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Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy (1-May-2014) Paperback
A searing and gripping read that explores the depths of desperation true love can inspire, from the author of Being Friends with Boys.Nikki’s life is far from perfect, but at least she has Dee. Her friends tell her that Dee is no good, but Nikki can’t imagine herself without him. He’s hot, he’s dangerous, he has her initials tattooed over his heart, and she loves him more than anything. There’s nothing Nikki wouldn’t do for Dee. Absolutely nothing.So when Dee pulls Nikki into a crime—a crime that ends in murder—Nikki tells herself that it’s all for true love. Nothing can break them apart. Not the police. Not the arrest that lands Nikki in jail. Not even the investigators who want her to testify against him.But what if Dee had motives that Nikki knew nothing about? Nikki’s love for Dee is supposed to be unconditional…but even true love has a limit. And Nikki just might have reached hers.
Paperback
First published April 8, 2013
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About the author
Terra Elan McVoy
10 books278 followersI have been reading and writing, basically, ever since I learned how to, and everything I've done has pretty much been connected to those two things. I went to college at a small, fantastic school (with a super writing program) called St. Andrews Presbyterian College. I got my Master's degree in Creative Writing from Florida State. I have worked as an event coordinator at a major chain bookstore; as a freelance writer; a composition instructor; an editorial assistant at an NYC publisher; as manager of an independent children's bookstore, in Decatur, GA, Little Shop of Stories (where I still work as a bookseller); and as Program Director of the AJC Decatur Book Festival.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
May 6, 2013
I knew the moment that I saw the striking (and utterly perfect) cover of Criminal that it was Terra Elan McVoy, but that it was a very different type of Terra Elan McVoy than readers had ever encountered before. Here, we are not neatly sequestered behind the walls of high school, but very much in the real world. Nikki is a drop out, but one of necessity. She’s never met her father, her step-father’s in jail, and rather than take care of her daughter Nikki’s drug-binging mother only desires to whore her kid out for money. For Nikki, getting a job to support herself and moving in with her friend Bird was a way out and the chance at a future. A future she wanted to spend with Dee. Dee, her boyfriend who had left her once but returned saying he needed her. Dee, the only man who’s ever made her feel anything other than used when he touches her.
Criminal is full of sex and desire, the raw and aching kind, not the tender. TEM throws us into the story after the crime has already taken place, when Nikki is set to do anything to protect Dee and very confused and in denial about just what happened when those gunshots went off. This story is a brutal reflection of what people will do when they have passion for another, and the extreme lengths it can take to crawl out of its depths.
What TEM has accomplished so stunningly in Criminal isn’t making readers like her Nikki–at least I certainly never did–it’s making us feel compassion for her. I can imagine myself seeing a girl like Nikki on the evening news, being arrested for her part in a murder. She may not have pulled the trigger, but she was certainly an accessory. I can imagine myself feeling no pity for that girl and hoping for justice on the part of the victim. In Criminal, I was able to really see what it was to be an accessory to murder, unwitting and blindly following the man she loved. I never once felt sorry for Nikki, but I did empathize with her on some level. Haven’t we all at some point made stupid decisions because we believe we’re in love? What sealed my enjoyment of Criminal wasn’t Nikki’s downfall, it was her growth. We see her evolve from this raw ball of emotion incapable of facing reality, to someone who recognizes precisely what she has done. Not only does Nikki realize what the consequences must be, she begins to understand that what will happen to her is justified.
TEM quite purposefully creates a character that is malleable to her readers’ minds. I Tweeted her early on in my reading, curious to know Nikki’s ethnicity, and TEM assured me that while you were given clues to figure it out eventually, she left it vague on purpose. For me, this meant that the character could easily slide into the body of whoever readers wanted her to be. Through this and the material, I feel Criminal widens the audience for TEM’s latest book rather than targeting a different one. Faithful followers will not be disappointed (in fact, I think they’ll be charged with the newness and edge of Criminal), while new readers find something to hold on to. It has diversity, looks at a different economic group than we often see in YA, and looks upon family as something you can make rather than be born into. Criminal involves sex, recreational drug use, and underage drinking, but in realistic and thought-provoking ways. It is safe sex, it shows the negative side-affects of recreational drug use on children, and reveals that poor decisions can be made under the influence of emotions as easily as anything else.
Personally, I don’t read a lot of contemporary so there is a chance I’ve missed the books about teen girl incarceration, but for me this was something new. I look at Criminal as a shining example of what the New Adult label should have been. It is a gritty and true reflection of life in the real world and consequences that mount when you hit that arbitrary age of 18. Eighteen is certainly old enough to know better, and to be held accountable, but looking back 10 years on I realize, it’s certainly young enough to be fool-hardy and emotionally-stupid but sure.
Original review posted at Bunbury in the Stacks.
Criminal is full of sex and desire, the raw and aching kind, not the tender. TEM throws us into the story after the crime has already taken place, when Nikki is set to do anything to protect Dee and very confused and in denial about just what happened when those gunshots went off. This story is a brutal reflection of what people will do when they have passion for another, and the extreme lengths it can take to crawl out of its depths.
What TEM has accomplished so stunningly in Criminal isn’t making readers like her Nikki–at least I certainly never did–it’s making us feel compassion for her. I can imagine myself seeing a girl like Nikki on the evening news, being arrested for her part in a murder. She may not have pulled the trigger, but she was certainly an accessory. I can imagine myself feeling no pity for that girl and hoping for justice on the part of the victim. In Criminal, I was able to really see what it was to be an accessory to murder, unwitting and blindly following the man she loved. I never once felt sorry for Nikki, but I did empathize with her on some level. Haven’t we all at some point made stupid decisions because we believe we’re in love? What sealed my enjoyment of Criminal wasn’t Nikki’s downfall, it was her growth. We see her evolve from this raw ball of emotion incapable of facing reality, to someone who recognizes precisely what she has done. Not only does Nikki realize what the consequences must be, she begins to understand that what will happen to her is justified.
TEM quite purposefully creates a character that is malleable to her readers’ minds. I Tweeted her early on in my reading, curious to know Nikki’s ethnicity, and TEM assured me that while you were given clues to figure it out eventually, she left it vague on purpose. For me, this meant that the character could easily slide into the body of whoever readers wanted her to be. Through this and the material, I feel Criminal widens the audience for TEM’s latest book rather than targeting a different one. Faithful followers will not be disappointed (in fact, I think they’ll be charged with the newness and edge of Criminal), while new readers find something to hold on to. It has diversity, looks at a different economic group than we often see in YA, and looks upon family as something you can make rather than be born into. Criminal involves sex, recreational drug use, and underage drinking, but in realistic and thought-provoking ways. It is safe sex, it shows the negative side-affects of recreational drug use on children, and reveals that poor decisions can be made under the influence of emotions as easily as anything else.
Personally, I don’t read a lot of contemporary so there is a chance I’ve missed the books about teen girl incarceration, but for me this was something new. I look at Criminal as a shining example of what the New Adult label should have been. It is a gritty and true reflection of life in the real world and consequences that mount when you hit that arbitrary age of 18. Eighteen is certainly old enough to know better, and to be held accountable, but looking back 10 years on I realize, it’s certainly young enough to be fool-hardy and emotionally-stupid but sure.
Original review posted at Bunbury in the Stacks.
June 5, 2013
3.5-- A strong, solid novel, but I had a few quibbles.
I believe that there are different ways to love someone. After reading so many books, watching so many movies and T.V. shows, I think that I have found out about many of those ways. But Criminal is the first novel that I have read that features such a dark, startling honest story about the consequences of being utterly blinded by love. But awhile this is a strong and solid story, I did have a few quibbles here and there.
The Things That I Liked–
– Criminal is super addictive. The story is tough to read through at times, but there is just something so compulsively addictive. Perhaps it is the yearning of knowing the characters’ fates. Perhaps it is the massive want of finally seeing the bright light at the end of the tunnel. Whatever it was, it kept me reading.
– I also have to say that Criminal packs quite a punch. There were times that I felt like it was hopeless. There were times when I celebrated. And then there were times when I just felt angry. McVoy did an excellent job at pulling just the right emotions out of me.
– The writing, although it is very minimalistic at times, is very good. McVoy’s prose matches the mood of the story perfectly, enhancing the dark, cold feel that I already felt all too well.
–Nikki is the type of character who needs to be written with a careful hand. She is very, very rough around the edges. She is desperate, blinded by love. But it is that terrible flaw that makes her transition from a girl who can’t see to a girl who can is incredible. Nikki’s growth as a person is a reason alone to read this novel.
– The side characters were given a fair amount of attention and written well. Bird, Priscilla, and the rest of the group were created with finesse. Awhile some like Cherry can be categorized easily, most of them can’t.
The Things That I Didn’t Like
– I feel massively disappointed by Dee’s character. As the reader, all I could feel towards him was hatred and disgust. I could feel nothing else. Nothing else at all. You see, I like antagonist who are fleshed out. I like feeling sympathy, even if just a fragment of it, toward them. The reader doesn’t learn anything about Dee, which is, to be blunt, disappointing.
– Open endings are not normally my thing. And the ending of this book is no exception. The end of Criminal would have been much more satisfying if it had an epilogue devoted to Nikki’s future.
The Verdict
– Criminal is a dark story with solid writing and a good group of characters that knows what story it is trying to tell– and is completely honest about it. Which is absolutely refreshing. I would certainly recommend this novel to people who are aching for a story that doesn’t hold back anything.
I believe that there are different ways to love someone. After reading so many books, watching so many movies and T.V. shows, I think that I have found out about many of those ways. But Criminal is the first novel that I have read that features such a dark, startling honest story about the consequences of being utterly blinded by love. But awhile this is a strong and solid story, I did have a few quibbles here and there.
The Things That I Liked–
– Criminal is super addictive. The story is tough to read through at times, but there is just something so compulsively addictive. Perhaps it is the yearning of knowing the characters’ fates. Perhaps it is the massive want of finally seeing the bright light at the end of the tunnel. Whatever it was, it kept me reading.
– I also have to say that Criminal packs quite a punch. There were times that I felt like it was hopeless. There were times when I celebrated. And then there were times when I just felt angry. McVoy did an excellent job at pulling just the right emotions out of me.
