ARC Review: The Lost Girl by R. L. Stine

The Lost Girl by R. L. Stine
Manuscript via Andye @ ReadingTeen.net
Amazon // Goodreads
Published: September 29 (2015) // St. Martin's Griffin

Generations of children and teens have grown up on R.L. Stine's bestselling and hugely popular horror series, Fear Street and Goosebumps. Now, the Fear Street series is back with a chilling new installment, packed with pure nightmare fodder that will scare Stine's avid fan base of teen readers and adults. 

New student Lizzy Palmer is the talk of Shadyside High. Michael and his girlfriend Pepper befriend her, but the closer they get to her, the stranger she seems… and the more attractive she is to Michael. He invites her to join him on a snowmobile race that ends in a tragic accident. Soon, Michael's friends start being murdered, and Pepper becomes convinced that Lizzy is behind the killings. But to her total shock, she and Michael are drawn into a tragic story of an unthinkable betrayal committed over 60 years ago. Frightening and tense in the way that only this master of horror can deliver, The Lost Girl is another terrifying Fear Street novel by the king of juvenile horror.

When I was eleven, I read my first book by Stine. My favorite one by the author is How I Got My Shrunken Heads. However, Monster Blood, and Say Cheese and Die-Again! Both come it at close seconds and thirds. I mean, who does middle grade to young adult horror better? Who better to introduce a young reader to the genre? Who better to warn them about everything under your bed, in the closet and (OF COURSE!) hidden in your basement. I’ll be honest, I was freaked out by cameras for a month or so after reading Say Cheese. And after reading The Lost Girl, let’s just go with I’ll be standing clear of random ladies stealing from the grocery store and new students. They can find their own way to the art room. I have no desire to become barbeque. None what so ever. Nope.

In the typical creep-tastic R. L. Stine style, the story is based on the murder of a girl and her father in 1950, and the events in present day. A revenge seeking girl, a delusional boy who I couldn’t help but laugh at a few times, and bags of hair. Yup. Bags. Of. Hair. Isn’t that just peaches and cream? *shudders* Nobody is touching my hair. THE LOST GIRL follows the tale of a girl and a boy and lots of mutilations and possible dead bodies. Although I wasn’t shaking in my boots (my tolerance has built up a bit since I was an eleven-year-old) I was still wonderfully disturbed. And disgusted. I mean, y’all. Nasty. Nasty. BUT GOOD FOR YOU BECAUSE I LOVE THE DISTIRBING. Oh, my. That sounded odd. *chuckles* But, from me, can you really expect anything less?

Now, I actually can’t tell you much about the plot, because although it’s pretty predictable, it kind of defines the whole story. And that would mean spoilers. And I don’t want you to worry your little head about that. Just know it’s good. It’s a good plot and good writing. So I like it. I’ve been a fan of the author for the longest time, and THE LOST GIRL hasn’t changed that.

This is where I say you need to order yourself a copy. It wasn’t stunning and spell-binding, but it was very nostalgic. And for me, that’s a reason to order the copy. Stine has a permanent spot on my ever-growing book shelves.