Schedules to post 9/13/22.

Full disclosure, I'm only vaguely familiar with Phantom of the Opera. Never seen it, never read it. But I know enough about it to get the gist of what this story is based on. I really don't think that's why I really didn't like this book, because the things I disliked about this book are pretty independent from what it's based on. Also, while this is the third book in the series, I haven't read the others and it doesn't look like you need to. High School Horror appears to be a series the same way Fear Street was a series. It read like a standalone.

First and foremost, TEEN PHANTOM uses the threat of military school to motivate Chris to stay in line. Immediately, I'm shoved out of the story. My husband went to military school. He knows a lot of people who went to military schools other than his own. Primary school level military school is boarding school where you cosplay military. What ended up being in this book is the kind of juvenile detention center you end up hearing about on the news for abusing the hell out of its students under the guise of discipline. The two are not interchangeable, no matter what Hollywood tells us. Maybe it's the genre of books I read within YA, but I'm getting a little tired of YA authors just mailing it in when it comes to research on things they don't know about. And whatever research they do is watch a few movies. Cool. So immediately I'm like meh.

Lena is a very off-putting character. I think that's the point, as she's playing the phantom in this retelling. But she's offputting and disturbing in a very unenjoyable way. It also ends up equating the plot to mentally ill = dangerous, which is a horror trope that needs to die. My primary reason for being really put off by Lena is I've come in contact with people like her (thankfully without the homicidal intent) and they are not good people to deal with. So I really did not enjoy the story because of her.

On top of that, Chris just kind of sucked. He had a very pretentious air about him, carried himself like he was better than everyone else, bemoaned that he didn't fit in while simultaneously judging everyone around him for being dumb hicks. Like, remind me who I'm supposed to root for in this story? The only character I really ended up caring about was Honor, and that's a stretch.

There also seemed to be a number of really out of touch moments in the narrative that pushed me out too. One part was where Lena and Chris (I think it was Lena, it could have been Honor, it doesn't matter) were having what I think was supposed to be a text conversation, but they had, like, AIM handles. Do kids today still communicate through something like an instant messenger or do they just text or SnapChat? My guess is the latter. 

Then there was the apparent unironic use of the term 'lily liver.' I honestly thought this book was written by a 70 year old man until I saw the author's photo on Goodreads setting up this review. Lily liver? What year is it supposed to be?

And then there was the underhanded fat comment about how Honor was standing with her hands on her hips, tapping her toe, and despite her lack of hips she still looked intimidating, or something like that. So not only is Honor totally skinny, but only heavier women can pull off an impatient hands-on-hips look? I'm not sure how I should have read that line. And it was said in Chris's POV, so it made him even more unappealing to me.

Obviously, the book had me interested enough to keep reading, but that's all it really had going for it. The characters were not good, the writing seemed out of touch to the market, and there was zero research put into what a military school actually is. And where the book ends, I genuinely don't understand. Chris was literally being stalked and terrorized by someone, and was the victim in all of this, but he still ended up at "military school?" Parents are so unfair, amirite?

2

This was not the book I thought it was going to be. However, I think I would have enjoyed this version if it were presented a little differently. I’m not sure if Lena was suppose to be likable or not but none of her choices in the story seemed reasonable. Maybe that’s love…? Also, Chris wasn’t really likable either. This was a really quick read but I felt like I probably would have dnf’d it sooner if it weren’t for the intrigue of what was going to happen at the end, which was a huge disappointment. Even the “twist,” if you can call it that, was disappointing.

Chris had everything. Broadway shows whenever he wanted. Living in New York being in the center of it all, yet one choice turns his life around and lands him living with his aunt and uncle and attending the local high school. Lena is not one who wishes to be noticed. In fact, one could call her the keeper of secrets. Not that anyone would notice or believe that she knew everything about her. Lena is one with the shadows. That is until Chris sees her and befriends her on his first day at the school. Theirs is a friendship that will never end, or will it? Come on this twisted tale of how far would you go for a friend?
This is a very interesting take on a classic concept. I will say that the first half of the book is very slow but give it time all will be revealed as you continue to read. This book has strong characters and watching some of them develop is very fun. The twisted mindset that you know is lingering under the surface doesn’t disappoint. This is a very fun take on the Phantom of the Opera and just a great way to reintroduce it to teens. This will be quite a fun book to recommend during the spooky season. Thank you so very much to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Feiwel and Friends and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title

Teen Phantom (High School Horror Story #3) by Chandler Baker, 288 pages. Fiewel & Friends, 2022. $18. LGBTQIA
Language: R (53 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
In order to keep his head down and avoid military school, Christ has given himself three rules at his new high school: no girls, no fast cars, and no trouble. Except that Lena is the first person to be nice to him, and he can’t stop thinking about Honor, the girl in his theater class. Surely, though, two out of three isn’t bad.
I’m disappointed that this is the concluding book of Baker’s High School Horror Story series. The twist she presents on The Phantom of the Opera in this book was fun to read as I anxiously anticipated how she would adapt the familiar story. While Chris’s story could be read as a standalone despite a couple references to the prequel, I recommend going back to read the others in the series because the books are enjoyable.
Chris, Lena, and Honor are all White. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs and alcohol, innuendo, illegal activity, mention of abortion, partial nudity, sexting, and mentions of sex. The violence rating is for mentions of suicide, blood, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

This book—a story about high school theater students that is loosely based on The Phantom of the Opera—was WAY darker than I expected. There were some genuinely horrific, shocking, and gruesome moments that had me AUDIBLY gasping. The pacing felt a little bit off—it was a bit slow in the beginning and then tumbled down to the ending REALLY fast. It is also a part of a series (I didn’t know that going in), and while I was still able to read and understand it all without any background, there were a few points that I felt like I was CLEARLY missing something. However, neither the pacing nor the references to other books took away from enjoying “Teen Phantom” as a whole. It was a quick read that kept me engaged throughout and was very enjoyable. I would definitely consider picking up other books in this series, since I enjoyed this one so much.

Drama and thriller YA book is something that is hard for me to read because it could get cringey but this book was a perfection ratio or not too thriller and a hint of mystery and drama!

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order this year and will recommend it to students.