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burialshroud's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
karinreadsalot's review against another edition
3.0
This one didn’t have the thrill of a normal RL Stone book. Started out as a good “monster of the week” vibe and then moved into another story. Sadly predictable ending.
deetour8's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those books that lots of kids are going to love, if fantasy horror is their thing. It's got werewolves, a robbery, murder and so much going on that its hard to guess how it really will end. I was actually a little surprised by the end, which rarely happens. At the same time werewolves are in almost every fantasy book you pick up these days so it's not something new. You won't get any surprises or a new take on it. I also felt there was almost too much going on in the book, for a while all you hear about is the wolf then the next it's as if it never existed.
thefantaysbookdragon's review against another edition
3.0
*3.5 stars*
I really found this book enjoyable to read but not really my cup of thee. I always love the vibes of R.L Stine books and this was just like that but there is something what happens in the plot that is not the type of horror I like in books
I really found this book enjoyable to read but not really my cup of thee. I always love the vibes of R.L Stine books and this was just like that but there is something what happens in the plot that is not the type of horror I like in books
moonlightreader86's review against another edition
2.0
I mean it's not great, it's not "The First Evil" . The first death was the best tho. I finished it , so I can't hate on it. I am wondering who the intended audience is...olds like me?
Nostalgia factor at max. There is basically a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter which honestly pleases me to no end.
Nostalgia factor at max. There is basically a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter which honestly pleases me to no end.
laurenkara's review against another edition
4.0
Read this review at my blog Wonderless Reviews
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
In case you weren't aware [a:R.L. Stine|13730|R.L. Stine|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1194380070p2/13730.jpg] is probably my all time favourite author. His stories shaped my childhood. He is the reason why I got into reading and why I love the horror genre as much I do. I absolutely adored the Fear Street series (along with like every other series Stine's written) when I was a kid and when I found out it was being relaunched my excitement levels were through the roof. I read the first book in the series Party Games a while back and loved the concept. I was so, so, so excited to receive an ARC of this book. I automatically stopped everything I was doing and bumped it right to the top of my TBR pile and let me tell you, it was definitely worth putting all my other books on hold for. No one does horror/thriller quite like R.L. Stine does. Is it a bit cheesy and predictable at times? Yes. Do I care? HELL NO. Should you care? Absolutely not. Stine's books are some of the funnest most entertaining books I've ever read and Can You Keep A Secret definitely falls into that category. I think it's the best book of the Relaunch series so far. I could not put it down. I had to force myself to stop reading and actually sleep. It was so fast paced and with Stine's style of every page being a cliffhanger you can't help but keep turning them because you need to know what happens next.
If you watch Teen Wolf, do you remember that episode were all the kids found that bag of money that belonged to Peter Hale and didn't know what to do with it? Well, that's basically the premise of Can You Keep A Secret. If you haven't then think Werewolves feat. a bunch of kids finding an unexplained rather large sum of money in the woods. Tension and murder (obviously), follows as they realise that maybe they shouldn't have taken it. Leaving the money alone seems like the obvious choice, but it really makes you think: 'What would I do?'. Especially when you factor in possible financial trouble that some of the characters were facing. Personally, I think I'd leave it alone but I would be very tempted to take it.
The book focuses around a character named Emmy who has been having recurring nightmares about running in the woods and wolves. Her family thinks it's repressed stress from a "dog" bite she got whilst vacationing at her Aunt's in Prague when she was a child. Emmy and her boyfriend decide to go camping in Fear Street Woods with a bunch of friends and this is when they stumble across the briefcase of money. There's lots of tension among the group whilst they debate what to do with it. Emmy's a bit flip-floppy in her decisions which could be annoying, but honestly I didn't even care. They decide to bury the money at the pet cemetery were Eddie works (yeah, a pet cemetery) until they can figure out what to do. Emmy has to not only deal with the stress of all the issues the money is bringing, which includes someone's untimely end, but also with trying to figure out what the hell is happening to her. She's been getting urges to howl at the moon and still keeps dreaming about wolves. Emmy has a strained relationship with her younger sister, Sophie, and it was probably one of my favourite parts of the book. You'd think the werewolves story that's simultaneously happening at the same time would clash with the money mystery, but honestly it doesn't. The ending ties together nicely.
Can You Keep A Secret? is fast paced, action packed and very intense. I was impressed and at the same disturbed by the gore (because warning: it involves animals and my policy is: 'WHO CARES ABOUT THE PEOPLE JUST DON'T KILL THE DOG'). You'll think that you know all the answers to the questions, Stine is insinuating through the book, but then the ending happens and you'll realise that you're wrong. This was honestly the most fun I've had reading a book in a really long time. Definitely pick it up!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
In case you weren't aware [a:R.L. Stine|13730|R.L. Stine|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1194380070p2/13730.jpg] is probably my all time favourite author. His stories shaped my childhood. He is the reason why I got into reading and why I love the horror genre as much I do. I absolutely adored the Fear Street series (along with like every other series Stine's written) when I was a kid and when I found out it was being relaunched my excitement levels were through the roof. I read the first book in the series Party Games a while back and loved the concept. I was so, so, so excited to receive an ARC of this book. I automatically stopped everything I was doing and bumped it right to the top of my TBR pile and let me tell you, it was definitely worth putting all my other books on hold for. No one does horror/thriller quite like R.L. Stine does. Is it a bit cheesy and predictable at times? Yes. Do I care? HELL NO. Should you care? Absolutely not. Stine's books are some of the funnest most entertaining books I've ever read and Can You Keep A Secret definitely falls into that category. I think it's the best book of the Relaunch series so far. I could not put it down. I had to force myself to stop reading and actually sleep. It was so fast paced and with Stine's style of every page being a cliffhanger you can't help but keep turning them because you need to know what happens next.
If you watch Teen Wolf, do you remember that episode were all the kids found that bag of money that belonged to Peter Hale and didn't know what to do with it? Well, that's basically the premise of Can You Keep A Secret. If you haven't then think Werewolves feat. a bunch of kids finding an unexplained rather large sum of money in the woods. Tension and murder (obviously), follows as they realise that maybe they shouldn't have taken it. Leaving the money alone seems like the obvious choice, but it really makes you think: 'What would I do?'. Especially when you factor in possible financial trouble that some of the characters were facing. Personally, I think I'd leave it alone but I would be very tempted to take it.
The book focuses around a character named Emmy who has been having recurring nightmares about running in the woods and wolves. Her family thinks it's repressed stress from a "dog" bite she got whilst vacationing at her Aunt's in Prague when she was a child. Emmy and her boyfriend decide to go camping in Fear Street Woods with a bunch of friends and this is when they stumble across the briefcase of money. There's lots of tension among the group whilst they debate what to do with it. Emmy's a bit flip-floppy in her decisions which could be annoying, but honestly I didn't even care. They decide to bury the money at the pet cemetery were Eddie works (yeah, a pet cemetery) until they can figure out what to do. Emmy has to not only deal with the stress of all the issues the money is bringing, which includes someone's untimely end, but also with trying to figure out what the hell is happening to her. She's been getting urges to howl at the moon and still keeps dreaming about wolves. Emmy has a strained relationship with her younger sister, Sophie, and it was probably one of my favourite parts of the book. You'd think the werewolves story that's simultaneously happening at the same time would clash with the money mystery, but honestly it doesn't. The ending ties together nicely.
Can You Keep A Secret? is fast paced, action packed and very intense. I was impressed and at the same disturbed by the gore (because warning: it involves animals and my policy is: 'WHO CARES ABOUT THE PEOPLE JUST DON'T KILL THE DOG'). You'll think that you know all the answers to the questions, Stine is insinuating through the book, but then the ending happens and you'll realise that you're wrong. This was honestly the most fun I've had reading a book in a really long time. Definitely pick it up!
itputsthebookupontheshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Talk about "holy sh*t"… This book had some pretty gnarly scenes in it. It was awesome!
This very well might be one of my new favorites from R. L. Stine. I had the pleasure of listening to this baby on audiobook and man was it good. The storyline was great, the characters were on point and it sure hit with the creepy, horror that I was craving. I'm not even a little shocked that I enjoyed this so much.
The story follows two time lines, one where a young girl witnesses her fathers horrific murder and then runs for her life never to be seen again… Then we jump to 70 years later when a girl appears in the neighborhood and Michael can't seem to stay away from her even though there are lots of weird things about her and the things she does. Of course the time lines meet up at some point and we get to understand the full spectrum of the book. Stine always knows how to pull a good story together.
If you're a big fan of Stine's or just getting in to horror, I highly reccomend this one. The nostalgia alone for me, being back on Fear Street has been great, but honestly, they really are just great books for beginner horror fans and young adults.
Bravo Stine, forever a fan!
This very well might be one of my new favorites from R. L. Stine. I had the pleasure of listening to this baby on audiobook and man was it good. The storyline was great, the characters were on point and it sure hit with the creepy, horror that I was craving. I'm not even a little shocked that I enjoyed this so much.
The story follows two time lines, one where a young girl witnesses her fathers horrific murder and then runs for her life never to be seen again… Then we jump to 70 years later when a girl appears in the neighborhood and Michael can't seem to stay away from her even though there are lots of weird things about her and the things she does. Of course the time lines meet up at some point and we get to understand the full spectrum of the book. Stine always knows how to pull a good story together.
If you're a big fan of Stine's or just getting in to horror, I highly reccomend this one. The nostalgia alone for me, being back on Fear Street has been great, but honestly, they really are just great books for beginner horror fans and young adults.
Bravo Stine, forever a fan!
keberwick's review against another edition
3.0
Well this was certainly a let down. R.L. Stein dominated my childhood with sinister tales of Fear St. and all the horrific events that occurred there, so when I saw a new Fear St. novel, my heart leaped with excitement. I thought I was in for a tale of suspense, paranormal activity, and a pace that made my heart race. Unfortunately, I didn't feel much suspense- nor did my heart race. I was dismayed by the "I'm a special snowflake" trope that was the initial introduction of Lisa, and the lack of atmosphere I felt. I would encourage people to try the original Fear St. Novels before this one, 100%.
ohsunnyaa's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25