Book Review: The Lost Girl by R.L. Stine

Book #3 of the Fear Street Relaunch
Genre: YA Horror
Publication: September 29, 2015 by St. Martin's Press
Acquisition: received a free copy via NetGalley

Synopsis:

Generations of children and teens have grown up on R.L. Stine's bestselling and hugely popular horror series, Fear Street and Goosebumps. Now, the Fear Street series is back with a chilling new installment, packed with pure nightmare fodder that will scare Stine's avid fan base of teen readers and adults.

New student Lizzy Palmer is the talk of Shadyside High. Michael and his girlfriend Pepper befriend her, but the closer they get to her, the stranger she seems… and the more attractive she is to Michael. He invites her to join him on a snowmobile race that ends in a tragic accident. Soon, Michael's friends start being murdered, and Pepper becomes convinced that Lizzy is behind the killings. But to her total shock, she and Michael are drawn into a tragic story of an unthinkable betrayal committed over 60 years ago. Frightening and tense in the way that only this master of horror can deliver, The Lost Girl is another terrifying Fear Street novel by the king of juvenile horror.

(from Goodreads)

5 / 5 Stars

R.L. Stine = half of my favorite childhood reading memories (the other half belong to Christopher Pike).

I pretty much love everything about his stories. Some might call his horror campy - and maybe it is a little - but it is in no way a cheep thrill. The creep factor in all his books is pretty high and The Lost Girl is no exception.

Taking place in 2 different times, the story progresses through a series of horrible acts which culminate in a breaking point of good vs evil. Who wins? Good of course ;)

Just kidding - no happy endings here. And not just the typical, they all die in the end unhappy endings. It's the lingering effects that really make the story. The unwritten dot, dot, dot at the end of the last sentence.

It's the implied horror as much as the explicitly stated horror that really gets under my skin. And I love it!

While listed as the Fear Street Relaunch #3, as in previous installments of Fear Street, it can be read as a standalone. I actually didn't know there were other recently published Fear Street novels! Guess what got added to my wishlist?

If you love Stine, you'll love The Lost Girl. If horror isn't your thing, you might not enjoy this one. If you're looking for a good thrill - defiantly pick this one up!