Ride or Die by Delilah S. Dawson
Published by Delacorte Press on August 5, 2025
ISBN: 0593486838
Genres: Horror
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads

Brie can’t believe her luck when the most popular eighth grade girls, The Ems, take notice of her and invite her to an overnight birthday party at Wildwoods amusement park. She’s determined to make them accept her and can’t wait to start high school as part of the in-crowd. This fixation on The Ems clouds her judgment, and she ignores the steady stream of red flags popping up as they explore the park. When a dare goes wrong, Brie finds herself alone, without cell service, and nervous about the urban legend ‘Monster Max’, who is an enormous crocodile said to roam Wildwoods.

What follows for Brie is a supernaturally-tinged hero’s journey, complete with some new friends who aren’t quite what they seem, and a murderous, deranged mascot. Amusement parks are such a great setting for horror given how disorienting they are in the best of circumstances, and the attention to the theme park details is great. Brie is a well-developed and endearing character. A creepy, exciting book to suggest to both middle school and high school horror fans.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath