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tobyyy's review
3.0
I read Hit on PulseIt -- being the procrastinator that I am, I didn't actually get to it until today, which is the last day it's available. Anyway, it was a thought-provoking novel.
I feel like there's some meta-theme in it that I'm kind of missing in writing this review -- but if it comes to me in the next couple of days, I may come back and edit this review to include it. Something about debt and buying stuff you can't afford... well, duh. That's what the book was about. But I mean, more of a theme that we as a society can learn from.
Or maybe I'm just talking bullshit. :)
Anyway, it was a quick read -- took me about 3 hours all told to finish it. I liked Patsy -- she was someone that I could relate to -- and Wyatt seemed to be pretty awesome too, although I don't feel as though I got to know him as well as I did Patsy (which makes sense, since Patsy was the protagonist and this book was told from her perspective).
I didn't like how there are questions left unanswered (presumably to be answered in the rest of the series), but I kind of figured that that was going to be what happened, based on how many answers I still wanted when there were only 30 pages of the book left.
I think Hit solidly made the list of my favorite dystopian YA novels. (Not that I've actually made that list, but I really ought to sometime...) Will definitely be keeping an eye out for other books by Ms. Dawson. :)
I feel like there's some meta-theme in it that I'm kind of missing in writing this review -- but if it comes to me in the next couple of days, I may come back and edit this review to include it. Something about debt and buying stuff you can't afford... well, duh. That's what the book was about. But I mean, more of a theme that we as a society can learn from.
Or maybe I'm just talking bullshit. :)
Anyway, it was a quick read -- took me about 3 hours all told to finish it. I liked Patsy -- she was someone that I could relate to -- and Wyatt seemed to be pretty awesome too, although I don't feel as though I got to know him as well as I did Patsy (which makes sense, since Patsy was the protagonist and this book was told from her perspective).
I didn't like how there are questions left unanswered (presumably to be answered in the rest of the series), but I kind of figured that that was going to be what happened, based on how many answers I still wanted when there were only 30 pages of the book left.
I think Hit solidly made the list of my favorite dystopian YA novels. (Not that I've actually made that list, but I really ought to sometime...) Will definitely be keeping an eye out for other books by Ms. Dawson. :)
samuriah's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship
madhatter360's review
5.0
This book combines two of my favorite things, knitting and assassins. It also sets up a fairly ridiculous premise and pokes holes in it immediately, making the holes in the universe seem intentional.
erinarkin20's review
3.0
I wasn’t really sure what to expect with Hit by Delilah Dawson but the summary intrigued me. The idea around a bank buying out the government debt and creating a world where people who owe money to the bank have the option to either pay up immediately or become debt collectors.
Hit’s main character is Patsy and Dawson opens up the book with a bang by bringing the reader along with Patsy as she completes her agreement. At first, it wasn’t fully explained how Patsy ended up in the situation she is in but along the way, we find out exactly what got her into her current situation. The agreement Patsy made was to collect the debts of 10 other people that owe Valor money. If they are unable to pay up on the spot, the debtors have two options. They can either become a collector (and do the same thing that Patsy is doing) or they can die. Yep, you heard me, death is the other option.
Along the way, Patsy is faced with a lot of tough decisions. As she begins to connect the dots, all of the debtors are connected to her in some way. I didn’t fully understand the endgame with that part of the story and the way this book ended, I’m hopeful that there might be more to this story.
While I thought this story was an interesting one, I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. Patsy is smart and clearly will do whatever she needs to in order to help/protect her mom but there wasn’t anything about her that made her someone I really liked. When Wyatt enters the story, I found it odd how they ended up connecting and then ultimately sticking together.
Overall this was a quick read and I found myself continuing to push through to see what was going to happen next. I am curious to see where Dawson takes this story and want to know more about where these characters are headed. If you’re looking for a unique story with a twist, consider checking this one out.
Thank you to Simon Pulse and Edelweiss for the review copy.
