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Riverdale #2
Get Out of Town
When Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead take a road trip, they discover that their small-town problems seem to follow them wherever they go.
Archie's on trial for murder, and the evidence is stacked against him. Betty, Veronica, and Jughead all know that Archie is being framed by Hiram Lodge, but how can they prove it?
The gang comes up with a last-ditch plan to prove Archie's innocence: They have to go back to the scene of the crime. They have to go back to Shadow Lake.
Threats are around every corner deep in the woods at the Lodge family cabin. Will the teens find the evidence they need to clear Archie's name? And more importantly, will they make it back to Riverdale alive?
Archie's on trial for murder, and the evidence is stacked against him. Betty, Veronica, and Jughead all know that Archie is being framed by Hiram Lodge, but how can they prove it?
The gang comes up with a last-ditch plan to prove Archie's innocence: They have to go back to the scene of the crime. They have to go back to Shadow Lake.
Threats are around every corner deep in the woods at the Lodge family cabin. Will the teens find the evidence they need to clear Archie's name? And more importantly, will they make it back to Riverdale alive?
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2019
118 people are currently reading
2455 people want to read
About the author
Micol Ostow
78 books392 followersMicol Ostow has been writing professionally since 2004, and in that time has written and/or ghostwritten over 40 published works for young readers. She started her reign of terror with Egmont with her novel FAMILY, which Elizabeth Burns named a favorite of 2012 on her School Library Journal-syndicated blog, A Chair, a Fireplace, a Tea Cozy. Micol's graphic novel, SO PUNK ROCK (and Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother), was named a 2009 Booklist Top Ten Arts Books for Youth Selection, a Booklist Top Ten Religion Books for Youth Selection, and a Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Teens. She received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Her young adult horror novel, AMITY, will release from Egmont in August 2014, and her first chapter book series, LOUISE TRAPEZE, will debut in Spring 2015 from Random House.
She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY, alongside her Emmy Award-winning husband, their daughter, and a finicky French bulldog. Visit her at www.micolostow.com.
Her young adult horror novel, AMITY, will release from Egmont in August 2014, and her first chapter book series, LOUISE TRAPEZE, will debut in Spring 2015 from Random House.
She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY, alongside her Emmy Award-winning husband, their daughter, and a finicky French bulldog. Visit her at www.micolostow.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
November 23, 2019
"From the original murder among Blossom brothers, to the sticky underside of the maple syrup trade. From the Riverdale Reaper to the Sugarman, all the way down to the Black Hood. To the Geraldine Grundys of the world, and the 'sweetie' monster sightings in Sweetwater river each Summer...And the drownings. All of them sudden. All of them unexplained. Too many to make sense of. From the Serpents Native members being driven from their land, to the Blossom house burning to the ground at Cheryl's hand. From the live burials at the Devil's Hand tree, to all the stories teens tell when - if - they manage to escape from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Each of these mesy, sad links forms the chains that drag Riverdale down into the evil deep."
Set during the Summer between Seasons 2 and 3 of Riverdale. Archie has just been framed for murder by the ruthless Hiram Lodge. Archie, Veronica, Jughead and Betty decide to return to the scene of the crime, if they can find any evidence that may help Archie's case. But the locals of Shadow Lake aren't too pleased to see an alleged murderer in their area.
Meanwhile, we get glimpses into the lives of the other characters. Josie's hidden relationship with Sweetpea and the rise of the dangerous game Griffins and Gargoyles. If you've watched the series you'll recognise most of the events referred to in this book. But it is an enjoyable bit of fan fiction - filling in the empty gap of the Summer before season 3 begins.
Ostow does a great job of portraying the characters' POVs and their personalities really shine through. Highly recommend.
Set during the Summer between Seasons 2 and 3 of Riverdale. Archie has just been framed for murder by the ruthless Hiram Lodge. Archie, Veronica, Jughead and Betty decide to return to the scene of the crime, if they can find any evidence that may help Archie's case. But the locals of Shadow Lake aren't too pleased to see an alleged murderer in their area.
Meanwhile, we get glimpses into the lives of the other characters. Josie's hidden relationship with Sweetpea and the rise of the dangerous game Griffins and Gargoyles. If you've watched the series you'll recognise most of the events referred to in this book. But it is an enjoyable bit of fan fiction - filling in the empty gap of the Summer before season 3 begins.
Ostow does a great job of portraying the characters' POVs and their personalities really shine through. Highly recommend.
August 17, 2025
The second original novel set in the Riverdale universe, which I enjoyed even more than the first. These are surprisingly good, and I say surprisingly not as slight to the author, but because so often books related to a show aren't very good. But Micol Ostow has once again captured these characters perfectly, making this a fun read. I loved the Stephen King references too!
The plot was tense and creepy (in a good way). Scarier than I had expected it would be, to be honest. I'm easily spooked by the old 'trapped in a house with people watching you' situation though. It always makes me jumpy, even if it's a little predictable!
I'm not sure if it would make sense if you haven't seen the show.
Recommended if you like 'Riverdale'.
The plot was tense and creepy (in a good way). Scarier than I had expected it would be, to be honest. I'm easily spooked by the old 'trapped in a house with people watching you' situation though. It always makes me jumpy, even if it's a little predictable!
I'm not sure if it would make sense if you haven't seen the show.
Recommended if you like 'Riverdale'.
July 25, 2023
This book is about what I consider one of the absolute dumbest, most illogical, most frustratingly obnoxious plots in Riverdale - the very thing which led me to quit watching the show, in fact. As such, I won't be rating this based on plotline, because that would be like a dog hater knowingly reading a story about dogs and rating it low because it wasn't about cats. I won't even rate it based on whether it is canon compliant, since I gave up on the show during this plot and likely wouldn't spot any subtle inaccuracies (or be aware of relevant retcons, since Riverdale loves to rewrite its own story often). Instead, I'm rating it based on insight it provides into thoughts and motives as well as general writing quality and characterization.
I'll begin with a rundown of the narrating characters and my thoughts on them, then lead into an overall assessment.
