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Trick or Zombie Treat
On Halloween night, 1998, five boys go trick or treating and eat magical candy that transforms them into real-life versions of their costumes… but so does a group of teenagers dressed as zombies.
Tommy (12 years old), in his homemade Boba Fett costume, gets a real jetpack and laser gun. Aaron (13), wearing his Shaquille O’Neal basketball jersey, grows seven feet tall. Rich (also 13), an army Marine, gets a real machine gun. Brandon (11), dressed in ghost sheets, turns into…a ghost. And Donny (9), in his velociraptor costume, turns into…a tiny lizard.
Tommy, Aaron, and Rich are thrilled with their transformations, but Ghost Brandon wants his body back—and the body of his little brother Donny. The boys return to the house of the witch who gave them the magic candy, but along the way Lizard Donny is stolen by a vampire bat, their neighbor who was dressed as Dracula.
Using the powers of their costumes, the boys must work together to get Donny back and figure out how to undo the witch's spell, all while avoiding being eaten by the teenage zombies plus other monsters loose in the neighborhood. The boys must do it all before their 10:00 p.m. curfew, or else they'll have to face the scariest monsters of their parents.
Trick or Zombie Treat : a novel by T.Z. Barry
Read it nowif you dare. And no matter what time of year it may be... Happy Halloween!
Tommy (12 years old), in his homemade Boba Fett costume, gets a real jetpack and laser gun. Aaron (13), wearing his Shaquille O’Neal basketball jersey, grows seven feet tall. Rich (also 13), an army Marine, gets a real machine gun. Brandon (11), dressed in ghost sheets, turns into…a ghost. And Donny (9), in his velociraptor costume, turns into…a tiny lizard.
Tommy, Aaron, and Rich are thrilled with their transformations, but Ghost Brandon wants his body back—and the body of his little brother Donny. The boys return to the house of the witch who gave them the magic candy, but along the way Lizard Donny is stolen by a vampire bat, their neighbor who was dressed as Dracula.
Using the powers of their costumes, the boys must work together to get Donny back and figure out how to undo the witch's spell, all while avoiding being eaten by the teenage zombies plus other monsters loose in the neighborhood. The boys must do it all before their 10:00 p.m. curfew, or else they'll have to face the scariest monsters of their parents.
Trick or Zombie Treat : a novel by T.Z. Barry
Read it nowif you dare. And no matter what time of year it may be... Happy Halloween!
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2015
10 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 19, 2025
If you like your Halloween reads with a dash of sci-fi whimsy, a sprinkle of mild horror, and a generous helping of ’90s nostalgia, 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐫 𝐙𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 by T.Z. Barry delivers a fun, if somewhat uneven, ride. Set on Halloween night in 1998, the story follows a group of five boys who eat some “magic candy” that turns them into real versions of their costumes, but with a wild twist: a gang of teenagers dressed in zombie costumes who ate the same candy are now actual zombies. What follows is a fast-paced, chaotic night full of jetpacks, ghosts, monsters, and one very unlucky kid-turned-raptor lizard.
What I really enjoyed was how the story captures that old-school Halloween vibe, with kids running through the neighborhood, getting into trouble, and facing something way bigger than themselves. It has that classic ’90s feel that reminds me of 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘴 or 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘥, even a little 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯. The writing can feel a little uneven in spots and the pacing dips once or twice, but overall, it’s such a fun and creative concept that it’s hard not to smile through it. The humor, the imagination, and the chaos all work together to make it a light but entertaining read for all ages.
It’s not a dark horror story by any means. It’s more of a fun, imaginative romp that’s perfect for spooky season. Easily a 4-star read. If you want something short, clever, and a little offbeat to get you in the Halloween spirit, 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐫 𝐙𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 is definitely worth unwrapping.
What I really enjoyed was how the story captures that old-school Halloween vibe, with kids running through the neighborhood, getting into trouble, and facing something way bigger than themselves. It has that classic ’90s feel that reminds me of 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘴 or 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘥, even a little 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯. The writing can feel a little uneven in spots and the pacing dips once or twice, but overall, it’s such a fun and creative concept that it’s hard not to smile through it. The humor, the imagination, and the chaos all work together to make it a light but entertaining read for all ages.
It’s not a dark horror story by any means. It’s more of a fun, imaginative romp that’s perfect for spooky season. Easily a 4-star read. If you want something short, clever, and a little offbeat to get you in the Halloween spirit, 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐫 𝐙𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 is definitely worth unwrapping.
September 19, 2025
This was a fun Middle Grade Horror read just in time for spooky season. Tweens, teens and adults will enjoy this one. It took place in the 90's which was an added bonus for me because I grew up in the 90's. It was very nostalgic and hit the spot.
Trick or Zombie Treat follows five boys as they go trick or treating on Halloween in 1998. They decide to visit the urban legend house of the witch and eat the candy given to them that turns them into their costumes FOR REAL. Meanwhile, they're up against a bunch of zombies and other monsters in the neighborhood. Talk about scary!
Give this a go if you enjoy horror and all things spooky.
Trick or Zombie Treat follows five boys as they go trick or treating on Halloween in 1998. They decide to visit the urban legend house of the witch and eat the candy given to them that turns them into their costumes FOR REAL. Meanwhile, they're up against a bunch of zombies and other monsters in the neighborhood. Talk about scary!
Give this a go if you enjoy horror and all things spooky.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews