Stage Fright is the perfect mix of creepy and heartfelt, following Avery as she tries to reconnect with her old friends by hosting a séance in a spooky abandoned theater. What starts as a fun adventure quickly turns into a chilling fight for survival. With plenty of twists, eerie moments, and a heartwarming friendship story, this middle-grade ghost tale will keep readers hooked until the very end. Perfect for fans of Goosebumps and Katherine Arden! We cannot wait to add more Parris to our library, as we know our readers will devour them.

Nice middle grade read that was spooky enough without being too scary for the target audience. I also liked the other arc about accepting that things change as you grow up.

This was a quick read but I enjoyed it a lot! Avery is our main character and has just come back to her old town to visit her friends - Paige, Tyler and Jaylen. Avery hasn’t grown up as much as her friends and so to look cool she suggests they have a seance in an old theater where a young girl died. Things quickly go bad once they are in theater and spooky things start happening.
This is a young adult novel but there were several parts that I was very creeped out by. The story stayed interesting all the way through and I was satisfied by the ending. I would definitely recommend this book and I might check out some of the author’s other works!

What a fun, genuinely spooky middle grade horror novel! I'm putting this one up there with the likes of Scarewaves by Trevor Henderson and The Dead Woods by Christian Francis as good horror for younger readers who really like actually scary stories (that are still appropriate for their age).

Avery, Paige, Jaylen, and Tyler have been friends since pre-school. Now they're 13 and entering a new stage of life, on the cusp of being children before becoming teenagers. Avery also recently moved far away a year previously and is having an especially difficult time coming to terms with the facts her friends are different and their friendship, of course, is also now different. Parris plays with themes of growing up, growing apart, and the emotions that come with puberty, using the ghost in her story to emphasize them in an effective way.

I liked that Parris doesn't shy away from the horror either - spooky things, injuries, psychological torment, and more are thrust upon these kiddos. This is more like an episode of RL Stine's The Haunting Hour, than Goosebumps (or maybe not too different from the new Goosebumps show in terms of horror level actually). I found the tone to be perfect - this book is absolutely something I'd have loved as a kid and that my niece will love... in a few more years, at least lol

Super recommended for those who love a good ghost story and some real spooks, no matter the age tbh Parris is an effective writer and I look forward to checking out her other works.

Stage Fright by Wendy Parris,is about Avis who cannot wait to get back to her three best friend who she moved away from a year before soon after arriving she learns that Paige started wearing make up and now likes to shop, Tyler is a gamer and Jaylin likes to play basketball and she learns none of them go to Tyler‘s clubhouse anymore. They’re all changing in Avis can’t help but think she’s losing the three best friend she’s ever had because they act as if everything she wants to do is babyish this is why she tries to fake them out with a Séance thinking all of them but especially page won’t do it. To her surprise they all agree, so it’s off to the Storyhouse Theater where there’s said to be a 10 year old girls ghost, to do the séance. The science works too well because a ghost appears and won’t let them leave. Avis just wanted to bond with her friends but after summoning a ghost that won’t let them leave she only hopes to live long enough to see them and her parents again. I thought this was an adorable book that is age-appropriate it’s well worded and also has a couple of funny moments I really liked the whole feel of the book and would definitely buy this for my daughter or any young child who likes to spooky. #NetGalley, #WindyParis, #StageFright,

Wendy Parris proves that sometimes the scariest thing about growing up isn't supernatural threats, but the fear of growing apart. "Stage Fright" masterfully balances teen drama with genuine scares, creating a story that's as much about friendship as it is about fear.
The novel's protagonist, Avery, embodies the universal anxiety of returning home to find everything has shifted. Her plan to host a séance at an abandoned theater—the site of an unnamed tragedy—transforms from a desperate bid to recreate the past into a terrifying fight for survival. Parris cleverly uses the theater setting to amplify both the physical and emotional claustrophobia of the situation, as locked doors force the friends to confront not just an unseen threat, but their changing relationships.
While the haunted theater premise might seem familiar, Parris breathes fresh life into the trope by grounding it in authentic teen dynamics. The tension builds naturally from awkward reunions to pulse-pounding terror, with each character's secrets and crushes adding complicated layers to their survival story. The author particularly excels at capturing the bittersweet realization that you can't simply press rewind on friendships.
The only slight stumble comes from some predictable horror beats, but these are overshadowed by the genuine emotional stakes Parris creates. The real achievement is how the supernatural elements serve to illuminate rather than overshadow the very real horror of growing up and growing apart.
"Stage Fright" is a sharp, affecting reminder that sometimes the ghosts we need to face aren't in haunted buildings, but in the relationships we're afraid to let change.

STAGE FRIGHT was so good!! It fabulously balances horror along with the all-too-relatable challenges of fitting in and accepting change. It’s the perfect read for kids looking for a spooky story!

4.5 stars rounded up. This was a fun, appropriately creepy middle grade ghost story. I thought the characters and their relationships were age appropriate, which is always good to see. I liked the emphasis on friendship and thought the characters' problems were refreshingly normal. It kind of felt like an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark in book form.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

My 5th graders are always asking for more "spooky" books in our library, and I think this would be a perfect fit. It's not terrifying, more classically scary. I liked the idea of the kids coming together to confront growing up and the different issues we've all faced, and the seance aspect will delight lovers of scary movies!

This was quick, enjoyable, slightly creepy book. It makes for a fun spooky season read for middle grade readers. Though the story is about friends trying to escape a creepy, haunted theatre, the true heart of the story is about growing up, changing friendships, complex feelings, and finding one's place. This would be a good book for middle grade readers that may be in the midst of these experiences.

In STAGE FRIGHT by Wendy Parris, thirteen-year-old Avery is excited about making a return trip to her hometown for the summer. After moving away, she’s had a hard time making friends in her new home and is longing to spend time with her three best friends. When she returns, she immediately senses things have changed. To reconnect Avery suggests they play one last detective game like the ones they used to play, but with higher stakes. The group plans a séance in an abandoned theater where a young girl died in a tragic accident ten years ago. Rumor has it the theater is haunted by her ghost. When the group arrives at the theater, they find themselves locked in—and not alone. They’ll need to figure out how to survive and get out of the building alive.
The theater setting provides the perfect creepy backdrop for this locked room story. The friendship angst that Avery is experiencing will ring true with many readers who are also experiencing changes in their own friendship groups. With its fast pace and age-appropriate scares, this one will thrill middle grade readers looking for a seasonal spooky read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of the book.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Stage Fright by Wendy Parris in exchange for an honest review. This book takes me back to being a teenager. I remember I loved books like these and couldn't get enough of the genre. Four teenagers break into a haunted theater, all with something to prove. This was a fun story and I recommend it for teens who like the spooky.

Avery is excited to return to,her hometown. She has been gone for a year. She was miserable in her new home in Pennsylvania and not fitting in the way she did at her old school. So she is returning to her close, trusted friends feeling like just what she needs. Only things are different. The dynamics between Jaylen and Tyler are off. Her best friend, Paige, seems too cool for the things they used to enjoy. Afraid that the group has grown up without her and determined to have things return to normal, Avery suggests a thrilling game - a seance at an abandoned theater where, 10 years ago a young girl plunged to her death. Rumors about her ghost abound, making this the perfect occasion for Avery to show that she’s not “still a scaredy-cat,.” At first it appears the seance doesn’t work, until the spirit reveals herself—and she’s more terrifying and dangerous than they expected. Now it’s up to Avery to fix what’s been broken and save herself and her friends. Will she be able to do it? What starts as a fun outing, soon becomes a fight for survival after the group gets locked in…and discovers they’re not alone. Who is there?

The author has written a haunting tale of ghosts with fractured friends and malevolent evil that stayed with me. It’s a book that I think is perfect to read for Halloween with its creepy atmosphere.




Avery has some nice moments of growth. The story moves quickly, the friendship complexities are believable, and readers will enjoy the genuine scares. Jaylen is cued Black; the other main characters are coded white.

A fast-paced, spooky tale exploring adolescent tumult and the uncertainty that comes with change. (Paranormal. 8-12)

A good horror story regardless of age, just as likely to fuel nightmares in my thirties as the intended audience.

Avery is excited to go back to her small hometown to spend time with her friends for a summer visit. Her parents moved her to Philadelphia and she hates it there, mostly because she had to leave her best friend Paige behind. However, things have changed. Paige is so different now, more into things that Avery doesn’t like, such as wearing makeup, hanging out with Avery’s former bully; and her two buddies Jaylen and Tyler fight constantly. The group seems to have grown apart. Avery gets the idea of doing a seance at the local closed, supposedly haunted theater as a bid to bring everyone together. When things start to go wrong and the quartet gets trapped in the theater, they realize there is a dark presence there that doesn’t want them to leave alive.

Stage Fright is a book about growing up and facing fears and change. Avery is fixated on the past and things being like they used to be. Her anxiety keeps her from taking chances, such as making new friends and trying different hobbies, putting herself out there. She is distressed at how much her friends have changed and doesn’t understand why Paige is making the choices she’s made. Through their harrowing ordeal in the haunted theater, Avery learns to face her fears and conquer her insecurities.

Avid adult readers of middle grade books may be disappointed at how young the books read initially. Avery acts more childish than she should for this story, and the contrast between her and the overall tone of the book was jarring. This makes the narrative a bit harder to get into. But as the story progresses, there is such an eerie, intriguing tone that draws in the reader. There are some genuinely spooky and unnerving parts that take this book to the next level. While it still feels a little simplistic in the way the characters are written, the horror delivers. The origins of the haunting and the sinister events in the theater was very interesting, and made this a more satisfying read. Underlying the narrative are good lessons about maturity and growth that readers may appreciate. Stage Fright has some good qualities that make it a fun, scary book for younger middle grade readers.

3.5 stars

A fun, spooky locked room ghost story that was a super fast read. Four friends decide to hold a seance to connect with a ghost who died in an old, abandoned theater.

Avery, the main character, struggles a lot with her recent move away from her best friends and how much they've changed since she's been gone. I feel like a lot of MG kids would relate to her feelings, whether or not they moved. Kids grow and change so quickly at that age, and friends can grow apart/start liking different things/mature at different paces, and that was really well demonstrated in this book.

The scary bits were just the right amount of scary- this would be good for a kid who's just dipping their toe into the horror genre.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book is about a group of friends who break into a "haunted" theater and try to talk to the ghost that is there. Things quickly go wrong.

I liked this book. It is a middle grade horror book so it had a lot of spooky vibes and I think it would be a bit scary for kids. It wasn't super scary for me but I bet it would be for kids. It was also a quick read and it was easy to read.

I didn't like the drama between the friends as much. I feel like it wasn't necessary.

Overall, I had a fun time reading this spooky book and would recommend to kids looking for a good Halloween read!

I loved Stage Fright. It was just the right amount of on the edge of your seat spooky mixed with straight up encounters with the supernatural. The perfect creepy read.
Friendships change as we get older. As kids become teens, some people change and some cling to what they feel they have always been. You get so much of these evolving friendships between 4 lifelong best friends, but it is all happening while they are locked in a haunted old theatre.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It had a good message that even adults need to be reminded of every once in a while. It wasn't very scary, but it was sadder than I was expecting. I feel like making the first day of Avery's visit the day everything happened was a bit of a disservice. I would love to have been shown Avery's life in Philly and seen more of her interactions with her old friends, both before and after that night.

"A new locked room scary story about thirteen-year-old Avery, who plans a séance at a deserted theater to bond with her friends, only to realize they're locked inside with someone - or something - else. This spine tingling read is perfect for fans of Katherine Arden and Lindsay Currie!

When Avery returns to her hometown after moving away a year earlier, she is hoping to jump back into her friend group as if nothing's changed.

Unfortunately, new interests, secret crushes, and changing dynamics get in her way. To reunite her BFFs, she suggests they host a séance at an abandoned theater that was the site of a horrible tragedy.

What starts as a fun outing, soon becomes a fight for survival after the group gets locked in...and discovers they're not alone."

I adore that the cover has the theater's ghost light front and center.