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blogginboutbooks's review
4.0
R.L. Stine was a bit after my time, so I wasn't sure what to expect from a collection of spooky stories aimed at middle-schoolers. Turns out, they're a lot of fun! While some of the tales center around familiar frights—clowns, dolls, and things that go bump in the night—others turn less obvious subjects (oatmeal, ice cream, bed pillows) spooky. As with all short story collections, some of the selections are more clever and entertaining than others. Personally, I most enjoyed "The Substitute" and "Scrabbled." While younger/more sensitive readers may want to steer clear of ONLY IF YOU DARE, all in all, the book offers an easy, enjoyable reading experience that chills without getting too graphic or gory (with the maybe exception of "My Hand. Right There," which is a *little* gruesome).
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
earlybirdie94's review
4.0
Surprisingly creepy. Reminded me of Scary Stories a little bit, and the artwork was really good.
alex_hobbs01's review
3.0
I was hoping for something a tad bit more mature, but was still pleasantly surprised with what could have been written by the great R.L. Stine. Very Goosebumps-esque. I really liked the Scrabble story, and my 7th graders will enjoy this.
eponineluvss's review against another edition
2.0
A compilation of spooky YA stories.
The book was very well written and did it's job! This is just not my genre. But I enjoyed the writing and the stories were very interesting. I am impressed by the authors ability to spook in such a modern way.
The book was very well written and did it's job! This is just not my genre. But I enjoyed the writing and the stories were very interesting. I am impressed by the authors ability to spook in such a modern way.
kaceylaine's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What can I say, I’m a sucker for short stories!
louisedavis's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
This was a fun book of spooky short stories for middle grade kids. I read it with my 10 and 8 year old and they both enjoyed it. It’s creepy but not too scary, so it gives kids that little bit of a chill but they aren’t going to have nightmares from the stories.
jkoncurat's review
4.0
Synopsis (no spoilers): Only If You Dare contains 13 short stories each surrounding a different 13 year old kid. From scrabble to ice-cream, each story villainizes something that middle schoolers encounter in their day to day lives.
Review: The stories in Only If You Dare manage to create a horror book that doesn't rely on classic monsters. Each story has a different villain and follows a different child. All the protagonists stand out from one-another. Each of them have distinctly different personalities. While the stories initially felt interesting and unpredictable, many of them follow the same formula. And, while formulaic stories aren't an issue for younger kids, this book definitely feels very young. It's a good book for the target audience, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone older than that.
Content Warnings:
Disturbing Imagery
Mutilation
Death (Implied)
Review: The stories in Only If You Dare manage to create a horror book that doesn't rely on classic monsters. Each story has a different villain and follows a different child. All the protagonists stand out from one-another. Each of them have distinctly different personalities. While the stories initially felt interesting and unpredictable, many of them follow the same formula. And, while formulaic stories aren't an issue for younger kids, this book definitely feels very young. It's a good book for the target audience, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone older than that.
Content Warnings:
Disturbing Imagery
Mutilation
Death (Implied)
ludwigdvorak's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
3.25
This is just good spooky middle grade goodness.
thedizzyreader's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A satisfying collection of contemporary, creepy short stories, ranging from haunted microwaves to substitute teachers. The microwave story in particular got a visceral reaction from me - I was gagging by the end!
Ethnic diversity is implied through character names. It's hard to make connections when you have so many characters in such a short amount of time, but I found myself really rooting for some of the kids. I think this one will be a popular booktalk title!