طلسم عوضی

Goosebumps: Hall Of Horrors #6

by R.L. Stine, شهره نورصالحی (مترجم)

Welcome to the Hall of Horrors, HorrorLand's Hall of Fame for the truly terrifying.
Lee Hargrove wishes he could be lucky like his friend Cory Duckworth. Cory has to be the luckiest kid on the planet. Even Laura Groden, the girl Lee has a crush on, prefers to hang out with Cory. All Lee wants in life is to get a scholarship to Summer Sports Camp. But there's only one scholarship from his school and he's competing against Cory and Laura. Then Lee receives a good luck charm in the mail. It's a vulture's claw and Lee's life seems to change immediately. Until bad things start to happen. The vulture's claw is bringing really bad luck. Lee tries to give it to Cory as a birthday present but Cory already has one of his own. When both boys' luck take a turn for the worse, Laura wins the scholarship and admits to sending the bad luck charms to both boys.

Genres: Horror, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fiction, Novels, Mystery, Fantasy

168 pages

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

Robert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children's literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.

R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.

Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA's Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.

http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...

Reviews

[Elina · Rating 3 out of 5]

بعد چند سال هنوزم قلمت برام جذابیت داره مَرد :)))))

[Gavin Hetherington]

I read all 25 Goosebumps HorrorLand and Hall of Horrors books in one movie-length vlog on YouTube, check it out: https://youtu.be/DsKCfCAAt7g

[Austin Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a reread for me, but I loved it just as much as the first time.
I've made it clear that I generally am not a fan of the new era of Goosebumps books. From the Horrorland series onward, the books just aren't the same as they used to be. Not even the better books from Hall of Horrors, Most Wanted, or Slappyworld hold a candle to the better books from the original series or Series 2000. Yet, this one really surprised me. This is hands down one of my favorite of the newer GB books - possibly even my favorite.

This book is a very grounded and simple story. Our protagonist Lee Hargrove is competing against his friends in school to win a scholarship to a famous sports camp. There's not much horror or supernatural stuff going on here. We have a pretty basic adventure-type story that's very reminiscent of How I Learned to Fly (a great book from the original series), and also borrows elements from You Can't Scare Me and/or Are You Terrified Yet. Most of the book revolves around the competition and character-interactions between Lee and his friends. And, of course, the superstition / bad/good luck charms.
Lee is mysteriously gifted a charm that he wears with the hopes of it helping him win the scholarship. At first, it seems to work, and the good luck starts rolling in. Unfortunately, things go a bit awry when something happens to the charm, and its effects are reversed...

This is such a fun and entertaining story. There's lots of charm and humor. The humor is more subtle and comes in the form of the character interactions and Lee's inner monologue. It's nothing like Why I Quit Zombie School, which was full of slapstick and gross-out humor. I was genuinely amused by some of Lee's thoughts and reactions to certain situations. There's a certain charm about this book - almost of a whimsical nature that makes it a blast to read, even though it lacks the horror and suspense we come to expect from a GB book. There is some suspense to be had here, but again, it's all very grounded and realistic. Lives aren't exactly at stake here. But maybe that's part of the reason I love this book so much. It's different. Not only is it unique, but it's executed very well, something some of the previous books in this series can't boast about. This book isn't riddled with plot holes like some of the others. There are a couple of small things in here that you could debate the amount of logic behind (or lack of), but they are minor enough for me to ignore and simply enjoy the story.
I also love the twist ending on this one. Knowing what it was this time around, I think I actually enjoyed it more as I noticed all of the little hints and clues - and how cleverly they were woven into the story without being overt. Some of the final twists kind of bring down my ratings on the other HoH books, but it actually brings up my rating even more with this book.

