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Hit #2
Strike
From the author of the “gritty near-future dystopian tale,” (Booklist) Hit comes the thrilling sequel about an indentured assassin fighting to survive in a world of anarchy.
The hit list was just the beginning.
Time to strike back.
After faking her own death to escape her term as an indentured assassin for Valor Savings Bank, Patsy is on the run with her boyfriend, Wyatt. All she wants to do is go home, but that’s never going to happen—not as long as Valor’s out to get her and the people she loves.
Left with no good choices, Patsy’s only option is to meet with a mysterious group that calls itself the Citizens for Freedom.
Led by the charismatic Leon Crane, the CFF seem like just what Patsy has been looking for. Leon promises that if she joins, she’ll finally get revenge on Valor for everything they’ve done to her—and for everything they’ve made her do.
But Patsy knows the CFF has a few secrets of their own. One thing is certain: they’ll do absolutely anything to complete their mission, no matter who’s standing in their way. Even if it’s Patsy herself.
Delilah S. Dawson brings anarchy and high-octane drama to the next explosive level in this sequel to the “practically movie-ready” (Kirkus Reviews) novel, Hit.
The hit list was just the beginning.
Time to strike back.
After faking her own death to escape her term as an indentured assassin for Valor Savings Bank, Patsy is on the run with her boyfriend, Wyatt. All she wants to do is go home, but that’s never going to happen—not as long as Valor’s out to get her and the people she loves.
Left with no good choices, Patsy’s only option is to meet with a mysterious group that calls itself the Citizens for Freedom.
Led by the charismatic Leon Crane, the CFF seem like just what Patsy has been looking for. Leon promises that if she joins, she’ll finally get revenge on Valor for everything they’ve done to her—and for everything they’ve made her do.
But Patsy knows the CFF has a few secrets of their own. One thing is certain: they’ll do absolutely anything to complete their mission, no matter who’s standing in their way. Even if it’s Patsy herself.
Delilah S. Dawson brings anarchy and high-octane drama to the next explosive level in this sequel to the “practically movie-ready” (Kirkus Reviews) novel, Hit.
288 pages, Audiobook
First published April 12, 2016
8 people are currently reading
757 people want to read
About the author
Delilah S. Dawson
173 books2,802 followersDelilah S. Dawson is the New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma, Black Spire: Galaxy's Edge, and The Perfect Weapon. With Kevin Hearne, she writes the Tales of Pell. As Lila Bowen, she writes the Shadow series, beginning with Wake of Vultures. Her other books include the Blud series, the Hit series, and Servants of the Storm.
She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.
Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.
She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.
Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 31, 2022
Once again, Delilah Dawson turns in an entertaining book. If I had to describe Dawson's writing in a single word, it would be Visceral. Her writing is hard and dark and yet easy to read and really compelling.
When I read "Hit" earlier this month, I knew this was a special series. I'm actually disappointed that I couldn't get a third book, because it is so entertaining.
An odd thing I can say about this is that this book felt like Stranger Things, but without the Sci-Fi elements. Particularly the climax reminded me of the Stranger Things Season 3 finale. Otherwise, this feels a lot like The Hunger Games, but in a more realistic and a scarier situation.
Yet again, Dawson uses too much language for a YA book series. If the language was toned down, this book would really be a high rating for me.
This book has a much larger cast of characters than the first book. Dawson really set herself up for a big world here, and you can tell that while book one was an intimate character journey, this is meant to sprawl into an epic. This book is almost 50% longer, not really a book to be read in a single sitting like its predecessor. Most of the characters were really memorable, and there were some fun twists and turns (some were obvious, some were a pleasant surprise).
This book really explores the themes present in an anarchy, specifically about when a group of Freedom Fighters is created. Obviously, the government here is bad, but some of the Freedom Fighter groups are just as bad. Who do you back? It really does draw from some of the same themes as the third and fourth hunger games films (and book I'm assuming, although I haven't read it yet, but I will this year!)
This book also explores the themes of PTSD and found family. I really enjoyed both and thought that Dawson has a unique take on both themes. Dawson's fellow writer Chuck Wendig likes to write Found Family stories, but I think that Dawson is much better at it. However, Dawson also explores themes of PTSD that authors like Brandon Sanderson explore, but I think Brandon is a little bit better at it as well.
There is a moment where a group is referred to as "Hillbilly Borg", which got a big laugh out of me. I also really enjoyed some of the obscure references, such as "Watership Down" and "My Milkshake Brings all the Boys to the Yard". Dawson has some serious easter egg chops!
Overall, this is an entertaining book, but it is hindered from greatness by its language. It also wasn't as propulsive or compelling as its predecessor., However, it is still very good and well worth the read for YA fans (but wait until you are an adult, please wait until you're an adult to read). 7.5 out of 10!
When I read "Hit" earlier this month, I knew this was a special series. I'm actually disappointed that I couldn't get a third book, because it is so entertaining.
An odd thing I can say about this is that this book felt like Stranger Things, but without the Sci-Fi elements. Particularly the climax reminded me of the Stranger Things Season 3 finale. Otherwise, this feels a lot like The Hunger Games, but in a more realistic and a scarier situation.
Yet again, Dawson uses too much language for a YA book series. If the language was toned down, this book would really be a high rating for me.
This book has a much larger cast of characters than the first book. Dawson really set herself up for a big world here, and you can tell that while book one was an intimate character journey, this is meant to sprawl into an epic. This book is almost 50% longer, not really a book to be read in a single sitting like its predecessor. Most of the characters were really memorable, and there were some fun twists and turns (some were obvious, some were a pleasant surprise).
This book really explores the themes present in an anarchy, specifically about when a group of Freedom Fighters is created. Obviously, the government here is bad, but some of the Freedom Fighter groups are just as bad. Who do you back? It really does draw from some of the same themes as the third and fourth hunger games films (and book I'm assuming, although I haven't read it yet, but I will this year!)
This book also explores the themes of PTSD and found family. I really enjoyed both and thought that Dawson has a unique take on both themes. Dawson's fellow writer Chuck Wendig likes to write Found Family stories, but I think that Dawson is much better at it. However, Dawson also explores themes of PTSD that authors like Brandon Sanderson explore, but I think Brandon is a little bit better at it as well.
There is a moment where a group is referred to as "Hillbilly Borg", which got a big laugh out of me. I also really enjoyed some of the obscure references, such as "Watership Down" and "My Milkshake Brings all the Boys to the Yard". Dawson has some serious easter egg chops!
Overall, this is an entertaining book, but it is hindered from greatness by its language. It also wasn't as propulsive or compelling as its predecessor., However, it is still very good and well worth the read for YA fans (but wait until you are an adult, please wait until you're an adult to read). 7.5 out of 10!
April 1, 2022
I agree with my friend Sharon on this one:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This author, Ms. Dawson, would love to write more novels for this series. But apparently the publishers aren’t interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/questions/1...
3 stars. And if you are interested, please read the first novel in the series before this one. It won’t make sense otherwise.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This author, Ms. Dawson, would love to write more novels for this series. But apparently the publishers aren’t interested:
https://www.goodreads.com/questions/1...
3 stars. And if you are interested, please read the first novel in the series before this one. It won’t make sense otherwise.
May 8, 2016
My original STRIKE (HIT #2) audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Picking up moments after the conclusion of the previous book, Hit, Strike finds Patsy Cline and her boyfriend, Wyatt, on the run with a truckload of laptops containing information on Valor Savings Bank’s conspiracy to buy out the United States government. They run headlong into the arms of the underground rebellion, the CFF – Citizens For Freedom – and its militaristic cell leader, Leon Crane. The CFF is composed of those few who are aware of Valor’s takeover and the demise of US democracy, and their plan is to fight back, no matter the cost. Joined by a handful of other teens on the run from Valor and united by their recent shared history as indentured assassins for the New World Order of Valor Savings, Patsy soon discovers that the CFF has secrets of its own.
As with Hit, author Delilah S. Dawson tells a hard-edged story of young adult dystopia packed with plenty of action, thrills, and more importantly, believable characters. Patsy and Wyatt are a great couple, and it’s fun to watch their relationship deepen, while Patsy grows into her role as a leader as their circle of friends expands. There’s plenty of paranoia to go around, especially as the teens find their world turned upside down more than once across the duration of Strike, and Dawson presents plenty of solid world-building to flesh out Valor’s history and plans to take over the nation.
One of the elements that I appreciated the most in both of these books is the setting of rural Georgia. While the threat of Valor is nation-wide, Dawson’s choice to place the start of a financial takeover dystopia in the suburbs and backwoods locales of her own backyard in the South provides a brilliant bit of scenery, and a much appreciated change of pace from the usual big-city areas these types of stories are typically set-in. It also helps give Strike a fun little bit of Red Dawn flavor!
Returning to narrate is Rebekkah Ross, whose performance here is a great as it was the first time around. If you liked her work in Hit, and I most certainly did, then you’ll do just fine with her second turn with these characters in Strike. Her Southern accents are well-done to this Northerner’s ears, but never distract in the few instances they’re used. Ross maintains a “typical” American accent for the bulk of her narration, making the audiobook completely accessible. She does a good job hitting a deeper register for the male characters, and demonstrates enough vocal range to provide separation among the various characters during dialogue. The production values are solid across the board, and this audiobook is a representative of the professional qualities I would expect from a major publisher like Simon & Schuster Audio.
[Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com.]
Picking up moments after the conclusion of the previous book, Hit, Strike finds Patsy Cline and her boyfriend, Wyatt, on the run with a truckload of laptops containing information on Valor Savings Bank’s conspiracy to buy out the United States government. They run headlong into the arms of the underground rebellion, the CFF – Citizens For Freedom – and its militaristic cell leader, Leon Crane. The CFF is composed of those few who are aware of Valor’s takeover and the demise of US democracy, and their plan is to fight back, no matter the cost. Joined by a handful of other teens on the run from Valor and united by their recent shared history as indentured assassins for the New World Order of Valor Savings, Patsy soon discovers that the CFF has secrets of its own.
As with Hit, author Delilah S. Dawson tells a hard-edged story of young adult dystopia packed with plenty of action, thrills, and more importantly, believable characters. Patsy and Wyatt are a great couple, and it’s fun to watch their relationship deepen, while Patsy grows into her role as a leader as their circle of friends expands. There’s plenty of paranoia to go around, especially as the teens find their world turned upside down more than once across the duration of Strike, and Dawson presents plenty of solid world-building to flesh out Valor’s history and plans to take over the nation.
One of the elements that I appreciated the most in both of these books is the setting of rural Georgia. While the threat of Valor is nation-wide, Dawson’s choice to place the start of a financial takeover dystopia in the suburbs and backwoods locales of her own backyard in the South provides a brilliant bit of scenery, and a much appreciated change of pace from the usual big-city areas these types of stories are typically set-in. It also helps give Strike a fun little bit of Red Dawn flavor!
Returning to narrate is Rebekkah Ross, whose performance here is a great as it was the first time around. If you liked her work in Hit, and I most certainly did, then you’ll do just fine with her second turn with these characters in Strike. Her Southern accents are well-done to this Northerner’s ears, but never distract in the few instances they’re used. Ross maintains a “typical” American accent for the bulk of her narration, making the audiobook completely accessible. She does a good job hitting a deeper register for the male characters, and demonstrates enough vocal range to provide separation among the various characters during dialogue. The production values are solid across the board, and this audiobook is a representative of the professional qualities I would expect from a major publisher like Simon & Schuster Audio.
[Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com.]
January 15, 2018
Preeeetty sure those pages were laced with crack cocaine. Couldn’t stop reading the book!
I’m sad to see this book came out in 2016 and it doesn’t seem like there’s another book planned. Spoiler...
There’s a lot that’s left that needs to be wrapped up. A good ending for the book, but if this is a series ender, I’m definitely not satisfied. I’m guessing that was more of the publisher’s call than the author’s.
I’m sad to see this book came out in 2016 and it doesn’t seem like there’s another book planned. Spoiler...
There’s a lot that’s left that needs to be wrapped up. A good ending for the book, but if this is a series ender, I’m definitely not satisfied. I’m guessing that was more of the publisher’s call than the author’s.
July 18, 2016
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
So I read and reviewed Hit last year and it was a mixed bag for me. On one hand, it was entertaining and exciting, but some of the world building stuff didn't make a lot of sense to me. In this book, not only are some of my questions answered, but since I already knew that there was some strange stuff going in, it wasn't a problem at all.
A lot of the book is pretty realistic feeling- they worry about normal things (such a win for me- girls worried about period supplies, because of course they would be!), and daily living stuff. This isn't to say that the book was slow or anything, it just included things that made it feel far more plausible. I also liked the turn the story took in the sequel, which of course I am not expanding on because spoilers.
The characters are witty and entertaining, and I enjoyed the new characters that have been added to the story. I do hope there is a third book (though there is no indication of one at this point) because it wrapped up a decent part of the plot for this book, but it seems like there is more to the story. I hope one day we get it!
Bottom Line: Overall, it was a solid installment, but I will have a serious case of the sads if there is no third book. I kind of became attached to Patsy and company!
*Copy provided by publisher for review
So I read and reviewed Hit last year and it was a mixed bag for me. On one hand, it was entertaining and exciting, but some of the world building stuff didn't make a lot of sense to me. In this book, not only are some of my questions answered, but since I already knew that there was some strange stuff going in, it wasn't a problem at all.
A lot of the book is pretty realistic feeling- they worry about normal things (such a win for me- girls worried about period supplies, because of course they would be!), and daily living stuff. This isn't to say that the book was slow or anything, it just included things that made it feel far more plausible. I also liked the turn the story took in the sequel, which of course I am not expanding on because spoilers.
The characters are witty and entertaining, and I enjoyed the new characters that have been added to the story. I do hope there is a third book (though there is no indication of one at this point) because it wrapped up a decent part of the plot for this book, but it seems like there is more to the story. I hope one day we get it!
Bottom Line: Overall, it was a solid installment, but I will have a serious case of the sads if there is no third book. I kind of became attached to Patsy and company!
*Copy provided by publisher for review
July 19, 2016
Strike is a direct sequel to Hit and starts immediately with the aftermath of Patsy and Wyatt's decisions from that first book. On the run and nowhere to go, Patsy, Wyatt and some unexpected friends are forced to join Citizens for Freedom. A group that considers themselves the answer to the Valor problem, Patsy soon finds out that CFF is not exactly what she had hoped. With few options in front of them, will Patsy and Wyatt have what it takes to survive?
In her attempt to capture the feeling of the first book, author Delilah S. Dawson tries too hard and the end result is not nearly as good. The best part of Strike is the ending, as it eludes to a more interesting premise in what I hope is no more than a trilogy. If Strike is a bridge book, than it has done its job of opening the doors for the future installment. Readers who are new to the series should seriously read Hit first, as this book has no impact without the first.
In her attempt to capture the feeling of the first book, author Delilah S. Dawson tries too hard and the end result is not nearly as good. The best part of Strike is the ending, as it eludes to a more interesting premise in what I hope is no more than a trilogy. If Strike is a bridge book, than it has done its job of opening the doors for the future installment. Readers who are new to the series should seriously read Hit first, as this book has no impact without the first.
July 17, 2016
Am I the only person who thought this was a mess compared to Hit? From what I got out of Strike, the core of this story's plot is turning out to be just a soapy, melodramatic mess, nothing complex or profound about it. Please take longer and take more care to write the finale.
December 7, 2017
dear readers,
The book "strike" takes place in the US and the government is being controlled by a bank who kills people for really minor reasons. A group of kids who had their parents killed or taken away and are wanted from the government, are on a journey to take down this oppressive government. They join other rebels but they don't have the same way of thinking.
I thought the book was very fun to read because of how the author was using much detail and I could picture the whole story as though I was reading a movie. I love reading books who talk about rebels who go against the government. Also, when he is writing about the characters he really explains every details about this person. This allows the reader to create the character with their imagination.
The book "strike" takes place in the US and the government is being controlled by a bank who kills people for really minor reasons. A group of kids who had their parents killed or taken away and are wanted from the government, are on a journey to take down this oppressive government. They join other rebels but they don't have the same way of thinking.
I thought the book was very fun to read because of how the author was using much detail and I could picture the whole story as though I was reading a movie. I love reading books who talk about rebels who go against the government. Also, when he is writing about the characters he really explains every details about this person. This allows the reader to create the character with their imagination.
May 21, 2019
I don't usually like dystopias, but Hit caught my attention because of the author and the fact that it was available at the time I looked for it from my library.
Strike just feels like its a good middle book -like its setting up the big finale, but there doesn't seem to be a book 3... (yet?)
Strike just feels like its a good middle book -like its setting up the big finale, but there doesn't seem to be a book 3... (yet?)
September 21, 2016
The basic premise of this series is that an apparently evil big bank has bought up the US national debt and has very quietly taken over the country. Its first step was to enlist teenage assassins to thin the “dead weight” — people with huge debts to Valor and no prospect of paying them off. Patsy is one of those teen assassins, forced to do so by means of her mother’s own debt. (If she doesn’t, her mother becomes some of that dead weight.)
And all of this has been consented to, because who ever reads the full terms of service when applying for a credit card?
The premise does stretch the credibility a little bit, at least for me — though that might be because I don’t live in the US, with its sub-prime mortgage crisis as part of my personal experience. Still, if you can accept the premise, these books are lightning-paced and sooooo addictive; I gobbled Strike up in two days. (I did the same with Hit. I love Dawson’s writing style.)
In Strike, we pick the story up where Hit leaves off; Patsy and Wyatt are on the run with a trail of bodies behind them, unable to go home, out of cash and unwilling to use Wyatt’s credit card for obvious reasons. So they hook up with the local chapter of the Citizens for Freedom, an underground group seeking to resist Valor’s sneaky national takeover by fighting against the capitalist machine. Leon Crane is the head of the local chapter. His family owns a lot of the small businesses around town, and you’d think he’d be all for Valor and its focus on the almighty dollar, but he’s an anarchist and creepy cult leader at heart. He is especially fond of recruiting the ex-Valor teen assassins — who better to use as his field agents?
