You May Kill the Bride by R.L. Stine Review

Title: You May Now Kill the Bride

Author: R.L. Stine

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Horror

Series: Return to Fear Street, book one

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

Everyone knows the name R.L. Stine, whether it be through the original Goosebumps book series, the original Fear Street series, or the TV show, or the more recent movies; however, you come to know the man, it’s impossible not to, whether in passing or personal experience. So, when I found out that he was writing again, and revamping the Fear Street series, I was so excited. As soon as I got an opening in my library stack, I ordered it. I finally finished Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel, and it was kind of disappointing, so I was looking for a do-over of sorts for my Halloween read (and yes, I know, Halloween’s over, don’t remind me!). You May Kill the Bride was a fantastic series opener; dark, creepy, well-written, and absolutely jaw-dropping, so I’m very happy to report that Stine has not lost his own unique, off-kilter brand of magic!

Ruth-Anne and Carly Fear are two sisters divided by time and united by a resentment so black that they are willing to do anything in order to satisfy it. When they discover that an ancient curse haunts their bloodline, both sisters seize the opportunity to make good on their dark deeds, allowing history to repeat itself. But when they do, they soon realize that even the darkest magic cannot be controlled… Welcome back to Fear Street!

I really enjoyed this book! After I finished Hocus Pocus, I was still in the mood for a spooky Halloween read, despite Halloween being over. (Wah! I’m in such holiday denial.) So, I figured, who better to continue that mood than the great R.L. Stine? I read some Goosebumps books when I was younger, and a couple of Fear Streets, but I didn’t read them all. But I was so excited when it was announced that the classic series was getting a reboot. Honestly, I read this book in the span of a few hours. The pacing was breakneck, and I was really intrigued by the plot; I liked the way that the real-life instances alternated with the spooky, supernatural parts. Some of the characters fell flat, but I really liked Carly, Melissa, Aiden, and Ruth-Anne. The tension was fantastic, and the ending was amazing! It reminded me of all of my favorite old-school mysteries I used to read back in the day; I loved how retro it was, and I can’t wait to read the next book! This book wasn’t perfect; at times Carly’s inner monologue seemed to drag on and some of the situations seemed a bit far-fetched. But! I really liked this dark, creepy, and weirdly strange and funny return to Fear Street, and I can’t wait to go back! The bottom line: Creepy, dark, gory, and weirdly funny, I really liked You May Now Kill the Bride—all hail one of the great kings of old-school horror! Next on deck: Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor!