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Killer Potential
Seventeen-year-old Yvette Gibbs was just admitted to the hospital psych unit in handcuffs as the main suspect in a murder case, which she refuses to talk about.
Drugs and depression claim her family—leaving Yvette to fight her own demons alone. Adopting the skill of master of passive-aggressive vengeance lands Yvette in the psych unit with no family support, unless she cooperates with her therapist to clear her name, also a convicted murderer.
Yvette wants revenge on the world that taught her to be afraid, claimed her mother to depression, hid her father in a fog of job hopping, turned her brother to dealing drugs, and swallowed her sister whole, but to achieve this she must lie, manipulate, and most of all survive. Pitting her dead sister’s shady friend whom she fears against the man who reminded her she’s not immune to victimization, is her perfect solution to all life's hassles, even if that means she ends up with blood on her hands. Until everything backfires.
Drugs and depression claim her family—leaving Yvette to fight her own demons alone. Adopting the skill of master of passive-aggressive vengeance lands Yvette in the psych unit with no family support, unless she cooperates with her therapist to clear her name, also a convicted murderer.
Yvette wants revenge on the world that taught her to be afraid, claimed her mother to depression, hid her father in a fog of job hopping, turned her brother to dealing drugs, and swallowed her sister whole, but to achieve this she must lie, manipulate, and most of all survive. Pitting her dead sister’s shady friend whom she fears against the man who reminded her she’s not immune to victimization, is her perfect solution to all life's hassles, even if that means she ends up with blood on her hands. Until everything backfires.
- GenresYoung Adult
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2016
92 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 22, 2016
This book kept me reading well into the night. It alternates between Yvette's dysfunctional past and her drug-hazed present, slowly building in intensity as both worlds spiral downwards. It's easy to see how someone's past informs their future, as Yvette--beginning as a small child-- is an innocent victim to her mother's withdrawal into depression and prescription drugs and her father's constant absence. Lacking any type of guidance and support, she is left to her own devices in an attempt to protect her brother from falling in with some bad influences.
We know from the beginning she has been placed in a psychiatric hospital for mental instability and possible murder, but the slow reveal of how she got there keeps you reading. As Yvette's world slowly crumbles, her sanity goes with it, and it's not until the very end that you learn the story even Yvette isn't privy to.
Interested in the downward spiral into psychosis? How our pasts influence the person we become? How about straight up, hardcore revenge? Then this is the book for you. It pulls no punches, and may leave you laughing maniacally at the end.
We know from the beginning she has been placed in a psychiatric hospital for mental instability and possible murder, but the slow reveal of how she got there keeps you reading. As Yvette's world slowly crumbles, her sanity goes with it, and it's not until the very end that you learn the story even Yvette isn't privy to.
Interested in the downward spiral into psychosis? How our pasts influence the person we become? How about straight up, hardcore revenge? Then this is the book for you. It pulls no punches, and may leave you laughing maniacally at the end.
July 21, 2016
*I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own. This review and others like it can be found on my blog (Adventures with a Book Nerd).*
Let me just tell you right now, this is not an easy book to read. It's the exact opposite. But this book is so wonderful, and I cannot recommend it enough. There are so many important themes in the book, and it was an amazing read.
In this book we follow Yvette, both during her past and during present day. When reading about her present day, we see how she deals being in a high security psych unit, because they believe that she murdered someone. And during her past, we read about her growing up, all the way from the fourth grade.
Because we start reading about Yvette at such a young age, we are really able to see her grow. It was really interesting to see how she handled situations as she grew, and how the people she interacted with shaped her. From the students at her school, to the foster kids her parents took in. It really shaped the story for me. It really helped the story, and it gave background into her decisions.
There were so many difficult topics in this story. Some of the themes included drug abuse, depression, peer pressure, foster care, and even psych units. One of the things that really stood out to me though was the peer pressure. There is a scene where Yvette is at a sleep over, and some girls try to peer pressure her and another girl into doing some really bad things. And the sad thing is that this happens to a lot of kids in middle school and high school. Also to see how Yvette's mom effected her kids was sad and interesting to see.
Let me tell you what this book did to me. This book is not a happy book, but it kept me engaged. Things start to look up, and you can imagine my spirits rising. Then, just picture Aften taking a sledgehammer and smashing my spirits, breaking them into a million pieces. Yes, I did cry. And yes, I am still recovering. This book destroyed me in the end, and I am so glad that it did. This book is so good (spirit crushing and all).
