Genre: YA


Tuesday, April 09, 2013

Review: Game by Barry Lyga

Posted by 23 Comments

I received this book for free from Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Game by Barry LygaGame by Barry Lyga
Series: Jasper Dent #2
Published by Little Brown BfYR on April 16 2013
Genres: Thriller, YA
Source: Hachette Book Group Canada
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Billy grinned. “Oh, New York,” he whispered. “We’re gonna have so much fun.”
I Hunt Killers introduced the world to Jazz, the son of history’s most infamous serial killer, Billy Dent.

In an effort to prove murder didn’t run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo’s Nod to solve a deadly case. And now, when a determined New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz’s door asking for help, he can’t say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple–and its police force–running scared. So Jazz and his girlfriend, Connie, hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer’s murderous game.

*This review is spoiler free for book 1 and this sequel!*

 
Before I went into YA my favorite novels were criminal mysteries and serial killer type stories. Then my favorite among them were the ones dealing with profilers. There is just something incredibly fascinating about seeing how these guys can take one small and seemingly insignificant detail of a crime scene, and tell you who the killer is in the most intimate of way. Game brought back the reasons why I loved these types of books; there are truly sick people in this world and it’s shocking to get into their heads. True to its name, Jasper’s father brings us into an exhilarating game in this fast-paced sequel.The characters I so loved in I Hunt Killers are back with just as much wit and charm as in book 1. We’re privy to a few different POVs that I found worked great to bring up the intensity and intrigue: We see what every character is up to simultaneously, giving us the full 360 of this puzzle-filled plot. Jasper himself is still struggling with his own self-identity. Is he going to fall prey to his father’s brainwashing ways? Does he have an underlying instinct, or need, to kill as well? His character is as compelling as it is a psychological study. I love being in his head, trying to figure him out as well. What would it be like to have been raised by the most notorious serial killer? Some kind of effed up! The side characters are not put aside either. Howie, especially, gives this book all the humour it needs and then some. This guy made me guffaw with his come-ons to Jasper’s aunt. I think every single scene he appears in shows us a side of his hilarious personality; be it his amusing reasonings or creative ways to laugh at himself, you can’t help but love this fella! He’s also exceptionally loyal and that makes him awesome in my book!This book does in fact bring up its game when it comes to gory details. If you’ve read and enjoyed I Hunt Killers then you’ve been well prepared–though this sequel is fairly more gross than its predecessor. Several instances of disembowelments are involved, along with lots of eyeballs–even an explanation on how easy they are to remove. Some very noteworthy stuff in here! There really wasn’t much difference in the gore factor than most of the adult crime thriller books I’ve read so it’s clearly meant for more mature YA. This makes it real, though; serial killing is rarely a clean job and all. There were definitely some parts of the plot that were less realistic, however. No matter how famous of a serial killer is his father, I’m wary to believe that NYPD would start calling on a 17 year old kid to help with a case. A case that we know all along is linked to Billy Dent, but they don’t, so how… convenient? There were also details that Jasper discovers in the crime scene pictures that are hard to believe competent NYPD investigators (and FBI, even) wouldn’t have deciphered themselves. Fortunately these details weren’t a real bother for the story, it was just a underlying fact I had to look over. For the most part it was a convincing scenario of a messed up serial killer case that became a blast to figure out. While I did predict pieces of it, I was blind to the way it all fit together until it was revealed.

Oh, but I think you forgot something, Mr. Lyga! How about an ending! *sobs quietly* He truly leaves us hanging in the end, and we get two major cliffhangers that are going to make the wait extremely long for the third book! If it was a TV series, this episode would have ended with “… To Be Continued”. Likely with sinister music and all that jazz! This series continues to be the perfect read for fans of Dexter everywhere!

4 Hot Espressos

Review: Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

Review: Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers

Posted by on 03/18/2013 • 31 Comments

Already being a big fan of Courtney Summers since I read This Is Not a Test, I knew before going into this that it was going to be a ride with a lot of feels! So much feels!

