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R.L Stine




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DON'TSTAY UP LATE
BY R.L STINE

GENRE: HORROR

SYNOPSIS:
Everything in high school junior Lisa Brooks’s life is perfect: she has a caring family, a boyfriend and many friends. But one day, her life takes a turn for the worse --- her family gets into a horrible car accident. Though Lisa survives, her father does not, and her dog, who was in the car at the time of the accident, goes missing. Stressed by all the losses she has faced, Lisa starts having nightmares and hallucinations. Her counselor, Dr. Shein, suggests that she try to take her mind off of the accident by accepting an offer to babysit a little boy named Harry, who lives on Fear Street.

Lisa takes the job, but it comes comes with a serious warning --- Harry’s mother, Brenda, says that dangerous things will happen if her son stays up late. Lisa enjoys taking care of Harry, but she notices that after she puts him to sleep, a strange half human-half demon creature appears. After a series of murders occur near Brenda's home, Lisa tells Dr. Shein and the police about what she’s been seeing, but, because of her brain trauma, they don’t take her seriously. What happens when Harry stays up late? Are Lisa's demons just hallucinations? Or is there really something strange going on on Fear Street?

REVIEW:
Lisa is a rather bratty high schooler, and her bad behavior results in her father's death in a car accident. Lisa and her mother are injured, but Lisa's injuries are more psychological. She hallucinates quite a bit-- seeing her dead father, her missing dog, and other odd things. She sees a therapist, who suggests that Lisa would benefit from constructive work, so Lisa ends up babysitting Brenda's son, Harry, at their house on Fear Street. Harry is a delightful child, but Brenda cautions Lisa that he should not be allowed to stay up late. Lisa hallucinates while watching Harry, thinking that she is seeing a creature in the house, and later other teenagers turn up dead. Lisa's boyfriend Nate tries to help Lisa, but it turns out that he has known Brenda and Harry for longer than he will admit. In the end, there are deep secrets behind Brenda's family life that are not unusual for someone who lives on Fear Street.

Strengths: Stine in hardback. Sort of a can't lose book. I saw the "twist" coming miles away, and students might as well, but the majority of the scary parts are unlikely, which is what draws readers to Stine. Will definitely purchase.

Weaknesses: Killing Lisa's father was unnecessary and seemed cruel. Again, plot fairly transparent. Not the best quality of writing I have ever read.
What I really think: Meh. Not my sort of thing, and more painful than other Stine books, but I'll buy it for that small but loyal section of readers who make me keep almost two shelves full of rotting, twenty year old paperbacks because they love Stine so much!

RATING:
💗💗💗

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