Ride or Die is a suspenseful book with a surprising amount of heart and life lessons. It definitely leans on the younger side of things, but it’s obviously written for that audience. The atmosphere in the story was so eerie and even though I kinda had things figured out, it still was tense but extremely fast paced. The characters were great and the main character goes through a very important journey that is nicely fleshed out. Overall, anyone who enjoys YA or Middle Grade horror, I definitely would suggest checking this book out!

This was a super fun read! I picked this book solely on the title and artwork, and it did not dissappoint! This is like FNAF level horror. Not super gory, but more for kids who have outgrown Goosebumps. This is good entry level horror.

I don’t typically read middle grade horror, but I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read from Delilah Dawson so far, and after reading the summary, I knew this would be no exception. I LOVE amusement parks; a sleepover at one would be so much fun! Sans the reawakened evil of course…

And to no shock, I enjoyed this so much I read it in a day. I think my nephew, who loves all things scary, would absolutely love it and can’t wait to tell my sister so she can check it out. As expected, it was a perfect picture of creepy and thrilling. The scary or gory details were handled well for the age group. The overall message of trying to do anything to fit in and hang out with the “cool” kids is one that most kids in middle school could relate to. It’s a time in our lives when we’re trying to figure out who we are without knowing how. Speaking of the “cool” kids, I’ve never hated a group of teenagers more. I am not gonna lie, as wrong as it felt, I kept hoping bad things would happen to those *fictional* kids. And even though I’m used to Delilah’s adult horror, the ending still satisfied my need for revenge in a nice PG manner.

I absolutely love Delilah Dawson's previous book Bloom, and looked forward to her releasing this y.a novel. It was very well written and a quick read, but I think it was certainly predictable. We knew exactly what was happening even though the MC didn't put two and two together. I did enjoy the Gore and creepiness of it as well as the ending. Mean Girls suck and karma's a b****.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved, loved, loved this book! While it started off a bit slow, it quickly picked up and became such a thrilling read. I loved the ghostly elements and the spooky, suspenseful vibe throughout. The story of her picking up objects that awaken the ghost was so intriguing—and then having to survive the night? So good! It had the perfect mix of supernatural and thriller. I couldn’t put it down.

Ride or Die is such a fun & fast-paced middle grade horror with a setting that totally delivers. A haunted amusement park - say less. I loved watching Brie move from ride-to-ride, horror-to-horror - it had all the nostalgia of a Goosebumps book or a spooky campfire tale. Even though the plot becomes somewhat predictable, the atmosphere more than makes up for it. Dawson's descriptions really got under my skin - there were definitely moments that gave me the chills. Think spiders in slushies and the kind of rot & decay you can smell through the page. For a middle grade book, it didn't shy away from the creepy and I appreciated that.

Even if the plot was a bit easy to predict, there were still a few fun surprises that kept the story feeling fresh. I’d recommend this one for younger readers ready to dip their toes into the world of horror—or adults looking to tap back into that early thrill of being deliciously scared.

Ride or Die is a delightfully eerie thrill ride packed with carnival chills, peer pressure gone wrong, and a pulse-pounding supernatural twist. Delilah S. Dawson delivers a fast-paced, creepy tale perfect for readers who love amusement park settings with a sinister edge.

Brie is a relatable protagonist—eager to fit in, struggling to bury a secret, and stuck between the desire for acceptance and the instinct to survive. Her night at Wildwoods starts off with all the excitement of chasing popularity, but things quickly spiral into something darker when a dare leaves her stranded in a forgotten corner of the park.

The tension ramps up as Brie meets a group of charismatic teens who aren’t what they seem. Dawson balances eerie atmosphere and mounting dread with sharp dialogue and a strong emotional undercurrent, as Brie begins to question not just who she can trust but what she’s willing to risk to belong.

