Time for a bonk bonk!

Sounds like a silly amusement park tagline, yes? And it is…until it isn’t, and those kinds of subtle, creepy shifts in tone and intent are part of what made this book so outstanding.

I have read a LOT of kids horror over the years and this may be the best I’ve ever encountered. Dawson has clearly taken up the mantle of Stine, Pike, Hoh, and the other 90s youth horror authors, except that she’s actually written something of far better quality while still maintaining the same spirit. It’s spooky. It’s mysterious. It’s at times outright creepy. And it’s also juuust a little bit camp.

I’ll admit that I was a little surprised that this is shelved as a kids/middle reader book, because-fair warning!-it is really scary at times. There’s nothing truly inappropriate at all in this, but it is on the scarier side for a kids story, so keep that in mind if your kids are on the younger end of the middle reader audience or are easily spooked.

Part of what is great about this is that it hits just as well for this adult reader as it did for my kids. The atmosphere is outstandingly rendered, the plot is clever, and the subtle humor mitigates the creepiness at exactly the right moments.

In all, this is just a brilliantly done entry into an under -appreciated genre. I had so much fun reading this, even if It also means I’ll be checking the chains on the giant swings verrrry carefully before riding them the next time I’m at an amusement park.

I am a huge fan of Delilah. S. Dawson! I originally was obsessed with the cover and then I saw who the author was and I HAD to read this book. I didn’t even care that this book was YA, I still was so excited for it. I thought this book was really good and I’m so glad I read it. The premise with the sleepover at the amusement park was so fun. It’s the perfect summer read for teens or even adults like myself.

(3.75 rounded up) This is a great MG horror in so many ways. It's pretty much gateway body horror by the last act, and maintains as a pretty good psychological horror before that point. It's extremely relatable theme wise and touches on peer pressure, family expectations, and identity formation.

Honestly my biggest (and really only) issue is that there a big secret about the MC's family that is revealed after being hinted at for a big part of the book and once the secret was revealed, it was very underwhelming. It isn't actually related to the horror at all, so it was fine but I was a bit disappointed by that build up.

Disclosure: I received a gifted eARC from the publisher. No review was required and all opinions are my own.

This was fun! I love everything that Dawson puts out there, so having to read (and vet) a book for my soon to be MG was great. This story was wholesome - a girl who wants to fit in and find the right friends. But when the prank goes terribly wrong, she soon understand that they were never really her friends, or people she would like to be friends with, popularity be damned. I loved the paranormal side of it, it was creepy enough but not too scary to give my child nightmares. Totally age appropriate!

Ride or Die is a creepy-good middle grade horror with heart, brains, and a whole lot of 90s vibes. Think Goosebumps meets peer pressure. The story is fast-paced and tense, even if you start to piece together what’s going on early. That eerie atmosphere keeps things buzzing, and the characters—especially the main one—go through a solid, thoughtful journey.

It’s a horror-lite starter pack for younger readers, with themes like identity, family pressure, and fitting in. Sure, the “big secret” build up is a let down (it doesn’t even tie into the scary stuff!), but the rest makes up for it. Bonus points for the 90s nostalgia and just enough chills to keep kids turning the page—though, fair warning: that slushie scene might stick with you. All in all, a fun, spooky ride that’s perfect for middle school horror fans.

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover but I mean, come on. Look at it. I loved this middle grade horror — it would also go well in teen collections because man it’s good! I loved the friend lessons also shared, because we always need to be told that it’s okay to be ourselves (even if it’s by maybe a ghost). High recommend for all libraries! #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #schoollibrary #middleschoollibrary

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, and Delilah S. Dawson for the opportunity to read Ride or Die in exchange for an honest review.

Brie, an eighth-grader looking forward to high school, has moved schools near the end of the year because of something that happened with her older sister at their previous school. She wants nothing more than to fit in. When an opportunity arises to possibly be friends with the Em's, a group of three popular girls, this could be Brie's chance to fit in.

When she gets invited to an overnight party at the local amusement park, Wildwoods, she is excited to make friends with the popular girls, enjoy a birthday slumber party, and ride rides all night. She soon finds out the Em's might not be as hyped up as they seem. One's a jerk, one is aiming for niceties, and one is this middle-ground type. They think playing Truth or Dare would be a fun way to spend  part of the night, especially as the 9:00p.m. curfew approaches.