If you're looking for a scary Goosebumps entry with supernatural occurrences and lots of tension, look elsewhere. This book's strong points are humor, character-development; even a couple of feel-good moments - this book just has heart to it. It's unlike anything I've read from the new era of Goosebumps. It does very well with elements that are normally either absent or poorly executed in other entries. I don't necessarily think this is a GB book that everyone will love - but I do, and it's safe to say that the Hall of Horrors series has saved the best for last.
Still, I don't think this story is quite perfect, and I'm giving it a 4.5 / 5.

There were a few things that bugged me a little. A couple of sequences where Lee faced some... injuries... that should have resulted in a different course of action than they did in the book. Also, I'm kind of mixed on a certain psychological aspect that is introduced a bit later on in the book. That portion of the story is dragged out for some time, but never fully explained. I didn't mind this part of the story, but it's a bit misleading at times and it's kind of forgotten about by the end with no elaboration on the cause of it.
Also, the title of the book, as good as it is, is a bit misleading. This story is NOT about a Birthday Party, even though there is one in the book.

Minor complaints aside, I highly recommend this book. A fresh, entertaining, and clever (yet simple) story from the master, R.L. Stine.

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

We see somewhat more authentic, complex relationships between the main characters than usual for a Goosebumps series in this finale to R.L. Stine's Hall of Horrors. Twelve-year-olds Lee Hargrove and Cory Duckworth, as well as their friend Laura, are athletic rivals vying for the lone scholarship to a special summer sports camp, yet Lee and Cory maintain a tenuous best-friendship despite the competitive animosity that arises between them. Feelings of congeniality and resentment have always battled for preeminence as the two friends struggled to surpass each other, with Cory normally getting the upper hand for one reason: his preternatural good luck. If there's a break to be caught, Cory's going to be in prime position to make the catch, with Lee left wishing he had Cory's flair for being in the right place at the right time. Now that they're after the same coveted camp scholarship, their friendship will be tested as never before, and in supernatural ways neither could have expected.

When Lee receives a package containing an ugly vulture's foot said to be a lucky charm, he throws caution to the wind and starts carrying it with him everywhere. Immediately the luck that has consistently gone Cory's way starts favoring Lee, to an extent that can't reasonably be dismissed as coincidence. But as the competition for the athletic scholarship nears its finish, Lee's luck again shifts dramatically, into a disturbing pattern of crazy mishaps and hyperrealistic nightmares that keep him awake nights. The vulture claw must be to blame, though Lee has no idea why its tide of positive luck has turned against him. Dispensing of the cursed talisman is his only chance to be rid of its evil, but is there a smarter option than merely throwing it in the trash? Could Lee clinch the scholarship by gifting Cory the claw, an offering ostensibly presented in friendship but surreptitiously intended to ruin his tiresome string of good luck? Lee has misgivings about sabotaging Cory, but if it's the only way to level the playing field, he'll do what he has to. Though there may be more to the story—and the origin of the mysterious claw—than Lee or Cory is aware...

After the chilling, ingeniously interwoven suspense of the Horrorland sub-series' first tier (starting with Revenge of the Living Dummy and concluding in The Streets of Panic Park), the third tier (Hall of Horrors) is less engrossing, but still fun. The six books each stand alone and can be taken in any order, and in my opinion Why I Quit Zombie School is by far the best. The extreme cover art of the first five volumes is less out-there for The Birthday Party of No Return!, and the book's logical consistency comes and goes, but the story has its moments. I'd probably give it one and a half stars, and for fans of the original Goosebumps series, it's a comfortable, nostalgic read. The Birthday Party of No Return! makes me crave more Goosebumps, and that has to be a point in its favor.

[Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good story for my birthday, lol
I like how it was the girl Laura that gave them both bad luck. That's how she managed to win ALL THIS TIME. I thought it was pretty good. Reminds me of his older Classics what they would have been like.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://spongey444.wordpress.com/2017...

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Hall of Horrors series is not impressing me.

[Tiffany Spencer]

The Birthday Party Of No Return
Lee Hargroove’s best friend is Cory “Lucky Duck” Duckworth. Everything he touches seems to come up 4 leaf clovers. All Lee can think about is getting a scholarship to Summer Sports Camp, but he’s up against Corey and Laura Grodin (who Lee has a crush on). Only one will win! They compete in three different sport (tennis, bowling, and football). They’ll also be judged in sportsmanship, improvement, and desire.

To bring home the point, the book starts with Corey finding 20.00 that he tries to return but no one claims it. So he gets to keep it. Lee isn’t hating on Corey. Not really. He just wishes he could borrow a little of his luck. Then the janitor who’s fixing a light fixture lets out a cry and the light fixture starts to fall toward Laura. Corey catches the light fixture before it kills Laura. This makes Lee jealous. *HE* should have been the one to save Laura’s life.

At basketball practice, Lee notices some guys in suits and ties checking out their game and wonders who they are. During the game, a bug flies in Lee’s eye and Corey makes an amazing shot. After the game, Lee recognizes the man as Franklin Howard. He comes up to him and congratulates him and tells him he has serious game. (Franklin Howard is the center on their city’s pro basket-ball team). He invites him to his team’s game to sit on the sideline.

Lee still has the bug on his eye. It’s attached itself to his eyeball. Coach finally gets it off with tweezers. His eye is red but it feels better. He goes to get Howard’s autograph but he’s already gone. He’s signed them for all the team. The Coach suggest he tighten his game. Lee wonders when it will ever be his day. Later, Lee receives a package that says Instant Good Luck. Thinking it’s a joke of Corey’s he puts the package in a drawer and doesn’t open it.

Some days later the tennis competition kicks off the first event. Corey has a new racket that are suppose to increase his chances. Lee’s eye starts to irritate him. He wins the first match tho. But unfortunately, the sun comes out and Corey’s serves go right past him. They switch sides and all of a sudden, the sun is on Corey’s eyes and he starts to miss serves. Lee wins 15 love. There are three more games. The shade comes out and he wins the rest of the matches.

Lee loses his ish and lets his tennis racket fly. It hits Mrs. Anderson in the head and she crumbles to the ground. She’s ok but she tells him he needs to work on his sportsmanship. Time to break out the package! In the box is a vultures claw. It’s attached to a pendant. The dog doesn’t like it (Arfy). Mom comes into the room and gives Lee a letter from Pizza Planant. He’s won a free pizza dinner for him and his family. Arfy tries to snatch the pendant. That night, Mom makes one of his favorites (buffalo chicken wings and mashed potatoes) meals. Dad also gives him a game he’s been asking for (for) months Battle Warrior World 2. Grades are posted. He’s not expecting to do good. He’s messed up on math test and didn’t turn a history paper on time. When he checks the school’s site he has all A’s.

In school, Lee gets permission to skip a test. Then Laura comes over to talk to him, but notices the claw and thinks it’s gross. She returns to her friends. He then finds the principal’s wallet and she gives him a 10.00 reward. He then tells Corey he wants a rematch. Of course, Lee wins. Its not such a good feeling to be on the other side of luck. Corey stomps off. When he gets home, Arfy snatches off the necklace and takes off running.

He gets it back, but it’s slightly bent -one of the talons-. He then trips down the stairs and hurts his ankle. When he gets to his room and goes into his laptop to check for an assignment, his laptop goes up in flames. He checks the claw. It seems ok except for the small tear. That night, Lee is restless and can’t sleep. He gets up to play his guitar and then notices his hand has turned into a claw! All the guitar strings pop. He wakes up and realizes it was a dream!

He looks at the claw, and then it comes alive and starts to chock him to death. He screams and wakes up his parents. When they ask him what’s wrong he says the claw tried to grab him. They tell him he was just having a nightmare. But even his mom has to admit he’s never had nightmares. He thinks maybe it was a nightmare inside a nightmare. Mom suggest he throw it away. He says no can do. When they leave, he can hear a heavy thumping against his chest, but he rationalizes it has to just be his heart.

The next day, Lee’s clothes are ruined. His jeans have a stain and the sleeves of his shirt are ripped. His comb also breaks. When he goes to hand his mom eggs to make breakfast, they crack and claws pop out. When he blinks the eggs are fine. Now the claw is working against Lee and he wonders what he can do to reverse the luck. The next event is bowling. Not only does he lose he drops a bowling ball on his toe. He doesn’t even get points for improvement or sportsmanship. On the way out, Lee finds a cell phone, turns it in, and as a reward gets a free hot fudge sundae. (Laura wins this event).

When Lee comes home, he accidently slams his hand in a drawer. He’s about to just throw the claw out the window, but then he gets an idea. Corey’s birthday is coming up. He’ll give him the claw as a good luck charm for his birthday. When Lee opens his gift he tells him thanks but he already has one. He asks why do you think he’s been so lucky and then gives Lee his back and tells him he’s an awesome friend. Lee tries to enjoy the rest of the party but when he goes to play Corey’s new Wii he sends the controller flying through the tv screen.

He then backs into the food table and turns over all the food. Then falls backwards into the birthday cake. Corey’s mom escorts him upstairs, asks if if was deliberate (he says no), and then calls his mom. He tells Corey that it was the claw and explains. Lee asks him didn’t he read the instructions (when he opened the package, Arfy ran off with the instructions. Then it was said he never read instructions). Corey shows him is instructions and they say that the claw will bring luck forever BUT you can’t kiss the claw (which Corey has done many times in the story) or the luck reverse and it will give you bad dreams.

Lee asks why he gave him the claw before he leaves. He says it was a bad idea, but Lee just gives him a cold look and says NOT COOL! Just then a vulture with a missing claw gets in the window and dives at Lee. He ducks but it turns out it’s only a hallucination. On the way home, he sees kids with claws for hands and a vulture lands on the hood of the car (more hallucinations). He also sees Arfy with a vultures head. While taking Arfy for a walk, his leesh breaks and the dog gets away. Lee chases him and ends up getting hit by a car.

When he gets home, his shoes are covered in dog poo. So, he tosses the claw in the garbage. The next day is the football part of the competion. Some good things happen that night. Mom makes chocolate chip cookies, dad gets them second row seats for a Stampede’s game, and Laura comes over. But some bad things happen too. Lee chocks on a cookie and he’s so nervous about the claw he can’t concentrate on their assignment. That night when he looks out the window, he sees the claw slithering across the grass. It turns out to be a turtle. But then the trash cans start to rattle. Lee tells himself it’s just the wind.

Before the football game begins, Corey is wearing his claw and takes it off and sits it on the bench. Coach calls him to go get his playbook. The claw falls to the floor. Lee sees it and kisses it all over. Corey comes back and they wish each other a good game. At the game, Corey and Lee get a concusion from bumping head first into each other. When Lee looks in his backpack for his phone, the claw is there. At the awards banquet, Laura, Corey, and Lee are announced as finalist for the sports camp. Corey-not knowing its tainted- gives his good luck talisman to Lee-who frantically tries to give it back. On stage, Corey starts to transform into a vulture. Then Lee. Then there’s a fight to the death.

Again, it turns out to be a hallucination. Lee and Corey are walking together and they talk about how they got to “wrestling” on stage. Lee after this took both charms and threw them in the sewer. Laura won the contest due to the fact the two boys got to fighting on stage. She then reveals that she was the one that sent both of them the charms so she could win the competition. They both had luck for a little while because it took a minute for the kiss to kick in. She’d kissed both of them before she even gave them to them. She was also the one that found Lee’s claw in the trash and put it in his book bag. She says sometimes you have to make your own luck!