– The writing, although it is very minimalistic at times, is very good. McVoy’s prose matches the mood of the story perfectly, enhancing the dark, cold feel that I already felt all too well.
–Nikki is the type of character who needs to be written with a careful hand. She is very, very rough around the edges. She is desperate, blinded by love. But it is that terrible flaw that makes her transition from a girl who can’t see to a girl who can is incredible. Nikki’s growth as a person is a reason alone to read this novel.
– The side characters were given a fair amount of attention and written well. Bird, Priscilla, and the rest of the group were created with finesse. Awhile some like Cherry can be categorized easily, most of them can’t.
The Things That I Didn’t Like
– I feel massively disappointed by Dee’s character. As the reader, all I could feel towards him was hatred and disgust. I could feel nothing else. Nothing else at all. You see, I like antagonist who are fleshed out. I like feeling sympathy, even if just a fragment of it, toward them. The reader doesn’t learn anything about Dee, which is, to be blunt, disappointing.
– Open endings are not normally my thing. And the ending of this book is no exception. The end of Criminal would have been much more satisfying if it had an epilogue devoted to Nikki’s future.
The Verdict
– Criminal is a dark story with solid writing and a good group of characters that knows what story it is trying to tell– and is completely honest about it. Which is absolutely refreshing. I would certainly recommend this novel to people who are aching for a story that doesn’t hold back anything.
July 31, 2017
The cover is sleek elegant and gorgeous which initially drew me to it but i wasnt thrilled with the main character Nikki.
Nikki did everything for her boyfriend, i wasnt a fan of how attached she was to him. He was stubborn, bossy or rude at any moment and she was head of heels in love.
Nikki did everything for her boyfriend, i wasnt a fan of how attached she was to him. He was stubborn, bossy or rude at any moment and she was head of heels in love.
April 3, 2013
Being a heavy reader I feel it’s safe to say that I have read all kinds of romances. I have read some sweet ones, some boring ones and some pretty twisted ones. CRIMINAL definitely falls into the twisted category. As we meet Nikki and see how helplessly (and unconditionally) in love (or maybe a better word is obsessed) she is with Dee I found myself hating the romance in this book and pitying Nikki so badly, but that’s exactly how I was supposed to feel.
I could not empathize with Nikki personally, but she did feel like a girl you would see on that A&E show Beyond Scared Straight. She had fallen in love with a gangbanger and embraced the lifestyle in a very unhealthy way. It was incredibly sad as the reader to see the romance for what it was, to see Dee for who he really was and watch Nikki lose everything for him. He didn’t really care about her, he used her and what’s worse is that generally, he wasn’t even nice to her. After he gets called in and questioned by the cops he’s not in the mood to talk so when Nikki tries to get details out of him and work on their alibi this is what he says: “What if I put my fist straight through that mouth of yours, crush your pipes so you can't talk anymore, huh? What if that?” Straight after this (what Nikki views as a) romantic weekend Dee is gone and as she struggles to deal with the fallout from the crime he completely cuts her out of his life. There was a point where I felt really bad for Nikki because she was so naive but as she continuously thought of how much she needed to be in Dee’s arms, or just hear him call her baby I got so frustrated with her! He treated her like complete crap and yet the only thing that she yearned for was to please him in any way possible.
The one solid relationship in Nikki’s life is with her friend Bird whom she lives with because the living situation with her drug addict mother is not good. Seeing Nikki lie to Bird, even when she was pulled into the investigation for the murder frustrated me just as much as her need to please Dee. Bird was the one person in this novel that I had some shred of respect for, she had grown up and gotten her crap together. She was trying to live on the straight and narrow and didn’t stand for what Nikki brought into her life. I think the way that she reacted to everything was completely fair. I guess this is where Nikki’s character starts to grow in the novel, we see her confess to the cops so that the heat is taken off of Bird. As the story progresses we see Nikki (slowly) come to terms with what she had done once she is in jail. She gets blindsided when she gets arrested, she thinks that since she was just driving and didn’t actually kill anybody she should be in the clear which just further enforces her naivety.
I’m not really sure how to feel about CRIMINAL. The novel is full of unlikeable characters who make terrible decisions but I couldn’t put down the story. I haven’t come across a book remotely close to this before and while it was uncomfortable at times to read, I really enjoyed it. I felt bad for Nikki in the beginning, got to a point where I was angry with her and then finally just felt scared for her. I think any book that can pull that much emotion out of you is a good book. I couldn’t put myself in her shoes, her situation was very different from any life I have ever known but there are teens getting themselves mixed up in these criminal lifestyles everyday.
I really enjoyed McVoy’s writing here, it was straight and the the point, not flowery. It served the tone and setting of the story perfectly. She does an excellent job crafting characters that feel authentic and creating a love story that is really about how blind love can make you. What served this story best is how linear the plot was, it was constantly moving forward in the aftermath of the murder and didn't stray at all from the story at hand which makes it a story that you don't want to put down.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
--
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
I could not empathize with Nikki personally, but she did feel like a girl you would see on that A&E show Beyond Scared Straight. She had fallen in love with a gangbanger and embraced the lifestyle in a very unhealthy way. It was incredibly sad as the reader to see the romance for what it was, to see Dee for who he really was and watch Nikki lose everything for him. He didn’t really care about her, he used her and what’s worse is that generally, he wasn’t even nice to her. After he gets called in and questioned by the cops he’s not in the mood to talk so when Nikki tries to get details out of him and work on their alibi this is what he says: “What if I put my fist straight through that mouth of yours, crush your pipes so you can't talk anymore, huh? What if that?” Straight after this (what Nikki views as a) romantic weekend Dee is gone and as she struggles to deal with the fallout from the crime he completely cuts her out of his life. There was a point where I felt really bad for Nikki because she was so naive but as she continuously thought of how much she needed to be in Dee’s arms, or just hear him call her baby I got so frustrated with her! He treated her like complete crap and yet the only thing that she yearned for was to please him in any way possible.
The one solid relationship in Nikki’s life is with her friend Bird whom she lives with because the living situation with her drug addict mother is not good. Seeing Nikki lie to Bird, even when she was pulled into the investigation for the murder frustrated me just as much as her need to please Dee. Bird was the one person in this novel that I had some shred of respect for, she had grown up and gotten her crap together. She was trying to live on the straight and narrow and didn’t stand for what Nikki brought into her life. I think the way that she reacted to everything was completely fair. I guess this is where Nikki’s character starts to grow in the novel, we see her confess to the cops so that the heat is taken off of Bird. As the story progresses we see Nikki (slowly) come to terms with what she had done once she is in jail. She gets blindsided when she gets arrested, she thinks that since she was just driving and didn’t actually kill anybody she should be in the clear which just further enforces her naivety.
I’m not really sure how to feel about CRIMINAL. The novel is full of unlikeable characters who make terrible decisions but I couldn’t put down the story. I haven’t come across a book remotely close to this before and while it was uncomfortable at times to read, I really enjoyed it. I felt bad for Nikki in the beginning, got to a point where I was angry with her and then finally just felt scared for her. I think any book that can pull that much emotion out of you is a good book. I couldn’t put myself in her shoes, her situation was very different from any life I have ever known but there are teens getting themselves mixed up in these criminal lifestyles everyday.
I really enjoyed McVoy’s writing here, it was straight and the the point, not flowery. It served the tone and setting of the story perfectly. She does an excellent job crafting characters that feel authentic and creating a love story that is really about how blind love can make you. What served this story best is how linear the plot was, it was constantly moving forward in the aftermath of the murder and didn't stray at all from the story at hand which makes it a story that you don't want to put down.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
--
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
May 24, 2013
Three Stars: A brutally honest look at what happens when you are blinded by love.
Nikki awakens to the harsh tones of the cell phone. The ring seems to be barking doom doom doom.....Dee falters out of bed and answers. The police want him to come in for questioning. Dee insists that Nikki accompany him, assuring her everything will be fine as long as she sticks to the story. They rehearse the story over and over on the way to the police station. But everything is not fine. Soon Nikki's fragile world is splintering, and she stands to lose everything. She tries to make it right, but ends up in prison. What follows is a harsh and shocking look at what happens when you are blinded by a bad love. Can Nikki rid herself of her addictive love for Dee and do the right thing?
What I Liked:
*Wow! This book packs a punch! There is nothing feel good or fluffy about this read. It is gut wrenching, brutally honest and sad. The story follows eighteen year old Nikki, a girl who has had a tough life, but somehow she has managed to keep her head above water and she is doing okay for herself. She has a neglectful, drug addicted mother who is selfish and cares for no one. Nikki, though, works at the hair salon and stays with her best friend, Bird. She helps Bird around the house and with her small daughter. The one problem, she is blinded by love for Dee. Her bad boy boyfriend is trouble. Their love is nothing but desperation and need. Dee murders someone and takes the unknowing Nikki along as the get away driver. He cows her into telling lies to the police and uses his love against her. Nikki then ends up in jail and she loses everything. She must face some harsh truths as she fights her way back. Her journey is difficult, raw and it will set anyone straight, but it is also a reminder that sometimes good people get caught in bad places all in the name of love.
*It is hard to watch Nikki flounder and lose her life, especially when it is really not her fault. The only mistake she made was loving the wrong person. How many of us are guilty of that? The romance in this one is not even a romance it is more sex, manipulation, betrayal and heartbreak.
*Nikki's time in prison is a turning point and a period of growth for her. She struggles with the truth of her situation and learns to let go of her addiction to her boyfriend. She has some difficult decisions to make as she must choose between betraying her boyfriend or keeping her mouth shut. I liked watching her grow as she picks up the pieces and finds her way while she is in prison. She basically has no one since her boyfriend is in jail, her best friend abandoned her, and her mother is too strung out to care. It is a sobering experience to think of being in jail without anyone on the outside who cares about you. Her time in jail is eye opening as you learn just how awful life can be without privileges and a few luxuries. Thankfully, Nikki pulls herself up and begins to put the pieces back together.
And The Not So Much:
*Dee remained a mystery to me. There is so little detail on him. I didn't even have a clear picture of what he looked like. He is controlling and has little regard for Nikki, though she doesn't know it. In the beginning, he threatened her with physical violence, but it was not clear whether he ever acted on his threats. Did he hit Nikki? Was that just one more way for him to control her? Was he in a gang? Did he do drugs? I would like this character to be better developed.
*I snatched at any spark of hope, but in all honestly there is pretty much none. The further the book goes, the deeper down the hole things spiral. This book is dark, harsh and certainly not for everyone.
*This is a New Adult book. There is plenty of mature content in it such as: sex, drug use, murder, and prison time. This is definitely for older readers only.
*I wished that there was an Epilogue at the end. It appears that Nikki might be on a good path, but nothing is resolute. The book ends and you don't know Nikki's fate. I would love to know how she ended up five years down the road. My heart hurt for her and I truly hope she makes it!
Criminal is a short, quick read that will have an impact on you. There is nothing sweet or nice about this book. It examines the harsh realities of how detrimental a bad love affair based on lust and control can be. Watch as a young girl's world falls apart as her boyfriend uses her without her knowledge to commit a crime. This certainly isn't for everyone as it is brutal and dark. It is definitely a book that will stick with me for days to come.
Favorite Quotations:
"They don't tell you that jail is boring."
"You think you the only one? Sad? Missing? Lonely? Regretful? You're already like an infection. Everybody sees it."
"And just because you're not understood doesn't mean you're wrong."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Nikki awakens to the harsh tones of the cell phone. The ring seems to be barking doom doom doom.....Dee falters out of bed and answers. The police want him to come in for questioning. Dee insists that Nikki accompany him, assuring her everything will be fine as long as she sticks to the story. They rehearse the story over and over on the way to the police station. But everything is not fine. Soon Nikki's fragile world is splintering, and she stands to lose everything. She tries to make it right, but ends up in prison. What follows is a harsh and shocking look at what happens when you are blinded by a bad love. Can Nikki rid herself of her addictive love for Dee and do the right thing?
What I Liked:
*Wow! This book packs a punch! There is nothing feel good or fluffy about this read. It is gut wrenching, brutally honest and sad. The story follows eighteen year old Nikki, a girl who has had a tough life, but somehow she has managed to keep her head above water and she is doing okay for herself. She has a neglectful, drug addicted mother who is selfish and cares for no one. Nikki, though, works at the hair salon and stays with her best friend, Bird. She helps Bird around the house and with her small daughter. The one problem, she is blinded by love for Dee. Her bad boy boyfriend is trouble. Their love is nothing but desperation and need. Dee murders someone and takes the unknowing Nikki along as the get away driver. He cows her into telling lies to the police and uses his love against her. Nikki then ends up in jail and she loses everything. She must face some harsh truths as she fights her way back. Her journey is difficult, raw and it will set anyone straight, but it is also a reminder that sometimes good people get caught in bad places all in the name of love.
*It is hard to watch Nikki flounder and lose her life, especially when it is really not her fault. The only mistake she made was loving the wrong person. How many of us are guilty of that? The romance in this one is not even a romance it is more sex, manipulation, betrayal and heartbreak.
*Nikki's time in prison is a turning point and a period of growth for her. She struggles with the truth of her situation and learns to let go of her addiction to her boyfriend. She has some difficult decisions to make as she must choose between betraying her boyfriend or keeping her mouth shut. I liked watching her grow as she picks up the pieces and finds her way while she is in prison. She basically has no one since her boyfriend is in jail, her best friend abandoned her, and her mother is too strung out to care. It is a sobering experience to think of being in jail without anyone on the outside who cares about you. Her time in jail is eye opening as you learn just how awful life can be without privileges and a few luxuries. Thankfully, Nikki pulls herself up and begins to put the pieces back together.
And The Not So Much:
*Dee remained a mystery to me. There is so little detail on him. I didn't even have a clear picture of what he looked like. He is controlling and has little regard for Nikki, though she doesn't know it. In the beginning, he threatened her with physical violence, but it was not clear whether he ever acted on his threats. Did he hit Nikki? Was that just one more way for him to control her? Was he in a gang? Did he do drugs? I would like this character to be better developed.
*I snatched at any spark of hope, but in all honestly there is pretty much none. The further the book goes, the deeper down the hole things spiral. This book is dark, harsh and certainly not for everyone.
*This is a New Adult book. There is plenty of mature content in it such as: sex, drug use, murder, and prison time. This is definitely for older readers only.
*I wished that there was an Epilogue at the end. It appears that Nikki might be on a good path, but nothing is resolute. The book ends and you don't know Nikki's fate. I would love to know how she ended up five years down the road. My heart hurt for her and I truly hope she makes it!
Criminal is a short, quick read that will have an impact on you. There is nothing sweet or nice about this book. It examines the harsh realities of how detrimental a bad love affair based on lust and control can be. Watch as a young girl's world falls apart as her boyfriend uses her without her knowledge to commit a crime. This certainly isn't for everyone as it is brutal and dark. It is definitely a book that will stick with me for days to come.
Favorite Quotations:
"They don't tell you that jail is boring."
"You think you the only one? Sad? Missing? Lonely? Regretful? You're already like an infection. Everybody sees it."
"And just because you're not understood doesn't mean you're wrong."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
March 10, 2013
I just finished reading the advanced readers' copy of Criminal. Love! (Personal disclaimer -- and bragging rights: Terra is a close personal friend, and so I'm not the most objective reviewer.) Yes, I love it. And the book is about what love can make us do--it's about one of the most common types of love -- the unhealthy type that make us idiots.
While this is the most adult of her books so far, it is still one well-matched to the audience that she's most concerned with: teens and young adult readers. Criminal isn't an explicitly cautionary tale -- it is more of a case study on the inevitability of bad decisions as a part of the human condition. The 'love' of Criminal is young and passionate, powerful and unfiltered, immediate in its attention and overwhelming in its control of its subjects. This is a novel about how the consequences of our poor decisions are sometimes disproportionate, not entirely just and unavoidable.
But this is also a novel about transcending those circumstances, finding redemption within the self and identifying the people in life whose opinions and love are healthy and positively impactful.
If there is a cautionary element to Criminal, it's not about crime--it's about crazy, stupid love. This is a book that I look forward to sharing with me nieces and nephews.
While this is the most adult of her books so far, it is still one well-matched to the audience that she's most concerned with: teens and young adult readers. Criminal isn't an explicitly cautionary tale -- it is more of a case study on the inevitability of bad decisions as a part of the human condition. The 'love' of Criminal is young and passionate, powerful and unfiltered, immediate in its attention and overwhelming in its control of its subjects. This is a novel about how the consequences of our poor decisions are sometimes disproportionate, not entirely just and unavoidable.
But this is also a novel about transcending those circumstances, finding redemption within the self and identifying the people in life whose opinions and love are healthy and positively impactful.
If there is a cautionary element to Criminal, it's not about crime--it's about crazy, stupid love. This is a book that I look forward to sharing with me nieces and nephews.
April 7, 2013
This is not a book for everyone. Not everyone will love it as much as I did and some people will find it boring. But for me this book was so beautiful. I am not sure there are enough words to describe the beauty of this book.
The other day I was trying to explain what happened in this book to someone and I ended up rambling. I am not sure how I’ll manage to write this review.
When I requested this book I was kind of scared because it sounded so intense and I wasn’t wrong. This isn’t YA, its somewhere between Mature YA and New Adult.
Our main character, Nikki has had a shit life. Her mother is a druggie, her step-father is in jail and she has to take care of all the stuff her mom is too stoned to. She dropped out of school when she was 16 and well she has no authority figure present to help her get on the right track. Her grandmother used to take care of her but she died. All this aside, the author doesn’t dwell on what Nikki’s past was, she doesn’t want us to pity our character but to understand her and where the thoughts behind her decisions stem from.
The author doesn’t make Nikki a particularly easy character to like. Initially she annoyed me then I started to sympathize with her and then slowly I fell in love with her (in a not creepy way).
The thing that annoyed me most about Nikki (and is meant to annoy us) is her obsession with Dee. She cannot see that he is using her and that he doesn’t actually love her. She blindly follows him thinking that if they love each other everything else will be okay. Her friend Bird tries to tell her Dee is a bad guy but she doesn’t listen.
I think that Nikki always knew, the signs were there but she always fooled herself into thinking otherwise. She just needed someone to love her and yes I realize how cheesy that sounds but it’s the truth. She later goes on to realize that maybe she didn’t really love him, that maybe he was like an addiction, a way of filling in all the empty spots in her from the absence of parents and people who would be there for her. In doing this she forgot that she had Bird who would have been there for her no matter what and Bird finally reached her breaking point and gave up on Nikki.
When her boyfriend and her best friend ditch her things get real bad. She realizes she deserves it for the crimes she has committed. She goes to the police and tells them what happened but she still doesn’t tell the whole story, she tries to protect Dee. She ends up going to jail anyway.
This story is kind of like a coming of age story. Nikki makes realizations about what she had and the things she never saw or overlooked and in the end she finally has to deal with the guilt of helping kill a man who did nothing wrong.
To see her change and accept her mistakes and finally stand up for what is right is so beautiful. It made me so proud.
This is a heart wrenching tale which shows the other side of falling in love. Love isn’t all flowers and hearts, it isn’t perfect. This isn’t a tale of crime but of self-realization and has become one of my favorite reads of the year.
That being said this book isn’t perfect, there are tons of things I could pick on and complain about but I’d be a real ass if I did.
If this is any indication of how the author’s other works are like, I need to look into them and read them ASAP.
This review has also been posted on my blog
The other day I was trying to explain what happened in this book to someone and I ended up rambling. I am not sure how I’ll manage to write this review.
When I requested this book I was kind of scared because it sounded so intense and I wasn’t wrong. This isn’t YA, its somewhere between Mature YA and New Adult.
Our main character, Nikki has had a shit life. Her mother is a druggie, her step-father is in jail and she has to take care of all the stuff her mom is too stoned to. She dropped out of school when she was 16 and well she has no authority figure present to help her get on the right track. Her grandmother used to take care of her but she died. All this aside, the author doesn’t dwell on what Nikki’s past was, she doesn’t want us to pity our character but to understand her and where the thoughts behind her decisions stem from.
The author doesn’t make Nikki a particularly easy character to like. Initially she annoyed me then I started to sympathize with her and then slowly I fell in love with her (in a not creepy way).
The thing that annoyed me most about Nikki (and is meant to annoy us) is her obsession with Dee. She cannot see that he is using her and that he doesn’t actually love her. She blindly follows him thinking that if they love each other everything else will be okay. Her friend Bird tries to tell her Dee is a bad guy but she doesn’t listen.
I think that Nikki always knew, the signs were there but she always fooled herself into thinking otherwise. She just needed someone to love her and yes I realize how cheesy that sounds but it’s the truth. She later goes on to realize that maybe she didn’t really love him, that maybe he was like an addiction, a way of filling in all the empty spots in her from the absence of parents and people who would be there for her. In doing this she forgot that she had Bird who would have been there for her no matter what and Bird finally reached her breaking point and gave up on Nikki.
When her boyfriend and her best friend ditch her things get real bad. She realizes she deserves it for the crimes she has committed. She goes to the police and tells them what happened but she still doesn’t tell the whole story, she tries to protect Dee. She ends up going to jail anyway.
This story is kind of like a coming of age story. Nikki makes realizations about what she had and the things she never saw or overlooked and in the end she finally has to deal with the guilt of helping kill a man who did nothing wrong.
To see her change and accept her mistakes and finally stand up for what is right is so beautiful. It made me so proud.
This is a heart wrenching tale which shows the other side of falling in love. Love isn’t all flowers and hearts, it isn’t perfect. This isn’t a tale of crime but of self-realization and has become one of my favorite reads of the year.
That being said this book isn’t perfect, there are tons of things I could pick on and complain about but I’d be a real ass if I did.
If this is any indication of how the author’s other works are like, I need to look into them and read them ASAP.
This review has also been posted on my blog
April 16, 2013
Review originally published on Rather Be Reading Blog:
Criminal was one of those books I had to hide in another room so I wouldn’t be tempted to keep picking it up way way past my bedtime.
Terra Elan McVoy, queen of summer camp and girls being friends with boys, has created such a tense, horrifying, addicting read in 288 short pages. Nikki is a down on her luck teenager with an addict for a mother, finding a sense of home living with her best friend, Bird, and her baby daughter. But her whole life changes when she meets Dee and falls desperately in love. The desperate kind of love that makes you forget everything else, leaves you so undone, that everything else seems unimportant.
Dee is passionate when he’s sexy and when he’s angry, and makes Nikki feel worthwhile and safe. He’s the kind of guy that really knows how to manipulate a situation, knows how to use sex to his advantage and gets Nikki involved in a heartless crime. Before she even knows what’s happening he gives her a disguise, tells her where to drive and when to wait for him. Nikki is scared but not sure what to do, and when she hears the gunshots and sees Dee’s face afterwards, she’s still not sure what to feel.
The next morning Dee is questioned by the cops and promises to contact Nikki when he can. Nikki goes nuts trying to say the right things to the cops when they come to question her, and keeping everything from Bird is really hard. When she realizes the murder Dee has committed may get Bird in big trouble, Nikki confesses just enough to clear Bird from the crime but not enough to keep herself out of jail.
Does this sound like your typical YA?
McVoy has branched out so much; it’s like Criminal is from a different planetary system. Her succinct writing style, the oodles of research that had to be done, and the fact that as a reader, I couldn’t figure out if I thought Nikki was incredibly weak for not standing up to Dee before he killed someone or just totally helpless in the heat of the moment, or if she was really at fault or not when she had no idea what he was planning. Every time she texted him (and wasn’t supposed to), my brain was screaming “Nooo Nikki! Don’t you know they will have a record of those texts to use against you?” (Cue everything I learned from the Casey Anthony trial.)
It’s amazing — even though Nikki is now IN jail, obviously strained her friendship with Bird and lost her job, she still can’t believe anything bad about Dee. She’s afraid FOR him. I kept wondering when she would finally break, when she would finally start to feel angry because she still felt attached to him after the “foundation” of their relationship started to crack. After the authorities let a few of his lies loose. It’s kind of like watching someone wind down from the biggest high of their life and finally be forced to make make do with truth.
In the jail, with this group of girls, and having the opportunity to incarcerate Dee by spilling every detail she can think of, Nikki grows and changes in ways I didn’t fathom. For awhile, she’s detached, guilty, bored, obsessed, apprehensive, difficult. But jail is kind of this blessing; it’s a controlled environment, something she is not used to with her addict mom’s antics, or the disdain she felt from Bird when she was dating Dee. Even when things start to click for Nikki, her life is not without consequence and big unfortunate changes.
Criminal is such a tight, well-written story yet still leaves a lot of room for discussion. I really appreciated the leaps that McVoy took with her writing this go-around; this story about power, lust, and love never felt over-dramatized or black and white. And the fact that I was able to discuss the details at length with my husband just proved to me how versatile a book it was for readers, being able to satisfy a larger audience.
Criminal was one of those books I had to hide in another room so I wouldn’t be tempted to keep picking it up way way past my bedtime.
Terra Elan McVoy, queen of summer camp and girls being friends with boys, has created such a tense, horrifying, addicting read in 288 short pages. Nikki is a down on her luck teenager with an addict for a mother, finding a sense of home living with her best friend, Bird, and her baby daughter. But her whole life changes when she meets Dee and falls desperately in love. The desperate kind of love that makes you forget everything else, leaves you so undone, that everything else seems unimportant.
Dee is passionate when he’s sexy and when he’s angry, and makes Nikki feel worthwhile and safe. He’s the kind of guy that really knows how to manipulate a situation, knows how to use sex to his advantage and gets Nikki involved in a heartless crime. Before she even knows what’s happening he gives her a disguise, tells her where to drive and when to wait for him. Nikki is scared but not sure what to do, and when she hears the gunshots and sees Dee’s face afterwards, she’s still not sure what to feel.
The next morning Dee is questioned by the cops and promises to contact Nikki when he can. Nikki goes nuts trying to say the right things to the cops when they come to question her, and keeping everything from Bird is really hard. When she realizes the murder Dee has committed may get Bird in big trouble, Nikki confesses just enough to clear Bird from the crime but not enough to keep herself out of jail.
Does this sound like your typical YA?
McVoy has branched out so much; it’s like Criminal is from a different planetary system. Her succinct writing style, the oodles of research that had to be done, and the fact that as a reader, I couldn’t figure out if I thought Nikki was incredibly weak for not standing up to Dee before he killed someone or just totally helpless in the heat of the moment, or if she was really at fault or not when she had no idea what he was planning. Every time she texted him (and wasn’t supposed to), my brain was screaming “Nooo Nikki! Don’t you know they will have a record of those texts to use against you?” (Cue everything I learned from the Casey Anthony trial.)
It’s amazing — even though Nikki is now IN jail, obviously strained her friendship with Bird and lost her job, she still can’t believe anything bad about Dee. She’s afraid FOR him. I kept wondering when she would finally break, when she would finally start to feel angry because she still felt attached to him after the “foundation” of their relationship started to crack. After the authorities let a few of his lies loose. It’s kind of like watching someone wind down from the biggest high of their life and finally be forced to make make do with truth.
In the jail, with this group of girls, and having the opportunity to incarcerate Dee by spilling every detail she can think of, Nikki grows and changes in ways I didn’t fathom. For awhile, she’s detached, guilty, bored, obsessed, apprehensive, difficult. But jail is kind of this blessing; it’s a controlled environment, something she is not used to with her addict mom’s antics, or the disdain she felt from Bird when she was dating Dee. Even when things start to click for Nikki, her life is not without consequence and big unfortunate changes.
Criminal is such a tight, well-written story yet still leaves a lot of room for discussion. I really appreciated the leaps that McVoy took with her writing this go-around; this story about power, lust, and love never felt over-dramatized or black and white. And the fact that I was able to discuss the details at length with my husband just proved to me how versatile a book it was for readers, being able to satisfy a larger audience.
February 18, 2016
When I first read this book (around nine months ago now, Jesus), the only Terra Elan McVoy book I'd read was After the Kiss. That was far from a perfect novel, but the biggest thing that struck me was the realism of it. And here, McVoy continues to show that this is her strength. Her books are extremely realistic - she adamantly refuses to romanticize or dramatize anything. That's easy to do when you're writing about liking boys, but I was a little nervous about something that's much more likely to be dramatized, and something that (I assume) McVoy hasn't actually experienced.
Turns off, she pulls it off without a hitch. It's probably because McVoy doesn't care if her story is gripping and suspenseful. She's interested in exploring what actually happens when you get involved with crime and get arrested. Nikki goes through the real steps that occur when you're arrested - being sent to jail, pleading guilty or innocent, getting a court-appointed defense lawyer, all the way to the eventual sentence. McVoy does a good job of capturing a lot of the fear and guilt that Nikki feels, without making it overly-dramatic. The only quip I had was that it felt like the best-case scenario of someone getting arrested - she gets a good defense lawyer, her friends forgive her, her sentence is lenient, and she doesn't struggle to make friends in jail. Other than that, everything felt very grounded in reality.
McVoy also captures Nikki's experience having a dangerous and slightly abusive boyfriend. Nikki isn't caricaturized here - McVoy doesn't present her as stupid for her bad decisions, and she lets us understand Nikki. McVoy doesn't try to redeem Dee at all, or explain why he acted the way he did. But it didn't feel totally necessary - by the time Nikki realizes how dangerous Dee is, she's lost all contact with him. She isn't focused on why he is the way he is; she's focused on moving on with her life. And ultimately, the novel isn't about him. He barely appears, except in flashback form - he's only important to the story in how he treats Nikki. That might have been a problem in a different story, but because the story is so grounded in reality, it would've actually felt a little strange if Nikki had come to a full and complete understanding of him. In my experience, abuse victims rarely care to come to such an understanding of their abusers. McVoy explores what's important: how the abuse affected Nikki.
Nikki's voice is also quite distinct. It's always a risky choice to try to incorporate slang into a character's voice. It's typically hit-or-miss - either it makes things far more immersive, or it's just ridiculous. I'm happy to say it worked here, for the most part. It was awkward occasionally - and it was good that only a little of it popped up in Nikki's voice, in contrast to some of the side characters - but it was rarely awkward. McVoy seems pretty immersed in the slang she's using, which helps a ton. It could've been better, but it certainly could've been a lot worse.
So why the four-star rating? The biggest thing was that most of the side characters felt sparsely developed. In particular, the people Nikki lives with (all of their names have escaped me) felt like hollow archetypes, only there to respond to Nikki's actions. I also thought the ending was kind of rushed. It wasn't really necessary to show the outcome of the trial; the story clearly ended long before the outcome was made available. But these are minor complaints. Overall, this is a second strong entry from an author that I think I'll turn out to like. If you're into naturalism that isn't as boring as shit, this is one of the best books I could recommend you.
An improved version of this review on my blog.
Turns off, she pulls it off without a hitch. It's probably because McVoy doesn't care if her story is gripping and suspenseful. She's interested in exploring what actually happens when you get involved with crime and get arrested. Nikki goes through the real steps that occur when you're arrested - being sent to jail, pleading guilty or innocent, getting a court-appointed defense lawyer, all the way to the eventual sentence. McVoy does a good job of capturing a lot of the fear and guilt that Nikki feels, without making it overly-dramatic. The only quip I had was that it felt like the best-case scenario of someone getting arrested - she gets a good defense lawyer, her friends forgive her, her sentence is lenient, and she doesn't struggle to make friends in jail. Other than that, everything felt very grounded in reality.
McVoy also captures Nikki's experience having a dangerous and slightly abusive boyfriend. Nikki isn't caricaturized here - McVoy doesn't present her as stupid for her bad decisions, and she lets us understand Nikki. McVoy doesn't try to redeem Dee at all, or explain why he acted the way he did. But it didn't feel totally necessary - by the time Nikki realizes how dangerous Dee is, she's lost all contact with him. She isn't focused on why he is the way he is; she's focused on moving on with her life. And ultimately, the novel isn't about him. He barely appears, except in flashback form - he's only important to the story in how he treats Nikki. That might have been a problem in a different story, but because the story is so grounded in reality, it would've actually felt a little strange if Nikki had come to a full and complete understanding of him. In my experience, abuse victims rarely care to come to such an understanding of their abusers. McVoy explores what's important: how the abuse affected Nikki.
Nikki's voice is also quite distinct. It's always a risky choice to try to incorporate slang into a character's voice. It's typically hit-or-miss - either it makes things far more immersive, or it's just ridiculous. I'm happy to say it worked here, for the most part. It was awkward occasionally - and it was good that only a little of it popped up in Nikki's voice, in contrast to some of the side characters - but it was rarely awkward. McVoy seems pretty immersed in the slang she's using, which helps a ton. It could've been better, but it certainly could've been a lot worse.
So why the four-star rating? The biggest thing was that most of the side characters felt sparsely developed. In particular, the people Nikki lives with (all of their names have escaped me) felt like hollow archetypes, only there to respond to Nikki's actions. I also thought the ending was kind of rushed. It wasn't really necessary to show the outcome of the trial; the story clearly ended long before the outcome was made available. But these are minor complaints. Overall, this is a second strong entry from an author that I think I'll turn out to like. If you're into naturalism that isn't as boring as shit, this is one of the best books I could recommend you.
An improved version of this review on my blog.
April 25, 2013
Read Review at Bewitched Bookworms
When Love Makes Blind...
Nikki has a sad life and lives in a part of the city where danger and crimes are just around the corner. Having horrible parents (who are not allowed to be called parents at all) Nikki lives with a motherly friend and focuses nearly completely Dee. She loves Dee with all her heart and this love feels rather desperate as he is the only thing in Nikki's live that feels like a light in the dark. Nikki would do anything for Dee and .. I mean anything. He is her only hope, so she's more scared of losing him than any other consequences.
This love combined with such an unreal hope makes Nikki very blind...
How Far Do You Go?
When a horrible murder happens, the police soon finds Dee and Nikki and she's faced with some horrible decisions and .. some even more gruesome truths. The question now is, how far will Nikki go to save Dee?
It was incredible sad, somber and frightening to see this sad and broken girl risking everything to save a boy. I not sure if Nikki was only so very naive or if she was just so incredible blinded. I think it was a combination of both. It's always easy so see the right path and the truth behind it when you are looking at situations from the outside, so we as the reader knew what was going on pretty fast, but Nikki? She was in between this mess and had no way of getting out of it without losing the one thing that she put all her hopes in.
Dark Reality
What struck me most about this book is how long it stayed with me , even after finishing it. It's a book that gets you thinking and reflecting your life. Even more, I think it makes us realize how horrible some teens have to grow up because I am 100% certain that this book could be a real story, as sad as frightening it is - I'm sure! It wasn't easy to connect with Nikki as I constantly saw how wrong she reacted and what she would need to do get out of it. Still, this was an essential part of the story so I appreciate the way Nikki was developed even though it made it not impossible to connect with her. And at the end, Nikki did grow! She did realize what she needs to do and she did realize that she has to change her life! Nikki never believed in herself and she had no idea about her own worth and she needed to comprehend that she is worth much more than what this boy made her believe...
Bottom Line
Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy was powerful, read and incredibly frightening. It's a story that will stay with you long after finishing it and it will make you reflect. Nikki was a sad girl who needed to realize that she's worth so much more than just being played by someone who just uses her. Love can make very blind... but sometimes you have to be your own person... Don't shy away of this book because you think it might make you uncomfortable, it will but.. it's deep outstanding story!
When Love Makes Blind...
Nikki has a sad life and lives in a part of the city where danger and crimes are just around the corner. Having horrible parents (who are not allowed to be called parents at all) Nikki lives with a motherly friend and focuses nearly completely Dee. She loves Dee with all her heart and this love feels rather desperate as he is the only thing in Nikki's live that feels like a light in the dark. Nikki would do anything for Dee and .. I mean anything. He is her only hope, so she's more scared of losing him than any other consequences.
This love combined with such an unreal hope makes Nikki very blind...
How Far Do You Go?
When a horrible murder happens, the police soon finds Dee and Nikki and she's faced with some horrible decisions and .. some even more gruesome truths. The question now is, how far will Nikki go to save Dee?
It was incredible sad, somber and frightening to see this sad and broken girl risking everything to save a boy. I not sure if Nikki was only so very naive or if she was just so incredible blinded. I think it was a combination of both. It's always easy so see the right path and the truth behind it when you are looking at situations from the outside, so we as the reader knew what was going on pretty fast, but Nikki? She was in between this mess and had no way of getting out of it without losing the one thing that she put all her hopes in.
Dark Reality
What struck me most about this book is how long it stayed with me , even after finishing it. It's a book that gets you thinking and reflecting your life. Even more, I think it makes us realize how horrible some teens have to grow up because I am 100% certain that this book could be a real story, as sad as frightening it is - I'm sure! It wasn't easy to connect with Nikki as I constantly saw how wrong she reacted and what she would need to do get out of it. Still, this was an essential part of the story so I appreciate the way Nikki was developed even though it made it not impossible to connect with her. And at the end, Nikki did grow! She did realize what she needs to do and she did realize that she has to change her life! Nikki never believed in herself and she had no idea about her own worth and she needed to comprehend that she is worth much more than what this boy made her believe...
Bottom Line
Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy was powerful, read and incredibly frightening. It's a story that will stay with you long after finishing it and it will make you reflect. Nikki was a sad girl who needed to realize that she's worth so much more than just being played by someone who just uses her. Love can make very blind... but sometimes you have to be your own person... Don't shy away of this book because you think it might make you uncomfortable, it will but.. it's deep outstanding story!
December 4, 2016
*Actual rating: 2.5*
I’ll start with the positive. Criminal had a really nice cover. When you first pick it up you notice the sleek, simple cover with the bullet cleanly slicing through the title. While you aren’t supposed to judge a book by it’s cover I am totally guilty of doing that and this cover was appealing. If only the inside was as great as the outside.
Now to the negative. I COULD NOT STAND the main character, Nikki. Everything she did was for her boyfriend and even when he lands her in jail, all she could think about was him. It drove me CRAZY! She was so pathetic and dependant on him and it took her so long to realize that. If only she wasn’t so selfish and listened to her best friend about him. She could have avoided sooooo many problems. Since I REALLY didn’t like the main character it made it hard to like the book as the whole story was based off her insanely stupid love for her insanely stupid boyfriend. For about three quarters of the book Nikki was acting insanely stupid which totally ruined what could have been a pretty good plot.
One thing I did like a lot about this book was how jail was displayed. For most people the only place we really see what life is like in jail is on TV or through a book. Don’t get me wrong, I am totally happy keeping this place a mystery for me but I think a lot of people have a view of what they think jail would be like thanks to stories and screens. Terra Elan McVoy showed that this jail isn’t necessarily a reality. She also touched on the idea that not all people in jail may have actually committed the crimes that they were accused for which was different. It reminded me that not everyone in jail is necessarily a bad person. While some may have committed inexcusable acts and there are bad people some may not deserve what they were sentenced to.
While I was not a huge fan of Criminal thanks to the insanely ignorant Nikki, the book did make me think. Criminal is definitely not among my favourites but if you can get through the annoying and frustrating main character, it’s really not so bad.
-J
This review was originally posted at www.justonemorechapter.ca
I’ll start with the positive. Criminal had a really nice cover. When you first pick it up you notice the sleek, simple cover with the bullet cleanly slicing through the title. While you aren’t supposed to judge a book by it’s cover I am totally guilty of doing that and this cover was appealing. If only the inside was as great as the outside.
Now to the negative. I COULD NOT STAND the main character, Nikki. Everything she did was for her boyfriend and even when he lands her in jail, all she could think about was him. It drove me CRAZY! She was so pathetic and dependant on him and it took her so long to realize that. If only she wasn’t so selfish and listened to her best friend about him. She could have avoided sooooo many problems. Since I REALLY didn’t like the main character it made it hard to like the book as the whole story was based off her insanely stupid love for her insanely stupid boyfriend. For about three quarters of the book Nikki was acting insanely stupid which totally ruined what could have been a pretty good plot.
One thing I did like a lot about this book was how jail was displayed. For most people the only place we really see what life is like in jail is on TV or through a book. Don’t get me wrong, I am totally happy keeping this place a mystery for me but I think a lot of people have a view of what they think jail would be like thanks to stories and screens. Terra Elan McVoy showed that this jail isn’t necessarily a reality. She also touched on the idea that not all people in jail may have actually committed the crimes that they were accused for which was different. It reminded me that not everyone in jail is necessarily a bad person. While some may have committed inexcusable acts and there are bad people some may not deserve what they were sentenced to.
While I was not a huge fan of Criminal thanks to the insanely ignorant Nikki, the book did make me think. Criminal is definitely not among my favourites but if you can get through the annoying and frustrating main character, it’s really not so bad.
-J
This review was originally posted at www.justonemorechapter.ca
March 14, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog http://hobbitsies.net/2013/05/crimina...
I am a massive fan of Terra Elan McVoy's books - they're relatable and realistic and fun and moving. So was I a little bit worried at first before I started Criminal. I knew right away that it was going to be vastly different from her previous books and I was nervous that I wouldn't like it as much.
But you guys, Terra Elan McVoy nailed Criminal. It's such an emotionally-wrought story full of bad decisions and confused characters and my heart just ached as I flew through it. I was frustrated and shaking my iPad and crying and gah. Criminal brought out all the emotions.
Criminal had a plot - one that was upsetting and interesting, but for me it was all about the characters. It was about Nikki and all the people in her life. Each character was interesting and raw and real and they all really affected Nikki and her future in their own way.
And god, don't even get me started on Dee. It was stunning to see Nikki interact with him and her thoughts about him and how blind she was - and to know that this happens. This kind of passion, obsession, blindness, naivete happens all the freaking time. But Terra Elan McVoy did it in such an amazing way - she portrayed it so well.
I definitely recommend picking up Criminal. I cannot say enough excellent things about it. It made me bawl and hug my pillow and just feel all the things for Nikki. She made so many bad decisions, but she was still so inspiring and moving.
Criminal is not an easy story to stomach, but one worth definitely worth reading. Terra Elan McVoy really impressed me with Criminal and I can't wait to read the story she tells next.
I am a massive fan of Terra Elan McVoy's books - they're relatable and realistic and fun and moving. So was I a little bit worried at first before I started Criminal. I knew right away that it was going to be vastly different from her previous books and I was nervous that I wouldn't like it as much.
But you guys, Terra Elan McVoy nailed Criminal. It's such an emotionally-wrought story full of bad decisions and confused characters and my heart just ached as I flew through it. I was frustrated and shaking my iPad and crying and gah. Criminal brought out all the emotions.
Criminal had a plot - one that was upsetting and interesting, but for me it was all about the characters. It was about Nikki and all the people in her life. Each character was interesting and raw and real and they all really affected Nikki and her future in their own way.
And god, don't even get me started on Dee. It was stunning to see Nikki interact with him and her thoughts about him and how blind she was - and to know that this happens. This kind of passion, obsession, blindness, naivete happens all the freaking time. But Terra Elan McVoy did it in such an amazing way - she portrayed it so well.
I definitely recommend picking up Criminal. I cannot say enough excellent things about it. It made me bawl and hug my pillow and just feel all the things for Nikki. She made so many bad decisions, but she was still so inspiring and moving.
Criminal is not an easy story to stomach, but one worth definitely worth reading. Terra Elan McVoy really impressed me with Criminal and I can't wait to read the story she tells next.
May 29, 2014
This was a book about what lengths a person would go through for love. It wasn't a brilliant masterpiece but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Nikki was insecure. She needed to feel wanted and adored. And even though her boyfriend, Dee, treated her like shit she did everything he asked her too.
Nikki's best friend Bird warned her he wasn't a good guy. But she didn't care, because she thought they were in love.
Cold, manipulative Dee killed a man and used Nikki as an accomplice. It was painful to read about how desperately she tried to cling to him even when she knew he was a monster. And he didn't even love her.
Nikki lost everything. And it was actually quite sad. But it was also a sort of warning. We should never lose track of who we are. We should love ourselves first before we decide to love others. And we should never let our love for a person blind us from doing what is right.
Nikki was insecure. She needed to feel wanted and adored. And even though her boyfriend, Dee, treated her like shit she did everything he asked her too.
Nikki's best friend Bird warned her he wasn't a good guy. But she didn't care, because she thought they were in love.
Cold, manipulative Dee killed a man and used Nikki as an accomplice. It was painful to read about how desperately she tried to cling to him even when she knew he was a monster. And he didn't even love her.
Nikki lost everything. And it was actually quite sad. But it was also a sort of warning. We should never lose track of who we are. We should love ourselves first before we decide to love others. And we should never let our love for a person blind us from doing what is right.
June 22, 2015
I won a copy of this book through a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway!
(3.75 STARS)
I ended up enjoying this story way more than I thought I would. The first quarter of the story was a struggle for me because I just couldn't take how blinded by love Nikki was for Dee. It irked me. But as I read on, the story picked up, and I kind of understood her thick-headedness when it came to this stupid boy. I was pleased to see her grow up and take responsibility for her shit as the story progressed. Good read. :)
(3.75 STARS)
I ended up enjoying this story way more than I thought I would. The first quarter of the story was a struggle for me because I just couldn't take how blinded by love Nikki was for Dee. It irked me. But as I read on, the story picked up, and I kind of understood her thick-headedness when it came to this stupid boy. I was pleased to see her grow up and take responsibility for her shit as the story progressed. Good read. :)
September 17, 2022
i hatedddddddd every. single. character.
February 13, 2022
This book was so absorbing I read the whole thing on a Saturday afternoon. I couldn't put it down.
It's a sad story about a girl from a bad home who falls in love for the worst kind of guy, and she is pulled into a crime with him. How far will she go to protect him? Why?
I loved Nikki's character. Her mother was terrible, and she found friendship and safety for herself with Bird. It was no wonder that she found herself in this bad relationship with Dee. Her world is tragic, but she is strong and makes good choices, even if they're late.
I'm going to look up the other books by Terra Elan McVoy to see if I love them as much as I loved this one!
It's a sad story about a girl from a bad home who falls in love for the worst kind of guy, and she is pulled into a crime with him. How far will she go to protect him? Why?
I loved Nikki's character. Her mother was terrible, and she found friendship and safety for herself with Bird. It was no wonder that she found herself in this bad relationship with Dee. Her world is tragic, but she is strong and makes good choices, even if they're late.
I'm going to look up the other books by Terra Elan McVoy to see if I love them as much as I loved this one!
June 3, 2013
I will be the first person to admit that I’m a fairly easy to please reader in a lot of big ways. Sadly, though I appreciated this book’s brutal honesty and unflinching storytelling, it failed me a couple of big ways.
The book opens up with a phone call. Dee and Nikki wake up to the news that the police want to talk to him about something. He tells her to follow, and she dutifully does. They make up a story on the way there to hide the truth: a cop was killed, Dee killed him, and Nikki drew the getaway car. She had no idea what was going to happen, or even what really happened, but she loves Dee and she wants to protect him. Though scared out of her wits, she goes along with his plan. But when the police start uncovering the lies and come after the people that have helped Nikki through everything Dee was never there for, she starts questioning her choices and realizing that maybe she is really being blinded by love.
To be honest, I hated Nikki from the second the story started. (Maybe it was the gratuitous sexual actions with which the book began and continued throughout the story.*)It is made clear that she’s always taken care of herself, from when her step-dad went to jail to when her mom spaced out on drugs. She pays her own bills, she has a job that she’s very good at, and she even looks after her friend Bird, Bird’s daughter and even her mother. From what is said about her, there is no doubt that Nikki should be able to stand on her own–and has done so on the past. This makes her complete devotion to Dee is ridiculously out of character. As far as I could tell, he had never done anything remotely large enough for her to destroy the self-made life she’d built for herself and made her dependent on him. Even he says he only bought her beer and weed when she asked for it. (Given the ease of which Nikki forgets her drug problem, she wasn’t really dependent on drugs anyways.) Dee is also never a fleshed out character. He wants sex, and he screams at her. That’s all there is to his character. There was just missing something from Nikki, because I never even felt sorry for her.
There is also the matter of the entire action part of this plot being over by the time the book starts. The murder is rehashed, yes, but in flashbacks. Most of it is waiting, whining and crying. (And doing other inmates’ hair in prison.) The amount of self-discovery that Nikki was undergoing was enormous, yes, but since her character never caught me I cared less and less as each paragraph flew by. It was mostly thinking and self-rumination that guided 95% of the book, and I got bored.
Don’t get me wrong, this book was beautifully written and tackled serious subjects with brutal honesty that was impressive. This just isn’t the kind of book that meshes with every kind of reader, and I admit without shame that I am not the reader for which it was intended. I tried, but I could never connect with any of the characters and so the rest of the self-exploration that occurred never felt important to me.
This book is not one for someone looking for a light read (which you can guess straightaway, let’s be honest). It is also not for someone looking for an action packed thriller. This is an examination of the human psyche that takes its strength from the exploration it takes into the human mind. If you’re looking to wax philosophical, check it out. If not, you’ve been warned.
*The act of sex is only described once, but not in the overt language used in a romance novel. However, there are a few description of sexual actions that take place before sex and a few uses of mid-vulgar language.
The book opens up with a phone call. Dee and Nikki wake up to the news that the police want to talk to him about something. He tells her to follow, and she dutifully does. They make up a story on the way there to hide the truth: a cop was killed, Dee killed him, and Nikki drew the getaway car. She had no idea what was going to happen, or even what really happened, but she loves Dee and she wants to protect him. Though scared out of her wits, she goes along with his plan. But when the police start uncovering the lies and come after the people that have helped Nikki through everything Dee was never there for, she starts questioning her choices and realizing that maybe she is really being blinded by love.
To be honest, I hated Nikki from the second the story started. (Maybe it was the gratuitous sexual actions with which the book began and continued throughout the story.*)It is made clear that she’s always taken care of herself, from when her step-dad went to jail to when her mom spaced out on drugs. She pays her own bills, she has a job that she’s very good at, and she even looks after her friend Bird, Bird’s daughter and even her mother. From what is said about her, there is no doubt that Nikki should be able to stand on her own–and has done so on the past. This makes her complete devotion to Dee is ridiculously out of character. As far as I could tell, he had never done anything remotely large enough for her to destroy the self-made life she’d built for herself and made her dependent on him. Even he says he only bought her beer and weed when she asked for it. (Given the ease of which Nikki forgets her drug problem, she wasn’t really dependent on drugs anyways.) Dee is also never a fleshed out character. He wants sex, and he screams at her. That’s all there is to his character. There was just missing something from Nikki, because I never even felt sorry for her.