Of course, he and Patsy … don’t get on.
I really love how Patsy develops in this story. She’s clearly suffering from PTSD, but she’s also able to knuckle down when she has to. She discovers a new, non-lethal way to rebel, via graffiti tags — hence the awesome cover. Graffiti is much quicker and clearer in delivering a message than yarn-bombing; Patsy’s use of it becomes a bit of a psychological crutch, and like all good crutches gets her into strife.
Patsy is devoted to her mother and her labrador, Matty, and very concerned that she not turn into the detached killer that Leon and Valor both seem to want her to be. That’s not to say that she won’t pull the trigger when she has to, though. She’s had a lot of practice at it by this point.
Her relationship with Wyatt is something that on the one hand feels a little rushed, but on the other is entirely understandable given the place they’ve both been put in. I got a bit annoyed at Patsy at one point when she gets mad at Wyatt for something that was not his fault — given that in the first book he manages to forgive her in fairly short order for killing his father. (Even though he hated his father, that still took an impressive effort.) I’m not saying I don’t understand her desire to lash out at someone, but poor Wyatt didn’t really deserve it.
Fortunately for her, he has the patience of a saint and is willing to give her the space she needs to cool down. I think we all need a Wyatt in our lives.
One of the reasons this book didn’t earn a full five stars from me was that I found the CFF’s methods and choice of targets a little strange. How does sending the owner of a store franchise broke via extreme acts of vandalism hurt a big bank/new government like Valor? Why not target Valor itself? Maybe I missed something? But we get to find out more about Patsy’s absentee father, see more of the connection between the bank and her family, learn why her list of targets in Hit all bore some connection to her rather than being random.
I’m unsure whether the series is intended to be a trilogy or perhaps longer, but although there isn’t a cliffhanger ending there are still some plot threads left unresolved. I’m definitely keen for book three!
And all of this has been consented to, because who ever reads the full terms of service when applying for a credit card?
The premise does stretch the credibility a little bit, at least for me — though that might be because I don’t live in the US, with its sub-prime mortgage crisis as part of my personal experience. Still, if you can accept the premise, these books are lightning-paced and sooooo addictive; I gobbled Strike up in two days. (I did the same with Hit. I love Dawson’s writing style.)
In Strike, we pick the story up where Hit leaves off; Patsy and Wyatt are on the run with a trail of bodies behind them, unable to go home, out of cash and unwilling to use Wyatt’s credit card for obvious reasons. So they hook up with the local chapter of the Citizens for Freedom, an underground group seeking to resist Valor’s sneaky national takeover by fighting against the capitalist machine. Leon Crane is the head of the local chapter. His family owns a lot of the small businesses around town, and you’d think he’d be all for Valor and its focus on the almighty dollar, but he’s an anarchist and creepy cult leader at heart. He is especially fond of recruiting the ex-Valor teen assassins — who better to use as his field agents?
Of course, he and Patsy … don’t get on.
I really love how Patsy develops in this story. She’s clearly suffering from PTSD, but she’s also able to knuckle down when she has to. She discovers a new, non-lethal way to rebel, via graffiti tags — hence the awesome cover. Graffiti is much quicker and clearer in delivering a message than yarn-bombing; Patsy’s use of it becomes a bit of a psychological crutch, and like all good crutches gets her into strife.
Patsy is devoted to her mother and her labrador, Matty, and very concerned that she not turn into the detached killer that Leon and Valor both seem to want her to be. That’s not to say that she won’t pull the trigger when she has to, though. She’s had a lot of practice at it by this point.
Her relationship with Wyatt is something that on the one hand feels a little rushed, but on the other is entirely understandable given the place they’ve both been put in. I got a bit annoyed at Patsy at one point when she gets mad at Wyatt for something that was not his fault — given that in the first book he manages to forgive her in fairly short order for killing his father. (Even though he hated his father, that still took an impressive effort.) I’m not saying I don’t understand her desire to lash out at someone, but poor Wyatt didn’t really deserve it.
Fortunately for her, he has the patience of a saint and is willing to give her the space she needs to cool down. I think we all need a Wyatt in our lives.
One of the reasons this book didn’t earn a full five stars from me was that I found the CFF’s methods and choice of targets a little strange. How does sending the owner of a store franchise broke via extreme acts of vandalism hurt a big bank/new government like Valor? Why not target Valor itself? Maybe I missed something? But we get to find out more about Patsy’s absentee father, see more of the connection between the bank and her family, learn why her list of targets in Hit all bore some connection to her rather than being random.
I’m unsure whether the series is intended to be a trilogy or perhaps longer, but although there isn’t a cliffhanger ending there are still some plot threads left unresolved. I’m definitely keen for book three!
February 3, 2017
This is the 2nd book in the Hit series. It was a super engaging and high octane continuation of this post-apocalyptic thriller. I ended up careening through this book pretty quickly and was left eager to read more.
Patsy has faked her own death and is trying to decide what to do next before Valor finds her and retaliates against her actions. Her and Wyatt decide to join The Citizens for Freedom; which they find out is just as bad as Valor in its own way.
We find out a lot more in this book about how and why Valor took over the country. We also find out a lot more about how Patsy is involved and why she was targeted. Additionally we learn about Wyatt’s past as well.
My favorite part of the book was all the new and interesting characters that are introduced. They are all well done and fun to read about.
This book is intense; there is a lot of violence and some torture so it’s not for the faint of heart. However, this makes the book absolutely heart-stopping at points and very hard to put down. There are also some wonderful tender scenes between Wyatt and Patsy that are an excellent counter-balance to the violence throughout.
It’s very intriguing to see how each of the characters deals with this collapse of civilization and the forced violence in their own way.
Overall I ended up enjoying this book a lot and am curious to see where things end up in the third and final book of this series! I would recommend to those who are interested in post-apocalyptic thrillers or government conspiracy types of books.
