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Goosebumps #12
Be Careful What You Wish For
Samantha Byrd is a klutz. An accident waiting to happen. And that makes her the least popular member of the girls' basketball team.
But all of that is about to change. Sam's met someone who can grant her three wishes.
Too bad Sam wasn't more careful when she asked for each one...
It's another fan-favorite prequel to R.L. Stine's blockbuster GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND series. Now with all-new bonus materials including an author interview and more!
122 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1993
272 people are currently reading
6536 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,732 books18.7k 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 586 reviews
October 5, 2018
#12 "It might come true."
Samantha Byrd is awkward like most teenagers her age. She's also picked on a lot at school. But when she helps a strange "Crystal Woman" find her way one day she repays Samantha by granting her three wishes. What will Samantha wish for? This ended the same way all scary wish stories end. Very predictable.
Samantha Byrd is awkward like most teenagers her age. She's also picked on a lot at school. But when she helps a strange "Crystal Woman" find her way one day she repays Samantha by granting her three wishes. What will Samantha wish for? This ended the same way all scary wish stories end. Very predictable.
January 21, 2023
When I was younger, I used to love goosebumps and are you afraid of the dark on the television. So when I saw this book at the thrift shop, I had to take it home. Although it is written for youngsters, I also loved the story line with the twist and turns at the end. A great story for the Saturday night when you don't have anything to do. Nostalgic feelings afterwards!
September 28, 2025
R.L. Stine had major creative momentum by this point in original Goosebumps, and he goes at Be Careful What You Wish For... with verve to spare. Twelve-year-old Sam Byrd is struggling to adjust to her rapidly growing body. Those gangly limbs make her a klutz, a fact Judith Bellwood and Anna Frost mock her for at school. Judith trips Sam when teachers aren't looking, and as the star player on the school basketball team alongside Sam, ridicules her lack of coordination on the court. Sam is at wit's end until a happenstance event offers chance for revenge.
Heading home from school one day, Sam meets Clarissa, a woman who asks for help finding her way on the outskirts of town. Sam leads her to familiar territory, and Clarissa claims she can grant Sam three wishes. That sounds outlandish, but Clarissa's crystal ball has an unearthly glow, and something about her feels supernatural. Sam blurts out a wish to be the "strongest player" on her basketball team, but surely Clarissa has no real power. That evening Sam shoots hoops with her brother Ron, but her aim is no better than ever. Well, the wish was worth a try.
Sam hardly gives Clarissa another thought until the team's next game, when her flippant wish seems to come true in a disturbing manner. Is Sam responsible for this occurrence that threatens her teammates' lives? Sam is engulfed in a nightmare of what-ifs and crippling guilt, but when she impulsively casts a second wish, things turn worse. These results are wild distortions of what she actually wanted. Clarissa has inflicted a curse, not a reward for Sam's kindness toward her. Sam has one final wish to clean up the mess, but will she speak it accurately enough to fix rather than compound her problems?
Being mindful what you wish for is a tentpole of this book, but more important is the truth that there are no shortcuts to improve your situation. When unfair things happen or people antagonize you, it's tempting to believe a supernatural hand could remove the source of torment, and your future would be rosy. Life is too complicated for that; personal progress has to be earned for it to mean anything. An outside agent, even one who means well, will cause harm by interfering in your fragile social ecosystem. It's better that you learn to live with irritating people and perhaps gain their respect a little at a time. By facing hardships you become resilient; instant wish fulfillment is nothing more than naïve fantasy.
The original Goosebumps series was perfect for its recommended age group because it dealt with preteen problems via exciting supernatural story devices. Many girls that age feel awkward among peers, and desire a quick fix to the pain of adolescence. Reading Be Careful What You Wish For..., they not only will be entertained, but will learn that quick fixes have a price attached, even if they don't realize that's what they're learning. This is R.L. Stine near his best, and I love every minute of it.
Heading home from school one day, Sam meets Clarissa, a woman who asks for help finding her way on the outskirts of town. Sam leads her to familiar territory, and Clarissa claims she can grant Sam three wishes. That sounds outlandish, but Clarissa's crystal ball has an unearthly glow, and something about her feels supernatural. Sam blurts out a wish to be the "strongest player" on her basketball team, but surely Clarissa has no real power. That evening Sam shoots hoops with her brother Ron, but her aim is no better than ever. Well, the wish was worth a try.
