Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - None Shall Sleep

October is going so well that I kind of don’t want to jinx it by saying October is going well. I’ve finished 6 books in the first 12 days of the month with just 4 left to read for the month. It was definitely helped along by the fact that this book is so readable. I would have finished this in 24 hours if I didn’t have work getting in the way. We follow two teenagers who are picked by the FBI due to their traumatic pasts to work on a special project that includes interviewing teenage serial killers. But their project gets derailed as a new serial killer pops up in Virginia. Can their teenage knowledge and wisdom stop such a careful and precise killer?

This was well on the way to being a 4 star (possibly more?) for me up until the last 75 pages or so. I found the ending to be rushed and sloppy. I especially didn’t love the writing for the action sequences. It was messy and needed more and better description. But I did really enjoy the setting of the FBI (specifically the Behavior Science division) and all of the little behind the scene glimpses we got there. I was a big Criminal Minds girly--I might still be a Criminal Minds girly--but I do feel like this book did a better job of displaying what a fledgling division like that might have looked like in the early days. I also felt like they did a good job exploring what specifically makes these serial killers serial killers. It didn’t last very long but that was a fun part of the book for me. I wish we had gotten more of that. I also wish we had gotten more of them taking the classes on the FBI campus so it would feel more realistic. They have to get the basics down before they can go out there interviewing prisoners. Am I basically saying my usual refrain of “I wish the book was longer”? Maybe. What are you, a cop?

Overall, it was a quick, easy, and enjoyable read. I’m just not sure I’m invested enough to keep going with the series when the new book comes out next year. It was a satisfying enough ending that I could probably leave it there if I wanted.

Content Warnings

shannoncbumstead's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

i adore this book and it’s a new favourite!! would highly recommend annotating as you read

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cozyreadsandcoffee's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I had such high hopes for this book...however it did feel like it was dragging so much with the plot/characters. I didn't find too much satisfaction in the end. I did enjoy the thrill of trying to figure out what was going on but got lost at times with a lot of the facts [there was a lot of forensic and medical terminology with not a lot of explanation] If you enjoy anything like criminal minds, or silence of the lambs, this is for you.

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the_crooked_neighbor's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Very much the book I needed to get out of a reading slump. It is a fast-paced book that can be read, and should be read, in only a couple of sittings. It gave me Hannibal (the tv show) vibes, which I loved. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. The treatment of the gore was perfect for me, as we mostly see it through the eyes of a squeamish person, we get detail, but not gross detail. It was totally out of my comfort zone, but the author did such a great job that I am really glad I picked up a physical copy. I will almost definitely re-read this one, which is a rarity.

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jojo_'s review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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gofortori's review against another edition

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dark 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? N/A

4.25

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esus's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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eeeeva's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

i loved this book :) it definitely pushed the boundaries of ya which i didn't actually expect but considering the plot it was done very well. the pacing was super consistent which made it a lot easier to read (a lot of ya thrillers almost gave me whiplash from pacing changes lol) and there were enough details and developments throughout the book to find the perfect balance of being relatively easy to follow while still making me think and having a surprise factor whenever something was revealed. one of my favorite parts of the book was the lack of a focus on romance in emma and travis' relationship: they understood and respected each other, had each other's backs, and formed a bond over the course of the book that progressed naturally and didn't feel forced at all, but was open-ended enough that a relationship between them in the future would be realistic. emma and travis as characters were both awesome. emma was realistically prickly and complex without being unnecessarily rude/bitchy to everyone which was super refreshing! i loved her anger and her drive. travis was so thoughtful and professional and complimented emma's character while being developed on his own. cooper was another favorite of mine; he wasn't always likable but ironically had a lot of likable qualities and stayed very consistent, even when that could have had negative consequences for him. kristen was also super interesting! for anyone interested in reading this, check the tws first! this book is very heavy and has a lot of graphic scenes. the ending was realistic and a great fit for the characters; there is going to be a sequel but it, according to the author, will start being published this month (in parts) in a section of her newsletter that requires a paid subscription (https://www.goodreads.com/questions/2239432-will-the-sequel-to-none-shall-sleep-remain).

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