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Fear Street #10
Ski Weekend
Welcome to Fear Street.
Don’t listen to the stories they tell you about Fear Street. Wouldn’t you rather explore it yourself…and see if its dark terrors and unexplained mysteries are true? You’re not afraid, are you?
Snowbound!
“Red” Porter was a stranger they’d met on their ski weekend. But Ariel Munroe, Doug Mahr and his girlfriend Shannon Harper were grateful he was there when they set out for home on the icy roads. Thank heaven for Red! He spotted the hilltop lodge when they were stranded by the blizzard. He took charge when they stumbled into strange surroundings, scared, tired and looking for refuge. But can he save them when their refuge becomes a trap? Suddenly their hosts are acting very sinisterly. Doug’s car is gone. The phones are dead. And the house is full of guns. If they steal one, maybe they can escape! Until a shot is fired and the real terror begins…
Don’t listen to the stories they tell you about Fear Street. Wouldn’t you rather explore it yourself…and see if its dark terrors and unexplained mysteries are true? You’re not afraid, are you?
Snowbound!
“Red” Porter was a stranger they’d met on their ski weekend. But Ariel Munroe, Doug Mahr and his girlfriend Shannon Harper were grateful he was there when they set out for home on the icy roads. Thank heaven for Red! He spotted the hilltop lodge when they were stranded by the blizzard. He took charge when they stumbled into strange surroundings, scared, tired and looking for refuge. But can he save them when their refuge becomes a trap? Suddenly their hosts are acting very sinisterly. Doug’s car is gone. The phones are dead. And the house is full of guns. If they steal one, maybe they can escape! Until a shot is fired and the real terror begins…
165 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
38 people are currently reading
3077 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Stine
1,669 books18.3k followersRobert 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 began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
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.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children's author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
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.
http://us.macmillan.com/itsthefirstda...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
July 16, 2019
El recuerdo más claro que tengo cuando leí este libro es el frío que me invadió al irme adentrando en su historia, la claustrofobia que me causó imaginar que me pasara lo mismo que a los protagonistas.
Estar atrapado en medio de una densa nevada, podría ponerle los pelos de punta a cualquiera, pero si alguien estuvo esperando el momento oportuno para acorralar y llevar a cabo los terribles planes, es algo que produciría escalofríos aunque estuvieramos en un clima cálido.
Una de las cosas que más me gustan de los libros de R.L. Stine es eso: la capacidad que tiene de transmitir todo eso.
Estar atrapado en medio de una densa nevada, podría ponerle los pelos de punta a cualquiera, pero si alguien estuvo esperando el momento oportuno para acorralar y llevar a cabo los terribles planes, es algo que produciría escalofríos aunque estuvieramos en un clima cálido.
Una de las cosas que más me gustan de los libros de R.L. Stine es eso: la capacidad que tiene de transmitir todo eso.
May 28, 2025
This is my favorite book by R.L. Stine. I grew up reading the Fear Street novels in middle grade. I would always come back to this one because I loved the way the story was laid out, and the way the location is described. Stine has a way of pulling you in to the experience!
September 29, 2017
Oh my! Ariel honey, your one paranoid girl! These poor kids get stuck in a snow storm, Doug is being a complete ass and could get them killed because he feels he's gotta be so macho (I say waving your penis around so everyone knows you got one). They take advice from a guy they just met and go down a country road because "it will get cleared before the state road" lolololol ok! Deciding they can't get any further, they again listen to Red and head over to the Frankenstein place- I mean a cabin in the woods 😝 there they meet crazy Lou that drinks beer 24/7 and his scared wive Eva. There they encounter constant beer drinking, spousal abuse and guns.
January 19, 2022
I knew who the "bad guy" was right from the start, but it was a still a fun--and chilly--read.
December 25, 2019
Okay look I maybe have a soft spot for the whole, 'trapped in a cabin in a snowstorm with crazy people' trope. Very murder-mystery. Very gutsy of murderers to take advantage in such a claustrophobic space!
Anyway, this is definitely a neat bunch of psychos and Red is clearly short for RED FLAG but these idiots are totally fine taking advice from complete strangers so really this was always going to be dramatic.
Great read though, and fun twists to keep it intense!
Pretty sure this is one I read at least twice in my Stine phase, back in the day.
Anyway, this is definitely a neat bunch of psychos and Red is clearly short for RED FLAG but these idiots are totally fine taking advice from complete strangers so really this was always going to be dramatic.
Great read though, and fun twists to keep it intense!
Pretty sure this is one I read at least twice in my Stine phase, back in the day.
December 22, 2020
Not his best work, the 'reveal' was pretty obvious very early on, your best bet is to read it without reading the blurb first. I really liked the snowy setting though, almost as another character in the story.
June 30, 2025
3.5 stars
July 13, 2017
Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book
Red to the rescue! The near-stranger Red was the one who spotted the lodge when Ariel and her friends Doug and Shannon thought they were going to be stranded in the blizzard. It’s too bad the owners are f*cking insane!
Overall, Ski Weekend was pretty good. I found that the plot twists weren’t that effective on me because I figured everything out way ahead of time. I mean, it was so glaringly obvious from the start! How did they not see it?! Seriously people...