My Thoughts
The title of this one was DECEPTIVE! Yes, there was a birthday party in the middle of the story but it only took up a few chapters. Because of this I wasn’t happy that I’d chosen a second book in a row with a sports theme (after reading Lose Team Lose). I thought this WHOLE story was going to be about a birthday party. I would have read it any way to finish up the series. Still...
And then as I was reading this, bits of it started to sound familiar. I was thinking have I read this one before. Although I knew I hadn’t. And that’s because it’s somewhat similar to Locker 13 in the Nightmare Room series. When you’ve written as many series as R. L. Stine has, I guess its hard to keep up with all the plots from the different books, but that’s why you need someone to help you keep track and say I that sounds too much like series X book number X. Readers actually do notice these things.

I wasn’t crazy about all the sports stuff but what I did really like was the ending and how Laura did what she had to do to get where she needed to be. Even tho it wasn’t “the right way” or the “moral” way. Then I was thinking if Lee had all this luck -at first- even not knowing about the claw then he could have just gotten his parents to get him into this sports camp and not even bothered with the competition. He was always claiming he was such a good friend to Lee. Wouldn’t that have just been fair?

Rating: 5

[Alejandro Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great concept with a mixed execution. The first 30 pages are alright and get the story going, but until page 90, the book is genuinely awful. It’s just predictable plot points and random shit happening, all leading up to the birthday scene which was hella disappointing for being the literal title of the book. The characters are overall pretty eh. I don’t like Lee by the end, the other dude was cool and the girl side character was okay and contributed a nice twist ending to the book. There are moments of body horror and creepy moments with the talon, but they aren’t really notable until page 90 and on. Past that is actually really darn good. There’s great hallucinations and added lore to the claw, creepy body horror, and a half decent scene involving the claw potentially moving. Without spoiling, I like the reveal scene of who won the scholarship. That went ballistic in a n awesome way. Like I mentioned, the ending was nice and added an interesting twist. 5/10 very different read. I wish it was executed much better though.

[Jose Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that goosebumps hall of horrors The birthday party of no return is a very good book because it has horror you can feel.There was a kid named Lee his friend named cory is a lucky person he always gets stuff way better than anyone in the school.Then one day Lee recaived a package that said this luck never runs out and Lee didnt take it serious at first and Cory was playing tennis with him and he lost.Then that night he looked at the box and the next morning he put it on and he had good luck for the whole day and at the end of the day he kissed it and went to bed.Then the next day the good luck charm was becoming bad luck because what he didn't know was that it was bad to kiss the charm.Then his friend Cory had a party and Lee was going to bring him his charm but he had one and his friend was disaponed in lee. Then at the end of the story Lee and Cory realized that his friend sended them.

[Alejandro Galindo]

This book is really good. Its about this kid named Lee Hargrove, and he has a friend named cory and laura. cory had alot of luck. lee always wanted to beat him in sports but he was just to lucky. one day he got a packaged, there was a rare vulture claw a lucky charm. he wore it to school the next day and he beat cory in sports and got lucky. He came home and started kissing it a whole bunch of times but kissing the vulture claw makes it turn to bad luck(obviously he didn't read the directions. at the end of the story turns out laura sent him the rare vulture claw and she kissed all over to give lee bad luck.

[Stacy Simpson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was terrible plain terrible. Moving on to the next.

[Angelica Obregon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Birthday Party of No Return by R.L. Stine – A Nostalgic, But Not-So-Spooky Read

Plot: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Out of the thousands of Goosebumps books, why did I pick this one? The concept of a mysterious talisman and a birthday party gone wrong sounded promising. I was ready for some eerie fun! But… meh. I get that these books are made for kids, so logic and plot holes aren’t really a big deal—but this one just didn’t land for me. Some Goosebumps books (Welcome to Dead House, Night of the Living Dummy) still manage to give me chills even as an adult, but this? Not so much. Entertaining? Sure. Thrilling? Not really.

