Synopsis
Get ready for Halloween with ten new stories from Goosebumps author R.L. Stine that are sure to leave you shivering.
From R.L. Stine, the master of horror for young readers, comes three chilling novellas, all set in the small town of Hollow Hills.
Tony has a love of old comics… but when he goes poking around where he doesn’t belong, will he find himself discontinued? Kylie is thrilled to have a summer job at the local pet store… but will the store’s more gruesome creatures rub off on her? Teddy knows his new substitute teacher has a monstrous secret… but will telling the truth mean risking Mr. Howell’s wrath?
Laced with Stine’s signature humor and a hefty dose of nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers 4 is perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books who want even more scares. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s epic legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. One thing’s for certain, the residents of Hollow Hills are in for a handful of horrors… they just don’t know it yet.
Review
You can check out my review for book 2 here, and book 3 here.
Thanks to netgalley and macmillan audio for the arc! This one differed from the series approach with three novellas instead of 10 short stories. The king of middle grade horror, the lord of one-more-chapter cliffhangers, and the master of twist endings.
The Day I Was Discontinued, novella one, was easily my favorite. Tony, a comic nerd, has a great collection and even greater memory for old runs of comic books. But when the comic book shop has an off limits room, it’s just a little too tempting to not sneak in. The blend of real comics and their Stine-made counterparts was really cool to see. And although it was brief, the author did a really good job displaying powers like superspeed.
The second novella was also enjoyable. A summer job at the local pet store should be easy for a pet lover…even if some of the pets are a little unconventional (as is the shop owner). But when the basement is off limits and is labeled as a laboratory, how could Kylie avoid a peek when the photography contest is going on? Quite a similar set up to the first, however this delivered a sort of Little Shop of Horrors with a mad scientist vibe.
The third novella, while perhaps my least favorite, was still a solid read (especially for young readers). Mr. Howell is the new substitute teacher. Other teachers go missing, he loves to howl and make the class participate, and he’s slowly taking over the school. I mean this guy is clearly a werewolf, so why does only Teddy seem to notice? Fun, and of course made me think of the author’s The Werewolf of Fever Swamp. The ending’s twist kind of didn’t make sense when lined up with the other stories, but it’s Stine’s world and we’re just reading in it.
I loved how there were interconnecting characters and friends popping up from each. How the town of Hollow Hills is also a character in this one. Creepy, weird things just seem to happen there. And of course, Stine’s signature twist endings are in place.
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