This was a fun way to set up the new series and introduce the reader to Horrorland the theme park. When Ethan is sent to live with his aunt and uncle, his cousin Britney is not happy about it. When he moves, he brings his ventriloquist doll, Mr. Bad Man. Nothing good comes from the doll, and over time they realize it’s evil. Just when they think he’s gone, he shows up in unexpected places. Britney and her best friend Molly win tickets to a new theme park that just opened up, Horrorland, which ensues lots of fright. This started with the iconic tale of Slappy, and moved into its own story. The way a lot of classic Goosebump tropes and themes were sprinkled in was a lot of fun and felt like a cool call out for those who have read the original series. The characters were descriptively developed, like R. L. Stine perfected how each and every character looked and they were the right amount of depth for a children’s book. The plot was super engaging, if you’ve read any of the Dummy or Slappy books then you kinda already know the plot to the first half, but the second half took a great twist at the theme park. There were a lot of creepy moments and the way this ended on a cliff hanger was perfect in the way it was executed. It really sets up for what’s to come and the reader can’t wait to get their hands on book 2!