Nightmare on Nightmare Street

by R.L. Stine

From the master of spine-tingling horror for young audiences, Nightmare on Nightmare Street is full of strange sounds, terrifying visions, and things that go bump in the night. Includes a foreword by James “Murr” Murray, bestselling author of Don’t Move and co-creator of Impractical Jokers.

Twelve-year-old Joe Ferber, his sister Sadie, and their parents have just moved into a house that has all the hallmarks of a horror movie—tombstones in the basement, a creepy doll lying around, strange noises in the wall, and so on. As Joe tries to fall asleep on the first night, his nightlight begins to flash and change colors, and the creepy doll appears in his bed … and then twelve-year-old Shawn Hannigan wakes up from a dream.

Shawn and his little sister, Addie, are seemingly living in the same house with their mother. But when they arrive at their new school for the first day, the teachers are all wearing animal masks, and the principal’s office is pitch black and full of noises. At the end of the day, a stranger claiming to be Shawn’s mom picks him up and tells him he doesn’t have a sister …

As more and more strange things happen to each of them, Shawn and Joe have to figure out what is real, and what is a nightmare …

Genres: Horror, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Halloween, Audiobook, Childrens, Fantasy

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2026

About the author

Robert 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...

Reviews

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 3 stars ✰

“There’s no way they are going to believe me. No way.
The story is just too strange to be believed.”

When I was in the third grade, somewhere between learning my lines for my role as the Ladybug in our Advanced Reading class' theatrical adaptation of James and the Giant Peach and getting accused by the girls in my class that I preferred spending time with the boys over them (an accusation that was hurled at me again in 6th grade), one morning recess, news spread on the elementary grapevine that our library had just received some new releases, amongst the series Goosebumps. 😲 Alas, in a sad twist of fate, it would be the week where I was not the line leader, but freckled-faced redhead Rachel was; she got her grubby paws on Ghost Beach first, and I got Roald Dahl's The Twits, instead. If you ask me, she was better off with the twits, seeing that, at times, she was one. *mumble grumble.* 😒

In the fourth grade, Mo came back from his family vacation to London with a couple of VHS tapes (yes, it's 1998, people; they were a hot commodity once upon a time) that had a few episodes of Goosebumps. So, for a few class parties, it happily served as fun popcorn entertainment for us, while my nine-year-old heart went bumpity bump for the child actor in A Night in Terror Tower. ☺️ 🍿 It would be a few years later till our cable TV would start airing the show on a weekly basis. Hey, it's Pakistan! We just took a little time to catch up back then. 😆

Then, in 6th grade, one of my favorite bookstores in Lahore began stocking up the entire series, and I, being the Good Samaritan that I was, generously loaned a few (okay, there were 8) of my Goosebumps books to my classmates. It took me forever to get them to return them, but, sadly, despite my constant reminders, Sim just didn't bother. Safe to say, I never bothered lending her anything again, and I'm just grateful it wasn't Phantom of the Opera that I'd let her borrow; otherwise, she wouldn't have heard the end of it. But, I'm still sad about it. 😞 She kept the one that included the special custom Goosebumps bookmarks and everything...

Long story short (oh, c'mon, you can admit that you enjoyed reading it 😌), Goosebumps has been a special part of my memories. So, when I saw that R.L. Stine was releasing a new book this February, I figured, Why not? For old time's sake. And what do you know, it just so happens to turn out that Nightmare on Nightmare Street is just that very book for those who grew up loving his books that it felt less like a nightmare and more like nostalgia that felt so right. 🫡

*~*~*~*~

“Then he had a very disturbing thought: What if I’m not real? What if I’m part of someone’s nightmare?”

RLS' introduction perfectly sets up exactly what awaits you. 🏵️ A creepy and funny read that tweens and adults can enjoy, where he can throw every version of horror he's ever created and get away with it because it'll mesh together so well - an Everything story for Everyone, for us to be delighted and surprised.

I was surprised by certain reveals, and I was delighted by the creepy Easter Eggs that randomly popped up, having me chuckle at the memories of their original premise. 😏 A fun, quirky, well balanced spooky humor and an engaging sibling dynamic that was relatable that kept the spooks and humor flowing with ease.

“Did you ever hear of go with the flow?”
“Did you ever hear of run for your life?”

I liked how the unsettling mysteries on both storylines steadily overlapped. 12 year old Joe desperate to convince his sister, Sadie, and parents that the fixer-upper house they've just moved into is actually haunted, and Shawn, who can't understand the strange events happening to him and his sister, Angie. 😟 It's alarming; it's frightening; it's entertaining.

While I did cringe at the slightly over the top, goofy way each chapter ended on a spooky cliffhanger with jump scares and cry of surprises and alarm a bit too goofy for my taste buds, it was still an enjoyable, fast-paced, page-turning read that at the end had me feel a emotion that I didn't quite recall ever experiencing. 🥺

And that certainly was a welcome feeling— one where I paused and wondered how I could've missed that. Keeping you so invested with the chills and thrills that it's so easy to overlook the obvious. It was bittersweet, and it was a heartwarming reminder of how R.L. Stine's books have held such a special part of my personal life, one where revisiting it certainly was a rewarding experience. 🧡

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up. R.L Stine books are some of the first that I remember reading, (and loving), when I was a kid!
I had no idea he was still publishing new stuff, so when I saw this, I just had to pay nostalgia a visit and see if his books are as good as I remember them to be.

Long story short, I thought it was pretty decent.
Keep in mind, I am obviously not the target audience for this anymore- so I don't love it as much as someone who is within the age group that it's meant for probably would.
But! I can still appreciate it for that the classic Stine vibe that I remember.

The introduction of this book describes it as "a bit of everything", and I think that is a good way to put it.
There is definitely a lot of different aspects to it, and some organized chaos. Which I think is a lot of fun, and I am impressed that it was done in a way that interesting instead of stressful (as I sometimes think chaotic books can be).
We seem to never be in the same place or in the same scene for too long, and things are constantly changing- so it's hard to get bored.

Before reading the synopsis, I thought what a lot of people will probably think: "is this a child-friendly retelling of "A Nightmare on Elm Street?".
The answer to that is... not really, but I think I can see some minor resemblance between the two. though I would not go so far as to say they are similar.
Just if anyone is curious like I was!

My favorite element of this had to be the all teachers wearing animal masks.
It was weird, creative, and I wish we got some more information on that! Simply because I would love some background there.
Bonus points for the classic dummy element.
I am pretty sure I have mentally associated every single dummy/ventriloquist doll that I have ever seen with Stine's writing- so naturally it was an expected and appreciated addition.

Overall, I think the story is nice.
Good for younger audiences. But, If you're an adult, you may want to read it for nostalgic purposes.

Thank you to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing and author R.L Stine for providing me with the eARC of "Nightmare on Nightmare Street", in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: February 17, 2026

[Shiv (The Horrorlander) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This the worst kids horror book I have ever read thus far, congrats Mr. Stine.

Don't read this unless you are a person with the urge to yell 6'7!!!! every hour by the hour of the day. It's pointless, zero characterization or setup, random garbage happening every other page, and a "recontextualization" which makes as much sense as a lobster playing the trumpet at your local Wendy's drive through.

1/10 War Crime.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up with Goosebumps and Fear Street so reading R. L. Stine now is a great touch of nostalgia. This one is a middle grade story and it would be good for the whole family to read together. There were some jokes and bits that were throwbacks to things I read about in my childhood and were fun for me too. The narration was great. I liked the twists and turns of this one and it does have just a little bit of everything in it.

[Autumn Ketchum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This warmed my heart so much. It had a little bit of everything in it. Just like promised in the intro! There were so many fun Goosebumps references and many tropes that he has used before! It made me smile and laugh. It was cute. The book was really goofy and while I didn’t think it was spooky, it was definitely very fun and worth the read. If you are an adult and nostalgic for his books like I am, I think you’ll get a kick out of it. It’s fun for kids for sure, it’s a fun taste of a little bit of everything Stine is known for. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC read!

[Austin Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mr. Stine masterfully imbues upon the reader the mood and melancholy indicated by the title and premise of this book - but not in the way that you would expect.

R.L. Stine is known for his various twists and turns in his stories, and in Nightmare on Nightmare Street, he employs perhaps his most confounding twist yet; nearly right out of the gate, no less.
The reader is assaulted with feverish madness, nonsensical scenes and illogical behavior that could only be the product of... well, a nightmare. There's no resemblance of a narrative or any connecting threads; even the characters (are they, though?) are completely void of emotion.
It's merely one hellscape after another. It's not unpleasant or horrifying because of some disturbing or graphic content (this is a kids book, after all) but because of the sheer randomness of it all. It makes you progressively sick with its psychedelic-like vibes - it has you wondering who laced your edibles with shrooms.

Furthermore, Stine deftly makes you feel as the characters feel; that is, nothing, and simultaneously tortured as they cluelessly and hopelessly wander a purgatory that is inescapable. (But seems much closer to hell than heaven.)
How the author manages to combine such a feeling, one of utter carelessness and pervasive suffering is truly an achievement. And that is the real accomplishment of this book as a whole. It does more than what it advertises itself to do, pulling you beyond the simple nightmare realms and into the twisted purgatories endured by its characters. It makes for a grueling experience, so much so that I can not recommend this book to anyone, nor would I dream (hah) of ever reading this book again.

Stine has ascended to a new level with this publication from Blackstone - although this peak is situated in a different location, far removed from where the rest of his bibliography lives. You can probably guess where. Well, except for Say My Name, Say My Name! - that Goosebumps book from the House of Shivers series sits somewhere comfortably alongside this one in a place no one intends on going to but wind up at when they don't repent of their sins.

1⭐

[Mai H.]

Halloween TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing

[A.D. Aro · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is described by Stine as his "everything" book, meaning what if he just put ALL the scares into one book? Except, usually when you try to cram 'everything' into one idea, what you really end up with is nothing. And that's how this book feels. Like a bunch of nothing. The synopsis on the back will have you thinking there's so much going on in this book: a cemetery in the basement of the house, a vampire, a werewolf, strange voices, a bizarre camera, creepy dolls and an evil ventriloquist dummy (do any of those tropes sound familiar?), but there really isn't. Most of these are quickly mentioned and then never brought up again. Just one spooky idea after another, like a factory assembly line.
The book ends with a classic Stine "twist" ending that I sort of saw coming, but has also been done so many times before, even by Stine himself.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was super fast and I didn't expect the ending shockingly. I would have loved this as a kid. Very nostalgic.

[Mehsi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from Edelweiss/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.


I was so excited about this one as I really enjoy R.L. Stine’s books. I was curious what was going to happen on Nightmare Street and how spooky/creepy it would get it.

And it started off really well, with a fun introduction by R.L. Stine telling us why/how he wrote the book and then proceeded to talk about how he loves putting all sorts of things on a bagel and how he wanted to do the same here. I was both intrigued and worried.

Well, I was right to worry. Maybe a bagel will work with everything on it, but a book with everything crammed in it? No. The good thing was that it was a quick read and sure there were some things I liked. But in overall? I would describe this book as a haunted house on steroids. Or for the gamers as if someone was speedrunning through a haunted house. Not enjoying everything at all. Each time something spooky would happen and BOOM on to the next. Oh, you just saw a spooky doll? Well here are spooky sounds. Oh, and there are graves in the basement. Oh and here is a spooky camera. Oh and here is a spooky dummy. Oh and there is a spooky attic. Oh and the spiders. Oh and this and OH that. And that is just what happens in the house. It was as if a kid was told that he could have everything at the candy store and just proceeded to not care if it all mixed and matched well. Just add everything. It got really tiring and annoying. I just wish that one or two elements were chosen for both the story lines.

Yep. You heard that right. We have two story lines. In one we have a brother and sister who have just moved and the brother keeps being a chicken/scaredycat about everything and the house filled to brim with everything you may have read in Goosebumps novels. Then the other is another brother and sister who have moved as well and the brother is dreaming about our first duo. But in their story things also go weird ala Goosebumps. Strange teachers with masks. A principal who may not be what he is. Things disappearing. Things appearing. The second story line was just as chaotic as the first one but at least the brother was a bit better there.

Not to mention I am so so done with brother vs sister and constant arguments and how parents handle that. Can we just for once have a brother/sister who get along?

And then at the end everything comes together and I was even more confused as the first duo acts totally different from what we saw, plus I am left with even more questions. And then there is the ending which is so cliché even the clichés find it cliché.

Also, dear R.L. Stine. Polaroid cameras still exist. Instax is a big thing for instance. So the comment that these kids were like OH this is from grandfathers time and it spits out a photograph, makes no sense. These kids know what a polaroid camera is. Maybe the model would look different and they can comment on that, but other than that nope.

As I said in the beginning there were things I did like. I mean, I did like the references to other R.L. Stine spookies, like seeing the dummy or the camera. At times things did get a bit spooky. But I just couldn’t enjoy them that much which is a shame.

All in all, I am sad that this book wasn’t a hit for me. It had such potential, but it just all fell short. You don’t need to cram everything in a book, just pick a couple and build from there.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Gina Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read!! If you’ve got preteens (or grandkids) who love a good spooky story, or you just enjoy a quick scare yourself, this one is a fun, fast read.
R. L. Stine really knows how to tap into that nostalgic childhood fear. This took me right back to all those classic Goosebumps vibes, but with a few modern fears mixed in too (and yes… I felt that 😄).
It definitely gave me Twilight Zone energy with its eerie, slightly unsettling feel.
Perfect for a quick, creepy escape. Available now.
Thank you to @netgalley, @blackstonepublishing, and @rl_stine1 for the opportunity to read this arc for an honest review.
#BookReview #SpookyReads #RLStine #ThrillerReads #Bookstagram

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

R.L Stine is back with the creepy.

[Alejandro Joseph · Rating 1 out of 5]

Regurgitating. With a hint of sewage water and a glass of Neanderthal piss on the side. That’s what this book is, is the simplest of insults. Nightmare on Nightmare Street is the third and what I pray to GOD is the last book in R.L. Stine’s Blackstone kids’ horror novel trilogy. Not a single book from this run has been even in the ball park of decent, and this one of the furthest from it. The only “praise” I can give here is that there were some better ideas thrown in here. I liked the dementia bit (maybe Stine was incorporating his own experiences? Or was enduring one whilst writing this?) and the dummy section in their individual respective points in the story, but will I give him any credit just because I found those okay? Absolutely not. Unless Stine paid you or held a gun to your head, there’s no fucking way anyone gave this slop a good rating, because DEAR DARWIN ALMIGHTY: we’ve devolved. My issues are endless, so let’s unearth the endless. The story progression is the worst I have ever seen with drawn out segments, under delivery, no plot development for the entire book, random shit happening every few pages, no feasible acts/climax/definable chunks of the book, zero character building, and NO FUCKING STORY TO BEGIN WITH!!! UAAUAUAUAUAUAUAUAUGHsorry about that. Almost nothing has any relevance besides dragging the book out to an egregious 200 pages, and the only plot point in the entire book that means something—the ending—is poorly delivered, rushed, and MAKES. NO. SENSE. The entire book is an astronomical waste of time, and there is nothing to take away from this. It wasn’t even at the very least fun; I had to take Tylenol (don’t worry, I’m not pregnant) to get through this disaster, let alone plenty of meditation breaks to not punch a hole in my wall. I’m gonna end it here: I could go on all day and dissect everything wrong with every chapter, but I actually have respect for whoever is reading this and their time. Overall, 0.5/10. DO NOT READ THIS GARBAGE. And Stine: I love you, but you gotta either put the fries in the bag or lock in. I’m gonna go take an aspirin.

[KaysKillerReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like going back home after 20 plus years away.

It has been so long since I picked up an R. L. Stine novel, but I read so many of them as a child, and this felt like everything I remember about his books. I had so much fun sitting in the nostalgia and catching the little easter eggs from previous stories.

I read somewhere that this is written for ages 9 to 12, but done in a way that longtime readers can still enjoy it and I completely agree. It feels classic, but not outdated. Simple, fun, a little creepy, and very self aware.

More than anything, this just made me excited. I cannot wait for my son to grow into R. L. Stine novels so I can go back to my roots and experience them all over again with him.

Sometimes you do not need something groundbreaking. Sometimes you just need to go home.

[Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This read a bit like a fever dream and was unexpected!! I loved all the nods to classic Goosebumps books. It’s always fun to see something new from RL Stine. Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy!

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The new age version of the Goosebumps series. As a 90’s kid, I certainly enjoyed reading the RL Stine collection so this was a fun taste of that nostalgia. This was a fast paced, quick read that jumped right into nonstop action! Perfect for kids - it was silly with a lot of humor mixed in.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nostalgia that came with picking up a copy of Nightmare on Nightmare Street was immediate. I've always been a fan of Stine's books - Goosebumps, Fear Street, and The Nightmare Room series to name but a few.

A decade or two has passed since I last picked up one of Stine's books so as you can imagine I was eager to get stuck in to Nightmare on Nightmare Street. Quoted by the author as being an 'Everything story for Everyone' it didn't disappoint.

It was fun! I enjoyed it.

[Steph (its-just-steph) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟 rounded up.

As someone who’s read way too many R.L. Stine books over the past 25 years (easily over a thousand), I had to pick this one up IMMEDIATELY...

And it delivered exactly what I was hoping for!

If you grew up on Goosebumps or Fear Street, this is such a fun, nostalgic ride. It has that classic Stine feel: quick pacing, creepy concepts, and that slightly chaotic energy that makes his books so addictive. It genuinely made me feel like a kid again.

That said, if you’re new to his work, this probably won’t hit the same. A lot of the charm comes from familiarity with his style, and without that, it might feel a bit underwhelming.

The ending did feel a little rushed (especially with the reveal), but honestly that’s very on brand for Stine. It didn’t take away from the overall experience for me personally.

Overall, a fast, fun read that leans hard into nostalgia! I hope Stine continues to write more for the big kids at heart ❤️

[Kelsie Charbonneau - theshelvesofduchessarya · Rating 4 out of 5]

ɴɪɢʜᴛᴍᴀʀᴇ ᴏɴ ɴɪɢʜᴛᴍᴀʀᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴇᴇᴛ ʙʏ ʀ.ʟ. ꜱᴛɪɴᴇ 🎧
⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a nostalgic ride! I absolutely loved this book. What a mash up of a lot of the favourites stories from Goosebumps with the typical R.L vibes. I loved it so much and enjoyed the ride along the way. I was definitely confused at parts, but in a good way where you are always wanting to know what comes next to answer your questions! Kids will definitely love this book.

[Vonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ughhhh this was so good and now I’m annoyed because I NEED the physical copy! That ending will live in my head rent free! 😩🤌 Thank you Netgalley for my arc anddddd enabling my addiction! 🤣

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun whether you are young or old. It builds up until you find out what's going on in the end. Parts are funny.The story has nostalgic flashbacks on other Stine books.

[Alora Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was such a fan of Goosebumps when I was a kid that getting this ARC was like a fever dream that definitely would have pleased younger me. This is definitely nostalgic Stine and brings you right back to the goosebumps. You probably won’t be able to figure out what’s going on (unless you’re an OG reader) and if you have read the goosebumps there are a lot of nods to them which really tickled me. This will be out on February 17, 2026!

[SHANE ⋆.ೃ࿔* ⛓️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to R.L.Stine and NetGalley for an ARC of "Nightmare on Nightmare Street"!

Oh boy...where do I even begin? I'll start off by saying that while I have not read an R.L. Stine book in well over a decade, I was expecting more from this. I think what ruined this the most for me was the note he has in the beginning that describes this book as an "everything bagel" saying that there is horror and good stuff in it for everyone of all ages.

Yeah, really did not delivery on that front.

A LOT of things happen, and everything just gets brushed over and immediately is moving onto the next scary thing. Which nothing connected make sense, and with the ending...it felt like a cop-out to write a poor plot with flat characters that literally I could not differentiate from personality or dialogue wise. I get it if it was for parallel purposes but genuinely the way they kept gaslighting each other and then saying that things weren't scary or didn't happen just for them to all wind up in the same boat...it was not for me.

I think overall there were some cool references and odes to some of Stine's earlier works, but as a standalone book, this did not deliver what I thought it was going to, especially with the note that Stine had included in the beginning with the "everything bagel" comparison. I feel like if that note wasn't there, i would have enjoyed it a bit better. But overall there was just..a whole lot going on, and a whole lot of nothing.

[Alysia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

i really enjoyed this book & thought it was such a fun ride! stine said he based this book off of his "everything bagel" he was eating one morning and decided to throw in a ton of different ya horror tropes into one book and i definitely think that fits. there are so many different types horror tropes as well as cameos from his other books that were really fun to read. i grew up on goosebumps and i loved seeing some of the previous characters in here!

outside of the characters, the setting and the plot are twisty and make this very easy to read. the story sucks you in and pretty much demands you read it in one sitting - and because it's so short it's easy to do!

if you like fear street or goosebumps, you're going to want to add this one to your shelves. thank you to netgalley & blackstone publishing for the copy of my ebook!

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an eARC of Nighmare on Nightmare Street by R.L. Stine via NetGalley!

It does not matter how old I am, I will forever be reading R.L. Stine books. Y’all gonna catch me in the nursing home reading Say Cheese and Die and living my BEST life.

Stine states he wrote Nightmare on Nightmare Street as an “everything book” — comparable to an everything bagel. & that he wanted to make sure there’s something in the book for both kids and adults to enjoy. It’s safe to say that he nailed it.

The story reads like a classic R.L. Stine book, very reminiscent of his Goosebumps series. Siblings picking on each other, parents not believing their children and cliff-hanging spooky endings on every chapter.

Nightmare on Nightmare Street is littered with different tropes, making it feel very messy & convoluted at first, but as you keep going it’s easier to follow the plot. Admittedly, I was nervous at first because I thought Stine was throwing everything at us (remember the everything bagel ✨) for 0 pay-off. But, hold tight! It all ends up making sense in the end!

R.L. Stine also throws us some references from the Goosebumps series, like Say Cheese and Die and Night of the Living Dummy, providing the older fans with a little somethin’ somethin’.

Nightmare on Nightmare Street is a fun & quick read, and R.L. Stine definitely achieved his goal of making an “everything book!”

[C.J. Daley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Preordered this one as soon as I saw it was available. I absolutely love the cover and color choice. Luckily, and thanks to Blackstone and Netgalley, I was able to complete this way ahead of schedule with an audio arc!

I have not read any of his books, so I suppose I didn’t realize they were friends, but a foreword by Murr from Impractical Jokers was a real surprise. So was the AI joke right out of the gate. I too love Stine and his Goosebumps and Fear Street series, but I’ve never been asked for a foreword…

The Ferber family move into their new home on Nightmare Street. Twelve-year-old Joe finds it creepy, from the street’s name to the house itself. So is it any surprise that he immediately begins having nightmares? In these dreams, he dreams of a boy named Shawn, whose sister is Addie, and it’s almost as if Joe IS Shawn and Sadie (Joe’s sister) IS Addie. Are these just really detailed, really real feeling nightmares? What’s happening on Nightmare Street?!

In the introduction, Stine talks about how he had the idea for this story one day while eating an everything bagel. Many people’s favorite bagel features every topping, so what about a book with everything his fans love? Werewolves, haunted houses, spooky dolls, tombstones, spiders, dummies and more! For me, I love the idea, but when you throw everything at the wall, not all of it tends to stick. That happened here unfortunately.

The flipping between Joe and Shawn erased a lot of the character and emotional depth for me. It is nightmarish, as it’s intended, but it gives off this sort of fever-dream feeling where nothing seems real. And when things lose their base in reality, the stakes plummet for me as you’re sort of just expecting him to wake up again and again. It also kills a lot of the building suspense for the same reason. Sadly, this one needed more to make the “everything bagel” idea work. Stine promises something that will work for all ages, and while this could be considered somewhere between middle grade and young adult, and I happened to love all the horror pop culture references in the novel, it just felt like it needed to be twice as long. Building that otherworldly, lost feeling would have gone a long way for this, but then again, maybe I’m just not the targeted reader.

Perfect for fans of midway horror that’s fast paced and features a lot of fan favorites.

https://fanfiaddict.com/review-nightm...

[BloggingBooks& Banter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? I’m a sucker for a dummy!

Nightmare on Nightmare Street was classic RL material. He weaves a chaotic beginning into a predictable ending and I will continue to savor anything he puts out for purchase.

Of course, I’m no longer the target demographic anymore so some of the book did run a little dry for me, but overall it’s still amazing. It was nostalgic and like I said the dummy element is the cherry on top.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy!

[Emily Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this!! All types of horror mixed into one book. This was so much fun and very nostalgic as I grew up reading RL Stine. The storytelling you expect and love from him full of the chilling scares and humor! He did a great job at blurring the lines of what was real and what wasn’t. I honestly never knew! I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a creepy and super fun read!

[talkingchicle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this ALC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As a child, I was utterly obsessed with Goosebumps, and this reminded me exactly why. It was such a fun, nostalgic read, and I had an absolute blast with it. There were plenty of clever callbacks to the earlier books, so if you’re an original fan, you’ll really enjoy revisiting those memories.

[Valeri · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a whirlwind of a page turner. It’s described as an everything bagel and it sure is and in the best way. RL Stein at his finest