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A review by wuthrinheights
Nightmare Hour: Time for Terror by R.L. Stine
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Rereading this with a buddy!! I really liked this book before, and I recommended it to her before so I'm really happy we got to read it together. I still am a huge fan of Stine's writings and I missed it.
PUMPKINHEAD (3.5 stars)
The pacing was really fast. You get the characters (in all their annoying, pesky behaviours), the setting, the plot. The ending was slightly gory but definitely satisfying.
ALIEN CANDY (3 stars)
I remembered bits and pieces of this one, so the lack of memory was great because I was once again surprised with the twist at the end.
THE MOST EVIL SORCERER (2.5 stars)
Although this was my least favourite story so far, I liked how different it was than his usual writings. Margolin (or rather, a rip-off for Merlin) was an evil sorcerer who was tasked to train an evil boy. A Cinderella-esque story with a twist (and another twist), it still kept me on my toes.
NIGHTMARE INN (2.5 stars)
Again, I don't really remember the main twist in this one. The introduction felt like it was right up my alley. The dark and haunted looking inn, the mysterious guest,.. but when the action started, I wasn't really interested in what it had to offer. By the end of it, I was a bit disappointed.
I'M NOT MARTIN (4.25 stars)
This story stood out to me the most when I first read this book. The creepy hospital on Halloween night, the odd boy on the next bed, the stomach churning twist at the end. If I were Sean, I would've been screaming my head off. That was so traumatising!
THE BLACK MASK (4.5 stars)
Also one of my favourite stories. This one felt more matured than his earlier stories, which I thought catered more to kids. But this one felt like a kick to the stomach. And I could picture it so well in my head, it was like watching a movie. Really great story and the pacing was just nice. I loved it!
AFRAID OF CLOWNS (2.75 stars)
The first part of the story held a lot of potential and it got scarier in the middle. I feel like it was a really dark, messed up story. But then the ending fell completely and I was left in disbelief. It wasn't a boring story altogether, it just had a disappointing ending.
THE DEAD BODY (3 stars)
This story truly made me raise my eyebrows in surprise. I didn't see any of it coming. It was plot twist after plot twist. I thought I knew what was going to happen but it didn't go the way I thought it would. I was scared for the main character at first, then scared of him at one point. But the end? I think it was a love story. Of being there for someone who matters, even in death.
MAKE ME A WITCH (1.5 stars)
This one was utterly bogus to me. I felt nothing for the characters, the plot was dull, and the ending made me sigh out loud. The worst story to me.
THE GHOSTLY STARE (1.75 stars)
This one also left me feeling disappointed and in disbelief. Although the pacing was fast, I wasn't really interested in the story. Sure, she was a kid but her priorities were ridiculous to me. I didn't feel anything for any of them and the ending fell so flat.
You win some, you lose some. I still adore RL Stine and this one had some really great ones but I think I enjoyed it better the first time around. But doing this as a buddy read was super entertaining and I had so much fun through it all!
Ranking from best to least fave:
The Black Mask
I'm Not Martin
Pumpkinhead
The Dead Body
Alien Candy
Afraid of Clowns
The Most Evil Sorcerer
Nightmare Inn
The Ghostly Stare
Make Me A Witch
PUMPKINHEAD (3.5 stars)
The pacing was really fast. You get the characters (in all their annoying, pesky behaviours), the setting, the plot. The ending was slightly gory but definitely satisfying.
ALIEN CANDY (3 stars)
I remembered bits and pieces of this one, so the lack of memory was great because I was once again surprised with the twist at the end.
THE MOST EVIL SORCERER (2.5 stars)
Although this was my least favourite story so far, I liked how different it was than his usual writings. Margolin (or rather, a rip-off for Merlin) was an evil sorcerer who was tasked to train an evil boy. A Cinderella-esque story with a twist (and another twist), it still kept me on my toes.
NIGHTMARE INN (2.5 stars)
Again, I don't really remember the main twist in this one. The introduction felt like it was right up my alley. The dark and haunted looking inn, the mysterious guest,.. but when the action started, I wasn't really interested in what it had to offer. By the end of it, I was a bit disappointed.
I'M NOT MARTIN (4.25 stars)
This story stood out to me the most when I first read this book. The creepy hospital on Halloween night, the odd boy on the next bed, the stomach churning twist at the end. If I were Sean, I would've been screaming my head off. That was so traumatising!
THE BLACK MASK (4.5 stars)
Also one of my favourite stories. This one felt more matured than his earlier stories, which I thought catered more to kids. But this one felt like a kick to the stomach. And I could picture it so well in my head, it was like watching a movie. Really great story and the pacing was just nice. I loved it!
AFRAID OF CLOWNS (2.75 stars)
The first part of the story held a lot of potential and it got scarier in the middle. I feel like it was a really dark, messed up story. But then the ending fell completely and I was left in disbelief. It wasn't a boring story altogether, it just had a disappointing ending.
THE DEAD BODY (3 stars)
This story truly made me raise my eyebrows in surprise. I didn't see any of it coming. It was plot twist after plot twist. I thought I knew what was going to happen but it didn't go the way I thought it would. I was scared for the main character at first, then scared of him at one point. But the end? I think it was a love story. Of being there for someone who matters, even in death.
MAKE ME A WITCH (1.5 stars)
This one was utterly bogus to me. I felt nothing for the characters, the plot was dull, and the ending made me sigh out loud. The worst story to me.
THE GHOSTLY STARE (1.75 stars)
This one also left me feeling disappointed and in disbelief. Although the pacing was fast, I wasn't really interested in the story. Sure, she was a kid but her priorities were ridiculous to me. I didn't feel anything for any of them and the ending fell so flat.
You win some, you lose some. I still adore RL Stine and this one had some really great ones but I think I enjoyed it better the first time around. But doing this as a buddy read was super entertaining and I had so much fun through it all!
Ranking from best to least fave:
The Black Mask
I'm Not Martin
Pumpkinhead
The Dead Body
Alien Candy
Afraid of Clowns
The Most Evil Sorcerer
Nightmare Inn
The Ghostly Stare
Make Me A Witch