I read R. L. Stine (Fear Street), Christopher Pike, Ritchie Cusick, etc, as a teen. Those teen thriller/horror stories that were fun, not overly serious, bit of romance, but had a bit of ghosts and ghouls and always a climax where the villains are unmasked (sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively). And when I was reading Fearbook Club, I figured this must be the younger versions of those authors. Maybe a more humorous Goosebumps. Richard Ashely Hamilton made a story that was (as I said) a fun story, but it did have a few bumps with the pacing (a few events were dropped in, with little to no warning, making feel like pages had been missed). The ending suggests sequels, but there was nothing obviously saying MORE TO COME.
While I was reading along, the story felt familiar. Not that I had read it before, or at least this exact story before, but the concept was well-known. The misfits (Press, the Kim Twins and Whit) become friends and there are issues with bullies, etc., but there are modern elements, too (mostly dealing with anxiety but the death of a parent by being killed in battle, but as a reporter not soldier). Yet, the main story of anyone who has read a lot of middle reader/young adult will know who the villain is (if not the exact person/thing, the idea) and the ending of Good vs. Evil and good winning.
The illustrations were also familiar, cozy, but again, have modern elements. Marco Matrone made glossy, fun, humorous, images. While they are not exactly their own character, they have a little character, but mostly a supporting role. You can pick up a few clues here and there, see what farting sneakers look like (let’s say I totally empathize with that issue, not that it happened to me or anything… ) and see if you can tell the Kim sisters apart. Mike Marts is the editor.