This is one of the Goosebump books that I remembered before I set out to reread the whole series. I was fond of the first The Haunted Mask book. TherThis is one of the Goosebump books that I remembered before I set out to reread the whole series. I was fond of the first The Haunted Mask book. There was something deliciously creepy about the idea of a mask that would change who you were, that would take you over. Anyone who's ever acted knows how far the power of pretending can go, and in the case of these masks, that can go pretty darn far...
While the Monster Blood series follows Evan and Andy, this is the first of the Goosebump books to be a direct sequel that follows what were only side characters in the previous book. We get to see how the experience of being an Unlovable affected Carly Beth, and more, how it now effects Steven. Each Unlovable, it turns out, is different. What might this one be?
Goosebumps is at its best when it is exploring the more human aspects of monstrosity, and this book delivers just as well as the first. Maybe what annoyed you before you can view another way, maybe people are just a bit different than you expect... Thrills and chills, and plenty of surprises await....more
This could quite possibly take the crown as the worst Goosebumps title of all time. Then again, The Legend of the Lost Legend exists, so it's a closeThis could quite possibly take the crown as the worst Goosebumps title of all time. Then again, The Legend of the Lost Legend exists, so it's a close race. Nevertheless, there will likely never be a time when I don't groan while reading the title A Shocker on Shock Street. Seriously. What was R.L. Stine thinking?
I was reluctant to read this one based on the title alone. That and I was still reeling from how terrible Why I'm Afraid of Bees still remains. Needless to say, as my rating shows, I was pleasantly surprised by the contents of this book. I'm a sucker for old horror films, and the mixture of that, old Hollywood magic, animatronics, and amusement park rides had me hooked from the start. Where Welcome to Horrorland fell flat for me, A Shocker on Shock Street delivered in spades the delicious creepiness and off-balanced wonder that I want from these cute books.
The scares were amply disturbing, and the danger felt more real than it ever did in Welcome to Horrorland. There was a fun twist at the end, that while it didn't make total sense, I was willing to let it slide for the way it had been set up from the start. The book was fun, thrilling, and ultimately it set you into the world of Shock Street studios. So, while it's still a children's book it's a fun ride and one of the better ones for sure....more
Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes is a book so ridiculous it often gets brought up in discussions on Goosebumps. Apparently it made for a very frightening G Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes is a book so ridiculous it often gets brought up in discussions on Goosebumps. Apparently it made for a very frightening Goosebumps television show episode, though I have yet to see it. Those little innocuous lawn gnomes, coming to life to terrorize your garden and get you grounded for life. The stuff of nightmares? For some people, maybe.
Perhaps more people in the Goosebumps universe need to look at this: [image]
I really don't know.
Anyway, Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes is something that seems like it would be far more effective as a B movie than a book. With the right lighting, music, and hammy acting it could be brilliant fun. As a read, however, it falls a bit flat. The lawn gnomes aren't really menacing, and the obsession with gardening is just eye-roll worthy rather than chilling.
Also, what on earth is a casaba melon? I don't think spraying tomatoes three times from three separate bottles a day will really make them huge. I don't know, man. I just don't know....more
To preface, I'm generally not a big fan of camp books. They can be fun, but I never really had the requisite experience to relate to them fully, and uTo preface, I'm generally not a big fan of camp books. They can be fun, but I never really had the requisite experience to relate to them fully, and ultimately they all tend to read the same to me. The same sort of plot points, characters, experiences... they all sort of blend together. Which is to say, ultimately The Horror at Camp Jellyjam didn't really jive with me. In fact, it read almost identically to Welcome to Camp Nightmare to me, with only a few minor changes.
There's the same mysterious camp with odd counselors, the same people going missing with no explanation or acknowledgement. Both camps are harboring a dark secret that only one other person warns the main character of, but no one believes anything is wrong. The secret is revealed, near the end, to everyone's shock and dismay... and ultimately the ending is both funny and a bit disappointing. But that's typical R.L. Stine. You find it endearing after a while.
Camp Jellyjam could have been its own book, but in my opinion it really never quite got there. It was a fun read, as all these books are, but it just didn't really do anything to me. If we were writing a Goosebumps book of ONLY THE BEST this one wouldn't be included by my reckoning....more
Ghost Dogs. That's right. Ghost Dogs. It's not enough to try to make kids afraid of ghosts, or just dogs or turning into dogs as a substitute for goinGhost Dogs. That's right. Ghost Dogs. It's not enough to try to make kids afraid of ghosts, or just dogs or turning into dogs as a substitute for going through puberty. Nope. They had to be Ghost Dogs. I'm still not quite over the ridiculousness of it.
Like most Goosebump books, this one features a main character afraid of everything, a brother afraid of nothing and obsessed with pranking said main character, and a confusing female character who is never adequately explained. Fear of moving, fear of new locations, new friends, new experiences and more is melded with... erm. Ghost dogs.
The book had its thrills and chills, its sweet revenge, and its ample amount of things that made no sense. The ending did make me laugh, in spite of its cheesiness. Just.. could the plot at least try to make sense? Why were there ghost dogs? Why did people transform... just.. why....more
This is the second offering in what is often referred to as the most terrifying of R.L. Stine's miniseries within the Goosebumps header. Night of thThis is the second offering in what is often referred to as the most terrifying of R.L. Stine's miniseries within the Goosebumps header. Night of the Living Dummy first introduces Slappy the dummy to the reader. He is a purely evil creation, a ventriloquist dummy bent on finding humans to be his slaves. While this quest is often ill-fated, in Slappy's attempts often fights ensue, and it is these fights that tend to stick in the reader's minds. Wooden fists meeting human flesh. Wooden jaws clamping on fingers. How do you fight what is already, for all intents and purposes, dead and never living? Coupled with the sheer cruelty of Slappy's insults, it sticks out to the young reader well indeed.
This second installment didn't really do as much for me as the first one did. The characters grated upon me, in particular the younger brother, for the sheer audacity of some of the things they did. A kid might not think too much of messing up his sister's watercolor, but to an adult to see all that hard work desecrated for the sake of a gag it is a bit genuinely horrifying. Though, perhaps, the strength is in revealing that even the perfect child has some insecurities, no matter how well hidden they might be.
While this book isn't as gross as the first, nor as ultimately violent, it has character development that is seldom seen in the Goosebumps series. So, a bit slower, but perhaps a bit sophisticated. This trilogy, at least, is well remembered for a reason. ...more
This is the book that made Melody Beattie famous and truly brought the idea of codependency into modern consciousness. The book was groundbreaking thThis is the book that made Melody Beattie famous and truly brought the idea of codependency into modern consciousness. The book was groundbreaking then, and still is today. It's considered by many the best instruction guide for getting out of the codependent mindset. The whole of the book is interesting, easy to ready, and well laid-out. It's both engaging and fascinating, and never condescending in a way that self-help books tend to be.
I enjoyed reading this book, and like most of the author's books, it did made me think. I liked the tone that she took throughout, the humor and no-holds-barred approach. While I think she may rely a bit too heavily upon the 12 Steps Program, I understand that it was really in its infancy at the time and did indeed help her so it is valuable to include.
All in all, a worthy resource and a book that well-deserves its place in codependency studies....more
It has long been my desire to read through all of the Goosebump books. This desire was borne out of a love of them as a child, but for whatever reasonIt has long been my desire to read through all of the Goosebump books. This desire was borne out of a love of them as a child, but for whatever reason I never got through all of them. Off and on I've been wanting to, the old tug of desire returning, but I never really committed to it. Until now. So, fellow GoodReaders, I'm sorry but your updates will be full of my musings about a series for children as I work my way through all 62 original titles.
I might do Goosebump 2000 after. I don't know. It depends on how I feel at the end.
Anyway, reading the series has put me through some seriously terrible books. Every now and then, though, a true gem emerges that manages to surprise and disturb me a little. Even with the hokey endings, now and then I'm shocked by the level of horror injected into a kid's book. This book was one such book, and an utter delight. It Came From Beneath the Sink! was a surprisingly creepy, good kid's horror novel. I'd recommend it in a heartbeat.
