The Secret Bedroom

Not going to lie. I loved this one even though the lead (Lea) is awful. I mean she just sits around and mopes and wants a boyfriend and gets mad when a boy who keeps asking her out (but who has a girlfriend) turns into a jellyfish when confronted about what he is doing. I really wanted to yell at her to choose herself. Throw in a ghost and she has some serious problems going on. I did like it though since Stine plays around a bit with things allowing Lea to wonder if she really is going through what she thinks she is when she find the so-called "Secret Bedroom" in her new house on Fear Street. Only reason why I gave this 4 stars is that Lea is kind of responsible for something that happens and it just seems that it's a bit glossed over. show more

"The Secret Bedroom" follows Lea Carson. Her parents tend to move a lot and then also like to buy homes and fix them up. They sound even more annoying than the fixer upper couples I see on HGTV. Lea isn't happy about moving and finds the house on Fear Street creepy. When her parents, the realtor, and Lea find a boarded up door (seriously ya'll nope) in the attic above her bedroom, the realtor says it's been locked up for 100 years. While Lea tries to fit in at school with has made a new friend (Deena from "Wrong Number") she still feels lost cause she doesn't really have anyone else or a boyfriend. Matters don't get better when Lea starts to hear noises above her during the night and even when she's awake. She starts to wonder about what is going on in the secret bedroom.

Lea is kind of awful. There I said it. I saw some other reviewers noted it, but I actually have to laugh cause Stine has had a lot of his books follow some awful teens like in "Broken Hearts" and "Silent Night" and doesn't shy away from the fact that his characters whether antagonist or protagonist can be kind of awful.

The flow is a bit slow though. I think it's because Lea kept obsessing over a boy and the whole thing was embarrassing to read about it even though this was fictional. Things get moving when Lea finally opens up the secret bedroom.

The ending though I felt we get that Lea is left off a bit since we know at that point what happened. I don't think she appears in any of the latter books. But since not all are in print anymore, I have no idea if I am correct.

Great installment in the Fear Street series, plus it's book 13. show less

I never read any R.L. Stine growing up, only ever experiencing the Goosebumps television show and preferring Are You Afraid of the Dark. So, seeing this on the table at my local library sale, I knew I had to give it a shot.

I'd heard of the Fear Street books,but this was my first time reading one. It was definitely an interesting read. The tone feels darker than the Goosebumps tales I'm familiar with, especially with Lea's eventual plot of revenge against her school rival Marci and how that turns out! Not to mention what's finally revealed in the secret bedroom.

Definitely worth a read, and I hope some kid here in my neighborhood enjoys it once I add it to my Little Redd Book Barn (LFL).

I was sorry to see that R. L. Stines' Fear Street series came to an end many years back. While aimed toward younger audiences, although thankfully not as young as Goosebumps, the books held tantalizing little stories that showcased a deep imagination. The covers were a delight as well, and there was just something addictive about the whole series. Some, of course, were better than others. Of just the basic "Fear Street" series, there were 52 books in total.

Here the story is groan-inducing for the adult, but as a young teen it should prove delightful. A big twist with the supernatural and a plot turn that shows not all is as it seems to be, and even one death, the ending wraps everything up with a 'small twist surprise.' Pace wise it show more moves along well, from the trials of moving to the dealing of ghosts. It's a simple story overall, but the premise of a hidden room and what it contains, as well as the one revelation that actually did surprise me toward the middle-end (hint for those who've read it: where the really she saw really was) make up for the uncomplicated tale.

Character wise Lea is easy to emphasize with and understand, even if she's a little one-dimensional and over naive. I can see her falling for a trick once, maybe - just maybe twice, but then again? I couldn't get her attraction to the main love attraction, either, as no backbone is never a good thing. The villain was the better done character, with slightly dramatic dialogue but a plausible thought process and cleverly twisted psyche.

Stine writes with a light hand, not using advanced vocabulary and keeping it straight. I wouldn't recommend this one for adults unless you're wanting to revisit memory lane. If you're looking to read what your teens and youngsters do to supervise their books, as long as you know what to expect you should be able to fly through this one with true interest. It may bore youngsters those looking for a bigger adventure and more substance, but for the reader wanting a quick fix, this should do in a pinch. show less

This is the first book I tackled after deciding to re-read the Fear Street series (I'm now in my late twenties). I don't think I finished this one when I first read it as a teen (if I did, I don't remember it).

Stine's teen books are mostly character and plot-driven, with a lot of dialogue. This one is no different. It is one of the few Fear Street books that is supernatural. We meet Catherine, the ghost early on (a little before or right at the middle of the book). Part of the spookiness is eliminated when Lea (the main character) begins to interact with Catherine on a regular basis. The unseen is usually more terrifying that meeting a ghost head on. There is a spooky twist in the last third of the book that was unexpected. I was show more disappointed though that a lot of the details were glazed over or omitted (I found myself wanting to know more about the supernatural beings' back-story). Overall I was satisfied with this book, although I felt the ending was rushed.

And also like many Fear Street books, I love the original cover art however, it never quite fits in with the actual story. For example with this book, the I'm not sure who the character is supposed to be on the front cover. We're given a description of the main character (Lea) who doesn't have short curly red hair. Also, the bedroom door doesn't open up outwards either. I might be nitpicking, but as a teen the covers always sold me on the book.

Possible Spoiler Alert:
We never learned how Catherine or her parents died. I wish there was a second book written, perhaps a prequel, about the origins of Catherine and her family. Towards the end of the book, the reader learns Catherine is evil. It would've been nice to know how she was evil (or what made her that way) when she was alive. show less

Starting at a new school can be difficult. But for Lea Carson this tends to be just one of many problems. She has also moved into a somewhat dilapidated old house on Fear Street. Rumor is that in the boarded up secret room in the attic a murder occurred 100 years ago. Soon enough Lea starts to believe that there is something not quite right in the room above her own. When she discovers the secret she must decide if she is strong enough to resist the evil and banish it forever.

I like this one alright. Lea's character seems to me to be kind of a doormat at times.

Possible Spoiler Alert:

I didn't like this as much as I'd expect for a book in the series that actually has ghosts. I do have to note that half the ghost stuff was in her head, and we just barely have proof that any of it happened in the end. I think I wasn't as into this one as much because the character was slightly annoying.

When Lea Carson moves into a haunted house on Fear Street she swears she hears voices coming from the old locked up bedroom in the attic.