When Brie is dared to go into the old park, blocked off by a wall because of an accident that happened 30 years ago in which four students died, she takes the challenge. This will make her fit in for sure. When she gets locked in, she finds three high school students who decide to hang out with her, but as she has snacks and rides rides with them, weird things happen, like mold and bugs in the ice cream, or rusted chains breaking on the swings. Not to mention the theme park's prospector mascot chasing her down and trying to murder her with an actual pickaxe.

Can Brie survive the crazy turn of events that the night has taken?

The novel is well-written and aimed at a middle grade or young adult audience. While it seems like a simple horror-thriller, the novel actually explores some deeper aspects of friendship and family connections. The book itself is its own fun thrill ride with Brie enjoying the theme park while navigating her own sanity with the events of the past and present blending together. An exciting read.

I’m not gonna lie…. It didn’t take me much at all for me to add this book to my TBR. Do you see this cover? IMMEDIATELY YES. But there’s also a haunted amusement park, and y’all know how much I love those. So yeah. Even with me going in and not knowing anything, I will say I really enjoyed this one.

Ok so first off, I hate to say this, but I hated every kid in this book. Like why were they all terrible? I think I thought to myself every other hour of this audio, “I hope her momma gets PAID for this.” Because why would you do that to someone? This whole thing could have been avoided. Because what in the world? The main character was a little trooper tho. She was literally just trying to hang out with them and get in with the popular crowd. I can’t imagine being left in somewhere like this and still living to tell the tale. And the snacks? Yeah that would have been it for me lol I would have just sat down somewhere.

I also thought she was a trooper because not only did she help herself find her way out of there, but she also helped the “others” she was with as well. This showed so much of her character. Because let’s be real, I don’t think anyone else would have done what she did. Once she learned what was happening, I think they would have ran. But they were nice to her. I understand why she did what she did, but I don’t think I would have lol The “others” tho were zombies? They had gross skin and body parts falling off, so I assumed that they were, but it’s never specifically said. But even still, I thought it was creepy. Y’all know I’m not a huge fan of body horror, so this gave off creepy vibes. And what that “other other one” did to her while she was there kind of pissed me off. Because how are you still acting like this and you’ve already been a menace? Like why would you do that? Yes I knew I liked this book when I realized I was irritated at a tween/teen (?) zombie lol

I wasn’t’ that happy with the ending tho. I think she should have showed them getting in actual trouble. If only to show that bullying isn’t ok. This is still a tween/middle grade book and I would want them to get that lesson out of this. Even if it is a horror book.

I enjoyed this one. It was jump scare scary and it had all the weird vibes that I’ve come to love about Dawson. And this is a MG book! This was a lot of fun and I hope if y’all decide to pick it up you enjoy it as much as I do.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of Ride or Die!

•𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐈𝐄

1. Have you ever had a horrible time at an amusement park? It could be worse.
2. Love a spooky, paranormal read? This one is just for you!
3. Were you someone who wanted to fit in with the cool kids? You’ll really relate to Brie!
4. If you’re a fan of RL Stine, you’ll love this one!
5. Are you hiding a secret past? There are plenty of secrets in this story!

The dead make better friends than the living, and...sometimes they want to kill you, too!

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC, and to Delilah, for another great piece of fiction! This is my second review for this author, and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. (See my review for her upcoming novel, "House of Idyll".)

What drew me to this cover, was its predecessors, "Camp Scare" and "Mine". Because of the cover art, I ignorantly assumed this was part of an ongoing series. I ordered both prior novels, in order to prep for this one. I quickly realized they're stand-alone novels. What also compelled me to read these three books, is that they all had the same thing in common. They reminded me so much of Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine. I would so graciously say that Dawson is in the same realm of those female authors I loved in the 90s that parallelled Pike and Stine, such as Caroline B. Cooney and Diana Hoh, Nancy Holder, and others.

This book would be great for any fans of the authors mentioned above, to YA horror, theme park fans, and anyone in need of 90s nostalgia, as this books has a plethora of totally tubular references. But also, it's a great read for anyone who is/has been bullied, struggles with "fitting in" (WTF does that even mean?), and to anyone who feels like they're different or less-than... Dawson manages to weave this story well while including this subliminal message that is ok to be you. It is ok to be different. And yes, there will always be some "Ems" (In my case, it was the Britneys. Evil little demon girls!), but you will learn to deal with them in your own way, in your own time. It sucks, but that's just the part of growing into adulthood, and finding out who your people are. There will always be more supporters than haters. Further, Delilah's skill of writing continues as she dictates what should have been a night of fun at a theme park, but turns out to be a night of hell.

Some critiques on the book:
In Chapter 2 there's a scene at the park entrance with the Ems and Brie (main character). Emily #1 and Brie are talking, but Emerson is laughing before she is even in the scene. I think this was supposed to have been Emma laughing instead, and then Emerson walks up? I could have read this wrong, but it seems confusing with the character placements regarding what's going on in the scene. The second thing I would say is maybe not necessarily a critique, but an observation. I felt the names on the memorial was a bit predictable (I read a lot of young adult books, so this is maybe not as predictable for actual young adult readers?), but this did not take away ANYTHING of what was to become, and how these memorial names affect the larger story.

The last thing I would like to mention is how Dawson is so ridiculously accurate on her theme park at-night attention to details. It brought a lot of memories back from my second job, working at Paramount's Kings Island. Creepy nights after closing the park, and walking through with hordes of raccoons, sometimes rabid, bats flying everywhere, and walking down the Midway by the Eiffel Tower replica. Fortunately, I am glad I read this as an adult, and not a teen working at a theme park.

P.S. Time to ride a coaster.

I was intrigued to read a Delilah S. Dawson horror book and was so excited that she published a Middle Grade Horror which I love love love. I thought that Brie was an okay main character but would of preferred if the book was centred around the teens she met. The atmosphere was there and i did enjoy it in parts but others not so much in other parts when Brie was with the Emsf. There will be readers who will absolutely eat this book up and ask for more.


For all the above reasons Ride or Die Receives 3 stars

Ride or Die is about a girl named Brie who has just transferred schools and is desperate to fit in. She’s presented with an opportunity to make friends with the cool girls, known as the Ems, when she’s invited to a birthday party at an amusement park. This birthday party is a lock in and things start getting out of hand once the girls set out on their own. A game of truth or dare ends with Brie on the closed side of the park where she meets some older teens that treat her better than the Ems. Then strange things start happening and Brie is left to wonder if there’s more to the stories about what happened in the park years ago.

I’ve only ever read Dawson’s adult horror novels and I’m happy to say that her middle grade books are just as good. This book was fun, nostalgic, and the perfect read for summerween. It took me back to a lock in I had at an amusement park while I was in middle school. So obviously, I really enjoyed my time with Brie at Wildwoods.

In my opinion, Ride or Die had the perfect amount of horror for a middle grade book. The story had a good message without it seeming too preachy. I enjoyed the story even if I guessed what was happening. The only negative I can really think of was that things got a tiny bit repetitive in the middle. Other than that, it was perfect.

This is for those of us who read Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, or watched Are You Afraid of the Dark. This is also good for those that are younger and want to get started with horror. I liked this middle grade so much that I decided to read another one called Mine by the same author. I’d recommend both.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and the author for providing me with an ARC.

It was delightfully scary and has the neon chills of the Horrorland Goosebumps books and the after-hours horror of 5NAF. Young horror fans will devour this one. It also has an excellent examination of friendships and what qualities make a good friend. There aren't a ton of books with main characters who are about to enter high school so that was also a nice addition. Highly recommend for all horror fans and especially libraries serving tweens.

Creep-tastic! Ride or Die is an absolute must-read for horror lovers—especially middle grade readers. This one is loaded with spooky, skin-crawling elements that are just the right amount of terrifying fun:
🎢Haunted-feeling old amusement park
🤖Creepy robotic mascot—Pickax Pete
🪲Bug horror, moldy snacks, and swampy legends (hello, Monster Max!)

But beyond the scares, there’s a lot of heart with meaningful messages about friendship, embracing what makes you different, and navigating the pressure to fit in. Brie is a super relatable FMC, and many middle graders will connect with her desire to fit in with “the Ems” (aka the cool but mean girls).

🎧Narration Note: Dominique Salvacion brings Brie’s fear, anxiety, and desperate survival instincts to life, while also adding layers of eerie tension. I loved her chilling voice for Pickax Pete. “Who needs a bonk-bonk?” = instant shivers 😱

Final Verdict: 👍 Perfect for any horror lover, but especially middle graders. Just don't read with the lights off.

Thirty years ago, at Wildwoods Amusement Park, a group of 4 teenagers' lives ended tragically, and a section of the park had to be closed off.

