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melissamelancon's review against another edition
4.0
all in all, a good book. though, you'll find yourself yelling at some of the characters' decisions. hard to put down, just like the first installment. left on a cliffhanger. anxiously awaiting the final installment due out this September, i believe.
thisismenow's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved I Hunt Killers, so it's follow up Game was one of the books I was most looking forward to this year.
In I Hunt Killers we were introduced to Jasper Dent, who is the son of the worst serial killer in history, Billy Dent. While his father was put away in jail, Jasper still struggled with the possiblity of turning out like dear old dad after being raised to follow in his footsteps. Jasper still struggles with this very real fear in Game, and the stakes seem that much higher now that Billy has escaped from prison.
Game, even moreso than I Hunt Killers is a very mature YA book. It doesn't shy away from the grisly details as Jasper is brought into the investigation of a serial killer who is wreaking havoc and fear in the people of New York.
For this book, I had to suspend by belief a bit because I found it hard to believe that so many adults would rely so heavily on a seventeen-year-old boy, but on the other hand, Jasper is in a unique position. He knows how most serial killers think. There was a good quote in the book that touched on this a bit.
While Jasper is separated from his best friend, Howie, and girlfriend, Connie. during much of the book, these characters were still, thankfully, very much in play. Howie was hiliarious as always. He was a great source of comic relief throughout.
I really enjoy Jasper and Connie's relationship as well. Jasper carries a lot fear about the possibility of hurting Connie in the first book, and in this book he seems even more afraid as things heat up sexually between him and Connie.
What I really love about the two of them, though, is that Connie really seems to know Jasper. There were many times when she refused to let herself be manipulated by him and other times when she used the manipulations she'd learned from him to help herself as she was dragged into the twisted game being played in this book.
The Hat-Dog killer was pretty gruesome, but I enjoyed the mystery this serial killer presented. For much of the book I really didn't have any solid guesses as to who the killer was or what game they were playing. When it comes to mysteries, thrillers or suspense novels, I like not being able to figure things out immediately, and Game did a wonderful job of keeping me guessing.
Jasper's voice has really been my favorite part of this series. His way of thinking is so interesting. Even when those thoughts go dark, there's still an edge of humor. I really and fully believe in his ability to charm others because he's charmed me as well. Also, as terrifying as Billy is, he's such a presence throughout the book due to the way he's wormed himself into Jasper's head. As much as I hate him, I do enjoy Jasper's mental sparring with his father.
I cannot wait for the next book to come out because this one left me on the edge of my seat. Write, Barry Lyga, write!
In I Hunt Killers we were introduced to Jasper Dent, who is the son of the worst serial killer in history, Billy Dent. While his father was put away in jail, Jasper still struggled with the possiblity of turning out like dear old dad after being raised to follow in his footsteps. Jasper still struggles with this very real fear in Game, and the stakes seem that much higher now that Billy has escaped from prison.
Game, even moreso than I Hunt Killers is a very mature YA book. It doesn't shy away from the grisly details as Jasper is brought into the investigation of a serial killer who is wreaking havoc and fear in the people of New York.
For this book, I had to suspend by belief a bit because I found it hard to believe that so many adults would rely so heavily on a seventeen-year-old boy, but on the other hand, Jasper is in a unique position. He knows how most serial killers think. There was a good quote in the book that touched on this a bit.
"You’ve heard of natural born killers, right? Well, you’re a natural born profiler.”
“There are lots of good profilers out there.” Jazz wasn’t sure where she was headed now.
“Not like you. They get how these guys think, sure. But you get how they feel. What it’s like for them, what they like. Why they like it."
While Jasper is separated from his best friend, Howie, and girlfriend, Connie. during much of the book, these characters were still, thankfully, very much in play. Howie was hiliarious as always. He was a great source of comic relief throughout.
“If I think she's hot and it turns out she's a psychopath, then what does that say about me? I'm totally not ready for that kind of therapy.”
I really enjoy Jasper and Connie's relationship as well. Jasper carries a lot fear about the possibility of hurting Connie in the first book, and in this book he seems even more afraid as things heat up sexually between him and Connie.
What I really love about the two of them, though, is that Connie really seems to know Jasper. There were many times when she refused to let herself be manipulated by him and other times when she used the manipulations she'd learned from him to help herself as she was dragged into the twisted game being played in this book.
The Hat-Dog killer was pretty gruesome, but I enjoyed the mystery this serial killer presented. For much of the book I really didn't have any solid guesses as to who the killer was or what game they were playing. When it comes to mysteries, thrillers or suspense novels, I like not being able to figure things out immediately, and Game did a wonderful job of keeping me guessing.
Jasper's voice has really been my favorite part of this series. His way of thinking is so interesting. Even when those thoughts go dark, there's still an edge of humor. I really and fully believe in his ability to charm others because he's charmed me as well. Also, as terrifying as Billy is, he's such a presence throughout the book due to the way he's wormed himself into Jasper's head. As much as I hate him, I do enjoy Jasper's mental sparring with his father.
I cannot wait for the next book to come out because this one left me on the edge of my seat. Write, Barry Lyga, write!
_onemorechapter_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
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? It's complicated
4.0
𝑻.𝑾: Murders, Gory, Grusome, dismemberment, rape, graphic violence, and emotional child abuse.
Welcome to the GAME, People!
💭 Blood + Brilliance = Bloody Brilliant
Dear lord, what an insane ride of awesome this book was. It was 10 times more gruesome and intense than I Hunt Killers, with double the nail-biting moments. I cannot express how friggin great Barry Lyga is at writing a serial killer. It is both ridiculously eerie and insanely awesome. Mad skills man!!
Game is the second book in this trilogy and it started right from where the first book ended. Game ups the ante by pitting father against son in even more overt ways.
I really enjoyed the Game. I appreciated the different character perspectives as they were expanded from the first book. The conceit is pretty clever, and I like that the reader is very likely in on what the game is before the characters in the book understand what is going on.
Jasper (Jazz) can't help but blame himself for the deaths of the guards when his father, Billy Dent, the most notorious serial killer you can imagine, escaped from jail. He didn't know that moving his grandmother's birdbath for Billy would set off a chain reaction that sprung his father from jail. Now Billy is on the loose. But when an NYC officer comes to Lobo's Nod to find Jazz, there is more to worry about than just Billy. New York is being terrorized by a serial killer who is so scattered in his method, that the police are finding it impossible to get any leads on him. The Hat-Dog killer's only calling card is he etches either a Hat or a Dog into his victims when he leaves their bodies to be found, but there is no rhyme or reason for who gets which tag. And no victimology fits any one hunting pattern. This killer is a mystery, but even worse, he is brutal. His victims know the face of true evil. The Hat-Dog Killer started killing before Billy escaped from prison; with no connection to Billy’s crimes, can Jazz help?
Turns out, Jazz can.
Meanwhile, Connie is doing some sleuthing of her own, trying so hard to assist Jazz in this "game" he has found himself caught up in. She was acting like a typical teenager, feeling invincible and brave. I wanted to shake her numerous times but I honestly couldn't find it in myself to be angry at her for her decisions. She loves Jazz and wants to help. And she's a teenager. It's just part of the old developmental nature of her age to be a flaming idiot.
And of course, Dear Old Dad is always part of the scheme, regardless if he's just in Jazz's head or his neighborhood. Conversations with Billy are creeeeeeeeeepy to the max.
This series is simply phenomenal. It is gruesome, exciting, and heart-wrenching. The serial killers themselves are a Mind Hunter's dream and nightmare all rolled into one. You can't believe how Jazz comes to the conclusions he does, but then again, you can't imagine being the son of a serial killer. And that is the true heart of this story. Jazz. He's raw. He's unsure of himself. He's loyal. He's tormented. He loves deeply. He's devoted to clearing his name. And....he's a manipulative little shit. I loooooove him. Being in his mind is like walking on shards of glass.
He is so tormented by his father that even getting physically intimate with the girl he loves is terrifying because serial killers almost always have a sexual need that motivates their killing. Getting in the head of this boy is so fascinating and heartbreaking, it makes you wish you could save him from himself. He wants so badly to be a good person, but the ghosts of his father's lessons haunt him more than the actual killers themselves.
I miss more of Howie and Jess's moments, we get plenty of individual scenes but I missed the vibes they have when they are together!
This is a great story for anyone who likes murder mysteries, is a fan of "Dexter", or just loves a good story, because you would be crazy if you didn't think Lyga could write. Man, that boy can write! Barry Lyga knows characters, he can write a plot that keeps you guessing until the last possible second, and he never ceases to shock you (which is pretty hard considering the books are about gruesome serial killers). This is a great series for an older reader who needs something to grab their attention and HOLD it!