I mean, the guy, the owner of the place, was just really off and totally creepy. And the kids didn’t put the pieces together! Anyway, I actually had fun reading this, besides its predictable nature. The climax was pretty good and quite action-packed, plus it was very suspenseful! I also loved the setting! I just love snow!
The Fear Street connection: While the book doesn't actually take place on Fear Street, or even Shadyside, all the kids (except Red, maybe) are from Shadyside. And the main character, Ariel, actually lives on Fear Street!
Red to the rescue! The near-stranger Red was the one who spotted the lodge when Ariel and her friends Doug and Shannon thought they were going to be stranded in the blizzard. It’s too bad the owners are f*cking insane!
Overall, Ski Weekend was pretty good. I found that the plot twists weren’t that effective on me because I figured everything out way ahead of time. I mean, it was so glaringly obvious from the start! How did they not see it?! Seriously people...
I mean, the guy, the owner of the place, was just really off and totally creepy. And the kids didn’t put the pieces together! Anyway, I actually had fun reading this, besides its predictable nature. The climax was pretty good and quite action-packed, plus it was very suspenseful! I also loved the setting! I just love snow!
The Fear Street connection: While the book doesn't actually take place on Fear Street, or even Shadyside, all the kids (except Red, maybe) are from Shadyside. And the main character, Ariel, actually lives on Fear Street!
November 11, 2020
2.5 *shrugs* Plot holes. Lots of snow.
November 30, 2023
- One of the best fake murders yet. They literally prop up a frozen dead guy and stick a gun in his hand before staging a shootout. And then protag casually decides to check on the dead body bc she might want to be in medicine one day? Normal.
- snowballs vs. guns
- V dramatic outdoor chase that ends with someone falling through ice
Chilling and thrilling
- snowballs vs. guns
- V dramatic outdoor chase that ends with someone falling through ice
Chilling and thrilling
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2025
Fear street books are so nostalgic to me. They take me back to the 90’s when I was a kid and loved reading these.
The story was a suspenseful one and a quick read. There are more recent stories I’ve read that page homage to this.
The story was a suspenseful one and a quick read. There are more recent stories I’ve read that page homage to this.
July 16, 2017
This was actually one of the better Fear Street books I've read recently. It's the story of three friends who go on a ski trip and get stranded at a stranger's house during a blizzard.
The set up was fairly realistic. Of course these teens wouldn't think twice about leaving a ski lodge in the middle of winter and not realize how dumb that decision was until they were in the middle of nowhere. That would be Ariel (our narrator) and her couple best friends Shannon and Doug. Luckily, our group of dumb teenagers had picked a fourth slightly-less-dumb teenager at the lodge and offered to give him a ride home. He's named Red and everytime he was mentioned I pictured this:
Anyways, after driving for an hour with no heat in a car that kept stalling the teenagers finally hike through a blizzard to find a house in the middle of nowhere. Mind you this is basically all Dougs fault because he kept purposely spinning out the car and insisting that it was totally cool that his car didn't have heat in the middle of winter. Despite the fact that they're freezing, forced to stay with creepy strangers and can't contact the outside world because the phone lines are down Doug is still like:
He's definitely the asshole of the book...which based on the ending is REALLY saying something.
Details for what happens next & spoilers for the ending behind the cut:
I was actually pretty pleasantly surprised with the twist.
The set up was fairly realistic. Of course these teens wouldn't think twice about leaving a ski lodge in the middle of winter and not realize how dumb that decision was until they were in the middle of nowhere. That would be Ariel (our narrator) and her couple best friends Shannon and Doug. Luckily, our group of dumb teenagers had picked a fourth slightly-less-dumb teenager at the lodge and offered to give him a ride home. He's named Red and everytime he was mentioned I pictured this:
Anyways, after driving for an hour with no heat in a car that kept stalling the teenagers finally hike through a blizzard to find a house in the middle of nowhere. Mind you this is basically all Dougs fault because he kept purposely spinning out the car and insisting that it was totally cool that his car didn't have heat in the middle of winter. Despite the fact that they're freezing, forced to stay with creepy strangers and can't contact the outside world because the phone lines are down Doug is still like:
He's definitely the asshole of the book...which based on the ending is REALLY saying something.
Details for what happens next & spoilers for the ending behind the cut:
I was actually pretty pleasantly surprised with the twist.
December 6, 2010
***As I say in all of my RL Stine reviews, I can't fairly rate these as an adult; I simply give an automatic 5 stars to all of my old childhood favorites***
This was a fun, snowy little book, and a quick read. However, as an adult I'm finding that it's difficult to truly immerse myself in some of these Stine books. Which is a bit disappointing, because I was a HUGE fan in my teenage years. I felt distracted while reading Ski Weekend, either because it's just not challenging due to the reading level, or my mind was simply elsewhere. I'm still going to read a few more though - next on the list is the Silent Night series, just in time for Christmas :)
This was a fun, snowy little book, and a quick read. However, as an adult I'm finding that it's difficult to truly immerse myself in some of these Stine books. Which is a bit disappointing, because I was a HUGE fan in my teenage years. I felt distracted while reading Ski Weekend, either because it's just not challenging due to the reading level, or my mind was simply elsewhere. I'm still going to read a few more though - next on the list is the Silent Night series, just in time for Christmas :)
July 7, 2024
Probably the fastest I have read a book in a while! Couldn’t put it down. I love the setting as I haven’t read many horror books with a snowy setting. It had a very interesting plot and wasn’t just a generic murder kind of story because there weren’t many kills at all. But the lack of kills was made up for by the constant tension, good twist and clever characters! I love how stine wrote each character’s personality differently and it really shows by how they act throughout the book and with what decisions they make. I wish we got to see a little bit more in depth about Lou, red and eva’s plan but I’m glad it didn’t overcomplicate or take over the good ending. 5/5
July 14, 2020
titular sentence:
p3: If they found out she'd sneaked away with him for a ski weekend, they'd approve of him even less!
plot hole:
p85: And I heard the steady drip-drip-drip of water somewhere down there--a leaky pipe, most likely.
OCR errors plague my copy en masse. What's funny is they seem to be consistent.
p3: If they found out she'd sneaked away with him for a ski weekend, they'd approve of him even less!
plot hole:
p85: And I heard the steady drip-drip-drip of water somewhere down there--a leaky pipe, most likely.
OCR errors plague my copy en masse. What's funny is they seem to be consistent.
May 25, 2017
Okay, this one DOESN'T EVEN TAKE PLACE ON FEAR STREET! It's not even in Shadyside at all! Why this one isn't just a standalone like THE BABYSITTER or THE SNOWMAN is beyond me. It's pretty standard FEAR STREET fare, not great, not terrible. I remember reading this one when I was little and being totally blown away by the big surprise at the end. I like Ariel, the protagonist, as she has a good STEM-y head on her shoulders, which is refreshing for a 90s teen genre book.
January 22, 2023
Was not expecting this one to veer into Hillbilly Horror territory 😱
A bunch of teens and a new kid they picked up at the ski resort head towards home in a blinding snowstorm, only to get stuck in the snow. They happen across a home on the hill and get taken in by an obnoxious, alcoholic perky hick, his quiet, beaten-down girlfriend, and a cabinet full of loaded guns...what could possibly go wrong?
A fun, fast-paced read, as the teens quickly figure out something is WRONG and plot to make their escape. 4 out of 5 shots from the pistol to scare those pesky kids. Gotta prevent them from foiling your master plan, even though alcoholic pervy hicks never win in RL Stine's world.
A bunch of teens and a new kid they picked up at the ski resort head towards home in a blinding snowstorm, only to get stuck in the snow. They happen across a home on the hill and get taken in by an obnoxious, alcoholic perky hick, his quiet, beaten-down girlfriend, and a cabinet full of loaded guns...what could possibly go wrong?
A fun, fast-paced read, as the teens quickly figure out something is WRONG and plot to make their escape. 4 out of 5 shots from the pistol to scare those pesky kids. Gotta prevent them from foiling your master plan, even though alcoholic pervy hicks never win in RL Stine's world.
June 2, 2020
Leí estas historias hace 16 años. Muchas de ellas eran entretenidas y otras no tanto.
Básicamente las historias giran en torno a "descubrir al asesino". Algunas veces los giros de tuerca eran sorpresivos, pero como me devoré más de diez de estos tomos, llegué a familiarizarme con la dinámica del autor. Después de leer tantas me dejaron de parecer entretenidas y dejé de leerlas. Aún así, en su tiempo fueron una buena desitracción.
Básicamente las historias giran en torno a "descubrir al asesino". Algunas veces los giros de tuerca eran sorpresivos, pero como me devoré más de diez de estos tomos, llegué a familiarizarme con la dinámica del autor. Después de leer tantas me dejaron de parecer entretenidas y dejé de leerlas. Aún así, en su tiempo fueron una buena desitracción.
July 6, 2024
Ski Weekend was such a fun read! Loved it!
Stranded on an icy road following a ski trip, Ariel, Shannon, Doug and Red soon find themselves at the mercy of Lou Kitchcock, the owner of a nearby farmhouse. With the phone line outs and Doug’s car mysteriously down a ditch they four friends have no way to escape and no way to call for help!
Set outside of “Fear Street” in a snowy isolated setting this book was such fun and included and iconic wrestling match, a snowball fight and an epic ending!
Stranded on an icy road following a ski trip, Ariel, Shannon, Doug and Red soon find themselves at the mercy of Lou Kitchcock, the owner of a nearby farmhouse. With the phone line outs and Doug’s car mysteriously down a ditch they four friends have no way to escape and no way to call for help!
Set outside of “Fear Street” in a snowy isolated setting this book was such fun and included and iconic wrestling match, a snowball fight and an epic ending!
January 8, 2024
Another one of those Fear Street books that I read a long time ago and couldn't remember too much of the plot until I started reading it.
You know in the book I don't think it is ever mentioned what everyone's last names are but on the back it is clearly stated that it is Ariel Munroe, Doug Mahr, Shannon Harper and "Red" Porter.
Shannon was introduced back in The Surprise Party as Meg Dalton's bestie but now she is mentioned to be Ariel's friend. Weird how we get re-introduced to some characters like it is the first time around and it seems that this time, Shannon's parents have gotten super protective of her.