After an incident with her mother and sister, Brie desperately wanted to fit in at her new school. She decided that the best way to do that was to be part of the group of popular girls in her school, known as the Ems —Emily, Emerson, and Emmy. After helping them win during Field Day, Brie was invited to Emily's birthday party, which was a lock-in at Wildwoods Amusement Park. But as the night progressed, she realized that being part of their cliché wasn't the safety she had thought it was, and she grew increasingly terrified that her sister's secret would be exposed. When things couldn't get any worse, Emily forced them to play a game of truth or dare, and she dared Brie to go inside the locked-off zone of the park and pick up something from the old amusement park. Emily ended up locking herself inside the section with no hope of getting out, but thankfully, a group of teenagers found her…

I had previously read and adored another book by this author (it was titled Mine), so I had high expectations for this one, and it exceeded every single one of them. The plot was captivating; although it didn't seem terrifying at first, it gradually became spookier and more disturbing as the story progressed. My favorite character was Brie, as I found her fascinating and related to her desperation to fit in. I also got a "Mean Girls" vibe from the character dynamics, with Emily resembling Regina and Brie resembling Cady. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror novels.

Happy Reading, Laly ❤️ 📚

Thank you, @topplingstackstours, for including me in this book tour. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

📖 Book Review 📖 Would you rather fear the wrath of the bullying of eighth grade mean girls or spend the night in an amusement park with a history of mystery clouding the abandoned section where teenagers tragically perished thirty years ago? What if you had to tackle both on the same night?
Brie wants nothing more than a fresh start at her new school - and the top priority for her is finding the popular clique to accept her into their fold. The perfect opportunity comes at a lock-in at the Wildwoods Amusement Park, she just has to keep it together (including her guarded house family secret) for one night…
But things quickly go awry and this night that was supposed to be epically fun quickly turns into a becomes a dangerous descent into something nefarious. While this may be a middle grade read, it’s certainly no kiddie ride. Delilah Dawson gives a fast-paced read that flies by like a high speed roller coaster, and Ride or Die is an absolute blast for all ages!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's /Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A cute quick read that I’m glad I got to experience. I love Dawson’s adult books and was excited to experience her more YA stories as well. While not perfect, it was cute and spooky and had a good moral. Did it push the moral a little too hard pretty much the entire book? Oh for sure. But I don’t know what kids need these days… it was over the top and exaggerated and therefore creepy cozy.

It’s spooky season, which means it’s time to read some spooky books. I got to read Ride or Die by Delilah S. Dawson. If you follow my content, you know I’m a big fan of her work. This book in particular is definitely the right book for you if you’re looking for something that feels like a Goosebumps book. Ride or Die is a middle school book where we follow Brie, the new girl trying to be popular as she joins the local mean girls at a lock-in in a creepy amusement park filled with legends about a giant alligator but also some extra hidden secrets of its own. When Brie finds herself alone after a prank, the tone of the book shifts and we get lots of creepy scares. I really found myself enthralled with the characters and while if you’re a bit older like me you might be able to predict some of the twists this will fit in very well for your middle schooler’s reading and they’ll likely have a good time following Brie’s adventure to just survive in an amusement park that’s seemingly trying to kill her. So I recommend Ride or Die by Delilah S. Dawson.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
This was a fun middle grade horror, and really felt nostalgic. Dawson creates a creepy atmosphere with a creepy amusement park with a lot of thrills, and a mystery with some solid twists and turns. This is tied perfectly with Brie’s personal arc as she navigates struggling to fit in and find herself, and whether being able to hang out with the “cool” kids is really worth it.
A solid read, and one I’d recommend to readers who enjoy children’s horror.

When I saw this book was a middle grade horror???? Set in an amusement park overnight??? I knew this would be my Summerween book of choice, and it did not disappoint!!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 stars!!

Ride or Die is a quick, fun (yet simultaneously horrifying) read with a relatable and interesting cast of characters! It’s sort of a final girl type deal, if you toss in a couple undead teens and a raging axe murderer, along with a trio of blonde, beautiful popular girls determined above all else to look cool - even if it means leaving the odd-girl-out in the abandoned section of the park.

I think I read this in just a couple of days but could’ve easily read it in one sitting! The pacing was fantastic, and although a few twists were clear to me pretty early, other pieces of the puzzle only became clear as the plot went along. I was thoroughly creeped out as well, so don’t let that middle grade categorization fool you too much; there’s lots of creepy crawlers, rotten flesh, broken park rides, and more to keep the hairs on your neck standing up!

I enjoyed this one a whole lot, and it ended up being the perfect Summerween read!! If you enjoy movies like Fear Street or I Know What You Did Last Summer but maybe like your horror on the less gory side, consider this your next read!