What do you think?
Horror High #1
Toxic Beauty
Bethany is tired of feeling plain and ordinary. Tired of being ignored. If only she was beautiful then everyone would want to be her friend, everyone would take notice - even Ryan. When a mysterious man offers to make all of Bethany's wildest dreams come true, she jumps at the chance. But she has no idea the terrible price that she'll have to pay.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
About the author
Caroline B. Cooney
131 books1,798 followersCaroline Cooney knew in sixth grade that she wanted to be a writer when "the best teacher I ever had in my life" made writing her main focus. "He used to rip off covers from The New Yorker and pass them around and make us write a short story on whichever cover we got. I started writing then and never stopped!"
When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."
To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!
- Scholastic.com
When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."
To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!
- Scholastic.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 28, 2012
I only actually read this while crossing out every single line as part of an artwork for Uni - and quite honestly, the book is infinitely better and only marginally less readable with every word covered in black marker.
(for example: the words "beauty" and "beautiful" are written (an average of) 1 time every page, not counting other adjectives such as "pretty", "lovely", "perfect" - all referring to vanity, and suggesting that people are utterly worthless without beauty.)
(for example: the words "beauty" and "beautiful" are written (an average of) 1 time every page, not counting other adjectives such as "pretty", "lovely", "perfect" - all referring to vanity, and suggesting that people are utterly worthless without beauty.)
July 25, 2016
Nope...
I only finished this because it was tiny, but otherwise... just... NOPE!
I only finished this because it was tiny, but otherwise... just... NOPE!
October 25, 2011
***SPOILERS AHEAD FOLKS! SORRY! I COULDN'T HELP IT!***
I'm not sure there are words that describe just how bad this book is. It's just a teenage girl whining about wanting to be beautiful. I can tell you the story if you like so then you don't have to bother putting yourself through the torture. Are you ready?
"Girl moves to a new town. Girl starts at the local school. Girl starts to settle in. Girl then finds out that the beautiful people hate her (well not hate, more indifferent). Girl sells their souls to a vampire in exchange for beauty and brains. Girl realises that the people that she stole them from deserve them more than her. Girl gives them back. The End."
It's literally just that only with a lot more whining. I'm saving you by telling you that. It took the author 182 pages to write but I did it in a paragraph. That means there's a lot of whiny filler. Not much happens to creep out the reader. The only upside is that because the book is so short there isn't a massive amount of dragging out. I wasn't a fan of the writing, it didn't capture my attention and I was constantly counting how many pages I had left.
I felt no sympathy for the MC, Bethany Fountain. She was a really shallow, selfish individual that was more than happy to take what was never hers. She learnt her lesson in the end but I feel that if her mother hadn't been threatened she'd have been more than happy to continue living the lie that she'd created. All of the other characters are just stereotypes and not really worth mentioning. So I don't think I'll bother.
Overall this is a very poor excuse for a novel. I don't know how it got published - let alone republished. Actually I know how it got republished, it contains the word vampire. Publishers hear that word and their brains go "ka-ching!" I have nothing positive to say about this book but I refuse to say nothing at all. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, even if they were desperate for a vampire novel. Just walk past this and pretend it doesn't exist.
I'm not sure there are words that describe just how bad this book is. It's just a teenage girl whining about wanting to be beautiful. I can tell you the story if you like so then you don't have to bother putting yourself through the torture. Are you ready?
"Girl moves to a new town. Girl starts at the local school. Girl starts to settle in. Girl then finds out that the beautiful people hate her (well not hate, more indifferent). Girl sells their souls to a vampire in exchange for beauty and brains. Girl realises that the people that she stole them from deserve them more than her. Girl gives them back. The End."
It's literally just that only with a lot more whining. I'm saving you by telling you that. It took the author 182 pages to write but I did it in a paragraph. That means there's a lot of whiny filler. Not much happens to creep out the reader. The only upside is that because the book is so short there isn't a massive amount of dragging out. I wasn't a fan of the writing, it didn't capture my attention and I was constantly counting how many pages I had left.
