Series Sunday: The Dead Boyfriend

(Fear Street Relaunch #5) 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Revision. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

"The frightening stories of the Fear family contained many murders." ~ 31%

My Series Sunday pick is The Dead Boyfriend, the fifth book in the Fear Street Relaunch series by R.L. Stine. Yes, the legendary Fear Street series is back! Teenage love can go wrong very fast. Seventeen-year-old senior at Shadyside High, Caitlyn Donnelly, is smitten with Blade; she hasn't had a real boyfriend before. Her feelings are written in her diary for only her eyes to see. When she catches Blade with another girl, Caitlyn snaps and kills him. There is only one other girl that knows Caitlyn is a teenage murderer: Deena Fear from the infamous Fear family. But they are both taken by surprise when the dead boyfriend starts to make appearances: at parties, across the street, at the funeral home and more.

"Since Blade died, my life is only sadness. And fear." ~ 2%

Back in middle school, I so looked forward to Scholastic newsletters. My parents didn't give me a limit or budget for books. Whatever I could read, I could order. Often times, Chickadee would read along with me. (I now understand that was her idea of surveillance. S/O to the parents who monitor children's reading material; shame if you don't.)

Fear Street novels by R.L. Stine were among our favorites to buddy read. We would discuss the plot, our like/dislike of the characters and speculate on the mystery. There was—and still is—a guaranteed twist at the end that we guessed about. We appreciated how R.L. Stine maintained a parental presence in the fiction books too. Very rare did the books actually spark fear yet the Fear Street series was always worth reading.

"You know all those crazy stories people tell about Fear Street." ~ 98%

Perhaps I am more well-read as a 30-something bibliophile or maybe I am too nostalgic, but The Dead Boyfriend was not as good as I remember the Fear Street novels to be. The story was choppy. The main character started off likable then drastically changed as if a ghostwriter picked up writing the story where R.L. Stine left off but didn't bother to research. For an avid teen reader, these elements may be noticeable. But for young kids in your life that are beginner readers, The Dead Boyfriend and Fear Street relaunch novels are recommended. And remember parents, buddy read with your child!

Disclaimer: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: The Dead Boyfriend
Author: R.L. Stine
Published: September 2016
Pages: 288
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