Party Games (Fear Street Relaunch #1) by R.L Stine
Publication Date: September 30th, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Thriller
Pages: 277
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Read: August 19th to 23rd, 2015
~Summary~
Her friends warn her not to go to Brendan Fear's birthday party at his family's estate on mysterious Fear Island. But Rachel Martin has a crush on Brendan and is excited to be invited. Brendan has a lot of party games planned. But one game no one planned intrudes on his party—the game of murder. As the guests start dying one by one, Rachel realizes to her horror that she and the other teenagers are trapped on the tiny island with someone who may want to kill them all. How to escape this deadly game? Rachel doesn't know whom she can trust. She should have realized that nothing is as it seems… on Fear Island.
R.L. Stine makes his triumphant return to Shadyside, a town of nightmares, shadows, and genuine terror, and to the bestselling series that began his career writing horror for the juvenile market, in the new Fear Street book Party Games.
R.L. Stine makes his triumphant return to Shadyside, a town of nightmares, shadows, and genuine terror, and to the bestselling series that began his career writing horror for the juvenile market, in the new Fear Street book Party Games.
~My Thoughts~
In all honesty, and I'm not saying this to be rude and no authors are ever harmed in my reviews, but with the new Fear Street books that are coming out I feel like Mr. Stine has lost his touch compared to the adrenaline rush, sitting on the edge of your seat, chills going up your spines thriller/horror they used to be. Yes, there was one moment where I was crept out but it was only because I was home alone and it's close to midnight. But when the sun is high up in the sky, it has no effect on me like his original work had. I loved it that no matter what time of day, Mr. Stine's words would get under my skin. With this book, not so much.
In these new books I also feel no connection to the characters. Yes, we get details of who they are but I just don't care. I just don't feel that connection, I just feel like I'm floating above when things aren't happening. Oh and that small dose of romance, yeah, wasn't feeling it either.
Now the writing was great, the details were there, but I feel like his grasp just can't reach and shove it over the edge to make this story a horror. It's like he's so close but I feel like he's holding back. And that twist at the end of part three, sooo lame! (oh, and his new books are written in four parts. Don't know when he changed to that style). Sorry for these slight spoilers coming up....Like I guess it could be a good twist but by the time I got to the end of the book and nobody died, sooo lame. And sorry to those who saw that 1980's "horror" movie Aprils Fools Day, the ending in that was the big 'ole twist in this one. Sigh, something is just missing......
End of slight spoilers......Oh, and why bring certain things into the story when it just feels like you left them hanging. I get those things are supposed to bring the creepy factor to us but for me they just felt out of place. And if the reason was just so the main character can tell her friend, who's a Fear by the way, that his house is haunted I'm sure he already knows, even though he acts like it's not.
Overall I've got some serious mix feelings about this book. I liked it but at the same time it wasn't scary and it just felt off to me. Like he would take a step towards it being twisted into a real horror scene but then the next page he would wash it all away and take three steps back which didn't satisfy me one bit. The only thing that reminded me of his original work in this book and what gave me high hopes, was when in the beginning Rachel found a dead animal under her bed sheets as she was climbing into bed.
In all honesty, and I'm not saying this to be rude and no authors are ever harmed in my reviews, but with the new Fear Street books that are coming out I feel like Mr. Stine has lost his touch compared to the adrenaline rush, sitting on the edge of your seat, chills going up your spines thriller/horror they used to be. Yes, there was one moment where I was crept out but it was only because I was home alone and it's close to midnight. But when the sun is high up in the sky, it has no effect on me like his original work had. I loved it that no matter what time of day, Mr. Stine's words would get under my skin. With this book, not so much.
In these new books I also feel no connection to the characters. Yes, we get details of who they are but I just don't care. I just don't feel that connection, I just feel like I'm floating above when things aren't happening. Oh and that small dose of romance, yeah, wasn't feeling it either.
Now the writing was great, the details were there, but I feel like his grasp just can't reach and shove it over the edge to make this story a horror. It's like he's so close but I feel like he's holding back. And that twist at the end of part three, sooo lame! (oh, and his new books are written in four parts. Don't know when he changed to that style). Sorry for these slight spoilers coming up....Like I guess it could be a good twist but by the time I got to the end of the book and nobody died, sooo lame. And sorry to those who saw that 1980's "horror" movie Aprils Fools Day, the ending in that was the big 'ole twist in this one. Sigh, something is just missing......
End of slight spoilers......Oh, and why bring certain things into the story when it just feels like you left them hanging. I get those things are supposed to bring the creepy factor to us but for me they just felt out of place. And if the reason was just so the main character can tell her friend, who's a Fear by the way, that his house is haunted I'm sure he already knows, even though he acts like it's not.
Overall I've got some serious mix feelings about this book. I liked it but at the same time it wasn't scary and it just felt off to me. Like he would take a step towards it being twisted into a real horror scene but then the next page he would wash it all away and take three steps back which didn't satisfy me one bit. The only thing that reminded me of his original work in this book and what gave me high hopes, was when in the beginning Rachel found a dead animal under her bed sheets as she was climbing into bed.
Sweet Readings Everybody!
Bummer!! I have this and am a little afraid to read it because the original Fear Street books live in a really high place in my brain. I don't want to ruin the fantasy with reality. Most of the books I read as a kid don't hold up to my adult standards :( But part of me really really wants to read this at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThey live in a really high place in my mind too, so tread lightly with the Relaunch series. Don't have any high expectations because I've read this one and Don't Stay Up Late, the second book in the Relaunch series, and they just aren't what Fear Street used to be sadly :(. If you do decide to pick it up, good luck!
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