This one was a bit back and forth for me. I thought it had some good creepy moments and was decently paced however, I did not like the main character. I found it hard to care about her when she got on my nerves most of the time.

It was creepy at first then the main character got on my nerves. The plot started to get weird and kept getting weirder. It was not a vibe that I enjoyed..

This was a decent YA horror novel. I find myself really turning away from YA as I get older. I liked the mixed media format, and for YA the start to the book was really creepy. I found that I think the age difference in the characters mad it hard for me to fully relate. if you want a quick,creepy read I would still check this one out.

Arc for review through NetGalley.

I throughly enjoyed this book right from the start. The fun creepy modern day paranormal mixed with the dread, grief, and loss from the main character mixes the elements really well together. I loved the pace of the story and was hooked. When I wasn’t reading this, I honestly thought of it often until I finished it.
The representation of the lgbtqia+ community within the book was also appreciated as a queer person myself. Representation matters.

The elements from The Ring, I thought were represented very well within this story. What we have now where everyone livestreams, saying, and doing whatever they can for clicks and likes is a truly terrifying element to add to the story. I wanted to know more about the characters because they were likable and would love a sequel if that was a possibility!

Go into this book with an open mind and just have fun with it like I did. Great concept, plot, and characters.

Thanks to NETGALLEY and VIKING for eARC.

This was one fast read (would have been two days vs four), in that, I couldn't put it down due to a proper dosage suspense and needing to know wth was going on. Marked for ages 14+ // grade 9 and up, "Deadsteam" is told from the POV of 16 year-old, Teresa, ala first and third person; story is also cleverly, appropriately moved along through online comments, chats, texts, etc, using mediums the characters are. The book has 22 chapters and an epilogue, is set throughout a few places in the world, though mostly in the West Virginia and adjacent area around February of current day.

I have to say that Romasco-Moore utterly *nails* the internet and streamer lingo (catJAM), and because it's a book set around streaming, the formatting is just so much fun (ex: the reader is shown a text message as it would literally appear). Engaging from the get-go, creepy, humorous, and just an all around enjoyable read that I think is worth re-visiting during Spoopy Season.

Internet points, upvotes, likes, hearts, etc for using the correct spelling of naïve, I could cry.
Insert .gif of Tina Belcher groaning as a reaction to not showering for four days then making out...IDK about that...

⇉ Trigger warnings: Agoraphobia, cyber bullying, questioning gender identity, questioning sexuality, suicide.

3.5 stars.

What a thrilling and creepy read!

I came in with no expectations and I'm happy to say that this YA thriller/mystery/horror delivered. It was a quick read, and I couldn't put it down.

The prose portions mixed with the chat room format worked really well together. I watch YouTube react vids frequently and it was so easy to imagine the FMC, Teresa/Replay, recording their livestream while simultaneously reacting and replying to the chat/virtual environment, and while also reacting to her actual environment in her room and house.

I also liked Teresa's exploration of her queer identity. It felt very true, and I think it'd resonate with teen readers who are also still questioning and exploring.

Other than Ozma and Teresa's family, the other characters weren't all too memorable. Teresa had an online livestreamer friend group, but it felt like they were just there for the plot.

And I'll admit though, the climax was pretty corny, but since I had fun with most of the story, I'll let it slide. The author attempted to open a discussion on misogyny and incels in the livestream community, but I think the mystery aspect overshadowed most of it. If the book had been longer, and if there was more focus on the villain, then I think it would've worked better.

But despite all of that, I still liked this book. It provided a much-needed respite in between my darker, more adult reads.

Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.

3.5 stars

Publication date 4/1/25. Teresa is a young woman with severe agoraphobia who does not want to leave the safety of her room. She spends most of her day livestreaming and watching other livestreamers. Then she realizes that her room is not the safe space she thought it was. A paranormal entity is coming through the computer, possessing and killing whoever it can. Teresa tries to fight back to save her friends and herself. The story itself was intriguing but I didn’t like the writing style of showing us the online chats.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher. I voluntarily wrote a review.

For who the target audience is this book was pretty good. I enjoyed it most of the time. Thank you netgalley

The internet is a scary place especially when live streaming turns deadly. This book is a great combination of The Ring, Rear Window and a dash of Nancy Drew.
This book introduces us to Teresa aka Replay, she is a young woman dealing the consequences of a horrific accident that has left her traumatized and trapped mentally. It’s hard to make connections with people in person so she easily finds they’re easily made online also via streaming. One day while watching one of her favorite streamer person she stumbles upon a mystery that turns her world completely upside down. Against all odds she must face her fears and saves the internet world.
This YA book was a great and quick read I finished it in 2 days. I couldn’t put this book down that is a indication to how good the book is. I did like how the author added the story line with the LGBTQ+ community. There were quite a few pages where there was text messages and streaming chats. I loved the streaming chats and the comments it really is entertaining.
Thank you to Mar Romasco- Moore, NetGalley, and Penguin group Penguin young readers group for providing me with an ARC! I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My favorite genre is thriller with anything YA in a close second so I was really excited to read this one. It was the first YA in a long time that I felt like maybe I am too old to be reading it because I just couldn’t connect with the characters. I’m not a streamer and I just don’t get the appeal. That said, the writing was solid and the story was interesting.

Growing up in the digital age this absolutely terrified me. The way I couldn’t put it down but also wanted to hide under the covers was enough for me to know this book is absolutely amazing!

Let it be known, no one should ever discount YA horror! This was actually scary! The most scary horror novels are ones that make you feel like you’re watching a horror movie, yet I find those to be very rare. Deadstream however, was one of these rare occasions. It reads just like you’re watching a horror movie and gives you the same feeling as if you were watching The Ring. In the first chapter it’s no secret what happens because it’s right in the synopsis, so you know that a streamer is about to be killed by an entity, yet you are filled with so much dread as it’s all happening that you get nervous to even turn the page. Like the same kind of dread you get when you’re watching a horror movie and the music starts getting scary and you know something bad is going to happen. That feeling is so hard to recreate for a reader through a book rather than a film, yet this book managed to do that in the very first chapter. Before I even got through the first 10 pages I knew this was going to be a good one.

Since no one really watches VHS or even DVDs anymore for that matter, this book has a similar concept to The Ring, but adapted to the modern age of streaming. One of the strongest suits of this book? IT IS NEVER BORING. And I mean that. I looked up and I was already 15% in and it felt like I had flipped maybe 3 pages. This book speeds by, every page is action packed, there truly is no pointless filler, and you’ll never feel the desire to skim. That’s the strongest point of this book, absolutely no filler.

For most of this book, I thought that this was gonna be a five star read. I just couldn’t put it down. The ending was just a little too….nonsensical to me? It wasn’t a bad ending but resolution of the conflict felt kind of, random? And the explanation didn’t really make much sense. I can’t go into more detail without spoilers but in a way it does make sense, but also in a way, it doesn’t. Regardless, I never felt like I wasn’t enjoying this book, and I was never bored of any of it which is a big positive. A solid 4/5! This was a fun one and it flew by!

Thank you to Netgalley and Viking for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Honestly I was super intrigued by the premise and found the execution excellent. I was unsettled the entire time and couldn’t stop reading to see what happens next.

3.5 stars. I liked this! I wasn't as blown away by it as I was hoping I'd be based on the plot, but it did have a lot of genuinely scary moments as well as amazing queer representation. It also did the social media/streaming aspects really well, in my opinion. A lot of times, authors seem to struggle with showing a realistic look at that sort of thing, but this one nailed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC.

You know those books with solid concepts that really tap into pervasive social issues that end up not quite working as well as they should have because the author is aware that their book has a very solid concept that really taps into pervasive social issues? This is one of them. Billed as an internet-age Rear Window and with a title that cleverly plays on the popularity of livestreaming, Deadstream is very nearly as good a book as it ought to be. Protagonist Teresa, who is working on figuring out which branch of the LGBTQIA+ tree she lives on, is the only survivor of a car accident that killed her best friend, and since then, she's only escaped her room via livestreaming - what feels like the safest way out. But as we all know, the internet is many things, but "safe" isn't always one of them, and the drive to accrue followers and likes is anything but. When livestreamers, and eventually viewers, begin falling into catatonic states while streaming, Teresa has to figure out what's really going on...and if you've ever heard the phrase "deus ex machina," well, you're three-quarters of the way there.

It's a shame, because parts of this are genuinely good and scary. The idea of the internet being essentially a graveyard of dead sites, dusty memes, and the social media accounts of the deceased is a very good one, and the way Romasco-Moore uses the desire for internet fame is excellent. It's just that the whole book doesn't quite come together the way it ought, although I suspect that the formatting of the finished book will solve some of those issues. (Digital ARCs can be very oddly configured.)

I still think it's a good story, and a very nice update of the horror genre. I'll absolutely read the author again. It just doesn't quite live up to its potential, which hopefully means that Romasco-Moore's next book will be amazing.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group for giving me the opportunity to read this ebook!

I will be totally honest, I went into this book already thinking I wouldn’t like it. It sounded silly to me, but I still wanted to give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised. Whereas, this book is definitely aimed at a younger audience, I feel like it is exactly what they would want.

Teresa is a young girl confined to her bedroom after suffering a traumatic car wreck the killed her best friend. Although physically alright, emotionally Teressa cannot get over the anxiety that goes with walking out of her bedroom door and facing the world. Her only solace is her online world. She has began streaming and has actually made some new friends.
After she witnesses a fellow streamer display some very strange behaviors, Teresa begins using her online presence to investigate what’s going on. Everything begins spiraling downhill and Teresa finds herself in danger.

Actually, for me, the scariest part was after the story was pretty much over and Brick and the fellow streamers were still visiting her!!

Young adults will love this book!

🖥️ ┊ “ open the door. ”

Deadstream is a story about a streamer named Teresa who discovers a strange shadow in one of her favorite streamer's videos. Teresa then launches a full investigation, attempting to find out the truth as the streamer deteriorates more and more--all the while streaming his condition for all to see.

Teresa was alright, and I could relate to her overall paranoia and anxieties. Although I do not have PTSD, I thought it was handled respectfully. Her struggles with her gender were relatable, but they felt a little second-note. Similarly, I felt like her relationship came out of nowhere. I didn't mind them as a couple, but it honestly felt like her girlfriend had previously been set up as only a best friend. Maybe I missed something there?

I liked the antagonist, the strange shadow behind everything. Though he wasn't the best person, I was able to feel sorry for him and wish things had gone better for him. I thought his ending was good!

The plot held my interest, though there were definitely lulls in excitement. There were some parts of the book that were a little too abstract/floaty for my liking but I thought it was overall a suspenseful, intriguing story!

I recommend this for people who watch streamers, as that is the main draw of the book and there is a lot of stuff about it that isn't really explained. Still, although I rarely watch streams, I was able to understand most of it.

This is a good YA paranormal book. The main character refuses to leave her room after a car accident as her PTSD is really bad and she only associates with people through streaming. the book format was written with chat and the talking style fits the current times. it held my attention from the beginning and enjoyed the twists.

Thanks to NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a thrilling and fun read! It was a typical YA thriller but I really liked the online streaming aspect of it. The terms the chats were using were 100% accurate and it felt real. I liked how trippy it got toward the end as well. The protagonist's newfound agoraphobia and guilt over the loss of her friend made it a compelling read. You felt bad for her but you also understood what she was going through.

Pretty easy read, though I'm curious how long it'll take for the online terms to be dated.

*Full review to be added closer to publication!*

This was quite the ride! I love horror movies like Unfriended, Cam, The Host, etc., so I was really excited for this one and it was absolutely worth it. I had a really fun time with this one and enjoyed this creepy social media/streaming-based horror. I really liked how the author put together this story and used so many different compelling elements to make this one fo those books that I had a hard time putting down. I found it felt fairly authentic and believable at the start, which really helped me get into the story initially and then kept me hooked throughout. There was a lot of detail put into this one, and it paid off excellently. The ending was a little lacking and didn't quite hit the spot for me, but it was still a solid one that worked well for the story.