The idea is that a creature is found.... beneath the sink that creates and feeds on bad luck. No matter what you do, it will always come back and it will be with you until you die. How the characters react, how they discover this and deal with it, is an utter delight. The creature is purely evil, and purely creepy. There's something so alien about it in the descriptions, so malevolent, that is became truly captivating.
This wasn't by any means a masterpiece of literature, but for a Goosebump book it truly rose above the crowd. Good going R.L. Stine, this one was awesome. ...more
I don't think people give R.L. Stine enough credit for his ability to write truly obnoxious, horrendous, unforgivable children. No other author, exceI don't think people give R.L. Stine enough credit for his ability to write truly obnoxious, horrendous, unforgivable children. No other author, except perhaps for V.C. Andrews or whoever wrote Babadook has made me want to punch a kid as much as R.L. Stine. No Goosebump book, apart from The Cuckoo Clock of Doom and possibly Bad Hare Day created a despicable, obnoxious, horrifyingly irredeemable child as Monster Blood III. Kermit, yes his name is Kermit, is quite possibly the worst child ever put to a page.
Why. The true monster isn't the monster blood, it isn't the way it makes people grow, and grow, and grow. It isn't Evan's utter stupidity and his disbelief that anyone would think he is lying when he says it exists. No, the monster is Kermit. The kid obsessed with chemistry, given access to chemicals, and thinking the world owes him everything.
I hope you blow yourself up, Kermit, because you're terrible. Bad things should happen to you, you sniveling, conniving bastard.
This Goosebump book is infamous for its utterly ridiculous ending.
Yes, the ending didn't get any better this read through. Knowing the ending, in facThis Goosebump book is infamous for its utterly ridiculous ending.
Yes, the ending didn't get any better this read through. Knowing the ending, in fact, only heightened my enjoyment of the book for all the ridiculous hints at it littered throughout. What could have been, and likely was, a massive metaphor for puberty (omg, my hands are hairy, my body is hairy, what is happening to meeeeeee?) became instead just a ridiculous romp through the lovely mind of R.L. Stine. The man just keeps getting better.
Throughout this book you'll be treated to... a band with three guitars and a keyboard but no other instruments, people who can't sweat, people who take strange bottles of lotion out of dumpsters and use them without thinking, the word heterochromia, people with no sweat glands, and other such wonders.
So, after having decided I liked some of what I read by Melody Beattie I wanted to work my way through the bulk of her writing. She was an interestinSo, after having decided I liked some of what I read by Melody Beattie I wanted to work my way through the bulk of her writing. She was an interesting writer, some of her ideas resonated with me, and I felt like at the very least I could learn something from each of her books. They weren't necessarily life-changing, but they were interesting and helping me to reframe some of the ways I view the world and my relationships with others. That's always a good thing, right?
I was intrigued by the title of this one. Who isn't mean to themselves now and then? And was curious to read what she had to say about it all. Rather than it being a self-help book, though, this book was more of a travel memoir interspersed with clumsy additions of mystical experiences that ultimately didn't go anywhere. It read more like a first draft than a finished manuscript, and I was quite frankly surprised by just how shoddy the bulk of the editing job was. At no point did the book truly feel cohesive to me, and rarely do I find when reading anything other than the first book of any given author.
I wanted to get more out of this book than I did. I came away from it with the knowledge that everyone has their own difficulties, and that a bit of empathy is generally a good thing. That, however, isn't necessarily a surprising message and it's one better presented through the soap-opera of The Outsiders than this travel memoir. So, yes, I'm still rather confused by this book overall, especially the ending. It didn't really do much of anything for me....more
Where Stop Being Mean to Yourself largely failed to engage me Choices consistently engaged me. I breezed through this book quickly, and felt that thWhere Stop Being Mean to Yourself largely failed to engage me Choices consistently engaged me. I breezed through this book quickly, and felt that that the end of it I had indeed learned something. It's nice to find a self-help book that consistently maintains such a positive outlook on life, and on all that a person can accomplish therein. Melody Beattie tends to be relentlessly upbeat while also continuing to approach the topics of self-improvement from a blunt, no hold's barred sort of way. But with good humor. There are just hard truths we all have to face.