Parker is the definition of a snarky bitch. She has an attitude you want to slap her for, but as a protagonist she’s especially amusing and definitely entertaining. The used-to-be cheerleading captain turned angry emo tells us that something has happened to this girl to change her so drastically. This “something” is told to us via strange behavior from Parker which seem insignificant at first, but as the book progresses the feeling gets more urgent, and is mixed with flashbacks that leaves us wondering what the heck exactly happened here. These flashbacks…

Review: If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

Posted by on 03/15/2013 • 31 Comments

A deep and emotional journey into the lives of two very special girls, If You Find Me is a wonderfully inspiring story that brings us past the unimaginable horror it inhibits and makes it about hope instead, about second chances.

We meet Carey and Jenessa who are living–or surviving–in their mama’s old camper in the woods. This immediately captured both my heart and rapt interest, seeing two very young girls having to fend for themselves in such cruel ways. I could see from the start how much Carey had matured way beyond her years, caring for her sister more than any mother for her child. This brought me so very close to her. She quickly wedged herself right into my sympathizing heart. Easily, I could feel the deep bond these…

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Posted by on 02/12/2013 • 31 Comments

para·nor·mal: adj. not scientifically explainable : supernatural -Merriam-Webster

Meet Addison, or preferably Addie; Clairvoyant Divergent. Addie has the unique and thought-provoking ability of being able to see both sides of the coin. In other words, when she has a decision to make, she can see the future of each choice and pick the one that’s best. Fascinating, no? But what happens when you don’t want either future you foresee? This plot revolves around Addie’s venture into two futures after she was asked to pick between staying in the paranormal compound, or going with her dad in the normal world.

Told in dual reality perspective, reality one keeps us in the compound where life with abilities is the norm. From telekinesis to lie detectors, living with knowing someone may currently…

Review: Vortex by Julie Cross

Review: Vortex by Julie Cross

Posted by on 01/10/2013 • 22 Comments

This review contains no spoilers of either Vortex or Tempest

As much as I get fascinated by time travel–especially when it’s created as well as in this series–it can get extremely complicated. Like Tempest, this novel is not to be read with a wandering mind, or you will find yourself in the middle of a complex story with no idea where you are–or when. For this reason, it may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy reads that are as intelligent as they are fun, then this series is for you!

When we left Jackson in Tempest, we had learned just how intricate this whole time travel business was. Not to mention how heartbreaking to see Jackson’s heart torn apart over a girl that has no clue who he…

Review: False Memory by Dan Krokos

Posted by on 11/09/2012 • 27 Comments

From the very first page this book grips you with the unknown. At first it’s who is Miranda? Without her memory, she has no idea who, or what, she is. Then we move on to who is this unconventional family of hers, then who is this creator who wants to use them, and all throughout–what are we going to find out next?

As far as unreliable narrators go, Miranda is pretty darn great. She doesn’t even know who she is! I, myself, have always loved unreliable narrators. They keep you on the lookout, always deciphering and theorizing; the more you find out about Miranda’s life, the more fascinating it all becomes. Then of course, there are twists that throw what you’ve learned a little off track. I really enjoyed this…

Review: Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Posted by on 10/11/2012 • 43 Comments

Initial reaction: Holy mother of giraffe balls!!!

Official review:

What. Did. I. Just. Read?

*blinks*

Ok, wow. Creative does not even begin to describe this formidable world that Gennifer Albin has built. Bringing in some sci-fi elements into it, the explanations of the weaving and how the whole process works simply blew me away. When it starts off it garners a lot of questions and wonderment, but as the world building progresses, we’re brought into an extremely complex, incredibly well described futuristic world where everything and everyone can be manipulated by the touch of a Spinster. It can be hard to grasp, especially if you don’t pay attention – this is the kind of book you have to really be alert for – and it pays off. Furthermore, Gennifer’s world…

Review: Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz & Ron Bass

Review: Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz & Ron Bass

Posted by on 09/29/2012 • 29 Comments

Ok ok.. I think I loved it. But I’m not sure. This was just very …. You know the movie Inception? Yeah, kinda like that. I’m so lost, yet I love it… I think.

For one thing, Lucid is a book that makes you think. You have to piece every single moment together to begin to understand what just happened. And this is what you will see yourself doing after you turn the last page. Then you will want to immediately read it again in a new light, so you can grasp the puzzling nature of the plot.

I’m not sure how many of you watched Momento!? But that movie, you’re watching it with no idea what the frick is going on. You end it with no better idea of…