This is a children’s book about Garbage Pail Kids, my expectation was low enough that an ant would bump its head. This felt phoned in, like Stine just started writing without a clue where to go. When he did find some sort of plot there wasn’t an edit to make it a cohesive book.

The kids were gross though, so that accounts for something. I just think that when you have these types of characters, there really needs to be a bizarre imaginative world for them to work. There wasn’t and so the characters were left bored and boring.

Sanderson is an excellent storyteller and this book is a lot of fun, but I could not get over my issues with his writing.

First, the repetition. Netflix is going through something called second screen syndrome, where the show or movie is the second screen to the phone. This has caused them to repeat over and over the plot points for the viewer so that they are able to follow along. This is what it felt like reading this book. I found it insulting and irritating.

Then the internal dialogue from Vin is unnecessary and instead of adding depth to the character, flattens her. I don’t have to care how her actions echo her emotions, because Sanderson blatantly tells me exactly how she is feeling. Is she sad? Don’t worry, the book will tell me in italics that she feels sad. There is no subtlety to any of it.

I understand that his writing style of being invisible is a choice. It is a style that makes the words disappear and lets you see through to the story. It is a smart choice because it is the style that is popular and the style that sells books. In this case, it is too much for me. It lacks personality and I found it boring.

Yet, the book is still a joy to read. The world is interesting and the action sequences are absolutely top notch. The characters are interesting despite their personalities revealed almost entirely through dialogue. Sanderson’s dialogue is one of his strengths. It is light and witty, and thank god he is good at it because so much of the book is dialogue, like so much. I’m going to try at least another of his books in the hopes that I get more comfortable with his writing and hopefully find it less uncomfortable.

Not sure why RL Stine needed to name this creepy dude who gives off sexual predator vibes the same name as me. Anyway, I didn't love this one as much as usual. The characters were annoying. I kept waiting for them to die. I don't normally wish for annoying people to die, but sometimes I'd rub a lamp to make it so.

Party Summer! Fear Street on Vacation! Pretty run of the mill here, which is still a lot of fun if you already find Fear Street fun. We get the usual teenage shenanigans and dating anxiety in the most g-rated way. I wasn't scared at any point though. Not even once. I did not at all put the book in the freezer. I just love these books, they are so cute and silly.