and peer pressure that her target audience faces on a daily basis. The setting of amusement park is the right amount of familiar and unknown to make the story suspenseful and add to the novel's fast-paced action. This quick read is perfect for a middle school library!
Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC!
This novel by Delilah S. Dawson perfectly combines horror while addressing issues of self acceptance and peer pressure that her target audience faces on a daily basis. The setting of amusement park is the right amount of familiar and unknown to make the story suspenseful and add to the novel's fast-paced action. This quick read is perfect for a middle school library!
Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC!
May 30, 2025
4.5 Stars
I thought this was a really good middle grade book by Delilah S. Dawson. Its a quick read with interesting characters. I really appreciate how Dawson incorporated real life issues that young teens and teens deal with into this horror novel. What it means to change oneself to try to fit in with the popular crowd. How what someone think is a cool crowd can be just one person leading others because they are mean and bossy. The people in that group may have also changed their selves to try to fit in as well. It just becomes this viscous cycle.
The horror this book is well done. Its a right level of scary for this age group. I thought she did a great job describing some of the gory scenes without getting too graphic unlike some of her adult horror books. I would really recommend this to any middle grade of highschool reader. I think they would have a great time with this one and be able to easily connect with the characters.
I thought this was a really good middle grade book by Delilah S. Dawson. Its a quick read with interesting characters. I really appreciate how Dawson incorporated real life issues that young teens and teens deal with into this horror novel. What it means to change oneself to try to fit in with the popular crowd. How what someone think is a cool crowd can be just one person leading others because they are mean and bossy. The people in that group may have also changed their selves to try to fit in as well. It just becomes this viscous cycle.
The horror this book is well done. Its a right level of scary for this age group. I thought she did a great job describing some of the gory scenes without getting too graphic unlike some of her adult horror books. I would really recommend this to any middle grade of highschool reader. I think they would have a great time with this one and be able to easily connect with the characters.
July 1, 2025
This is a great MG horror in so many ways. It's pretty much gateway body horror by the last act, and maintains as a pretty good psychological horror before that point. It's extremely relatable theme wise and touches on peer pressure, family expectations, and identity formation.
Honestly my biggest (and really only) issue is that there a big secret about the MC's family that is revealed after being hinted at for a big part of the book and once the secret was revealed, it was very underwhelming. It isn't actually related to the horror at all, so it was fine but I was a bit disappointed by that build up.
Disclosure: I received a gifted eARC from the publisher. No review was required and all opinions are my own.
Honestly my biggest (and really only) issue is that there a big secret about the MC's family that is revealed after being hinted at for a big part of the book and once the secret was revealed, it was very underwhelming. It isn't actually related to the horror at all, so it was fine but I was a bit disappointed by that build up.
Disclosure: I received a gifted eARC from the publisher. No review was required and all opinions are my own.
August 10, 2025
Really loved Guillotine but hated this book. It was both predictable and boring. 🥱
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