Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Influencer by Adam Cesare

4 reviews

goodolmc's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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chezler24's review against another edition

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dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

Cesare has shown us that YA horror can be as punchy as adult horror! Influencer is an unhinged wild ride depicting just how far people will go to follow their favorite influencer. The book opens with a home invasion scene and does not let up. I thought it was neat we were able to flip back and forth between the pov of Aaron/the Speaker and Crystal. I feel like most things would have our villain appear as this omniscient/omnipresent entity (which Aaron would like to portray); however, having the ability to hear his thoughts showed how tenuous his grasp of power and control was. While I do think the pacing could have been tweaked here or there (e.g., showing two of the characters becoming pawns of the Speaker or the ending sequence), I was hooked and enjoyed every second of this wild story (even the sections that made me squirm). 

Check trigger warnings before you dive in. Certain scenes can definitely be a turn-off for some individuals. 
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shereadytoread's review against another edition

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dark tense
  • 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? Yes

4.5

This is a book that proves YA horror can be just as horrific as adult horror. It starts with a bang of a cold open and then we see it unfold. Something I loved about this book is there are no simple characters. All of the teens are complicated and doubt themselves and their place within their friend groups and lives. We never get the self-assured final girl, but one whose fear doesn’t stop her from doing what needs to be done. There are awkward missteps and moments that felt very true to the high school experience! 

I really liked having the perspective of the villain and heroine though out the story. This is not a book that shies away from violence or toned down the serious topics. But it felt purposeful and not gratuitous. 
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wishwoosh's review against another edition

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dark 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? Yes

2.25

The idea behind the book was something that could have been made much more interesting and fleshed out, the story itself is somewhat short, making it feel rushed, especially towards the end (though even in the start of the story things feel very "this is happening too fast"). 

The voice acting was good and I did enjoy the different characters in the main cast,
ofc. the "influencer" was insufferable, which was done on purpose, but I wish he was also fleshed out more.


Content warning related: 
there are audible gunshots in the book
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