There is also the matter of the entire action part of this plot being over by the time the book starts. The murder is rehashed, yes, but in flashbacks. Most of it is waiting, whining and crying. (And doing other inmates’ hair in prison.) The amount of self-discovery that Nikki was undergoing was enormous, yes, but since her character never caught me I cared less and less as each paragraph flew by. It was mostly thinking and self-rumination that guided 95% of the book, and I got bored.
Don’t get me wrong, this book was beautifully written and tackled serious subjects with brutal honesty that was impressive. This just isn’t the kind of book that meshes with every kind of reader, and I admit without shame that I am not the reader for which it was intended. I tried, but I could never connect with any of the characters and so the rest of the self-exploration that occurred never felt important to me.
This book is not one for someone looking for a light read (which you can guess straightaway, let’s be honest). It is also not for someone looking for an action packed thriller. This is an examination of the human psyche that takes its strength from the exploration it takes into the human mind. If you’re looking to wax philosophical, check it out. If not, you’ve been warned.
*The act of sex is only described once, but not in the overt language used in a romance novel. However, there are a few description of sexual actions that take place before sex and a few uses of mid-vulgar language.
May 12, 2013
Originally posted at City of Books
Criminal is an enjoyable YA crime novel, with great writing and an intriguing backstory. This book is similar to others I’ve read this year, but at the same time very different. It addresses some pretty important issues, and I think the way Terra has done that is really effective.
However, the fact that I simply detested the characters dampened my enjoyment of the novel. I felt no connection to any of them. I spent most of the novel yelling at Nikki inside my head, wanting her to appear in front of me so I could slap some sense into her. And I also really wanted to punch Dee in the face all throughout. Plus, Dee’s always been a girl’s name in previous books I’ve read, so at the beginning I kept picturing a girl instead of an asshole of a guy.
Never have I wanted to slap a fictional character as much as I want to slap Nikki. Seriously! She’s completely blinded by her love for Dee, and so incredibly stupid. She’s so whiny and clingy, and no wonder Dee didn’t want anything to do with her most of the time. I wouldn’t, either. She was obsessed! Sending him 50 texts in a row even though he told her to stay away from him for a while. Thinking Dee actually loved her. Assisting Dee in a murder and not even caring about the guy he killed. I hated Nikki so much. She did gain some wisdom by the end of the novel, thank goodness. I guess jail knocked some sense into her. But better late than never, right? I was actually a little proud of her by the end, even though I despised her so intensely at the beginning.
And Dee. God I hated him. He, also, is blinded by love. But not for Nikki. No, this was for another girl. And that made him do unforgivable things. I hated how he used Nikki, treated her like crap, and then cast her away like trash. But then again, Nikki shouldn’t have taken his crap. She should’ve been strong. Dee was pretty much impossible to even remotely empathize with. He acted so bipolar the whole novel, and he’s so unpredictable. And crazy, of course. The things people do for love… Dee takes that to a whole new level.
Criminal begins after Dee and Rachael have committed the crime. They are then questioned extensively by the police, and despite their well-rehearsed story, a lot of things go wrong. Nikki finally begins to question Dee’s motives, but it’s too late. She is pushed away by the one real friend she has, and her life goes to pieces. I think Nikki did the best she could under the circumstances, though. I did admire her for the choices she made later on in the novel, and I liked the fact that she became very wise towards the end. She learnt from all the mistakes she made, and even though her life will never be the same, she’s recovering.
I’d recommend Criminal to anyone who enjoys this genre, but I warn you about the characters! For me, the characters are one of the most important things in a novel. If I can’t connect with or don’t like the characters, I can’t enjoy the novel as much. This factor is even more important to me than the plot of a novel. So, though this book has potential, and I definitely loved Terra’s writing, the novel in itself was a bit of a disappointment for me. I will try Terra’s other novels, though, because I fell in love with her descriptions and vivid imagery. The writing made this novel redeemable to me.
*Thank you to Simon Pulse for providing me with an eGalley for review*
Rating: 2.5/5
Criminal is an enjoyable YA crime novel, with great writing and an intriguing backstory. This book is similar to others I’ve read this year, but at the same time very different. It addresses some pretty important issues, and I think the way Terra has done that is really effective.
However, the fact that I simply detested the characters dampened my enjoyment of the novel. I felt no connection to any of them. I spent most of the novel yelling at Nikki inside my head, wanting her to appear in front of me so I could slap some sense into her. And I also really wanted to punch Dee in the face all throughout. Plus, Dee’s always been a girl’s name in previous books I’ve read, so at the beginning I kept picturing a girl instead of an asshole of a guy.
Never have I wanted to slap a fictional character as much as I want to slap Nikki. Seriously! She’s completely blinded by her love for Dee, and so incredibly stupid. She’s so whiny and clingy, and no wonder Dee didn’t want anything to do with her most of the time. I wouldn’t, either. She was obsessed! Sending him 50 texts in a row even though he told her to stay away from him for a while. Thinking Dee actually loved her. Assisting Dee in a murder and not even caring about the guy he killed. I hated Nikki so much. She did gain some wisdom by the end of the novel, thank goodness. I guess jail knocked some sense into her. But better late than never, right? I was actually a little proud of her by the end, even though I despised her so intensely at the beginning.
And Dee. God I hated him. He, also, is blinded by love. But not for Nikki. No, this was for another girl. And that made him do unforgivable things. I hated how he used Nikki, treated her like crap, and then cast her away like trash. But then again, Nikki shouldn’t have taken his crap. She should’ve been strong. Dee was pretty much impossible to even remotely empathize with. He acted so bipolar the whole novel, and he’s so unpredictable. And crazy, of course. The things people do for love… Dee takes that to a whole new level.
Criminal begins after Dee and Rachael have committed the crime. They are then questioned extensively by the police, and despite their well-rehearsed story, a lot of things go wrong. Nikki finally begins to question Dee’s motives, but it’s too late. She is pushed away by the one real friend she has, and her life goes to pieces. I think Nikki did the best she could under the circumstances, though. I did admire her for the choices she made later on in the novel, and I liked the fact that she became very wise towards the end. She learnt from all the mistakes she made, and even though her life will never be the same, she’s recovering.
I’d recommend Criminal to anyone who enjoys this genre, but I warn you about the characters! For me, the characters are one of the most important things in a novel. If I can’t connect with or don’t like the characters, I can’t enjoy the novel as much. This factor is even more important to me than the plot of a novel. So, though this book has potential, and I definitely loved Terra’s writing, the novel in itself was a bit of a disappointment for me. I will try Terra’s other novels, though, because I fell in love with her descriptions and vivid imagery. The writing made this novel redeemable to me.
*Thank you to Simon Pulse for providing me with an eGalley for review*
Rating: 2.5/5
October 25, 2016
Criminal is the first book I've read by Terra Elan Mcvoy and I'm definitely planning on reading some more ASAP. The story is quick and drama packed. It leaves a feeling with the reader that will be remembered long after they've finished.
Criminal shocks the reader by immediately introducing a crime and a cover up. It makes the reader feel like they are the ones doing the illegal act. Personally, I had the book done within an hour (I didn't want to put it down!) The shocking twists had me reading at sonic speed & I enjoyed every second.
The only thing that I really didn't like was the characters way of speaking. They talk very uneducated and it kinda confused me until I got used to it.
Basically, Criminal is about a girl named Nikki who is obsessed with her boyfriend (if I should even call him that) Dee. She refuses to acknowledge his bad qualities and instead focus on the little moments where he 'needs' her. When Dee asks her to lie to the cops she agrees, convinced that his word is god and that everything will be alright. SPOILER! It's not.
In the second half of the story Nikki begins to realize her mistakes with Dee and (kinda) tells the cops the truth when her friend Bird is being investigated for her and Dee's crime. After a trip to prison and a court case for Dee, everything just sorts itself out and the book ends very positive.
I loved how genuine the story felt & I enjoyed the characters. Criminal is a change from what I usually read & it left me wanting more. I enjoyed it and I know that anyone else who reads it will as well.
Criminal shocks the reader by immediately introducing a crime and a cover up. It makes the reader feel like they are the ones doing the illegal act. Personally, I had the book done within an hour (I didn't want to put it down!) The shocking twists had me reading at sonic speed & I enjoyed every second.
The only thing that I really didn't like was the characters way of speaking. They talk very uneducated and it kinda confused me until I got used to it.
Basically, Criminal is about a girl named Nikki who is obsessed with her boyfriend (if I should even call him that) Dee. She refuses to acknowledge his bad qualities and instead focus on the little moments where he 'needs' her. When Dee asks her to lie to the cops she agrees, convinced that his word is god and that everything will be alright. SPOILER! It's not.
In the second half of the story Nikki begins to realize her mistakes with Dee and (kinda) tells the cops the truth when her friend Bird is being investigated for her and Dee's crime. After a trip to prison and a court case for Dee, everything just sorts itself out and the book ends very positive.
I loved how genuine the story felt & I enjoyed the characters. Criminal is a change from what I usually read & it left me wanting more. I enjoyed it and I know that anyone else who reads it will as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2013
Nikki's head is a sad and confusing place to be, but that is where the reader must remain throughout Criminal. I, for one, am glad that we only got her point of view because I'm not sure I would have felt so much sympathy for her had we watched it from the outside. That whole inside view of the evolution of poor decisions, desperation, and tragedy is what made this book so gripping. I think that if you grow up in a house where you are loved and valued, you take for granted how much that confidence determines who you are. Nikki has never had that and she wants approval so badly. She wants to be loved and to believe that Dee loves only her. It is painful to read her thoughts while getting the sense that Dee has used her in the worst way. Slowly, the good things that Nikki has in her life start to fall away until she has nothing and no one.
This sounds like a bleak and hopeless book, I know, but the beautiful surprise in this story was how hopeful it ended up being. Perhaps I just needed to believe that there was a happy ending for Nikki, but I saw the small pinpoint of light in her story. Terra McVoy has given voice to a female protagonist that is flawed, damaged, desperate to be loved, and searching for a sense of herself though her dysfunctional relationships. The grittiness made it a very emotional story and full of unflinching truths about the main character, which is something that I don't see often in YA. Although his book is very dark, there is a certain poetry to the path that Nikki takes to find out what she truly needs in order to be free and that freedom can be won even when walls, both literally and figuratively, surround you. It brings to mind the Lovelace poem, "Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage." In Nikki's story you will find intense sadness, but you will also find a book that is worth reading and a future for Nikki that you will want to believe in.
This sounds like a bleak and hopeless book, I know, but the beautiful surprise in this story was how hopeful it ended up being. Perhaps I just needed to believe that there was a happy ending for Nikki, but I saw the small pinpoint of light in her story. Terra McVoy has given voice to a female protagonist that is flawed, damaged, desperate to be loved, and searching for a sense of herself though her dysfunctional relationships. The grittiness made it a very emotional story and full of unflinching truths about the main character, which is something that I don't see often in YA. Although his book is very dark, there is a certain poetry to the path that Nikki takes to find out what she truly needs in order to be free and that freedom can be won even when walls, both literally and figuratively, surround you. It brings to mind the Lovelace poem, "Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage." In Nikki's story you will find intense sadness, but you will also find a book that is worth reading and a future for Nikki that you will want to believe in.
October 27, 2015
Crimes
By Terra Elan McVoy.
“Crimes” was published in May 7, 2013. Nikki's life is far from perfect, but at least she has Dee. Her friends tell her that Dee is not good, but Nikki can’t imagine herself without him. He’s hot, he’s dangerous, he has her initials tattooed over his heart, and she loves him more than anything. There’s nothing Nikki wouldn’t do for Dee. Absolutely nothing.
So when Dee pulls Nikki into a crime—a crime that ends in murder—Nikki tells herself that it’s all for true love. Nothing can break them apart. Not the police. Not the arrest that lands Nikki in jail. Not even the investigators who want her to testify against him.
But what if Dee had motives that Nikki knew nothing about? Nikki’s love for Dee is supposed to be unconditional…but even true love has a limit. And Nikki just might have reached hers.
Being honest, it's hard to like Nikki, especially at the beginning of the book because she’s not making good choices, and they are fairly serious choices since it is an issue of murder and jail time. I think the McVoy’s intention with this novel is for her readers to fall in love with a girl that was accomplice to murder. And Nikki does change, eventually. It’s sort of a long process, as she realizes her boyfriend isn’t who she thought he was and that she really is at fault in the situation she didn’t pull the trigger, but she helped with everything up to that point and afterward. I really liked this book there’s anything I didn’t like about the book because I like things that have to do with investigating crimes and resolving them. I liked when the detectives were asking her questions and also I liked how she did everything she could do for Dee. I recommend this book to everyone that likes to investigate or likes mystery and also people who are curious.
By Terra Elan McVoy.
“Crimes” was published in May 7, 2013. Nikki's life is far from perfect, but at least she has Dee. Her friends tell her that Dee is not good, but Nikki can’t imagine herself without him. He’s hot, he’s dangerous, he has her initials tattooed over his heart, and she loves him more than anything. There’s nothing Nikki wouldn’t do for Dee. Absolutely nothing.
So when Dee pulls Nikki into a crime—a crime that ends in murder—Nikki tells herself that it’s all for true love. Nothing can break them apart. Not the police. Not the arrest that lands Nikki in jail. Not even the investigators who want her to testify against him.
But what if Dee had motives that Nikki knew nothing about? Nikki’s love for Dee is supposed to be unconditional…but even true love has a limit. And Nikki just might have reached hers.
Being honest, it's hard to like Nikki, especially at the beginning of the book because she’s not making good choices, and they are fairly serious choices since it is an issue of murder and jail time. I think the McVoy’s intention with this novel is for her readers to fall in love with a girl that was accomplice to murder. And Nikki does change, eventually. It’s sort of a long process, as she realizes her boyfriend isn’t who she thought he was and that she really is at fault in the situation she didn’t pull the trigger, but she helped with everything up to that point and afterward. I really liked this book there’s anything I didn’t like about the book because I like things that have to do with investigating crimes and resolving them. I liked when the detectives were asking her questions and also I liked how she did everything she could do for Dee. I recommend this book to everyone that likes to investigate or likes mystery and also people who are curious.
May 8, 2013
With no family to lean on, Nikki is newly 18 and mixed up with Dee. Blinded by love she makes an irreversible mistake and lands in the middle of a homicide investigation. When police start putting pressure on her only friend, Bird, Nikki knows it's time to start talking. Speaking to the police, she doesn't confess the events of August 24th, not exactly. But the police have information that she doesn't know.
It is uncomfortable hearing Nikki beg Dee for attention or to call her because one can remember desperate pleas made in youth. But right there is where McVoy hooks you. Everyone remembers mistakes they made and bad influences they hung around. We all learned a few lessons "the hard way." Luckily, most of us are able to shake these people off and move on. Maybe have a few crazy stories to tell later. But Nikki is in some Real.Deep.Trouble. She realizes "I'd helped him with the entire plot, even if I hadn't known it."
McVoy integrates Atlanta landmarks into the storyline such as Lenox Mall or the "purple" movie theater on Shallowford as well as the numerous QTs. She also applies the southern urban vernacular perfectly. There is no strain or overkill when it is employed. It's as smooth as Duke's mayo. (See what I did there.)
This story will take you out of your comfort zone and into the raw, gritty reality of a girl struggling to become an adult in an environment that considers her disposable. It tells the hard lessons learned in the truth of actions, lies of lovers, and the consequences of both.
** I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review **
April 27, 2013
Terra Elan McVoy's first novel, Pure, is one of my favorite books ever. Her next two were good but nowhere near as great as Pure was (I haven't read her fourth novel, the one before this one). And so when I was accepted for the blog tour for Criminal, I was excited and nervous. I wasn't sure if she'd ever write something I loved as much as I do Pure.
This one isn't up to Pure status, either, but it was close.
Reading this as a grownup, I wanted to shake Nikki. It was SO OBVIOUS that Dee is bad news and just a complete asshat besides. He treats her horribly and she doesn't care---or even, really, notice. She wrecks the good relationships in her life to keep chasing after Dee, and that would be bad enough until he drags her into the murder.
Even after she knows what kind of person he is (the kind to kill someone else in cold blood and broad daylight), she still is begging for scraps of his attention and I was just like, "NIKKI, NO."
I think this is such an important book for teen girls to read because while most people won't be in this particular situation, it still serves to show the potential consequences of chasing after people who will never make you a priority.
But even beyond its purpose as a cautionary tale, Criminal is a fun book to read. Even though I knew that things wouldn't go well for Nikki, I wanted to see what would cause the house of cards to collapse and just how bad said collapse would get.
And even though I knew better, I hoped that things would end well for Nikki. (And that Dee would get everything that was coming to him and more. Because I hated Dee SO MUCH.)
Highly recommended.
This one isn't up to Pure status, either, but it was close.
Reading this as a grownup, I wanted to shake Nikki. It was SO OBVIOUS that Dee is bad news and just a complete asshat besides. He treats her horribly and she doesn't care---or even, really, notice. She wrecks the good relationships in her life to keep chasing after Dee, and that would be bad enough until he drags her into the murder.
Even after she knows what kind of person he is (the kind to kill someone else in cold blood and broad daylight), she still is begging for scraps of his attention and I was just like, "NIKKI, NO."
I think this is such an important book for teen girls to read because while most people won't be in this particular situation, it still serves to show the potential consequences of chasing after people who will never make you a priority.
But even beyond its purpose as a cautionary tale, Criminal is a fun book to read. Even though I knew that things wouldn't go well for Nikki, I wanted to see what would cause the house of cards to collapse and just how bad said collapse would get.
And even though I knew better, I hoped that things would end well for Nikki. (And that Dee would get everything that was coming to him and more. Because I hated Dee SO MUCH.)
Highly recommended.
July 13, 2014
Okay, I know Terra McVoy, and sometimes play gigs with her husband, who is a fine musician. But I hadn't really planned to read any of her books - I'm 55 years old, and not exactly her target audience, since she's a "young adult" writer. But the reviews of Criminal intrigued me, so I decided to give it a try.
Well, talent wins out. I quickly became drawn into the story, almost against my will. Criminal is realistic and satisfying, if not "happy." Some of the other reviewers are annoyed by how much Nikki is under the spell of Dee, who is (to us readers) obviously no good. But McVoy creates Nikki's background in such a way that her almost pathological need for his approval makes perfect sense. This is a strong book, with a strong, but inevitable conclusion.
Brava, Terra McVoy - after reading this book I'm even more honored to know you.
Well, talent wins out. I quickly became drawn into the story, almost against my will. Criminal is realistic and satisfying, if not "happy." Some of the other reviewers are annoyed by how much Nikki is under the spell of Dee, who is (to us readers) obviously no good. But McVoy creates Nikki's background in such a way that her almost pathological need for his approval makes perfect sense. This is a strong book, with a strong, but inevitable conclusion.
Brava, Terra McVoy - after reading this book I'm even more honored to know you.
October 1, 2015
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Is "enjoy" the right word? Maybe it's better to say that I appreciated it. While Nikki's story takes her need for male approval to an extreme most girls wouldn't, I was struck by how much I recognized her logic from thoughts I've had myself. The book was more graphic than I would prefer (maybe should be labeled New Adult?), but the message is one that I wish every young woman could internalize.
to-read-or-not-to-read
May 13, 2013I want to read this, but I have a feeling that I'll hate hate hate the main character. I know this type of stuff happens, and I'm not being ignorant towards it. It's just that from the reviews I have a gut reaction that this one is going to frustrate me to no end, so I'm probably going to pass on this one.
October 23, 2014
A good read. I think it is a YA book recommended to me by the author when I stopped into the children's book store she managed before becoming a full time write. If you like Orange is the New Black, you will like this.
November 22, 2013
Powerful and raw! This book will grab your attention and keep it. It was a different type of read, but terribly profound on so many levels.
March 30, 2016
I am still very interested into the book and it is getting better and better as I dive deeper into the book.
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