I felt no sympathy for the MC, Bethany Fountain. She was a really shallow, selfish individual that was more than happy to take what was never hers. She learnt her lesson in the end but I feel that if her mother hadn't been threatened she'd have been more than happy to continue living the lie that she'd created. All of the other characters are just stereotypes and not really worth mentioning. So I don't think I'll bother.
Overall this is a very poor excuse for a novel. I don't know how it got published - let alone republished. Actually I know how it got republished, it contains the word vampire. Publishers hear that word and their brains go "ka-ching!" I have nothing positive to say about this book but I refuse to say nothing at all. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, even if they were desperate for a vampire novel. Just walk past this and pretend it doesn't exist.
Read
April 22, 2026Toxic Beauty (Horror High)
Bethany Fountain and her family have just moved into a new house in a new state. She’s left alone in her tower, attic, bedroom while her family goes out to get food. Alone, she decides to play “the beautiful game”. All the while wishing that it wasn’t *just* a game. Bethany feels wind through the shutters and reaches out to touch them. In front of her face appears… another hand. A hand with long fingernails of silver, wrinkled like crushed foil.
Her hands rise but Bethany jerks them back and stumbles back down the tower stairs into the kitchen where her brother has come back with the food. She feels the second hands close around the food. Bethany wonders who is in this house with me. Her mother says its just nerves from starting high school the next day. Nothing that a good night’s sleep won’t cure. Bethany tries to get out of it by saying she’s changed her mind about sleeping in the tower, but her mother says it’ll be “darling” when it’s all dolled up.
Late that night while Bethany is in bed, the other hand clasps down over her mouth. She rips it away and switches on the light. Nothings there. She tries to relax and tell herself it’s just school jitters. All the room needs is to be fixed up in cheery colors. But then she sees when she lies back down her shadow isn’t attached to her. It’s on the other side of the room exploring on it’s own.
Bethany closes her eyes but it doesn’t help. When she wakes up the next morning the light is off, but none of her family says they turned it off. Before getting ready to go to school, she again wishes to be one of the beautiful, popular, girls. Something draws her outside on this cold, gray, day. She looks up at her tower and the shutters bang. There’s no wind. Then they curve up into a smile. Bethany makes a wish and its heard by the dark path.
When Bethany goes back inside, it seems as if time has stood still. Her family is still at the breakfast table. Bethany tells her parents she wants to sleep in the guest room, but her mother says no that’s for the guest. A strange shadow (the one with the fingernails) follows Bethany to school. Bethany is assigned three buddies to show her around (two girls and one boy). The girl’s name is Grace. The boy’s name is Ryan.
Beth and Grace take biology together. Because Grace is beautiful, Bethany is jealous. She manipulates Bethany with this “beauty” to do their whole dissection assignment, pats her on the name, and says she’s a “sweetie”. Countless times in this day Bethany says she wants to cry. Again, she wishes she could be beautiful and look like Grace. Now the wish has been completed.
Grace passes Bethany over to Ryan and she finds out from him that a creepy girl used to live in the house. More people around them chime in in agreement. Bethany assures him she’s going to paint the house, but he says it’ll take more than that. In English class, Bethany notices a girl named Laura that’s confident (despite the lack of interest she has in clothes) and smart. After class, Bethany makes the comment that Laura looks nice. Even Laura has to laugh at this and says “nice” isn’t normally a word they use around here. She introduces her to William (who really does seem to be the nice one). Laura says she’s the smartest one. She, Laura, Ryan, and William have lunch together.
By the time they go back to class, she wishes she were smart like Laura. She also throws in famous, rich, and talented. But Beautiful above all. Her third escort is Ella (a short-tempered girl who makes it clear she doesn’t want to do it). Bethany gets disinterest in this class and messed with by one of the students. (I’m not sure what class this is). She decides she hates Ella when she passes her off to Ryan to show her the way out after school. William (not Bill) and Ryan tell her she’s not a great person but she’s rich. No one sees this but her shadow races to catch up to her as she gets in her mom’s car. It gets in and disappears against the upholstery.
The next day, the weather is good and school is perfect. Everyone is friendly. She goes shopping that weekend. Every style is flattering and fits. Her dad and brother fix the room (and the shutters) so its airy and bright. Something strange happens with Luke. His expressions start to change and his voice comes out in a mumble. He tells her she schold take the downstairs bedroom after all… because he wants her to be alright.
Bethany scoffs at this and tells him to leave her alone and let her be happy. Lucke is about to leave when she sees him decapitated and feels the hand stroke her back. He tells her she deserves whatever she gets. On Thursday, Bethany is late for school. She overhears Ryan and Grace in the hall (who think she’s absent) and finds out they don’t really want her as a friend. They’re just following the school rules. Ryan says eventually she’ll find other friends and drift off. Grace says no. She’ll never get the hint and from now on will be hanging around them forever.
Grace says she only volunteered because Bethany looked smart and she thought she’d “help her” pass biology and she could cheat off her but she turned out to be just as dumb as she is. Ryan said he only did it to be around Laura-whose into charity cases-. It seems as if they’re a couple. Bethany doesn’t feel mad at them. Just guilty for being a burden. So, Bethany tells Grace she can find her way around now and won’t need her anymore. She does the same with Ryan. They move on and she doesn’t see them again. The only one who still speaks to her is Laura.
Bethany’s shadow in the story has a tendency to act on its own. She also feels a cold sensation come over her and tells her family at the table “she’s rotting”. One night, she hears a voice but she can’t understand the words. She gets up and feels the sensations of an earth quake. Then she feels hot and like she’s suffocating. Her shadow is ripped and severed from her body. A man from the cracks in the shutters emerges and tells her he’s come about her wish. She says she wants its all. He says that’s a thousand wishes and she needs to start with one.
He says he’ll give her Grace’s beauty and she... will get what she deserves. So, she says the wish out loud and he vanishes. Before he does, she sees he’s a vampire and she knows what will happen to Grace.But she doesn’t take it back. She feels good about it. Grace and Bethany are still biology partners. Grace demands she dissect the cow’s eyeball. She asks what she’ll do for her. Grace is like do for *you*? Please, do you know *who* I am. So, Bethany says ok. Her shadow distiches itself. Bethany opens a window and lets the dark in. She instructs Grace to go to the back of the room.
The vampire visits her that night. He tells her it was a good exchange. She got Grace’s beauty and he got to feed. But he assures her she’ll be absent for a few weeks and then when she comes back she’ll be plain. When Bethany looks in the mirror, she’s now beautiful. For a minute the next day, when her bro5ther Luke calls her name it takes her a minute to remember she’s in her own house. Luke tells her she looks great!
At school, Bethany gets stares from the girls and guys. She gets to snub Ella who asks where she got her skirt (and that she wants one like it). She simply replies I forget. A girl named Eleanor tells her she wants to nominate her for Valentine’s Sweetheart Princess. William says he’ll second the nomination. As she accepts, she hears the vampire’s laugh. The others hear it too, but shrug it off. Bethany has a very clear thought. I owe him and he’s here to collect.
Bethany goes to the bathroom to check her beauty. As soon as she starts to question if its worth it, the beauty starts to slid off her face. She quickly takes it back when he says she insulted his gift. And she reminds him she really did give him Grace. Her beauty returns and never disappears again.
Ryan and Bethany go to the donut house and he tells her he visited Grace and she’s…. ugly. Permanently ugly. Bethany can’t believe that he’s only been with her a minute and he’s judging her on her looks. He then asks Bethany to the Valentine’s dance. Even tho she realizes what kind of boy he is, she says she’d like that. The vampire comes to Bethany after a game and tells her has a choice. The next day, their paths will cross and she’ll have to make the choice between being beautiful of being kind.
Grace comes back to school to participate in the contest but everyone in disbelief because she’s let herself go so much she can’t possibly think she can be Valentine’s Queen. Laura says she and William will nominate her for Queen tho. Because of this Grace even looks a little better. Bethany is relieved. Now she doesn’t have to do anything. The Vampire says he thought she’d choose kindness but no matter. She belongs to him and they’re a team now.
Grace doesn’t come back for a week and when she does the only ones that half know her are William and Laura. Now she’s just a half-thing that people only give half their attention to. If any. At the dance, Laura asks Ryan why Grace isn’t coming back to school. He says he doesn’t know. Laura says to make her feel better and coax her back they should elect her sweetheart even tho she’s not at the dance. Laura asks Bethany if she can have her vote and she says it’s a lovely idea (even tho her had is say NO! I’m the most beautiful! You can’t have my vote!). So, she is and Laura becomes the nights real sweetheart.
The vampire comes to her that night and she wishes he’d just leave her alone. She says she’s satisfied but he says she’ll never be satisfied because now she wants William. He then says she’s going to “do it again”. In exchange he’ll give her Laura’s brains. Bethany doesn’t want to do that to Laura. She argues that being beautiful is enough. Still, she ends up speaking the wish and the vampire goes off to fulfill it.
There’s a competition at school, and Bethany scores all the answers. She justifies this by thinking of what Laura did at the dance. They go out afterwards. Bethany asks William how Laura is and he says he doesn’t know. Maybe he’s just in a slump. Bethany bumps into Grace who asks are they still friends. She’s been having a bad time lately. Another girl tells her she should go into modeling. It’s Laura. Both now just shells of their former selves.
One day, Bethany is looking at her mother listening to embarrassing music and cleaning and she wishes for another mother. She says no when she realizes what she’s said and says she takes it back. Her mother sees something in the trees and Bethany sees the vampire in the trees. She goes out to confront him and tell him to stay away from her mother. He asks her why settle but she says she wants to keep her mother. He says she let him in and plus she can’t change her mind in the middle of her transformation. She wanted it all and that’s what she’s getting.
She says she takes it back and doesn’t want it anymore. He says he’ll post pone her mother if she gets him a girl named Sarah. She says no. He says ok then he’ll take her mother. So, she agrees that tomorrow she’ll get him Sarah. The next day, Laura says her grades are dropping and her mother’s really been on her case. Sarah tells Bethany she’s new there and Bethany decides the vampire can’t have Sarah.
She asks her high school challenge team how to get rid of a vampire. They give her the typical answers (stakes, garlic, crosses). She asks Ryan what happened to the creepy girl. He says she just disappeared. Ryan and William remember her telling her boyfriend her shutter were haunted. Noone can remember her name.
Bethany discovers a door with a cross on it and takes it off the hinges. But she discovers her strength is enough. The vampire can’t come where wishes don’t whisper. She decides to try to give back what she stole. Then she decides the ordinary things are what’s beautiful. Her beauty and brains leave and return to Grace and Laura. But she has love and decides that’s enough.
Rating: 5 and a half. Tho I admit this was VERY badly written! The plot was shallow and the characters were whiny (Beth) and one dimensional this actually had a good message. It’s easy to find yourself at some point in life saying why couldn’t I have had? Why do they get XYZ? Wasn’t I…? Didn’t I deserve? But then like Bethany found out that sometimes we can see these things we want so desperately and when we get them at the end of the day the thing isn’t even worth it. Bethany spent half this book wanting to be beautiful page after page after page. But when she *did* get it, she saw that 1) it kind of changed who she was. It got to the point where she was willing to steal and sell other people’s souls (and compromise her own) to get it and 2) she saw how swallow the guy she liked was and only wanted her *because* she was beautiful. As soon as Grace got “ugly” he was on to the next one. So… even if a book isn’t that great this just proves you can still learn something from it of importance.
Bethany Fountain and her family have just moved into a new house in a new state. She’s left alone in her tower, attic, bedroom while her family goes out to get food. Alone, she decides to play “the beautiful game”. All the while wishing that it wasn’t *just* a game. Bethany feels wind through the shutters and reaches out to touch them. In front of her face appears… another hand. A hand with long fingernails of silver, wrinkled like crushed foil.
Her hands rise but Bethany jerks them back and stumbles back down the tower stairs into the kitchen where her brother has come back with the food. She feels the second hands close around the food. Bethany wonders who is in this house with me. Her mother says its just nerves from starting high school the next day. Nothing that a good night’s sleep won’t cure. Bethany tries to get out of it by saying she’s changed her mind about sleeping in the tower, but her mother says it’ll be “darling” when it’s all dolled up.