Hit’s main character is Patsy and Dawson opens up the book with a bang by bringing the reader along with Patsy as she completes her agreement. At first, it wasn’t fully explained how Patsy ended up in the situation she is in but along the way, we find out exactly what got her into her current situation. The agreement Patsy made was to collect the debts of 10 other people that owe Valor money. If they are unable to pay up on the spot, the debtors have two options. They can either become a collector (and do the same thing that Patsy is doing) or they can die. Yep, you heard me, death is the other option.
Along the way, Patsy is faced with a lot of tough decisions. As she begins to connect the dots, all of the debtors are connected to her in some way. I didn’t fully understand the endgame with that part of the story and the way this book ended, I’m hopeful that there might be more to this story.
While I thought this story was an interesting one, I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. Patsy is smart and clearly will do whatever she needs to in order to help/protect her mom but there wasn’t anything about her that made her someone I really liked. When Wyatt enters the story, I found it odd how they ended up connecting and then ultimately sticking together.
Overall this was a quick read and I found myself continuing to push through to see what was going to happen next. I am curious to see where Dawson takes this story and want to know more about where these characters are headed. If you’re looking for a unique story with a twist, consider checking this one out.
Thank you to Simon Pulse and Edelweiss for the review copy.
foreverbeautifulbooks's review
4.0
This was a very interesting story. I've noticed a lot of people saying none of this was believable. I actually disagree. Very similar to some of the most famous sci fi books throughout history it's almost scary how much this book actually could happen. I was engaged and biting my nails through most of this book. I had no clue how this was all gonna end up and I didn't predict any of it. Where some endings you see coming a mile away, this one I was actually a bit shocked and itching for more to this story! I will be buying book two because I really enjoyed book one and want to see where the author is taking this story arc.
jaymeks's review
2.0
This was a big ole ball of meh. Not my cup of tea, but I thought I'd take a chance (and it was free). Sigh. Interesting concept, bad execution. Unbelievable characters. Something just didn't click, at least for me.
Interested to see how the series continues, but don't want to invest the time. I guess the book has that going for it?
Interested to see how the series continues, but don't want to invest the time. I guess the book has that going for it?
knittyginger's review
4.25
I absolutely loved this book! It's raw and emotional in a way many books aren't in the his genre. It reminds us that all the crap we hold dear in life isn't worth it if we're paying for it with credit (or ultimately our lives) that only leads to debt. Every young adult should read this!
krismoon's review
5.0
Dark, gritty, and yet somehow, Delilah Dawson is able to make all of it relatable. Great, fun characters, a wild but not toooo far fetched premise, and murder. Lots of murder.
Confounded by the 'meh' ratings for Hit and also for Servants of the Storm. I think Delilah has some serious storytelling chops and deserves higher, for sure.
Confounded by the 'meh' ratings for Hit and also for Servants of the Storm. I think Delilah has some serious storytelling chops and deserves higher, for sure.
erinlynn1989's review
2.0
In accordance to FTC guidelines, I must state that an ARC of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Hit, the first book in the Hit series, is the first book that I've read by YA author, Delilah S. Dawson, and I'll admit that I was a little worried about how I would like this one when it showed up on my doorstep. Hit is not a book that I would pick for myself, but there have been times when I've been known to really enjoy a book outside of my comfort zone and even pick up similar titles. Unfortunately, the execution of the concept and plot was not enough to warrant a pleasurable read for me, but I am still glad that I read it because it took me to a different world in YA. I just never found anything mesmerizing about it.
Hit evokes memories of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series because minors are being forced to murder, but in this novel, they are murdering people who have outstanding credit card debt instead of murdering for a game. Seventeen-year-old Patsy Klein (I kid you not) is given an ultimatum to kill others save her mother or watch Valor National kill her mother and then kill her. She agrees to become an indentured assassin, and is given a list of ten names.
