Review Detail

It started off as a prank among friends five years ago. All they had to do was say Bloody Mary thirteen times. Little did the friends know what they had released. Now they're in high school and none are friends. Elena, who dared her friends to do the chant, senses something isn't right. Then things happen in town, including a new girl who shows up at school who just happens to be named Mary.

What worked: Fast-paced twist on the Bloody Mary urban legend chant. In this case it's linked to a German fairy tale that isn't exactly a fantasy. This story is told from all of the four former friend's points of view. There's golden popular girl Elena who has a nasty streak. Steph has her own secret. Calvin, the artist whose sketches can foretell the future. Grace, the former BFF of Elena, and now outcast. One near tragedy has all of them come together once more.

Fans of Goosebumps are sure to enjoy this paranormal horror novel which is perfect for the Halloween season. There's nothing over the top gory and there's lots of tension throughout.

I do admit all the different points of view drew me out of an otherwise engaging tale. The ending reveal did surprise me as it wasn't the predictable ending. I think this novel will appeal to middle schoolers as the horror level isn't as graphic as some books like Fear Street by R.L. Stine

Engaging twist on a popular cultural myth that has former friends come together once more to battle an evil they released as children.