She didn't tell them she was going on a ski weekend with Doug because they don't really like him much. He's one of those guys who act all macho and tough but turn into marshmallows if things get out of hand...jelly bellies.
Can't imagine why Shannon's parents don't like him...
Ariel is a little bit more tolerant of Doug since they have known each other for so long and he seems a little bit more level-headed. It's mentioned she wants to be a doctor so good for her but it seems like she could invest in knowing better guys.
Her boyfriend Randy, no last name given, didn't mind going skiing at a posh ski lodge until it was going to have him miss a basketball game. Either playing in one or watching one on television it isn't specified much but they get into a big fight over it with everyone at the lodge witnessing it and then he just leaves Ariel sitting there and hopes a bus back to Shadyside.
He left Ariel a note but also abandoned his other friends...Randy sounds awful.
Red came over to ask Ariel if she was okay and he seemed genuinely concerned that it was some big fight that Ariel couldn't help but like him with his boyishly handsome good looks. Ariel introduced Red to Doug and Shannon and they spent the rest of the ski weekend having fun together and deciding to give Red a ride back home on their way to Shadyside.
He lives in a town called Brockton which is just a small country town with good folks not too far from the ski lodge. Later information is revealed that they are somewhere in Vermont and about two hours away from home so Shadyside is definitively a New England town.
The drive back finds the four teens in the middle of a developing blizzard with white-out snow and icy roads and macho Doug wants to drive like a madman...nice. Red keeps offering to drive but Doug won't let anyone else touch his wheels yet he will take Red's advice to pull off onto what is suppose to be a cleared off country road.
I have lived where there are country roads that you think would be snow-plowed because the farmers hook up their own plows instead of waiting on the "city"... that isn't true. Maybe back in the early 1990s when people would help out of kindness but not today.
Musing aside, Doug's car battery dies and the engine conks out to leave them stranded but Red spots a house up on the hill and it appears to be a renovated ski lodge turned into a home but much smaller in scale than the tourist attraction one. Taking a leap that a kind soul will let them use the phone and offer them some hospitality in the face of an incoming winter storm than freeze to death, they make it to the door.
A man, late 20's to early 30s, with a beard and dressed in flannel answers the door and ushers them inside before they can even ask, shivering so much none of them can talk. He introduces himself as Lou Hitchcock and then they meet his wife, Eva, who is small and thin compared to her burly husband.
They use the phone to call their parents but there is a lot of static on the line due to the weather for them to be heard and poor Ariel only gets her answering machine instead of actual parents which sort of bums her out. Eva makes them coffee and some food to warm up while Lou continues to drink beers and tell stories that border on black comedy.
A friend of his got shot on a hunting trip because even though he was good at spotting deer in the snow...he couldn't spot another hunter and got his head blown off. Ariel isn't very impressed and it is clear that Lou is eyeing Shannon as he tells the story, constantly reminding us how he likes redheads.
Doug of course is not impressed either but tries to get on Lou's good side by noting his very nice gun collection and admitting to doing a little hunting with his dad. Lou isn't very impressed with Doug or even Red it seems...teenage boys thinking they are big shots.
Despite the small bit of tension, the couple lets them stay and they all turn in for the night. Ariel hears a noise in the middle of the night and finds that Red is coming in from outside and he says he had to get some fresh air to think.
When Ariel asks why, he says his room is near Lou and Eva's bedroom and Red heard them fighting.
He also heard Lou slap Eva and then the fighting stopped. Red couldn't do anything, fearing that Lou might boot them all out if he just bragged into their bedroom, and had to go out in the bitter, snowy cold to keep from doing something stupid.
Red and Ariel kiss but she ends it just as soon as they start, making both of them blush awkwardly, before heading back to bed. The next morning, Lou is making breakfast for the teens and tells Ariel he is letting Eva sleep in after her doing so much last night. Sounds slightly shady doesn't it because what man would really give his wife a break?
Sorry if I sound bitter but prove me wrong someone...
The snow stopped coming down for now but the roads have yet to be plowed and the phones are down from the ice. They all go out and play snowball fight and then find that Doug's car is gone!
Well not gone...it is in a ravine on its side. They are all in dismayed shock but since the snow has been drifting into tall heaps by the winds last night it doesn't seem too far out there.
Kentucky 1994 we got sixteen inches of snow so yeah...
Lou offers to try and take them in his Jeep to town but it appears to be dead and the convenient snowmobile in the barn has been there for years and doesn't work, according to Lou. Just one string of coincidental bad luck after another...or is it?
Ariel is beginning to fit some pieces together and then the appearance of a man in a ski mask walking around outside and watching them let's her know they are in danger!
The tension and suspense builds up to a pretty good twist and a blink and you might miss it reveal of details. The climax gets your heart-racing and then ends somewhat bittersweet yet satisfying.
That is until we get to our last chapter which is short yet packed with normal Stine snarkiness to actual bring a smile to your face and get your pulse back down to normal.
Ski Weekend has the action take place in one remote setting and the proximity of the characters causes tempers to flare and suspicions to pile up as Ariel herself let's us know that she is a normally paranoid and pessimistic type of person.
Can't blame her as I can also be a little paranoid myself...especially around strangers with guns and the heads of two dead deer on the walls surrounded by snow so thick that it is up to your knees...
Yep...this Fear Street book is a good one because I went and scared myself before bed so have fun reading Ski Weekend on a bright sunny day without a snowflake in sight!
You know in the book I don't think it is ever mentioned what everyone's last names are but on the back it is clearly stated that it is Ariel Munroe, Doug Mahr, Shannon Harper and "Red" Porter.
Shannon was introduced back in The Surprise Party as Meg Dalton's bestie but now she is mentioned to be Ariel's friend. Weird how we get re-introduced to some characters like it is the first time around and it seems that this time, Shannon's parents have gotten super protective of her.
She didn't tell them she was going on a ski weekend with Doug because they don't really like him much. He's one of those guys who act all macho and tough but turn into marshmallows if things get out of hand...jelly bellies.
Can't imagine why Shannon's parents don't like him...
Ariel is a little bit more tolerant of Doug since they have known each other for so long and he seems a little bit more level-headed. It's mentioned she wants to be a doctor so good for her but it seems like she could invest in knowing better guys.
Her boyfriend Randy, no last name given, didn't mind going skiing at a posh ski lodge until it was going to have him miss a basketball game. Either playing in one or watching one on television it isn't specified much but they get into a big fight over it with everyone at the lodge witnessing it and then he just leaves Ariel sitting there and hopes a bus back to Shadyside.
He left Ariel a note but also abandoned his other friends...Randy sounds awful.
Red came over to ask Ariel if she was okay and he seemed genuinely concerned that it was some big fight that Ariel couldn't help but like him with his boyishly handsome good looks. Ariel introduced Red to Doug and Shannon and they spent the rest of the ski weekend having fun together and deciding to give Red a ride back home on their way to Shadyside.
He lives in a town called Brockton which is just a small country town with good folks not too far from the ski lodge. Later information is revealed that they are somewhere in Vermont and about two hours away from home so Shadyside is definitively a New England town.
The drive back finds the four teens in the middle of a developing blizzard with white-out snow and icy roads and macho Doug wants to drive like a madman...nice. Red keeps offering to drive but Doug won't let anyone else touch his wheels yet he will take Red's advice to pull off onto what is suppose to be a cleared off country road.
I have lived where there are country roads that you think would be snow-plowed because the farmers hook up their own plows instead of waiting on the "city"... that isn't true. Maybe back in the early 1990s when people would help out of kindness but not today.
Musing aside, Doug's car battery dies and the engine conks out to leave them stranded but Red spots a house up on the hill and it appears to be a renovated ski lodge turned into a home but much smaller in scale than the tourist attraction one. Taking a leap that a kind soul will let them use the phone and offer them some hospitality in the face of an incoming winter storm than freeze to death, they make it to the door.
A man, late 20's to early 30s, with a beard and dressed in flannel answers the door and ushers them inside before they can even ask, shivering so much none of them can talk. He introduces himself as Lou Hitchcock and then they meet his wife, Eva, who is small and thin compared to her burly husband.
They use the phone to call their parents but there is a lot of static on the line due to the weather for them to be heard and poor Ariel only gets her answering machine instead of actual parents which sort of bums her out. Eva makes them coffee and some food to warm up while Lou continues to drink beers and tell stories that border on black comedy.
A friend of his got shot on a hunting trip because even though he was good at spotting deer in the snow...he couldn't spot another hunter and got his head blown off. Ariel isn't very impressed and it is clear that Lou is eyeing Shannon as he tells the story, constantly reminding us how he likes redheads.
Doug of course is not impressed either but tries to get on Lou's good side by noting his very nice gun collection and admitting to doing a little hunting with his dad. Lou isn't very impressed with Doug or even Red it seems...teenage boys thinking they are big shots.
Despite the small bit of tension, the couple lets them stay and they all turn in for the night. Ariel hears a noise in the middle of the night and finds that Red is coming in from outside and he says he had to get some fresh air to think.
When Ariel asks why, he says his room is near Lou and Eva's bedroom and Red heard them fighting.
He also heard Lou slap Eva and then the fighting stopped. Red couldn't do anything, fearing that Lou might boot them all out if he just bragged into their bedroom, and had to go out in the bitter, snowy cold to keep from doing something stupid.
Red and Ariel kiss but she ends it just as soon as they start, making both of them blush awkwardly, before heading back to bed. The next morning, Lou is making breakfast for the teens and tells Ariel he is letting Eva sleep in after her doing so much last night. Sounds slightly shady doesn't it because what man would really give his wife a break?
Sorry if I sound bitter but prove me wrong someone...
The snow stopped coming down for now but the roads have yet to be plowed and the phones are down from the ice. They all go out and play snowball fight and then find that Doug's car is gone!
Well not gone...it is in a ravine on its side. They are all in dismayed shock but since the snow has been drifting into tall heaps by the winds last night it doesn't seem too far out there.
Kentucky 1994 we got sixteen inches of snow so yeah...
Lou offers to try and take them in his Jeep to town but it appears to be dead and the convenient snowmobile in the barn has been there for years and doesn't work, according to Lou. Just one string of coincidental bad luck after another...or is it?
Ariel is beginning to fit some pieces together and then the appearance of a man in a ski mask walking around outside and watching them let's her know they are in danger!
The tension and suspense builds up to a pretty good twist and a blink and you might miss it reveal of details. The climax gets your heart-racing and then ends somewhat bittersweet yet satisfying.
That is until we get to our last chapter which is short yet packed with normal Stine snarkiness to actual bring a smile to your face and get your pulse back down to normal.
Ski Weekend has the action take place in one remote setting and the proximity of the characters causes tempers to flare and suspicions to pile up as Ariel herself let's us know that she is a normally paranoid and pessimistic type of person.
Can't blame her as I can also be a little paranoid myself...especially around strangers with guns and the heads of two dead deer on the walls surrounded by snow so thick that it is up to your knees...
Yep...this Fear Street book is a good one because I went and scared myself before bed so have fun reading Ski Weekend on a bright sunny day without a snowflake in sight!
June 22, 2021
Garbage.
December 10, 2020
"Did I mention that I just love redheads?-"A clear self insert of R.L. Stine
Yep, a 2nd one for this week as promised. Wasn't sure if I wanted do Silent Night 2 as my bonus but since someone I follow is covering this one soon, figured why not. I don't think I'll review this one fully cuz there isn't a lot to say about beyond what I can say here, it was pretty solid. The best part is how it uses the setup, them being out in the cold having to stay at some stranger's place until a snowstorm blows over. The cold is always good for horror and it works well here, leading to some creepy and suspenseful moments, especially in the third act. The climax was actually good in this one.
I also liked that Ariel was generally smart, being a scientific type, they even figured things outright as I did and even beforehand, that's rare. It gets started fairly quickly too. The villain was generally good, I liked how they at least acknowledge how overly complicated their plan is. Lou is a good mysterious threat but did we really need the parts where he, a clear grown man, hits on Shannon, a teen girl.
I'm not looking too deep by the way, he literally does that and it is creepy yet no one seems to really point it out and just ask act like it's a weird quirk with her boyfriend getting jealous. What the hell was what up with that? Speaking of that boyfriend, Doug is the obligatory asshole boyfriend who does get kinda better later but not enough for it to see like he developed per say, he;'s a negative I'd say.
All that aside, it was a pretty good one, even if it's one where the Fear Street connection is vague, they are outside of Shadyside it seem and Ariel just happens to live there. Oh and if you thought saying Hell in Missing was odd, Lou "Jackass"3 times, damn!
CONTINUITY WATCH: So I believe Shannon in this book is Shannon Harper from The Surprise Party. The thing is, there's no direct references to that book and only the back blurb says her last name. However, there's nothing to truly contradict that one and the small description we get in here, coppery hair and pouty mouth, matches what we got in that one so I feel like this being her exactly was a last minute choice and not planned. Either way, it's cool.
POP CULTURE WATCH: Mr. Wizard, McDonalds, Goodwrench, Sprite, William Shakespeare's The Tempest, Hulk Hogan,
REDHEAD WATCH: There's a character literally named Red, but also Shannon is one too as I said.
ANIMAL DEATH WATCH: This is a new one I thought of it is way too common in these. For this one, it's just a mouse at least. But did we need to know that its insides are oozing out?
Doing two this week gives me an excuse to wait a while to read another one lol
Yep, a 2nd one for this week as promised. Wasn't sure if I wanted do Silent Night 2 as my bonus but since someone I follow is covering this one soon, figured why not. I don't think I'll review this one fully cuz there isn't a lot to say about beyond what I can say here, it was pretty solid. The best part is how it uses the setup, them being out in the cold having to stay at some stranger's place until a snowstorm blows over. The cold is always good for horror and it works well here, leading to some creepy and suspenseful moments, especially in the third act. The climax was actually good in this one.
I also liked that Ariel was generally smart, being a scientific type, they even figured things outright as I did and even beforehand, that's rare. It gets started fairly quickly too. The villain was generally good, I liked how they at least acknowledge how overly complicated their plan is. Lou is a good mysterious threat but did we really need the parts where he, a clear grown man, hits on Shannon, a teen girl.
I'm not looking too deep by the way, he literally does that and it is creepy yet no one seems to really point it out and just ask act like it's a weird quirk with her boyfriend getting jealous. What the hell was what up with that? Speaking of that boyfriend, Doug is the obligatory asshole boyfriend who does get kinda better later but not enough for it to see like he developed per say, he;'s a negative I'd say.
All that aside, it was a pretty good one, even if it's one where the Fear Street connection is vague, they are outside of Shadyside it seem and Ariel just happens to live there. Oh and if you thought saying Hell in Missing was odd, Lou "Jackass"3 times, damn!
CONTINUITY WATCH: So I believe Shannon in this book is Shannon Harper from The Surprise Party. The thing is, there's no direct references to that book and only the back blurb says her last name. However, there's nothing to truly contradict that one and the small description we get in here, coppery hair and pouty mouth, matches what we got in that one so I feel like this being her exactly was a last minute choice and not planned. Either way, it's cool.
POP CULTURE WATCH: Mr. Wizard, McDonalds, Goodwrench, Sprite, William Shakespeare's The Tempest, Hulk Hogan,
REDHEAD WATCH: There's a character literally named Red, but also Shannon is one too as I said.
ANIMAL DEATH WATCH: This is a new one I thought of it is way too common in these. For this one, it's just a mouse at least. But did we need to know that its insides are oozing out?
Doing two this week gives me an excuse to wait a while to read another one lol
December 25, 2019
How Fear Street has not become a tv show, I’ll never know. Anthology shows are so popular these days, CW or Netflix could easily create a Fear Street anthology show. When and if they ever do it, let’s hope they stick to the books as far as plots go. It would be a frigging riot to see The New Boy and The Lifeguard and Missing on tv, and it’d be cool if they casted it based on the covers, too. I always remember reading a description of a character and flipping to the cover to see if it matched.
Feeling nostalgic this winter, I thought I’d take a trip down memory lane. I’m glad I did. I hadn’t read this for about 25 years but Ski Weekend always stuck out in my mind as one of the better Fear Streets. For a kid’s book, this is a pretty fun little “thriller.” I think it’s a great gateway drug to the wide world of fiction. It’s simple and straightforward, but entertaining and fast-paced. Without my nostalgia, who knows how it would read to me today.
I loved Fear Street when I was in seventh and eighth grade. I always wished more of the protagonists were male and although I would’ve preferred less romance, they were fun reads. I can’t believe they haven’t been digitized and they’re only available in the same format and editions today as they were when they were brand new. Crazy. I don’t know why Goosebumps gets all the attention (that series came out when I had already outgrown Fear Street and they were aimed at an even younger demo.) Fear Street is definitely the superior series. Come on, Netflix. Make Fear Street already.
Feeling nostalgic this winter, I thought I’d take a trip down memory lane. I’m glad I did. I hadn’t read this for about 25 years but Ski Weekend always stuck out in my mind as one of the better Fear Streets. For a kid’s book, this is a pretty fun little “thriller.” I think it’s a great gateway drug to the wide world of fiction. It’s simple and straightforward, but entertaining and fast-paced. Without my nostalgia, who knows how it would read to me today.
I loved Fear Street when I was in seventh and eighth grade. I always wished more of the protagonists were male and although I would’ve preferred less romance, they were fun reads. I can’t believe they haven’t been digitized and they’re only available in the same format and editions today as they were when they were brand new. Crazy. I don’t know why Goosebumps gets all the attention (that series came out when I had already outgrown Fear Street and they were aimed at an even younger demo.) Fear Street is definitely the superior series. Come on, Netflix. Make Fear Street already.
February 24, 2021
Ski Weekend was a solid thriller that made good use of its characters and setting. I liked Ariel as a protagonist. She had some Nancy Drew vibes when it came to seeing through some (but not all) of the bullshit around her. The cabin owner Lou legitimately made my skin crawl. I’ve met people like him and my first instinct is always to get away as fast as possible. Aggressive, misogynist drunk dudes with an affinity for collecting guns set off more red flags than I could count. The setting was perfect for a horror story to play out, with the kids being trapped with strangers in a remote cabin during a massive snowstorm. Isolation is one of the key ingredients to good horror. There were some issues with bad planning and the overlooking of obvious suspicious activity, but there was nothing so egregious that it took me out of the story. In fact, the stupid criminal element coupled with the winter setting reminded me of Fargo on more than one occasion. That’s a high compliment coming from me. Overall, Ski Weekend is one of the better Fear Street books I’ve read so far.
Score: 4
My full review with memes, snark, and spoilers is up on my blog:
https://www.danstalter.com/ski-weekend/
Score: 4
My full review with memes, snark, and spoilers is up on my blog:
https://www.danstalter.com/ski-weekend/
October 26, 2019
Rather comfy. The snowed-in setting can be so atmospheric, both cozy and isolating. Hints of The Shining, with the fearful woman and the enraged alcoholic. Lou was definitely the stand-out -- his slang was perfectly apt to his character, and I feel I've met his type, even though I probably haven't -- mark of verisimilitude. Thought it was a bit silly how quickly the protagonist begins feeling unsettled -- almost as soon as she walks in the door in fact. And you never hear about her boyfriend again around halfway through the book.
The ending is about what you'd expect. Would've liked to have heard some last words from ol' Lou though.
The ending is about what you'd expect. Would've liked to have heard some last words from ol' Lou though.
May 18, 2024
Wie sieht es aus? Fahrt ihr gerne Ski? Wie findet ihr den Gedanken, irgendwo im nirgendwo auf einer verlassenen Blockhütte?
Genau das ist unseren Freunden hier nämlich passiert. Nach einem wunderschönen Wochenende, haben diese die Rückfahrt nach Hause angestrebt, sind jedoch aufgrund der Wetterlage nicht weit gekommen. Glücklicherweise kannte einer von ihnen dieses Haus. Nur leider war es bewohnt und dessen Inhaber nicht die freundlichsten…
Ich muss ganz ehrlich gestehen, dass mich schon länger keines der Bücher aus dieser Reihe so fasziniert hat!
Angefangen mit diesem Setting und den Umständen, wie die Freunde auf diese Hütte gekommen sind. Bis hin zu den Ereignissen auf der Hütte und die verschiedenen Fluchtmöglichkeiten sind sehr viele fesselnde Szenen enthalten.