Sam hardly gives Clarissa another thought until the team's next game, when her flippant wish seems to come true in a disturbing manner. Is Sam responsible for this occurrence that threatens her teammates' lives? Sam is engulfed in a nightmare of what-ifs and crippling guilt, but when she impulsively casts a second wish, things turn worse. These results are wild distortions of what she actually wanted. Clarissa has inflicted a curse, not a reward for Sam's kindness toward her. Sam has one final wish to clean up the mess, but will she speak it accurately enough to fix rather than compound her problems?
Being mindful what you wish for is a tentpole of this book, but more important is the truth that there are no shortcuts to improve your situation. When unfair things happen or people antagonize you, it's tempting to believe a supernatural hand could remove the source of torment, and your future would be rosy. Life is too complicated for that; personal progress has to be earned for it to mean anything. An outside agent, even one who means well, will cause harm by interfering in your fragile social ecosystem. It's better that you learn to live with irritating people and perhaps gain their respect a little at a time. By facing hardships you become resilient; instant wish fulfillment is nothing more than naïve fantasy.
The original Goosebumps series was perfect for its recommended age group because it dealt with preteen problems via exciting supernatural story devices. Many girls that age feel awkward among peers, and desire a quick fix to the pain of adolescence. Reading Be Careful What You Wish For..., they not only will be entertained, but will learn that quick fixes have a price attached, even if they don't realize that's what they're learning. This is R.L. Stine near his best, and I love every minute of it.
September 13, 2020
RILETTURA, DA ADULTO, DEI PICCOLI BRIVIDI N.7
Più fantasy che horror in questo ennesimo Piccoli Brividi. Storia lineare su un territorio già battuto dalla letteratura e dal cinema di genere ("Attento a ciò che desideri") con una protagonista inizialmente interessante: bersaglio facile della bulletta Judith ma, allo stesso tempo, per nulla zerbino. Una ragazza piena di rancore, odio e anche molto immatura.
La storia scorre leggerissima senza guizzi (i pochi twist sono prevedibili da pagina 1) e senza brividi, viaggiando più -appunto- sui territori del fantastico, fino a un finale che vorrebbe aumentare l'adrenalina ma che non fa che farci chiedere: "Veramente Samantha? Veramente non te lo aspettavi? Ma quanto sei scemotta?"
Più fantasy che horror in questo ennesimo Piccoli Brividi. Storia lineare su un territorio già battuto dalla letteratura e dal cinema di genere ("Attento a ciò che desideri") con una protagonista inizialmente interessante: bersaglio facile della bulletta Judith ma, allo stesso tempo, per nulla zerbino. Una ragazza piena di rancore, odio e anche molto immatura.
La storia scorre leggerissima senza guizzi (i pochi twist sono prevedibili da pagina 1) e senza brividi, viaggiando più -appunto- sui territori del fantastico, fino a un finale che vorrebbe aumentare l'adrenalina ma che non fa che farci chiedere: "Veramente Samantha? Veramente non te lo aspettavi? Ma quanto sei scemotta?"
January 13, 2025
الأماني المرعبة كانت من القصص المفضلة عندي في أيام طفولتي ومن يوم ما اشتريتها وقتها بقت سامنتا بطلة القصة صديقة من ضمن أصدقاء الكتب الكتير اللي كانوا عندي ..
سامنتا بنت عندها ١٢ سنة طويلة جدًا بشكل ملفت عن بنات واولاد سنها.
معندهاش أصدقاء غير كوري الولد اللطيف..
وكانت عقدة حياتها بتكمن في "چوديث" اللي معاها في الفصل واللي كانت دايمًا بتتنمر عليها هي وصاحبتها "آنا". وكمان كانت بتتعرض للتنمر في المدرسة بشكل عام بسبب "چوديث" في المقام الأول..
في يوم تخرج من المدرسة غضبانة جدا بسبب چوديث وتمشي في البرد والأمطار بلا هدف وتقابل سيدة غريبة جدًا حتطلب منها تساعدها وتوصلها لمكان ما لأنها تاهت وبعد كدا تقولها انها طيبة جدا وتشكرها وتقولها انها حتحقق لها تلت امنيات..
في البداية "سامنتا" اعتبرتها مجنونة ووافقت تطلب أمنية علشان تسيبها تمشي ولكن الغريب إن الأمنية اتحققت ولكن بطريقة بتدمر حياة "سامنتا" اكتر من الأول..
ومكانتش بتقدر توصل للسيدة دي علشان تمحي الأمنية وتطلب غيرها إلا في وقت ما توصل لأقصى مراحل الغضب ، بسبب "چوديث" كالعادة.
القصة بتحمل معنى مستتر بأن الغضب أحيانا بيدفعنا نتمنى أشياء أو نسعى لأشياء ممكن تأذينا أكتر او تخلينا نأذي الناس اللي بنحبهم.
استمتعت بيها تاني زي ما كنت بستمتع بيها وانا صغيرة ، القصة دي وغيرها كتير كانوا بداية لبناء الإنسان اللي انا عليه الآن 😊
ممتنة 🤎🤍💚
سامنتا بنت عندها ١٢ سنة طويلة جدًا بشكل ملفت عن بنات واولاد سنها.
معندهاش أصدقاء غير كوري الولد اللطيف..
وكانت عقدة حياتها بتكمن في "چوديث" اللي معاها في الفصل واللي كانت دايمًا بتتنمر عليها هي وصاحبتها "آنا". وكمان كانت بتتعرض للتنمر في المدرسة بشكل عام بسبب "چوديث" في المقام الأول..
في يوم تخرج من المدرسة غضبانة جدا بسبب چوديث وتمشي في البرد والأمطار بلا هدف وتقابل سيدة غريبة جدًا حتطلب منها تساعدها وتوصلها لمكان ما لأنها تاهت وبعد كدا تقولها انها طيبة جدا وتشكرها وتقولها انها حتحقق لها تلت امنيات..
في البداية "سامنتا" اعتبرتها مجنونة ووافقت تطلب أمنية علشان تسيبها تمشي ولكن الغريب إن الأمنية اتحققت ولكن بطريقة بتدمر حياة "سامنتا" اكتر من الأول..
ومكانتش بتقدر توصل للسيدة دي علشان تمحي الأمنية وتطلب غيرها إلا في وقت ما توصل لأقصى مراحل الغضب ، بسبب "چوديث" كالعادة.
القصة بتحمل معنى مستتر بأن الغضب أحيانا بيدفعنا نتمنى أشياء أو نسعى لأشياء ممكن تأذينا أكتر او تخلينا نأذي الناس اللي بنحبهم.
استمتعت بيها تاني زي ما كنت بستمتع بيها وانا صغيرة ، القصة دي وغيرها كتير كانوا بداية لبناء الإنسان اللي انا عليه الآن 😊
ممتنة 🤎🤍💚
December 29, 2018
This is definitely one of the worst Goosebumps books, and I probably should have DNFed it but it was one of those things where it's still entertaining despite it also making you want to vent. I've decided instead of grabbing two random Goosebumps books every time I finished the ones I had (my original plan) I am going to request some of the ones I have now been recommended by friends on the internet.
The characters were pretty surface level, but that's something I expect when reading Goosebumps so I don't really fault the story for it. However, I feel like you're supposed to want to root for the main character. And I super didn't, the whole time. I didn't want to root for anyone. The main character was selfish, the bully was just a classic cliche bully you would expect, and the wish giving witch(?) was super incompetent and it was like she was a rookie or something.
I assumed that the plot was going to go a certain way, which would be: Sam is given three wishes, and she isn't clear with her wording and the wish giving witch(?) trolls her by messing up her life. But in the end she will learn some valuable lesson. I assumed that because the plot wasn't really spooky or anything we'd be teaching kids some lessons about being more compassionate or whatever. But instead the witch seems to not really know what she's doing. For example, Sam wishes for her bully to disappear, and instead the entire town completely disappears. And when Sam confronts the witch about it the witch says something like "I granted your wish the best way I could" but...how is doing the extra mile and making thousands of people disappear "the best way" when you could have just made one child disappear? It all seemed to kind of make no sense and there wasn't any explanations for it.
With Say Cheese and Die I feel like the kids learned a valuable lesson: don't break and enter into a creepy house and steal things from the house. It was also at least a little spooky, or at least I could see why a kid would find it spooky. But in the end of this one, the main character doesn't really learn a lesson, the bully ends up kind of winning, and overall in the end all the events that happened are pointless and erased.
Overall, I probably wouldn't recommend this Goosebumps book. I have a handful I am going to see if my library has so I can read them in between the longer books on my TBR for the next month and a half that I think will be more enjoyable. I also have been informed of a more teen geared series called Fear Street which I don't think I've heard of before. I am excited to check that series out. Even if I end up reading some past October.
The characters were pretty surface level, but that's something I expect when reading Goosebumps so I don't really fault the story for it. However, I feel like you're supposed to want to root for the main character. And I super didn't, the whole time. I didn't want to root for anyone. The main character was selfish, the bully was just a classic cliche bully you would expect, and the wish giving witch(?) was super incompetent and it was like she was a rookie or something.
I assumed that the plot was going to go a certain way, which would be: Sam is given three wishes, and she isn't clear with her wording and the wish giving witch(?) trolls her by messing up her life. But in the end she will learn some valuable lesson. I assumed that because the plot wasn't really spooky or anything we'd be teaching kids some lessons about being more compassionate or whatever. But instead the witch seems to not really know what she's doing. For example, Sam wishes for her bully to disappear, and instead the entire town completely disappears. And when Sam confronts the witch about it the witch says something like "I granted your wish the best way I could" but...how is doing the extra mile and making thousands of people disappear "the best way" when you could have just made one child disappear? It all seemed to kind of make no sense and there wasn't any explanations for it.
With Say Cheese and Die I feel like the kids learned a valuable lesson: don't break and enter into a creepy house and steal things from the house. It was also at least a little spooky, or at least I could see why a kid would find it spooky. But in the end of this one, the main character doesn't really learn a lesson, the bully ends up kind of winning, and overall in the end all the events that happened are pointless and erased.
Overall, I probably wouldn't recommend this Goosebumps book. I have a handful I am going to see if my library has so I can read them in between the longer books on my TBR for the next month and a half that I think will be more enjoyable. I also have been informed of a more teen geared series called Fear Street which I don't think I've heard of before. I am excited to check that series out. Even if I end up reading some past October.
April 29, 2015
Samantha Byrd is full of anger. She has a nasty temper. She is 12-years-old and very tall. She is clumsy. Other kids make fun of her. Especially Judith. Samantha exacerbates this by yelling at them and getting into fights.
I looked down at my brand-new shoes covered in gloppy yellow pudding.
And that's when I lost it.
I uttered an angry roar and went for Judith's throat.
I didn't plan it or anything. I think it was temporary insanity.
I just reached out with both hands and grabbed Judith by the throat, and began to strangle her.
I mean, they were BRAND-NEW SHOES!
Judith started struggling and tried to scream. She pulled my hair and tried to scratch me.
But I held onto her throat and roared some more, like an angry tiger.
I mean, this girl is OUT OF CONTROL. That shit would get you suspended where I come from. And this is her reaction to Judith just spilling some pudding on her shoes on purpose? I went to school with a kid (male) who had a hair-trigger temper like this. I mean, a guy who wouldn't even wait 'til after school to kick someone's ass - he'd do it right there and right now in front of teachers and students. It was scary. I can't relate to this main character. I feel sympathy for her - I mean, it must suck to have such little control over your feelings and to be completely ruled by them - but not only can I not relate to her, but I think she needs to be disciplined and also be forced to see a psychologist. Instead, the teacher just makes Judith and Samantha SHAKE HANDS. Oh, it's all okay now. Run along and play! *rolls eyes She just tried to strangle someone!!!
While riding her bike home from school, Samantha encounters a weird old woman named Clarissa who is lost. She helps Clarissa get to where she wants to go, while she says stuff like:
"I love the rain," she said, raising her hands to it, letting the raindrops splash her open palms. "Without the rain, what would wash the evil away?"
Clarissa becomes even weirder when she offers Samantha three wishes in exchange for the help she's given her.
Samantha has the right reaction. She's like, "No, thanks." But Clarissa insists. And Samantha ends up wishing that she was the strongest player on her basketball team. Instead of making Samantha strong and fast, she
...
A very creepy ending. I was frustrated at Samantha for not only never learning to control her outrageous temper, but also never learning from her past wishes. She keeps fouling it up and it was annoying.
Overall, a creepy and fun book for children.
I looked down at my brand-new shoes covered in gloppy yellow pudding.
And that's when I lost it.
I uttered an angry roar and went for Judith's throat.
I didn't plan it or anything. I think it was temporary insanity.
I just reached out with both hands and grabbed Judith by the throat, and began to strangle her.
I mean, they were BRAND-NEW SHOES!
Judith started struggling and tried to scream. She pulled my hair and tried to scratch me.
But I held onto her throat and roared some more, like an angry tiger.
I mean, this girl is OUT OF CONTROL. That shit would get you suspended where I come from. And this is her reaction to Judith just spilling some pudding on her shoes on purpose? I went to school with a kid (male) who had a hair-trigger temper like this. I mean, a guy who wouldn't even wait 'til after school to kick someone's ass - he'd do it right there and right now in front of teachers and students. It was scary. I can't relate to this main character. I feel sympathy for her - I mean, it must suck to have such little control over your feelings and to be completely ruled by them - but not only can I not relate to her, but I think she needs to be disciplined and also be forced to see a psychologist. Instead, the teacher just makes Judith and Samantha SHAKE HANDS. Oh, it's all okay now. Run along and play! *rolls eyes She just tried to strangle someone!!!
While riding her bike home from school, Samantha encounters a weird old woman named Clarissa who is lost. She helps Clarissa get to where she wants to go, while she says stuff like:
"I love the rain," she said, raising her hands to it, letting the raindrops splash her open palms. "Without the rain, what would wash the evil away?"
Clarissa becomes even weirder when she offers Samantha three wishes in exchange for the help she's given her.
Samantha has the right reaction. She's like, "No, thanks." But Clarissa insists. And Samantha ends up wishing that she was the strongest player on her basketball team. Instead of making Samantha strong and fast, she
...
A very creepy ending. I was frustrated at Samantha for not only never learning to control her outrageous temper, but also never learning from her past wishes. She keeps fouling it up and it was annoying.
Overall, a creepy and fun book for children.
September 30, 2016
Θα έλεγε κανείς ότι έφαγα κόλλημα, μιας και αυτό είναι το τρίτο βιβλιαράκι της σειράς που διαβάζω μέσα στον μήνα. Ή απλά αυτά τα βιβλιαράκια είναι υπερβολικά ευκολοδιάβαστα και ευχάριστα, οπότε είναι και ο καλύτερος τρόπος για να περάσει γρήγορα η ώρα. Η Σαμάνθα είναι ένα δωδεκάχρονο κορίτσι, ψηλό και εντελώς αδέξιο και ίσως άχαρο, που κάθε μέρα κάποιες από τις συμμαθήτριές της την εξευτελίζουν συνέχεια. Μέχρι που μια μέρα θα συναντήσει μια παράξενη γυναίκα, την οποία και θα βοηθήσει. Για να ευχαριστήσει την Σαμάνθα, η γυναίκα θα πραγματοποιήσει τρεις ευχές που θα κάνει. Όμως είτε η Σαμάνθα δεν ήταν ξεκάθαρη με τις ευχές της, είτε απλώς η γυναίκα σκέφτεται εντελώς διαφορετικά... το θέμα είναι ότι όλα θα πάνε τελείως στραβά. Η ιστορία μου φάνηκε λιγάκι πιο αδύναμη σε σχέση με τις προηγούμενες δυο που διάβασα μέσα στον μήνα, πάντως είχε σίγουρα πλάκα και, κλασικά, ένα κάπως σκοτεινό φινάλε.
December 8, 2025
3 - 3.5 stars
Be Careful What You Wish For... is the 12th book in the Goosebumps series. It is a little fun, a tad creepy, with a little mystery and action. Loved it.
I am re-reading this series for nostalgic reasons.
The Goosebumps series was a staple in our house. My kids absolutely loved them, and to say I read these books with them once is an understatement. We read them many times as each of my three kids became old enough to read them. They still have them and are getting to read them with their kids.
Be Careful What You Wish For... is the 12th book in the Goosebumps series. It is a little fun, a tad creepy, with a little mystery and action. Loved it.
I am re-reading this series for nostalgic reasons.
The Goosebumps series was a staple in our house. My kids absolutely loved them, and to say I read these books with them once is an understatement. We read them many times as each of my three kids became old enough to read them. They still have them and are getting to read them with their kids.
September 18, 2017
This one wasn't as good as I remembered it to be.
Re-reading these in order it's hard not to compare the different books in the series, but being the story straight after The Haunted Mask I realized how similar the set up was.
Unpopular girl gets teased at school and when the opportunity to seek revenge things don't quite go to plan.
This time the main protagonist is Samantha Byrd and Stein uses the short story of The Monkeys Paw as inspiration.
The story does lose momentum in the second half, the way that the wishes were granted seemed a little weak. The first one being the most effective.
The book was still made for an enjoyable nostalgic read though.
Re-reading these in order it's hard not to compare the different books in the series, but being the story straight after The Haunted Mask I realized how similar the set up was.
Unpopular girl gets teased at school and when the opportunity to seek revenge things don't quite go to plan.
This time the main protagonist is Samantha Byrd and Stein uses the short story of The Monkeys Paw as inspiration.
The story does lose momentum in the second half, the way that the wishes were granted seemed a little weak. The first one being the most effective.
The book was still made for an enjoyable nostalgic read though.
January 25, 2022
I liked it, didn't love it. Predictable of course and frustrating in the second half when I was like "Please stop adding things to your wishes that you think are safe, it is NEVER safe. Please think a little more first." Like I know she was 12, still frustrating. And I highly doubt the crystal woman actually wanted to repay the kindness. The ending does have me wondering what happened next though. Wasn't scary, was a bit thrilling though to see what would go wrong next.
If you ever get three wishes, be careful how you word them. What would you wish for?
If you ever get three wishes, be careful how you word them. What would you wish for?
April 26, 2021
“All Judith wanted from the world was to be exactly like me!”
December 31, 2021
I spent a month re-reading all 62 original Goosebumps books to see if they still hold up today, you can check out my 3.5 hour vlog here: https://youtu.be/2C73xc1FS5o
You can also check out my entire ranking of the original Goosebumps books from worst to best here: https://youtu.be/lBfaxCOwAnA
You can also check out my entire ranking of the original Goosebumps books from worst to best here: https://youtu.be/lBfaxCOwAnA
October 28, 2024
I like how this one doesn't really have a happy ending. It's like a character who never learns from their mistakes and also fails to take responsibility for their actions... and in the end, they pay the consequences.
November 13, 2023
اتمام
۲۳/آبان/۰۲
02:20
به کی پناه ببرم!؟
۲۳/آبان/۰۲
02:20
به کی پناه ببرم!؟
January 9, 2024
Iconic. I was cackling the whole time. Hot take: Judith is 100% queer coded.
December 3, 2022
Bella lettura, una sola giornata per leggerlo. Come sempre Stine non delude. Il finale veramente da brividi
December 12, 2025
I loved this book when I was young. It's still a banger lol
July 22, 2013
Defaulting to 5 stars because this is a book from my childhood. I cut my teeth on R.L. Stine and have always thought back to these books with a smile. This was such a fun step back in time too! Things are so different now. :/
I didn't end up finishing this, because I gave it to my son to read and I picked up my adult book, lol, but I still love this series--how could I not?!
I didn't end up finishing this, because I gave it to my son to read and I picked up my adult book, lol, but I still love this series--how could I not?!
October 21, 2018
One of the first Goosebumps books I ever read, and you can bet I was very careful of the things I wished for after reading it. This series worked its way right inside my head.
December 5, 2020
Dumbest book I’ve ever read
July 29, 2021
This is a fun one but I think the ending kills it. Still one of my favorites.
March 10, 2020
Here's my fifth Goosebumps book in a row! I'm really enjoying binge reading these. Their physical condition might be questionable, but the words inside are entertaining the hell out of me.
Samantha (Sam) Byrd hates Judith Bellwood because her classmate is a terrible bully who takes advantage of her being a bit of a klutz. Playing on the girls basketball team doesn't help because she's not very good.
