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madisenmc's review against another edition
3.0
I only read this book because I loved loved loved Security. The writing style was kinda similar in the book, but I didn’t love it as much. I liked that the main character didn’t always make the “right” decision. I did like Blaine though - so the plot with Johnny was kinda weird to me. I liked the twists this story had - as it went back and contradicted itself so blatantly that it was honestly impressive. Overall I liked it, the sex sense were to graphic for me, but I honk that’s just personal.
caterina_1212's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm sure there is a great book in there somewhere. Maybe it needs restructuring. It took a hard turn halfway in. Good call-out for why people shouldn't want kids.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Gun violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide, Incest, and Mental illness
kaitlynkramerr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is one of those books that lives rent free in your mind. The trauma the main characters go through and the life lessons learned prove that you don’t have to let it define you.
toryhallelujah's review against another edition
1.0
?????? What the fuck WAS this book???? I have never been so baffled!!!! First of all, not horror. Thriller, but not horror. Then it's like five different books mashed up into one: a runway story; a crazy mom/child abuse story; a kidnapping/heist story; a fucking TRANSCONTINENTAL POLICE HUNT story????
WHY did it start with her running away and then promptly coming back??? What was the point of that digression AT ALL?? Just so we saw her dye her damn hair? Then it's like, a cool self-sufficient girl against all odds. But then she randomly FREAKS OUT at the cop and is like "FUCK FUCK FUCKITTY FUCK ARE YOU GONNA RAPE ME OR NOT" and he's like "WHOA where the fuck did THAT come from" and I'm like "WHOA exactly the same question!"
And then he's like "alright so your dad is a con" and then the dad shows up and truly doesn't seem dangerous at all (like truly, read back through all their interactions. Yeah, he's being stalkery, but there's no indication he's going to hurt her. Just maybe kidnap her y'know?) and she's like "I REMEMBERED WHAT THE COP SAID HE'D DONE" but um, your reader doesn't know what that is. Truly! Flip back through! We hear that he was in prison and the Feds are after him but truly there is no discussion for the reader to know why we should be afraid of him. AND THEN. OH GOD, AND THEN:
We're driving to the coast! And it's totally kosher for me to call my cop friend the whole way and let him know where we are. My dad who has "kidnapped" me (yeesh, can we even call it that, if she went along willingly and has every opportunity to escape???) actually takes me to phones to call Cop Buddy -- who, btw, has been chasing us in his personal Corvette, which I'm sure is totally fine according to cop protocol. And his getaway driver
IS SO HOT, I'MA FUCK HIM RN AND LOSE MY VCARD AND NOW WE'RE TOTALLY IN LOVE OMG SUCH LOVE WOW. LOVE LOVE MY LIFE HAS MEANING ILY BOO.
oh except my dad has been butt-raping you in prison for years. Cool cool cool coocoocool. And now I'ma keep running away from Cop Buddy who's trying to help me and also keep crawling through the desert all full of injuries from a huge car crash but it's cool, broken ribs never slowed anyone down. AND DOUBLE-TAP, YOU MORON, DID ZOMBIELAND TEACH YOU NOTHING?!
Like WHAT??!?!??!?!?!?!?! Where the FUCK did ANY of this COME from???!??!?!?!?!? This was the most disjointed, confusing, nonsensical, utterly baffling piece of shit book I've ever read. If you want to feel like you're having a stroke for 300 pages, just pick up "Blood Highway."
WHY did it start with her running away and then promptly coming back??? What was the point of that digression AT ALL?? Just so we saw her dye her damn hair? Then it's like, a cool self-sufficient girl against all odds. But then she randomly FREAKS OUT at the cop and is like "FUCK FUCK FUCKITTY FUCK ARE YOU GONNA RAPE ME OR NOT" and he's like "WHOA where the fuck did THAT come from" and I'm like "WHOA exactly the same question!"
And then he's like "alright so your dad is a con" and then the dad shows up and truly doesn't seem dangerous at all (like truly, read back through all their interactions. Yeah, he's being stalkery, but there's no indication he's going to hurt her. Just maybe kidnap her y'know?) and she's like "I REMEMBERED WHAT THE COP SAID HE'D DONE" but um, your reader doesn't know what that is. Truly! Flip back through! We hear that he was in prison and the Feds are after him but truly there is no discussion for the reader to know why we should be afraid of him. AND THEN. OH GOD, AND THEN:
We're driving to the coast! And it's totally kosher for me to call my cop friend the whole way and let him know where we are. My dad who has "kidnapped" me (yeesh, can we even call it that, if she went along willingly and has every opportunity to escape???) actually takes me to phones to call Cop Buddy -- who, btw, has been chasing us in his personal Corvette, which I'm sure is totally fine according to cop protocol. And his getaway driver
IS SO HOT, I'MA FUCK HIM RN AND LOSE MY VCARD AND NOW WE'RE TOTALLY IN LOVE OMG SUCH LOVE WOW. LOVE LOVE MY LIFE HAS MEANING ILY BOO.
oh except my dad has been butt-raping you in prison for years. Cool cool cool coocoocool. And now I'ma keep running away from Cop Buddy who's trying to help me and also keep crawling through the desert all full of injuries from a huge car crash but it's cool, broken ribs never slowed anyone down. AND DOUBLE-TAP, YOU MORON, DID ZOMBIELAND TEACH YOU NOTHING?!
Like WHAT??!?!??!?!?!?!?! Where the FUCK did ANY of this COME from???!??!?!?!?!? This was the most disjointed, confusing, nonsensical, utterly baffling piece of shit book I've ever read. If you want to feel like you're having a stroke for 300 pages, just pick up "Blood Highway."
aasplund's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault
brandijanee's review
3.0
**3.5 stars**
Originally Posted: Brandi Janee’s Bookshelf
ARC provided by Algonquin Books for honest review.
Typically I don't read a lot of thrillers so I never know what to expect when I start one. I was really intrigued after reading the synopsis and was excited to see how the story would play out. Unfortunately, Blood Highway had a bad case of giving away too much of the plot in the description. If so much of the story hadn't been revealed before I even started reading it could've had a stronger impact.
It took me a while to get into this story. The beginning was really confusing and I'm still not completely sure I understood what was going on. We are following 17 year old Rainy as she does her best to deal with the crappy life she's been dealt. It's not clearly stated but it's hinted that her mother might have some type of mental illness. It has gotten so bad it's like Rainey doesn't exist to her mother. She's forced to lie and steal to take care of herself.
I'm not sure if Rainy, or any of the other characters that appeared were meant to be likable. Each were well rounded but they had so many flaws it was hard to feel connected to any of them. I didn't exactly like Rainy but I admired her tenacity, especially when it came to her survival. Throughout the story Rainy made some bad decisions but every step of the way I hoped she would succeed. Also, I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about Blaine but I quickly grew to like him. I've never felt so conflicted about a set of character but I was happy Rainy and Blaine were able to be there for each other.
Blood Highway was such a dark, twisted story. It took me a while to wrap my head around some of the things that happened. Some of what happened still makes me feel wrong and violated. There was so much build up throughout the majority of the story and I didn't like the way it ended so suddenly. It left me feeling really unsatisfied with the ending. This was an intriguing and sometimes unsettling story but there was too much that felt missing for me to enjoy it more.
Trigger warnings for abduction, extreme violence, drug use, suicide, child neglect.
Originally Posted: Brandi Janee’s Bookshelf
ARC provided by Algonquin Books for honest review.
Typically I don't read a lot of thrillers so I never know what to expect when I start one. I was really intrigued after reading the synopsis and was excited to see how the story would play out. Unfortunately, Blood Highway had a bad case of giving away too much of the plot in the description. If so much of the story hadn't been revealed before I even started reading it could've had a stronger impact.
It took me a while to get into this story. The beginning was really confusing and I'm still not completely sure I understood what was going on. We are following 17 year old Rainy as she does her best to deal with the crappy life she's been dealt. It's not clearly stated but it's hinted that her mother might have some type of mental illness. It has gotten so bad it's like Rainey doesn't exist to her mother. She's forced to lie and steal to take care of herself.
I'm not sure if Rainy, or any of the other characters that appeared were meant to be likable. Each were well rounded but they had so many flaws it was hard to feel connected to any of them. I didn't exactly like Rainy but I admired her tenacity, especially when it came to her survival. Throughout the story Rainy made some bad decisions but every step of the way I hoped she would succeed. Also, I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about Blaine but I quickly grew to like him. I've never felt so conflicted about a set of character but I was happy Rainy and Blaine were able to be there for each other.
Blood Highway was such a dark, twisted story. It took me a while to wrap my head around some of the things that happened. Some of what happened still makes me feel wrong and violated. There was so much build up throughout the majority of the story and I didn't like the way it ended so suddenly. It left me feeling really unsatisfied with the ending. This was an intriguing and sometimes unsettling story but there was too much that felt missing for me to enjoy it more.
Trigger warnings for abduction, extreme violence, drug use, suicide, child neglect.
myotinae's review
4.0
It's really unfortunate that this was marketed as a ~*terrifying thriller*~, because it's very good but very much not that genre - it felt much more like a coming-of-age literary novel about trauma and grief. (And also there's a BLOOD HIGHWAY, I... guess? idk about that title choice but it's certainly distinctive.)
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