Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Context: I've read and grew up with OG and GYG Goosebumps books, but was curious to check out this newer series... So I'm definitely too old to be reading this, and just jumping in the middle of the series.
Main story: I liked how it started, but it got cartoonishly weird and spiked at points with gruseome gore and sci-fi fantasy elements that felt out of place. That really annoyed me, and I guess just isn't my thing. I prefer when it's a little more realistic and consistent. But I liked that the story moved quickly, and the characters and story elements were weaved together nicely (well written). The climax was dramatic and even heartfelt, so I liked that. And there's always a twist at the very end—I thought it worked well in this case.
Continuing story: I was a little confused that the evil camera wasn't mentioned at all at the start, so wasn't sure about continuity, how the two parts were supposed to fit. There's a lot of characters to juggle but I thought that aspect was well handled. The things that happened seemed kind of random though, like the author was just trying to think up a bunch of weird events and squeeze them in. That's just how this is supposed to go though, I think. It's a series of gags all lumped together.
Goosebumps was never high literature, but I was left feeling like this newer series or maybe R L Stine's newer writing got more cheap and silly =(
The shiny cover and artwork is pretty cool! and the bonus files (part 3) are a fun addition. I could see kids really enjoying that aspect, and having to collect all the books to put together the map and coins.
Main story: I liked how it started, but it got cartoonishly weird and spiked at points with gruseome gore and sci-fi fantasy elements that felt out of place. That really annoyed me, and I guess just isn't my thing. I prefer when it's a little more realistic and consistent. But I liked that the story moved quickly, and the characters and story elements were weaved together nicely (well written). The climax was dramatic and even heartfelt, so I liked that. And there's always a twist at the very end—I thought it worked well in this case.
Continuing story: I was a little confused that the evil camera wasn't mentioned at all at the start, so wasn't sure about continuity, how the two parts were supposed to fit. There's a lot of characters to juggle but I thought that aspect was well handled. The things that happened seemed kind of random though, like the author was just trying to think up a bunch of weird events and squeeze them in. That's just how this is supposed to go though, I think. It's a series of gags all lumped together.
Goosebumps was never high literature, but I was left feeling like this newer series or maybe R L Stine's newer writing got more cheap and silly =(
The shiny cover and artwork is pretty cool! and the bonus files (part 3) are a fun addition. I could see kids really enjoying that aspect, and having to collect all the books to put together the map and coins.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror
I would seriously love to have a camera like this --- to use against evil bad guys of course.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Galen finished on March 8, 2024
“Good. It was fine. What I mean by it’s fine is that it’s really good. The evil camera can do a lot of evil things. The pictures that the evil camera takes can make that actually happen in a couple minutes.”
“Good. It was fine. What I mean by it’s fine is that it’s really good. The evil camera can do a lot of evil things. The pictures that the evil camera takes can make that actually happen in a couple minutes.”
adventurous
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
the annoying boys were the real villains
Julie loves taking photos, when she comes across a strange camera in a shop, she takes it home with her. Not really understanding how it works, she begins to snap photos. Thinking it’s broken until the photos start developing and the future starts appearing on them, futures that are far from pleasant. This was definitely a modern day take on the original, Say Cheese and Die! They even reference it, saying the camera was used on a film by that name, which was a nice nod. The plot was fast, and had the reader on the edge of their toes, wondering what was going to happen next. If you’ve read the original, you have a sense of where it’s going. The Horrorland part of this was actually really good. Julie joins the cast in Horrorland. She’s given a note from Byrne, the supposedly good Horror trying to help them out. But all it says is that they’re in danger. That’s getting a bit lame at this point. But now, the characters who haven’t disappeared have tried to leave Horrorland out the front gate. Something is going to happen to them and now the reader needs the next book to find out what’s going to happen next. The best cliff hanger, yet.
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Okay story with a fairly predictable, if not bland, outcome.
I’m starting to see how R.L. Stine’s formula works in writing horror stories for kids.
I’m starting to see how R.L. Stine’s formula works in writing horror stories for kids.
- First, take away all semblance of authority and make the main character feel physically or emotionally isolated from designated guardian figures.
- Second, make side characters, whether siblings or friends, as annoying as possible by encroaching on the main characters’ personal and physical spaces through the use of jokes, gags, or conditions.
- Third, introduce the character’s main motivation and ensure that the horror element would continually interfere with their attempts to return to a normal way of life.
- Conclude with a supposed unexpected element to keep the reader guessing after the main conflict has been resolved.
The notable HorrorLand books in this series are those that have real-world consequences on the characters since the antagonist can cause them physical or emotional harm.
This one is just okay. Nothing too scary because the harm the character causes the other kids was easily reversed with little to no consequence and the story and pacing were much too fast for us to fully see the impact of the camera. The Horrorland segment was also quite unimaginative and felt more like a recounting of events rather than an addition to the story.
Might be good for beginner readers so they can dip their toe into the pool of horror and see whether they can deal with uncertainty in fiction well.
This one is just okay. Nothing too scary because the harm the character causes the other kids was easily reversed with little to no consequence and the story and pacing were much too fast for us to fully see the impact of the camera. The Horrorland segment was also quite unimaginative and felt more like a recounting of events rather than an addition to the story.
Might be good for beginner readers so they can dip their toe into the pool of horror and see whether they can deal with uncertainty in fiction well.