Oh, and can we talk about the title? The Birthday Party of No Return?? Yeah, there’s a birthday party in the book, but it has basically nothing to do with the actual plot. Feels like they just slapped a spooky-sounding name on it and called it a day.

Characters: ⭐⭐ (2/5)

Look, I know Goosebumps characters aren’t exactly known for their depth, but wow—these ones were so annoying. I found myself rolling my eyes at their decisions more than feeling scared for them. Maybe kids wouldn’t mind, but as an adult reader, it was tough to stay invested.

Atmosphere: ⭐⭐ (1.5/5)

One of the best things about Goosebumps is the fast pace and those classic chapter-ending cliffhangers that keep you hooked. But here? The suspense was… nonexistent. No chills, no thrills, no goosebumps. Just a straightforward, somewhat bland ride that didn’t have the tension I was hoping for.

Ending: ⭐⭐ (1.5/5)

(Spoiler alert!) The ending was a choice, to say the least.Thep girl wins the competition, but only because the two boys were disqualified—making it seem like she never had a real shot in the first place. And then, plot twist: she cheated because she thought she wouldn’t win otherwise?? R.L. Stine, what are we doing here?! This is suppose to have moral lesson right? 😅

Overall Thoughts: ⭐⭐ (2/5)

If you’re a kid, this book might be a fun and quick read. If you’re an adult revisiting Goosebumps for nostalgia, well… you might want to pick a different one. It brought back childhood memories, sure, but it didn’t give me the same spooky magic that some of Stine’s other books still manage to pull off. Also, the title is completely misleading—so if you’re expecting a creepy birthday party, sorry to disappoint. That said, I’m not giving up on my Goosebumps reread—just hoping the next one actually goosebumps me.

Final Rating: 8/20 ⭐ (2/5 ⭐)

Would I recommend it? Only if you’re in it for pure nostalgia. Otherwise, maybe crack open Night of the Living Dummy instead!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compared to his friend Cory, Lee has no luck. Cory always getting lucky and with the promise of a scholarship to a sport's camp, Lee just wishes to be lucky enough to win it. The only problem is that his friend Lee and Laura are also in the bid for the single person scholarship.

There are three sports that will be used to determine who gets the scholarship. Tennis, bowling, and basketball. That's when Lee gets the claw. A vulture's claw that supposedly brings good luck. And for a while, everything was going Lee's way. He helped find a wallet for his principle and got rewarded for it. He wins the tennis match against Cory. Obviously, this rare luck charm is doing what it should until Lee kisses it. Then everything seems to turn to hell.

In wanting to get rid of the infernal thing Lee gifts it to Cory only o find out he has on but has read the direction to it. So, Cory gives Lee back his charm. Will Lee ever be free from his string of bad luck?

The turns n this books is fantastic. (although I don't really agree with the title since it was really only one scene in the book but I'm not the author of this horror book) An interesting story on luck and the ending is just didn't see that coming I wish we figured out where Laura got the good luck charms or more about if the two boys really did try to tear each other to shreds like birds or where they just merely wrestling

I believe that the target audience will enjoy this. At least I know the adult population does, like me.

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Good? The relationship between the three main characters is pretty interesting and in depth.

The Bad? Everything else. There are absolutely no scares. There are very few twists. It's a book about bad luck. There is potential here I suppose but there needs to be so much more. What is the claw's backstory? I feel like this could have been a story from the original series and then in the Hall of Horrors series we get more explanation. Stine has done this by adding some history to Slappy, Monster Blood, and the Haunted Mask in books outside of the original series. That would be interesting here but as a standalone book, it's just bad. This slots into my bottom five with Little Shop of Hamsters, How I Learned to Fly, Welcome to Camp Slither, and Legend of the Lost Legend. I'd put it ever so slightly above How I Learned to Fly but worse than Welcome to Camp Slither.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lee is desperate to win his school's scholarship to Sports Camp, because that's the only way he'll be able to go. But first he'll have to beat out his friends Cory and Laura, both of whom are arguably better than he is at sports. Lee's chances may have improved when a mysterious package shows up with a raven's claw in it, and a note claiming it's for good. But the claw seems to be having the opposite affect on Lee and his chance of going to Sports Camp are quickly receding.
A little bit different than the typical Goosebump books, it mainly centered around the bad luck that seems to follow Lee every where. There's a plot twist that's pretty easy to see, and thus a predictable ending, but it was still entertaining.

