It’s senior year, and all Sabrina wants to do is live it up and shed her goody-goody image. Parties, boys, cruising with friends—it’s all on her to-do list. Taking care of a baby is absolutely not in her plans.
But Mrs. Pike, who has returned to teach after a two-year leave of absence, has specifically chosen Sabrina as the first candidate to nurture the battery-operated infant for a health class requirement. So much for living it up! Sabrina should be careful, because it seems there is more at stake than just her grade.
Someone is keeping a close eye on her… Someone who would kill to see Sabrina be the best mother…
Is there evil lurking within the baby doll, or is it under Sabrina’s skin?
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
Baby’s Breath by A.D. Aro is an installment in Terrorcore Publishing’s Rewind series, a throwback to the YA Horror books of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The book tells the tale of Sabrina, a High School cheerleader who just wants to enjoy her senior year, but is stuck with the infant simulator doll from health class. This electronic menace’s demands would have already been bad enough, but the longer Sabrina has the doll, the more lifelike it seems. Maybe a little too lifelike. As she struggles with simulated motherhood, someone watches her from the shadows – a mysterious stalker obsessed with Sabrina.
I’ll admit, my familiarity with Point Horror, Fear Street, and the like only started recently. I pretty much skipped straight from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark to Stephen King, and I only dipped my toes into books of this ilk about a year ago. However, Aro clearly has a great love for these adolescent thrillers (the fact that two of the major characters are named “Christopher” and “Ms. Pike” was not lost on me), and he recreates their ambience with care and precision. I would even go as far as saying that Baby’s Breath is crafted with a level of polish above the usual ‘90s teen horror book, which occasionally felt dashed out.
Fans of the genre can expect all the usual High School Soap Opera appointments and tightly-paced horror scenes straight out of slasher movies. The book alternates between third-person segments following Sabrina and first-person confessionals from the stalker. This narrative device created a taut game of cat and mouse, and reminded me a lot of my favorite Point Horror book, Funhouse by Dianah Hoh. The highlight of the book for me was the climax, which was more brutal and gory than anything Scholastic would ever dream of publishing.
The book is not without its faults. The dual focus of the stalker and the baby doll felt a little disjointed at times, especially tonally. At various points, I wondered if the plot was the result of combining two different story ideas. Also, for a book called Baby’s Breath that sports a creepy baby doll on the cover, the amount of living doll shenanigans was a little low – do not go into this expecting Child’s Play. Perhaps the weakest aspect for me was the unveiling of the stalker’s identity, which could hardly have been anyone else by that point in the book. Another red herring or two and some toning down of the character’s suspicious behavior would have gone a long way in strengthening the twist.
Overall, I think Baby’s Breath is everything it set out to be: a fun little page turner and love letter to classic YA screams. It’s a fun way to spend 2-3 hours, and it was enough to get me curious about what else A.D. Aro and Terrorcore Rewind have in store.
What a fun, nostalgic YA psychological horror featuring a stalker who is not at all what you expect. (My favorite!) A.D. Aro knows exactly what his readers want & exactly what it takes to write an entertaining story. The suspense builds nicely, and the stalker element adds real tension. There were moments where I felt paranoid after reading. Might've looked over my shoulder once or twice... The beginning felt a bit slow for me, almost like I was reading from her diary in a way, or watching a lifetime movie, but once the creepy doll project (Heck Yes) kicked in, I was hooked. Having to bring home a random fake baby that cries and moves would be horrific in of itself. To take that and turn it into what this book is was great. Also,the brilliance in the absolutely unnerving stalker monologues definitely created such an eerie and dangerous atmosphere. A.D. Aro definitely knows how to craft a story that’s equal parts thrilling and very very unsettling. Sabrina was such a refreshing character, she was smart and I appreciated that. Hope we get to enjoy more characters like that in future YA books.
Also appreciated being part of the advanced reader copy team. Thank you! (Don't you worry it didn't affect the honesty of my review ;))
I was glad to receive an advance reading copy from the author. I love point horror and this was quite similar but then it went down a really dark path. I flew through it . wow it was creepy. it had a tad more adult themes than point horror and it had very Christopher pike tones.
sabrina looking after the baby doll qas interesting but then got really dark. I really enjoyed it as it had thrilling horror vibes and just go better and more twisty .
This book was so much fun! Even if you just read this book for nostalga it is completely worth it. But it doesn't just rely on nostalgia . This story packs a punch that I didn't see coming. It is creepy,fun, and well-written. Overall. this is a book that I will revisit often.
Awesome! Such a fantastic throwback to the ya horror books of the 80s and 90s but with an original story that I've never seen in the past in the ya genre! Definitely looking forward to more from this author!
Thanks to the author and publisher for the chance to read this one early.
Baby's Breath by A.D. Aro, the first book in Terrorcore Publishing's Terrorcore Rewind series, is a love letter to '90s YA horror novels, primarily Point Horror and the works of Christopher Pike. If you've seen my channel or read my books, you know this era of teen horror is what I live for. Those musty little books are everything, from the tropes (stalkers, evil boyfriends, poorly-kept secrets, BFFs with vicious vendettas) to the cheesy dialogue and mean-spirited teenage protagonists.
And now, not only do we get to continue exploring the canon of vintage YA horror, but we can relish in the resurgence of '90s horror books through throwback series like Terrorcore Rewind. I'm glad the publisher chose Aro as one of the authors to kick things off--I've been a fan of his since I read his first Bumps in the Night book, so I already knew he was an author who understands the genre inside and out. This is similar to Bumps in the Night in that it is much darker than you think it's gonna get . . . but Baby's Breath is able to go even further thanks to its YA classification.
The story follows a teenage girl who is not having a good time. Someone is stalking her. Her classmates are being killed. And, just to make things worse, she’s been assigned a robot baby to take care of for health class. Major inconvenience. Too bad this baby is also a major weirdo with a taste for
Baby's Breath checks every box for a bonkers, depraved, Pike-esque read, but it truly goes full ham in the final act. I was left staring at the pages with my jaw on the floor. Respect. I also loved the nods to YA horror royalty, with character and place names pulled from some of my favorite writers in the genre.
If you’re in the mood for something campy, unhinged, and unapologetically fun, this one’s for you. A solid 4 stars.
I received an ARC (advance reader copy) from the author/publisher. It's the first time I've ever received one, so I'm happy that I really enjoyed it!
The main character is Sabrina, who is planning for her final year of high school to be the best one yet. However, her plans are thrown into disarray by her health class teacher, Ms Pike, selecting her to be the first student to take care of a creepily realistic-looking baby. There's also the issue of a stalker lurking in the wings singing creepy childhood rhymes! Looking after a baby that seems way too advanced for a doll drives Sabrina to the brink.
I don't want to give too much away, because the less you know going in, the more fun you will have. I think it takes just a teensy bit too long until Sabrina gets the doll - I could feel some padding - but once she does, proceedings get really unhinged! I had a big grin on my face while reading some of the wild things that went down. I pretty much pegged what was behind everything early on, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment. The book is set in the 1990s and I'm guessing the references to Ms Pike and Thompson Point might be in relation to Christopher Pike and Point Horror? This book certainly captures the vibe and nostalgia of Pike, Point Horror and Fear Street, while taking things just that little bit further and wilder than what we got in those books back then, which were often quite mild.
Great horror story. I'll also be buying the physical edition once it's available because there's no way that cover art is not becoming part of my collection. (Very Horror High-ish!) Check this one out if you were a fan of Point/Fear Street in the 1990s - or now!
If you grew up reading Fear Street or Point Horror, you need to read Baby’s Breath by A. D. Aro, part of Terrorcore’s Rewind series.
During her senior year, Sabrina is determined to ditch her perfect reputation and enjoy parties, boys, and freedom. That plan falls apart when she is assigned to care for a lifelike baby doll for a school project. As the assignment takes a dark turn, Sabrina realizes she is being stalked. With danger closing in, she must figure out whether the threat is tied to the doll itself or something far more sinister.
I was super excited when I saw the open call for Terrorcore’s Rewind series, and I was even more excited to see that A. D. Aro was chosen to be part of the project.
In Baby’s Breath, A. D. perfectly captures the paranoia of a high school valedictorian being stalked. He does a great job of showing the inner thoughts of the stalker without them feeling out of place or giving away the mystery. The suspense is built perfectly, leading you every which way up until the final reveal. A perfect page turner.
We all love a creepy doll. We were raised to, thanks a lot, R. L. Stine. But A. D. has found a way to make a health class project even creepier than dolls of the past.
A. D. Aro shows why he is a leading voice in indie YA horror. I absolutely loved reading this book. A. D. was kind enough to let me be a beta reader, and at some points I was reading chapters just days after he finished them. Baby’s Breath really showcases A. D.’s range. He is able to adapt and excel at different levels of storytelling, from his younger targeted Bumps in the Night series to the older audience of Baby’s Breath. He does not miss a beat.
