A while back I had decided to read all of the Goosebumps books for nostalgia’s sake and I’ve been having an absolute blast! This is my first time jumping into this series, but I grew up on Goosebumps, Scholastic, Scholastic book fairs, etc. So, this series in particular fills me with warmth and joy. There’s 62 books total in the Goosebumps series, which is a ton, but I’m flying through them. Can’t wait to get into Stine’s other series/books as well!
These are gonna be mini reviews because like I said, there are tons of books in this series. Either way, I hope that I’ve brought back some memories for all of you or that I’ve given you the Goosebumps bug!
Here we gooo…
#1.
Title:
Welcome to Dead House
Synopsis:
Amanda and Josh think the old house they have just moved into is weird. Spooky. Possibly haunted. And the town of Dark Falls is pretty strange, too. — But their parents don’t believe them. You’ll get used to it, they say. Go out and make some new friends. — So Amanda and Josh do. But these creepy new friends are not exactly what their parents had in mind.
Because they want to be friends…
…Forever.
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #1.
Pages:
128
Publisher:
Scholastic
Date Published:
July 1992
Started:
3/8/2021
Finished:
4/12/2021
Rating: 💀💀💀💀
My Thoughts:
I LOVED the atmosphere in this book! Spoiler alert: if I loved a particular book in this series more than others, it’s most likely due to the atmosphere. This one just felt so dark and sinister even without the plot details. The thought of children succumbing to any kind of disease or whatnot is horrifying. A+ for using the atmosphere and setting! (I preferred the tv episode, though!)
Links:
Amazon/Kindle/Audible, Abebooks, Alibris, Better World Books, IndieBound, Thriftbooks, check your local library.
#2.
Title:
Stay Out of the Basement
Synopsis:
Dr. Brewer is doing a little plant-testing in his basement. Nothing to worry about. Harmless, he says. But Margaret and Casey Brewer are worried about their father. Especially when they…meet…some of the plants he is growing down there. Then they notice that their father is developing plant like tendencies. In fact, he is becoming distinctly weedy-and seedy. Is it just part of Dr. Brewer’s ‘harmless’ experiment? Or does Dad have more than just a green thumb…?
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #2.
Pages:
122
Publisher:
Scholastic
Pub Date:
July 1992.
Date Started:
11/19/2022.
Date Finished:
11/19/2022.
Rating: 💀💀💀💀
My Thoughts:
This was creepy! I found the tv episode to be creepier but even so, this book really caught the tone and the essence of one of the biggest fears a child could have- not being able to trust an adult in their lives. For that fear to be put in them by a parent especially and having them switch up in such an abrupt way, is extra horrifying.
Links: Amazon/Kindle/Audible, Abebooks, Alibris, Better World Books, IndieBound, Thriftbooks, check your local library.
#3.
Title:
Monster Blood
Synopsis:
Discover the original bone-chilling adventures that made Goosebumps one of the bestselling children’s book series of all time!
Something scary is happening in GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND, the all-new, all-terrifying series by R. L. Stine. Just how scary? You’ll never know unless you crack open this classic prequel!
Evan visits an eerie old toy store and buys a dusty can of Monster Blood. But then he notices something weird about the slimy green ooze. It keeps growing. And growing. And growing.
And all that growing has given the Monster Blood a monstrous appetite. .
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #3.
Pages:
128
Publisher:
Scholastic
Date Published:
September 1992
Date Started:
11/19/2022
Date Finished:
11/19/2022
Rating: 💀💀
My Thoughts:
I wasn’t too hyped about this plot. It was just very… meh. I liked the idea of the sorceress/witch but it just felt a bit out of place in this one. I don’t know…
Links: Amazon/Kindle/Audible, IndieBound, check your local library.
#4.
Title:
Say Cheese and Die!
Synopsis:
Greg thinks there is something wrong with the old camera he found. The photos keep turning out . . . different.
When Greg takes a picture of his father’s brand-new car, it’s wrecked in the photo. And then his dad crashes the car.
It’s like the camera can tell the future–or worse. Maybe it makes the future!
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #4.
Pages:
132
Publisher:
Scholastic
Date Published:
November 1992
Date Started:
11/22/2022
Date Finished:
12/11/2022
Rating: 💀💀💀💀
My Thoughts:
Another installment with a great concept! The whole idea of seeing your very-tragic future play out in pictures is a terrifying thought and I thought it was really well done!
Links: Amazon/Kindle/Audible, Abebooks, Alibris, Better World Books, IndieBound, Thriftbooks, check your local library.
#5.
Title:
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb
Synopsis:
Something Dead Has Been Here…
Gabe just got lost – in a pyramid. One minute, his crazy cousin Sari was right ahead of him in the pyramid tunnel. The next minute, she’d disappeared.
But Gabe isn’t alone. Someone else is in the pyramid, too.
Someone. Or some thing.
Gabe doesn’t believe in the curse of the mummy’s tomb. But that doesn’t mean that the curse isn’t real.
Does it?
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #5.
Pages:
132
Publisher:
Scholastic
Date Published:
January 1993
Date Started:
12/12/2022
Date Finished:
12/12/2022
Rating: 💀💀💀💀
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this installment in this series solely for the vibes. I feel like Egyptian/tomb setting really set the mood for the whole story. Gabe was a great main character along with his cousin. Even if the “rivalry” side plot is a bit overdone at this point in the series. I don’t feel like the TV episode does this story justice at all.
Links: Amazon/Kindle/Audible, Abebooks, Alibris, Better World Books, IndieBound, Thriftbooks, check your local library.
#6.
Title:
Let’s Get Invisible!
Synopsis:
On Max’s birthday, he finds a kind of magic mirror in the attic. It can make make him become invisible. So Max and his friends start playing “now you see me, now you don’t.” Until Max realizes that he’s losing control. Staying invisible a little too long. Having a harder and harder time coming back. Getting invisible is turning into a very dangerous game. The next time Max gets invisible, will it be…forever?
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #6.
Pages:
139
Publisher:
Scholastic
Date Published:
March 1993
Date Started:
12/13/2022
Date Finished:
12/13/2022
Rating: 💀💀
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed the concept of the reflections being an evil version of the kids. But this book just got extremely repetitive. Most of the book was just them using the mirror and having a competition, even when they knew something was up. Wasn’t my favorite out of the series so far.
Links: Amazon/Kindle/Audible, Abebooks, Alibris, Better World Books, IndieBound, Thriftbooks, check your local library.
#7.
Title:
Night of the Living Dummy
Synopsis:
When twins Lindy and Kris find a ventriloquist’s dummy in a Dumpster, Lindy decides to “rescue” it, and she names it Slappy. But Kris is green with envy. It’s not fair. Why does Lindy get to have all the fun and all the attention? Kris decides to get a dummy of her own. She’ll show Lindy. Then weird things begin to happen. Nasty things. Evil things. It can’t be the dummy causing all the trouble, Can it?
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #7.
Pages:
134
Publisher:
Scholastic
Date Published:
May 1993
Date Started:
12/13/2022
Date Finished:
12/15/2022
Rating: 💀💀💀
My Thoughts:
This was creepy. Dolls are ALWAYS creepy… what’s up with Stine’s beef with dogs?? And I wasn’t happy about the constant fatphobia in this book. It seems to be a theme in Goosebumps books.
Links: Amazon/Kindle/Audible, Abebooks, Alibris, Better World Books, IndieBound, Thriftbooks, check your local library.
#8.
Title:
The Girl Who Cried Monster
Synopsis:
Lucy likes to tell monster stories. She’s told so many that her friends and family are sick of it.
Then one day Lucy discovers a real, live monster: the librarian in charge of the summer reading program.
Too bad Lucy’s told so many monster tall tales.
Too bad no one believes a word she says. Too bad the monster knows who she is . . .
. . . and is coming after her next.
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #8.
Pages:
137
Publisher:
Scholastic
Date Published:
May 1993
Date Started:
12/15/2022
Date Finished:
12/17/2022
Rating: 💀💀💀💀
My Thoughts:
As frustrated as I was with the parents at first- because even though they didn’t have to believe that their daughter was seeing a monster, she kept insisting that she didn’t wanna go visit and stay alone with this man anymore- I was not expecting that twist! Loved it!
Links: Amazon/Kindle/Audible, Abebooks, Google Play Books, Alibris, IndigoBooks, Better World Books, Thriftbooks, check your local library.
#9.
Title:
Welcome to Camp Nightmare
Synopsis:
Welcome to Camp Nightmare It’s the little camp of horrors! Next summer you’ll stay home … if you survive! Billy thinks that life at camp is a bit creepy, but when other campers start to disappear and his parents do not answer his letters, Camp Nightmoon becomes Camp Nightmare.
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #9.
Pages:
136
Publisher:
Scholastic
Date Published:
July 1993
Date Started:
12/17/2022
Date Finished:
12/20/2022
Rating: 💀💀💀💀
My Thoughts:
I didn’t think things could get darker after Stay Out of the Basement, but clearly, I was wrong! Woooow. This was a ride. There’s something so sinister about you being the only to know that something’s wrong and that you can’t trust the people around you, especially as a child. The twist at the end felt a bit like a cop-out, though. It felt incredibly out of place. But I still really enjoyed myself and found myself on the edge of my seat while reading. There were so many tense scenes!
Links: Amazon/Kindle/Audible, Abebooks, Alibris, Better World Books, IndieBound, Thriftbooks, check your local library.
#10.
Title:
The Ghost Next Door
Synopsis:
“HOW COME I’VE NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE?”
Hannah’s neighborhood has gotten a little—weird. Ever since that new boy moved in next door.
But when did he move in? Wasn’t the house empty when Hannah went to sleep the night before? Why does it still look so deserted?
Hannah can’t get any answers from her new neighbor. He just keeps disappearing in the oddest ways. And he’s so pale…
Is Hannah being haunted by…
…the ghost next door?
Author:
R.L. Stine
Series:
Goosebumps, #10.
Pages:
124
Publisher:
Scholastic
Date Published:
August 1993.
Date Started:
12/20/2022
Date Finished:
12/29/2022
Rating: 💀💀💀💀
My Thoughts:
This was another surprisingly dark read by R.L. Stine. The subject matter left me a bit shook but I still enjoyed it. The characters were likable (except for the bullies, of course.) and the idea of a spirit having a mission to save another person is really heartwarming. There were a couple times where the setting was a bit hard to follow but it didn’t really take away my enjoyment of the story.
Links: Amazon/Kindle/Audible, Abebooks, Google Play Books, Alibris, Better World Books, IndieBound, Thriftbooks, check your local library.
Hope you enjoyed these bite-sized reviews! I’ll be back next time with mini reviews on books #11-20! 🙂 💙
As Read As A Doornail 