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Return to Fear Street #1
You May Now Kill the Bride
Read the books behind Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy! Two sisters, divided by time. Each with a terrible resentment she can barely contain. Two Fear family weddings, decades apart... Each bride will find that the ancient curse that haunts the Fears LIVES ON. It feeds off the evil that courses through their blood. It takes its toll in unexpected ways, and allows dark history to repeat itself. In this Fear Street story, family ties bind sisters together—till DEATH do they part. R.L. Stine's Fear Street trilogy
344 pages, Paperback
First published July 24, 2018
229 people are currently reading
2495 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,679 books18.6k followersRobert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children's literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 414 reviews
August 15, 2018
You May Now Kill the Bride isn't the glorious return to Fear Street some fans might have hoped for, but it is a great comeback. The historical Fear Street novels were always my favorite so I was thrilled when the first 30% or so takes place in the 1920s. The modern segments aren't quite as riveting, but it all comes together nicely in the end.
Stylistically, Stine moves the plot at a slower pace than usual and with less cheesy cliffhangers. I suspect this was a publisher demand, thinking that teens want longer works and wouldn't go for 100-page novelettes like they did back in the day. Maybe that's so, but the clear nostalgia appeal makes me wonder why they wouldn't prefer the original formula. Stine's talents work best in brevity, so it's really an injustice. The mystery can only sustain itself for so long before it gets exhausting. The last Fear Street revival novels had the same problem. They were too long.
Anyway, despite some flaws, Fear Street once again delivers a suspenseful ride and plenty of dead teens, so I'm well satisfied. Keep 'em coming!
Stylistically, Stine moves the plot at a slower pace than usual and with less cheesy cliffhangers. I suspect this was a publisher demand, thinking that teens want longer works and wouldn't go for 100-page novelettes like they did back in the day. Maybe that's so, but the clear nostalgia appeal makes me wonder why they wouldn't prefer the original formula. Stine's talents work best in brevity, so it's really an injustice. The mystery can only sustain itself for so long before it gets exhausting. The last Fear Street revival novels had the same problem. They were too long.
Anyway, despite some flaws, Fear Street once again delivers a suspenseful ride and plenty of dead teens, so I'm well satisfied. Keep 'em coming!
August 26, 2021
Why is it always the beautiful covers!!
I loved R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books when I was young but not so much these newer ones. Sighhhhhhhh…. Whatever!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I loved R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books when I was young but not so much these newer ones. Sighhhhhhhh…. Whatever!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
July 29, 2023
was missing fear street (movies mostly) so i decided to pick this up because i own it and omg am i so glad i did? i’ve owned this for years but put it off because it’s ya horror. i should’ve known to always trust rl stine cus this was so good. this had drama and twists i thought i could see but was so wrong. lowkey if they adapt more books into fear street movies or series i would LOVE to see this on screen.
August 12, 2018
This is the second reboot of Fear Street within the last few years, and it seems as if the publishers don't know what series they're rebooting! By and large, the original Fear Street books were murder mysteries. They were generally in third-person, and non-supernatural. The supernatural stories were usually found in the mini-series spin-offs and the Fear Street sagas, a separate series in itself.
Shock, horror - I was never really into the Fear Street sagas, or the history of the Fear family. It was all a bit too inconsistent. I preferred the thrillers in the main line.
The last six book reboot didn't seem to understand the formula, and the majority of them played out like Goosebumps books for older readers, with first-person narrators and supernatural story-lines. Worse, they would include ghoulish supernatural twists in the final pages, just like a Goosebumps book. So I was a bit worried when I found that this latest retread was another supernatural story, with first-person narration.
You May Now Kill The Bride wasn't a total loss. It was a quick, easy read, and mostly fun. Despite being double the length of a usual Fear Street book, the plot was just as simple as those from yesteryear and went down fairly smoothly. The plot doesn't bear close scrutiny, though. We begin with a section in the early 1920s as Ruth-Ann Fear gets furious at her sister Rebecca for stealing her boyfriend and marrying him, with the wedding ending in tragedy. Fast-forward to today, and Harmony Fear is at her sister Marissa's wedding, when weird things start to happen.
By the end, there are too many questions left hanging. There's no reason why a book twice the length of a usual Fear Street book couldn't adequately clear these plot aspects up.
Also, I don't think R.L. Stine even wrote this. After nearly 30 years of reading his books, I recoginise his style! This is not it. The chapters are much longer, and there is a distinct lack of cheesy. constructed false cliffhanger chapter endings, which is his specialty. This is actually refreshing, but it certainly didn't feel like a R.L. Stine book. It's a fact that original Fear Street books were ghostwritten ("The Thrill Club" was actually by Tom Perrotta), but I'm not a fan of ghostwriting. Just let us know who the original author is!
And who is this reboot aimed at? I don't read current YA, but I doubt this would hold up against it. Despite the increased length, it's still as uncomplicated as it ever was. I suspect most people reading this are like me: we read Fear Street in our youth and are a bit heavy for nostalgia! Which means most of us are in our 30s and 40s! And what we miss is being able to buy a new 170 page book each month for $6 to $8, in the old small format. I'm also a little concerned about the blurb's reference to Stranger Things. Retro covers are great, but Stranger Things is all about 80s nostalgia, and Fear Street, despite staring in 1989, is largely a 90s beast! Once again, I wonder if the publishers realise what franchise they're actually rebooting!
Sorry for the rambling! I had a lot to get off my chest! I did enjoy the book, but the publishers really need to get a handle on what series they are rebooting if they want this latest incarnation to last longer than the previous reboot's six books. For a bit of light horror fun, this is okay, but it's still not the Fear Street I remember.
Shock, horror - I was never really into the Fear Street sagas, or the history of the Fear family. It was all a bit too inconsistent. I preferred the thrillers in the main line.
The last six book reboot didn't seem to understand the formula, and the majority of them played out like Goosebumps books for older readers, with first-person narrators and supernatural story-lines. Worse, they would include ghoulish supernatural twists in the final pages, just like a Goosebumps book. So I was a bit worried when I found that this latest retread was another supernatural story, with first-person narration.
You May Now Kill The Bride wasn't a total loss. It was a quick, easy read, and mostly fun. Despite being double the length of a usual Fear Street book, the plot was just as simple as those from yesteryear and went down fairly smoothly. The plot doesn't bear close scrutiny, though. We begin with a section in the early 1920s as Ruth-Ann Fear gets furious at her sister Rebecca for stealing her boyfriend and marrying him, with the wedding ending in tragedy. Fast-forward to today, and Harmony Fear is at her sister Marissa's wedding, when weird things start to happen.
By the end, there are too many questions left hanging. There's no reason why a book twice the length of a usual Fear Street book couldn't adequately clear these plot aspects up.
Also, I don't think R.L. Stine even wrote this. After nearly 30 years of reading his books, I recoginise his style! This is not it. The chapters are much longer, and there is a distinct lack of cheesy. constructed false cliffhanger chapter endings, which is his specialty. This is actually refreshing, but it certainly didn't feel like a R.L. Stine book. It's a fact that original Fear Street books were ghostwritten ("The Thrill Club" was actually by Tom Perrotta), but I'm not a fan of ghostwriting. Just let us know who the original author is!
And who is this reboot aimed at? I don't read current YA, but I doubt this would hold up against it. Despite the increased length, it's still as uncomplicated as it ever was. I suspect most people reading this are like me: we read Fear Street in our youth and are a bit heavy for nostalgia! Which means most of us are in our 30s and 40s! And what we miss is being able to buy a new 170 page book each month for $6 to $8, in the old small format. I'm also a little concerned about the blurb's reference to Stranger Things. Retro covers are great, but Stranger Things is all about 80s nostalgia, and Fear Street, despite staring in 1989, is largely a 90s beast! Once again, I wonder if the publishers realise what franchise they're actually rebooting!
Sorry for the rambling! I had a lot to get off my chest! I did enjoy the book, but the publishers really need to get a handle on what series they are rebooting if they want this latest incarnation to last longer than the previous reboot's six books. For a bit of light horror fun, this is okay, but it's still not the Fear Street I remember.
February 17, 2024
I never read any of R.L Stine's Goosebumps or Fear Street novels when I was in high school. Yet when I spotted this book in my school's online library, I decided to give it a shot. My understanding is that this particular series is the latest reboot and paying homage to the original series.
My verdict: It was a page-turner. The story of a family curse that haunts the young Fear family brides and causes utter devastation for nearly 100 years had me hooked. The dialogue was very simplistic and the plot moved at lightning speed. Occasionally, a cynical laugh would burst out of me over a few eyebrow raising plot points. But I can certainly agree that R.L. Stine knows what makes his readers return again and again to his stories. Because I gulped down this novel in one sitting! The only thing that makes me a little disappointed is that the online library doesn't have books 2 or 3.
Goodreads review published 17/02/24
My verdict: It was a page-turner. The story of a family curse that haunts the young Fear family brides and causes utter devastation for nearly 100 years had me hooked. The dialogue was very simplistic and the plot moved at lightning speed. Occasionally, a cynical laugh would burst out of me over a few eyebrow raising plot points. But I can certainly agree that R.L. Stine knows what makes his readers return again and again to his stories. Because I gulped down this novel in one sitting! The only thing that makes me a little disappointed is that the online library doesn't have books 2 or 3.
Goodreads review published 17/02/24
February 14, 2018
When I was a kid, R.L. Stine was one of my favorite authors. Like most kids, I got addicted to his Goosebumps series at an early age. When I was in third grade, I picked up his Fear Street: Cheerleaders series and devoured them. He is one of the reasons why the horror genre is one of my favorite genres to this day. Therefore, when I saw that he was coming out with a new Fear Street series, I was so excited to read it. I just recently finished the first book, You May Now Kill the Bride, and thought it was an enjoyable read.
For the first couple chapters of You May Now Kill the Bride, I was a little confused. There was some old school slang that I didn't recognize, and I had no idea why the characters were talking like that. Well it turns out that the first part of the book is set in the 1920s, but the reader doesn't learn that until about halfway through the first part. Once I learned that, the book became less confusing, and I really started to enjoy it.
There were times where I couldn't put the book down. I typically read at night before I go to sleep, and there were many lost hours of sleep while I was reading this because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering where Marissa had gone, and what was happening at the lodge. Granted, the book did have the usual R.L. Stine cheesiness and predictability, but it didn't take away my enjoyment of the book. If anything, it just made me love the book more because it brought back those feelings of nostalgia.
I am so excited that R.L. Stine chose to reboot his Fear Street series. I loved the first book in the new series, You May Now Kill the Bride. Even though it was confusing at first, I quickly found myself being swept up into the storyline. I loved learning the history and lore of the Fear family. I hope R.L. Stine continues that in the rest of the series. I find it fascinating. Due to some adult themes in this book that I don't remember the original series having, I do recommend it to older teen readers.
For the first couple chapters of You May Now Kill the Bride, I was a little confused. There was some old school slang that I didn't recognize, and I had no idea why the characters were talking like that. Well it turns out that the first part of the book is set in the 1920s, but the reader doesn't learn that until about halfway through the first part. Once I learned that, the book became less confusing, and I really started to enjoy it.
There were times where I couldn't put the book down. I typically read at night before I go to sleep, and there were many lost hours of sleep while I was reading this because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering where Marissa had gone, and what was happening at the lodge. Granted, the book did have the usual R.L. Stine cheesiness and predictability, but it didn't take away my enjoyment of the book. If anything, it just made me love the book more because it brought back those feelings of nostalgia.
I am so excited that R.L. Stine chose to reboot his Fear Street series. I loved the first book in the new series, You May Now Kill the Bride. Even though it was confusing at first, I quickly found myself being swept up into the storyline. I loved learning the history and lore of the Fear family. I hope R.L. Stine continues that in the rest of the series. I find it fascinating. Due to some adult themes in this book that I don't remember the original series having, I do recommend it to older teen readers.
December 14, 2020
I will never get tired of Stine’s writing. Whether it’s Fear Street or Goosebumps, I just can’t get enough of it! I was thrilled when I saw this new series and I knew I had to get my hands on it. And of course it did not disappoint in classic Stine fashion. I loved this story so much, it had me wrapped around its finger and I’m not mad about it! It’s entertaining and fun with a spooky twist which is exactly what I was hoping it would be. I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as older Stine novels but it most definitely holds up to his other works and I can’t wait to continue with the series!
November 21, 2021
3.5/5 Stars, rounded up to 4 -- full review to come later. Definitely the most interesting of the new R.L. Stine
Fear Street
books so far!
So, full review right here. I enjoyed revisiting Fear Street, especially historic Fear Street versus the less interesting (at least to me) modern era. It had some of the hallmarks of a Stine book -- siblings fighting over the same boy/girl, family curse, multi-generational plot. Overall if you're a fan of quick, easy cheesy horror books and have a nostalgic soft spot for Stine in particular, this is probably a good one to pick up.