A.D. Aro’s debut YA Horror novel from the Terrorcore Rewind series did not disappoint! It had lots of fun 90s references (laughed out loud when Wet Seal got a mention.) Sabrina is the typical perfect cheerleader with good grades and wants to shed that image for her senior year, she wants to have fun, be fierce, and be a little wild, like her zodiac sign, Leo! Someone is watching her every move though and liked her just perfectly just as she was. She realizes she has a stalker and struggles with how to handle that, cheerleading practice, and NOW a creepy robotic baby she was assigned to take care of in class. People around her mysteriously start getting into “accidents” after she gets the baby, is this a coincidence or is something more sinister at hand? This was a really fun book reminiscent of Point Horror, I was pleasantly surprised with the ending of this one. Don’t miss it when it comes out! Thank you, Terrorcore for the ARC!
I was obsessed with the Point Horror books back in the 90s (okay wait, I still am) and so I was excited to hear about Terrorcore Rewind which pays homage to YA horror and thriller books from that era.
Baby’s Breath follows Sabrina who is starting her final year of high school and hoping for nothing but cheerleading, homecoming and partying with her friends and boyfriend. But her life soon takes a different path when the baby doll she has to take care of for health class turns out to be a living nightmare!
This one evokes the more edgy end of 90s YA horror like Caroline B. Cooney and Christopher Pike. It's a fun ride that captures the nostalgia of the era but adds some more mature themes and violence. We have some of the classic tropes like malls, pizza and villain monologues while the story itself goes to some wild places and has a great ending.
Thank you to the author for sending me an advance copy of the book!
A super-slick time machine! Strap in and ride (read) if you’re looking to be transported back into the wild, wonderful pages of a twisty Y.A. thriller from yesterdecade!
I had a lot of fun slipping into the villain’s point-of-view every few chapters. Their voice, in particular, was eerie and gripping. I found the moments with the screaming baby doll to be both humorous and relatable, as they had me reflecting not only on over-the-top school projects, but also on my own experiences as a parent. (Thankfully, my assigned doll and my assigned children were never part of a sinister supernatural plot to torment me!)
Overall, “Baby’s Breath” is an enjoyable, suspenseful trip into the past. Creative and shocking stuff!
Welcome to the darkest story yet from the twisted mind of A.D. Aro!
If you enjoy Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine ala Fear Street, you will be in good company with Sabrina and her friends. I love to guess the twists/endings from the beginning (an artifact of growing up with M. Night Shyamalan movies) and let me tell you...the way it all unfolded, I did NOT see coming. Also, I could not put the book down - I literally read it in one sitting!
No spoilers but...it gets WILD and the ending is perfect and satisfying! All around great storytelling that made my heart race with excitement.
I also love the cover art and color palette...it looks great sitting on your physical or digital shelf!
Fans of Fear Street and Point Horror will LOVE this one! I absolutely devoured this story! In it, our main character just wants to have fun during her senior year, but instead she is plagued with a stalker AND gets stuck with the life- like health class baby...... And the doll becomes more and more creepy the longer she has it! There is so much more to this story, though! Such a fun read!
What a fun and wild book! The premise of the story was unique and entertaining with a strong female main character. The doll was creepy as heck. Lots of twists I didn’t see coming!
I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader for Baby’s Breath, published by Terrorcore and it is PHENOMENAL.
As a lifelong Point Horror fan, this was dripping in 90s nostalgia and took me straight back to all my old favourites but with an awesome fresh take by Aro.
Packed with mind-bending twists and dark surprises, this had me gripped from start to finish.
A D Ardo is a terrific writer and I was transported back in time to Sabrina's world, with all the usual high school surprises, and a few you'd never expect!
Thank you to Terrorcore Publishing for providing the ARC.
Baby’s Breath by A.D. Aro is a retro nod to the classic horror books I used to read in the 90s from authors like Christopher Pike, R.L. Stine, and Point Horror books. If you also loved those books, Baby’s Breath is an insatiable read!
What immediately drew my attention to this book was the cover art. It’s high resolution image of a baby doll in a crib with blood tears, I mean who could resist picking that up in a store and not want to know more!?
A.D. Aro’s novel, a part of Terrorcore Publishing’s Terrorcore Rewind collection is a fast-paced horror story of the FMC’s decline from popular girl to being the first in her school to care for this hyper-advanced animatronic doll baby. This doll can do EVERYTHING a real baby can. And what can go wrong, will go wrong!
I highly encourage you to preorder your copy now! I have zero complaints about this book because it’s that damn good!