Late that night while Bethany is in bed, the other hand clasps down over her mouth. She rips it away and switches on the light. Nothings there. She tries to relax and tell herself it’s just school jitters. All the room needs is to be fixed up in cheery colors. But then she sees when she lies back down her shadow isn’t attached to her. It’s on the other side of the room exploring on it’s own.
Bethany closes her eyes but it doesn’t help. When she wakes up the next morning the light is off, but none of her family says they turned it off. Before getting ready to go to school, she again wishes to be one of the beautiful, popular, girls. Something draws her outside on this cold, gray, day. She looks up at her tower and the shutters bang. There’s no wind. Then they curve up into a smile. Bethany makes a wish and its heard by the dark path.
When Bethany goes back inside, it seems as if time has stood still. Her family is still at the breakfast table. Bethany tells her parents she wants to sleep in the guest room, but her mother says no that’s for the guest. A strange shadow (the one with the fingernails) follows Bethany to school. Bethany is assigned three buddies to show her around (two girls and one boy). The girl’s name is Grace. The boy’s name is Ryan.
Beth and Grace take biology together. Because Grace is beautiful, Bethany is jealous. She manipulates Bethany with this “beauty” to do their whole dissection assignment, pats her on the name, and says she’s a “sweetie”. Countless times in this day Bethany says she wants to cry. Again, she wishes she could be beautiful and look like Grace. Now the wish has been completed.
Grace passes Bethany over to Ryan and she finds out from him that a creepy girl used to live in the house. More people around them chime in in agreement. Bethany assures him she’s going to paint the house, but he says it’ll take more than that. In English class, Bethany notices a girl named Laura that’s confident (despite the lack of interest she has in clothes) and smart. After class, Bethany makes the comment that Laura looks nice. Even Laura has to laugh at this and says “nice” isn’t normally a word they use around here. She introduces her to William (who really does seem to be the nice one). Laura says she’s the smartest one. She, Laura, Ryan, and William have lunch together.
By the time they go back to class, she wishes she were smart like Laura. She also throws in famous, rich, and talented. But Beautiful above all. Her third escort is Ella (a short-tempered girl who makes it clear she doesn’t want to do it). Bethany gets disinterest in this class and messed with by one of the students. (I’m not sure what class this is). She decides she hates Ella when she passes her off to Ryan to show her the way out after school. William (not Bill) and Ryan tell her she’s not a great person but she’s rich. No one sees this but her shadow races to catch up to her as she gets in her mom’s car. It gets in and disappears against the upholstery.
The next day, the weather is good and school is perfect. Everyone is friendly. She goes shopping that weekend. Every style is flattering and fits. Her dad and brother fix the room (and the shutters) so its airy and bright. Something strange happens with Luke. His expressions start to change and his voice comes out in a mumble. He tells her she schold take the downstairs bedroom after all… because he wants her to be alright.
Bethany scoffs at this and tells him to leave her alone and let her be happy. Lucke is about to leave when she sees him decapitated and feels the hand stroke her back. He tells her she deserves whatever she gets. On Thursday, Bethany is late for school. She overhears Ryan and Grace in the hall (who think she’s absent) and finds out they don’t really want her as a friend. They’re just following the school rules. Ryan says eventually she’ll find other friends and drift off. Grace says no. She’ll never get the hint and from now on will be hanging around them forever.
Grace says she only volunteered because Bethany looked smart and she thought she’d “help her” pass biology and she could cheat off her but she turned out to be just as dumb as she is. Ryan said he only did it to be around Laura-whose into charity cases-. It seems as if they’re a couple. Bethany doesn’t feel mad at them. Just guilty for being a burden. So, Bethany tells Grace she can find her way around now and won’t need her anymore. She does the same with Ryan. They move on and she doesn’t see them again. The only one who still speaks to her is Laura.
