Stage Fright

Creepers

by Edgar J. Hyde, Chloe Tyler (Illustrator)

Jo, Melissa, and Jenny, the stars of the school play, are about to discover that being granted everything you wish for has consequences. When the girls come face to face with the real witches from the play and a mysterious ghost from the past, the three friends realize they must do whatever they can to stop the witches' evil plan.

Genres: Horror, Middle Grade, Paranormal, Childrens, Halloween, YA Horror, Young Adult

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was happily surprised with how gruesome this ended up being! It’s definitely heaviest in the beginning where we get the play-by-play of what the witches do, but it’s done admirably well where I’m grossed out but still enjoying things (and I think kids would be the same).

The plot is simple enough—girls must work together to beat evil witches. It’s a fast moving story that literally won’t let you be bored. Too much happening too quickly in the best way.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book definitely gave me R.L. Stine's Goosebumps book vibes. Which brought me back to my childhood. While, I was a fan of the feel of this book, I do have to admit that it does read better for the younger audience. I say this only because I was not really afraid.

The horror factor was mild for me but for the younger audience it is just right. There are a few illustrations throughout this book. They helped to really bring the story to life. I thought the girls were going to be not very enjoyable. I say this only because they are popular but they were relatable and I did feel for them.

This book was a quick read. I look forward to checking out the other books in this series.

[Lisa Firek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok I actually liked this one better than the first one it was actually kind of scary and had me freaked out for one of the chapters this one is really good and had more story than the first one it looks like each book from the creeper series they have different characters just like Goosebumps so it’s a nice change of pace.

[Ana Ibarra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, This one is a bit better, the characters were questioning their sanity as supernatural things were happening. It added more sense to the story.
But everything else the same, the story is good, the ending was a fun twist.
Been a little longer, it added more sense to everything, the story, characters, the ending.

[Riddhi Ahuja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thrilling and horror story was super entertaining and interesting to read. I give it 4 stars because I think it's missing some details but other than that I recommend. The book begins with a very realistic story of three witches. This story becomes a school play and turns out it was just 3 girls playing their roles. This takes a big turn when some abnormal activities start happening such as the fake wishes they made in the play becoming true. The girls start investigating and discover the writer of the play passed away and start looking for her grave. The soul of the writer tells them how they can fix things and save the soul of the writer that has been trapped by the witches. Meanwhile, two of the girls had been told this, and the other girl had been stuck with the witches who wanted the girl to become one of them. She ends up being saved and the girls work together to edit the play and make it so they can save the soul of the writer of the play.

[April Grob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reminds me of a kid's version of McBeth, but it's more like McBeth meets The Haunted Mask. I love it! Definitely a recommended read for 3 grade to middle grade, with parent permission, of course. I personally don't think there's anything crazy in this book, but if you are parent that doesn't allow your child to read Goosebumps, then you won't let them read this.

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jo, Melissa and Jenny are the stars of the school play, they play powerful witches and soon they realise that they have powers. They are playing real characters who want to come back to this world and spread their evil.
Horrific powerful witches against a trio of school girls, what can go wrong? A juicy little tale of good versus evil.

[J.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a horror book targeted for younger readers, this one was pretty good! I think it would be a freaky read for preteens and had a good overall message.

Also it did get a bit gruesome which is unusual in the younger aged horror books I've read in the past.

[Jill Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning had be almost crying because the witches were so cruel! Then I was in for a surprise! I liked the simplicity of the book. The fact that it's short, fast, but actually a very good story! Like a campfire story.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

another interesting little book from this series this one having to do with 3 young ladies playing lead roles as witches in a school play unbeknowst to them these witches are real and trying to enslae them and the whole town...read to see what happens..off to the next book

[Margaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun kids horror series. In the second installment in the series, a group of friends is acting in a school play. But they run into some trouble, and they're forced to face some fears to save their school!

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, though it was fairly dark for a kids book. The second to last chapter also seemed like it needed editing.

My kid found it a little too spooky at parts and liked the piano one better.

I probably recommend it for 12 year olds and older

[Maddy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my genre of book, but it did actual have a concrete ending with a bit of a “cliff hanger” if that’s what you’d call it. Like I said not my kinda book but not bad.

[Linda]

good book on to the next

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little bit of unbelievable. But I have read worst stories than this.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ Gave me very much hocus pocus, Sanderson sister vibes!

[Tor Domay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun and fairly original witch story. The imagery and spectacle is actually top-notch, but there's still something left to be desired when it comes to the cut and paste vibe of the lead characters.

[Secret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and fast little read. Enjoyed the story very much.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghostwritten by Joan Love, who was also responsible for Doctor Death, my favourite Creepers book. This one is also pretty good. Simple enough to follow for young readers, but with lots of intrigue.

[Paula Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute. straight and simple

[Jon MacLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really loving this series.
I can't recommend it enough.
Book 3 up next.

[Alise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love an old-fashioned library research scene in a horror novel

[Samantha Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not the book I meant to read but it was quick and simple. Not bad.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Found this as I was clearing out and had never actually read it. Thought I'd see if it matched up to Goosebumps. Absolutely did not.

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melissa, Jennifer and Jo, were cast as the witches in the school play, it was putting on a play full of creepy stuff. The rehearsal had gone very well. One witch only had one eye, another had an artificial arm and they were all very evil. A boy who had his finger sawn off was also the boy they thought was a dreamboat. The spell the girls chanted made the room feel cold and the screams were very lifelike. Little did the girls know that it would become very realistic.

While they were doing the play, strange things began to happen. They made wishes come true, one simply wanted her make-up wart to come off, and it did. Another time one of the girls was cross with Danny Cotterill, the school bully, for being mean. She wished he would have an accident and he did. The chanting of their spell during rehearsal caused the sky to get and a window to break. What was going on?

'Oh Spirits Obey Us' was a play written sixty years earlier by a former student Geraldine Somers. The girls decided to track her down and find out why the scary things had been happening. They wondered if the play would frighten the younger children in the audience. When Melissa, Jo, and Jenny, discovered that Geraldine had died. The only lead they had was this former student so, they decided to visit her grave to see what they could discover. That's when things became all too real and the enchantment they had been practising in the play, could actually cause the evil witches to be unleashed on the world.

What could they do about this? How could they thwart the three evil witches from using the play to return to the world creating evil events?

You'll have to read the book to discover how the girls overcame their fears, the three witches' traps, horrible maggots, and huge mean rats. Then to discover how to save the bully Danny Cotterill from a coma and return him to health.

This is one of a series by Edgar J Hyde and it's certainly a frightful challenge to young adult readers to reach the end of the book.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pretty decent for an "age-appropriate" horror story! There's an extra moral included about walking in the other person's shoes and such, too, but I won't get into that too much for spoiler reasons. Suffice to say, there wouldn't be a "happy" ending if the main characters had been selfish and milked things while they had the advantage.

I do have a complaint with this edition.* One of the chapters ends without finishing the sentence, like I'd expect to see at least another word to complete the sentence on the next page, but the next page starts a new chapter. It's not a missing page, either, because the pages are two sides of the same sheet of paper.

*I don't actually know if it's in every edition, but it's in this one.

Definitely comparable to the Goosebumps series, although the handful of those books I'd read, I had to roll my eyes at what was "scary" about them. This story is definitely eerie, though!

[Mercedes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think there were some good ideas, but not well written. Its hard to follow the story when you dislike the main group of girls. I do think this would appeal to younger readers from upper elementary to middle school, but not necessarily the majority of high schoolers. I'm interested in the series as a whole, so I may check out a different book later.

[old account (rl) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one started with a bang but soon turned boring. The main girls weren't easy to like. I wasn't that interested in the plotline though I'll admit that might be more to blame on my tiredness than the book's actual content. I tried to pay attention, I did!

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this story got right into it.
It was creepy and some of the scary parts made my skin crawl with the descriptions.
Witches, ghosts and a perfect setting and a great performance by Rachel Jacobs

[Towntaker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lots of stereotypes in this high/lo book the publisher says is not a high/lo.

https://twitter.com/towntaker/status/... Tweet thread of notes as I read