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go_maggs_go's review
2.0
I was so excited to check this out of the library, because I read The Getaway by the same author a few months ago and loved it. This was kind of a letdown for me.
The premise was interesting. I dig the concept of a YA novel where the protagonist is in WitSec, and I can only think of two I've read besides this one. But the execution just didn't work for me. The texting scenes were the absolute worst, I hate when those are included ever ever ever. I didn't like Eli, so even though his death basically drives the story, I didn't really care who killed him.
I'll still give Giles another try because of how much I loved The Getaway, though
The premise was interesting. I dig the concept of a YA novel where the protagonist is in WitSec, and I can only think of two I've read besides this one. But the execution just didn't work for me. The texting scenes were the absolute worst, I hate when those are included ever ever ever. I didn't like Eli, so even though his death basically drives the story, I didn't really care who killed him.
I'll still give Giles another try because of how much I loved The Getaway, though
laurelann's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
droar's review
3.0
Betrayal, Murder, and Witness Protection! Not my favorite crime book, but an interesting twist for sure. The ending felt a bit incomplete (possibly a sequel coming?) I'm totally fine with authors not explaining everything, but this just seems unfinished. On the plus side the characters were varied and interesting, the main character is black & it wasn't a big deal, and the romance-y part was fairly mundane (rather than being the end all be all of the story).
jazzy1227's review
5.0
4.5– I throughly enjoyed this book! It was super fun finding things out with Nick along the way but also knowing his secret. Trying to figure out his family’s secret & seeing his relationships with the characters develop. But also seeing the twist at the end when everything is revealed was exciting and I didn’t expect it.
thebooknerdscorner's review
3.0
I went into this book thinking it was going to be horrible (for some reason), so when I started it, I was quite pleased that it wasn't. Nick was decent enough protagonist, who was funny at times and also quite oblivious most of the time. But eventually, his attitude began to bother me a bit. He tries to act way cooler and smarter than he is, yet still manages to piece together the mystery before everything goes down. I thought the whodunnit in this thriller was a bit obvious, so I wasn't ever on the end of my seat. My favorite thing about this book was the diversity of the cast. Nick is African American, the two secondary characters, Reya and Eli, were from a Latinx household. Overall, it was a decent read with nothing too negative to say about it. It just wasn't my favorite book either. It would be a good book for people who are a fan of thrillers that still have plenty of character development and many subplots.
wombat_88's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
unlifeoftheparty's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
emilyanne3000's review
2.0
I had a hard time finishing this book. It’s not that the characters or plot or writing was horrible... it was just that I never clicked enough with the story to be fully immersed. Nevertheless, I am sure some others people will enjoy Fake ID. I just... struggled.
The number one thing that had me yawning during the story, was that I never connected enough to the characters to care what happened to them. Maybe I am cold-hearted, but I have to feel a connection to fictional characters before I care about their life. I feel like the characters had a lot of potential. For example, I felt that Nick and I seriously should have loved each other. I (usually) really like humorous male protagonists. However, I didn't really care for Nick. I just don't think the author ever developed his characters enough for me to grow attached.
The novel did have some positive aspects. Kudos to the main character for being humorous. Also, kudos to the author for bringing non-white and non-female protagonists to the YA genre. Thank you!
That said, I still never connected to the book. The plot never pulled me in. Honestly, I remember very little of the story line and I finished this book only a month ago. That should tell you a lot about how I felt about the book. It wasn't memorable.
Overall, Fake ID wasn't terrible in any way. In fact, there were a few things I liked. Sadly, the book was pretty bland in my opinion. If the author had worked a little more on the characters, I feel like I could have enjoyed this more. I will still look out for Lamar Gile's next work.
I had the hardest time deciding what to rate the book. I'm going with 2.5 Stars.
The number one thing that had me yawning during the story, was that I never connected enough to the characters to care what happened to them. Maybe I am cold-hearted, but I have to feel a connection to fictional characters before I care about their life. I feel like the characters had a lot of potential. For example, I felt that Nick and I seriously should have loved each other. I (usually) really like humorous male protagonists. However, I didn't really care for Nick. I just don't think the author ever developed his characters enough for me to grow attached.
The novel did have some positive aspects. Kudos to the main character for being humorous. Also, kudos to the author for bringing non-white and non-female protagonists to the YA genre. Thank you!
That said, I still never connected to the book. The plot never pulled me in. Honestly, I remember very little of the story line and I finished this book only a month ago. That should tell you a lot about how I felt about the book. It wasn't memorable.
Overall, Fake ID wasn't terrible in any way. In fact, there were a few things I liked. Sadly, the book was pretty bland in my opinion. If the author had worked a little more on the characters, I feel like I could have enjoyed this more. I will still look out for Lamar Gile's next work.
I had the hardest time deciding what to rate the book. I'm going with 2.5 Stars.