Hold on tight, Readers! You are in for a real thrill ride with Neal Shusterman’s book, Full Tilt.
Blake is a sixteen year old with a lot on his mind. Between constantly saving his crazy, thrill-seeking brother Quinn, the stress of planning for college, and his messy relationship with his parents, Blake has enough to worry about. So when he decides to spend the evening at an amusement park with his friends, Blake does not even think about considering the mysterious girl and her invitation to a dangerous, new carnival.
At least not until Quinn steals his invitation and goes by himself. Blake and his friends decide to go inside the carnival to rescue Quinn, only realizing after that this is no ordinary carnival. Blake and his friends have entered a game of life and death. If they cannot ride seven rides before dawn, they will lose their souls and forever be imprisoned inside the carnival.
But these are no ordinary thrill rides. Each ride is specially designed for Blake and his friends. Each ride is made from their deepest nightmares and the darkest thoughts they refuse to think about. Will Blake be able to find his brother? Will they make it out of the evil carnival or will they be forever trapped within this terrible land of nightmares?
At least not until Quinn steals his invitation and goes by himself. Blake and his friends decide to go inside the carnival to rescue Quinn, only realizing after that this is no ordinary carnival. Blake and his friends have entered a game of life and death. If they cannot ride seven rides before dawn, they will lose their souls and forever be imprisoned inside the carnival.
But these are no ordinary thrill rides. Each ride is specially designed for Blake and his friends. Each ride is made from their deepest nightmares and the darkest thoughts they refuse to think about. Will Blake be able to find his brother? Will they make it out of the evil carnival or will they be forever trapped within this terrible land of nightmares?
For readers who want to try a horror novel, Full Tilt is the place to start if you want to be scared. The author makes readers think about what their own fears are and what rides they might have to go on if they were in Blake’s shoes. However, if experienced horror readers are expecting Full Tilt to scare like a Stephen King novel, they should look elsewhere. Nonetheless, Full Tilt is a book I would recommend that is guaranteed to entertain most readers.
Fans of R.L. Stine and Mary Downing Hahn’s books will definitely find an enjoyable read in Full Tilt.
Does it have a Young Adult label?: No.
Recommended if you like stories with: thrills, horror, carnivals, secret fears, friendship, family, overcoming obstacles, a mysterious girl
Favorite Quote: “They say you never know who's the real hero and who's the real coward until you're looking death in the face. I've always been afraid of plenty of things, but fear isn't what makes you a coward. It's how depraved your heart becomes when fear gets pumped through it.”
Rating:
Fans of R.L. Stine and Mary Downing Hahn’s books will definitely find an enjoyable read in Full Tilt.
Does it have a Young Adult label?: No.
Recommended if you like stories with: thrills, horror, carnivals, secret fears, friendship, family, overcoming obstacles, a mysterious girl
Favorite Quote: “They say you never know who's the real hero and who's the real coward until you're looking death in the face. I've always been afraid of plenty of things, but fear isn't what makes you a coward. It's how depraved your heart becomes when fear gets pumped through it.”
Rating: