Reading, just not blogging. More Stine.

Blind Date was actually kind of complex, and more of a boy book. Boy accidentally injures teammate's arm in a football game, then is approached by hot girl to go out. She's a little mysterious, but this adds to the allure. Turns out, of course, that she's a pyschopathic nut job who thinks she is the sister of the girl who was killed when Kerry's brother was driving a car-- no, wait-- Kerry was really driving, and that's why he's blocked it from his mind. That is, until hot girl drugs him and ties him to a chair... hope I didn't ruin the plot for any of you.

Call Waiting also had some complexity, but it seemed a bit far fetched. Is girl framing boy, or boy really pyscho, or is someone really trying to kill her? I didn't care so much.

The Cheater was pretty good. Girl pays boy to take the SAT for her. He asks just for one date, but then of course wants money, etc. so that he doesn't tell her father. Is she desperate enough to murder him?

For sheer, cheesy fun, my top pick has got to be the Cheerleaders: The First Evil etc. Unfortunately, I don't have Cheerleaders: The Evil Returns, but I may try to check it out of the public library. Cheerleader is ejected from bus and lands on the grave of Sarah Fear (have to go back to The Fear Street Saga Begins for details) and is paralyzed, but then cheerleaders start having their minds controlled during pyramid building, and lots of cheerleaders get concussions. There's also a lot of scalding hot water as well as bubbling green slime, because the girl is really possessed by the evil spirit of Sarah Fear. Sarah likes to move around, and over three books, several cheerleaders get to play host. People die, which I never like, but the books are so over the top it is hard to take them seriously. My favorite line comes from The Second Evil: "'I've been attacked by an ancient evil force', she thought scornfully, 'and Mom thinks a bath will help.'" No wonder this is such a popular series.

Also picked up Lisi Harrison's The Clique. It's been in the book fairs, and girls have asked for it, but I'm not buying it. I'm not even sure I want to put the paperback in my collection, because none of the characters are likable at all. Even the "nice" girl who has to put up with the label conscious, obnoxious, snobby private school girls is not endearing. And these are supposedly 7th graders? Horrible. No good lessons or examples, and just incredibly mean spirited.

Finally read E.B.White's Stuart Little. Don't know how I missed it. Definitely shows its 1945 publication date, but is a charming tale of a mouse born into a New York City family. He has many adventures, but I can see the lack of a wrapped up ending giving modern students fits. "But the sky was bright, and he somehow felt he was headed in the right direction." is a wonderful last line, leaving the ending up to all sorts of imagination, but I just wanted to know if he found Margalo or not. Not as good as Trumpet of the Swan or Charlotte's Web, but for fans of Cleary's Ralph S. Mouse, this would be a good follow-up.