Patsy has faked her own death and is trying to decide what to do next before Valor finds her and retaliates against her actions. Her and Wyatt decide to join The Citizens for Freedom; which they find out is just as bad as Valor in its own way.
We find out a lot more in this book about how and why Valor took over the country. We also find out a lot more about how Patsy is involved and why she was targeted. Additionally we learn about Wyatt’s past as well.
My favorite part of the book was all the new and interesting characters that are introduced. They are all well done and fun to read about.
This book is intense; there is a lot of violence and some torture so it’s not for the faint of heart. However, this makes the book absolutely heart-stopping at points and very hard to put down. There are also some wonderful tender scenes between Wyatt and Patsy that are an excellent counter-balance to the violence throughout.
It’s very intriguing to see how each of the characters deals with this collapse of civilization and the forced violence in their own way.
Overall I ended up enjoying this book a lot and am curious to see where things end up in the third and final book of this series! I would recommend to those who are interested in post-apocalyptic thrillers or government conspiracy types of books.
September 18, 2016
This book picks up right where Hit left off with Patsy, Wyatt and friends escaping Valor and joining up with the CFF (citizens for freedom) as a means to hide. The longer they are with this group the become suspect of their true motives. The things they ask Patsy and friends to do weigh heavy on her, but they needs to figure out what their ultimate goal. There are quite a few surprises and some close calls that kept me listening to this dystopian audiobook. Patsy at times became annoying and whiny, but it was understandable given the pressure she is under. Expertly narrated by Rebekkah Ross.
December 20, 2024
Summary
Hiding from Valor, Pasty and her boyfriend Wyatt (and a snake and a dog named Matt) are on the run. With very little money and nowhere to stay, you could say they are struggling. When they find an old drug house and it gets broken into while they are there, Pasty shoots a little boy named Kevin, who is with Chance and Gabriella. The next day they all go to a CFF (Citizens for Freedom) meeting. They get into this group where they fight Valor. Valor is a company who is ruining the world because they put so many people in debt and are now trying to get them to pay, work it off, or kill them. CFF accepts the whole group and the animals into the program. Pasty’s mom has cancer and her dad left her, so to make her do the work Leon, who is the leader of CFF, takes her mom and holds her captive.
Over the time they are at CFF they get sent on many missions to destroy Valor, and they have to kill multiple people. One day Leon gives Pasty a mission of putting a bunch of “color bombs” into a mall on Thanksgiving so Valor can’t scam people on Black Friday. However she can only put a couple down before the mall cop starts getting suspicious, so she takes the rest back and hides them in the buildings around camp and leaves one in her bag in her trailer.
That night there is a knock at their door, it ends up being Pasty’s dad. They go on a walk and Leon tries to get them killed so they hide in an underground bunker. Pasty’s dad was the computer guy for CFF and when he tells Pasty the “color bombs” were actual bombs, she has to tell him what she did with them. They are able to contact all of Pasty’s group through burner phones and tell them what was happening and where to meet. When they come to the spot Pasty’s mom gets out of the car too, however someone is missing.
Matty is missing. When Pasty realizes this she freaks out. They go to a safe house, where she calls Leon and he tells her he has her and he’s not afraid to hurt her. Pasty is willing to do anything for the dog saying “Drop the crap Leon. Just tell me what you want for her” (352). Pasty’s dad knows what they are going to do to her, put her in the bomb boxes inside the mall. So they have a plan to go save her. Everyone is supposed to be by themselves at the mall (Wyatt and Pasty ended up together) looking through every box for the dog. When they find a dog, it’s not Matty, they also find Leon, where Pasty kills him, but his backups shoot at the group and end up killing her dad. They are forced to leave if they want to make it out alive. They still didn’t have the dog though.
However when they go outside they find Gabriella with the dog and said she was tied up outback with Valor people and she took her and left. Pasty’s dad stocked up the car with anything and everything they needed to survive, like he planned on dying in the car. Because of this, they are free and drive to wherever the wind takes them, away from CFF and Valor and live freely. What a Happy Thanksgiving for them.
Characters
Pasty grew throughout the book because in the beginning she acted like she didn’t care about the people she was killing, but over the story she started becoming more emotional which most readers like. At the beginning Pasty’s dad isn’t known by the readers, but overtime he becomes known and shows he is willing to do anything for his daughters. As well as his true intentions for leaving her weren’t meant to be bad. Wyatt is just like Pasty, he shows more and more emotion throughout the whole book.
Theme
The theme of this story is oppression. This is exhibited first when Valor is trying to take down the whole world. They are forcing unfair punishments such as death on everyone who they got in debt. This can also be seen when CFF makes Pasty go on all of these missions to get her mom back, yet they are still unfair to her. This is expressed when Leon states “I’ve got one more big job for you after this. Then you can have your mama” (192). Overall, both of the programs show oppression so it is the theme of the book.
Personal Reflection
I liked this book a lot. It is very suspenseful and I never got bored of reading it. Everytime I started reading it was like I couldn't put it down. However, at the beginning it was kind of hard to follow along but once I learned all of the characters and where they came from it became very intriguing. I really liked how they introduced Pasty’s dad at the beginning as a deadbeat dad who didn't care about his kid, which made me not like him. In the end he became one of my favorite characters because he died for his daughter and only left her for her own good in the beginning . I also liked how they met because I was definitely not expecting him to be the one knocking on the door. Overall this book was really interesting and I really enjoyed reading it.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to someone who likes suspense and violence in a book. If you can’t handle blood or murder this book is probably not for you. The author is very good about going into detail about the murders, so if that is something that is intriguing to you this would be a great book for you. Overall this book was really good, I would recommend it!
Real-World Connection
This book focuses a lot on oppression from the government. Oppression is a big topic in the world because there are many things throughout the world that are unfair to some people and help others, causing oppression. This book talks about it from the government which can also be seen throughout the world. Strike shows how to fight through it and how to stand up for your freedom. In some countries people can’t do this or else they will be killed. However, this book gives a good perspective on how to never give up and if you are going to go down, do it fighting for your good. It gives good ideas about oppression and how to fight against it, which is unfortunately needed in the world today.
Hiding from Valor, Pasty and her boyfriend Wyatt (and a snake and a dog named Matt) are on the run. With very little money and nowhere to stay, you could say they are struggling. When they find an old drug house and it gets broken into while they are there, Pasty shoots a little boy named Kevin, who is with Chance and Gabriella. The next day they all go to a CFF (Citizens for Freedom) meeting. They get into this group where they fight Valor. Valor is a company who is ruining the world because they put so many people in debt and are now trying to get them to pay, work it off, or kill them. CFF accepts the whole group and the animals into the program. Pasty’s mom has cancer and her dad left her, so to make her do the work Leon, who is the leader of CFF, takes her mom and holds her captive.
Over the time they are at CFF they get sent on many missions to destroy Valor, and they have to kill multiple people. One day Leon gives Pasty a mission of putting a bunch of “color bombs” into a mall on Thanksgiving so Valor can’t scam people on Black Friday. However she can only put a couple down before the mall cop starts getting suspicious, so she takes the rest back and hides them in the buildings around camp and leaves one in her bag in her trailer.
That night there is a knock at their door, it ends up being Pasty’s dad. They go on a walk and Leon tries to get them killed so they hide in an underground bunker. Pasty’s dad was the computer guy for CFF and when he tells Pasty the “color bombs” were actual bombs, she has to tell him what she did with them. They are able to contact all of Pasty’s group through burner phones and tell them what was happening and where to meet. When they come to the spot Pasty’s mom gets out of the car too, however someone is missing.
Matty is missing. When Pasty realizes this she freaks out. They go to a safe house, where she calls Leon and he tells her he has her and he’s not afraid to hurt her. Pasty is willing to do anything for the dog saying “Drop the crap Leon. Just tell me what you want for her” (352). Pasty’s dad knows what they are going to do to her, put her in the bomb boxes inside the mall. So they have a plan to go save her. Everyone is supposed to be by themselves at the mall (Wyatt and Pasty ended up together) looking through every box for the dog. When they find a dog, it’s not Matty, they also find Leon, where Pasty kills him, but his backups shoot at the group and end up killing her dad. They are forced to leave if they want to make it out alive. They still didn’t have the dog though.
However when they go outside they find Gabriella with the dog and said she was tied up outback with Valor people and she took her and left. Pasty’s dad stocked up the car with anything and everything they needed to survive, like he planned on dying in the car. Because of this, they are free and drive to wherever the wind takes them, away from CFF and Valor and live freely. What a Happy Thanksgiving for them.
Characters
Pasty grew throughout the book because in the beginning she acted like she didn’t care about the people she was killing, but over the story she started becoming more emotional which most readers like. At the beginning Pasty’s dad isn’t known by the readers, but overtime he becomes known and shows he is willing to do anything for his daughters. As well as his true intentions for leaving her weren’t meant to be bad. Wyatt is just like Pasty, he shows more and more emotion throughout the whole book.
Theme
The theme of this story is oppression. This is exhibited first when Valor is trying to take down the whole world. They are forcing unfair punishments such as death on everyone who they got in debt. This can also be seen when CFF makes Pasty go on all of these missions to get her mom back, yet they are still unfair to her. This is expressed when Leon states “I’ve got one more big job for you after this. Then you can have your mama” (192). Overall, both of the programs show oppression so it is the theme of the book.
Personal Reflection
I liked this book a lot. It is very suspenseful and I never got bored of reading it. Everytime I started reading it was like I couldn't put it down. However, at the beginning it was kind of hard to follow along but once I learned all of the characters and where they came from it became very intriguing. I really liked how they introduced Pasty’s dad at the beginning as a deadbeat dad who didn't care about his kid, which made me not like him. In the end he became one of my favorite characters because he died for his daughter and only left her for her own good in the beginning . I also liked how they met because I was definitely not expecting him to be the one knocking on the door. Overall this book was really interesting and I really enjoyed reading it.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to someone who likes suspense and violence in a book. If you can’t handle blood or murder this book is probably not for you. The author is very good about going into detail about the murders, so if that is something that is intriguing to you this would be a great book for you. Overall this book was really good, I would recommend it!
Real-World Connection
This book focuses a lot on oppression from the government. Oppression is a big topic in the world because there are many things throughout the world that are unfair to some people and help others, causing oppression. This book talks about it from the government which can also be seen throughout the world. Strike shows how to fight through it and how to stand up for your freedom. In some countries people can’t do this or else they will be killed. However, this book gives a good perspective on how to never give up and if you are going to go down, do it fighting for your good. It gives good ideas about oppression and how to fight against it, which is unfortunately needed in the world today.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2017
I enjoyed Hit, so it made sense that I’d like Strike. Initially, I thought that Strike would be longer, since the hardcover is one and a half times larger than Hit, but it ends up that the opposite is true. Strike picks up where Hit left off with Patsy and Wyatt, and I was hoping for some resolution in Strike that didn’t pan out. The overall story introduced in Strike is resolved, and since I heard that there wouldn’t be a third book, I’m disappointed that the ultimate fates of Patsy and Valor Bank won’t grace pages.
Whereas Hit painted Patsy as a lovable misfit, there the hard edge she picked up during Hit transferred to Strike. There’s nothing wrong with a character evolving, but Patsy’s innocence in Hit was what endured the character to the reader. She was sympathetic, whereas in Strike, she’s just another femme fatale – albeit a YA femme fatale.
The leader of the Citizens for Freedom starts out making sense, but quickly devolved into a clichéd villain. It seemed that Ms. Dawson kept heaping on character flaws to make us hate him, but in the end, he lacked substance. Hit worked because we’ve all had run-ins with large impersonal corporations, and can identify and relate to them as a monolithic villain. Not so much with the CFF.
Overall, I enjoyed the exploits of Patsy and her rag-tag crew of misfits, but I feel that Hit was a better story. They’re both worth reading, and should provide the reader with hours of entertainment. Which brings us to YA readers. Hit should be easily consumed by young readers, but Strike, not so much. It’s difficult to quantify why exactly, but that was the vibe I got.
Hit was a solid four stars, and for the purpose of this review, I’m awarding Strike the same rating, although just barely. Like its predecessor, my autographed hardcover sits prominently on my shelf. Ms. Dawson is easily approachable at events for an autograph. As with most big five publishers, the eBook is way overpriced, so be sure to wait for a sale.
Whereas Hit painted Patsy as a lovable misfit, there the hard edge she picked up during Hit transferred to Strike. There’s nothing wrong with a character evolving, but Patsy’s innocence in Hit was what endured the character to the reader. She was sympathetic, whereas in Strike, she’s just another femme fatale – albeit a YA femme fatale.
The leader of the Citizens for Freedom starts out making sense, but quickly devolved into a clichéd villain. It seemed that Ms. Dawson kept heaping on character flaws to make us hate him, but in the end, he lacked substance. Hit worked because we’ve all had run-ins with large impersonal corporations, and can identify and relate to them as a monolithic villain. Not so much with the CFF.
Overall, I enjoyed the exploits of Patsy and her rag-tag crew of misfits, but I feel that Hit was a better story. They’re both worth reading, and should provide the reader with hours of entertainment. Which brings us to YA readers. Hit should be easily consumed by young readers, but Strike, not so much. It’s difficult to quantify why exactly, but that was the vibe I got.
Hit was a solid four stars, and for the purpose of this review, I’m awarding Strike the same rating, although just barely. Like its predecessor, my autographed hardcover sits prominently on my shelf. Ms. Dawson is easily approachable at events for an autograph. As with most big five publishers, the eBook is way overpriced, so be sure to wait for a sale.
Read
December 20, 2019“Strike” by Delilah S. Dawson is the sequel to “HIT”. “Strike” is one of those books that constantly leaves you on a cliffhanger with every chapter. You keep reading to find out what happens next constantly asking questions like, “Wait what?!” or “Wait what happens now”. It’s also good at blending in different genres. It’ll have Patsy thinking about all the horrible things she’s done, “No, I have not been good. I have been, in fact, the opposite of that” (Dawson 433), to a romantic scene with her boyfriend Wyatt, “Thus begins possibly the most passionate kiss ever…” (Dawson 433), to a suspenseful scene, “And then we hear it - a noise that shouldn’t be there.” (Dawson 434), and Dawson did a great job switching up the flow of the story with great transitions. The author uses vulgarity to emphasize the emotions of each character. This was surprising at first but i felt like it fit into the vibe of the book. All the action, sadness, suspense and strong language that happens in the book always makes me forget that Patsy and her friends are only teens! I recommend this book to anyone who likes action but also a little bit of everything else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2017
It's been more than a year and a half since I read the first book in this series, so some details were a little foggy for me, but there is some context and recap provided in the beginning chapters of this second book that helped refresh my memory. I think this book was even more intense, and definitely more violent, than the first. It was hard to stomach so much killing at times, but Dawson does a good job at portraying the pain that Patsy and Wyatt experience because of the terrible tasks they've had to do in their pursuit of safety from Valor Bank. More context is provided here for the personal stories behind the rise of Valor and the resistance movement, and of course, we discover that Patsy is indeed very closely connected, in ways she could never have predicted. Each chapter ends on a highly suspenseful note, and the end of the book leaves Patsy and Wyatt with more loss, but with some direction on what is to come next. I can't seem to find any information about the next book in the series, but hopefully, it will follow suit and be released this coming April!
April 8, 2022
15/20
It should have been a trilogy and you can really feel Delilah S. Dawson putting all the plot hooks for a final installment. And to be honest, she deserves to have this third book to wrap up her story!
Strike has some really good new characters and concepts and there is still a lot left unsaid (who was that other group forcing Jeremy to be an assassin against Valor in book one?) that could lead to a good last book!
I would also risk death and ambushes if the bad guys kidnapped my dog!
Only bad thing is Wyatt who is incredibly one dimensional and has no depth of his own (maybe try to check if your brother is okay Wyatt??) in this one. He didn't seem to have much in the previous one but here it really bothered me where he really felt like Patsy’s satellite and didn’t have his own arc. I liked the new comers way better even if we met them later. Especially loved the parallel with the siblings having to deal with the same thing as Patsy.
Still a fun read that I enjoyed and would gladly read a third one!
July 30, 2018
It's hard to explain my rating for this book. The plot felt either convenient or frustrating, depending on what made more sense to advance the story. Especially the end with . I was also much more frustrated with Patsy in this book mostly because
January 23, 2021
This is a hard one ... because the kids are having to face even more in this second dystopian installment. I felt so bad for them. And Dawson did a great job laying out how something like this could really happen. So chilling. Patsy and Wyatt finally have some help, which I liked, though it wasn't always clear who was really on their side. There were several harrowing moments, but the bulk of the story focused more on human interactions and the state of humanity as a whole. The final confrontation was non-stop intensity, and the ending seemed almost comedicly satirical by comparison. My understanding is that this is the end for the series, but I think there was originally supposed to be a 3rd book in the series, because there are still way too many things left to do. I hope the author finds an opportunity to continue this series at some point down the road.
January 29, 2018
Oh my goodness, this book. I was so excited to read it, and then for awhile I didn't want to keep going...so much violence, but it was worth it, and the final part was crazy! I wish the ending would have been different but, I wouldnt change it either.
February 1, 2024
Wow, this book was everything I was hoping for and more!!! I really really wish there was a 3rd book to this series … with the way that it ended. But nevertheless it was amazing, 5 stars most definitely.
January 23, 2025
**.5
I was hoping that this sequel would provide more details that explained the background for the things that happened in the first book. It did, but not in a satisfying way, making the whole thing even less believable.
I was hoping that this sequel would provide more details that explained the background for the things that happened in the first book. It did, but not in a satisfying way, making the whole thing even less believable.
February 2, 2018
AHHH EVEN BETTER THAN HIT
April 29, 2020
This was a very exciting book about teenagers and eminent danger. I don't want to spoil the book just read it.
August 10, 2025
In this book's defense, I almost always find sequels tedious and unnecessary.
March 13, 2017
I absolutely LOVED this sequel, it was really interesting and the narrator for the series was really good. But tell me there's another book. Is there another book? I couldn't find info anywhere that told me if there was another book.
I neeeeeeeed it!
I neeeeeeeed it!
July 28, 2023
The events of "Hit" are directly continued in this book. Although I preferred "Hit" better, this one was just as amazing.
August 10, 2016
I borrowed Strike by Delilah S. Dawson from work and this is my honest review.
To give a little recap the first book in this duo follows the main character Patsy while she is forced to either be an assassin for Valor Savings Bank or be killed by them for her mother's outstanding debt. Near the end of the book things prove to be hard, Patsy runs away from her duties with her last victim's brother and she has no idea where things are going to go from there.
Strike starts off on shaky ground, there is a lot of recap given to us by Patsy’s thoughts to herself. Readers do not really know where the book is headed for awhile. Patsy and Wyatt our main characters from book one do not even know where they are going to end up quite yet. But when they do end up somewhere with a group of people they met along the way each chapter starts to get more and more interesting.
I enjoyed the second book for so many reasons, Dawson did a great job giving readers recap from the first book. It was pretty creative most of the time using Patys thoughts. It was not just paragraphs or chapters of recap it was spread out evenly each time a memory was triggered for Patsy. I also liked the fact that many relationships, as well as characters developed during the pages of these books. We got to see the continuation of Wyatt and Patsy’s relationship which we did not get to see much of in book one. I also liked following along while Patsy’s character developed, it was very slow but she did end up opening up to the people I wanted her to open up to.
The end was full of surprises for me. Obviously I cannot disclose those surprises without spoilers. But I must say Dawson did a good job of giving us a good balance of good and bad surprises. I felt a lot of different emotions throughout the course of this book, which is great. I love when books make me feel things, and I also love when books are so beautifully written I can almost watch it play out in my head while reading! Definitely check out these books if you love dangerous assassin adventure books!
To give a little recap the first book in this duo follows the main character Patsy while she is forced to either be an assassin for Valor Savings Bank or be killed by them for her mother's outstanding debt. Near the end of the book things prove to be hard, Patsy runs away from her duties with her last victim's brother and she has no idea where things are going to go from there.
Strike starts off on shaky ground, there is a lot of recap given to us by Patsy’s thoughts to herself. Readers do not really know where the book is headed for awhile. Patsy and Wyatt our main characters from book one do not even know where they are going to end up quite yet. But when they do end up somewhere with a group of people they met along the way each chapter starts to get more and more interesting.
I enjoyed the second book for so many reasons, Dawson did a great job giving readers recap from the first book. It was pretty creative most of the time using Patys thoughts. It was not just paragraphs or chapters of recap it was spread out evenly each time a memory was triggered for Patsy. I also liked the fact that many relationships, as well as characters developed during the pages of these books. We got to see the continuation of Wyatt and Patsy’s relationship which we did not get to see much of in book one. I also liked following along while Patsy’s character developed, it was very slow but she did end up opening up to the people I wanted her to open up to.
The end was full of surprises for me. Obviously I cannot disclose those surprises without spoilers. But I must say Dawson did a good job of giving us a good balance of good and bad surprises. I felt a lot of different emotions throughout the course of this book, which is great. I love when books make me feel things, and I also love when books are so beautifully written I can almost watch it play out in my head while reading! Definitely check out these books if you love dangerous assassin adventure books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
November 30, 2016This book is sort of like a horror/mystery to the reader and the main characters. The character��s names are Patsy, Wyatt, Chance, and their dog Matty. Most of it has taken place in a tent city where they are for now. Patsy is a 17year old girl with her boyfriend Wyatt. This story is mainly about an apocalypse. She is after a guy named Valor and a guy named Leon Crane. Valor is the reason why the apocalypse started. They both want her dead. Pasty lost her mom and dad due to unknown reasons. That’s why she is trying to kill both Valor and Crane. She has killed a lot of people who have gotten in her way of everything.
After Patsy lost her mom and dad she always was down but she luckily had Wyatt to keep her happy and sad times. Patsy was a killer when she didn’t want to be. She carries a weapon everywhere she goes. Patsy, Wyatt, and Chance shared two valor cards with a lot of money on it. Valor cards were credit cards. They went and bought stuff they would need for shelter and warmth. Later on they find a tent city. Patsy’s dog Matty means everything to her and she doesn’t know what she would do without her.
Patsy found out that Leon Crane had her mom in his house. Pasty wanted to know what she could do to have her mom so Leon sent her on a mission with these nut cans with ink in it. She had to put a nut can in every store in the shopping center. Wyatt helped her with the mission. Leon told her “They would explode at 6:00a.m.”. Pasty wants to know where her mom is even if she is Dead or Alive. Crane will not tell her anything about her mom until she completed all the tasks that were given to her.
What I thought of the books was it was very good because it was apocalyptic. It had sad parts and then it had happy parts. There was a ton of things happening in the story but I really liked it. I would recommend it to others. I also thought it was funny at some parts. For the things they would say was funny.
After Patsy lost her mom and dad she always was down but she luckily had Wyatt to keep her happy and sad times. Patsy was a killer when she didn’t want to be. She carries a weapon everywhere she goes. Patsy, Wyatt, and Chance shared two valor cards with a lot of money on it. Valor cards were credit cards. They went and bought stuff they would need for shelter and warmth. Later on they find a tent city. Patsy’s dog Matty means everything to her and she doesn’t know what she would do without her.
Patsy found out that Leon Crane had her mom in his house. Pasty wanted to know what she could do to have her mom so Leon sent her on a mission with these nut cans with ink in it. She had to put a nut can in every store in the shopping center. Wyatt helped her with the mission. Leon told her “They would explode at 6:00a.m.”. Pasty wants to know where her mom is even if she is Dead or Alive. Crane will not tell her anything about her mom until she completed all the tasks that were given to her.
What I thought of the books was it was very good because it was apocalyptic. It had sad parts and then it had happy parts. There was a ton of things happening in the story but I really liked it. I would recommend it to others. I also thought it was funny at some parts. For the things they would say was funny.
February 16, 2017
Patsy has to be one of the most annoying characters ever created.
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