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.