Scan barcode
A review by hollowspine
Scream Site by Justina Ireland
3.0
2.5
I had high hopes for this since I had enjoyed Ireland's writing in Dread Nation, but while the writing is still good, this book just doesn't stand out from the crowd. Also it's very young for YA novel, this would be suitable for middle grades as well, 6+.
It's more Scooby Doo comedy than suspense/horror, there are a few creepy moments, but nothing that had me on the edge of my seat. The story centers on main character Sabrina and her attempts to solve the disappearances of girls that seem linked to Scream Site, a horror-focused YouTube like social media/video posting site. There are red herrings, people who are obvious suspects and therefore most likely innocent, and a villain reveal ending with a twist.
Sadly, though I really liked the characters, the slow pace of the novel let me down. I was easily distracted from reading the book and easily lost interest, I felt no real fear or tension for the characters, which is definitely what I was looking for here.
I wish the author had added more creepy details about the various locations, especially the 'abandoned' theme park and added a little more horror/tension to the novel to bring up the stakes for the characters and readers.
I had high hopes for this since I had enjoyed Ireland's writing in Dread Nation, but while the writing is still good, this book just doesn't stand out from the crowd. Also it's very young for YA novel, this would be suitable for middle grades as well, 6+.
It's more Scooby Doo comedy than suspense/horror, there are a few creepy moments, but nothing that had me on the edge of my seat. The story centers on main character Sabrina and her attempts to solve the disappearances of girls that seem linked to Scream Site, a horror-focused YouTube like social media/video posting site. There are red herrings, people who are obvious suspects and therefore most likely innocent, and a villain reveal ending with a twist.
Sadly, though I really liked the characters, the slow pace of the novel let me down. I was easily distracted from reading the book and easily lost interest, I felt no real fear or tension for the characters, which is definitely what I was looking for here.
I wish the author had added more creepy details about the various locations, especially the 'abandoned' theme park and added a little more horror/tension to the novel to bring up the stakes for the characters and readers.