[Betsy And The Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m starting to read some Goosebumps books again as an adult. The original books is what got me into reading in middle school and I just love RL Stine writing and the twists he always puts at the end of every Goosebumps book.

I enjoyed this story and I thought it was really interesting. The twist did get me at the end I actually gasped when it happened. There were some funny moments too. But I just don’t think this is as good as the originals but I still had so much fun reading it.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s possible that my rating here is a little harsh. Yes, this is a somewhat pedestrian retelling of the old’ monkey’s paw story, and yes, the big twist ending is easy to see coming. But the book isn’t ineffective, nor is it unenjoyable. The brisk pacing and plot turns kept my boys (ages five and seven) enthralled. It’s a perfectly fine entertainment for the Halloween season.

[Serena · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars
I’m so incredibly disappointed with this one, what a snooze fest. Very misleading too, the birthday party was barely a part of this story. It’s like Stine had a good title and didn’t have a story to attach it to, so he rushed a birthday party somewhere in the middle to tie it together. Repetitive, not even close to scary. But at least the cover is cool, right?

[Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some story book cannot let reader have lot of thinking of the story,but "the birthday party of no return!"like a Puzzles game,because you choose is influences the story.I think it is the more Attractive of this book.

[shane stoneley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book with deep points

The book was very well thought and written, although it is similar to Be careful what you wish for.

I loved the communication and feelings between the boys. It was very realistic and highlighted what a lot of boys are like nowadays.

[Abhijay Nair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for a 4th grader, making his way to the spooky world.

Unique theme, though this time

[Pratham · Rating 3 out of 5]

No storyline

[Thomas-James · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a quirky little tale! If you think about it it’s pretty odd that we think some sort of personal item is “lucky”.

[Mohamed Zahil]

This was a fantastic book I hope to read more horror stories of MR.stine

[Fabio Sagebin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super good book.


Loved the twist at the end and I loved the characters. Super fun and I loved the reference to pizza planet.

[Edie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute one and I really liked the little twist at the end.

[Shelby Stubbs · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is about a boy, Lee Hargrove, who has a friend that is very lucky. There is a scholarship for a summer sports camp that Lee is trying to will. The bad news is so is his friend and everyone else. One day Lee receives a package with a lucky charm, and when he starts wearing it he starts having good luck. When something good happens he starts kissing his lucky charm. Until one day it becomes unlucky and bad things start happening to him. He finds out that his friend also has one and that’s why he has such great luck. Things get so bad that Lee and his friend get into a fight. Eventually they get rid of the charms and things go back to normal. This book was not what I expected and made me question why the book was named what it was named. This book was more of a fun read than a suspenseful read.

[Lidojack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good, not great, book. There were many good parts in the story and it involved having luck. There is one thing in particular that got me wondering, how does a vulture's claw be considered a sign of good luck? Then it came to me halfway through the story, there is a catch and it involves bad luck as well to other people. This was a good book in that whenever the main character had the claw on him, for the first few days, he had nothing but good luck and then he felt that his bad luck came back as soon as he was receiving signs of bad luck. This was an interesting book that got me to think about what the luck really involves in real life.

[Zak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is a nice long read. I got it on my 2000000'th birthday and it took me 100 years to finish. I love twists and turns of this. this is the only thing that I like besides beating up meat! At the beginning Lee Hargrove is jelous because his friend cory got a package of 10000000000000000000 tacos but then at the end lee ate all of them at one time and became so fat his belly exploded.