Review: I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan

I Know What You Did Last SummerI Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another nostalgic read from one of the pioneers in YA Thrillers, Lois Duncan!!

Originally published in 1973, Lois Duncan’s I Know What You Did Last Summer paved the way for all the YA Thrillers that have come after.

Most of us are familiar with the 1997-film adaptation starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Honestly, that was one of my go-to movies in the 90s and 2000s, yet I didn’t even know it was adapted from a book until a few years ago.

I bought a copy and have been meaning to read it forever…

Recently, I listened to the audiobook for another of Duncan’s novels, Killing Mr. Griffin, and I had so much fun with it. It was quick, nostalgic and drama-filled. I knew when I was done with that, it was finally time for me to read this one.

I decided to listen to the audiobook in this case as well. It was read by the same narrator and I liked his style.

After reading this, I gotta say, they did a great job with the adaptation. It closely followed the source material, yet with the right amount of modern twists, to make it believable and fun. I’m in love with the casting, perfection.

I am so happy that I finally took the time to read this one. I’m super into nostalgic reads right now, particularly those of the Horror and Thriller variety, so this was exactly what I was looking for.

If you are a fan of the movie, I definitely recommend you check this one out!!

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Review: Welcome to Dead House (Classic Goosebumps #1) by R.L. Stine

Classic Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead HouseClassic Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House by R.L. Stine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Welcome to Dead House is the first installment in R.L. Stine’s Classic Goosebumps series. Originally published in 1992, this story channels all the vibes of the series.

We follow brother and sister, Josh and Amanda, who are moving into a new home in the town of Dark Falls with their parents and the family dog.

From the start, the kids aren’t having a good time. The dog keeps fleeing in terror, Amanda is seeing people who aren’t there and Josh is just grumpy about the move in general.

Their parents think the dog’s and kids’ reactions, are just due to the disruption of their regular life. They’re in a new, strange place and the house is old, it’s gonna have some creaks and groans. They’ll get over it.

They try to settle in the best they can. Josh and Amanda are even able to befriend some local kids, who although a little odd, seem nice overall.

Even with others in the neighborhood accepting their arrival, the siblings can’t quite shake the feeling that something is off. There’s too many eerie things happening and yeah, the other kids are saying weird things and continue acting strangely. What gives?

It turns out, Dark Falls has a dark history with dark secrets, but will Josh and Amanda succumb to its dark aims?!

I have been feeling nostalgic lately for the Middle Grade and YA Horror of my younger years. When I saw that my library had the 2015-audio version of this book available yesterday, on a whim I decided to listen to it.

It was so fun and I easily listened to it in a couple hours.

There’s an overall feeling of menace in this story that legitimately gave me the creeps. I would think that some kids would be scared by this one, but in a fun way. It’s not gory, or overly descriptive in the Horror aspects, but still very compelling.

I would recommend this one to Readers of all ages. It has Stine’s goofy-brand of Dad humor sprinkled throughout. A few times I rolled my eyes, but often I laughed out loud.

Overall, I am super glad I gave this one a listen and plan to pick up more of the Classic Goosebumps series very soon!

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