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Grin: A Dani Scott Novel #1
When a violent home invasion shatters Dani's teenage existence, the attacker leaves her for dead, mutilating her face with a Chelsea grin - a brutal act of gang warfare. With a low chance of survival, and her life in ruins, Dani becomes a mere statistic, just another innocent victim of the escalating mob crime in London.
However, Dani survives.
Haunted by that traumatic night, and unable to escape her own personal hell, Dani dedicates her life to a new vendetta; violent, bloody revenge on each of those who did her wrong. With nothing to lose, and a new desire for bloodshed, the teenager will stop at nothing to avenge her family.
However, Dani survives.
Haunted by that traumatic night, and unable to escape her own personal hell, Dani dedicates her life to a new vendetta; violent, bloody revenge on each of those who did her wrong. With nothing to lose, and a new desire for bloodshed, the teenager will stop at nothing to avenge her family.
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2015
13 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Stuart Keane
55 books145 followersAt the age of seven, I fell in love with the written word. Since that fateful day, I've dreamt of writing my own novels. In April 2014, twenty-five years later, that dream finally came true.
Writing is, and always has been, my passion. I revel in creating characters, unique worlds, realistic environments, and situations and stories that hook the reader. Reading stories of this kind inspires me so returning the favour has always been important to me, as a writer and a fan of literature.
I'm also a co-director at Dark Chapter Press, an English-based horror publisher, so pop over to my website for more information, including a fan club, the latest submission calls and new releases.
Writing is, and always has been, my passion. I revel in creating characters, unique worlds, realistic environments, and situations and stories that hook the reader. Reading stories of this kind inspires me so returning the favour has always been important to me, as a writer and a fan of literature.
I'm also a co-director at Dark Chapter Press, an English-based horror publisher, so pop over to my website for more information, including a fan club, the latest submission calls and new releases.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 29, 2017
GRIN, by Stuart Keane, is the first novel in what is projected to be a three book series (with the novella, "Dani", following up GRIN, before the release of the second novel). This book brought all kinds of emotions to the surface: happiness, sorrow, disbelief, anger, and an intense hatred.
After the initial scene, we are given a glimpse of the contented, happy lives of Dani, her much younger brother, Teddy, and parents, Dennis and Carla. The love Dani feels for Teddy and her parents is heartwarming--at first. Dennis is clearly a man very much in love with his family, the focus here being how proud he is of his seventeen year old daughter. Dani is a caring, considerate girl. She's in college and yet sticks to her moral values-something fairly unique in this day and age.
Men are a distraction. You have to go through a lot of shit before you find a diamond . . ."
Their idyllic world is brought crashing down the next night when a man breaks in and begins, with precision, to gun down each member of the family. Through the slaughter, Dani's first thought is to get her little brother to safety. With the man blocking the door, their only escape is to go up.
". . . Between a rock and a black-clad psychopath . . ."
This is merely the first few chapters. The fate in store for Dani is far worse--the killer gives her a Chelsea Grin, beats her, and leaves her for dead.
In the aftermath, a permanently disfigured Dani abandons depression, and focuses her mind on fury and hatred for the person responsible for shattering her world. When hidden secrets are revealed, her anger and resolve are further fueled.
"She'd evolved. Into what, she still wasn't sure yet."
This novel really showcases Stuart Keane's ability to get inside his readers' heads and completely capture their minds for a time. While reading GRIN, I found myself only able to think about Dani and her feelings. The real world ceased to exist as I threw myself fully into her new world. In her self-appointed mission to avenge her family, Dani is able to accept the changes in herself without pity, only a steel-willed resolution.
". . . No, I'm something more lethal, . . . productive . . . "
The greed and corruption in this world are sublimely illustrated by Keane's words. Dani is merely an unfortunate statistic, one casualty among the many others running rampant in her city. Due to the extreme nature of some of this subject matter, it was impossible to NOT get emotionally involved in this tale. Each and every scene seemed real, and the feelings I was overcome with for his characters took over completely.
"You're no longer Dani--you're something else . . . Grin . . . I am Grin . . . "
In Dani's battle against one horrible organization, Keane reveals so much more sorrow and hurt all around her. This is what stayed with me longer after I finished reading his novel.