So, full review right here. I enjoyed revisiting Fear Street, especially historic Fear Street versus the less interesting (at least to me) modern era. It had some of the hallmarks of a Stine book -- siblings fighting over the same boy/girl, family curse, multi-generational plot. Overall if you're a fan of quick, easy cheesy horror books and have a nostalgic soft spot for Stine in particular, this is probably a good one to pick up.
April 22, 2019
Way to go R.L. Stine! I grew up on the Fear Street books so when I saw they where back I was ready to jump on that bandwagon. This is the first one I’ve read from the return. It has the old Fear family in it and yay for that! Reading this without the nostalgia factor, I think Fear Street has come a long way. I’m double the target audience and I enjoyed it very much.
September 2, 2018
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/09/02/...
Nostalgia’s a powerful thing. It seems that to this day, I cannot look at R.L. Stine’s name on a cover without feeling a thrill of excitement, remembering how my mom would take my brother and I to the library or bookstore as children, where we would both geek out over picking up latest Goosebumps book. Later, I graduated to the Fear Street series. Looking back, those weren’t exactly great books, but as a preteen, I adored them. Those stories provided me hours of entertainment and quite possibly the spark that resulted in my love of the horror genre today.
So yes, when I found out about Return to Fear Street, I was curious about the series’ latest revival (there had been others, which largely passed me by). My interest was further piqued by the cover to the first book, which kicks things off with a retro “pulp” look along with the tagline “two sisters, divided by time.” Sure enough, the story of You May Now Kill the Bride is presented to us in several parts, the first of which takes place in 1923, introducing Rebecca and Ruth-Ann Fear. These early chapters tell of how a bitter rift was formed between the two sisters, when Rebecca, the older one, causes a scandal by stealing Ruth-Ann’s sweetheart. However, on the day of Rebecca’s wedding at a lodge atop a scenic mesa, the groom commits an unspeakable act before all the assembled guests. Inevitably, Ruth-Ann is blamed because of the suspicion that she’d been dabbling in the dark magical arts of her family, and also because her anger over her older sister’s betrothal was no secret. What should have been a joyous day of celebration instead turns into a day of horror, tragedy, and death.
Fast forward to present day, and the story shifts its focus onto another pair of Fear sisters, Harmony and Marissa. Like her ancestor Ruth-Ann, Harmony has a knack for the family magic, which she has used in the past to play tricks on her siblings. But at Marissa’s wedding, taking place in the exact place of Rebecca Fear’s disastrous 1923 nuptials, Harmony goes a little too far with her pranks. Marissa goes missing, leaving her groom at the altar. At first, everyone thinks its cold feet, but Harmony doesn’t think so, after finding an ominous note in her sister’s room. Repeated failures to locate Marissa and reach her on her cellphone lead to the police being called to search the lodge and its surrounding gullies. Harmony is beginning to wonder if the stories about this being a cursed place is true, especially once she starts experiencing strange things happening to her.
First off, let me just put it out there: You May Now Kill the Bride isn’t likely to be the magnificent comeback you’re looking for, but damned if I didn’t have fun. And amazingly, while experience has taught me that few things are as good as you remember, I actually thought this was amongst the better Fear Street stories I have ever read. On the whole, the writing was also quite good, a step up from what I recall. Best of all, this book was an electric shot of nostalgia, just like I wanted. It has retained a lot of the series’ unique quirks, such as the corny attempts to end almost every chapter on a cliffhanger. Funny how little things in the writing like that could bring me such glee.
In terms of the story, I’ll be honest—I didn’t expect much. But again, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Following the current YA trends, You May Now Kill the Bride clocks in at about 350 pages, or approximately double the length many of the original Fear Street novels used to be. I really appreciated the deeper character and story development this afforded. The horror was also well done. On some level, I think I had expected the campy, pulpy murder mysteries from back in the day, but of course, the genre has evolved a lot since then, and this return to Fear Street feels better suited to today’s YA horror readers who are more used to darker fare with a hint of the supernatural. Nevertheless, the content is still rather tame, despite the story’s more twisted and violent bits. Dubious plot points and questionable explanations aside, the ending even finished on a somewhat happy note.
Back when I used to read the Fear Street books, it wasn’t for the logic or artistry in the stories. I picked them up because they were full of fun thrills and silly teenagers meeting their untimely demises. In a way, this reboot of the series is in keeping with the same spirit, though I also think that it’s different enough to establish itself as something separate. That said, I don’t know if Return to Fear Street will be successful in attracting a whole new generation of R.L. Stine fans, as something tells me that these books would be better received by readers much like myself, for whom series like Goosebumps and the original Fear Street were staples of their childhood. We’ve may have all grown up a bit since then, but I still found great enjoyment and delight in reading You May Now Kill the Bride. If you’re looking for a nostalgia kick, I recommend checking it out.
Nostalgia’s a powerful thing. It seems that to this day, I cannot look at R.L. Stine’s name on a cover without feeling a thrill of excitement, remembering how my mom would take my brother and I to the library or bookstore as children, where we would both geek out over picking up latest Goosebumps book. Later, I graduated to the Fear Street series. Looking back, those weren’t exactly great books, but as a preteen, I adored them. Those stories provided me hours of entertainment and quite possibly the spark that resulted in my love of the horror genre today.
So yes, when I found out about Return to Fear Street, I was curious about the series’ latest revival (there had been others, which largely passed me by). My interest was further piqued by the cover to the first book, which kicks things off with a retro “pulp” look along with the tagline “two sisters, divided by time.” Sure enough, the story of You May Now Kill the Bride is presented to us in several parts, the first of which takes place in 1923, introducing Rebecca and Ruth-Ann Fear. These early chapters tell of how a bitter rift was formed between the two sisters, when Rebecca, the older one, causes a scandal by stealing Ruth-Ann’s sweetheart. However, on the day of Rebecca’s wedding at a lodge atop a scenic mesa, the groom commits an unspeakable act before all the assembled guests. Inevitably, Ruth-Ann is blamed because of the suspicion that she’d been dabbling in the dark magical arts of her family, and also because her anger over her older sister’s betrothal was no secret. What should have been a joyous day of celebration instead turns into a day of horror, tragedy, and death.
Fast forward to present day, and the story shifts its focus onto another pair of Fear sisters, Harmony and Marissa. Like her ancestor Ruth-Ann, Harmony has a knack for the family magic, which she has used in the past to play tricks on her siblings. But at Marissa’s wedding, taking place in the exact place of Rebecca Fear’s disastrous 1923 nuptials, Harmony goes a little too far with her pranks. Marissa goes missing, leaving her groom at the altar. At first, everyone thinks its cold feet, but Harmony doesn’t think so, after finding an ominous note in her sister’s room. Repeated failures to locate Marissa and reach her on her cellphone lead to the police being called to search the lodge and its surrounding gullies. Harmony is beginning to wonder if the stories about this being a cursed place is true, especially once she starts experiencing strange things happening to her.
First off, let me just put it out there: You May Now Kill the Bride isn’t likely to be the magnificent comeback you’re looking for, but damned if I didn’t have fun. And amazingly, while experience has taught me that few things are as good as you remember, I actually thought this was amongst the better Fear Street stories I have ever read. On the whole, the writing was also quite good, a step up from what I recall. Best of all, this book was an electric shot of nostalgia, just like I wanted. It has retained a lot of the series’ unique quirks, such as the corny attempts to end almost every chapter on a cliffhanger. Funny how little things in the writing like that could bring me such glee.
In terms of the story, I’ll be honest—I didn’t expect much. But again, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Following the current YA trends, You May Now Kill the Bride clocks in at about 350 pages, or approximately double the length many of the original Fear Street novels used to be. I really appreciated the deeper character and story development this afforded. The horror was also well done. On some level, I think I had expected the campy, pulpy murder mysteries from back in the day, but of course, the genre has evolved a lot since then, and this return to Fear Street feels better suited to today’s YA horror readers who are more used to darker fare with a hint of the supernatural. Nevertheless, the content is still rather tame, despite the story’s more twisted and violent bits. Dubious plot points and questionable explanations aside, the ending even finished on a somewhat happy note.
Back when I used to read the Fear Street books, it wasn’t for the logic or artistry in the stories. I picked them up because they were full of fun thrills and silly teenagers meeting their untimely demises. In a way, this reboot of the series is in keeping with the same spirit, though I also think that it’s different enough to establish itself as something separate. That said, I don’t know if Return to Fear Street will be successful in attracting a whole new generation of R.L. Stine fans, as something tells me that these books would be better received by readers much like myself, for whom series like Goosebumps and the original Fear Street were staples of their childhood. We’ve may have all grown up a bit since then, but I still found great enjoyment and delight in reading You May Now Kill the Bride. If you’re looking for a nostalgia kick, I recommend checking it out.
November 1, 2018
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
In time for Halloween, this week I am doing something a little different. Instead of reviewing a classic “Fear Street” book, I’m taking on the first book in R.L. Stine’s newest “Fear Street” series, “Return to Fear Street”! Just to make a note right off the bat: I am not going to treat “You May Now Kill The Bride”, or any other future “Return to Fear Street” books, like I’m treating my retro “Fear Street” re-read. Stine is approaching these books differently than he did back in the day, and therefore I am going to approach them like I would any other non-“Fear Street” novel.
“Fear Street” is back, guys, and for the most part it is not the “Fear Street” you remember from your youth. This is something of a second comeback for “Fear Street”, as before HarperTeen picked it up St. Martin’s Press did with books like “Party Games” and “The Lost Girl”. I’m not completely certain why a second reboot with a new publisher happened, but “You May Now Kill The Bride” is the inaugural novel. Now that publishers and authors know that teens are able/willing to read books that are more than one hundred and twenty pages long, and that have complex characters, “Fear Street” has to up it’s game. And “You May Now Kill The Bride” accepts that challenge, repackaging “Fear Street” for a modern teen audience.
There are two narratives in this book: the first is the story of Ruth-Ann and Rebecca Fear, two sisters in the 1920s who are part of the illustrious and wealthy Fear Family. Ruth-Ann is jealous of her beautiful and popular older sister, who is about to get married to the man that Ruth-Ann loves. As you can imagine, the wedding has disastrous results, all because of a family curse that the Fears have upon them. The second narrative is about Harmony and Marissa Fear, two sisters in modern times who are having similar problems. Marissa is about to get married to her high school sweetheart Doug, and while Harmony isn’t in love with Doug, she and Marissa have been at odds ever since Harmony messed up Marissa’s relationship with a different guy named Aiden. In a really horrific way, I should mention. The similarities don’t end there, however: not only is Harmony a witch, like Ruth-Ann was (seems that all Fears have the ability to be), but Marissa’s wedding is going to be at the same lodge that Rebecca’s wedding was. While this does sound like a pretty standard “Fear Street” tale (and in a lot of ways, it is, but more on that later), Stine has reworked the old set ups and tropes, and has improved upon the long trotted out formulas of the past.
The pacing is far more drawn out in “You May Now Kill The Bride”. Stine isn’t in any hurry to get to the action points, and he lets the characters slowly explore the scenes they are in just as he lets the exposition flow at it’s leisure. “You May Now Kill The Bride” isn’t rushing to get to action moments or cliffhangers, so when these moments do arrive they have more oomph. There is also more complexity to the plot, and the threads that exist between the 1920s story and the modern story take a lot more time to come together, with the hints and puzzle pieces being dropped throughout both timelines. Stine trusts his audience a bit more to be able to parse out the nuance and the implications, and because he trusts his readers, the book rarely feels like it’s being spoon fed. He also has a pretty good grasp on the fact that people like me, former “Fear Street” junkies turned horror aficionados, are probably going to pick this up, so little nods, winks, and references are dropped throughout the book. The one that actually made me shriek out was a character who was staying at the lodge, and what room was he in? Room 237.
That isn’t to say that it doesn’t fall into familiar “Fear Street” traps. While I think that the characters are definitely more rounded in this book than previous characters have been, and while I did enjoy how Harmony was complex and sometimes morally ambiguous, there are still obvious and beaten down tropes in others. There’s the loutish uncle character we’ve seen before, the familiar sparring sister relationship, the clueless parents. And there are a number of huge plot holes, and confusing moments that I still haven’t quite wrapped my head around. There are even still some kind of dumb cliffhangers at the end of various chapters (though he has definitely toned it down from the past). But these weaknesses are kind of just what you have to expect to come with the territory when it comes to “Fear Street”, and in some, odd ways it vaguely adds to the charm of this reboot, if only because it feels familiar and comforting that some things never change.
I didn’t really go in expecting much from “You May Now Kill The Bride”, and I ended up enjoying it. If this is what “Fear Street” is going to be for this new generation of teenagers, I am very excited for the kind of horror fans it is going to nurture.
And with that, Horrorpalooza has come to an end! From me to you, I am hoping that you all have a FABULOUS Halloween tomorrow!
In time for Halloween, this week I am doing something a little different. Instead of reviewing a classic “Fear Street” book, I’m taking on the first book in R.L. Stine’s newest “Fear Street” series, “Return to Fear Street”! Just to make a note right off the bat: I am not going to treat “You May Now Kill The Bride”, or any other future “Return to Fear Street” books, like I’m treating my retro “Fear Street” re-read. Stine is approaching these books differently than he did back in the day, and therefore I am going to approach them like I would any other non-“Fear Street” novel.
“Fear Street” is back, guys, and for the most part it is not the “Fear Street” you remember from your youth. This is something of a second comeback for “Fear Street”, as before HarperTeen picked it up St. Martin’s Press did with books like “Party Games” and “The Lost Girl”. I’m not completely certain why a second reboot with a new publisher happened, but “You May Now Kill The Bride” is the inaugural novel. Now that publishers and authors know that teens are able/willing to read books that are more than one hundred and twenty pages long, and that have complex characters, “Fear Street” has to up it’s game. And “You May Now Kill The Bride” accepts that challenge, repackaging “Fear Street” for a modern teen audience.
There are two narratives in this book: the first is the story of Ruth-Ann and Rebecca Fear, two sisters in the 1920s who are part of the illustrious and wealthy Fear Family. Ruth-Ann is jealous of her beautiful and popular older sister, who is about to get married to the man that Ruth-Ann loves. As you can imagine, the wedding has disastrous results, all because of a family curse that the Fears have upon them. The second narrative is about Harmony and Marissa Fear, two sisters in modern times who are having similar problems. Marissa is about to get married to her high school sweetheart Doug, and while Harmony isn’t in love with Doug, she and Marissa have been at odds ever since Harmony messed up Marissa’s relationship with a different guy named Aiden. In a really horrific way, I should mention. The similarities don’t end there, however: not only is Harmony a witch, like Ruth-Ann was (seems that all Fears have the ability to be), but Marissa’s wedding is going to be at the same lodge that Rebecca’s wedding was. While this does sound like a pretty standard “Fear Street” tale (and in a lot of ways, it is, but more on that later), Stine has reworked the old set ups and tropes, and has improved upon the long trotted out formulas of the past.
The pacing is far more drawn out in “You May Now Kill The Bride”. Stine isn’t in any hurry to get to the action points, and he lets the characters slowly explore the scenes they are in just as he lets the exposition flow at it’s leisure. “You May Now Kill The Bride” isn’t rushing to get to action moments or cliffhangers, so when these moments do arrive they have more oomph. There is also more complexity to the plot, and the threads that exist between the 1920s story and the modern story take a lot more time to come together, with the hints and puzzle pieces being dropped throughout both timelines. Stine trusts his audience a bit more to be able to parse out the nuance and the implications, and because he trusts his readers, the book rarely feels like it’s being spoon fed. He also has a pretty good grasp on the fact that people like me, former “Fear Street” junkies turned horror aficionados, are probably going to pick this up, so little nods, winks, and references are dropped throughout the book. The one that actually made me shriek out was a character who was staying at the lodge, and what room was he in? Room 237.
That isn’t to say that it doesn’t fall into familiar “Fear Street” traps. While I think that the characters are definitely more rounded in this book than previous characters have been, and while I did enjoy how Harmony was complex and sometimes morally ambiguous, there are still obvious and beaten down tropes in others. There’s the loutish uncle character we’ve seen before, the familiar sparring sister relationship, the clueless parents. And there are a number of huge plot holes, and confusing moments that I still haven’t quite wrapped my head around. There are even still some kind of dumb cliffhangers at the end of various chapters (though he has definitely toned it down from the past). But these weaknesses are kind of just what you have to expect to come with the territory when it comes to “Fear Street”, and in some, odd ways it vaguely adds to the charm of this reboot, if only because it feels familiar and comforting that some things never change.
I didn’t really go in expecting much from “You May Now Kill The Bride”, and I ended up enjoying it. If this is what “Fear Street” is going to be for this new generation of teenagers, I am very excited for the kind of horror fans it is going to nurture.
And with that, Horrorpalooza has come to an end! From me to you, I am hoping that you all have a FABULOUS Halloween tomorrow!
December 20, 2018
I never actually read any Fear Street books when I was younger and they were popular. I think I would have enjoyed them, but I kind of delved straight into adult horror - even as a child. That being said, I was curious when I first learned of this book and was glad my library gave me the opportunity to read this without losing anything.
This book goes back and forth between two time periods which is a format I really enjoy. It portrays two families each where a young woman is getting married, and the curse that spells death and destruction for the families when she does.
There's not a lot else to say about the plot. "You May Now Kill the Bride" is a quick read but I never felt attached to any of the characters. I actually didn't care if they lived or died. And there was only a smidgen of witchcraft and I can sort of sum the book up as "blah." That being said, I'm sure people who have been fans of this series since kids will enjoy this resurgence and it was a decent enough way to spend a rainy Sunday while watching football.
This book goes back and forth between two time periods which is a format I really enjoy. It portrays two families each where a young woman is getting married, and the curse that spells death and destruction for the families when she does.
There's not a lot else to say about the plot. "You May Now Kill the Bride" is a quick read but I never felt attached to any of the characters. I actually didn't care if they lived or died. And there was only a smidgen of witchcraft and I can sort of sum the book up as "blah." That being said, I'm sure people who have been fans of this series since kids will enjoy this resurgence and it was a decent enough way to spend a rainy Sunday while watching football.
December 13, 2019
3 stars.
Story is okay. Could be better. The ending could have been polish better( No spoilers but how this was done was well explained. I think how it was done could have been different.) That is me. Someone else might like that.
The cover is good art. I like the creative of the skull in the bouquet. I pick up the book from the library because of the author. Again, the cover also attracted me. I would still read this author this again. I read countless of his books before I join Goodreads era. I would still recommend to fans of this author.
🇺🇸☠️
Story is okay. Could be better. The ending could have been polish better( No spoilers but how this was done was well explained. I think how it was done could have been different.) That is me. Someone else might like that.
The cover is good art. I like the creative of the skull in the bouquet. I pick up the book from the library because of the author. Again, the cover also attracted me. I would still read this author this again. I read countless of his books before I join Goodreads era. I would still recommend to fans of this author.
🇺🇸☠️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2024
One of my sillier life's goals is to read all of R.L. Stine's books. Goosebumps is the main one because I've been obsessed with them since I was a kid (they created my love of horror and Halloween), but I also want to read the Fear Street books too. Why not? It's a more fun life goal to have.
I picked this book up a while ago and I've been staring it down. The cover is beautiful and spooky, and while we aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover.... I do. I work in marketing! Of course we judge based off beauty. We're all vain.
This new series (circa 2018) brings back the Fear Street stories with some historical twists. This book brings us the Fear and Goode families. Years ago, a wedding goes horribly wrong with a tragic end coming for a pair of sisters. Flash forward, and the curse of the Fear weddings continues...
I liked this book but I felt it was a little goofy for how it all finishes up at the end. There could be some massive world building, and the supernatural aspect goes very far in this book, despite it being made to feel a bit more realistic. I really wish there was a bit more going into the supernatural side instead of just closing up quickly. It was odd to me that it came together so quickly at the end when I just wanted more. I felt like the book just wasn't finished right.
Regardless, it was a fun, horror-filled read for me that I enjoyed. I'll be checking out more soon!
Three out of five stars.
I picked this book up a while ago and I've been staring it down. The cover is beautiful and spooky, and while we aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover.... I do. I work in marketing! Of course we judge based off beauty. We're all vain.
This new series (circa 2018) brings back the Fear Street stories with some historical twists. This book brings us the Fear and Goode families. Years ago, a wedding goes horribly wrong with a tragic end coming for a pair of sisters. Flash forward, and the curse of the Fear weddings continues...
I liked this book but I felt it was a little goofy for how it all finishes up at the end. There could be some massive world building, and the supernatural aspect goes very far in this book, despite it being made to feel a bit more realistic. I really wish there was a bit more going into the supernatural side instead of just closing up quickly. It was odd to me that it came together so quickly at the end when I just wanted more. I felt like the book just wasn't finished right.
Regardless, it was a fun, horror-filled read for me that I enjoyed. I'll be checking out more soon!
Three out of five stars.
June 21, 2019
RATING: 3 STARS
2018; HarperTeen/HarperCollins Canada
Fear Street is back in another relaunch, with Stine still at the helm. I loved Fear Street as a preteen to my late teens. This series was unlike any other as it wasn’t just vampire love stories. The series had romance but it wasn’t the central theme of the books. I have read the new “Fear Street Relaunch” books, but I am not really feeling them. I don’t know if it is me, being an adult, or the books have lost their magic, or they aren’t written as well. I will have to go back and read an old Fear Street book to put the to the test. I started this novel with a bit of trepidation, but liked it a lot more tan I expected. This novel goes back to the Fears if Fear Street and their enemy the Goodes. Two sisters are torn apart when they fall for the same boy, and tragedy leads to more tragedy in present day Fear Street. It was a decent story that was perfect for the Halloween season. I will be continuing with with book two!
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
My Novelesque Blog
2018; HarperTeen/HarperCollins Canada
Fear Street is back in another relaunch, with Stine still at the helm. I loved Fear Street as a preteen to my late teens. This series was unlike any other as it wasn’t just vampire love stories. The series had romance but it wasn’t the central theme of the books. I have read the new “Fear Street Relaunch” books, but I am not really feeling them. I don’t know if it is me, being an adult, or the books have lost their magic, or they aren’t written as well. I will have to go back and read an old Fear Street book to put the to the test. I started this novel with a bit of trepidation, but liked it a lot more tan I expected. This novel goes back to the Fears if Fear Street and their enemy the Goodes. Two sisters are torn apart when they fall for the same boy, and tragedy leads to more tragedy in present day Fear Street. It was a decent story that was perfect for the Halloween season. I will be continuing with with book two!
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
My Novelesque Blog
March 10, 2019
Two separate people cartwheeled off a cliff in this book. It actually says the words, "a perfect cartwheel to his death." I think that is all one needs to know about this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2018
There is nothing better to read during a thunderstorm than a R. L. Stine novel, filled with horror, drama, and a family tragedy. I absolutely adored You May Now Kill the Bride, and cannot wait to read more from this series.
The worst thing a sister can do to another, is steal her boyfriend. Set in 1923, Rebecca steal's her little sisters boyfriend Peter, Ruth-Ann can't help but engage her time in the dark arts and begin practicing magic. Ruth-Ann swore that her sister will never get married to Peter, but on their wedding day a tragedy strikes that brings a new curse on the Fear family and the place the wedding takes place. Fast forward to current time, Marissa Fear is getting married in the exact same place the tragic wedding of 1923 took place. Harmony Fear, Marissa's younger sister wants nothing more than to play a few pranks using her magic to ease the tension of the wedding, but doing a little magic in a cursed place can have repercussions, and when Marissa goes missing on her wedding day, Harmony must find her and stop the curse from taking another life.
I honestly think this book was really well written. The part set in 1923 had a great use of old language and the setting felt absolutely perfect. R. L. Stine really made me feel like I was back in the 1920's with the clothes, cars and the choice of slang and behaviour from the characters. I also think it was a great addition to the story, rather than just having someone explain what happened in the past to one of the main characters, we actually got to read through it ourselves.
The present story was also good. I enjoyed this Fear family a little bit more, mostly because we got to see a lot more from the parents, and Harmony actually got along very well with her brother so it wasn't just her against her family like Ruth-Ann was. All of the characters in this book were very different but enjoyable at the same time. Although I will admit that the second part of the book did drag on a little too long for my taste.
Overall, I loved the characters, I loved the change in the timeline and I love the horror and thriller side to the novel. You May Now Kill the Bride is a fairly quick read, but it definitely has enough action to capture your attention. I definitely recommend this novel to all R. L. Stine fans and/or fans of mystery/thriller novels.
Happy Reading,
Aneta
The worst thing a sister can do to another, is steal her boyfriend. Set in 1923, Rebecca steal's her little sisters boyfriend Peter, Ruth-Ann can't help but engage her time in the dark arts and begin practicing magic. Ruth-Ann swore that her sister will never get married to Peter, but on their wedding day a tragedy strikes that brings a new curse on the Fear family and the place the wedding takes place. Fast forward to current time, Marissa Fear is getting married in the exact same place the tragic wedding of 1923 took place. Harmony Fear, Marissa's younger sister wants nothing more than to play a few pranks using her magic to ease the tension of the wedding, but doing a little magic in a cursed place can have repercussions, and when Marissa goes missing on her wedding day, Harmony must find her and stop the curse from taking another life.
I honestly think this book was really well written. The part set in 1923 had a great use of old language and the setting felt absolutely perfect. R. L. Stine really made me feel like I was back in the 1920's with the clothes, cars and the choice of slang and behaviour from the characters. I also think it was a great addition to the story, rather than just having someone explain what happened in the past to one of the main characters, we actually got to read through it ourselves.
The present story was also good. I enjoyed this Fear family a little bit more, mostly because we got to see a lot more from the parents, and Harmony actually got along very well with her brother so it wasn't just her against her family like Ruth-Ann was. All of the characters in this book were very different but enjoyable at the same time. Although I will admit that the second part of the book did drag on a little too long for my taste.
Overall, I loved the characters, I loved the change in the timeline and I love the horror and thriller side to the novel. You May Now Kill the Bride is a fairly quick read, but it definitely has enough action to capture your attention. I definitely recommend this novel to all R. L. Stine fans and/or fans of mystery/thriller novels.
Happy Reading,
Aneta
July 17, 2018
RATING: 3.75/5
e-ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Return to Fear Street! I was a big fan of the original series as a preteen, so I'm beyond excited for the new upcoming releases. This one did not disappoint!
Two sisters, divided by time. Each with a terrible resentment she can barely contain.
Two Fear family weddings, decades apart . . . Each bride will find that the ancient curse that haunts the Fears LIVES ON. It feeds off the evil that courses through their blood. It takes its toll in unexpected ways, and allows dark history to repeat itself.
The beginning of the book is set in the 1920s. There is a wedding, a love triangle (sort-of) and an evil that's been tormenting the Fear family for decades. A tragedy occurs and afterwards, we're introduced to a new set of characters. Turns out the first few chapters were just a background story that will, eventually, connect with the events happening in the present.
The main theme of the book is, I think, sibling rivalry. The curse doesn't play as big of a role as you would expect. We have about 10-15 relevant characters but there's not much depth to any of them. The main one is sort-of likeable but I couldn't really connect with her. What I liked most was the flow of the story. It wasn't scary but it reached a level of intensity that had me hooked. I couldn't put the book down.
Since the synopsis is really vague, I can't say much more without spoiling. I, personally, enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the next books in the series and the film adaptations :)
e-ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Return to Fear Street! I was a big fan of the original series as a preteen, so I'm beyond excited for the new upcoming releases. This one did not disappoint!
Two sisters, divided by time. Each with a terrible resentment she can barely contain.
Two Fear family weddings, decades apart . . . Each bride will find that the ancient curse that haunts the Fears LIVES ON. It feeds off the evil that courses through their blood. It takes its toll in unexpected ways, and allows dark history to repeat itself.
The beginning of the book is set in the 1920s. There is a wedding, a love triangle (sort-of) and an evil that's been tormenting the Fear family for decades. A tragedy occurs and afterwards, we're introduced to a new set of characters. Turns out the first few chapters were just a background story that will, eventually, connect with the events happening in the present.
The main theme of the book is, I think, sibling rivalry. The curse doesn't play as big of a role as you would expect. We have about 10-15 relevant characters but there's not much depth to any of them. The main one is sort-of likeable but I couldn't really connect with her. What I liked most was the flow of the story. It wasn't scary but it reached a level of intensity that had me hooked. I couldn't put the book down.
Since the synopsis is really vague, I can't say much more without spoiling. I, personally, enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the next books in the series and the film adaptations :)
Read
July 19, 2018This was a stupid amount of fun to read. When you try to put all the pieces together in the end, logic isn't necessarily solid, but who cares? The point of reading RL Stine is the creeps, the chills, the twists, and thinking about how someone comes up with such wild stuff.
Fun fact: this is actually the second reboot of the "Fear Street" series in recent years.
Fun fact: this is actually the second reboot of the "Fear Street" series in recent years.
August 31, 2018
3.5 stars
September 24, 2023
This was much longer than it needed to be at nearly 350 pages.
March 18, 2021
I'm not a die hard fear street fan, In fact I have read very few of them so maybe it's not strange I didn't have much strong feelings for this story. It's a low 3 stars. Not bad but didn't work for me. Didn't find the two weddings decades apart that exciting not even with the curse. Have to look further for an horror series for me
May 10, 2018
What a blast to the past. I used to read these when I was around 12 and wanted to be scared at night. The good-- I was entertained, I flew through the pages, and the description was actually better than I remember from Stine. I liked how the story resolved as well. That said, I wouldn't call this great literature, but I don't think it's meant for that. The purpose, which is pure entertainment, is achieved. Overall, I think if you like YA horror, this is a book for you.
October 5, 2019
I should not have returned to Fear Street.
You know how some things are enhanced by nostalgia and that warm fuzzy feeling from the past experience creeps in to cause a warm fuzzy feeling in the present? Yeah, that did not happen here.
I'd like to think the writing wasn't always this bad. I was cringing. I was rolling my eyes. I was thinking about rewarding myself with something for finishing this because I'd be goddamn hero if I did.
The first part of the story is set in 1923. It is written in the way I remembered the original books being written. It's super cheesy but fun with little scattered cliff hangers. Unfortunately this part only accounted for 79 of the 344 pages. We then move on to the second part of the story...
The second part of the story is set in present day where they have FaceTime and Netflix. This part of the story was written by an uninspired high school student being forced to write an extra credit paper so as to not repeat senior year a fourth time. The voice ofwhat's-her-face(nevermind...flipped to it in the book) Harmony is awful. Terrible. Horrific.
Her sister is missing. She is distraught. Sort of.
Not so distraught that she doesn't go over to her friend's house to watch Netflix and order a pizza. I get it. Sometimes you need the comfort of a friend. There was hope for a moment when she ended up telling her friend about her sister's disappearance. A moment when they both had tears in their eyes. That moment was immediately followed by:
But then Sophie's black Lab, Monroe, burst into the room, jumped up on me, and knocked me backward. I landed on my back on one of the big pillows on the floor, and the dog loomed over me and began licking my face.
"Stop! Stop!" I cried, laughing. Sophie pulled the dog away, but Monroe had succeeded in changing the mood.
A DOG LICKING YOUR FACE CHANGED YOUR MOOD ABOUT YOUR SISTER BEING MISSING/ POSSIBLY DEAD?
There are so many other moments like this, but I'm afraid I will give myself a coronary if I keep typing.
1 Generous Star
You know how some things are enhanced by nostalgia and that warm fuzzy feeling from the past experience creeps in to cause a warm fuzzy feeling in the present? Yeah, that did not happen here.
I'd like to think the writing wasn't always this bad. I was cringing. I was rolling my eyes. I was thinking about rewarding myself with something for finishing this because I'd be goddamn hero if I did.
The first part of the story is set in 1923. It is written in the way I remembered the original books being written. It's super cheesy but fun with little scattered cliff hangers. Unfortunately this part only accounted for 79 of the 344 pages. We then move on to the second part of the story...
The second part of the story is set in present day where they have FaceTime and Netflix. This part of the story was written by an uninspired high school student being forced to write an extra credit paper so as to not repeat senior year a fourth time. The voice of
Her sister is missing. She is distraught. Sort of.
Not so distraught that she doesn't go over to her friend's house to watch Netflix and order a pizza. I get it. Sometimes you need the comfort of a friend. There was hope for a moment when she ended up telling her friend about her sister's disappearance. A moment when they both had tears in their eyes. That moment was immediately followed by:
But then Sophie's black Lab, Monroe, burst into the room, jumped up on me, and knocked me backward. I landed on my back on one of the big pillows on the floor, and the dog loomed over me and began licking my face.
"Stop! Stop!" I cried, laughing. Sophie pulled the dog away, but Monroe had succeeded in changing the mood.
A DOG LICKING YOUR FACE CHANGED YOUR MOOD ABOUT YOUR SISTER BEING MISSING/ POSSIBLY DEAD?
There are so many other moments like this, but I'm afraid I will give myself a coronary if I keep typing.
1 Generous Star
September 6, 2018
I'm pretty sure nostalgia alone bumped this one up to three stars. It wasn't great, or deep, or particularly scary, but it was still kind of exciting to hold a brand new Fear Street book in my hands.
Honestly, the strongest part of this story for me was the very beginning, with the two Fear sisters in 1924 Ruth-Ann and Rebecca. I thought that was interesting, and I liked it. When the story shifted into the present day (and first-person), I found myself struggling at first. I didn't love Harmony's voice, and never felt like it felt super authentic. I found myself thinking Harmony sounded much younger than her 17 years at times. She didn't make sense to me.
And honestly, I'm criticizing the "voice," but I'm sure that's how these stories always were. The difference is I'm not 13 anymore reading them. And I will say -- I did get caught up in the mystery of Marissa's disappearance. I wanted to know what happened, and who was responsible, and what was going on with some of the weirder events in the story. So it was engaging enough that I cared about what happened, although I will say the ending felt incredibly abrupt.
So, quick read. Worthwhile. Not outstanding, but I honestly didn't expect it to be going in. I just wanted to travel back in time a bit myself :)
Honestly, the strongest part of this story for me was the very beginning, with the two Fear sisters in 1924 Ruth-Ann and Rebecca. I thought that was interesting, and I liked it. When the story shifted into the present day (and first-person), I found myself struggling at first. I didn't love Harmony's voice, and never felt like it felt super authentic. I found myself thinking Harmony sounded much younger than her 17 years at times. She didn't make sense to me.
And honestly, I'm criticizing the "voice," but I'm sure that's how these stories always were. The difference is I'm not 13 anymore reading them. And I will say -- I did get caught up in the mystery of Marissa's disappearance. I wanted to know what happened, and who was responsible, and what was going on with some of the weirder events in the story. So it was engaging enough that I cared about what happened, although I will say the ending felt incredibly abrupt.
So, quick read. Worthwhile. Not outstanding, but I honestly didn't expect it to be going in. I just wanted to travel back in time a bit myself :)
July 9, 2022
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5
FEAR STREET BABY! Or Return to Fear Street. Was this the best book I've ever read? Probably not, but I had fun with it. It gave me the best feeling of nostalgia. These are the kind of YA books that were around when I was in middle school and young teens. I had R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, L.J. Smith. It's definitely not like the YA of today, so don't judge it on those terms.
This was a really fast read, sometimes cheesy and overdramatic and immature. There were a bunch of cliffhanger chapters, the dun dun duuun!
We had two stories that connected. One set in the 1920's (that was the more enjoyable of the two) and the other set in present day. They both involve sisters who aren't really that close, which I enjoyed. They both feature a hotel/lodge where things happen.
It was a lot of crazy stuff. Drama, drama, drama. Not everything gets resolved. It also could have been shorter. I'll continue with the series.
FEAR STREET BABY! Or Return to Fear Street. Was this the best book I've ever read? Probably not, but I had fun with it. It gave me the best feeling of nostalgia. These are the kind of YA books that were around when I was in middle school and young teens. I had R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, L.J. Smith. It's definitely not like the YA of today, so don't judge it on those terms.
This was a really fast read, sometimes cheesy and overdramatic and immature. There were a bunch of cliffhanger chapters, the dun dun duuun!
We had two stories that connected. One set in the 1920's (that was the more enjoyable of the two) and the other set in present day. They both involve sisters who aren't really that close, which I enjoyed. They both feature a hotel/lodge where things happen.
It was a lot of crazy stuff. Drama, drama, drama. Not everything gets resolved. It also could have been shorter. I'll continue with the series.
October 4, 2018
Not really the classic Fear Street Saga I’m used to (or did I just get older?). Cliff hangers aren’t really cliff hangers, storyline is a bit messy. I was excited for this book since it’s been a while since a Fear Street book came out but it did not meet my expectations.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
September 6, 2018
So..... this was actually pretty good! R.L. Stine is back to writing FEAR STREET in a more traditional sense (as opposed to the Fear Street Relaunch series, which was distributed under St. Martin's Press as opposed to HarperTEEN), with pulpy covers and earnest plot lines. But YOU MAY NOW KILL THE BRIDE doesn't feel nearly as rushed or thin as the old school books do: he's writing for teens in the way that publishers now see teens. Aka, as readers who want a decent story and don't necessarily care if the book is longer than 130 pages. YOU MAY NOW KILL THE BRIDE still falls into familiar pitfalls that old FEAR STREET books have (melodramatics, somewhat two dimensional characters), but now that he can let the story grow at a steadier pace, it felt more like a YA thriller than the old FEAR STREET books ever did. Welcome back, Shadyside!
June 14, 2020
"Holding Rebecca like a baby, Peter lowered his face to hers and kissed her lips. And as they kissed, he walked to the edge of the Mesa. He held the kiss for another few seconds. Then he raised her in his arms and tossed her over the side of the cliff."
Fear Street will always hold a special place in my heart. Those books are what I grew up with and made me love horror even more. I’ll never forget how they brought reading into my life and changed it forever.
This one was interesting and totally spooky. It had a lot of intense moments that made me second guess if I knew exactly what was going to happen. I can’t wait to read more of this great return.
Fear Street will always hold a special place in my heart. Those books are what I grew up with and made me love horror even more. I’ll never forget how they brought reading into my life and changed it forever.
This one was interesting and totally spooky. It had a lot of intense moments that made me second guess if I knew exactly what was going to happen. I can’t wait to read more of this great return.
February 11, 2024
Read these in descending order from 3 to 2 to 1 because my youngest daughter likes the covers. They’ve been fairly entertaining. The first 20% of this one, set in the 1920s, was pretty boring. Then when the story moved to the present it picked up a good bit. Fun read, nothing too serious.
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