Scan barcode
tessa_stephens's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Mass/school shootings
bookwyrm76's review against another edition
5.0
OMG!!! This book was SO much more than I expected. Like horror and looking for an intense ghost story....this is it! Looking for a book about death/grief/self acceptance...this is it! Looking for an LGBTQ+ coming of age? A high school experience? A bullying book? Family drama? Yes yes and more yes.
If there is such a thing as literary horror, that is what I would classify this novel as. To anyone who ever thinks YA lit us not complicated and nuanced or cannot be those things AND be accessible, page turning, and utterly absorbing - this is the novel to change thier mind.
If there is such a thing as literary horror, that is what I would classify this novel as. To anyone who ever thinks YA lit us not complicated and nuanced or cannot be those things AND be accessible, page turning, and utterly absorbing - this is the novel to change thier mind.
vaanjai's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
3.75
This would truly be an amazing book if the start and end would be fixed. Loved the story, the vibes but sadly, some things just did not make sense or were left unanswered. Almost a 4 star but the end wasn’t that great.
anjalisudarsan's review against another edition
3.0
I felt a change in tone throughout the book - one moment I'm reading a YA fiction novel and teen angst, the next, metaphors describing auras and energies. The plot was quite exciting and kept me going, but some of the scenes were a bit too much of a drag.
The protagonist embracing his identity did not seem to evoke as much emotion. For a teenager coming to terms about being gay, it felt like there was a lot of potential.
The protagonist embracing his identity did not seem to evoke as much emotion. For a teenager coming to terms about being gay, it felt like there was a lot of potential.
inudrea5's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
caitie145's review against another edition
3.0
This books was okay. I feel that the writing was too descriptive? Pretty much the definition of telling and not showing. Anyway still enjoyed the story line but reminded me a lot of the movie insidious
thechanelmuse's review against another edition
2.0
The Taking of Jake Livingston isn’t what I was expecting. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, right? (I went into it blindly.)
In this paranormal-social thriller, Jake Livingston is a queer teen medium who sees dead people, including Sawyer, a troubled teen school shooter who takes the lives of six students, his own life, and plans to fulfill his vengeance for those he left behind...through Jake. There’s a lot going on, but everything about this debut book felt underdeveloped from the characters to the overall story. And not to mention, there is no clear connection between the two main characters. Odd.
In this paranormal-social thriller, Jake Livingston is a queer teen medium who sees dead people, including Sawyer, a troubled teen school shooter who takes the lives of six students, his own life, and plans to fulfill his vengeance for those he left behind...through Jake. There’s a lot going on, but everything about this debut book felt underdeveloped from the characters to the overall story. And not to mention, there is no clear connection between the two main characters. Odd.
youngthespian42's review against another edition
4.0
This book blew me away. The horror is both supernatural as well as growing up as a kid in an environment meant to hate you. The LGBTQ+ representation is amazing and tied into the story beautiful but Douglass had a story to tell, not just WS typing to make the “gay get out.” The antagonist is both scarier and pulls at your empathy. These Jake and his awkward teen’ness is totally believable. Read this book.