The ending! *flails* Did anyone see that coming? AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT CHARACTER? Or should I say, CHARACTERS???? A cliffhanger from the bowels of Hell, people.
Overall, this sequel is a page-turner just like I Hunt Killers, and Lyga crafted a mystery that was intriguing from the beginning and kept me guessing. There are many layers to this game, and Lyga reveals them slowly. Without giving away the mystery, I’ll say that it’s got plenty of twists, heaps of gore, and one hell of a cliffhanger.
𝐏.𝐒 Be warned: This book doesn't answer half the things that are circulating in my mind right now. It makes it even more exciting to read the next one, and to continue this "journey". I am in this series so deep that it's like I need to know the answers in order to go back to my routine. And at the same time, I don't want to say goodbye yet. That's how extraordinary this book/series is. This book is worth reading a thousand times. After completing this I IMMEDIATELY started book 3.
𝐏.𝐒.𝐒 It was so sickly clever and I couldn’t help but accept that the author is a master of manipulation.
🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔸𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 4.22 (13126)
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Horror, Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult
🔸𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔:I Hunt Killers (Book 2)
🔸𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: Yes, Yes, and Yes!!
This book didn't even seem like a book to me. I was so focused on it that when I reached the last page I couldn't believe I had already finished it. Like, "Wasn't I on page fifty 10 minutes ago?" to discover I had been reading for hours! This one is a powerful book, for sure.
🔸 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“Anger was a waste of time and energy. Anger was useless."Anger" was the label given to the emotion that accomplished nothing.”
“Any man worth having will wait for his woman to be ready. How can I not return the favor?”
“You think you're gonna find your soul. Ever since I've known you, you've been thinkin' that someday you're gonna crack and end up like your daddy. And you're been looking for proof that you won't. What you don't realize is this: the looking is the proof. Trust me when I tell you that Billy Dent never had a moment's doubt in his life about what he was and what he was doing. Your doubt is your soul”
Welcome to the GAME, People!
💭 Blood + Brilliance = Bloody Brilliant
Dear lord, what an insane ride of awesome this book was. It was 10 times more gruesome and intense than I Hunt Killers, with double the nail-biting moments. I cannot express how friggin great Barry Lyga is at writing a serial killer. It is both ridiculously eerie and insanely awesome. Mad skills man!!
Game is the second book in this trilogy and it started right from where the first book ended. Game ups the ante by pitting father against son in even more overt ways.
I really enjoyed the Game. I appreciated the different character perspectives as they were expanded from the first book. The conceit is pretty clever, and I like that the reader is very likely in on what the game is before the characters in the book understand what is going on.
Jasper (Jazz) can't help but blame himself for the deaths of the guards when his father, Billy Dent, the most notorious serial killer you can imagine, escaped from jail. He didn't know that moving his grandmother's birdbath for Billy would set off a chain reaction that sprung his father from jail. Now Billy is on the loose. But when an NYC officer comes to Lobo's Nod to find Jazz, there is more to worry about than just Billy. New York is being terrorized by a serial killer who is so scattered in his method, that the police are finding it impossible to get any leads on him. The Hat-Dog killer's only calling card is he etches either a Hat or a Dog into his victims when he leaves their bodies to be found, but there is no rhyme or reason for who gets which tag. And no victimology fits any one hunting pattern. This killer is a mystery, but even worse, he is brutal. His victims know the face of true evil. The Hat-Dog Killer started killing before Billy escaped from prison; with no connection to Billy’s crimes, can Jazz help?
Turns out, Jazz can.
Meanwhile, Connie is doing some sleuthing of her own, trying so hard to assist Jazz in this "game" he has found himself caught up in. She was acting like a typical teenager, feeling invincible and brave. I wanted to shake her numerous times but I honestly couldn't find it in myself to be angry at her for her decisions. She loves Jazz and wants to help. And she's a teenager. It's just part of the old developmental nature of her age to be a flaming idiot.
And of course, Dear Old Dad is always part of the scheme, regardless if he's just in Jazz's head or his neighborhood. Conversations with Billy are creeeeeeeeeepy to the max.
This series is simply phenomenal. It is gruesome, exciting, and heart-wrenching. The serial killers themselves are a Mind Hunter's dream and nightmare all rolled into one. You can't believe how Jazz comes to the conclusions he does, but then again, you can't imagine being the son of a serial killer. And that is the true heart of this story. Jazz. He's raw. He's unsure of himself. He's loyal. He's tormented. He loves deeply. He's devoted to clearing his name. And....he's a manipulative little shit. I loooooove him. Being in his mind is like walking on shards of glass.
He is so tormented by his father that even getting physically intimate with the girl he loves is terrifying because serial killers almost always have a sexual need that motivates their killing. Getting in the head of this boy is so fascinating and heartbreaking, it makes you wish you could save him from himself. He wants so badly to be a good person, but the ghosts of his father's lessons haunt him more than the actual killers themselves.
I miss more of Howie and Jess's moments, we get plenty of individual scenes but I missed the vibes they have when they are together!
This is a great story for anyone who likes murder mysteries, is a fan of "Dexter", or just loves a good story, because you would be crazy if you didn't think Lyga could write. Man, that boy can write! Barry Lyga knows characters, he can write a plot that keeps you guessing until the last possible second, and he never ceases to shock you (which is pretty hard considering the books are about gruesome serial killers). This is a great series for an older reader who needs something to grab their attention and HOLD it!
The ending! *flails* Did anyone see that coming? AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT CHARACTER? Or should I say, CHARACTERS???? A cliffhanger from the bowels of Hell, people.
Overall, this sequel is a page-turner just like I Hunt Killers, and Lyga crafted a mystery that was intriguing from the beginning and kept me guessing. There are many layers to this game, and Lyga reveals them slowly. Without giving away the mystery, I’ll say that it’s got plenty of twists, heaps of gore, and one hell of a cliffhanger.
𝐏.𝐒 Be warned: This book doesn't answer half the things that are circulating in my mind right now. It makes it even more exciting to read the next one, and to continue this "journey". I am in this series so deep that it's like I need to know the answers in order to go back to my routine. And at the same time, I don't want to say goodbye yet. That's how extraordinary this book/series is. This book is worth reading a thousand times. After completing this I IMMEDIATELY started book 3.
𝐏.𝐒.𝐒 It was so sickly clever and I couldn’t help but accept that the author is a master of manipulation.
🔸𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔸𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 4.22 (13126)
🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Horror, Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult
🔸𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔:I Hunt Killers (Book 2)
🔸𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: Yes, Yes, and Yes!!
This book didn't even seem like a book to me. I was so focused on it that when I reached the last page I couldn't believe I had already finished it. Like, "Wasn't I on page fifty 10 minutes ago?" to discover I had been reading for hours! This one is a powerful book, for sure.
🔸 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
“Anger was a waste of time and energy. Anger was useless."Anger" was the label given to the emotion that accomplished nothing.”
“Any man worth having will wait for his woman to be ready. How can I not return the favor?”
“You think you're gonna find your soul. Ever since I've known you, you've been thinkin' that someday you're gonna crack and end up like your daddy. And you're been looking for proof that you won't. What you don't realize is this: the looking is the proof. Trust me when I tell you that Billy Dent never had a moment's doubt in his life about what he was and what he was doing. Your doubt is your soul”
dawn_dickerson's review against another edition
4.0
quite possibly liked more than the first in the series. and will surely (listen to) the 3rd.
bookswithlukas's review against another edition
3.0
Connie is SO freaking stupid.
I'd like to start this review by stating that 'Game', the second entry in the Jasper Dent series, is a good book. I read it in two sittings and was never bored. I also have to point out though, that it just really isn't up to the standard of 'I Hunt Killers', which was disappointing.
This entry picks up not long after the events of the first novel, with Japer Dent in his home town and Billy Dent on the loose after escaping from prison. I won't go into spoilers but just like the last book, a new serial killer is introduced in New York that could possibly somehow be connected to Billy, resulting in the FBI/NYPD asking for Jasper's help in getting inside this new killer's head.
I think my main gripe with the story was that Jasper actually being in New York for the majority of the novel, it introduced too many new characters in the new police department meaning that we missed out on the bond and relationship between Jasper and the Sherif. The story of the killings also, despite being quite clever, gets pretty convoluted and more 'out there' as the story goes on, turning Billy into a campy villain instead of the evil serial killer from the first book.
The biggest complaint though is with the side characters. I liked Connie and Howie in the previous book, and the crime solving dynamic they had, but in this entry, with Jasper off in New York, there chapters feel a little tacked on. They also feel a little weakly written in their chapters with Howie simply being obsessed with sex non stop, and Connie making one idiotic (and I mean IDIOTIC) decision after another.
Overall, like I said this was a good book, and I will definitely be picking up the next in the series but the greatness of the first book hasn't repeated itself here.
I'd like to start this review by stating that 'Game', the second entry in the Jasper Dent series, is a good book. I read it in two sittings and was never bored. I also have to point out though, that it just really isn't up to the standard of 'I Hunt Killers', which was disappointing.
This entry picks up not long after the events of the first novel, with Japer Dent in his home town and Billy Dent on the loose after escaping from prison. I won't go into spoilers but just like the last book, a new serial killer is introduced in New York that could possibly somehow be connected to Billy, resulting in the FBI/NYPD asking for Jasper's help in getting inside this new killer's head.
I think my main gripe with the story was that Jasper actually being in New York for the majority of the novel, it introduced too many new characters in the new police department meaning that we missed out on the bond and relationship between Jasper and the Sherif. The story of the killings also, despite being quite clever, gets pretty convoluted and more 'out there' as the story goes on, turning Billy into a campy villain instead of the evil serial killer from the first book.
The biggest complaint though is with the side characters. I liked Connie and Howie in the previous book, and the crime solving dynamic they had, but in this entry, with Jasper off in New York, there chapters feel a little tacked on. They also feel a little weakly written in their chapters with Howie simply being obsessed with sex non stop, and Connie making one idiotic (and I mean IDIOTIC) decision after another.
Overall, like I said this was a good book, and I will definitely be picking up the next in the series but the greatness of the first book hasn't repeated itself here.
karenavila85's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know why I thought this would be the the concluding book and now it's misleading because I don't know when the next book is coming out. I do hope that this series does not go on for too long because then it gets boring.
Well, there where things that I liked and disliked in this book.
Things I liked:
1) The fact that the plot is more than we think and it builds up suspense. Just when you think it's over things get more complicated.
2) Jazz's character development. I think as the book progresses we learned more about Jazz (his inner thoughts, how he analyzes, and feels). He is an interesting character but yet so complexed.
3) Howie.... He cracks me up! I would totally be friends with him
Things I disliked:
1) Connie. I'm probably one of the few that found her so annoying. I would like this book better without Connie's involvement. I don't have a problem that she's an independent, strong, wise woman... but really? She's gonna try to solve it on her own? Please, even I'm not that dumb. I knew she was going to get into trouble.
2) I wasn't really a fan of the "murder monopoly" theme.... it was creative but kind of bleh for me. But it was a little better than the plot from the first book. But I know there's more to this....so I'm trying to overlook it.
Overall, good follow up story with a cliff hanger that makes this more into a TV show than a novel series.
Well, there where things that I liked and disliked in this book.
Things I liked:
1) The fact that the plot is more than we think and it builds up suspense. Just when you think it's over things get more complicated.
2) Jazz's character development. I think as the book progresses we learned more about Jazz (his inner thoughts, how he analyzes, and feels). He is an interesting character but yet so complexed.
3) Howie.... He cracks me up! I would totally be friends with him
Things I disliked:
1) Connie. I'm probably one of the few that found her so annoying. I would like this book better without Connie's involvement. I don't have a problem that she's an independent, strong, wise woman... but really? She's gonna try to solve it on her own? Please, even I'm not that dumb. I knew she was going to get into trouble.
2) I wasn't really a fan of the "murder monopoly" theme.... it was creative but kind of bleh for me. But it was a little better than the plot from the first book. But I know there's more to this....so I'm trying to overlook it.
Overall, good follow up story with a cliff hanger that makes this more into a TV show than a novel series.
jennifervu's review against another edition
5.0
Outstanding sequel! It didn't quite live up to the first but still pretty darn close. The author brought up race and sex quite a lot, and I'm not sure if that's what's on teenage boys' minds... Just a tad overexcessive.
But as for the plot and murder mystery, PERFECT. I love how the killer was introduced to us, unlike some books where the killer is unknown and it's not entirely a mystery the reader can solve, not knowing the killer.
But as for the plot and murder mystery, PERFECT. I love how the killer was introduced to us, unlike some books where the killer is unknown and it's not entirely a mystery the reader can solve, not knowing the killer.