Dark Moon

Nightmare Hall #23

by Diane Hoh

Thrilled at being selected to head the planning committee for a festival at Salem U., Eve becomes troubled when a series of small mishaps escalate into dangerous accidents that appear to target Eve personally. Original.

Genres: Young Adult, Horror

211 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1995

About the author

Diane Hoh is the author of fifty-seven novels for young adults. She grew up in Warren, Pennsylvania but currently resides in Austin, Texas. Reading and writing are her favorite things, alongside gardening and grandchildren.

Reviews

[Nattie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again DUMB people, yeah, I'm talking to you Eve! She whines about how much she dislikes the responsible-stick-in-the-mud personaility she inherited from her mother, yet she can't bring herself to change even her hairstyle because then things would be different. Isn't that what you say you want Eve? Nope, she must continue to wear her hair pulled back like Norman Bates' mama. We hear plenty about how sick she is of being picked to chair or head commities, NEWSFLASH, if you stop running to be the leader, you won't be picked!

The story is good and tense, after it drags a bit at the start. The carnival Mirror Maze scenes are to die! The psycho talking to the moon all the time was a bit get-on-your-nerves.

Eve is supposed to be smart, but nah, couldn't be. How would you explain a smart person who has been tortured in a Mirror Maze by a psycho weilding a hammer and breaking all the glass while they threaten to end your life amongst other horrible events, going to the empty carnival grounds at night all alone to check on the food tent? Really? The food tent? This psycho keeps hiding from you and whispering threats and you still think that it's a good idea to prance around in the dark alone?

[Mehsi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let's just say that I hated Eve a whole lot. Throughout the book I was just shaking my head at that girl, acting like this, pretending like that. I wish she would have stood up and said no to people for once. So what if they expect you to do stuff, you also need a life, a life of your own, not one dictated by mommy or people. But noooooo, she kept whining about it and complaining.
Add to that her attitude towards things. Sure, girl, we know you don't believe in Paranormal stuff and only take the course because, well you have to, because easy points, but come on. Act a bit nice towards those that believe in such things. Don't laugh, be mean and make jokes at their expense. That is rude, mean and blergh. It made her a total bitch.

Of course, the murderer was also just annoying. Like a little kid, boohoo, those people are mean, whine whine. Instead of just going to those people and talking to them upfront you just decided to murder them, or at least plan to. It was silly and annoying. Instead of being creepy, it was more like the same thing over and over again.

And Eve, seriously, going through all the horror tropes. Like going to that scary place, alone, in the dark, without any way of communication (Yes I know, this was the I don't know what age, and cellphones were not there, but she could at least have said that someone should come if she didn't get back in (insert number of minutes)).

Most of the murder attempts were just silly and boring.

All in all, I think this one is the first book in this series, that I read, that I didn't like.

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

[Jessie Wilkens · Rating 1 out of 5]

I normally love all the Nightmare Hall books, but I did not care for this story. It was an odd plot and I just wanted to finish it to move on to the next.

[Kasey Loftis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is probably my favorite in the series. I love all of the Nightmare Hall books. I haven't found a single one I haven't liked yet. They're all so hard to put down.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying reading through this series after all these years!

I remembered the whole plot of "the moon" giving off powers, but the rest of it was still a fun surprise.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chapter 24 took place at Nightmare Hall 😂

* Eve is at Salem University and she's always tidy and well-organised, thanks to her mother being that way, and her figuring it was easier to go along with her mother than to rock the boat and be different.
* Eve has organised a carnival for Founders Day in Twin Falls, and hopes that it all goes well. She thinks that if it doesn't go well her mother will force her to leave university.
* That carnival doesn't go well. Alice is thrown from a horse and killed, Kevin gets kicked by a horse and has broken ribs, Eve is chased through the mirror maze while someone smashes all the glass around her, Boomer is stabbed in the heart with a dart, Eve is trapped on a horrible rollercoaster without a seatbelt at high speeds and nearly killed, and then the ferris wheel goes nuts and nearly kills everyone on it.
* Serena turns up claiming that Alfred is the culprit and that she found darts in his room, but Ece realises that it must have actually been Serena. Next thing she knows, she's hot on the head, and tied up in the attic of Nightmare Hall. Eve gets away by escaping on to the fire escape which rocks away from the wall and Serena slips and falls to her death.
* Eve decides that life is too short and that she wants to change her major from accounting (her mother's choice) to graphic arts (her own choice).

[Imla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable Nightmare Hall novel set at a carnival run by a committee led by Eve Forsythe. Except someone wants this to be a disaster and for Eve to die.

I find it hard to give Nightmare Hall books more than three stars (although sometimes they do sneak a four star review). Yes, they are enjoyable. Yes, I read them quickly. Yes, they keep me guessing. Yes, they often surprise me in the final reveal. But it would be a bit like giving candyfloss a Michelin star. No matter how much you enjoy candyfloss, it is not a meal. This is how I feel about Nightmare Hall books. They are a light, sugary treat which I can digest in one or two sittings. Thinking of them this way enables me to not mind that the character development isn't great (although I was quite impressed with the main character's personality and in the final moments, intelligence). It also doesn't bother me that the plotting is highly improbably.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story but maybe not as much as some of the others

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the better ones! Loved the moon stuff, as well as the the demented ending, the carnival scene, and the MC's bizarre backstory with her controlling mother.