Choices is broken down into short narratives about people that the author has helped and met throughout her life. Some of them are Melody's own experiences, but most are those of others. Each story ends with some questions, some contemplation, and a small quote that sums up what one would likely take away from the chapter. All in all, it breaks down to the fact that there are difficult choices and not so difficult choices one needs to make in their life in order to live it to its fullest extent. It won't always be easy, but deep down you know what is right and it is always worth doing what is right over what it easy....more
I first read this book years ago, having discovered the wonderful Museum of Hoaxes website online. It's a great websitThis is such a cute little book.
I first read this book years ago, having discovered the wonderful Museum of Hoaxes website online. It's a great website, and goes into far greater detail than this book does from the outset. This book does not go terribly in depth into the facts it supplies, but rather offers tantalizing tastes with options for further reading as one goes along. It whets the appetite, but never quite satiates it.
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a taste of the Museum of Hoaxes, a brief overview to help them decide just what to explore more. Or of course, anyone wanting something to dig into and make fun party conversations about - as it is certainly grand for that as well....more
I don't often read through things like Bloom's Notes or Cliff's Notes. I tend to prefer just reading the actual book rather than literary criticism ofI don't often read through things like Bloom's Notes or Cliff's Notes. I tend to prefer just reading the actual book rather than literary criticism of it. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings intrigued me enough that I wanted to experience other people's interpretations of it, however, and so I took what I could find in the form of this book.
The analysis was overall interesting, and covered the whole of Maya Angelou's autobiographies rather than simply Caged Bird. The study of style was something I enjoyed a great deal, as it compared her prose and poetry and what might have influenced the overall rhythms of her writing. Things such as character lists and chapter analysis, of course, are more helpful for student's trying to avoid reading the book...
But hey, it had some very interesting essays and I enjoyed getting a new perspective on a book that still won't quite leave my mind....more
My dear friend decided we were going to read this book together, and I don't entirely understand why I agreed to it. OK, it's a bWhat did I just read?
My dear friend decided we were going to read this book together, and I don't entirely understand why I agreed to it. OK, it's a book I've seen passed around with hushed whispers and giggles since elementary school. It's a book I was both urged to read and cautioned away from. I'd ask what it was about and people would get that faraway look in their eye and secret smiles. It's that kind of book. The sort of one you don't want to admit to reading when you're little.
The sort of book you can enjoy discussing with horrified expression and raucous laughter if you have a sick sense of humor when you're my age. The sort of book that prompts the immediate What am I reading and is the author OK
So I repeat.
Virginia. Darling. Are you OK?
The fact this book is semi-autobiographical is horrifying. Although, yeah, some of the melodrama is simply gothic trappings at the same time the author is so not OK. I've read some messed up things. I adore Stephen King, Joe Hill and Garth Ennis. They can write terrible things, but they never come across as unstable as poor V.C. Andrews.
The book is a relatively quick read. It's a trainwreck of drama and deception, melodramatic purple prose and utterly horrific content. Incest, child neglect, emotional and psychological abuse all are abundant mixed with horrible family secrets and narcissism that would put even Sharp Objects to shame. Then again, Sharp Objects and Flowers in the Attic both share a lot of similar attributes. These messed up books are kind of like catnip to me.
So yeah. See you Dollanganger's again, soon. I'll certainly be finishing this series.
I'll need a hug and an adult soon after, though....more
This is one of those books that I had been hearing about forever but never actually sat down to read. I wasn't entirely certain what I expected out ofThis is one of those books that I had been hearing about forever but never actually sat down to read. I wasn't entirely certain what I expected out of it in truth. Part of me thought it would be a book of poetry, as I primarily associate Maya Angelou with her poetry rather than prose, another part of me thought it was going to be mere fiction. I wasn't entirely wrong on either count, nor was I right. Instead, it was a little bit of both and a lot more of something entirely different.
This is the first in a series of autobiographies that Maya Angelou wrote over the course of her life. Each book, to my understanding, focusing on a different aspect of herself rather than necessarily just a different period. This book is her childhood, in all of its gory, beautiful, disturbing, and inspirational glory. This is a blunt, at times funny, at times chilling confession of what life was like growing up in the poor South black and a girl, what life was like in San Francisco an in better money. Just.. how things were.
I finished the book feeling a variety of things I didn't know how to put words to. There's a lyrical beauty to the book that is difficult to describe. It is part poetry, part gospel song, part oral tradition, and part something else entirely. It's reassuring and a bucket of cold water poured on your face. It's important, and not really a YA book though I keep seeing it referred to as such.
It's a strange book, but one I am glad I took the time to read and am glad so many others have as well. ...more
I loved this book when I first read it in middle school, and somehow I seemed to have forgotten that I likely read it around the same age the author wI loved this book when I first read it in middle school, and somehow I seemed to have forgotten that I likely read it around the same age the author was when she wrote it. S.E. Hinton is kind of amazing for having done what she did, and this edition of the book makes her a bit more amazing by adding interviews of hers, submission letters, and other correspondence from both her and many fans who were touched by what they had read.
The Outsiders does have its faults, don't get me wrong. The writing can be a bit sloppy, and the slang can come off as frankly ridiculous reading it this far away from its initial publication. Nevertheless, if what has been said is true, it hit home for the Oklahoma greasers back when it was first published. It shows a remarkable amount of maturity by showing that life is hard for everyone, on either side of the class divide. I think the essence of the book would still resonate with teenagers who read it, even if the content can be a bit hokey at times.
Essentially, it's a decent classist soap opera where people come away from it all having learned a bit of something.
Stay gold on at least some level, even if ultimately you can't....more
This is actually one of the Goosebump books I enjoyed more than I thought I would, and definitely one arguably more applicable nThrills and chills....
This is actually one of the Goosebump books I enjoyed more than I thought I would, and definitely one arguably more applicable now than it was when it first came out. While, yes, comic books saw a sharp rise in popularity in the 90s I'd argue they're even more popular now (or at least more prevalent) due to the MCU and DCU, cartoons, figurines, and simple omnipresence through current culture. And what's this book? Well, a fun little romp through the WHAT IF A COMIC WAS REAL scenario that is just a bit overdone in any comic book reader's imagination.
Half the fun of this book was the sheer silliness of the heroes. The Molecular Mutant. The Galloping Gazelle. The sheer overpowered nature of the villain and the absurd scenarios in the books. I'm not gonna lie, I loved it, it captured the campiness perfectly note for note. Very fun book, if not truly a creepy one....more
This book definitely tickled me and was full of more than a few overt nods to the aforementioned book, movie, musical, and what have you. The plot is very simple. Haunted play in a high school. The Phantom character may or may not be real, may or may not be living under the school, or a ghost, or simply a cursed piece of writing. It's an engaging, fairly light-hearted story that I enjoyed as a kid and had a fun time rereading. It's not necessarily one of the classic Goosebump titles, but it's more than enough to amuse....more
This is a book I often see recommended as a gateway to Mindfulness, a first taste so to speak, and it works well enough for that purpose. Jon Kabat-ZThis is a book I often see recommended as a gateway to Mindfulness, a first taste so to speak, and it works well enough for that purpose. Jon Kabat-Zinn takes the reader step by step through the process of cultivating mindfulness, why it is generally seen as being helpful, who it might work for, who it wouldn't. While the practice is rooted in Buddhism, and the book touches upon it a fair bit, it is still secular enough to appeal to non-spiritualists in my opinion.
I would especially view this book as valuable for the extensive bibliography at the end of the book for further reading, most of it categorized well by topic, and some with more information by the author as to why he recommends it.
All in all, this was a very interesting read and a book I would like to pick up again. I will be reading more by this author for certain, as well....more
Hilary "Fox"
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Books:
2016
(71)
