This collection is set between Season Three and Four. The Party is gathered at Family Video in a blackout telling scary stories when their movie night gets ruined. So I'm going to review each short story along with the book itself. This is one of the stories within a story, so this will be a review within a review!
A Little Voice (4 Stars)
There was no way I wasn't going to like a story set in Pennhurst. The asylum setting already sets it up to be creepy as all get out. I was a hundred percent ready for his to be a ghost story. What I wasn't expecting was the twist at the very end. Which I think was more creepy than an actual ghost haunting some poor guy. This was a great story to kick this collection off with it, even if Nancy isn't my favorite character. I'll give her this, she told a good ghost story. I still think she's kind of the worst though...
Do or 20-Sided Die (2 Stars)
Oh Dusty-Poo, why did you let me down! Of the Party, Dustin is my favorite character. But, this story was just not for me. I got bored pretty quickly. It had potential, and I loved that his story had a cursed 20-sided die. But, yeah I kept getting distracted by other things instead of focusing on the story. It bummed me out that Dustin's story fell short. And maybe I'm a little bummed that we could have gotten an Eddie cameo in this story, but was denied this for another Dungeon Master.
Lovers' Lake (5 Stars)
Steve and Robin for the win! I'm a sucker for a scary story that features a lake monster. For me, nothing is creepier than was lurks in the water. I like this story was almost a Hawkins Urben Legend as well. Something that Steve and Robin had heard growing up. The story was solid, gross, so very gross, and a hundred percent Robin and Steve. I love that they stopped their own story to argue about what it was in the lake. I loved everything about this.
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (4 Stars)
Max taking us back to Hawkins Lab and bringing us all the way back to season one. I do miss the Demogorgons, they were creepy AF. Their height, the oversized limbs, the flower petals with teeth, and the noise they made! I'd love to see more of them in the current season, but it was great to see them pop in one here. I thought the story was solid, nothing is more creepy than the dark, especially when you are stuck in the woods with a creature after you. Mad props for the mention of the satanic panic and the 20/20 special that helped spur the chaos. It was almost a small nod to The Craft in places, which I appreciated. I enjoyed this one.
Don't Be a Pest (3 Stars)
Oh, Erica! I'm so glad this character got a larger role after season two. Her story was told in the vein of Goosebumps or Are You Afraid of the Dark. Definitely very creepy for younger readers, but just a classic spooky tale for older ones. I enjoyed this one and its main character. I'm not a huge fan of bugs, so it hit the gross factor for me. I also really liked how clever it was, especially toward the end. Because for half a second I thought the killer might be the mom!
Two Lunches (3 Stars)
Lucas' story was also solid. I really liked that everything kept coming back to Pennhurst in some way. This was the third story to center around the inmates at Pennhurst. This was a classic spooky store of two brothers, and being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It definitely feels like a story Lucas was told as a bedtime story by his dad, or around the campfire. The best part of this story is how it ends because it doesn't really.
Talk Back (4 Stars)
While personally the Wheeler's are my least favorite characters of this show, both Mike and Nancy had solid stories. This one plays on my theory at all Furbies and Teddy Ruxbins are evil, but also with a little hint of Chucky. This one was definitely on the creepy side with a solid wrap-up. There's a sort of 80's horror movie vibe to it which I liked considering when the show is set. This was the prime horror movie era.
In all, I enjoyed this one. It was a fun read after shifts to wind down, and a great way to fill the time until volume two got released.
HAPPY READING!!
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