"There's so much wrong with this dark world, so much depravity in society."
When an author is able to pull you into the world they created--and keep your mind returning there AFTER the book has ended--you have a very gifted author, indeed.
Stuart Keane is such an author.
Highest recommendation!
After the initial scene, we are given a glimpse of the contented, happy lives of Dani, her much younger brother, Teddy, and parents, Dennis and Carla. The love Dani feels for Teddy and her parents is heartwarming--at first. Dennis is clearly a man very much in love with his family, the focus here being how proud he is of his seventeen year old daughter. Dani is a caring, considerate girl. She's in college and yet sticks to her moral values-something fairly unique in this day and age.
Men are a distraction. You have to go through a lot of shit before you find a diamond . . ."
Their idyllic world is brought crashing down the next night when a man breaks in and begins, with precision, to gun down each member of the family. Through the slaughter, Dani's first thought is to get her little brother to safety. With the man blocking the door, their only escape is to go up.
". . . Between a rock and a black-clad psychopath . . ."
This is merely the first few chapters. The fate in store for Dani is far worse--the killer gives her a Chelsea Grin, beats her, and leaves her for dead.
In the aftermath, a permanently disfigured Dani abandons depression, and focuses her mind on fury and hatred for the person responsible for shattering her world. When hidden secrets are revealed, her anger and resolve are further fueled.
"She'd evolved. Into what, she still wasn't sure yet."
This novel really showcases Stuart Keane's ability to get inside his readers' heads and completely capture their minds for a time. While reading GRIN, I found myself only able to think about Dani and her feelings. The real world ceased to exist as I threw myself fully into her new world. In her self-appointed mission to avenge her family, Dani is able to accept the changes in herself without pity, only a steel-willed resolution.
". . . No, I'm something more lethal, . . . productive . . . "
The greed and corruption in this world are sublimely illustrated by Keane's words. Dani is merely an unfortunate statistic, one casualty among the many others running rampant in her city. Due to the extreme nature of some of this subject matter, it was impossible to NOT get emotionally involved in this tale. Each and every scene seemed real, and the feelings I was overcome with for his characters took over completely.
"You're no longer Dani--you're something else . . . Grin . . . I am Grin . . . "
In Dani's battle against one horrible organization, Keane reveals so much more sorrow and hurt all around her. This is what stayed with me longer after I finished reading his novel.
"There's so much wrong with this dark world, so much depravity in society."
When an author is able to pull you into the world they created--and keep your mind returning there AFTER the book has ended--you have a very gifted author, indeed.
Stuart Keane is such an author.
Highest recommendation!
February 13, 2016
☆☆☆☆☆ 5 I'm Not The Law Stars ☆☆☆☆☆
Dani's life is forever changed one horrible night. After watching her family be brutally murdered, Dani is tortured by the hands of evil. To stay alive she challenges the man trying to kill her. Her challenge leaves the man highly turned on and accepts her challenge.
""What's your fucking name?" Dani hissed.
"My name…why? Why is it important? You'll be dead in a minute anyway."
"I want to know who I'm coming for, when I get out of here."
Challenging a mad man comes at a cost. Dani is stabbed and her face is cut on both sides by kitchen scissors and she is left for dead.
Her life is about to get a whole lot tougher as she fights to survive and relearn the simple things of life.
Surviving her nightmare, Dani has a plan. A plan a year in the making and Dani knows, blood, her blood will be shed in the name of her family.
"She didn’t give it a second thought, merely turning the emotion into rage, a rage she buried deep. When the time came, it would emerge. Every time she stroked the scar lines in her face, it fuelled her, added to the vengeance building within."
Hell hath no furry like a young girl seeking revenge for the family she lost by the hands of a crime family.
These men have no idea what's coming for them.
My name is Danielle.
I am Grin.
This book was AWESOME!! I will warn you...if you don't like blood, gore, and murder, stick to your normal read!!
Dani's life is forever changed one horrible night. After watching her family be brutally murdered, Dani is tortured by the hands of evil. To stay alive she challenges the man trying to kill her. Her challenge leaves the man highly turned on and accepts her challenge.
""What's your fucking name?" Dani hissed.
"My name…why? Why is it important? You'll be dead in a minute anyway."
"I want to know who I'm coming for, when I get out of here."
Challenging a mad man comes at a cost. Dani is stabbed and her face is cut on both sides by kitchen scissors and she is left for dead.
Her life is about to get a whole lot tougher as she fights to survive and relearn the simple things of life.
Surviving her nightmare, Dani has a plan. A plan a year in the making and Dani knows, blood, her blood will be shed in the name of her family.
"She didn’t give it a second thought, merely turning the emotion into rage, a rage she buried deep. When the time came, it would emerge. Every time she stroked the scar lines in her face, it fuelled her, added to the vengeance building within."
Hell hath no furry like a young girl seeking revenge for the family she lost by the hands of a crime family.
These men have no idea what's coming for them.
My name is Danielle.
I am Grin.
This book was AWESOME!! I will warn you...if you don't like blood, gore, and murder, stick to your normal read!!
December 23, 2015
Dani's family was brutally murdered in front of her. While the killer had plans to kill her also by mutilating her face - giving her the Chelsea grin - little did he know that seventeen year old Dani would survive. She will stop at nothing to get revenge for what they did to her family.
First of all, let's talk about that cover. I saw it on Amazon and was instantly creeped out. I saw it was available for Kindle Unlimited and thought hell yeah. Let me tell y'all... this book did not fucking disappoint. It was super fast paced and I was on the edge of my seat practically the whole time. The gore in this; oh my WORD. This was a great revenge story. I love love loved the main character, Dani. She was strong and determined to get vengeance for her family, and boy oh boy did she. I would highly rec to anyone who enjoys horror (and bad language). I definitely plan on checking out more by Stuart Keane.
First of all, let's talk about that cover. I saw it on Amazon and was instantly creeped out. I saw it was available for Kindle Unlimited and thought hell yeah. Let me tell y'all... this book did not fucking disappoint. It was super fast paced and I was on the edge of my seat practically the whole time. The gore in this; oh my WORD. This was a great revenge story. I love love loved the main character, Dani. She was strong and determined to get vengeance for her family, and boy oh boy did she. I would highly rec to anyone who enjoys horror (and bad language). I definitely plan on checking out more by Stuart Keane.
November 9, 2015
When I saw that cover, I knew I had to get this book ASAP and I wasn't disappointed - very far from it actually. This is more than just a revenge story. This is a story of what happens when a person - in this case, a teenage girl - witnesses the ruthless massacre of her family as well as having to live through as she was being mutilated. This is a fast-paced suspense/thriller with some action and of course, let's not forget my favorite element in this genre, gore. I loved everything about this book. I don't think I need to go into detail. My rating speaks for itself. Definitely my favorite Stuart Keane book from what I've read so far... and I still got a bunch left to read!
January 28, 2016
"So after not reading Mr Keane’s work before, I understand I have a bit of catching up to do. For that, I am very excited because after getting a flavour of how he can write, I am now convinced that I have some wonderful stuff ahead of me."
See here for the full review:
Grin
See here for the full review:
Grin
October 31, 2015
Before I proceed, I just want to say, look at that cover image. That's enough to give anyone nightmares to begin with.
For Keane's latest offering we follow the story of seventeen year old Dani.
Dani leads the normal life of a teenager, raised by her parents, Dennis and Carla to respect family values. Even if it does mean her having to put up with her annoying eight year old brother; Teddy.
Life is good. She has a steady boyfriend, Ben, and her father has just given her the present that any teenager could wish for - the keys to his BMW.
Unfortunately for Dani, this is where things really take a turn for the worse. Unknown to her, her fathers involvement with a notorious London gangster, Ross Rhodes leads to the order being given for home invasion by Bradley, his right man.
The invasion leaves Dani's family executed and her as the only survivor, brutally disfigured by her attacker.
Twelve months on and Dani's physical scars have healed, however she has become a woman with a mission in life, one goal - revenge.
The story is quite cleverly split up into three parts;
1. Consequences.
2. Best Laid Plans.
3. Vengeance.
I don't want to give any spoilers to the story, but I can say that from the outset that this book is one hell of a thrilling ride.
The character background is written so well that you actually feel for Dani. The story builds as a steady crescendo through the first two parts until an explosion in part three that literally left me physically breathless.
Expect a brilliant story, fantastic characters, blood, gore and unbelievable action scenes. I beta read this story in one sitting, I'm fairly sure that you will too, because once you start, you won't want to put it down.
Its the littler things with Keane's writing, that attention to detail that make him stand out as a writer;
'He looked like a modernized version of Death, his scythe replaced with a pump action shotgun.'
Ive said it before, i will say it again. Stuart Keane is a remarkable writer and a brilliant story teller. I can't give enough praise for this book. A phenomenal accolade to his collection.
For Keane's latest offering we follow the story of seventeen year old Dani.
Dani leads the normal life of a teenager, raised by her parents, Dennis and Carla to respect family values. Even if it does mean her having to put up with her annoying eight year old brother; Teddy.
Life is good. She has a steady boyfriend, Ben, and her father has just given her the present that any teenager could wish for - the keys to his BMW.
Unfortunately for Dani, this is where things really take a turn for the worse. Unknown to her, her fathers involvement with a notorious London gangster, Ross Rhodes leads to the order being given for home invasion by Bradley, his right man.
The invasion leaves Dani's family executed and her as the only survivor, brutally disfigured by her attacker.
Twelve months on and Dani's physical scars have healed, however she has become a woman with a mission in life, one goal - revenge.
The story is quite cleverly split up into three parts;
1. Consequences.
2. Best Laid Plans.
3. Vengeance.
I don't want to give any spoilers to the story, but I can say that from the outset that this book is one hell of a thrilling ride.
The character background is written so well that you actually feel for Dani. The story builds as a steady crescendo through the first two parts until an explosion in part three that literally left me physically breathless.
Expect a brilliant story, fantastic characters, blood, gore and unbelievable action scenes. I beta read this story in one sitting, I'm fairly sure that you will too, because once you start, you won't want to put it down.
Its the littler things with Keane's writing, that attention to detail that make him stand out as a writer;
'He looked like a modernized version of Death, his scythe replaced with a pump action shotgun.'
Ive said it before, i will say it again. Stuart Keane is a remarkable writer and a brilliant story teller. I can't give enough praise for this book. A phenomenal accolade to his collection.
Read
November 3, 2015Grin is available on Amazon now. : )
November 11, 2015
Blood and Terror!
This story pumped me with adrenaline like no other! She was vengeance, payback and, she was grin. Touching, Terrifying, Terrific Tale of vengeance. Reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Kill Bill except this was better because it's a book and it's by Stuart Keane. This guy just keeps blowing me away! Grin was epic and I highly recommend to any fan of modern horror.
This story pumped me with adrenaline like no other! She was vengeance, payback and, she was grin. Touching, Terrifying, Terrific Tale of vengeance. Reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Kill Bill except this was better because it's a book and it's by Stuart Keane. This guy just keeps blowing me away! Grin was epic and I highly recommend to any fan of modern horror.
November 14, 2015
Stuart Keane has penned an emotional rollercoaster with this gritty tale of urban vengeance. Such tense reading in parts, I was literally holding my breath.
November 9, 2015
Very satisfying crime story of revenge.
January 27, 2016
Extremely violent Vengeance story. A teenage girl gets her revenge on the mob for murdering her family.
March 13, 2016
Loved this story!! Actually read it in 2 sittings. Can't wait to read more Keane. Lots of gore, never a lag, super exciting read!
June 14, 2016
I think every review I read has commented on the cover of this book. It's downright nightmare inducing.
I really enjoyed this, the writing has a great flow to it that encourages you to keep reading. It's almost beautifully written. Don't get me wrong, when the brutality comes it's flesh-tearing, blood-splashing and visceral but it also isn't gratuitous. It's not there just because. It's part of the narrative giving the reader an insight into how Dani is pushed into a world where crime goes rewarded and the evil go unpunished. It also gives her the reason to fight and destroy those who destroyed her. It feels like an origin story for an anti-hero, a teenage Frank Castle who will stop at nothing to leave their mark on the criminal underworld.
If his other books are half as good as this, Stuart Keane has a new fan right here.
I really enjoyed this, the writing has a great flow to it that encourages you to keep reading. It's almost beautifully written. Don't get me wrong, when the brutality comes it's flesh-tearing, blood-splashing and visceral but it also isn't gratuitous. It's not there just because. It's part of the narrative giving the reader an insight into how Dani is pushed into a world where crime goes rewarded and the evil go unpunished. It also gives her the reason to fight and destroy those who destroyed her. It feels like an origin story for an anti-hero, a teenage Frank Castle who will stop at nothing to leave their mark on the criminal underworld.
If his other books are half as good as this, Stuart Keane has a new fan right here.
December 8, 2015
Wow
This book was a fantastic read. It really shows what happens when a person is pushed to their limits. It also shows one man or woman in this case can take down an army. I really felt for Danielle and was rooting for her the whole w a y. The ending was terrific. Stuart Keane is a GOD amongst men and I can't wait to read more.
This book was a fantastic read. It really shows what happens when a person is pushed to their limits. It also shows one man or woman in this case can take down an army. I really felt for Danielle and was rooting for her the whole w a y. The ending was terrific. Stuart Keane is a GOD amongst men and I can't wait to read more.
December 18, 2015
Another superb book full of sadness violence and vengeance. Poor Dani suffers loss and agony on a very large scale and it changes her into a different person hell bent on revenge. A superb story which will keep u hooked until the violent blood thirsty end. Loved it.
February 10, 2016
This is a tense, emotional and sometimes tough to read novel and I loved every second of it. It's so different to everything I've read from Keane before but it works so well! That cover is stunning too.
November 11, 2015
Review coming soon
November 10, 2015
Off the chart good!
December 3, 2015
Very good read
Read the book within a day. Very suspenseful and gritty, yet gory as well. I recommend this for fans of horror novels.
Read the book within a day. Very suspenseful and gritty, yet gory as well. I recommend this for fans of horror novels.
February 26, 2016
Another brilliant novel by Stuart keane... I can't get enough!
November 6, 2015
What a great read! Will look for more by this author
May 6, 2017
Actual writing - 3.5 stars
I picked this book after Reading enthusiastic review posted on goodreads by one of reviewers whom I follow there. The premise sounded cool for someone raised on comic books.
Main protagonist Dani is seventeen year old bookworm, attractive, intelligent and with moral code instilled by her father. She has a loving family and an asshole boyfriend. She doesn’t know though that her father is involved with mob (it’s not a spoiler as we learn about it in first chapter). After a failed assassination attempt, her dad is now the target of the mob. He is a loose end that needs to be tidied up. A violent (really violent and graphic)home invasion shatters Dani's teenage existence, the attacker leaves her for dead, mutilating her face with a Chelsea grin - a brutal act of gang warfare. Somehow Dani Survives.
However, Dani survives and dedicates her life to violent, bloody revenge on each of those who did her wrong. With nothing to lose, and a new desire for bloodshed, the teenager will stop at nothing to avenge her family.
The plot is simple, comic-book like. Dani is done wrong by, and she wants to get revenge. Expect bloodshed, Very graphic bloodshed. The book is described as thriller but I think it can be interpreted as horror as well. There’s no paranormal events here but the plot is horrific. You get blood. You get guts. This book can make you sick in your mouth and ruin a meal for you.
Funny thing is though that because of the way author writes you slide into the book very easily and start to feel at ease with what you are reading and root for out teenage psychopath.
I would say Stuart Keane is a gifted author able to describe in a way that makes us instantly feel like we know them well. On the other hand this book would profit from some serious editing. English is not my first language but I was able to catch quite a few misspellings and grammar errors. The other thing is that while I enjoy comic books, the plot here went a little over the top with our heroine becoming Terminator within a single year. I mean she doesn’t have some real combat experience but she’s able to destroy guys who feel comfortable in fights and know all the dirty tricks. Evidently Dani knows more dirty tricks. I don’t know how as her training consists mainly of pushups and pull-ups. She becomes expert in gun fights, in knife fights and so on. All of this within a year, training mainly on her own. Also I’m a little confused by descriptions of time here. During one scene we learn that Dany’s been recovering two months but after just a second we learn it was actually few months. There’s a palpable lack of consistency and things that are overexagerated. Hence my rating of 3.5 stars.
In my dictionary 3.5 stars make a really enjoyable and easy read. If you’re looking for short (200 pages) book that is disturbing, brutal, uncompromising and adrenaline-pumping look no more. Also our heroine becomes really similar to DC/Marvel anti-heroes so if you like similar stuff (especially Punisher) try this one. Just don't overanalyse what you read too much :)
I picked this book after Reading enthusiastic review posted on goodreads by one of reviewers whom I follow there. The premise sounded cool for someone raised on comic books.
Main protagonist Dani is seventeen year old bookworm, attractive, intelligent and with moral code instilled by her father. She has a loving family and an asshole boyfriend. She doesn’t know though that her father is involved with mob (it’s not a spoiler as we learn about it in first chapter). After a failed assassination attempt, her dad is now the target of the mob. He is a loose end that needs to be tidied up. A violent (really violent and graphic)home invasion shatters Dani's teenage existence, the attacker leaves her for dead, mutilating her face with a Chelsea grin - a brutal act of gang warfare. Somehow Dani Survives.
However, Dani survives and dedicates her life to violent, bloody revenge on each of those who did her wrong. With nothing to lose, and a new desire for bloodshed, the teenager will stop at nothing to avenge her family.
The plot is simple, comic-book like. Dani is done wrong by, and she wants to get revenge. Expect bloodshed, Very graphic bloodshed. The book is described as thriller but I think it can be interpreted as horror as well. There’s no paranormal events here but the plot is horrific. You get blood. You get guts. This book can make you sick in your mouth and ruin a meal for you.
Funny thing is though that because of the way author writes you slide into the book very easily and start to feel at ease with what you are reading and root for out teenage psychopath.
I would say Stuart Keane is a gifted author able to describe in a way that makes us instantly feel like we know them well. On the other hand this book would profit from some serious editing. English is not my first language but I was able to catch quite a few misspellings and grammar errors. The other thing is that while I enjoy comic books, the plot here went a little over the top with our heroine becoming Terminator within a single year. I mean she doesn’t have some real combat experience but she’s able to destroy guys who feel comfortable in fights and know all the dirty tricks. Evidently Dani knows more dirty tricks. I don’t know how as her training consists mainly of pushups and pull-ups. She becomes expert in gun fights, in knife fights and so on. All of this within a year, training mainly on her own. Also I’m a little confused by descriptions of time here. During one scene we learn that Dany’s been recovering two months but after just a second we learn it was actually few months. There’s a palpable lack of consistency and things that are overexagerated. Hence my rating of 3.5 stars.
In my dictionary 3.5 stars make a really enjoyable and easy read. If you’re looking for short (200 pages) book that is disturbing, brutal, uncompromising and adrenaline-pumping look no more. Also our heroine becomes really similar to DC/Marvel anti-heroes so if you like similar stuff (especially Punisher) try this one. Just don't overanalyse what you read too much :)
May 27, 2017
This review is written with thanks to Book Lover Cat Lady for my copy of Grin.
When the gang that Dani's father works for invade her house and kill her family, Dani is the only person left alive, and her attacker leaves her with a Chelsea grin. When she is released from hospital, she is determined to exact revenge on the people who turned her life upside down.
The cover of Grin, shown on the left, told me to expect a novella full of blood, guts and gore. However, nothing could have prepared me for the brains splattered against the walls, the bloodstains on the carpets and the disfiguring wounds. To some extent, the violence kept me reading, as I wanted Dani to get revenge and wanted to know if she would come out the other side of her ordeal, and the scenes where Dani confronts Ross Rhodes' gang create palpable tension. However, at times, this violence does feel slightly gratuitous.
It is difficult not to admire Dani as she comes to terms with the changes in her life, and her strength and determination made me root for her, despite the atrocious crimes she commits. However, in places, I found it difficult to believe that a seventeen year old young woman would have the ability to confront hardened criminals without more severe consequences, and this made parts of the novella appear unrealistic to me.
Gang culture is a lifestyle with which I am not particularly familiar, and I enjoyed the way that Keane's writing plunges the reader into that environment. I am looking forward to reading more about Dani in the sequel.
When the gang that Dani's father works for invade her house and kill her family, Dani is the only person left alive, and her attacker leaves her with a Chelsea grin. When she is released from hospital, she is determined to exact revenge on the people who turned her life upside down.
The cover of Grin, shown on the left, told me to expect a novella full of blood, guts and gore. However, nothing could have prepared me for the brains splattered against the walls, the bloodstains on the carpets and the disfiguring wounds. To some extent, the violence kept me reading, as I wanted Dani to get revenge and wanted to know if she would come out the other side of her ordeal, and the scenes where Dani confronts Ross Rhodes' gang create palpable tension. However, at times, this violence does feel slightly gratuitous.
It is difficult not to admire Dani as she comes to terms with the changes in her life, and her strength and determination made me root for her, despite the atrocious crimes she commits. However, in places, I found it difficult to believe that a seventeen year old young woman would have the ability to confront hardened criminals without more severe consequences, and this made parts of the novella appear unrealistic to me.
Gang culture is a lifestyle with which I am not particularly familiar, and I enjoyed the way that Keane's writing plunges the reader into that environment. I am looking forward to reading more about Dani in the sequel.
June 4, 2017
Danielle is a normal teenage girl, attending college and living at home with her father, mother and younger brother. She is seemingly happy, until one evening, her entire world gets turned upside down. Her family are murdered in front of her eyes, and Dani is left scarred, emotionally and physically. She vows that if she survives, she will find the person behind the killings and get revenge.
This was the first Stuart Keane book I have read, and I was not disappointed. At the beginning, you got a back story for Dani and learnt that she was someone who was likeable, which makes everything that happened to her even worse. The storyline was basic, but it works. It is fast paced and very graphic, so I would not recommend if you do not like reading about graphic death scenes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to reading more books in the series, and I will definitely check out some of Keane’s other books as well.
Thank you to Stuart Keane and Booklover Catlady Publicity for the complimentary ebook copy.
This was the first Stuart Keane book I have read, and I was not disappointed. At the beginning, you got a back story for Dani and learnt that she was someone who was likeable, which makes everything that happened to her even worse. The storyline was basic, but it works. It is fast paced and very graphic, so I would not recommend if you do not like reading about graphic death scenes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to reading more books in the series, and I will definitely check out some of Keane’s other books as well.
Thank you to Stuart Keane and Booklover Catlady Publicity for the complimentary ebook copy.
June 12, 2018
This is my favourite of Keane's books so far :D
February 15, 2017
This was a good book about a young girl seeking vengeance for the death of her family at the hands of a violent organised gang and her own brutal attack.
Personally I would rather have seen her revenge take a different route which is why I rated it 3 stars. The revenge on the first two gang members seemed to set the scene for her revenge and I thought it would continue this way. There was plenty of descriptive gore though.
Personally I would rather have seen her revenge take a different route which is why I rated it 3 stars. The revenge on the first two gang members seemed to set the scene for her revenge and I thought it would continue this way. There was plenty of descriptive gore though.
July 11, 2016
Brilliant horror/Revenge Book
I loved this book. It started off very sedately and I wondered what direction it was going but all soon became apparent when Danielle presumably part of a normal family is attacked in her home. Her mother, father, and beloved brother Teddy are killed and she is left scarred for life, but the killer underestimates her, which is a big mistake. It was gripping and my heart felt for all Dan I had lost. Thanks Stuart a great read
I loved this book. It started off very sedately and I wondered what direction it was going but all soon became apparent when Danielle presumably part of a normal family is attacked in her home. Her mother, father, and beloved brother Teddy are killed and she is left scarred for life, but the killer underestimates her, which is a big mistake. It was gripping and my heart felt for all Dan I had lost. Thanks Stuart a great read
January 13, 2017
Revenge tales are a dime a dozen. They really are, and it is so hard to find a good one, and in Grin, I found a great one. Grin is fast paced and brutal. Dani's family is killed and she is left scared and near dead. The one things that gives her hope, helps her to hang on and come back from the brink of death, is the thought of revenge. The story is bloody and violent, and moves along at a break neck pace. Highly satisfying!
March 30, 2016
oh my god I need a sequel, I need closure!
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