But one stormy afternoon, after she helps a strange old lady, Sam gets the chance to make three wishes and everything changes...
OMGosh. I've got one word for this book: awesome!
I LOVED this story because it was full of so many ups and downs. Some of the stuff that happened to Sam was quite terrifying. I mean, that ending was shocking. Absolutely shocking because I didn't expect it. 😱
I liked Sam. She was a great character. A girl who's taller than everyone else and so aware of the fact that she's super clumsy. Always trips over her feet and the bullies are there to make her feel worse. And because of that, I totally understood her anger and even the irresponsible wishes she makes.
Stine writes such great kids.
This book is pretty freaky, but there's also plenty of fun. I kept cackling after Sam makes her third wish because how that turned out was hilarious! 😂
Man, every time I read one of these books they become my favourite because they're all fantastic. ❤
Samantha (Sam) Byrd hates Judith Bellwood because her classmate is a terrible bully who takes advantage of her being a bit of a klutz. Playing on the girls basketball team doesn't help because she's not very good.
But one stormy afternoon, after she helps a strange old lady, Sam gets the chance to make three wishes and everything changes...
OMGosh. I've got one word for this book: awesome!
I LOVED this story because it was full of so many ups and downs. Some of the stuff that happened to Sam was quite terrifying. I mean, that ending was shocking. Absolutely shocking because I didn't expect it. 😱
I liked Sam. She was a great character. A girl who's taller than everyone else and so aware of the fact that she's super clumsy. Always trips over her feet and the bullies are there to make her feel worse. And because of that, I totally understood her anger and even the irresponsible wishes she makes.
Stine writes such great kids.
This book is pretty freaky, but there's also plenty of fun. I kept cackling after Sam makes her third wish because how that turned out was hilarious! 😂
Man, every time I read one of these books they become my favourite because they're all fantastic. ❤
October 2, 2009
Samantha Byrd is a laughing stock. She's a klutz. And, she's sick of it. She wished that all the people that ease her would stop. One day, after a hard day of school, she gets on her bike and starts to pedal home. But, as she approaches the street, an old and strange looking lady asks for her help to a strange pert of town. She takes her there, and as they arrive, the strange lady tells her she can have 3 wishes. At first she doesn't accept them, but then when she does, she makes a mistake, because if your not careful what you wish for, it might come true.
3) The authors style and writing, are both very mysterious and descriptive. R.L.Stine, does a good job of keeping the reader interested.
6)This book, is like many other R.L.Stine books. A mystery, that no one believes. It is also very different from the other books, because it has it's own, individual storyline, that's different form the others, and every story teaches a different lesson.
7) A story of girl that makes the mistake of wishing for something she doesn't really want.
8)I learned, to be more careful of what I ask for.
9)This book would be better, if the last few sentences weren't there, or if there was a sequel to continue it.
3) The authors style and writing, are both very mysterious and descriptive. R.L.Stine, does a good job of keeping the reader interested.
6)This book, is like many other R.L.Stine books. A mystery, that no one believes. It is also very different from the other books, because it has it's own, individual storyline, that's different form the others, and every story teaches a different lesson.
7) A story of girl that makes the mistake of wishing for something she doesn't really want.
8)I learned, to be more careful of what I ask for.
9)This book would be better, if the last few sentences weren't there, or if there was a sequel to continue it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2016
Source: I own this book.
Cost: Unknown
Title: Be Careful What You Wish For
Series: Goosebumps #12
Author: RL Stine
Overall Rating: 3 stars
Samantha Byrd is the tallest girl in her class, she's smart, she's funny, she plays sports...The only thing holding her back from being popular and liked, her clumsiness. She believes that she's the clumsiest person in the world and when Judith Belwood starts making her life a living hell, she wishes that she could change everything. Little does she know, she might actually get what she wishes for...
I actually enjoyed this one, it sounds weird, but I think maybe these books are helping me get out of my reading slump ever so slightly as I don't feel as uneager to read them as I know they aren't going to be serious or time consuming. I liked this one because Samantha was actually a different main character for once, and she had a sassy best friend as a sidekick, which almost never happens in Goosebumps books as they all seem to have the same personality.
This was a good addition to the series.
Cost: Unknown
Title: Be Careful What You Wish For
Series: Goosebumps #12
Author: RL Stine
Overall Rating: 3 stars
Samantha Byrd is the tallest girl in her class, she's smart, she's funny, she plays sports...The only thing holding her back from being popular and liked, her clumsiness. She believes that she's the clumsiest person in the world and when Judith Belwood starts making her life a living hell, she wishes that she could change everything. Little does she know, she might actually get what she wishes for...
I actually enjoyed this one, it sounds weird, but I think maybe these books are helping me get out of my reading slump ever so slightly as I don't feel as uneager to read them as I know they aren't going to be serious or time consuming. I liked this one because Samantha was actually a different main character for once, and she had a sassy best friend as a sidekick, which almost never happens in Goosebumps books as they all seem to have the same personality.
This was a good addition to the series.
August 24, 2021
This book was a bit of a mess. It’s a premise that’s been done before, and unfortunately this was not a unique take. I really wanted to like the protagonist, Samantha Byrd. She was awkward, clumsy, and a favorite target of Judith, the resident Middle School mean girl. She was easy to sympathize with to a point; but she ultimately learned nothing throughout the course of the book. Sympathy gets tedious when there’s no growth. It also didn’t help that the twists were predictable. The motives of the magic woman Clarissa were confusing at best. I feel like there’s got to be a simpler way to say thank you to a kind but confused child. All of this lead to an ending that just felt cruel from a thematic perspective, even if it did finally deliver a weird left turn that I didn’t see coming.
Score: 1
Full review with spoilers, snark, and gifs can be found on my blog:
https://www.danstalter.com/be-careful...
Score: 1
Full review with spoilers, snark, and gifs can be found on my blog:
https://www.danstalter.com/be-careful...
September 13, 2011
I was never good in math, but I counted 6 wishes instead of three. Course a few were retracted, but still with my ADD I can't keep up.
Be careful what you wish for is true when what you say has double meaning or can be taken multiple ways. Asking for someone to disappear is pretty clear, but you will read what actually happens. It's like saying 'I wish everyone would just leave me alone!" Thats a wish that can be taken two ways. They could leave you alone by not annoying you or bothering you anymore or they could all disappear and leaving you literally alone. The wishes in the book were not like that.
The book itself is not bad. It caught my interest and was entertaining as usual, but what stupid wishes. If I had three wishes I'd wish for money...that will pretty much take care of my next two wishes...of owning a home and having a wife!
Be careful what you wish for is true when what you say has double meaning or can be taken multiple ways. Asking for someone to disappear is pretty clear, but you will read what actually happens. It's like saying 'I wish everyone would just leave me alone!" Thats a wish that can be taken two ways. They could leave you alone by not annoying you or bothering you anymore or they could all disappear and leaving you literally alone. The wishes in the book were not like that.
The book itself is not bad. It caught my interest and was entertaining as usual, but what stupid wishes. If I had three wishes I'd wish for money...that will pretty much take care of my next two wishes...of owning a home and having a wife!
June 12, 2024
Μία ιστορία που σου προκαλεί έναν εσωτερικό φόβο και μια αγωνία που δεν είναι πάντα εύκολο να την περιγράψεις. Μια ιστορία που σήμερα φαντάζει τραγικά σύγχρονη, αφού ο σχολικός εκφοβισμός και η συναισθηματική βία είναι φαινόμενο των καιρών μας περισσότερο από ποτέ. Και ιστορίες σαν κι αυτές αποδεικνύουν πως καμιά φορά τα προβλήματα δεν λύνονται με "εύκολες" αποφάσεις, και πως το να πολεμήσεις τη βία -οποιασδήποτε μορφής-, με βία, μπορεί να είναι η οριστική καταστροφή σου.
May 6, 2020
I just could not connect with the narrator. Unlike the bullying Carly Beth received in The Haunted Mask, I could not sympathize the same with Sam. She was whiny and pessimistic about everything...even her hard-working mother’s cooking. If you don’t like your mother’s cooking, here’s an idea...MAKE YOUR OWN DINNER OR DON’T EAT IT. This “3 wishes” story had so much potential and fell extremely flat for me. The best part was the clever ending. Now that was entertaining.
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