Reviews

The Loop by Jeremy Robert Johnson

apriljbeckler's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

2.75

jonathan_lee_b's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Loop is driving full speed through a maze with no exit.

jess_mango's review against another edition

4.0

Something is happening to the teens in the small town of Turner Falls, OR. It all starts when three teenaged children of execs from the local Biotech firm IMTECH flip out and become murderously violent. Our protagonist Lucy, witnesses one of her classmates attacking another student and then their teacher in class. From there, things spin even further out of control as these violent impulses seem to be contagious. We follow Lucy as she tries to avoid being hurt and also tries to figure out what is going on and how to stop it.

This was certainly a thrilling ride and I would classify it as an extreme medical thriller. We have biotech gone wrong. While the main characters are teens this could be equally enjoyed by teens or adults. The book is gory and all that you'd expect in a book where people are overcome with violent impulses. I liked Lucy as a main character. She didn't really know what the hell was going on but still push through her situation.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!

osborne2read's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

4.75

gabertron's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

lynguy1's review against another edition

3.0

THE LOOP by Jeremy Robert Johnson is a standalone coming of age horror thriller with a science fiction aspect to it. Turner Falls, Oregon is a small tourist town that has recently seen an influx of biotech and related firms locating to it. Lucy and her friend nicknamed Bucket are juniors at the local high school and are the only minorities in the school. When a fight breaks out in class near the end of the school year, it is only the beginning of what is to come.

Lucy was a character that took a while to get to know, but was definitely someone you could root for. She had a distinct voice and her motivations seemed believable. The secondary characters were less three-dimensional except for Bucket and Brewer. However, they enhanced the story and the relationships seemed believable. The writing in the first third of the book did not flow well for me. However, it picked up as the action and stakes increased. Themes include family, trauma, racism, bullying, biotech research and development, violence, friendships, and much more.

Overall, this was an interesting and compelling read that had high stakes and some unusual plot twists. However, there are many instances of extreme violence and gore in this book as well as some language and I would not call this a fun read. If you are a fan of horror novels, then you may want to check this one out. Am I glad I read this one? Absolutely!

Many thanks to Gallery Books – Saga Press and Jeremy Robert Johnson for a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

rat_leoo's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? No

2.25

hakimbriki's review against another edition

3.0

The Loop is a fun read. Jeremy Robert Johnson’s characters are true to life, relatable, badass, and funny. I feel like the story could have been developed more so as to produce a more complete picture of the corporation and a better ending.
The Loop left me wanting more... a lot more! But that doesn’t change the fact that JRJ is one of the most exciting authors of the nouvelle vague of horror.

marieintheraw's review against another edition

4.0

Overall, the narration is not my favorite style, but an interesting horror sci-fi read for sure.

 I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.

runawaytrain's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75