R.L. Stine Book of the Week: Silent Night 3

Rich, snobby Reva Dalby wants a little fame for Christmas. And since her daddy owns Dalby's Department Store, she can have whatever she wants. Someone else will always pay. Except this year Reva goes too far. Now someone is watching her. When she's sleeping and when she's awake...until she's dead.

My Thoughts:

Silent Night 3 may not be as good as the first book, but at least it's not as awful as the second one. The book is fairly predictable - I knew the identity of the killer a few chapters in - but I guess a 26-year-old who has read a lot of horror should be able to easily figure out the ending of a book written for children and teens. There was a second twist at the end that surprised me, though. 

The plot isn't the most exciting. Reva is in college now and has brought her roommate, Grace, home for the holidays. Unfortunately, Grace's abusive ex-boyfriend won't stop calling and she's paranoid that he will show up and kill her. Meanwhile, Reva's poor cousin, Pam, has designed scarves with her friend, Willow, and wants to sell them at Dalby's Department Store. Naturally, Reva takes all the credit for them and arranges a fashion show at Dalby's to create buzz about the scarves.

Nothing bad happens to Reva in this book. In the first one, she's the victim of horrible pranks and in the second one, her arm is broken, but in this one, nothing! It's disappointing since I enjoy when a bitchy character like Reva gets her comeuppance, but it was still fun when Reva said or did mean things. Overall, Reva is an entertaining character, even though she's snotty and unlikeable.

I recommend reading the first Silent Night book and skipping the two sequels.

Rating: 3/5

PG-13 Gore: As she tried to catch her balance, she felt something sticky under her shoes. She glanced down.

A pool of blood had formed around Traci's feet.

Dark red blood, spreading out in a circle. 

Reva clamped her hands tighter against her mouth and closed her eyes. I'm stepping in it, I'm stepping in her blood!

Then she opened her eyes. Blood? But where did it come from? Traci had been strangled, right?

Where did the blood come from?

Shaking all over, Reva examined Traci's body. And saw the support pole. The pole that held up a mannequin. Jammed through Traci's back. 

Someone had murdered Traci! Strangled her, Then hung her from the pole like a plastic mannequin!

R.L. Stine Book of the Week: Silent Night 2

Sure, she promised to be nicer after last year's horrors. But a rich, spoiled girl like Reva Dalby always thinks she can have anything—or anyone—she wants, and never, never pay.

But now it's payback time. Someone is out to kidnap Reva.

This year, Santa is bringing Reva a little holiday fear. And just around the corner is the biggest, most gruesome Christmas present of all—murder. And it's all hers!
 
My thoughts:

I enjoyed Silent Night when I read it a couple years ago, but unfortunately Silent Night 2 is the typical lousy sequel. 

The plot is very dull. A broke 18-year-old and his girlfriend attempt to kidnap Reva and use the ransom money to buy Christmas presents. Most of the book is comprised of failed attempts to kidnap Reva and nothing remotely scary or exciting happens. There are also plenty of chapters where Reva is bitchy to customers while she works at her father's department store, Dalby's, which is a bit entertaining, but not enough to redeem the book. Reva's cousin, Pam, is working at Dalby's again as well, despite the fact that she tried to rob it in the last book. I guess her uncle felt sorry for Pam because her family is poor and he's a millionaire? 

Silent Night 2 is too predictable: kidnappers tie Reva and her cousin Pam up, Pam loosens the ropes and they hide from the kidnappers, FBI shows up to save them. 

Also, where's the Santa from the cover of the book?! That actually might've been an entertaining book. I would choose a killer Santa story over a kidnapping story any day.

Rating: 1/5

PG-13 Gore:  With a loud groan he jumped up quickly and lumbered into the open elevator.

Reva shut her eyes tight. She heard Danny scream all the way down.

The scream ended four floors below in a sickening splat.