Manches war ein wenig vorhersehbar und ich hatte da so meinen Verdacht, der gegen Ende auch bestätigt wurde. Ebenso konnte ich manche Entscheidungen nicht nachvollziehen, denn wenn ein gewisses Misstrauen da ist, überprüfe ich gewisse Dinge selbst.
Dennoch hat mir gerade die Figurenkonstellation sehr gut gefallen und an der einen oder andere Stelle kam das Gefühl auf, dass dieses Buch als Grundlage diente für viele weitere schaurige Thriller, die auf solchen verlassenen Skihütten spielen 😉
Genau das ist unseren Freunden hier nämlich passiert. Nach einem wunderschönen Wochenende, haben diese die Rückfahrt nach Hause angestrebt, sind jedoch aufgrund der Wetterlage nicht weit gekommen. Glücklicherweise kannte einer von ihnen dieses Haus. Nur leider war es bewohnt und dessen Inhaber nicht die freundlichsten…
Ich muss ganz ehrlich gestehen, dass mich schon länger keines der Bücher aus dieser Reihe so fasziniert hat!
Angefangen mit diesem Setting und den Umständen, wie die Freunde auf diese Hütte gekommen sind. Bis hin zu den Ereignissen auf der Hütte und die verschiedenen Fluchtmöglichkeiten sind sehr viele fesselnde Szenen enthalten.
Manches war ein wenig vorhersehbar und ich hatte da so meinen Verdacht, der gegen Ende auch bestätigt wurde. Ebenso konnte ich manche Entscheidungen nicht nachvollziehen, denn wenn ein gewisses Misstrauen da ist, überprüfe ich gewisse Dinge selbst.
Dennoch hat mir gerade die Figurenkonstellation sehr gut gefallen und an der einen oder andere Stelle kam das Gefühl auf, dass dieses Buch als Grundlage diente für viele weitere schaurige Thriller, die auf solchen verlassenen Skihütten spielen 😉
July 4, 2021
Es que definitivamente ya sabía a lo que iba!
Me ha encantado y R. L. Stine no me decepcionó! Verdaderamente es uno de sus pocos libros que he leído y cada uno de ellos te engancha desde la primera página.
Las historias que se desenvuelven cuando hay un fenómeno natural no llamaban mi atención hasta que leí este libro y efectivamente, cuando el estar a salvo depende no sólo de los personajes, es cuando definitivamente te pone los pelos de punta.
Pese a que la sinopsis es muy reveladora, fue fácil tener una idea de asimilar el giro de la trama. No obstante, mantenía la esperanza de que no sucedieran las cosas de ese modo. Pero lo hizo y de que manera! Me encantó y me enganchó demasido.
Es simplemente recomendable.
Me ha encantado y R. L. Stine no me decepcionó! Verdaderamente es uno de sus pocos libros que he leído y cada uno de ellos te engancha desde la primera página.
Las historias que se desenvuelven cuando hay un fenómeno natural no llamaban mi atención hasta que leí este libro y efectivamente, cuando el estar a salvo depende no sólo de los personajes, es cuando definitivamente te pone los pelos de punta.
Pese a que la sinopsis es muy reveladora, fue fácil tener una idea de asimilar el giro de la trama. No obstante, mantenía la esperanza de que no sucedieran las cosas de ese modo. Pero lo hizo y de que manera! Me encantó y me enganchó demasido.
Es simplemente recomendable.
May 8, 2021
Een redelijk spannend boek, ik wist al van het begin wie de slechteriken waren en sommige dingen daar moest ik gewoon mijn ogen bij rollen. Maar, ik heb toch genoten. Goed, ik moest soms even doorzetten, maar ik ben echt blij dat ik niet heb opgegeven. Ik vond Ariel een goed hoofdpersoon, en leuk dat ze zo'n interesse heeft in biologie en zo want dat heeft geholpen in situaties. Plus, ik hou gewoon van boeken over cabines in de middle of nowhere en vooral als er zoveel sneeuw of storm is dat mensen niet even naar buiten kunnen. Het einde was goed en lekker spannend.
December 12, 2023
5/5 Stars 💫
Super fun, I'm always a sucker for good snowy settings in horror. I like the characters and the way the situation flows, it's enjoyable to read. There are some plot holes, obviously, but I don't think these books were ever meant to be masterpieces in the literal sense. It's an easy read, not overly brutal or difficult to read but still has its tense moments and some decent atmosphere for YA horror. I sped through this, I loved it even if it leads you to expect more death but I don't think that's a major drawback. I'm excited to dig into more of my Fear Street books!
Super fun, I'm always a sucker for good snowy settings in horror. I like the characters and the way the situation flows, it's enjoyable to read. There are some plot holes, obviously, but I don't think these books were ever meant to be masterpieces in the literal sense. It's an easy read, not overly brutal or difficult to read but still has its tense moments and some decent atmosphere for YA horror. I sped through this, I loved it even if it leads you to expect more death but I don't think that's a major drawback. I'm excited to dig into more of my Fear Street books!
February 28, 2021
Good for Stine. Loved the icy cold atmosphere.
Body count: 2 dead mice.
Body count: 2 dead mice.
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