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chuskeyreads's review against another edition
5.0
Holy crap! This book is mind blowing!
I have so many books on my TBR list that it's difficult to keep track (yes, even with GR!). I read the first chapter or two (sometimes more) of each new book when deciding what to purchase for my school library and have done so for the past six and a half years. The only problem is that I begin reading hundreds of books but seldom get to finish all of them.
This was one of the first books I purchased during my first year as a librarian, and I knew that my kids would really enjoy this book. It only took me six years to pick it back up and finally finish it.
So good!
At this point, I'm debating whether to finish writing a review or begin reading the second book . . .
I have so many books on my TBR list that it's difficult to keep track (yes, even with GR!). I read the first chapter or two (sometimes more) of each new book when deciding what to purchase for my school library and have done so for the past six and a half years. The only problem is that I begin reading hundreds of books but seldom get to finish all of them.
This was one of the first books I purchased during my first year as a librarian, and I knew that my kids would really enjoy this book. It only took me six years to pick it back up and finally finish it.
So good!
At this point, I'm debating whether to finish writing a review or begin reading the second book . . .
shylaja_vijendren's review against another edition
3.0
I dont know if i like it or not....
Im still confused....
Im still confused....
marieintheraw's review against another edition
4.0
curious as to what will happen in book two. really loving this series so far
katieb99's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked it. I was not expecting the Impressionist to be who it was. You were on the edge of your seat until the very end.
sparkletoothed's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
suedd's review against another edition
2.0
Who'd ever think about a child who was raised by a serial killer...and that the killer would train his son in the "trade"? This book contains explicit violence, but in a clinical, detached way. Teens who are fans of CSI, NCIS or other forensic shows would like this book.
mars_aria's review against another edition
4.0
Overall Rating - 4/5 stars
Summary:
The book "I Hunt Killers" by Barry Lyga is about a teenage boy (17) named, Jasper "Jazz" Dent, who was made to be a killer. Literally, trained and brainwashed by his father from a very young age on how to be the best killer in the world. After Jazz's father, Billy Dent, gets arrested (124 victims later), Jazz grows up fighting the urge to kill people. He basically becomes the town pariah, but luckily gains one good friend named Howie and a girlfriend named Connie who he loves but feels the need to protect her from himself. Jazz tries to act like a normal teenager would, but he can't help using the morbid skills his father taught him to investigate the recent deaths. There's a new serial killer in town copying Billy's first kills. It's with those skills that Jazz ends up tracking down the killer. Or rather, the killer tracks him down.
There's so much mystery in this book that you just have to keep reading until your curiosity is satiated and even then it's still not. The cliff hanger just adds to the number of questions running through your mind. I think, for me, the most interesting part in the book was when Jazz finally went to go speak to his father after four years of avoiding doing just that. It was an intense scene where you got to see just how manipulative "Dear Old Dad" can really be, whereas prior to that part it's only alluded to with the voice of Billy in Jazz's head from a memory whispering to him to 'cut someone'.
Barry Lyga is a good story teller. He really does a good job of emphasizing throughout the book the internal war that Jazz goes through as he struggles with understanding who he is as well as his greatest fear of becoming just like his father. At times, Jazz's thoughts on becoming like Billy would get annoying, especially when his girlfriend had to continually tell him that none of what happened was his fault, but I guess it was necessary. I mean, if I were in Jazz's shoes and had a father who was a notorious serial killer I would non-stop question every action I did too. And I guess that's what made Jazz's character so fascinating. Even though he had evil thoughts about killing others he fought against his 'inner demon' and strived to use the things his father taught him to make a difference, chanting to himself all along that "people matter".
"I Hunt Killers" is a good book for anyone who likes a complicated mystery as well as when the main character himself is a part of the mystery. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind gory, morbid scenes and wants a book that makes you think about good and evil long after you've finished reading it.
Summary:
The book "I Hunt Killers" by Barry Lyga is about a teenage boy (17) named, Jasper "Jazz" Dent, who was made to be a killer. Literally, trained and brainwashed by his father from a very young age on how to be the best killer in the world. After Jazz's father, Billy Dent, gets arrested (124 victims later), Jazz grows up fighting the urge to kill people. He basically becomes the town pariah, but luckily gains one good friend named Howie and a girlfriend named Connie who he loves but feels the need to protect her from himself. Jazz tries to act like a normal teenager would, but he can't help using the morbid skills his father taught him to investigate the recent deaths. There's a new serial killer in town copying Billy's first kills. It's with those skills that Jazz ends up tracking down the killer. Or rather, the killer tracks him down.
There's so much mystery in this book that you just have to keep reading until your curiosity is satiated and even then it's still not. The cliff hanger just adds to the number of questions running through your mind. I think, for me, the most interesting part in the book was when Jazz finally went to go speak to his father after four years of avoiding doing just that. It was an intense scene where you got to see just how manipulative "Dear Old Dad" can really be, whereas prior to that part it's only alluded to with the voice of Billy in Jazz's head from a memory whispering to him to 'cut someone'.
Barry Lyga is a good story teller. He really does a good job of emphasizing throughout the book the internal war that Jazz goes through as he struggles with understanding who he is as well as his greatest fear of becoming just like his father. At times, Jazz's thoughts on becoming like Billy would get annoying, especially when his girlfriend had to continually tell him that none of what happened was his fault, but I guess it was necessary. I mean, if I were in Jazz's shoes and had a father who was a notorious serial killer I would non-stop question every action I did too. And I guess that's what made Jazz's character so fascinating. Even though he had evil thoughts about killing others he fought against his 'inner demon' and strived to use the things his father taught him to make a difference, chanting to himself all along that "people matter".
"I Hunt Killers" is a good book for anyone who likes a complicated mystery as well as when the main character himself is a part of the mystery. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind gory, morbid scenes and wants a book that makes you think about good and evil long after you've finished reading it.
katie1031's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book but it lost points. Connie (the girlfriend of our main character) is black and at one point says quite literally that she "doesn't care about slavery like her father and other people in her community" she "cares about the present". This book was written by a white man. There is not a world in which it was okay for him to put those words in a black girl's mouth.