While the story leans into horror tropes, it does so with self-awareness and style, never losing sight of its emotional core. The haunted amusement park setting is both nostalgic and nightmarish—a perfect backdrop for the book’s mix of thrills, danger, and teen drama.

With plenty of twists and just the right dose of heart, Ride or Die is a wickedly fun read that’s perfect for fans of Five Nights at Freddy’s, Stranger Things, or anyone looking to kick off spooky season with a scream.

Thank you NetGalley! This is my first by Delian Dawson, I loved it. It was a great Young Adult novel and a quick read. I did not see where it was going with the twists

This is a low stakes, VERY fast paced middle grade horror novel. The amusement park setting is fun, and the characters are pretty diverse. However, I think this is pretty predictable, even for middle grade, and the descriptions might be a little too gross for the target age.

Ride Or Die from Delilah S Dawson is different kind of coming of age story.

Brie Turner is starting over. A new life in a new town and a new chance to make something of herself in the eyes of her new peers. The popular girls, The Ems, live under their own rules and Brie wants in, but be careful what you wish for. A night in an amusement park turns dark when a game of Truth or Dare crosses a very dark threshold.

The sins of the past haunt the people in this present through some genuinely hair raising ways. Delilah found new ways to make creepy feel fresh as Brie navigates her way through the park with new allies guiding her way.

Ride or Die is a fun, if not harrowing, tale about finding yourself at an age when most of us don't really know how to define who we truly want to be. It's a story tailor made for younger audiences at a similar moment in their lives, but, at times, feels deeply personal to Delilah herself. And one that I felt deeply in my core. A universally relatable story for any audience.

Delilah S. Dawson is extremely hit or miss for me, but this was a delight!!

Girl hangs out with popular girls, popular girls mean, girl gets in a sticky situation because of them. Pretty cut and dry. However, the fun horror twists add to the overall message. I figured out the twist pretty early on, but that did not change my enjoyment. This would hit really well for middle grade readers. And it definitely is not too scary for them.

3.5 stars

Ride or Die had the perfect amusement park setting! A great book to read during summerween!

This one genuinely scared me 😅 I would definitely not enjoy being trapped in an amusement park overnight, especially this one.

I reaaaally liked Dawn, CJ, and Trip and was so sad once I realized what was going on 😭 Brie was also great and really came into her own!

This one even made me tear up a little towards the end.

Ride or Die by Delilah S. Dawson is a middle grade horror novel that follows Brie. Brie desperately wants to be a part of the cool girl clique at her school known as “the Ems” but it’s almost impossible. After she ends up in the Ems good graces, she gets to join them for a night of fun at a local theme park. But things don’t go according to plan and Brie ends up getting more thrills than she expected.

This was so fun. There is something so nostalgic about middle grade horror. This one takes place in an amusement park at night which I feel like was a dream of mine growing up but it made it terrifying! This book had some creepy elements that any reader can enjoy.

There are some great messages in here as well. Mainly around is it worth being a different person to fit in with the cool crowd? I think that’s something that a lot of middle schoolers have to deal with so this book is perfect for the age group it’s aimed for.

This was just a great time full of fun rides and scary encounters with some important messages for kids. I will be getting a copy of this to add to my home library for my kids to read!

4.5 Stars

I thought this was a really good middle grade book by Delilah S. Dawson. Its a quick read with interesting characters. I really appreciate how Dawson incorporated real life issues that young teens and teens deal with into this horror novel. What it means to change oneself to try to fit in with the popular crowd. How what someone think is a cool crowd can be just one person leading others because they are mean and bossy. The people in that group may have also changed their selves to try to fit in as well. It just becomes this viscous cycle.

The horror this book is well done. Its a right level of scary for this age group. I thought she did a great job describing some of the gory scenes without getting too graphic unlike some of her adult horror books. I would really recommend this to any middle grade of highschool reader. I think they would have a great time with this one and be able to easily connect with the characters.

Delilah Dawson has tackled Middle Grade Horror previously in books like "Mine" and "Camp Scare". This book, "Ride or Die", felt like it was the scariest and creepiest of the three, despite not dealing with as dark themes necessarily as "Camp Scare".

The plot of this book is basically that Brie goes to a popular kid as school's birthday party at an amusement park. She gets separated from that friend and wierd, creepy stuff starts happening to her. The story of the plot didn't engage me the whole book, although it did work well by the last 50 pages. What makes this book work is the sense of fear and dread and creepiness that pervades it. Delilah has an excellent grasp on atmosphere in this series.

The three teenagers that Brie meets were very interesting and dynamic, and while I figured out the twist very early on, I think the twist will work well for kids.

I don't know if the book will be too scary for the intended audience. If a younger reader who is a fan of scary movies/books reads this, it might work perfectly. However, unless your kid likes scary stuff, I would caution giving them this book.

Still, this was a very effectively scary book for kids that read very quickly. 7 out of 10!

I don’t think I’ve read a book that has given me the heeby-jeebies in quite some time, but OH BOY did this book absolutely spook me! While it is pitched as a Middle-Grade book, I know many teens and adults who will be absorbed by the thrill that this book is bringing.
Brie has just transferred to a new school because of an incident with her sister, and she is determined to join the popular girls and cover up her past. While she thought she would be attending a casual birthday party at the local theme park, Brie did not expect to learn about the horror from the previous park…or find herself trapped in its ruins and running for her life! While in the ruins, Brie finds a group of older teens who just want to hang out and spend the night going on all the roller coasters. But things are not as they seem, from the rotting ice cream to the deteriorating swings, and even the creepy mascot that keeps following them around. Brie and her new group of friends quickly find out that this night of fun may just be their last…
This book was full of action and totally gripped me from the beginning. Brie is trying to fit back in with a new group of students, and while she tries to be different at first, she quickly learns that she can be brave and being herself is the best thing.
Overall, totally spooky and now I’ll be checking out the author’s other books. Oh, and the cover? STUNNING! I mean, look at that and tell me you aren’t scared?

This was a really good (spooky) YA horror/suspense novel. The "Em's" reminder of the group of girls from Mean Girls, but enjoyed the title character as she figured out who she wanted to be through the course of the novel. Plus, I think an amusement park makes a great setting for an eerie/creepy story, and Ride or Die did not disappoint! Highly recommend for the teen crowd.

Brie is going to the Wildwoods Amusement Park with the Ems, the most popular girls in school. When a game of truth or dare goes terribly wrong, Brie gets separated from the girls. Now she’s locked in an abandoned area of the amusement park. There she meets a group of older teens. They seem friendly, but they warn her that she needs to find a way out of the amusement park. There is something sinister in the park. Can Brie figure out how to get out before it’s too late?

The plot is suspenseful, engaging, and well written. The characters are intriguing and draw the reader into the story. Readers who like the Empty Smiles series, horror, adventure, and after dark type stories will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections. Grades 5 to 9, 5 stars

This is a great tale of overcoming fear of bullies, with one of Delilah S. Dawson's frightful twists!
An age-appropriate horror, this taps into your primal fears around circus/carnival/theme parks, and has you reading through your fingers out of fear!
A really fun read for younger people looking to get onto horror fantasy books.

"𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝑬𝒎, 𝒏𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑵𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚."

➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼

𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎢 Bingeable
🎢 Suspensful
🎢 Bullying
🎢 True YA vibes
🎢 Amusement park

This one puts you right into your high school feels!
Love the rollercoaster setting (Amusement park) especially the lock in part. I would've loved that as a kid!
The almost paranormal happenings that only Brie can see are super freaky!

Paranormal ends up being "hanging out w ghosts that died 30 years ago at this Amusement park, but one of the 4 is hunting Brie. The others try to save her. But how do they get back to reality?

I loved every minute of this fast-paced read.

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
Aug 5, 2025


ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ In school, were you a popular? Did you want to be a popular?

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