Daniel Stalter's Blog, page 8

THE HORROR AT CAMP JELLYJAM

Goosebumps #33: The Horror at Camp Jellyjam

 

Spoiler-Free Review

The Horror at Camp Jellyjam contained all of the elements I crave in a Goosebumps book. It wasn’t afraid to go big and get weird. The book opens with Wendy and her brother Evan arriving at the camp when the trailer that they’re hiding in gets unhitched from their parent’s car and they crash in the woods. Part of me was wondering if the whole book was just Wendy’s ICU fever dream because they were not wearing seatbelts. Buddy the c...

NYC QUEER COMIC FAIR 2022

NYC Queer Comic Fair

April 23 & 24, 2022
BGSQD
New York, NY

 

 

Overview:

This was my first show of 2022. I arrived very sweaty and barely on time. It was very warm inside the BGSQD, but it is still a lovely little space full of queer books. I had a little half-table setup next to James Dillenbeck. Attendance was light but remained consistent throughout both days. I did fine on sales. It was my first time doing a show with Reed’s beautiful new Riders in a Mink Cage. I got plenty of new mailing ...

APRIL FOOLS

April Fools
by Richie Tankersley Cusick

 

Spoiler-Free Review:

April Fools features one of the best opening chapters I’ve read in my Point Horror reviews. It flies out of the gate with a very believable and terrifying car accident. I was immediately invested in Belinda’s anxiety around the horrible decisions her friends were making. The rest of the book didn’t quite live up to the promise of this scene, but it was still an enjoyable read. I didn’t predict the ending, so kudos to Cusick for that...

THE BARKING GHOST

Goosebumps #32: The Barking Ghost

 

Spoiler-Free Review

I had heard The Barking Ghost was one of R.L. Stine’s least favorite Goosebumps books, and I can see why. The first act of the story showed a lot of potential and was setting things up nicely. So much so that I was beginning to think that the book’s reputation was misplaced. I was wrong. There was a fun concept hidden, but it was buried beneath a half-baked plot that descended into sheer stupidity by the end. I understand that some kids do ...

THE SURPRISE PARTY

Fear Street #2: The Surprise Party

   

Spoiler-Free Review

I had initially planned on skipping The Surprise Party and just sticking to the paranormal-themed Fear Street books for reading, but I changed my mind. I’m gonna read them, even if it won’t be in order. I thought The Surprise Party was really good. It was certainly would have made for a better launch to the series than The New Girl had been. I would consider it more of a crime thriller than a horror story, but it kept me engaged and gue...

THE MIDNIGHT CLUB

The Midnight Club
by Christopher Pike

 

Spoiler-Free Review:

The Midnight Club marks the first time I’ve cried while reading a Christopher Pike book. I was expecting it to be sad based on the premise, but I didn’t expect to be so moved by it. It reminded me of the best parts of Road to Nowhere. The whole concept of Rotterham House seemed a bit fantastical, but not in a bad way. It was fantastical in a way that elevated the story and fit the underlying spiritual themes. I am sure similar places ...

THE THRILL CLUB

Fear Street #24: The Thrill Club

   

Spoiler-Free Review

It is worth noting right off the bat that this is the one book in the main Fear Street series that is confirmed to have been ghostwritten. I’m no forensic expert in writing styles, but the narrative voice definitely felt different than the plethora of Stine’s books that I have read. All of that aside, The Thrill Club was a mixed bag. There were a few too many characters for how short the book was; which makes me think it would have been a...

DREAM DATE

Dream Date
by Sinclair Smith

 

Spoiler-Free Review:

Dream Date was stronger in concept than it was in execution. I really liked the ideas that Sinclair Smith was playing with here. There were some genuinely creepy moments, and there was even an example of a good boyfriend. That’s a rare find in these books. Katie’s journey was relatable for me, and I could see that being the case for a lot of teenagers. I was once painfully shy myself. That being said, Katie was quite bland for the main charact...

BAD DREAMS

Fear Street #22: Bad Dreams

   

Spoiler-Free Review

I had high hopes for this one. I love stories that play with dreams and a shifting sense of reality.  Bad Dreams was all set up to do exactly that… and then it just didn’t. It ended up feeling like a book just going through the motions. Everything that happens here, Stine has done before and he’s done it better. Both of the main characters were irritating. The sibling rivalry stuff led to a few good scenes but for the most part, it was exhaust...

VULNERABILITY, VALIDATION, & RAGE

“Even if your love was unconditional, it still wouldn’t be enough to save me.”
–Against Me!

 

I have spent a lot of time this past year reflecting on shame, validation, and vulnerability. It started when I watched Brene Brown’s Netflix special A Call to Courage, which I immediately followed by reading her book Daring Greatly. As a creative person, who regularly writes and puts their work out in the world, vulnerability is both necessary and terrifying. Writing a book is hard. Making art is hard....