JUGHEAD sounds a little flat, but for the canon point given I'm not surprised. He's a shadow of the character I love yet very accurate to the one he became in later seasons of the televised series. I felt he was overly wordy in places, but that seems reasonably on brand.
I wish his emotions had been covered with more 'showing' and less telling, but what the author told seemed genuine. I liked the insight into his thought processes regarding losing Archie and being King of the Southside Serpents. I could have done without all the ship-related stuff, but he's with Betty on the show so I can't fault the book for including it no matter how much I dislike "Bughead."
One thing stood out, though: In canon, FP tells Alice that a snake (Southside Serpent) never sheds its skin (stops being part of the biker gang) so easily. The key part of that quote was how he said it didn't happen easily. Without that qualifier, it just becomes an ignorant lie and a cringey false metaphor, considering snakes literally do shed their skin multiple times in their lives. The point is that ecdysis - skin shedding - is an uncomfortable and vulnerable time period for a snake. Unfortunately, this book has Jug refer to how he's learned snakes never shed their skin. Congratulations, author; you just made Jughead into an idiot and ruined a neat metaphor. Considering he's my favourite character, that irks me a lot.
VERONICA is a cringefest, not unlike her canon counterpart. I felt icky seeing this sixteen-year-old girl wax poetic in overdone phrasing about her darling paramour the love of her life Archie Andrews. (GAG!) So, you know, she's fairly accurately written in that regard. However, much like the previous book, she's vapid and shallow and sounds more like a spoiled starlet than someone who's grown and developed into an actually-decent human being.
She's also far too much of an obnoxious SJW caricature - far moreso than on the show. At one point, Veronica stupidly claims that having the boys sit in the front of a car and girls in the back is 'sexist' even though Jug's driving and she wanted to sit by Betty anyway, meaning they'd have to sit in the back whether Archie had called shotgun or not. And later, she even accuses Archie of 'disguising misogyny as chivalry' when he volunteers to clean up mutilated birds left by an enemy - the very sight of which had made Veronica scream in terror when they were first discovered. No, V, that's not misogyny; that's your boyfriend trying to help you not be triggered again. It's infuriatingly ridiculous and makes her sound even more narcissistic than she already is as a Lodge.
But I digress. I think the author focused too much on "she's so obsessed with luxury and privilege" and "she likes social justice buzzwords" but not enough on making Veronica's emotions read like those of a real person or creating a sympathetic character. As such, Veronica was primarily an unlikable character and her sections were annoying to read while often feeling off-kilter from who she normally is.
I'm not surprised, just disappointed. And disgusted at how often she drones on about how she'll never betray Archie and loves him oh-so-much and he never has to worry about her dating Reggie while he's gone, if he gets arrested. It's about like reading a book in which Humpty Dumpty swears a million times that he'll never, ever sit on a wall, not once in his entire life: it's just plain obnoxious because you know what a lie it proves to be later.
ARCHIE is basically just a giant ball of anxious self-loathing. That's it, that's his personality. I don't feel as if I gained any insight into the idiotic decision he made on the show (not during the book), which means the main reason I was curious enough to read this is a total bust. He does, however, come across as genuinely Archie so there's that. It's also interesting to get a peek into his intense PTSD and how it affects his thought processes.
REGGIE comes across as an uneducated jerkwad, even more than he usually does in the show. However, the insight into his family life explains quite a bit and serves as a nice bit of character development.
BETTY is written with such urgency that her emotions feel real. They jump from the page, making her stress and anxiety take the forefront even when she's trying to be chill. I like that a lot, especially coupled with the insight into her Adderall dependence and frustration with her mom's ignorance.
One thing, though: most of Betty's sections are framed as diary entries, which makes absolutely zero sense. Nobody writes exact dialogue their friends said when making a diary entry. And why would she, with the psychotic cult-member mother and sister, be writing vulnerable information in a diary they could just snatch and read, anyway? She's supposed to be smarter than that.
Also, since when was she a crazy SJW type? At one point, she accuses Jug of being chivalrous and sexist for volunteering to let her take a shower first after they'd finished cleaning up a dead animal. Heaven forbid he be kind to his girlfriend! It can't possibly be that he is too lazy to shower first or is used to dead animals after living in a trailer park and being homeless for awhile or that he just loves her enough to want her to be comfortable first. No, no, it's sexism, y'all! Gag me with a spoon. Betty is, I repeat, supposed to be smarter than this.
ETHEL is completely guano level crazy, and it does not suit her. It is, unfortunately, how canon chose to characterize her as well, but I will forever be bitter about how they turned her into... whatever this nonsense is when she used to be a sympathetic character during season one. However, the insight into why and how she ended up how she is was quite welcome. I may still resent it, but at least now I also understand.
SWEET PEA doesn't narrate a section of his own, but I'd just like to say how stupid I thought it was that mister Serpent Loyalty was demi-working with the traitorous ex-Serpent who tried to murder his friend (and current leader of the gang). I don't know if this is canon or not, but I hate it with the fiery non-passion of a thousand suns. Yuck! Also, FP is in on it, so toss "working with the monster who tried to murder his son" into the pile of "things I find extremely unlikely." Is it canon? Don't know, don't care; I hate it regardless.
POP TATE was an unexpected and enjoyable surprise when it comes to narrating characters! A very small portion, but interesting all the same.
JOSIE was... a very peculiarly wild and crazy version of herself which felt more suited for that one movie version with the spunky redhead. It just didn't feel like the Josie from the televised series, but then she didn't get much screen time so I can't be much of a judge. I just know that I felt unsatisfied with how strange and cliche her voice and motives were. I like to think "the real Josie" wouldn't vandalize another band's property just for the sake of her own ego or have dangerous, impromptu drag races on town roads in the middle of the night. She's always come across as classier and more honour-bound than that, even if the paint she used for vandalism did happen to be washable.
OVERALL I think this book is a decent read for anyone who is obsessed with Riverdale and wants more of the same. Unfortunately, that isn't me. I went into this hoping for a little more insight into what drove the character motivations between seasons two and three, since I hated what the show became for its third season. I wanted to understand, and though I did accomplish that task with Ethel it just wasn't possible with the others.
If you, like me, dislike the plots involved you'll probably be annoyed fairly often - potentially enough to make it an unenjoyable reading experience. Luckily, this book blows by fast, never dwelling on anything for too long, and that helps a lot. It's decently well-written, if you overlook how obnoxious certain character voices are (VERONICA!), don't dislike the constant jumping between narrators, and are willing to grit your teeth and stomach a third to a half of a book worth of every move any male character makes being deemed misogynistic. I'm not sure I would have kept going beyond the 30% mark, if I weren't specifically reading for insight into the plot. Which, again, I didn't particularly get.
If anything, this feels like a desperate attempt to add even more ridiculous drama to the plot. When things look like they're all geared up to provide a solid rescue for Archie, of course everything has to go dramatically and ridiculously pear-shaped because in the show he doesn't get rescued between seasons. So we get action movie level nonsense to erase all progress and characters who are very deliberately and clearly enemies having random reveals as being the good guys come to save the day. Aight, then, if you say so.
Along the way, the core four are bumbling idiots to the point it sometimes feels like a sitcom. They make mistakes which they normally wouldn't and act more like horror movie tropes at times, which is especially grating since they even discuss those tropes before falling into them.
The first half or so of this book is actually a fascinating selection of character studies, don't get me wrong. There is some value to be had there - and, in fact, I rather enjoyed that portion.
The problem is that, once a plot develops, things go downhill fast. Everything about the main plot is contrived and in the end literally none of it matters because nothing is accomplished. I understand that there are constraints to what could happen between seasons, but that's where a writer has to step back and ponder what they're doing. It's no different than writing a prequel: there's plenty of room to show new things happening without inventing those which are detrimental to the timeline then erasing them in dramatic fashion to make everything fit.
Similarly, this book is definitely not without its technical flaws. Some of the narrator choices, for example, make no sense. (Why have Archie narrate a conversation he's barely involved in when he doesn't even provide emotional input? Why re-hash things from the show or comics for some sections without adding anything to them?) There are also a smattering of typos and grammar flubs, though nothing particularly brain-breaking... and one incredibly nonsensical plot point.
I know I said I'd focus away from the plot elements, but this is just egregious. The core four are heading to a vacation home where a crime Archie's been publicly accused of is taking place. Their intent is to stealthily look for evidence to clear Archie's name. So, what do they do? Tell a random cop they encounter that Veronica is Big Bad's daughter and admit they're going to the vacation home. Then they stop at the store where the crime began because apparently Veronica thinks looking for clues requires snacks and that's the only place to get some. Thus, not only is nothing about the mission stealthy but they've got the accused criminal who's awaiting trial wandering around in the wide open in front of the victim's friends. That's so beyond stupid that it's ridiculous even by Riverdale standards!
For that one bit, I'd have been inclined to dock a star, but it's negated because I'm giving this book an automatic extra star just for Veronica referring to her "increasingly cartoon-villain-evil father" and Betty referring to Hiram as "some mustache-twirling cartoon bad guy." It's refreshing to see a call out on how pathetically one-dimensional and cartoonish Hiram Lodge became. Seriously, words can't explain how much I hate the way he's so obsessed with teenagers like some Scooby Doo villain while we're told he's some scary mob boss or whatever. It's laughable, and I enjoyed seeing shade tossed over the situation.
I didn't hate the experience, but I also stopped enjoying it somewhere around the mutilated birds, if not actually much sooner, so I'm giving this book two stars. That's inclusive of the extra star for calling out how pathetically cartoonish Hiram Lodge is multiple times, so make of that what you will. I just can't justify a higher rating for the bits I did like when there ended up being so many that I detested.
I mean, honestly? It may just be easier to leave on the note of a text message one character sends another (won't say who, to avoid any meaningful spoilers). Consider how dumb it would be to leave an electronic trail like this, and how much dumber it'd be not to just turn the person in for death threats which name the Big Bad explicitly and could get him in jail (and out of the way) posthaste. And know that this is fairly par for the course of idiotic decisions the characters in this book make:
I'll begin with a rundown of the narrating characters and my thoughts on them, then lead into an overall assessment.
JUGHEAD sounds a little flat, but for the canon point given I'm not surprised. He's a shadow of the character I love yet very accurate to the one he became in later seasons of the televised series. I felt he was overly wordy in places, but that seems reasonably on brand.
I wish his emotions had been covered with more 'showing' and less telling, but what the author told seemed genuine. I liked the insight into his thought processes regarding losing Archie and being King of the Southside Serpents. I could have done without all the ship-related stuff, but he's with Betty on the show so I can't fault the book for including it no matter how much I dislike "Bughead."
One thing stood out, though: In canon, FP tells Alice that a snake (Southside Serpent) never sheds its skin (stops being part of the biker gang) so easily. The key part of that quote was how he said it didn't happen easily. Without that qualifier, it just becomes an ignorant lie and a cringey false metaphor, considering snakes literally do shed their skin multiple times in their lives. The point is that ecdysis - skin shedding - is an uncomfortable and vulnerable time period for a snake. Unfortunately, this book has Jug refer to how he's learned snakes never shed their skin. Congratulations, author; you just made Jughead into an idiot and ruined a neat metaphor. Considering he's my favourite character, that irks me a lot.
VERONICA is a cringefest, not unlike her canon counterpart. I felt icky seeing this sixteen-year-old girl wax poetic in overdone phrasing about her darling paramour the love of her life Archie Andrews. (GAG!) So, you know, she's fairly accurately written in that regard. However, much like the previous book, she's vapid and shallow and sounds more like a spoiled starlet than someone who's grown and developed into an actually-decent human being.
She's also far too much of an obnoxious SJW caricature - far moreso than on the show. At one point, Veronica stupidly claims that having the boys sit in the front of a car and girls in the back is 'sexist' even though Jug's driving and she wanted to sit by Betty anyway, meaning they'd have to sit in the back whether Archie had called shotgun or not. And later, she even accuses Archie of 'disguising misogyny as chivalry' when he volunteers to clean up mutilated birds left by an enemy - the very sight of which had made Veronica scream in terror when they were first discovered. No, V, that's not misogyny; that's your boyfriend trying to help you not be triggered again. It's infuriatingly ridiculous and makes her sound even more narcissistic than she already is as a Lodge.
But I digress. I think the author focused too much on "she's so obsessed with luxury and privilege" and "she likes social justice buzzwords" but not enough on making Veronica's emotions read like those of a real person or creating a sympathetic character. As such, Veronica was primarily an unlikable character and her sections were annoying to read while often feeling off-kilter from who she normally is.
I'm not surprised, just disappointed. And disgusted at how often she drones on about how she'll never betray Archie and loves him oh-so-much and he never has to worry about her dating Reggie while he's gone, if he gets arrested. It's about like reading a book in which Humpty Dumpty swears a million times that he'll never, ever sit on a wall, not once in his entire life: it's just plain obnoxious because you know what a lie it proves to be later.
ARCHIE is basically just a giant ball of anxious self-loathing. That's it, that's his personality. I don't feel as if I gained any insight into the idiotic decision he made on the show (not during the book), which means the main reason I was curious enough to read this is a total bust. He does, however, come across as genuinely Archie so there's that. It's also interesting to get a peek into his intense PTSD and how it affects his thought processes.
REGGIE comes across as an uneducated jerkwad, even more than he usually does in the show. However, the insight into his family life explains quite a bit and serves as a nice bit of character development.
BETTY is written with such urgency that her emotions feel real. They jump from the page, making her stress and anxiety take the forefront even when she's trying to be chill. I like that a lot, especially coupled with the insight into her Adderall dependence and frustration with her mom's ignorance.
One thing, though: most of Betty's sections are framed as diary entries, which makes absolutely zero sense. Nobody writes exact dialogue their friends said when making a diary entry. And why would she, with the psychotic cult-member mother and sister, be writing vulnerable information in a diary they could just snatch and read, anyway? She's supposed to be smarter than that.
Also, since when was she a crazy SJW type? At one point, she accuses Jug of being chivalrous and sexist for volunteering to let her take a shower first after they'd finished cleaning up a dead animal. Heaven forbid he be kind to his girlfriend! It can't possibly be that he is too lazy to shower first or is used to dead animals after living in a trailer park and being homeless for awhile or that he just loves her enough to want her to be comfortable first. No, no, it's sexism, y'all! Gag me with a spoon. Betty is, I repeat, supposed to be smarter than this.
ETHEL is completely guano level crazy, and it does not suit her. It is, unfortunately, how canon chose to characterize her as well, but I will forever be bitter about how they turned her into... whatever this nonsense is when she used to be a sympathetic character during season one. However, the insight into why and how she ended up how she is was quite welcome. I may still resent it, but at least now I also understand.
SWEET PEA doesn't narrate a section of his own, but I'd just like to say how stupid I thought it was that mister Serpent Loyalty was demi-working with the traitorous ex-Serpent who tried to murder his friend (and current leader of the gang). I don't know if this is canon or not, but I hate it with the fiery non-passion of a thousand suns. Yuck! Also, FP is in on it, so toss "working with the monster who tried to murder his son" into the pile of "things I find extremely unlikely." Is it canon? Don't know, don't care; I hate it regardless.
POP TATE was an unexpected and enjoyable surprise when it comes to narrating characters! A very small portion, but interesting all the same.
JOSIE was... a very peculiarly wild and crazy version of herself which felt more suited for that one movie version with the spunky redhead. It just didn't feel like the Josie from the televised series, but then she didn't get much screen time so I can't be much of a judge. I just know that I felt unsatisfied with how strange and cliche her voice and motives were. I like to think "the real Josie" wouldn't vandalize another band's property just for the sake of her own ego or have dangerous, impromptu drag races on town roads in the middle of the night. She's always come across as classier and more honour-bound than that, even if the paint she used for vandalism did happen to be washable.
OVERALL I think this book is a decent read for anyone who is obsessed with Riverdale and wants more of the same. Unfortunately, that isn't me. I went into this hoping for a little more insight into what drove the character motivations between seasons two and three, since I hated what the show became for its third season. I wanted to understand, and though I did accomplish that task with Ethel it just wasn't possible with the others.
If you, like me, dislike the plots involved you'll probably be annoyed fairly often - potentially enough to make it an unenjoyable reading experience. Luckily, this book blows by fast, never dwelling on anything for too long, and that helps a lot. It's decently well-written, if you overlook how obnoxious certain character voices are (VERONICA!), don't dislike the constant jumping between narrators, and are willing to grit your teeth and stomach a third to a half of a book worth of every move any male character makes being deemed misogynistic. I'm not sure I would have kept going beyond the 30% mark, if I weren't specifically reading for insight into the plot. Which, again, I didn't particularly get.
If anything, this feels like a desperate attempt to add even more ridiculous drama to the plot. When things look like they're all geared up to provide a solid rescue for Archie, of course everything has to go dramatically and ridiculously pear-shaped because in the show he doesn't get rescued between seasons. So we get action movie level nonsense to erase all progress and characters who are very deliberately and clearly enemies having random reveals as being the good guys come to save the day. Aight, then, if you say so.
Along the way, the core four are bumbling idiots to the point it sometimes feels like a sitcom. They make mistakes which they normally wouldn't and act more like horror movie tropes at times, which is especially grating since they even discuss those tropes before falling into them.
The first half or so of this book is actually a fascinating selection of character studies, don't get me wrong. There is some value to be had there - and, in fact, I rather enjoyed that portion.
The problem is that, once a plot develops, things go downhill fast. Everything about the main plot is contrived and in the end literally none of it matters because nothing is accomplished. I understand that there are constraints to what could happen between seasons, but that's where a writer has to step back and ponder what they're doing. It's no different than writing a prequel: there's plenty of room to show new things happening without inventing those which are detrimental to the timeline then erasing them in dramatic fashion to make everything fit.
