House of Whispers (Fear Street Sagas #2) by R.L. Stine
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published:  June 1st 1996
Paperback, 149 pages
Challenges: 100 Books in 2011, YA Series

Amy Pierce knows nothing of the terrifying Fear history when she arrives for a visit with Simon and Angelica Fear. Their New Orleans mansion is beautiful–but Amy senses something evil there. Something that watches her. Waits for her. Will Amy be strong enough to escape the powers controlled by the Fear family?
Amy Pierce is sent to stay with her cousin, Angelica Fear, and her children while Amy’s mother is taking care of her father from being wounded in war. Amy has heard some rumors about the Fear family and their involvement in the dark arts.  But Amy refuses to believe in idle gossip… but things change the moment she walks across the threshold of the Fear Mansion. Right away Amy feels something is not right, confirmed when her cousin shows her a pack of tarot cards, which literally call to her!  Form then on Amy is surrounded by death, and it could be her own…  Amy finds solace in Angelica’s neighbor, David… that is until she starts to have visions of David being the cause of all the death surrounding her.  Who can she trust? 

Once again R.L. Stine has created a wonderful and engaging story of fear.  And once again R.L. Stine has created wonderful yet gruesome images that will leave you haunted…
Nellie had no face.  Only a mass of bloody flesh.
Huge patches of skin had been scraped away by the rough flagstones.  Amy could only see thick strands of muscle and spidery veins.
One of Nelli’s eyes was shoved deep into her skull… Nellie’s bottom lip had been torn away completely…
Gruesome and haunting indeed.  But that is why we love R.L. Stine!

My Rating:

Forbidden Secrets (Fear Street Sagas #3) by R.L. Stine
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published:  September 1st 1996
Paperback, 147 pages
Challenges: 100 Books in 2011, YA Series

The dark power of the Fear family consumes all those connected with it. No one can escape the evil of the family’s curse — not even the Fears themselves. Savannah Gentry doesn’t believe that. She marries Tyler Fear. But then she goes with him to Blackrose Manor. That’s when the deaths begin. That’s when she learns his terrible secret.
The Fear family curse continues in the 3rd installment of the Fear Street Sagas.  This time we are taken back to a time of war in 1861 Georgia.  Despite the fact that Tyler Fear has gone off to fight for the North, against the Savannah Gentry’s South, she can’t help but feel connected to him.  Savannah’s sister, Victoria, insists that the Fear family only brings evil and that she must stay away from Tyler.  Savannah refuses to listen to anyone or anything but her heart, which is telling her she belongs with Tyler Fear.  After returning from the war, Tyler is a changed man.  Savannah doesn’t know how much he has changed, but she soon finds out when she moves with her sister to Tyler’s home, Black Rose Manor.  And Black Rose Manor is anything but homey and warm, literally chilling it’s inhabitants to the bone.

“…the letters of the name Fier can be rearranged to spell f-i-r-e…”

While the first installment of this series, A New Fear, is still one of my favorites, Forbidden Secrets is a very entertaining read.  I love how R.L. Stine weaves in bits of history into his stories, making them feel more grounded and permanent in a way.  As always you are on your toes and you think you know which characters fall on the side of evil and which ones fall on the side of good, but R.L. Stine does a wonderful job in throwing you a curve ball, surprising you at the very last moment.  Even when little things are obviously predictable, you are still pleasantly surprised at the outcome.  While you know that there is more to Tyler, as he is a ‘Fear’ after all, you quite can’t put your finger on it – he is very suave and sweet. 

If you’re a sucker for quick entertaining thrillers you won’t be disappointed in Forbidden Secrets or the The Fear Street Sagas. 

My Rating:
~~~~~~~~~
Robert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children’s literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series. 
R. L. Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids’ Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA’s Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.

WebSite / Twitter