An ok Goosebumps-esque horror story. The kids are kids, so annoying at times, and the grownups are mainly all the absolute worst, minus one.

Presenting it as an teleplay-like audiobook definitely helps with overlooking the fact the story is stretched for most of it and rushed in the last 30 minutes, and then ends on a cliffhanger for part 2. It's short as it is and while I haven't listened to part 2 yet, I think this would've been better if they'd been combined and part 1 was more aggressively edited in the first half. We even get a whole bio break scene, absolutely unnecessary and didn't do anything to show us character growth or move the plot. It felt like an intermission, but it wasn't interrupting much to begin with.

The horror is effective though, and there are some good spooks in the story. The content in general skews older actually: what's happening to the kidnapped kids, when revealed, is shocking, the kids deal with various insecurities like food, shelter, and money, they deal with drug addicted parents and living in poverty. It's heavy stuff. One of the scarier scenes in the story was when the main character, Kaitlin, encounters her mom looking for money. Heartbreaking and horrendous. So, while Hough wrote this like it's a middle grade novel, the content is more YA. Also, without it being a whole story (since its conclusion cuts off for pt 2), Hough doesn't get a chance to make any real meaningful commentary on these serious subjects he brings up, with makes it all feel gratuitous in an icky way, like lets just makes these kids lives the worst because it's entertaining. That's how it felt at least, without pt 2.

Anyway, you can see it left me torn. I did like the horror, the story feels incomplete but it's not terrible, and the teleplay aspect with the full cast was fun. Overall The Creepy School Bus is an ok story, but not one I'll be sharing with my niblings, it's just a bit too dark for them.

It was a little strange when characters would have to describe what was going on instead of just reading dialogue, but it didn't detract from the experience too much for me to really care. The story was not as straight forward as I thought it was going to be, definitely got interesting at the end. It is set up for a sequel, and I wouldn't mind listening or reading that as well. It did keep you on your toes to see who is truly evil with how many characters have something to hide.

I listened to this on audio. I loved this middle-grade horror/mystery. The special effects were fantastic.

Chloe misses her bus and jumps on the backup bus, only to discover that...there is no backup bus. Suddenly, more students start to disappear.

I loved the full-cast narration and music. The high intensity of the dialogue kept me listening to the climactic ending. It was eerie, suspenseful, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Very enjoyable listen. There are a lot of good twists and the audiobook cast was excellent. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

I was impressed by the plot, characters, world building and the audiobook narration. It’s a full production with multiple cast members narrating and special effects. It took the experience up a notch. I recommend the audiobook

This is scary story good for middle graders. There’s a little bit of swearing, drug use and gore, but kids will still enjoy this. I was weaving and ducking with every plot twist.

I want to thank NetGalley, RB Media and the author for a free copy of the audiobook. My review is voluntary,

Well, this was not what I expected—in the 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 way possible. I went in thinking I’d get a fun, eerie fireside tale. What I got was an impressively chilling story that felt like 𝘚𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘞𝘢𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 but with a horror twist.

The setup is simple but so effective. Chloe misses her bus home, but lucky for her, there’s a back-up bus. Only—there is no back-up bus. And soon, more and more students start vanishing without explanation. Enter Kaitlin and her friends, who refuse to sit back while their classmates disappear into the void. What starts as a weird schoolyard mystery turns into something 𝙛𝙖𝙧 more unsettling, with twists that burrow into your brain like the best urban legends.

The characters were 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙, making it easy to get invested in the stakes. I also have to say—for my fellow animal lovers—the dog is okay! But what really made this experience next level? The full cast narration and music. This wasn’t just an audiobook—it was a full-on 𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. The performances were immersive, the tension was high, and I genuinely needed to know what would happen next.

Though the story has a middle-grade feel, be aware that it does mention drug use, which may not make it suitable for younger readers. That said, this was just 𝙨𝙤 much fun. It had that perfect balance of eerie, suspenseful, and weirdly nostalgic.

If you love stories about strange schools, urban legends, and mysteries that go deeper than you’d expect, The Creepy School Bus is an absolute must-listen.

I had fun with this! The twists are good and the audiobook was entertaining. All of the cast did a fantastic job. This is a good intro to horror book and I think people of all ages would enjoy it. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Paul Hough, RB Media and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

A girl takes the wrong school bus and goes missing. this was very plot-driven and i had trouble remembering the names of the characters, and also knowing who was the character talking. the music and sound effects took me out of the story sometimes bc it was a bit too much and i had trouble concentrating. also i never knew where the plot was going, there was A LOT OF TWIST AND TURNS and it was very confusing. especially the final reveal i had to listen to it again bc i was like ?? where does that come from? i mean there couldve been signs instead of just one really character being the obvious antagonist.
however, the initial atmosphere was good and the vibes were reminiscent of an episode of goosebumps. i just think authors should explain less and it would make it a hundred percent more scary. i liked the teacher's (warren?) crutches, they were cool. i still think it makes a fun read for children

4,5 ⭐ rounded up

oh my god, what a *RIDE* this audiobook was!

the book is targeted at the younger audience, I'd say 10-13 year olds, but still, as an adult, i enjoyed it very much.

i have nothing but good things to say about this book, as i loved every minute of it. it's a very quick, spooky read for kids as well as adults.

the production was really good, i mean - the full cast narration, the sound effects? I was fully immersed in the story and felt like I was *listening* to a movie. that's such a creative way to spark the imagination.

as someone who used to take buses to school daily, i found it really creepy lol, even though it was definitely far fetched.

I liked the multiple pov's in the story, the characters were quite likeable. oh, and the dawg of course.
i'm definitely looking forward to reading the second part!




*thanks to NetGalley, RB Media and the author for providing me with an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I enjoyed this it was pretty frightening especially as someone who used to take the bus although some of it was literally unbelievable

This is a fun Gateway Horror novel. As a young adult novel this perfectly fits the genre and is appropriate for a large audience. Don’t be fooled though, it may be a young adult book but this was a lot of fun for adults too. Well written and narrated. The dramatic reading is fun and really helped me get into the story.

Right off the bat there is this feeling of impending doom and betrayal of trust as kids are picked up by a school bus only to be taken away not to be seen again.

I really enjoyed this story and look forward to what comes next from this author.

Big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this for an honest review.

The Creepy School Bus by Paul Hough was such a fun and short horror story! This story follows several children as they are abducted by a creepy school bus with a scary driver. I love how many different points of view we see this story from. We get to see it from each child and from the law enforcement that are searching for them as well. I loved his dark and twisted the story became as they attempted to escape the unground cave they were trapped in. I rarely read books meant for such a young audience but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. And the audiobook was astounding! A full cast and sound effects! I'd definitely recommend this if you're a fan of creepy vibes and short reads.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The audio production is top notch. It all served to provide a strong immersion into the creepy story. With the strong voice acting and sound effects - made the story even creepier. A story about a missing child case is not the kind of "fun" I would describe this experience, but it was compelling and kept me listening from start to finish.

4/5✨ This is a review for part 1. First of all, I want to say thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for providing me with an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. Omg, what a ride this was! I enjoyed the creepy story told in “The creepy school bus” but i have to say in some parts of the audiobook i felt a little bit overwhelmed with all the different voices and background noise. Nonetheless, I think the story has potential and became more interesting towards the end of the book.
The YA cast reminds me of IT or Stranger things and i think the voice acting was amazing.
I recommend checking this book out if you want a creepy story that feels like a long criminal minds episode with some paranormal aspects…

This full cast narration and the sound effects were perfection! It really pulls you in. Kids are going missing and people are searching every where. Panic sets in and the one thing the missing kids have in common is the creepy school bus… Loved it 👏🏼

A wild ride from start to finish. Imagine expecting a school bus to be your safe way home only for it to turn into a huge nightmare! Full of characters to root for and even a dog! I’m sure glad I know my kid’s bus driver pretty well! I might take a second look at who is driving otherwise!

This was my first experience with a full cast format in audiobook. It enhanced the story in such a creative way! I appreciated that it felt like a movie was playing in my ears!

Thank you NetGalley, Recorded Books, and author Paul Hough for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. “The Creepy School Bus” was published February 11, 2025!

This was a respectable juvenile/YA horror, and I'd say it's targeted for ages 11-13. The full-cast nature of the audiobook is what makes it. Great cast, great voice acting. As a public librarian, I'd recommend it for younger ages - tweens who are looking to get into something spooky. I think the twisty, winding nature of the story & the almost otherworldliness is a good introduction into the cosmic horror/existential dread that younger readers may encounter as they age into older works. Additionally, the younger cast of characters features individuals who come from challenging home circumstances, or that are facing their own battles with more insubstantial matters like insecurities. I like that. There will be different options for young readers to relate to. As an adult, it was a little hard to keep everyone & their individual characteristics strictly separate, but I don't think that would be a problem for someone in the book's target audience. It's too young to be coming-of-age, and it's also too young to be full-fledged horror, but it's a good journey of friendship & a nice foray into the genre for kids.

It's a little longer than I felt it needed to be, with some perhaps-unnecessary side quests, but I do think a younger reader would have fun in those moments. The way I hopped back to attention when the resident adult spoke up told me I was just getting a little fatigued by the kid-ness of it all. And again, props to the cast. The sound effects were killer!

This is a review for the Part 1 audiobook. Thank you, Netgalley and RB Media for the Advanced Listener's Copy of The Creepy School Bus. I was concerned over the graphic audio aspect, since I usually get overwhelmed, but this was just SO GOOD! (see final point as to why)
It should be kept in mind that this is tween horror, but is so well done and worth the close to 5 hours of quickplay.

There was not a single part of this that wasn't good. It has a full cast ensemble, and is giving all sorts of vibes. Initially, it was giving a little IT vibes (don't ask me exactly why - it may have been the character with the stutter or the toothy monsters) but once the story was really going, it felt like they were stuck in some version of the upside down; at least, that is how I pictured it. Like everything on the surface was underground but with the vagueness and greyness of 'anywhere.'

I can't wait for part two, and as other reviewers say, this would be a really, really good movie a la Monster House.

I love a full cast production, and honestly, that's what pulled me through this. The Creepy School Bus follows several children and an adult FBI agent as they become enmeshed in an massive missing children's case. I think it aimed at (or should be aimed at) tweens and teens. I found the characters very bland and despite the voice acting, a lot of them blurred together. Maybe someone older wouldn't be so nitpicky.

There is also material I feel could have been cut. Who went to bat to keep the 'we should take a bathroom break! Let's get real in depth about that' scene in? Gross and unnecessary.

This was a 3.7 for me that I am rounding up to 4. I was surpised at how much I enjoyed it. I was specifically looking for horror, but when I saw it was based around tweens, I was a little worried. I am a mother of a tween who loves horror, so I was also looking at it from that standpoint. If it was done right, I think this could be a good tween movie as well. For the most part the pacing was done well. The writing did seem a bit juvenile at times, but I kept reminding myself of its target audience. Regardless of the targeted age, that does not mean the writing needs to suffer. I've read many childrens books with award worthy writing. So that is basically my only critique for this book. Overall it was enjoyable and kept my interest. I would recommend this to parents of tweens that are able to tolerate horror as it's not too gory and there is zero spice.