Similarly, this book is definitely not without its technical flaws. Some of the narrator choices, for example, make no sense. (Why have Archie narrate a conversation he's barely involved in when he doesn't even provide emotional input? Why re-hash things from the show or comics for some sections without adding anything to them?) There are also a smattering of typos and grammar flubs, though nothing particularly brain-breaking... and one incredibly nonsensical plot point.
I know I said I'd focus away from the plot elements, but this is just egregious. The core four are heading to a vacation home where a crime Archie's been publicly accused of is taking place. Their intent is to stealthily look for evidence to clear Archie's name. So, what do they do? Tell a random cop they encounter that Veronica is Big Bad's daughter and admit they're going to the vacation home. Then they stop at the store where the crime began because apparently Veronica thinks looking for clues requires snacks and that's the only place to get some. Thus, not only is nothing about the mission stealthy but they've got the accused criminal who's awaiting trial wandering around in the wide open in front of the victim's friends. That's so beyond stupid that it's ridiculous even by Riverdale standards!
For that one bit, I'd have been inclined to dock a star, but it's negated because I'm giving this book an automatic extra star just for Veronica referring to her "increasingly cartoon-villain-evil father" and Betty referring to Hiram as "some mustache-twirling cartoon bad guy." It's refreshing to see a call out on how pathetically one-dimensional and cartoonish Hiram Lodge became. Seriously, words can't explain how much I hate the way he's so obsessed with teenagers like some Scooby Doo villain while we're told he's some scary mob boss or whatever. It's laughable, and I enjoyed seeing shade tossed over the situation.
I didn't hate the experience, but I also stopped enjoying it somewhere around the mutilated birds, if not actually much sooner, so I'm giving this book two stars. That's inclusive of the extra star for calling out how pathetically cartoonish Hiram Lodge is multiple times, so make of that what you will. I just can't justify a higher rating for the bits I did like when there ended up being so many that I detested.
I mean, honestly? It may just be easier to leave on the note of a text message one character sends another (won't say who, to avoid any meaningful spoilers). Consider how dumb it would be to leave an electronic trail like this, and how much dumber it'd be not to just turn the person in for death threats which name the Big Bad explicitly and could get him in jail (and out of the way) posthaste. And know that this is fairly par for the course of idiotic decisions the characters in this book make:
When will you learn? There’s no such thing as “done.” There’s only “in” or “dead.” And for now, you’re “in.” That means you’re on Hiram Lodge’s good side. You probably want to keep it that way.
March 8, 2024
Um. Well. This was interesting….lol. I definitely read it out of order, I just randomly got the book from my cousin and decided to read it to boost my reading goal. But still, it was super weird. The author was trying so hard to be relevant and funny and apply to teens it was kind of sad😅 The book was written pretty elementary level and I just didn’t like it. Def don’t recommend…
Pages: 278
Language🤭: 🫢🫢🫢
TW⚠️: death, fear, drugs/alcohol, crime, gangs
Genre: YA thriller
Format I read: Paperback
Would I recommend to others: No
Pages: 278
Language🤭: 🫢🫢🫢
TW⚠️: death, fear, drugs/alcohol, crime, gangs
Genre: YA thriller
Format I read: Paperback
Would I recommend to others: No
September 15, 2019
I have read the first and now the second in this series and have really enjoyed them. Normally I watch a movie or series first, then read the book or books. In this case, it hasn't bothered me. I've enjoyed reading everyone's individual perspectives on the situation. Looking forward to book three.
January 12, 2021
Get out of town - Riverdale
Liked it better than the TV show.
Thinking about continuing the book serie.
Liked it better than the TV show.
Thinking about continuing the book serie.
December 5, 2019
Eek. That was cringe. Not only did it seem like a long boring build up, the climax was... not very climactic. Overall, I felt very meh about the book. There seemed to be a few plot holes and truly I felt the first 230 pages were extremely boring, whiny, and redundant.
If you are totally obsessed with Riverdale and absolutely LOVE the characters the way they are - then this would be an okay read for you. I enjoy the show - mostly the atmosphere and overall aesthetic. The characters are ok, but in my opinion, Archie from the show is the weakest character. Really, I think that each character is a poorly written hyperbole. Some, like Veronica and Cheryl, I can stomach. Others, like Archie, I can't. This novel really intensifies that hyperbole.
In the end, the biggest gripe I had was that the novel itself seemed very pointless... and to an end, it was. Read at your own risk.
Suitable for middle school students and higher. Mentions of drinking, and implied sexual conduct. Boring. Recommend to your students at your own risk.
If you are totally obsessed with Riverdale and absolutely LOVE the characters the way they are - then this would be an okay read for you. I enjoy the show - mostly the atmosphere and overall aesthetic. The characters are ok, but in my opinion, Archie from the show is the weakest character. Really, I think that each character is a poorly written hyperbole. Some, like Veronica and Cheryl, I can stomach. Others, like Archie, I can't. This novel really intensifies that hyperbole.
In the end, the biggest gripe I had was that the novel itself seemed very pointless... and to an end, it was. Read at your own risk.
Suitable for middle school students and higher. Mentions of drinking, and implied sexual conduct. Boring. Recommend to your students at your own risk.
July 29, 2019
Opinião no canal
https://youtu.be/Bi_JknKfdw4
https://youtu.be/Bi_JknKfdw4
February 12, 2020
Sarcastic and disappointed updates aside, I have to give the author credit for her character work in this novel.
Unlike in The Maple Murders, the characters have distinct voices and are pretty consistent right off the bat. I particularly enjoyed the POVS of Betty and Jughead in this one (btw be ready for StEpHen KiNg references everywhere).
There's also some back-to-reality moments in which the characters question how their lives will change after Riverdale high.
And some new twists added to characters and backstories for how they react the way they do (although one of them in particular was a bit...out there, to say the least).
This one also kept me pretty entertained, mostly due to the character work, and I do think I actually laughed out loud a few times during it.
The plot, however,...was ridiculous.
Whilst it was entertaining enough to keep me reading, there's a lot, and I mean a whole freaking lot, of plot holes (and/or things that just weren't explained) poking through this novel.
Overall:
It was light and fun, and due to it's differences from The Maple Murders, I'm interested in seeing what the other installments have to offer.
Unlike in The Maple Murders, the characters have distinct voices and are pretty consistent right off the bat. I particularly enjoyed the POVS of Betty and Jughead in this one (btw be ready for StEpHen KiNg references everywhere).
There's also some back-to-reality moments in which the characters question how their lives will change after Riverdale high.
And some new twists added to characters and backstories for how they react the way they do (although one of them in particular was a bit...out there, to say the least).
This one also kept me pretty entertained, mostly due to the character work, and I do think I actually laughed out loud a few times during it.
The plot, however,...was ridiculous.
Whilst it was entertaining enough to keep me reading, there's a lot, and I mean a whole freaking lot, of plot holes (and/or things that just weren't explained) poking through this novel.
Overall:
It was light and fun, and due to it's differences from The Maple Murders, I'm interested in seeing what the other installments have to offer.
February 23, 2020
Ergens tijdens seizoen 3 ben ik afgehaakt. Ik heb heus nog wel plannen om verder te kijken, maar ik kijk al niet heel graag series en als ik eenmaal achterloop, dan betekent dat meestal het begin van het einde. Ik was echter nog wel heel benieuwd naar dit boek en aangezien het zich afspeelt tussen seizoen 2 en 3 wist ik zeker dat ik nog prima kon volgen.
Net als zijn voorganger leest dit boek als een trein. Dat komt deels door het format, waarbij het boek ook deels bestaat uit dagboekfragmenten en phone messages, maar dat komt ook door de hele vlotte schrijfstijl. Ik lees normaal al vrij vlug, maar dit boek had ik al helemaal in no-time uit.
Dat laatste komt overigens niet alleen door de schrijfstijl. Dat komt ook door de vaart in het plot en omdat het verhaal eigenlijk geen seconde gaat vervelen. Er gebeurt het hele boek lang van alles en hoewel wij als lezer een veel beter beeld hebben van wat er aan de hand is dan de karakters, blijft het tot aan het einde spannend.
Wat ik persoonlijk erg kon waarderen, waren de vergelijking die Jughead constant maakte met boeken en met tv shows of films. Hoewel het boek in zekere zin behoorlijk wat cliches gewoon volgde, was heel duidelijk dat zowel de auteur als de karakters zich hier ook heel erg van bewust waren. Ze wisten dat wat ze deden niet altijd slim was, maar ze deden het toch.
Daarnaast was ik erg blij met hoe de emoties van de karakters, en met name Archie, werden neergezet. Er werd absoluut niet gedaan alsof Archie een stoere vent was die het allemaal niks kon schelen. Hij was echt van slag en leed toch aan een soort van ptss. Ik merkte ook dat het met name de emoties en gevoelens van de hoofdrolspelers waren die het verhaal echt spannend maakten. Hun paniek, onzekerheid en angst was heel goed voelbaar.
Ergens begon het tijdens het boek toch weer te kriebelen om verder te kijken. We gaan zien of het er nog van komt. Misschien. Ooit.
Net als zijn voorganger leest dit boek als een trein. Dat komt deels door het format, waarbij het boek ook deels bestaat uit dagboekfragmenten en phone messages, maar dat komt ook door de hele vlotte schrijfstijl. Ik lees normaal al vrij vlug, maar dit boek had ik al helemaal in no-time uit.
Dat laatste komt overigens niet alleen door de schrijfstijl. Dat komt ook door de vaart in het plot en omdat het verhaal eigenlijk geen seconde gaat vervelen. Er gebeurt het hele boek lang van alles en hoewel wij als lezer een veel beter beeld hebben van wat er aan de hand is dan de karakters, blijft het tot aan het einde spannend.
Wat ik persoonlijk erg kon waarderen, waren de vergelijking die Jughead constant maakte met boeken en met tv shows of films. Hoewel het boek in zekere zin behoorlijk wat cliches gewoon volgde, was heel duidelijk dat zowel de auteur als de karakters zich hier ook heel erg van bewust waren. Ze wisten dat wat ze deden niet altijd slim was, maar ze deden het toch.
Daarnaast was ik erg blij met hoe de emoties van de karakters, en met name Archie, werden neergezet. Er werd absoluut niet gedaan alsof Archie een stoere vent was die het allemaal niks kon schelen. Hij was echt van slag en leed toch aan een soort van ptss. Ik merkte ook dat het met name de emoties en gevoelens van de hoofdrolspelers waren die het verhaal echt spannend maakten. Hun paniek, onzekerheid en angst was heel goed voelbaar.
Ergens begon het tijdens het boek toch weer te kriebelen om verder te kijken. We gaan zien of het er nog van komt. Misschien. Ooit.
November 28, 2019
"You honestly haven’t noticed that our lives basically are a horror movie? Jason Blossom, the Black Hood... we are, like, one zombie apocalypse away from going full-on Evil Dead."
My Sunday’s are full of new adventures on Netflix. I try to find something on there to view because I’m home alone all day. I spotted Riverdale on there and decided to give it a try. Part way through episode one, I was hooked. Now I’m kind of obsessed.
A memory was triggered and I realized that I had a copy of this book in my book closet. After much searching and digging, I found it and automatically tore it open.
It states that it takes place in the Riverdale universe and not seen on the show. But some of the bigger picture scenarios were featured on the show. Maybe the endings turned out differently but they were all sensationalized for this book.
This was a decent book but would have been better if it was a totally original story. The mystery was good enough to keep my interest but it was definitely missing something. I really enjoyed the different POVs except Bettys. Hers was almost entirely diary entries and that kind of annoyed me. And in the end, it kept me entertained and occupied
Get Out of Town will have Riverdale fans excited that they can have something else added to their collections. Just don’t expect anything mind blowing and original.
My Sunday’s are full of new adventures on Netflix. I try to find something on there to view because I’m home alone all day. I spotted Riverdale on there and decided to give it a try. Part way through episode one, I was hooked. Now I’m kind of obsessed.
A memory was triggered and I realized that I had a copy of this book in my book closet. After much searching and digging, I found it and automatically tore it open.
It states that it takes place in the Riverdale universe and not seen on the show. But some of the bigger picture scenarios were featured on the show. Maybe the endings turned out differently but they were all sensationalized for this book.
This was a decent book but would have been better if it was a totally original story. The mystery was good enough to keep my interest but it was definitely missing something. I really enjoyed the different POVs except Bettys. Hers was almost entirely diary entries and that kind of annoyed me. And in the end, it kept me entertained and occupied
Get Out of Town will have Riverdale fans excited that they can have something else added to their collections. Just don’t expect anything mind blowing and original.
October 24, 2019
Like the tv series: it’s bad but you just can’t stop watching/reading, ughhh
[2,5]
[2,5]
January 2, 2022
I hate how much I’m enjoying these books, the author is so accurately portraying the characters traits, like Veronica’s rich attitude, Archie’s cluelessness, Betty’s sleuthyness and Jughead’s emo writer teen angst. I find myself living for these moments when it sounds like these moments could actually be in the show because of how well the author is writing them
Anyway on to read the third book because I can’t stop myself reading this series
Anyway on to read the third book because I can’t stop myself reading this series
August 2, 2020
Zwischendurch sehr spannend, ich mag die Charaktere, die verschiedenen Sichtweisen und die eingefügten Chatverläufe etc. Leider zog sich die Geschichte zum Teil aber auch, es wurde ständig etwas für den Plot nicht relevantes erläutert und letztendlich ist so wenig passiert, dass man sich das Buch eigentlich sparen kann zu lesen. Schade, Teil 1 hat mir besser gefallen.
July 31, 2024
What a crazy & wild ride!
September 3, 2019
this perfectly captures all the bonkers shit I love about the show
February 19, 2025
This book has a tangible plot and a couple chapters I enjoyed reading, so. A vast improvement from the first book. As this rate, by the fifth book in this series, Micol will eventually write a mystery that makes sense
January 6, 2020
The story is quite engaging and makes you want to keep on reading until you find out what the heck is going on. Sadly you don’t find out what the heck is going on! Argh, there are so many questions left unanswered from the last book that was about the goings on in Riverdale the past summer. So there’s a whole year that is being skipped in this series. A whole year with a lot of drama, death, mystery, and questions. We don’t get a straight answer to any of these questions or explanations of the deaths and mysteries. We just get bits and pieces that aren’t even clear in this book. Sure, it guaranties that the reader keeps on reading the series to find out what’s going on, but it is angering that we don’t get answers. All we get is more questions and mysteries. I am not sure if that’s how the Archie comics are, because I haven’t read them, but sure is frustrating. I don’t even know if the third book is out yet. Sigh, I’ll have to check at the library.
August 17, 2019
As a fan of the tv show Riverdale, i was intrigued by a novel based upon a part of the core-fours’ story that wasn’t featured in the show. However, i feel let down to the fact that this book just wasn’t doing it for me. Once it was over i was left feeling like “oh thats it” so yeah. Not a great review from me.
August 17, 2019
Boring as hell
December 2, 2019
Maybe I have only watched season 1 of the show and that's why cannot connect the dots in this book.
February 14, 2020
Nothing happened with the plot, in fact nothing really happened at all. Average read for me.
November 7, 2021
Archie is going through it, man.
...and mini crossover
I knew that living in squalor would have a benefit at some point. I'm glad I finally found it. - Jughead Jones
A serpent never sheds its skin.- The Southside Serpents
Takes place after season 1.
Title: Get Out of Town
Author: Micol Ostow
Series: Riverdale
Source: Scribd
Format: Audio
First and foremost any book that covers the rules of Surviving a Serial Killer per Scream gets points from me. **Geeking out that FP is played by Skeet Ulrich who was in Scream and fourth wall and whatnot.**Loving all the spooky fun in this one. Locked in the Lodge Lodge - yep, the Lodge Lodge - Archie, Ronnie, Betty, and Jug are hilarious. Grabbing each other's ankles, survival rules (thanks, Juggie), power outages. It's the perfect scary environment. :) The ending wrapped up so tidily. Normally, that would annoy me, but with Riverdale it makes sense. Of course, Hiram knows everything that happens, especially with Veronica involved. Each character was same as the show- very in character with true dialogue, actions, and thoughts.
I could say the melodrama -I mean, Archie stressing Ronnie and Reggie hooking up- while he is in prison like he has zero priorities, but honestly, that's Riverdale.
October 8, 2021
I found this second book to be poorly written. I guess if it's "woke" enough, a poor story line can still get published. To get specific, it takes a spoiler: The 4 teens decide, at the last minute, to go to Lodge Lodge to find proof of Archie's innocence of a murder he didn't commit. They arrive to find a bunch of dead crows in the entrance. They later find a hidden thumb drive that someone else is after which would show who put the crows there and somehow provide proof that Archie was framed. There are 2 serious problems with that - 1. Since their trip was last minute, whoever had placed the crows there had done it shortly before and would have to be the same people who then removed the thumb drive from the surveillance machine, knew the passcodes to Ledge security, locked it in a hidden place and then turned right around and wanted to get it back - makes no sense. 2. a thumb drive showing who put the crows there would do zero to prove Archie's innocence to a murder that happened at a previous time in the woods near Lodge Lodge. Then the thumb drive is dropped and destroyed in an explosion that was set where it would have easily killed the 4 teens if Betty hadn't noticed and got them all down out of the way of the blast.. This also makes no sense as the bomb would have to have been placed prior to the thumb drive being dropped and could only be aimed at killing them - which again makes no sense as this was all arranged by Mr. Lodge and the last thing he would want would be for his daughter to be killed.
Lastly, this book leaves it hanging as to whether or not Archie is found innocent or guilty. Poor, very poor.
Lastly, this book leaves it hanging as to whether or not Archie is found innocent or guilty. Poor, very poor.
November 11, 2023
Archie wordt aangeklaagd voor moord en alles wijst erop dat hij schuldig bevonden zal worden. Maar de 4 vrienden weten wel beter, Hiram Lodge probeert Archie de schuld in de schoenen te schuiven. Om zijn onschuld te bewijzen besluit de groep terug te gaan naar de plaats van de moord.
Jaren geleden heb ik Riverdale gekeken. Ik ben volgens mij bij seizoen 3,5 afgehaakt. Maar er zijn dus ook boeken van Riverdale. Het eerste deel las ik in 2019. Voor deel 2 heb je wel voorkennis nodig. Je moet dit boek lezen na de eerste 2 seizoenen van de serie.
Het boek zit vol met verschillende perspectieven. Echter voegen sommige vrij weinig toe. Ik vond eigenlijk alleen de hoofdstukken van Archie, Betty en Jughead interessant. Veronica boeide mij vrij weinig. Ik vind haar sowieso geen leuk of interessant personage, eerder vervelend.
Wel kom je erachter dat iedereen zo zijn eigen problemen heeft.
Soms wordt er ook teruggeblikt naar het verleden. Eigenlijk vond ik dit ook vrij weinig toevoegen.
Het duurt even voordat er spanning in het verhaal komt. Dit is pas echt aanwezig als de groep naar Shadow Lake gaat.
Het einddoel van het boek is niet duidelijk. Hiervoor moet je echt het derde seizoen van de serie kijken.
Het was prima, daar is ook alles mee gezegd. Eigenlijk was het niet heel boeiend.
Jaren geleden heb ik Riverdale gekeken. Ik ben volgens mij bij seizoen 3,5 afgehaakt. Maar er zijn dus ook boeken van Riverdale. Het eerste deel las ik in 2019. Voor deel 2 heb je wel voorkennis nodig. Je moet dit boek lezen na de eerste 2 seizoenen van de serie.
Het boek zit vol met verschillende perspectieven. Echter voegen sommige vrij weinig toe. Ik vond eigenlijk alleen de hoofdstukken van Archie, Betty en Jughead interessant. Veronica boeide mij vrij weinig. Ik vind haar sowieso geen leuk of interessant personage, eerder vervelend.
Wel kom je erachter dat iedereen zo zijn eigen problemen heeft.
Soms wordt er ook teruggeblikt naar het verleden. Eigenlijk vond ik dit ook vrij weinig toevoegen.
Het duurt even voordat er spanning in het verhaal komt. Dit is pas echt aanwezig als de groep naar Shadow Lake gaat.
Het einddoel van het boek is niet duidelijk. Hiervoor moet je echt het derde seizoen van de serie kijken.
Het was prima, daar is ook alles mee gezegd. Eigenlijk was het niet heel boeiend.
July 19, 2020
Summary:
The Riverdale foursome are back against Veronica's father to prove Archie's innocence when he is framed for murder.
The other residents of Riverdale are also up to no good a year after Jason's death set off a chain reaction of the town's darkest secrets coming to light.
Personal Opinion:
This second installment in the Riverdale series was a bit more action packed than the previous one. It also included quite a few more characters which I enjoyed.
I didn't really like the diary entry style when it came to Betty. I did, however, like that Betty's darker side was shown more in this novel. Her emotions were very well written and believable.
My biggest complaint was the ending seemed to cut off quite abruptly. Also since it is a year after the first book, it will make absolutely no sense if you haven't watched the show.
Overall, not as good as the first book but it is still an alright read for Riverdale fans.
The Riverdale foursome are back against Veronica's father to prove Archie's innocence when he is framed for murder.
The other residents of Riverdale are also up to no good a year after Jason's death set off a chain reaction of the town's darkest secrets coming to light.
Personal Opinion:
This second installment in the Riverdale series was a bit more action packed than the previous one. It also included quite a few more characters which I enjoyed.
I didn't really like the diary entry style when it came to Betty. I did, however, like that Betty's darker side was shown more in this novel. Her emotions were very well written and believable.
My biggest complaint was the ending seemed to cut off quite abruptly. Also since it is a year after the first book, it will make absolutely no sense if you haven't watched the show.
Overall, not as good as the first book but it is still an alright read for Riverdale fans.
April 2, 2020
This book is set between seasons 2 and 3 of the Riverdale series. Again I was thrilled by the quality of the story. Usually I am disappointed when books and tv/film meet, but not in this case. I love getting to see more into our favorite protagonists but also learning more about the more supporting characters. This book has more thriller vibes and was at times a little scary but overall very engaging. However, as with the series, there are cliffhangers abound, and those always annoy me. I spent my tween-teen years hovered over the Archie comics so am happy that this world has been revived for the 21st century. I give this book 4 stars.
Thank you Scholastic Australia for this copy in return for my honest and independent review.
Thank you Scholastic Australia for this copy in return for my honest and independent review.
March 10, 2020
This is the second book in the Riverdale series by Micol Ostow and once again Ostow has written an accurate tie-in to the Netflix series. We find Archie framed for murder by Hiram Lodge and the gang trying to prove his innocence. More secondary characters such as Josie and Sweetpea are given some time in this novel and we also witness the beginning of Griffins and Gargoyles.
While it felt like not too much happened in this book, it was well-written and interesting to read from a number of POV's where Ostow has captured the characters perfectly. I am excited to read the next instalment!
While it felt like not too much happened in this book, it was well-written and interesting to read from a number of POV's where Ostow has captured the characters perfectly. I am excited to read the next instalment!
October 20, 2023
this was like SIGNIFICANTLY worse than the first one, it was so disjointed and had so many allusions and references it didn't follow through on and had so many subplots that barely mattered if at all (why did we get so much of josie and reggie flirting, why did we get any of those flashbacks, why why why)
September 13, 2019
Beter dan het eerdere deel 'Riverdale - Hoe alles begon'. Meer spanning, een duidelijker plot en personages die stuk beter uit de verf komen. Nog steeds niet heel fantastisch en 'wauw', wel een prima boek voor tussendoor als je van Riverdale houdt. Recensie volgt nog.
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