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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Vomit
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping
***** Heads up, spoilers may be present in this review. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK ****
I found this in by Books of Horror group and wasn't sure what to expect other than gore and violence. Had my attention there and I love the cover. It invites all sorts of fearful images, especially given we've got a creepy ice cream truck that roams our neighborhood, sprouting its disjointed music and sun-faded stop for children.
My biggest complaint is that for about the first 50 pages, we were being told how awful Dave is. It's only 136 pages. That's a really big chunk to spend making us dislike the MC right off the bat. A lot of it was backstory that would have been better off peppered through the rest of the story and maybe just a chapter about him preying on his poor mother. Also, in the same chapters, we'd switch to other characters' views and the back again without a sense of it being because of an omniscient narrator, just an inconsistency of narration. That first portion really made it difficult to get into the story.
But I pushed through because the group's enthusiasm and that this is not a largely known writer drove me to continue. I'm glad I did. The action started picking up and I enjoyed the tension being created. I would have liked to see the hunt carry further, more exploration into the fear that maybe Dave was a suspect. I feel like for a story with so many missing folks, and especially recent missing folks, there should have been more attention . It's one thing for a person to go missing in a neighborhood with a high profile detail like blood soaking the floor and mattress and everywhere else, but to have multiple... seems this is an avenue that could have been explored further. Meaning, I would have enjoyed more cause the tension being craeted was great and had me leaning forward. When he's waiting in the bushes.... yikes!
I enjoyed the killer. I enjoyed the build up and playout of the "final showdown". It was a fun read. Took me less than an hour to complete so would be great for a car ride or a beach read. The gore scenes are brief so if you've got a sensitive stomach, it's not overwhelming.
And if I could change a specific detail, it would be the kid's name at the end. I didn't like it in Harry Potter, but it made even less sense here. Why would the kid be named after someone she didn't know who's death broke the person she loved? Seemed like a pretty bow to wrap up the story when it wasn't really needed. The MC's response to surviving was enough of a wrap-up.
Anyway, it was a fun read. There are definitely some things I would like to see changed but overall, if you're looking for something fun to kill some time with, I would recommend this.
I found this in by Books of Horror group and wasn't sure what to expect other than gore and violence. Had my attention there and I love the cover. It invites all sorts of fearful images, especially given we've got a creepy ice cream truck that roams our neighborhood, sprouting its disjointed music and sun-faded stop for children.
My biggest complaint is that for about the first 50 pages, we were being told how awful Dave is. It's only 136 pages. That's a really big chunk to spend making us dislike the MC right off the bat. A lot of it was backstory that would have been better off peppered through the rest of the story and maybe just a chapter about him preying on his poor mother. Also, in the same chapters, we'd switch to other characters' views and the back again without a sense of it being because of an omniscient narrator, just an inconsistency of narration. That first portion really made it difficult to get into the story.
But I pushed through because the group's enthusiasm and that this is not a largely known writer drove me to continue. I'm glad I did. The action started picking up and I enjoyed the tension being created. I would have liked to see the hunt carry further, more exploration into the fear that maybe Dave was a suspect. I feel like for a story with so many missing folks, and especially recent missing folks, there should have been more attention . It's one thing for a person to go missing in a neighborhood with a high profile detail like blood soaking the floor and mattress and everywhere else, but to have multiple... seems this is an avenue that could have been explored further. Meaning, I would have enjoyed more cause the tension being craeted was great and had me leaning forward. When he's waiting in the bushes.... yikes!
I enjoyed the killer. I enjoyed the build up and playout of the "final showdown". It was a fun read. Took me less than an hour to complete so would be great for a car ride or a beach read. The gore scenes are brief so if you've got a sensitive stomach, it's not overwhelming.
And if I could change a specific detail, it would be the kid's name at the end. I didn't like it in Harry Potter, but it made even less sense here. Why would the kid be named after someone she didn't know who's death broke the person she loved? Seemed like a pretty bow to wrap up the story when it wasn't really needed. The MC's response to surviving was enough of a wrap-up.
Anyway, it was a fun read. There are definitely some things I would like to see changed but overall, if you're looking for something fun to kill some time with, I would recommend this.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was just okay. I didn't love it, didn't hate it, finished it. The way it was written just wasn't my thing, but it does contain some pretty unsettling imagery.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Dave is a 35 year old lazy ass waste of space that still lives with his mother. He spends his days eating, playing video games, watching TV, and partaking in drinking some good Ole Bud Light. Dave is a vile excuse for a human being and you will detest him. He's mean to his mother who is the only person working to support them, cares only for himself, and steals money to support his habits. Then the magic happens. Andrew Lennon completely flips the narrative and all of a sudden Dave finds himself putting other people's needs before his own. What transpires next is an amazing arc of redemption. Lennon's vivid writing style makes you feel literal feelings of hatred, shock, sadness, and happiness. It's a book that will leave you wondering what the heck you just read but in a good way.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes