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guillevaldata's review against another edition
4.0
it was good, it was good. From the middle to the end it was suuper catching.
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
5.0
Review to follow soon, I hope.
Highly recommended YA-crime-page-turner with a gay teen coming into his own.
So, before I forget everything about this book...
This was quite good gay thriller, with the MC using a tinder-like-gay app on his iPhone to hookup.
While certainly sex did happen, it was off page, and the scenes did not creep me (hetero) out.
But that was only the underlying frame for a story about a cult-like-Terrorgroup, targeting homophobe groups and people, killing both and also innocents and targeting more.
The technology described feels real, not SF or near-future-like, and is abused, with deadly consequences.
The MC has sympathies for the goals of the Gay-Terror-Group, being gay himself and falls for them, helped by being duped from both the FBI and the charismatic leader of the Terror-Group. He thinks at one point that killing anti-gay fanatics (true-birthers, christians, anti-abortionists etc.) is ok, but balks from the killing of innocents. He changes his mind a few times and the issues get muddled, and sometimes quite brutal, resulting in several action-scenes where he has to save himself and others, some are unbelievable way-over-the-top-X-Men-like-Superhero-stuff, but fun to read,
and as described, even just this side of realistic.
Also, after the case is closed, you get what others would build into a series or at least a second book, or simply leave unsolved: the aftermath of it, what happens next, both to the FBI-Agents and to the Hero/MC? You get a short overview of how his live goes on, nice touch.
For a debut, and a book a little out of my normal comfort zone, a 5star recommendation, an author I will watch for more books to read.
Highly recommended YA-crime-page-turner with a gay teen coming into his own.
So, before I forget everything about this book...
This was quite good gay thriller, with the MC using a tinder-like-gay app on his iPhone to hookup.
While certainly sex did happen, it was off page, and the scenes did not creep me (hetero) out.
But that was only the underlying frame for a story about a cult-like-Terrorgroup, targeting homophobe groups and people, killing both and also innocents and targeting more.
The technology described feels real, not SF or near-future-like, and is abused, with deadly consequences.
The MC has sympathies for the goals of the Gay-Terror-Group, being gay himself and falls for them, helped by being duped from both the FBI and the charismatic leader of the Terror-Group. He thinks at one point that killing anti-gay fanatics (true-birthers, christians, anti-abortionists etc.) is ok, but balks from the killing of innocents. He changes his mind a few times and the issues get muddled, and sometimes quite brutal, resulting in several action-scenes where he has to save himself and others, some are unbelievable way-over-the-top-X-Men-like-Superhero-stuff, but fun to read,
and as described, even just this side of realistic.
Also, after the case is closed, you get what others would build into a series or at least a second book, or simply leave unsolved: the aftermath of it, what happens next, both to the FBI-Agents and to the Hero/MC? You get a short overview of how his live goes on, nice touch.
For a debut, and a book a little out of my normal comfort zone, a 5star recommendation, an author I will watch for more books to read.
booklover000's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This was a rough read. Everything was just too much - it started to become unrealistic and I couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy it. This could be a fun read if you’re looking for a fast-paced, LGBTQ+ inclusive YA read, but you may want to try something else, honestly.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
jupiterlee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bookishnewfie's review against another edition
3.0
Overall I really did enjoy this read. It was very engaging and very much a page-turner! I found my self picking it up every chance I could to find out what would happen next. So why the 3-star rating? Well keeping in mind this is a YA book and I'm a 28-year-old gay man, this book at times is... very YA.. there were so many times in the middle of crazy intense situations where the main character was thinking and acting in outrageous ways that were completely unrealistic (WHO in the midst of murder and chaos would have time to think about relationship drama?!) so for this reason it really knocked off some rating cred for me. was it a fun read? absolutely. does it have re-readability? in my opionion.. not a chance. As a gay man having a completely LGBTQ centred thriller storyline was amazing and to have it be written by a Gay author also makes it better in my book. I would for sure recommend this to someone that loves both YA and thrillers and should be on the list of LGBTQ books to read so with all this in mind I would give it a 3.5
renzoreads's review against another edition
3.0
Seventeen year old Aiden is alone for the night is an upmarket NYC hotel room, and what better way to spend the night than to scrolling through the hook up app on his find to find a guy, or two, close by to pass the time with. What he doesn’t account for is waking up next to the dead body of the guys he just hooked up with. Suddenly Aiden finds himself the target of, assassins and both the FBI and a radical cult of political terrorists. Not knowing who to trust, and who is trying to help him or kill him Aiden tries his best to evade those that are after him. But before long he is forced to choose a side and hope his decision doesn’t get himself, or anyone else killed.
I had high hopes for this one but unfortunately it just didn’t deliver for me. It started out really well and had hooked me in but once Aiden was on the run from potential assassins and FBI agents it felt a bit ridiculous - but I did remind myself this is a work of fiction, not a true to life account so that kept me reading. If the tone and flow of the book had kept to the way it was in the beginning I would have rated it higher and enjoyed it much more. That being said I do think there will be many people who enjoy the fast paced action of this one and those who enjoy YA Thrillers/Suspense.
I had high hopes for this one but unfortunately it just didn’t deliver for me. It started out really well and had hooked me in but once Aiden was on the run from potential assassins and FBI agents it felt a bit ridiculous - but I did remind myself this is a work of fiction, not a true to life account so that kept me reading. If the tone and flow of the book had kept to the way it was in the beginning I would have rated it higher and enjoyed it much more. That being said I do think there will be many people who enjoy the fast paced action of this one and those who enjoy YA Thrillers/Suspense.
ninivye's review against another edition
2.0
I think I liked it. But it was very confusing. Did not know what was going on half the time
becca_todaro's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-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? Yes
3.0
It was obvious who all the players were and that had to be quite a bit suspension of disbelief to read this
ameserole's review against another edition
3.0
Swipe Right for Murder was a pretty interesting and entertaining book. It definitely had a ton of action from start to finish but sometimes I still felt a bit bored with what was going on. Or maybe a little confused as to why something happened the way it did. Either way, I finished it and still thought it was a pretty good book.
In it, you will meet Aidan. Eh, he was an okay character that went through some pretty shitty situations. Or dealt with a lot of rough stuff in his life. Not sure how I would feel if I lost a sibling like he did.. but for some reason I couldn't fully connect with him. Maybe it's because of the spy-like things he did.. that didn't make sense to me. Kind of made him seem like he's the kid-version of John Wick.
If you've seen any of the movies, they all mentioned that he killed someone with a pencil. A PENCIL! So yeah, I can see that happening.. but a paperclip? Not so much. Unless that paperclip was attached to a bomb.. then maybe.
Then there's the mafia.. oh man. I honestly have nothing to say about it.. but I just couldn't get behind that one bit. Especially because they seemed like a complete hot mess throughout the book.
In the end, I was shocked by what happened and a bit confused as well. All I can say is that this was a very interesting book..
In it, you will meet Aidan. Eh, he was an okay character that went through some pretty shitty situations. Or dealt with a lot of rough stuff in his life. Not sure how I would feel if I lost a sibling like he did.. but for some reason I couldn't fully connect with him. Maybe it's because of the spy-like things he did.. that didn't make sense to me. Kind of made him seem like he's the kid-version of John Wick.
If you've seen any of the movies, they all mentioned that he killed someone with a pencil. A PENCIL! So yeah, I can see that happening.. but a paperclip? Not so much. Unless that paperclip was attached to a bomb.. then maybe.
Then there's the mafia.. oh man. I honestly have nothing to say about it.. but I just couldn't get behind that one bit. Especially because they seemed like a complete hot mess throughout the book.
In the end, I was shocked by what happened and a bit confused as well. All I can say is that this was a very interesting book..