Review: Fear Edited By R.L. Stine

I was drawn to this book by nostalgia.

I loved R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series as a kid, so it was his name that initially caught my attention. Then, when I discovered it was a collection of scary short stories, I got even more excited, coz I used to devour these types of books, too.* Fear, a Middle Grade collection of 13 stories linked by the common theme of fear, was an entertaining read but sadly not all that frightening (maybe because, y'know, I'm an adult now). All the stories were well-written, interesting and totally unique. But much to my chagrin,** none of them really instilled any fear in me. In fact, many were more suspense/action stories than horror (there's even a touch of romance in there, thanks to Meg Cabot and her "Night Hunter"), but although they weren't what I was expecting, they were still a good read.

Of course, like any short story collection, I enjoyed some tales more than others. My favourite was definitely "Tagger" by James Rollins, about a girl whose graffiti tag has powers of protection, until the day a demon comes knocking.*** I was amazed at the strong characters, plot and world that Rollins built in such a small space, and I'd actually love to read a full-length novel set in this world. But the story that creeped me out the most had to be "The Perfects" by Jennifer Allison, about a babysitter whose charges are a bit... off. There are some icky dolls thrown in for good measure.****

Covering everything from aliens and vampires to petty thieves and mass murderers, the stories varied greatly on the topics they covered and the feelings they evoked. Each kept me interested and worked on its own as well as within the flow of Fear. It's a good book to pick up if you enjoy short stories and want a quick, easy read served with a (small) side of thrills.*****

*There was one series in particular that I was addicted to, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was called. I vaguely remember that each book in the series had a number of short stories in it, and they all frightened the bejeezus out of me. There was one in particular, about a creepy doll who, like, set fire to things or something, that really freaked me out (I think it may have had something to do with the porcelain doll collection in my room). Another story was related to a shower or bathroom and it made me afraid to shower for a long time (I still did, but I did it SCARED). That's all the details I can come up with. Anyone have any idea what I'm talking about? Anyone? Anyone?
**Every time I use the word chagrin (which is not very often) I think of Twilight. That's sad, isn't it?
***This reminded me of another story I read when I was young, about magic graffiti that allowed people to travel through to this alternate universe, and people got stuck there or went missing... or something. Again, I'm vague on the details and can't remember the name of it. Anyone got any ideas? Anyone? Anyone?
****Again, with the dolls. How creepy are dolls?! I can't believe I used to collect the suckers. No wonder I have sleep issues.
*****This is just a note to say how much I love footnotes. Can you tell? OK, I may have gone overboard in this review. Ahem...

Rating: 3/5

Fine Print
Published: 2010, Random House
Get It: Fishpond

Top 5: Series That Defined My Childhood

When I think about the books that I read as a child, they always seem to be a part of a series or collection. I read individual books, of course, but I guess purely because I read more of them, it's the series that seem to have stuck in my mind the most. Here are the ones that dominated my early years:

1. Little Golden Books (Ages 1-10)

For as long as I can remember, I had a shelf full of Little Golden Books to dive into. Before I could read myself, my family read them to me, and once I learned I spent many an hour with a Golden Book in my hand. Later, as I outgrew them, I had the excuse of a little brother to share them with - though admittedly I would still pick up my old favourites when I was alone. Even as a kid I was super nostalgic, never quite ready to let go of past joys.

2. The Babysitters Club by Ann M. Martin (Ages 8-12)

I first picked up a BSC book in Year 3, but I wasn't immediately hooked (probably because it was a Mallory story), reading the books at various times, in no particular order, as I got them from the library or as gifts over the next couple of years. Then when I was around nine or 10, my mum signed me up for The Babysitters Club Club. I got my very own BSC necklace, and was sent three books a month, in chronological order, starting with Kristy's Great Idea. By the time I got over it a couple of years later, I'd racked up 112 books (not counting doubles or super specials) and countless hours of reading, rereading, watching the show and movie, and trying to start up a BSC of my own (it didn't work out - astonishingly, parents in my neighbourhood weren't quite so eager as those in Stonybrook to leave their kids with 11-year-olds as sitters).

3. Paul Jennings' short story collections (Ages 8-12)

I still have a few of these books lying around at my parents' place, and from the sad state of them - dog-eared pages and missing or torn covers - you might think I neglected them, but in fact it's a sign of how very well-loved they were. I obsessively reread them, spending time assessing each story and ranking them in order from most liked to least, from saddest to happiest and so on (the first stirrings of the book blogger in me?). I was such a nerd, I know, but at the time it didn't seem so bad, coz Jennings' books were so awesome that they were actually considered cool to read. I remember having in-depth discussions (well, as in-depth as nine-year-olds get) with my friends about each story, and competing over who had read the most. Throw in Round the Twist, the show based on the collections, and I spent much of my formative years under the influence of Jennings' twisted mind.

4. Goosebumps by R. L. Stine (Ages 9-12)

Although I wasn't quite as obsessed with Goosebumps as I was with the BSC, I still amassed a considerable collection - in addition to devoting many library visits to the series. I was hooked on the mysteries, thrills and big twist endings, and loved the ghostly ones the most. When the show hit our screens I became addicted to that, too, roping in my poor baby brother to watch it with me. I wonder if this has anything to do with all the nightmares...

5. Series by V. C. Andrews (Ages 11-14)

My auntie introduced me to the joys of V. C. Andrews, first lending me her collection and then starting me off with my own when she gave me the full Flowers in the Attic set for my 11th birthday. Looking back, I'm amazed she encouraged me to read them - they're so trashy, twisted and just a bit naughty - but at the time, of course, I ate them all up. Though I guess I turned out all right, and I'm not gonna lie, I still love them today - for the same trashy, twisted reasons I loved them back then.