Bethany’s shadow in the story has a tendency to act on its own. She also feels a cold sensation come over her and tells her family at the table “she’s rotting”. One night, she hears a voice but she can’t understand the words. She gets up and feels the sensations of an earth quake. Then she feels hot and like she’s suffocating. Her shadow is ripped and severed from her body. A man from the cracks in the shutters emerges and tells her he’s come about her wish. She says she wants its all. He says that’s a thousand wishes and she needs to start with one.
He says he’ll give her Grace’s beauty and she... will get what she deserves. So, she says the wish out loud and he vanishes. Before he does, she sees he’s a vampire and she knows what will happen to Grace.But she doesn’t take it back. She feels good about it. Grace and Bethany are still biology partners. Grace demands she dissect the cow’s eyeball. She asks what she’ll do for her. Grace is like do for *you*? Please, do you know *who* I am. So, Bethany says ok. Her shadow distiches itself. Bethany opens a window and lets the dark in. She instructs Grace to go to the back of the room.
The vampire visits her that night. He tells her it was a good exchange. She got Grace’s beauty and he got to feed. But he assures her she’ll be absent for a few weeks and then when she comes back she’ll be plain. When Bethany looks in the mirror, she’s now beautiful. For a minute the next day, when her bro5ther Luke calls her name it takes her a minute to remember she’s in her own house. Luke tells her she looks great!
At school, Bethany gets stares from the girls and guys. She gets to snub Ella who asks where she got her skirt (and that she wants one like it). She simply replies I forget. A girl named Eleanor tells her she wants to nominate her for Valentine’s Sweetheart Princess. William says he’ll second the nomination. As she accepts, she hears the vampire’s laugh. The others hear it too, but shrug it off. Bethany has a very clear thought. I owe him and he’s here to collect.
Bethany goes to the bathroom to check her beauty. As soon as she starts to question if its worth it, the beauty starts to slid off her face. She quickly takes it back when he says she insulted his gift. And she reminds him she really did give him Grace. Her beauty returns and never disappears again.
Ryan and Bethany go to the donut house and he tells her he visited Grace and she’s…. ugly. Permanently ugly. Bethany can’t believe that he’s only been with her a minute and he’s judging her on her looks. He then asks Bethany to the Valentine’s dance. Even tho she realizes what kind of boy he is, she says she’d like that. The vampire comes to Bethany after a game and tells her has a choice. The next day, their paths will cross and she’ll have to make the choice between being beautiful of being kind.
Grace comes back to school to participate in the contest but everyone in disbelief because she’s let herself go so much she can’t possibly think she can be Valentine’s Queen. Laura says she and William will nominate her for Queen tho. Because of this Grace even looks a little better. Bethany is relieved. Now she doesn’t have to do anything. The Vampire says he thought she’d choose kindness but no matter. She belongs to him and they’re a team now.
Grace doesn’t come back for a week and when she does the only ones that half know her are William and Laura. Now she’s just a half-thing that people only give half their attention to. If any. At the dance, Laura asks Ryan why Grace isn’t coming back to school. He says he doesn’t know. Laura says to make her feel better and coax her back they should elect her sweetheart even tho she’s not at the dance. Laura asks Bethany if she can have her vote and she says it’s a lovely idea (even tho her had is say NO! I’m the most beautiful! You can’t have my vote!). So, she is and Laura becomes the nights real sweetheart.
The vampire comes to her that night and she wishes he’d just leave her alone. She says she’s satisfied but he says she’ll never be satisfied because now she wants William. He then says she’s going to “do it again”. In exchange he’ll give her Laura’s brains. Bethany doesn’t want to do that to Laura. She argues that being beautiful is enough. Still, she ends up speaking the wish and the vampire goes off to fulfill it.
There’s a competition at school, and Bethany scores all the answers. She justifies this by thinking of what Laura did at the dance. They go out afterwards. Bethany asks William how Laura is and he says he doesn’t know. Maybe he’s just in a slump. Bethany bumps into Grace who asks are they still friends. She’s been having a bad time lately. Another girl tells her she should go into modeling. It’s Laura. Both now just shells of their former selves.
One day, Bethany is looking at her mother listening to embarrassing music and cleaning and she wishes for another mother. She says no when she realizes what she’s said and says she takes it back. Her mother sees something in the trees and Bethany sees the vampire in the trees. She goes out to confront him and tell him to stay away from her mother. He asks her why settle but she says she wants to keep her mother. He says she let him in and plus she can’t change her mind in the middle of her transformation. She wanted it all and that’s what she’s getting.
She says she takes it back and doesn’t want it anymore. He says he’ll post pone her mother if she gets him a girl named Sarah. She says no. He says ok then he’ll take her mother. So, she agrees that tomorrow she’ll get him Sarah. The next day, Laura says her grades are dropping and her mother’s really been on her case. Sarah tells Bethany she’s new there and Bethany decides the vampire can’t have Sarah.
She asks her high school challenge team how to get rid of a vampire. They give her the typical answers (stakes, garlic, crosses). She asks Ryan what happened to the creepy girl. He says she just disappeared. Ryan and William remember her telling her boyfriend her shutter were haunted. Noone can remember her name.
Bethany discovers a door with a cross on it and takes it off the hinges. But she discovers her strength is enough. The vampire can’t come where wishes don’t whisper. She decides to try to give back what she stole. Then she decides the ordinary things are what’s beautiful. Her beauty and brains leave and return to Grace and Laura. But she has love and decides that’s enough.
Rating: 5 and a half. Tho I admit this was VERY badly written! The plot was shallow and the characters were whiny (Beth) and one dimensional this actually had a good message. It’s easy to find yourself at some point in life saying why couldn’t I have had? Why do they get XYZ? Wasn’t I…? Didn’t I deserve? But then like Bethany found out that sometimes we can see these things we want so desperately and when we get them at the end of the day the thing isn’t even worth it. Bethany spent half this book wanting to be beautiful page after page after page. But when she *did* get it, she saw that 1) it kind of changed who she was. It got to the point where she was willing to steal and sell other people’s souls (and compromise her own) to get it and 2) she saw how swallow the guy she liked was and only wanted her *because* she was beautiful. As soon as Grace got “ugly” he was on to the next one. So… even if a book isn’t that great this just proves you can still learn something from it of importance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2011
I wish I was beautiful. Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful. If I read those words one more time than they appeared in this book, I would have been driven insane. So we have Bethany, with absolutely no redeeming qualities at all. She thinks only of herself; why aren't her brains as good as Laura's? Why can't she look like Grace? She is a pathetic, spineless creature that appreciates absolutely nothing about herself, her life or her family. It is only when she thinks her mum might be getting chomped on by a vampire, that she works out her wishes are selfish and she is destroying people. I hope there is no redemption for her character; she is worthless by her own admission and I hope it stays that way. Why my library has bought this whole series I'll never know. Don't read it unless you're willing to have a terrible main character, stereotypical jock/prep types, and an utterly boring storyline.
November 10, 2022
2.5 stars
The main character in this was about as deep as a teaspoon, and the ending was really poor.
The main character in this was about as deep as a teaspoon, and the ending was really poor.
December 16, 2013
Intelligent. Compelling. A magnificent novel indeed.
Every girl wants to be smart, beautiful and popular, right? And of course, you wouldn't pass up a chance to live your dreams? Even if it meant dealing with some really creepy guy in a cloak that smells like a swamp? Nah, of course not.
But of course, beauty comes with a price. And this one is deadly.
A definite must-read.
Every girl wants to be smart, beautiful and popular, right? And of course, you wouldn't pass up a chance to live your dreams? Even if it meant dealing with some really creepy guy in a cloak that smells like a swamp? Nah, of course not.
But of course, beauty comes with a price. And this one is deadly.
A definite must-read.
June 5, 2011
it was good. Pretty clever, and Bethany learns her lesson in the end. Good.
May 2, 2012
I liked the other Horror High stories, but I couldn't even finish this one. I found it hard to follow.
Read
April 20, 2017Bethany is tired of feeling plain and ordinary. Tired of being ignored. If only she was beautiful then everyone would want to be her friend, everyone would take notice - even Ryan. When a mysterious man offers to make all of Bethany's wildest dreams come true, she jumps at the chance. But she has no idea the terrible price that she'll have to pay...
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews