Deadstream had a very interesting premise that I couldn’t pass up on reading! I am not someone who watches streaming channels but my husband does! I am always fascinated by the sheer amount of people watching them at a time. Thousands sometimes millions of people at once. I liked the horror twist in streaming and how it can easily affect millions. I enjoyed this fast read. 3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Deadstream follows streamer Replay, or Teresa, as she is feeling with the loss of a friend and finds solace in her room and live streaming. One night as she is watching a huge streamer see a shadowy figure and then go comatose on stream, she has to help unravel the mystery as she also replays the moment for everyone else to see. This novel explores loss and finding identity through supernatural horror and is a fast-paced novel I had a hard time putting down. The novel also effectively utilizes various mediums such as texts and Reddit posts to its advantage. I highly recommend this book for teenagers and anyone who wants to read somewhat of a modern version of The Ring.

THOUGHTS

I loved this book in all kinds of ways that I definitely wasn't prepared for! This book takes risks in the formatting, and those risks pay off to make the online, instantly-connected nature of this plot feel so alive, so encompassing with a chatter of online voices chiming in constantly in the background. This book embraces internet culture in a way that I haven't seen before, in a way I don't think books written for the adult market would dare. And it worked so, so well.


PROS
Experimental Format: This book experiments with format in a way adult lit wouldn't have the guts to, and I loved it! Do I think it always worked? I mean, not necessarily. But it was novel. It felt like doomscrolling, capturing that feeling of being online and stuck in a loop. It felt like being live before an audience of anonymous profile pictures, and I really liked it.

Livestream Life: There are some aspects of everyday life in this internet age that literature just hasn't touched much yet, and livestreaming is definitely one. Literature has barely caught up to podcasts, after all. But this book, this author, definitely knows what its like to watch streams, to stream hop, and to exist alongside this aspect of contemporary culture. This is a book written almost as a love letter to this form of electronic content, bringing it to life in a way that encapsulates actually watching streams (and, you know, not just a nod toward e-sports and more "mainstream" internet content). Streaming isn't new, and it isn't going away anytime soon, so it's nice to see it captured so well in this book.

Mental Health Awareness: I really liked, too, that this is a character struggling with her mental health. And I mean struggling consistently, all throughout the book. A lot of YA books either 1) are written specifically about mental health (i.e. mental health is the plot) or 2) give a character some mental health problem at the beginning and then promptly forget about it as the plot goes on. This isn't a plot about mental health, but Teresa is struggling, and she is struggling consistently. It is important to her character, to the way she interacts with the world and the choices she makes as the plot unfolds. And I liked the conversation this book had around hobbies like streaming, i.e. "young people" hobbies, that just don't click with older adults, health care providers and therapists included. Advice and concern just doesn't quite match up because those adults giving that advice don't really know where they're coming from, what they're talking about. And that just adds to Teresa's struggle.


CONS
Outdated Already: Livestream isn't new, and it isn't going anywhere. But not all of this book felt up-to-date. Specifically, there are some Twitter references in the formatting of social posts and trending feeds (though Twitter isn't referenced by name) that feel a bit more... traditional Twitter. Like, 5-years-ago Twitter. Sadly not the Twitter of today. And I think the more this book ages, the more outdated it will feel. Not that I necessarily hate that, though. That's just the thing about, well, the passage of time.

Call For Help!: I was more than happy to just follow along with this plot most of the time, but boy if there weren't some times she should have, you know, just called the police. Not doing so was the right decision, but... why didn't she? She didn't have any active reservations, for the most part, when it came to calling for help, so I'm not sure why she jumped to other solutions first. It felt a little strange (or, you know, plot necessary). Something to note (though it didn't detract from my reading experience. Much).

Revelation Letdown: The ultimate revelation, the what and how and why of this plot, was a bit of a letdown for me, personally. I think I just wanted something a little bit more. Don't get me wrong. I didn't hate it. I liked the message, even, working in the background behind this revelation. I just, I don't know, wanted something more than we got.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
9/10
Fans of Diana Urban's These Deadly Games will like following along with this hardcore gamer girl. Those who loved Kelsea Yu's It's Only a Game will like bringing this gaming energy to the all-too-real world.

"It still scares her fresh, every time she sees the footage. Her own face. Her own room. The door creaking open."

After surviving a car crash that took her best friend, Teresa has been unable to leave the safety of her bedroom. As a streamer, she has everything she could need - her games and access to her own favorite streamers. However, one night, one of these streamers is haunted by a shadowy figure during one of their livestreams and several days later, dies on-stream. Teresa thinks she might be the only one with answers and must face leaving the safety of her room in order to save her friends.

DEADSTREAM by Mar Romasco-Moore is a fast-paced, multimedia thriller for all the gaming youths in your life! (lol I am now someone who uses the term "youths" 😭)

What I loved about this story was the fact that even though a majority of it takes place in a single room, since it's centered on streamers, you get a look at several different characters, their lives and fans, and the games they each have found a niche in. I also loved that the story was interspersed with a "chat" feature so you got to see others interacting with these characters as well!

The LGBTQIA rep was also so great to see, and the power of friendship really came through!

I really enjoyed this one despite never being a gamer!

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: April 1

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC.

It's like "The Ring" but with streaming. Fun, fast paced, YA horror that I enjoyed thoroughly. Did I need added romance, no. Did it make me like it less, also no. Tough themes throughout, but still a great book.

Deadstream is a fast-paced, creepy YA thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story follows Teresa, a teen who rarely leaves her bedroom after a traumatic accident, as she witnesses something terrifying on a livestream—an eerie figure lurking in the background of a popular streamer’s feed. When the streamer dies on camera and the figure starts appearing in other streams, including her own, Teresa has to confront both her fears and the sinister force spreading through the internet. The book does a great job of building suspense, and there were some genuinely spooky moments that caught me off guard. It’s also very visual in its storytelling, making it easy to imagine as a horror movie.

I also appreciated how Deadstream balanced the horror with deeper emotional themes. Teresa’s struggle with trauma and isolation felt real, and her journey had a cathartic element that added weight to the story. The book also includes some great queer representation, particularly in how Teresa explores her gender identity, and I liked the unexpected sapphic twist. While it’s a fun, quick read, it also offers a thoughtful look at how the internet can be both a source of connection and something much darker. It’s a reminder that sometimes, it’s good to step away from the screen, go outside, and touch some grass. If you’re looking for an engaging, eerie thriller with a strong emotional core, this one is definitely worth checking out.

Please keep in mind some triggers and content warnings that are included but not limited to in this book: Suicide, mental illness, car accidents, blood and more

This is a take on the modern world of streaming of what we know but given a nice little twist of ghost behind added. We have Teresa who sadly haven't been able to leave her home ever since the car accident that took the life of her best friend. As a way to cope she begins to stream, which then leads her to falling quickly from fame to something darker. This book despite having some darkness to it is pretty well thought of and is a bit spooky. The subjects like having Teresa be someone with a panic disorder is written well (this is my opinion as someone who is actually diagnosed with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). I love streamers on a daily basis and is someone who likes to watch them play simulation and alternate reality games so this book did grab my interest.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this, If you are someone who likes to read about streaming, pick this up!

This was creepy and spooky. I enjoyed the writing style. The chat stream that explained what was going on so it was like we were there seeing it feeling it.

This is my first book by Mar Romasco-Moore and will not be my last. This is a very good YA book that will scare the crap out of of teens. Loved it.

This was an interesting take on the streaming culture/chronically online child meets paranormal haunt. There was a lot of potential & the idea is neat. I don’t think it fully came together, the MC’s backstory & the brief romance subplot felt kind of jammed in.

I could see the YA demo enjoying this, but I don’t think it will have mass appeal beyond that.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Genre 📚: YA Horror, Thriller, Paranormal
Tropes 💁‍♀️: Ghostly revenge, haunting/possession
Rep ✔️: Queer main characters
CW ⚠️: Grief, anxiety, agoraphobia, some blood/gore
Rating ⭐️: 3.5/5

As promised, this book is very much Rear Window meets The Ring — but instead of a haunted video tape, it’s haunted livestreams. MC Teresa has confined herself to her room, living with intense anxiety after losing her best friend in an accident, with her only source of comfort being the livestream community. Her life takes a dark turn, however, when she realizes some sort of entity is targeting her favorite streamers.

Teresa goes into full online sleuth mode to try to save these people, and we’re right there with her, reading all the chatrooms, Reddit posts, and of course, scrubbing through hours of streams. It’s a really cool and immersive way to handle the mystery, and it’s totally effective — I was on the edge of my seat, despite most of the setting being one bedroom. Then the ghost gets more active, and things start to feel like a Goosebumps book (in a good way).

I wasn’t a fan of the last-minute romance or the ending, but I gotta give Deadstream props for legitimately spooking me. I read this at nighttime, and I kept getting chills every time I looked down my darkened hallway…

Deadstream was creepy in all the right ways, and I loved the concept—a cursed livestream? shadowy entity spreading online? YES—but the execution didn’t fully deliver the punch I was hoping for. The vibes were immaculate (dark, claustrophobic, very Ring-meets-Twitch), and I appreciated the mental health rep with Teresa’s agoraphobia, but the pacing dragged a bit and some of the scares felt more eerie than truly terrifying. Still, if you’re into digital horror with a paranormal twist and a slow-burn unraveling of dread, this one’s definitely worth a read. Not a fave, but it scratched the spooky itch.

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Viking Books for Young Readers for the eARC of Deadstream in exchange for an honest review.

Review:

Deadstream follows 17 year old senior, Teresa, who survived a car crash around a year ago that took the life of her best friend. Now suffering from severe anxiety and paranoia, Teresa hasn't left her home in nearly a year and it has been months since she has left her bedroom for anything other than absolute necessities. Her entire world now revolves around streaming and becoming her online persona of Replay. But when her favorite streamer starts acting strange before dying while streaming live to thousands of followers, both Teresa and her internet persona, Replay, find out they are now tangled dangerously in the same situation that cost another streamer their life.

I have been in an unfortunate string of horror/thriller books in both YA and Adult categories that have had little to no effect on me. I am pleased to say that Deadstream by Mar Romasco-Moore has broken that pattern. I devoured this book in a day and the more I read, the more accutely aware of every single screen that was around me, the more I kept checking over my shoulder, the jumpier I got. Props to Romasco-Moore, because this one had me so jittery and jumpy.

This book explores humanities growing reliance on screened devices and WIFI, both the good and the bad: the obsession, the addiction, the bullying/hate, the sense of community, the connections with people who share and understand your experiences, and maintaining long distance friendships. Under the horror, is also the exploration of gender and sexual identity as Teresa is struggling to figure out just how she fits in on the gender spectrum with the help of a group of online friends that call themselves the Rainbros.

Deadstream also includes frequent 'screenshots' of text streams, reddit threads, news articles, and phone screens that add to the atmosphere of the book. This is definitely a book I would love to add to my physical collection upon its release.

Find my reviews posted on GoodReads, StoryGraph, and Fable.
Monthly reading breakdown will be posted on TikTok and IG the first week of April.

Creepy and unique! I loved the mix of horror and technology. Some parts felt rushed, but it delivered on the eerie, unsettling vibes I was hoping for

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books/Viking Books for the eARC and the opportunity to read it and share my honest thoughts!

4.5 stars

When I saw that the blurb made this book out to be Rear Window meets The Ring, I knew immediately that I needed to read this book! I loved the classic Rear Window movie and honestly, this book was a wild ride that hooked me from the very beginning to the point that I couldn’t stop thinking about this book when I reluctantly had to put it down for work and sleep! Also fair warning: as someone who is not chronically online but comes close sometimes, there will be parts of this book that hit a little too close to home (or at least they did for me).

Teresa (or Replay as she is known online) is our main character and we immediately see that she is having some problems and going through a rough patch. She is scared to leave her bedroom and every day is finding herself spending more and more time online trying to make it as a streamer but it seems like she will never have the success of big time streamers like Brick. But then on one of Brick’s streams, something really weird happens and the livestreamer just silently sits in front of his computer, not moving - for hours and days.

Something sinister is brewing in the complex online world that we are exposed to and living in every day, and Teresa is determined to get to the bottom of things (and maybe even gain a little fame for herself). But as things get even stranger and other livestreamers start to fall victim to whatever has affected Brick, Teresa realizes there may be someone…or something at the root of everything playing them all like puppets.

I cannot wait to see this book when it is fully formatted because it will be so fun to reread with all the chats and online threads! It added so much depth and dimension to the story and made me feel even more immersed.

Fast paced and hard to put down young adult thriller utilizing internet culture for a fun, creepy ride. The social media commentary, literally comments from viewers, gave this an authentic feel, which made it more frightening for me. This is a unique horror novel that I truly enjoyed and will recommend. Thanks so much for allowing me to read!

I actually enjoyed this book for the most part! It was definitely an easy, short, fast paced read so I was able to fly through this in a few sittings. I also love the social media, modern day theming of this book and the Reddit threads, YouTube comments, and tweets really made this story feel even more real. I will say the main character did get on my nerves sometimes but i really was hooked to the story line and couldn’t put this book down. If you are looking for an easy, fast-paced YA thriller, check this one out!

I really enjoyed this young adult horror novel. It gives the vibe of a modern day fear street novel. You're following some streamers one who is acting very strangely after someone in their chat told them to open a door and a door appeared that was more virtual. This story kept me gripped till the end I really enjoyed it.

Okay, this one was FUN. I love horror when it comes to technology, and Deadstream was a unique take of a scary tale. I loved the characters, the formatting was interesting with the chat, and the ENDING? Ohh boy. I loved this one, and highly recommend to those who loved Such Lovely Skin

This was a fast-paced, hard-to-put-down, supernatural YA thriller. The main character has some serious mental health struggles after a traumatic event and cannot leave her home, so that was a unique perspective to read from that I enjoyed. Since she cannot leave her immediate surroundings, her entire life is spent online, streaming and watching videos. I have read other books where chat logs and video commentary are part of the storytelling, but I felt like this book in particular did a good job making use of the style. As an elder millennial, though, I admit I did have to research a couple internet phrases the young'uns are using today. haha

There are some amazing scares and character deaths in this book and I was invested in the story from start to finish. The storyline was unpredictable and I was rooting for the main character all the while, though I will say we only got to know the other characters in the book from a surface level. Really, that was pretty true to life, as they're the main character's "internet friends." I enjoyed her flashbacks to tragic events and current scenes with her household family members more than her internet chats with online personalities.

I liked the way the book ended and saw a lot of different messages behind the story. For example, maybe it's a warning that what we leave on the internet can potentially come back to haunt us or others. Or perhaps it's a more hopeful message, saying that we're never alone and can easily connect with others across time and space. It really gave me some things to think about. It was well-written and I'd love to read more by this author.

Following an accident that killed her best friend, streaming is Teresa’s refuge from the grief and anxiety. When something weird happens during a streamer’s live, Teresa opens an investigation- and a door- into an internet haunting. Interspersed with stream transcripts, Reddit threads, and private chats, Deadstream is both an actually frightening online horror story and an (equally terrifying) representation of debilitating anxiety.

This was probably my most surprising read so far this year- I was not expecting it to be this good or to actually be scary. I can’t remember the last YA book that creeped me out this much. While there are brief moments of gore, most of the terror really comes from the pacing of the multimedia aspects of the narration.

These elements were really effective at increasing my heart rate and prolonging the sense of dread. I never would have expected innocuous messages we see constantly like “this channel is temporarily unavailable due to a violation of community guidelines or terms of service” or “Thank you for tuning in, see you soon!” to be genuinely terrifying.

The portrayal of the main character’s anxiety is equally as powerful. So many of Teresa’s thought patterns and behaviors felt all too familiar to me and it’s explored so well alongside the paranormal plot that I was never worried that there’d be some cheap reveal that it was all in her head all along. While the mental illness representation is what spoke to me specifically, the story also centers gender and sexual identity very strongly as well.

If I think about it too much, I could probably nitpick some of the resolution but frankly I don’t want to. I viscerally felt my way through this book and it had my favorite horror movie of ending type, where things are resolved but the dread and unknown linger, and this story isn’t going to leave me anytime soon.

Highly, highly recommend for anyone who loves streaming, found footage, or ya horror in general!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC!!!