Stine blessed up with a new short story collection last year and he's back with the sequel. Let's see if we see improvement.

Lucky Me: Chuck Lucky (yes) gets a good luck charm from a store that isn’t what it seems. We start with another Stine luck story but it’s a fun one. It starts in medias res which is neat and doesn’t drag. There’s some fun dark humor of sorts as it gives them bad luck but cushions the blow, so they seem slightly lucky. The explanation takes away from that a bit but not a lot. The ending is kind of abrupt but the final note is kind of nice. Honestly, it was more fun than I expected.

Lost and Found: Rosie and her friend get lost in the zoo and discover something strange. After a bit of a wind up, this gets to a silly/fun idea. I like some of the bits we get and even the ending works alright. It just takes a bit too long get there and maybe could have done more with it. It’s kind of weird but I like it well enough.

Mind Blowers: Skippy Simon (yes) discovers a company that lets him switch bodies with a stronger boy for a day. Holy Why I’m Afraid of Bees batman. We got this sad weak boy wanting to body swap via this company but this time parental permission is involved, yay. This one is fun enough. The “horror” comes from not having the right brain to handle the body so he has a tough time in it. It’s amusing and the ending is fine as the cruel twist that I thought would be the plot. It could have done more with it though but as it is, it’s fine.

The Stopwatch: Eli Fortunato gets a stopwatch that stops time. This is a well worn idea (no doubt he got from Twilight Zone), and it’s usually a fun one. It spends a bit too much time on the build up but has fun with Eli messing with his tormentors. Two in a row about kids with shity lives is a bit much but not a big deal. The ending isn’t exactly what i expected which is good, it was cruel in a different way that works. Another one that’s just fun.

Kids Rule: Sonny Rusell III makes a machine that lets kids rule the world. This runs off the high concepts. It’s a case where adults kind of fill the same roles but just have to listen to the kids or release. It’s fun (there’s that word again) with what is done with it. It does a bit to wind up again and this one feels a bit shorter so that is more of an issue. The ending is more of a stopping so that’s a bit abrupt. It could be tighter but it’s still enjoyable.

Spider Salad: Van Siderman has a thing about spiders and his “friends” try to make him get over it. This reminded me of the bug story in the last one. This one is kinda mixed., It’s not as high concept and it’s mostly just him dealing with these jerk friends bugging him about spiders. It’s just build up to the punchline which is amusing but doesn’t make it much of a strong story. It’s the most horror-y one so far but the structure isn’t quite there. Also the mom sucks. It’s alright, just nothing notable. (Also they wanna see the “new Spider-Man” movie, it may have been No Way Home when this was written but now it’s Spider-Verse, yay)

The Ghost in the Wall: Joe has moved to a new house, which might be haunted. This is the more traditional horror story so far and it works. It’s basic but it flows well and is effective enough. It needed stronger atmosphere for the scary bits though. The ending works as a dark ending although I don’t totally get the logic. The angle of the old house possibly being haunted and the ghost following him here is fun. It’s basic but good.

The Thief: Carlo Boyle steals a turtle egg for a project and discovers it’s no turtle. This one is cool in a creature feature kind of way. It’s quick and fun with what this ends up being. It’s an obvious “stealing is bad” message, with Carlo being established as someone who takes stuff a lot. The punchline is amusing as well. A bit of a slow build but fairly solid as a whole. (Also, iMovie mention, is this 2008?)

A Bad Birthday Party: Jimmy Lupo has no friends, with everyone seemingly avoiding him. He cooks up a plan to deal with that. This is just build up but it generally works. There’s a charm to how sad this kid is, and his parents are cousins are actually supportive. From the start, it is very obvious there will be a twist and I figured what it would be. What it ended up being did make me facepalm but the actual ending is pretty dark which i love. So kinda fun but mixed.

What’s in the claw machine?: MJ is a circus kid who deals with a claw machine. Circus kid is a unique setting, deserves its own book tbh. This one ends us well. It’s a relatable idea and frankly this is a nonfiction story as far as I’m concerned. Where it goes is fairly obvious but fun as a spin on this idea. Ending is amusing. It all ends on a joke but a decent one for how goofy it is. Fun one to end on.

So overall, I honestly liked this more than the first. The first did have maybe some stronger highs and was more horror focused which made it better in some regards. But these were better stories when it comes to structure, with more happening in them. Few were horror which is a bit of a let down but most were just high concept and fun.

These still aren’t dark, with there being like one possible death each. I know it’s a Stine decision to make it lighter given this is the same publisher that did Weenies. It’s still not up to the Haunting Hour/Tales 6 standards but it was still generally fun. My favorite may be Lucky Me honestly, with The Thief and maybe What’s in the clay machine behind it. Don’t think one was the big obvious stand but there ya go. Weakest for me was Spider Salad.

So yeah, fun times. I think 3 are planned but we’ll see how that goes.

I have to say it, R.L. Stine's newest collection of short scary stories gave me a nostalgic feeling. When my children were young, they loved his Goosebumps books. I read them too. My kids and I loved reading and talking about the books. It was something we could share.
This set of ten stories spurred memories of various things in the author's life. He very briefly introduces each story with a note about a memory or reason this new story came to mind.
I received an advanced reader's copy from Macmillan through NetGalley. This is my unsolicited opinion.
These stories are golden for kids who show interest in scary things like seeing a thief get caught in a wild way. How about naughty kids who decide to do their own thing on a school field trip finding a very unique exhibit at a zoo? Can a new, modern house be haunted? R.L. Stine knows what is scary for children and can put a big twist on the end of a story!
I agree that these short stories are for middle school age children. If a child is prone to an over-active imagination or fears of certain things like spiders or having no friends, it may be advisable to read the collection ahead of time or share reading time together. There's a good dose of humor in these stories. I appreciate the author's wit and wisdom. These will be fun stories for the Halloween season.

I enjoyed these 10 stories within this book.  All of  the characters were fun to read about. If you like horror and somethings scary these 10 stories will be right up there. And with each story comes an personal introduction from the author. Tell you how the story can to his mind to white about. Some of the stories are more scary than others. There was one with spider in it that gave me the shivers a bit. Because I'm not so found of spiders.

This was a fun to read or listen to. All of the stories had action, adventure and suspense throughout. There were a few giggles within each stories.

I received a complimentary copy and audio copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.

This is a great collection of spooky stories for the middle grade reader. I found each story unique and engaging. The stories are told with humor and a spooky sense of fun. I think that the middle school reader will connect to the topics in each of these stories - a world where kids are in charge? I'm pretty sure that's every kids dream....but it comes with a cost
Great collection!

This is classic R.L. Stine. He is so good at writing short fiction and this collection is proof of that. The stories are all pretty great but the collection isn't quite as could as the first Stinetinglers.

The 10 short tales are vintage Stine, dishing out twists that are creepy or comical in turn—such as “Lucky Me,” which serves up a reminder that there are two kinds of luck, and “The Stopwatch,” about a timepiece that allows a bullied lad to exact revenge by freezing his tormenters (until, that is, the watch stem breaks). There are even more unexpected creepy stories.

Stine’s humor and nightmarish fun, Stinetinglers 2 is perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Stine’s own Goosebumps books who want even more scares. These chilling tales prove that Stine’s legacy in the horror genre is justly earned. I love Stine’s books. His humor is “one of a kind” and his stories are creepy. To me he is the “Stephen King” of stories for juveniles. I’m an adult and enjoy his stories. I believe all ages would enjoy these stories. Don’t let your age keep you from reading them.

R.L. Stine can do no wrong. This is a completely bias review and I am not sorry about it.
The ten stories are all spooky and perfect for a preteen reader.
I really love his little introductions for each short story.

I've been a big fan of Stine since I was a kid so I was really excited to get my hands on an ARC of his new anthology of short stories. Stinetinglers 2 has ten stories that start with a forward by Stine about what inspired the idea behind each one.

I read one story out loud to my husband without telling him what it was and he said "this sounds like a Goosebumps book". It definitely gave us nostalgia reading his mannerisms and characters.

The stories are geared towards young readers in the 6-12yo age group with every story from the POV of a child, but it can easily be enjoyed by every age (especially us elder millennials that were raised on Goosebumps). Every story was entertaining and only a couple felt predictable with their plots.

I loved reading this anthology. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the Galley.

Fun, fiction shorts that I would've loved as a child/teen. Reading these was like reading bite-sized Goosebumps shorts that gave me a hefty dose of nostalgia and someone who grew up on R.L. Stine from Goosebumps to Fear Street. Perfect for capturing the attention of middle school aged kids looking for creepy, humorous stories. My inner child was very happy with these.

What a walk down memory lane! I'm 45 and absolutely loved R.L. Stine books when I was a kid. These stories were creepy for sure and definitely appropriate for kids. I was so happy to see this available and that I was picked to review it.

Stinetinglers 2 is a collection of 10 short stories written by the master of children’s horror, R. L. Stine. Each story has a small preface at the beginning to give a tiny bit of insight as to why Stine wrote a particular story, which I really enjoyed. The stories themselves were fast paced and felt like we’ll rounded stories. A couple of them made me, an adult horror reader, laugh out loud so I’m thinking that kids would be giggling as well. A couple of stories were misses for me, but I’m well aware I am not the intended audience for this collection. My personal favorites were: Mind Blowers, The Thief, and What’s in the Claw Machine. I think this is a perfect collection for kids who enjoy a good creepy tale or even for reluctant readers who need to be able to read something short and fun.

With Goosebumps, Fear Street, and standalone stories from R.L. Stine dominating my youth and helping to fuel my love for reading + reading horror, I jumped on the opportunity to read STINETINGLERS 2. I already had a wonderful time with the previous entry of collected works that came out earlier this year. And so I knew this collection of new short stories is just what you would expect - and I mean that in the best way. I know I can always count on Stine's stories to help me escape, cheer me up, and fill me with a sense of nostalgia and continually fuel my love for horror. These stories are a lot of fun and each one has a brief blurb from Stine explaining a little about how he came to create it or who he thinks might enjoy it. I always love getting insights into the minds of authors, especially my favorites! Any Stine fan will absolutely enjoy this collection and I can guarantee an enjoyable reading experience.

This was another great book by R L Stine. The stories are very similar to the Goosebumps series but much shorter and more modern. It was a good book that I just blew through. I enjoyed the little introductions at the start of each story as well.

Stinetinglers 2 is a collection of ten scary stories for young readers or for the young at heart. You don't have to be a kid to get a giggle or a shiver from these tales. The fast pace and relatable themes should engage even the most reluctant readers.
This is a collection intended for early to middle grades but you could read it to a younger child or have them read it to you.
I found it more enjoyable than the first volume of Stinetinglers.
Each story is prefaced with an anecdote that tells where the inspiration to write it came from.
The stories themselves are a lot of fun and show the consequences of borrowing things without permission, not being careful what you wish for, bullying, and more.
Whether you have a child who loves to read or you are hoping to instill a love of reading in them you can't go wrong with Stinetinglers 2.

This was a really fun collection of short stories, the first I've read by Mr. Stine. I wasn't sure what to expect considering goosebumps are already pretty short, I was worried there might not be enough time to "tell the story." If anything, I think the short story format held my attention even more, leaving no time to get bored with the story. I really enjoyed how varied the stories were; each unique and creepy giving you a sprinkling of all different kinds of horror. There's really something here for everyone! I think my only complaint is how bratty a lot of the characters are, but then again, I'm an adult reading this so perhaps that's just my age speaking.


**Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's for the review copy in exchange for an honest review! **

Great collection of spooky stories for kids and the young at heart! These are the perfect length to read to yourself or as a family before bed or over a campfire! The occasional illustrations are fun and great at helping keep the younger audience's attention. Will definitely recommend to all my friends with kids who enjoy spooky stories!

I haven’t read the first one of the Stinetinglers. This one has different short stories which were entertaining.

Brought back memories reading the original series in the 90s reading with my son.

4 stars

As an avid fan of R. L. Stine from an early age I had to jump on the opportunity to read Stinetinglers. So let me just first say that R. L. Stine is responsible for my intense interest in horror that grew as I gres. The Haunted Mask, to this day is the reason I will not put my head into one of those halloween masks that cover your whole head lol. I loved this book and the extra little openers to each story made it feel more personal and connected. Furthermore, I enjoyed that each story was either funny or had a meaning deeper behind like Aesops Fables style stories.I feel like these stories are just chilling enough but not too scary for the age group they are intended for. I loved this book and I love this author. I cannot wait to see what else he comes out with.

Stinetinglers 2 is a collection of 10 easily-read short children’s stories with last-page plot twists. Much like fairytales, most of the stories also boil down to a morality tale in some way: "be careful what you wish for", "follow the rules", "don’t seek revenge", "be kind", "don’t steal", and "don’t cheat".

It’s always a pleasure to read anything by R.L. Stine and purchase his books for my child, but I think Stinetinglers 2 missed the mark on its intended 8 to 12-year-old audience. That age range may be appropriate for a child’s reading comprehension level, but most of the plots are a little too simplistic and the twists will likely come across as silly, rather than shocking or spooky, to children in that age group as well.

I would highly recommend reading this book with younger children, but I don’t think anyone over the age of nine would find it very entertaining.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and provide an unbiased review of the advanced reader copy of Stinetinglers 2 by R.L. Stine.

Following-up the 2022 middle grade collection, Stinetinglers, R. L. Stine returns with another ten stories that pit kids against the uncanny: Stinetinglers 2.

"Lucky Me" finds young Chuck Lucky chancing upon a lucky charm that may well give his family the boost they need. But why does his parents' luck seem to be taking a turn for the worse since he's given it to them? Is it cursed? Maybe broken? If the latter, can it be fixed before it's too late?

In "Lost and Found," best friends Rosie and Audra ditch their field trip companions at the zoo for a little personal exploration time. Soon enough, they find themselves caught in danger's way. While escaping that, they wind up in a secret part of the zoo, which is not a home to an attraction but to something that wants to remain hidden. Can the girls escape this small but nevertheless dangerous threat before it silences them forever?

"Mind Blowers" is a tale of weird science body swapping, which gives small-for-his-age Skippy Simon a chance to grow six inches by trading bodies with soccer team star Hardy Harper for twenty-four hours. What could possibly go wrong? Well, maybe there's more to a sports champion than the body alone …

When consistently tardy and bullied Eli Fortunato is given a surprise gift by his beloved uncle, he discovers it has the supernatural power to stop time for everyone around him. He remains unaffected and can interact with the world just fine. Can he use this to catch up on his life and pull one over on the Vossel twins, or will "The Stopwatch" and its strange power turn against him?

Sonny Russell and his best friends Enrico and Bert are tired of parents, mean neighbors, and other adults making all the rules. When he builds a magic mirror that allows them access to a flipped world where kids have the power, they find themselves charmed and then terrified. Will they return home, or are they trapped forever in a place where "Kids Rule?"

Van Siderman has strong reactions to spiders. When his best friends Ari Becker and Lindy-Sue take advantage of this, teasing or bullying him under the guise of "helping him," he plots revenge. What form that revenge takes is surprisingly nasty in the squirm-worthy horrors of "Spider Salad."

After Joe and his family move into a new house, he starts to hear strange things and see eerie presences in his room. Is the house haunted or is this just a manifestation of his ghost obsession? Joe believes it is the former, and searches for the culprit. If he can he find "The Ghost in the Wall," what can Joe do to convince it to leave him alone?

Carlo Boyle collects things … and they don't necessarily belong to him. Sometimes these items are other people's belongings, such as the phone his school chum forgot he loaned out. Sometimes they are trinkets he finds. After witnessing turtles hatching at the Nantucket Sound, he gets the idea to take one home. However, he and his best friend Kira soon learn the error of their ways when the egg hatches … and what's inside is not what they were expecting. "The Thief" is a monster of a yarn with an out of this world conclusion.

No one wants to hang out or play with Jimmy Lupo other than his cousin Lucy Wolfe. He misses out on birthday invitations, he's given lousy excuses, and he's excluded. So, he plots a way to get back at these folks. Can Lucy talk him out of the plan to host "A Bad Birthday Party" before it is too late?

When Mary-Jane "MJ" Rice and her fellow carnival kid and friend Teddy are given the opportunity to test out a brand new claw machine, they soon discover that it's not as easy to win the prizes as it might appear. Can the machine itself be thwarting their efforts or is it just malfunctioning? When Teddy tries to fiddle with the interior, he vanishes … and she soon learns the truth. "What's in the Claw Machine?" Something evil …

R. L. Stine's Goosebumps was a surprise hit way back in the day, and although he'd made a career on the Fear Street titles as well as other YA horror entries before that (Blind Date, the first novel released under the R. L. Stine name, was a part of the seminal Point Horror line. The author would be a regular contributor to that line from 1986-1995), the middle grade books provided a boost to his career. Television adaptations came in the wake of those books as well as a movie starring Jack Black and a sequel that does not. In many ways, the Goosebump books defined middle grade horror for the 90s and the 00s, by virtue of being the most popular and widely read entries in that market. Stine has returned to the form over the years, with The Nightmare Room and Mostly Ghostly series and numerous revamps and returns to Goosebumps via Goosebumps Horrorland, Goosebumps SlappyWorld, and other lines. The Stinetinglers are his latest additions, differentiated by the fact that they offer short stories instead of full length chapter books. Regular readers of Stine might recall the Tales to Give You Goosebumps series of collections. The Stinetinglers are in that mold.

The stories are not necessarily written with an eye toward deathless prose. The sentences are polished with an eye toward ease of reading, and a clear conveyance of information. Mood and atmosphere are interwoven into the descriptions, and there are some squirm-worthy or gross moments, but they are never gratuitous or gory. Each of the stories builds to a twist ending, much like jokes build to a punchline. As a reader in my forties, there was little that was unpredictable here, but I still found myself smiling at the way Stine would conclude some of these yarns. The tales blend humor and fright, often tackling real world issues in the guise of fiction.

Each of the stories is accompanied by an autobiographical introduction, where the author briefly touches upon his inspirations for the tale that follows. These provide some insights into Stine's own youth and creative process. They also give a hint of what is to follow, but they never spoil the story itself.

As well, each story is accompanied by an illustration. These are often eerie things, including renditions of moments from the yarn to come as well as the occasional metaphoric encapsulation.

Stinetinglers 2 offers a good cross section of the style of stories Stine made his reputation on. There are moody creep-outs, gentle gross-outs, and eerie events aplenty with characters that middle grade readers can easily connect with. None of the stories are too disturbing (though the spider one might trigger a stronger response from those suffering arachnophobia), and for adult readers they are clever tales told in the Saki tradition. Sure, the twist endings will only be mind-blowing for the younger readers they are aiming for, but the book itself is an entertaining enough read for all ages.
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Special thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.