The chapters in this book are about Patsy's journey to find and present each name on her list their three choices:
◘ Pay off their debt in cash immediately
◘ Become an assassin for Valor National
◘ Be killed immediately
I felt like each chapter (save for a few) followed very similar plotting patterns, and because of that, the book started to become extremely boring. Many of the chapters are long... and I mean long. Some of them are about forty to fifty pages! I usually don't mind that, but when a book is boring, long chapters are bad. I didn't want to read when I had the time, and when I was reading, I wanted to put the book down because the long chapters really slowed the progress of the plot. The few chapters that were different when it comes to plotting and execution brought new life to the book, but it wasn't really enough to save the book for me. If it weren't for the totally expected game-changer at the end of the novel, I probably would have given this book a one-star rating.
I know I read an uncorrected proof, but I found numerous inconsistencies while reading, and it really aggravated me. I can only hope that these errors and inconsistencies are found and corrected in the final printing because quite a few of them are very noticeable, and they had me questioning what happened beforehand many times. I even had to flip back to make sure that I actually understood what I had already read.
I definitely don't think that Hit is a terrible book, but it could use some refining. I'm sure that many people will love this new novel and will devour it for its new and strange concept, but it just wasn't for me. I can even forgive the inconsistencies (at this point), but I really can't look past the lack of thrill and on-the-edge-of-my-seat excitement that I was expecting for a book about a teenage assassin. I probably won't be continuing this series to see how things develop and change for Patsy.
Hit, the first book in the Hit series, is the first book that I've read by YA author, Delilah S. Dawson, and I'll admit that I was a little worried about how I would like this one when it showed up on my doorstep. Hit is not a book that I would pick for myself, but there have been times when I've been known to really enjoy a book outside of my comfort zone and even pick up similar titles. Unfortunately, the execution of the concept and plot was not enough to warrant a pleasurable read for me, but I am still glad that I read it because it took me to a different world in YA. I just never found anything mesmerizing about it.
Hit evokes memories of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series because minors are being forced to murder, but in this novel, they are murdering people who have outstanding credit card debt instead of murdering for a game. Seventeen-year-old Patsy Klein (I kid you not) is given an ultimatum to kill others save her mother or watch Valor National kill her mother and then kill her. She agrees to become an indentured assassin, and is given a list of ten names.
The chapters in this book are about Patsy's journey to find and present each name on her list their three choices:
◘ Pay off their debt in cash immediately
◘ Become an assassin for Valor National
◘ Be killed immediately
I felt like each chapter (save for a few) followed very similar plotting patterns, and because of that, the book started to become extremely boring. Many of the chapters are long... and I mean long. Some of them are about forty to fifty pages! I usually don't mind that, but when a book is boring, long chapters are bad. I didn't want to read when I had the time, and when I was reading, I wanted to put the book down because the long chapters really slowed the progress of the plot. The few chapters that were different when it comes to plotting and execution brought new life to the book, but it wasn't really enough to save the book for me. If it weren't for the totally expected game-changer at the end of the novel, I probably would have given this book a one-star rating.
I know I read an uncorrected proof, but I found numerous inconsistencies while reading, and it really aggravated me. I can only hope that these errors and inconsistencies are found and corrected in the final printing because quite a few of them are very noticeable, and they had me questioning what happened beforehand many times. I even had to flip back to make sure that I actually understood what I had already read.
I definitely don't think that Hit is a terrible book, but it could use some refining. I'm sure that many people will love this new novel and will devour it for its new and strange concept, but it just wasn't for me. I can even forgive the inconsistencies (at this point), but I really can't look past the lack of thrill and on-the-edge-of-my-seat excitement that I was expecting for a book about a teenage assassin. I probably won't be continuing this series to see how things develop and change for Patsy.
tracyme's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Great and creepy premise, kudos for using a female lead in this type of story. Plot moves along, reader is engaged and wants to see what happens next. There’s a bit that is hard to swallow occasionally—how the bad neighborhood and those who live there are portrayed, for example. Oh, and check content warnings if giving to young reader…heavy on the mortal shooting and hopeless thoughts.