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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
It's been a while since I read a RL Stone book and it was "eh." I remember reading this when I was young and being so engrossed in it but it's funny to think this was "YA" back then but it reads more like a middle school book. It was nostalgic for sure but not necessarily good. Christopher Pike is definitely a better writer for sure.
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book pmo. No human being characters act like this.
I just love the whole babysitter-being- stalked-by-a-creep trope, probably why I love Halloween (1978) so much. The atmosphere was the best part of this whole book, it actually managed to be pretty creepy, and the little twist towards the end caught me by surprise. Jenny wasn't too bad of a protagonist, she actually called the cops when weird stuff started to happen, which is rare in stories like this, but sometimes her overactive imagination was just plain annoying. The ending also felt a little too abrupt and underwhelming. Overall a pretty decent read though, and not too bad for my first ever R.L. Stine book.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
A 41 year old man has no business reading a book aimed at 13 year old girls but life leads you down strange paths sometimes. This was my first Point horror novel and only my second RL Stine and it was a lot of fun. It really captured that chaotic seriousness that was high school dating to a tee. To empathize with Jenny for a moment, Chuck antics sure were annoying! Why couldn't he just be clear about liking her and not always trying to be funny! Darn you Chuck! I'll be passing this one on to my niece if she is interested! Had some creepy moments with a stalker outside the home that could have been easily solved with one phone call or visit to Jenny's house on any day of the week! Easy summer reading fun.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Introducing my daughter to the world of Shadyside and beyond. This was our first RL Stine book together and one that stood out in my memory from when I was in second grade.
Admittedly, my first reading of this was as an adult. Perhaps as a teen I would have enjoyed it more.
Jenny is not a particularly likeable character. It's clear that the intention is to make her appear demure but instead she comes across as superficial and morally weak. Kissing someone that you think is tormenting you in malicious mystery phone calls, to me, is bizarre.
In terms of plot, the tension is built with a heavy reliance on Jenny crapping her pants at absolutely everything. This is all before she even recieves the first scary phone call. This struck me as a little weak. The idea of a stalker who calls you and knows where you are is scary enough; properly executed, the tension almost builds itself.
I bought this as a collection of the first three Babysitter books, so I am compelled to read the rest. Maybe it gets better?
Jenny is not a particularly likeable character. It's clear that the intention is to make her appear demure but instead she comes across as superficial and morally weak. Kissing someone that you think is tormenting you in malicious mystery phone calls, to me, is bizarre.
In terms of plot, the tension is built with a heavy reliance on Jenny crapping her pants at absolutely everything. This is all before she even recieves the first scary phone call. This struck me as a little weak. The idea of a stalker who calls you and knows where you are is scary enough; properly executed, the tension almost builds itself.
I bought this as a collection of the first three Babysitter books, so I am compelled to read the rest. Maybe it gets better?