So overall, YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. While it isn't a light or fluffy read, it is a wonderful book that shows how a family and the people around a kid can influence their life. There is mystery, and murder, and a really cool sensei. I hope that Aften writes more, because if her future books are anywhere as good as this book, they will be fabulous reads.
“And any life, no matter the poor choices made in its past, still has hope. even a cheat and a liar can hope for a happy ending as long as they keep living long enough for more chances.”
Let me just tell you right now, this is not an easy book to read. It's the exact opposite. But this book is so wonderful, and I cannot recommend it enough. There are so many important themes in the book, and it was an amazing read.
In this book we follow Yvette, both during her past and during present day. When reading about her present day, we see how she deals being in a high security psych unit, because they believe that she murdered someone. And during her past, we read about her growing up, all the way from the fourth grade.
Because we start reading about Yvette at such a young age, we are really able to see her grow. It was really interesting to see how she handled situations as she grew, and how the people she interacted with shaped her. From the students at her school, to the foster kids her parents took in. It really shaped the story for me. It really helped the story, and it gave background into her decisions.
There were so many difficult topics in this story. Some of the themes included drug abuse, depression, peer pressure, foster care, and even psych units. One of the things that really stood out to me though was the peer pressure. There is a scene where Yvette is at a sleep over, and some girls try to peer pressure her and another girl into doing some really bad things. And the sad thing is that this happens to a lot of kids in middle school and high school. Also to see how Yvette's mom effected her kids was sad and interesting to see.
Let me tell you what this book did to me. This book is not a happy book, but it kept me engaged. Things start to look up, and you can imagine my spirits rising. Then, just picture Aften taking a sledgehammer and smashing my spirits, breaking them into a million pieces. Yes, I did cry. And yes, I am still recovering. This book destroyed me in the end, and I am so glad that it did. This book is so good (spirit crushing and all).
So overall, YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. While it isn't a light or fluffy read, it is a wonderful book that shows how a family and the people around a kid can influence their life. There is mystery, and murder, and a really cool sensei. I hope that Aften writes more, because if her future books are anywhere as good as this book, they will be fabulous reads.
June 27, 2016
Review posted also on Crazy Beautiful Reads
~I received an e-copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review~
Sometimes, revenge isn't sweet at all and all it does is to put you in a mental institution ! (That, according to the book at hand.) And that is what Yvette is about to find out on her own.
Killer Potential is a psychological YA thriller which somehow points out nowadays problems with drugs and the absence of the parents in the child's life.
The main character is very strong willed and a bad ass at core who will fight anyone who messes with her family.
She could easily be just a typical teen age girl. But...she is more than just that. At least after her big sister's death. Yvette will find herself in the position to look after her little rebel ass brother -Jade - while her mom falls into deppresion and closes herself in her own room not coming down days on row, and her dad not always being home to supervise on them. Not that he'd care so much.
A really good read and an even great headstart for Miss Szymanski nontheless !!!
~I received an e-copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review~
Sometimes, revenge isn't sweet at all and all it does is to put you in a mental institution ! (That, according to the book at hand.) And that is what Yvette is about to find out on her own.
Killer Potential is a psychological YA thriller which somehow points out nowadays problems with drugs and the absence of the parents in the child's life.
The main character is very strong willed and a bad ass at core who will fight anyone who messes with her family.
She could easily be just a typical teen age girl. But...she is more than just that. At least after her big sister's death. Yvette will find herself in the position to look after her little rebel ass brother -Jade - while her mom falls into deppresion and closes herself in her own room not coming down days on row, and her dad not always being home to supervise on them. Not that he'd care so much.
A really good read and an even great headstart for Miss Szymanski nontheless !!!
July 27, 2016
I don't even know where to start, it has so much potential, yet it could have been so much more.
If you are looking for a happy ending, consider yourself warned, you are in for an intense, depressing ride. The hauntingly amazing cover pulled me in right away and the story was off to a good start. Killer Potential was written in dual time frame, alternating between "the past" and the "present" as told from Yvette's perspective. In "the past", Yvette was portrayed as a young girl learning her ways in the real world. In "the present", the setting was switched to a psychiatric ward where Yvette was admitted into under a murder conviction Despite the constant alternation between the dual time frame, I thought the idea was brilliant! The story does not feel lacking, development wise.
Killer Potential explored themes that the society considered as taboo, from drug abuse, suicide tendencies, pedophilia and peer pressure, the author delved into the unspeakable through the eyes of a young Yvette, and how she handled herself in such situations. This book was everything the blurb promises it to be!
As much as I love the element of the story (for a moment I had an AHS - American Horror Story flashback), I often felt myself emotionally disconnected from Yvette, in which I find rather disheartening. Don't get me wrong, Yvette is a great character, however I am disappointed that I could not find myself bonding with her character as much as I wanted to. Perhaps it was her erratic thoughts, or her unique personality, she is definitely a complex character that I need more time to get to know her more.
I'll definitely re-read the book in hopes of understanding Yvette better (because honestly, who suffers through all that and survives?), as for now my thoughts for the book are dark, depressing and beautifully crafted. I will leave it at that!
If you are looking for a happy ending, consider yourself warned, you are in for an intense, depressing ride. The hauntingly amazing cover pulled me in right away and the story was off to a good start. Killer Potential was written in dual time frame, alternating between "the past" and the "present" as told from Yvette's perspective. In "the past", Yvette was portrayed as a young girl learning her ways in the real world. In "the present", the setting was switched to a psychiatric ward where Yvette was admitted into under a murder conviction Despite the constant alternation between the dual time frame, I thought the idea was brilliant! The story does not feel lacking, development wise.
Killer Potential explored themes that the society considered as taboo, from drug abuse, suicide tendencies, pedophilia and peer pressure, the author delved into the unspeakable through the eyes of a young Yvette, and how she handled herself in such situations. This book was everything the blurb promises it to be!
As much as I love the element of the story (for a moment I had an AHS - American Horror Story flashback), I often felt myself emotionally disconnected from Yvette, in which I find rather disheartening. Don't get me wrong, Yvette is a great character, however I am disappointed that I could not find myself bonding with her character as much as I wanted to. Perhaps it was her erratic thoughts, or her unique personality, she is definitely a complex character that I need more time to get to know her more.
I'll definitely re-read the book in hopes of understanding Yvette better (because honestly, who suffers through all that and survives?), as for now my thoughts for the book are dark, depressing and beautifully crafted. I will leave it at that!
July 28, 2016
I'll start at the very beginning. ...as in right at the beginning ...awesome job on the cover art ! The story is phenomenal!
It's so sad how many times some people pay the price for bad decisions and actions by others and to a degree this is what happened to Yvette.
Both parents were there but not if that makes sense, they were absent emotionally and there was no moral compass or guidance in her life
The fact that they opened their home to foster children softened me a bit . Yvette had many siblings and she got exposed to may different personalities .....
Certain events see Yvette ending up in a mental hospital and facing possible murder charges !
We're taken from past to present which gives us background to events leading up to where she finds herself now . A task that the author took on and did very well at .
There were some really interesting characters along the way and then were some that just gave me the heebie jeebies !
In between the depression, addiction , physios and thoughts of revenge there were some tender moments and even some comical.
Killer Potential really makes you think!
Review by Heidi
It's so sad how many times some people pay the price for bad decisions and actions by others and to a degree this is what happened to Yvette.
Both parents were there but not if that makes sense, they were absent emotionally and there was no moral compass or guidance in her life
The fact that they opened their home to foster children softened me a bit . Yvette had many siblings and she got exposed to may different personalities .....
Certain events see Yvette ending up in a mental hospital and facing possible murder charges !
We're taken from past to present which gives us background to events leading up to where she finds herself now . A task that the author took on and did very well at .
There were some really interesting characters along the way and then were some that just gave me the heebie jeebies !
In between the depression, addiction , physios and thoughts of revenge there were some tender moments and even some comical.
Killer Potential really makes you think!
Review by Heidi
October 10, 2016
While pitching my novel Poor Boy Road in an online writing contest awhile back, I remember reading the Twitter pitches for my competition when one caught my eye. Long after I’d read the hundreds of other pitches, this one stuck with me. In 140 characters, the author made me want more. I always remembered the title and imagine my elation when I saw this intriguing premise in the published world.
Killer Potential is a new YA thriller from author Aften Brook Syzmanski. It follows seventeen-year-old Yvette Gibbs who is being held in a high security psych ward for a murder she’s not sure if she committed. Loved the premise from the outset – you had me at psych ward. The novel flips back and forth between Yvette’s disturbing past and her precarious current predicament all set against a sea of abuse, self-loathing, mistrust and mind-numbing pills to chase away the faces that haunt her.
Let me say, I absolutely loved the first half of this book. I devoured it. Syzmanski does a masterful job setting up Yvette’s backstory with a screwed up family and a revolving door of even more screwed up foster kids with disturbing stories that you know are all too real in today’s world. Yvette’s outlook on life is bleak and you cheer for her to rise above the shitty circumstances she’s thrown into. Szymanski is an excellent writer who paints a depressingly vivid picture of the world and people around her character.
The second half of the novel is still solid, but not quite as good as the first. The psych ward portions are 150% engaging, but the story of her past leading up to the big mystery reveal of “did she do the deed she’s imprisoned for” began to drag a bit for me and I found myself wishing for the resolution to come sooner rather than later. Ultimately, the connection between myself and Yvette that was established so well in the first half starts to shred in the second half, and her hair-brained scheme to bring her woes to conclusion were a little over the top and not as satisfying for me as I hoped for.
That said, there’s more than enough suspense to keep the reader engaged and her technique of popping between the past and present is masterfully done. Syzmanski’s portrayal of the abused foster kids coming in and out of Yvette’s life and the collection of loons in the psych ward is like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest on steroids. The character of Marianne still gives me a disturbing chill. You’ll know what I’m talking about when you read the book.
All in all, Killer Potential is a very solid thriller that brings a spotlight to some important issues, and it is a worthy read from an author I look forward to seeing more from. Check it out.
Killer Potential is a new YA thriller from author Aften Brook Syzmanski. It follows seventeen-year-old Yvette Gibbs who is being held in a high security psych ward for a murder she’s not sure if she committed. Loved the premise from the outset – you had me at psych ward. The novel flips back and forth between Yvette’s disturbing past and her precarious current predicament all set against a sea of abuse, self-loathing, mistrust and mind-numbing pills to chase away the faces that haunt her.
Let me say, I absolutely loved the first half of this book. I devoured it. Syzmanski does a masterful job setting up Yvette’s backstory with a screwed up family and a revolving door of even more screwed up foster kids with disturbing stories that you know are all too real in today’s world. Yvette’s outlook on life is bleak and you cheer for her to rise above the shitty circumstances she’s thrown into. Szymanski is an excellent writer who paints a depressingly vivid picture of the world and people around her character.
The second half of the novel is still solid, but not quite as good as the first. The psych ward portions are 150% engaging, but the story of her past leading up to the big mystery reveal of “did she do the deed she’s imprisoned for” began to drag a bit for me and I found myself wishing for the resolution to come sooner rather than later. Ultimately, the connection between myself and Yvette that was established so well in the first half starts to shred in the second half, and her hair-brained scheme to bring her woes to conclusion were a little over the top and not as satisfying for me as I hoped for.
That said, there’s more than enough suspense to keep the reader engaged and her technique of popping between the past and present is masterfully done. Syzmanski’s portrayal of the abused foster kids coming in and out of Yvette’s life and the collection of loons in the psych ward is like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest on steroids. The character of Marianne still gives me a disturbing chill. You’ll know what I’m talking about when you read the book.
All in all, Killer Potential is a very solid thriller that brings a spotlight to some important issues, and it is a worthy read from an author I look forward to seeing more from. Check it out.
July 19, 2016
This book was one of the most interesting that I've ever read... the way that it's told - jumping from past to present had to of been extremely difficult to pull off, but it turned out to be the best way to tell this story. We got the whole picture of who Yvette is and how she came to be where she is at the beginning of the story... at an institution for possible murder charges.
Revenge is not always easy or clean... sometimes it's downright messy. This psychological YA thriller kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end! I literally read it all in a days time! Stopping only to make sure my kids were still alive and fed! Ha!
The back story and reason for revenge is revealed slowly as the story is told from past to present, making sure to cover her past and to meet back up to present day as she deals with her current life at the mental institution. In a round about way, this story is completely backwards, but also tells the whole story. I think that was my favorite part. The only reason I didn't give it a five is because this book is not for everyone... you have to have an open mind to read it and there are some very basic trigger topics covered.
Revenge is not always easy or clean... sometimes it's downright messy. This psychological YA thriller kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end! I literally read it all in a days time! Stopping only to make sure my kids were still alive and fed! Ha!
The back story and reason for revenge is revealed slowly as the story is told from past to present, making sure to cover her past and to meet back up to present day as she deals with her current life at the mental institution. In a round about way, this story is completely backwards, but also tells the whole story. I think that was my favorite part. The only reason I didn't give it a five is because this book is not for everyone... you have to have an open mind to read it and there are some very basic trigger topics covered.
January 1, 2017
I have to admit this was written by a friend, but I can say without bias that it's a great thriller. Dark and edgy, this story takes an unflinching look at the life of a girl in a neglected home and where it ultimately leads her. The most amazing thing about this novel was the unique structure. The chapters alternate between flashbacks of the main character's childhood and her current struggle in a mental hospital. The flashbacks advance chronologically until they bring you to the point where you find her in the very first chapter of the novel--at a court-appointed stay in the psychiatric ward. This unique structure and the perfect pacing made for a great read!
July 19, 2016
I did not like this at all. It is written in first person , and she is a very strange person. I found it depressing. That is not what I am looking for in a book.
October 15, 2016
I'll start at the very beginning. ...as in right at the beginning
April 12, 2018
So, what is a horror novel? I didn't think I liked "horror." But, I think I do.
I started the book thinking the narrator was completely crazy. I didn't know if I could trust a word that came out of her insane, drugged up, mouth. It took a little while of reading to catch onto the rhythm of the narrative, but once I did, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Her life felt alive, with gritty details. I got to know this girl and how her depressed mother, absent father, and foster children siblings created a really messed up home life. I got caught up in the mystery of the murder, the craziness of the character, and the complexity of her situation. Man. What a fun read. And the ending is very satisfying. I love it when an ending gets it.
I'll be reading more from Szymanski.
I started the book thinking the narrator was completely crazy. I didn't know if I could trust a word that came out of her insane, drugged up, mouth. It took a little while of reading to catch onto the rhythm of the narrative, but once I did, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Her life felt alive, with gritty details. I got to know this girl and how her depressed mother, absent father, and foster children siblings created a really messed up home life. I got caught up in the mystery of the murder, the craziness of the character, and the complexity of her situation. Man. What a fun read. And the ending is very satisfying. I love it when an ending gets it.
I'll be reading more from Szymanski.
December 22, 2018
I'm a Pollyanna kind of person. Give me hearts, rainbows, throw in a couple of unicorns, and I'm happy. Several times while reading this book I felt the need for an emotional break, but no matter how many times I put it down, I had to pick it back up again. Few dark thrillers affect me this way. Well done Ms. Szymanski, now excuse me while I go watch Mr. Rogers for a while.
October 14, 2016
1.5/5
It took me months to get through this very short novel. The reason for that is that it was pretty senseless.
The story started off moderately well. It's told from Yvette's perspective, a teenage girl in a psych ward suspected of a murder, switching from the present to the past every chapter. I was entertained and a bit intrigued at first. I wasn't really sure where the story was going, but I don't really mind slow-paced stories when there are good characters. However, this one was a slow story with a cast full of dull, flat characters.
The main character was the most obnoxious piece of work I've ever read about. She never did anything that made sense and although she was aware of it, she still didn't change for the better. And I get that the point of the story is that she has "killer potential." She's a messed up character who has been so damaged growing up that she just wants revenge. But come on, she was such a whiny stupid girl. She accomplished absolutely nothing.
There were so many uncomfortable scenes where abuse was hinted at but nothing was ever done about it. The main character witnessed so many different instances of bad stuff happening to others, but she did nothing to report it or anything. Maybe that was used to prove why she was so tormented, but it was overly done. I wasn't sure why I had to read about these things if there wasn't a point to it. It just made me feel sick to my stomach.
The characters were all cardboard cutouts. They weren't only unlikable, they were defined by maybe one trait, at the most. The Party Girl, the Neglectful Dad, the Drugged Out Mom, the Creepy Guy, the Other Creepy Guy, the Wild Sister. I mean, that's it. These people had no personality whatsoever, and they served no purpose at all. Yvette constantly thought about how much she cared for her younger brother, but she hardly interacted with him. I had no idea who he was. The bad guys are bad for the sake of being bad, and that's it. No other reason behind it. And basically, everyone in this book could technically have "killer potential."
My biggest issue was the plausibility throughout the story. There were things that just sounded odd and completely threw me off of the story. At one point, this sheriff finds Yvette at school right when she gets into a fight with Adam (some random guy who showed up out of nowhere near the end of the book, but ended up being super significant for some reason). Anyway, a few scenes later, Yvette is taking a test to see if she can go to college, and Adam is there, and the same sheriff is administering the test. Because that makes perfect sense. Also, just the entire college thing was so annoying. Not only does Yvette spend page after page describing each of her classes, she also discusses each of her assignments and projects in depth. I've never before had to read through so many details (wrong details, at that) of college life. I'm in college at the moment, so trust me, this was not necessary at all. Nobody goes into a fiction book about a potential killer expecting to learn all the details about her school life.
I'm sure all of those boring details were added to fill in the plot gap. There wasn't much of a plot, if any. Yvette's life sucked, and then there was a crime. That's it. There wasn't even much of a mystery over the crime committed. I took absolutely nothing away from the story or the characters.
There were many times where I was ready to give up on this book, but I pushed through it. I wanted so desperately to find a motive in the story, but I found nothing worthwhile. But since I did finish it, I can't say I hated it. I'm sure other people could enjoy the unnecessary violence and college trivia, but it just wasn't for me.
*I received an electronic arc for my honest review*
"I'm afraid of other people's problems--their lives behind the scenes. All the things they hide, like the foster kids. Everyone looks normal, but how many are monsters in regular person's skin?"
It took me months to get through this very short novel. The reason for that is that it was pretty senseless.
The story started off moderately well. It's told from Yvette's perspective, a teenage girl in a psych ward suspected of a murder, switching from the present to the past every chapter. I was entertained and a bit intrigued at first. I wasn't really sure where the story was going, but I don't really mind slow-paced stories when there are good characters. However, this one was a slow story with a cast full of dull, flat characters.
The main character was the most obnoxious piece of work I've ever read about. She never did anything that made sense and although she was aware of it, she still didn't change for the better. And I get that the point of the story is that she has "killer potential." She's a messed up character who has been so damaged growing up that she just wants revenge. But come on, she was such a whiny stupid girl. She accomplished absolutely nothing.
There were so many uncomfortable scenes where abuse was hinted at but nothing was ever done about it. The main character witnessed so many different instances of bad stuff happening to others, but she did nothing to report it or anything. Maybe that was used to prove why she was so tormented, but it was overly done. I wasn't sure why I had to read about these things if there wasn't a point to it. It just made me feel sick to my stomach.
The characters were all cardboard cutouts. They weren't only unlikable, they were defined by maybe one trait, at the most. The Party Girl, the Neglectful Dad, the Drugged Out Mom, the Creepy Guy, the Other Creepy Guy, the Wild Sister. I mean, that's it. These people had no personality whatsoever, and they served no purpose at all. Yvette constantly thought about how much she cared for her younger brother, but she hardly interacted with him. I had no idea who he was. The bad guys are bad for the sake of being bad, and that's it. No other reason behind it. And basically, everyone in this book could technically have "killer potential."
My biggest issue was the plausibility throughout the story. There were things that just sounded odd and completely threw me off of the story. At one point, this sheriff finds Yvette at school right when she gets into a fight with Adam (some random guy who showed up out of nowhere near the end of the book, but ended up being super significant for some reason). Anyway, a few scenes later, Yvette is taking a test to see if she can go to college, and Adam is there, and the same sheriff is administering the test. Because that makes perfect sense. Also, just the entire college thing was so annoying. Not only does Yvette spend page after page describing each of her classes, she also discusses each of her assignments and projects in depth. I've never before had to read through so many details (wrong details, at that) of college life. I'm in college at the moment, so trust me, this was not necessary at all. Nobody goes into a fiction book about a potential killer expecting to learn all the details about her school life.
I'm sure all of those boring details were added to fill in the plot gap. There wasn't much of a plot, if any. Yvette's life sucked, and then there was a crime. That's it. There wasn't even much of a mystery over the crime committed. I took absolutely nothing away from the story or the characters.
There were many times where I was ready to give up on this book, but I pushed through it. I wanted so desperately to find a motive in the story, but I found nothing worthwhile. But since I did finish it, I can't say I hated it. I'm sure other people could enjoy the unnecessary violence and college trivia, but it just wasn't for me.
*I received an electronic arc for my honest review*
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews