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Crazy House #1
Crazy House
Two twins face a world of Death Row and dystopia in James Patterson's gripping thriller-perfect for fans of The Hunger Games .
Seventeen-year-old Becca Greenfield was snatched from her small hometown. She was thrown into a maximum-security prison and put on Death Row with other kids her age. Until her execution, Becca's told to fit in and shut her mouth . . . but Becca's never been very good at either. Her sister Cassie was always the good twin.
There were no charges. There was no trial. There will be no escape. Becca's only hope is that her twin sister will find her. That perfect little priss Cassie will stop following the rules and start breaking them, before it's too late. Because her jailers made a mistake that could get them both They took the wrong twin.
Crazy House is a non-stop thrill ride from James Patterson, the #1 bestselling author of Maximum Ride , Witch and Wizard , and Confessions of a Murder Suspect .
Seventeen-year-old Becca Greenfield was snatched from her small hometown. She was thrown into a maximum-security prison and put on Death Row with other kids her age. Until her execution, Becca's told to fit in and shut her mouth . . . but Becca's never been very good at either. Her sister Cassie was always the good twin.
There were no charges. There was no trial. There will be no escape. Becca's only hope is that her twin sister will find her. That perfect little priss Cassie will stop following the rules and start breaking them, before it's too late. Because her jailers made a mistake that could get them both They took the wrong twin.
Crazy House is a non-stop thrill ride from James Patterson, the #1 bestselling author of Maximum Ride , Witch and Wizard , and Confessions of a Murder Suspect .
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2017
2618 people are currently reading
20225 people want to read
About the author
James Patterson
950 books356k followersOfficial US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead
James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,603 reviews
June 21, 2017
WTF THERE BETTER BE A NEXT BOOK!!!!!
November 14, 2017
This is the first book I have read by James Patterson but I have heard many good things about him from other readers. I was drawn to this book as I am a fan of YA fiction & dystopian style novels. I have been told that this is different to what Patterson usually produces and so, as a result, I will also be purchasing some of his other books.
Becca Greenfield was kidnapped from her home and thrown into prison known as the Crazy House and that was when her life became a living hell. Then her sister is taken and joins Cassie in jail where they are both on Death Row, fighting for survival.
I enjoyed the fast pace and the characters in this novel. It had been said that this was the next Hunger Games. I must be the only person who hasn't seen a single episode of it or read the books! I am going to get on it and make sure The Hunger Games is added to my TBR list. This is one of the first books I have read with this mix of genres - YA/thriller/dystopian outlook - but it won't be the last. I will be on the lookout for more releases from Patterson in the future.
Becca Greenfield was kidnapped from her home and thrown into prison known as the Crazy House and that was when her life became a living hell. Then her sister is taken and joins Cassie in jail where they are both on Death Row, fighting for survival.
I enjoyed the fast pace and the characters in this novel. It had been said that this was the next Hunger Games. I must be the only person who hasn't seen a single episode of it or read the books! I am going to get on it and make sure The Hunger Games is added to my TBR list. This is one of the first books I have read with this mix of genres - YA/thriller/dystopian outlook - but it won't be the last. I will be on the lookout for more releases from Patterson in the future.
April 26, 2018
This latest Patterson fiasco was in the hopper from my local library and the reason I choked it down. It certainly felt that way as I had to gag my way through another debacle. Except for possibly, NYPD Red, I will not suffer through another Paterson factory work. 0 of 10 stars
September 8, 2018
1.5 stars
TW: rape, abuse, suicide
All spoilers will be tagged as such.
I felt like I accidentally picked up a book that was in the middle of a series. There wasn't much explanation for at least half of the book about what the "cell" is. And even then, it was super vague until the end. I don't know about you guys, but I like a little explanation about the world I'm getting into. Not just a shrug and a vague mumbling about what it is.
What I liked:
-The protagonists. I liked Becca and Cassie. They were fine. I couldn't really tell them apart at times, I felt their voices were too similar. But they were alright.
-Nathaniel. I liked him. I liked his POV.
-Kind of reminded me of James Patterson's Witch & Wizard. Unfortunately, I liked that book more than I liked this one.
-The cover is really pretty.
-I don't really have anything nice to say about this book.
What I didn't like:
-TW: suicide
-TW: rape
-*Ugh* Don't even get me started on the romance. It felt really forced to me. This book didn't need any romance. It could have gone without and been a little better. Out of nowhere there were two characters who suddenly starting kissing and it was so jarring because there was nothing building it up. It was so forced and barely present anyway.
-Wtf about the dragonflies??
-Lmao. Nice try trying to compare this to the Hunger Games. It's definitely not as good and I didn't feel for these characters. Feels like a stretch to me...
-This. Stupid. Frickin'. Prison. Aka, Crazy House.
The Writing
The writing is alright. It's not spectacular. It reminds me of any of James Patterson's other YA works. Kind of bland and just okay. The writing is pretty simple. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just not for me. I listened to the audiobook so thank god it was a quick read. I would not had been able to read a physical copy of this.
The Ending
I still don't understand this stupid kid prison business. And the ending is left off like it's preparing for a sequel but from what I know, there won't be one. By the time Strep revealed what was going on, it was way too late. It was the last ten pages of the book, and too late for me to actually enjoy it. Everything that lead up to that point seems really meaningless. If the authors introduced what was actually going on earlier in the book, then it could have had some potential. But instead, the readers are lead around in circles only to learn, wow, that "not everything is how it seems, children!!" in the last few pages. Smh.
*update: It was revealed some months after this book (and my review) came out that there would be a sequel. (Possibly to become a trilogy?) The ending still didn't make any sense at the time when we weren't being told there was a sequel in the works. Either way, I'm still gonna say fuck this book.
TW: rape, abuse, suicide
All spoilers will be tagged as such.
I felt like I accidentally picked up a book that was in the middle of a series. There wasn't much explanation for at least half of the book about what the "cell" is. And even then, it was super vague until the end. I don't know about you guys, but I like a little explanation about the world I'm getting into. Not just a shrug and a vague mumbling about what it is.
What I liked:
-The protagonists. I liked Becca and Cassie. They were fine. I couldn't really tell them apart at times, I felt their voices were too similar. But they were alright.
-Nathaniel. I liked him. I liked his POV.
-Kind of reminded me of James Patterson's Witch & Wizard. Unfortunately, I liked that book more than I liked this one.
-The cover is really pretty.
-I don't really have anything nice to say about this book.
What I didn't like:
-TW: suicide
-TW: rape
-*Ugh* Don't even get me started on the romance. It felt really forced to me. This book didn't need any romance. It could have gone without and been a little better. Out of nowhere there were two characters who suddenly starting kissing and it was so jarring because there was nothing building it up. It was so forced and barely present anyway.
-Wtf about the dragonflies??
-Lmao. Nice try trying to compare this to the Hunger Games. It's definitely not as good and I didn't feel for these characters. Feels like a stretch to me...
-This. Stupid. Frickin'. Prison. Aka, Crazy House.
The Writing
The writing is alright. It's not spectacular. It reminds me of any of James Patterson's other YA works. Kind of bland and just okay. The writing is pretty simple. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just not for me. I listened to the audiobook so thank god it was a quick read. I would not had been able to read a physical copy of this.
The Ending
I still don't understand this stupid kid prison business. And the ending is left off like it's preparing for a sequel but from what I know, there won't be one. By the time Strep revealed what was going on, it was way too late. It was the last ten pages of the book, and too late for me to actually enjoy it. Everything that lead up to that point seems really meaningless. If the authors introduced what was actually going on earlier in the book, then it could have had some potential. But instead, the readers are lead around in circles only to learn, wow, that "not everything is how it seems, children!!" in the last few pages. Smh.
*update: It was revealed some months after this book (and my review) came out that there would be a sequel. (Possibly to become a trilogy?) The ending still didn't make any sense at the time when we weren't being told there was a sequel in the works. Either way, I'm still gonna say fuck this book.
July 2, 2018
This wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be more of a thriller, but was actually a dystopian. It reminded me of pretty much every other dystopian YA I’d read before. Entertaining enough but no real closure, and wasn’t anything new.
March 10, 2025
EXCERPT: CASSIE
Leaning back against the kitchen counter with my first hot cup, I looked out the torn window screen to see the barest hint of pink coming up over the tops of the trees by the Boundary. I guess people who live in cells by the ocean get to see the sun coming up over the water.
Actually, I don't know. I don't know if any people live near any ocean.
I felt the coffee igniting nerves throughout my body as I sipped and watched the sun come up. It was partly blocked by the carport where I kept my -
I bolted upright and peered through the ragged screen.
"No, she didn't!" I shrieked, wanting to hurl my coffee cup right out the window. It would have hit my truck if my truck had been there. Which it wasn't!
"Damnation, Rebecca!" I shouted, then wheeled and headed upstairs just to double-check. Just in case. Just in case my twin, Ridiculous Rebecca, was in fact still snoring in bed instead of joyriding in my truck.
I slammed open her bedroom door, adrenaline making jumpy friends with all the caffiene in my system.
Becca's bed was empty.
Seething, I hurried to my room at the end of the hall, passing the door to our parents' room, which we kept shut all the time nowadays. In my room I threw on yesterday's jeans and a plaid shirt that I'd that I'd been too hasty in assigning to the dirty clothes pile. Jamming my feet into my perfectly worn cowboy boots, I started rehearsing what I would say to my sister when I caught up with her.
And I would catch up with her. There was zero doubt about that. Our cell was barely four miles across, a nice big crop circle. Becca had no place to run, no place to hide.
ABOUT 'CRAZY HOUSE': There were no charges. There was no trial. There will be no escape.
Seventeen-year-old Becca Greenfield was snatched from her small hometown. She was thrown into a maximum-security prison and put on Death Row with other kids her age. Until her execution, Becca's told to fit in and shut her mouth... but Becca's never been very good at either. Her sister Cassie was always the perfect twin.
Becca's only hope is that her twin sister will find her. That perfect little priss Cassie will stop following the rules and start breaking them, before it's too late. Because her jailers made a mistake that could get them both killed:
They took the wrong twin.
MY THOUGHTS: The twins have 'pet' names for one another. Rebecca calls her sister 'Cautious Cassie' and Cassie calls her twin 'Ridiculous Rebecca', although I think 'Rebellious Rebecca' would have been a better fit.
This is a fast-paced dystopian thriller set some time in the future when the 'United' has been divided into small cells, each cell focusing on the production of only one item. The cell Cassie and Rebecca live in is an agricultural cell. This is all they know, all their education is focused on. Communication and interaction between cells is forbidden. Anyone who doesn't follow the rules is 'disappeared', never to be seen or heard from again.
There are a fair few twists in this plot - not everyone is who they seem to be and there is a whole world out there that Cassie and Becca know nothing about . . . They are about to learn though and learn a whole lot about themselves at the same time.
I enjoyed this a whole lot more than I expected to.
⭐⭐⭐.5
#CrazyHouse @waitomodistrictlibrary
MEET THE AUTHORS: James Patterson has donated more than one million books to students, focusing on some of the most under-resourced schools and youth programs in the country.
Gabrielle Charbonnet is the coauthor of Sundays at Tiffany's, Witch & Wizard, and Crazy House with James Patterson, and has written many other books for young readers. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and a lot of pets.
Leaning back against the kitchen counter with my first hot cup, I looked out the torn window screen to see the barest hint of pink coming up over the tops of the trees by the Boundary. I guess people who live in cells by the ocean get to see the sun coming up over the water.
Actually, I don't know. I don't know if any people live near any ocean.
I felt the coffee igniting nerves throughout my body as I sipped and watched the sun come up. It was partly blocked by the carport where I kept my -
I bolted upright and peered through the ragged screen.
"No, she didn't!" I shrieked, wanting to hurl my coffee cup right out the window. It would have hit my truck if my truck had been there. Which it wasn't!
"Damnation, Rebecca!" I shouted, then wheeled and headed upstairs just to double-check. Just in case. Just in case my twin, Ridiculous Rebecca, was in fact still snoring in bed instead of joyriding in my truck.
I slammed open her bedroom door, adrenaline making jumpy friends with all the caffiene in my system.
Becca's bed was empty.
Seething, I hurried to my room at the end of the hall, passing the door to our parents' room, which we kept shut all the time nowadays. In my room I threw on yesterday's jeans and a plaid shirt that I'd that I'd been too hasty in assigning to the dirty clothes pile. Jamming my feet into my perfectly worn cowboy boots, I started rehearsing what I would say to my sister when I caught up with her.
And I would catch up with her. There was zero doubt about that. Our cell was barely four miles across, a nice big crop circle. Becca had no place to run, no place to hide.
ABOUT 'CRAZY HOUSE': There were no charges. There was no trial. There will be no escape.
Seventeen-year-old Becca Greenfield was snatched from her small hometown. She was thrown into a maximum-security prison and put on Death Row with other kids her age. Until her execution, Becca's told to fit in and shut her mouth... but Becca's never been very good at either. Her sister Cassie was always the perfect twin.
Becca's only hope is that her twin sister will find her. That perfect little priss Cassie will stop following the rules and start breaking them, before it's too late. Because her jailers made a mistake that could get them both killed:
They took the wrong twin.
MY THOUGHTS: The twins have 'pet' names for one another. Rebecca calls her sister 'Cautious Cassie' and Cassie calls her twin 'Ridiculous Rebecca', although I think 'Rebellious Rebecca' would have been a better fit.
This is a fast-paced dystopian thriller set some time in the future when the 'United' has been divided into small cells, each cell focusing on the production of only one item. The cell Cassie and Rebecca live in is an agricultural cell. This is all they know, all their education is focused on. Communication and interaction between cells is forbidden. Anyone who doesn't follow the rules is 'disappeared', never to be seen or heard from again.
There are a fair few twists in this plot - not everyone is who they seem to be and there is a whole world out there that Cassie and Becca know nothing about . . . They are about to learn though and learn a whole lot about themselves at the same time.
I enjoyed this a whole lot more than I expected to.
⭐⭐⭐.5
#CrazyHouse @waitomodistrictlibrary
MEET THE AUTHORS: James Patterson has donated more than one million books to students, focusing on some of the most under-resourced schools and youth programs in the country.
Gabrielle Charbonnet is the coauthor of Sundays at Tiffany's, Witch & Wizard, and Crazy House with James Patterson, and has written many other books for young readers. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and a lot of pets.
August 16, 2017
Why must I finish every book I start? Why did I allow this pretty cover to lull me into forgetting this is a James Patterson bookfarm book of sucky suck-atude? Do not read this. Do not waste your time. For the love of God, unless you like the most boring, predictable, mind-numbing book ever, don't read this. I don't hate this book, to hate it would be showing too much emotion for a book that honestly didn't deserve to be published, and wouldn't have been if not for JAMES PATTERSON plastered on the cover almost as large as the title.
May 28, 2017
Giving up at 100 pages. I wasn't a fan of the dialogue, the story didn't grab me. Maybe I'm just not the right audience, as the book does seem to have decent reviews.
July 5, 2017
This is a really interesting dystopia type of fantasy and I did enjoy it very much. Read it in one sitting because I really wanted to see how it would pan out. However, I am hoping there is a sequel because there were some unanswered questions and a cliff hanger type of ending.
January 13, 2025
In this world where the government is controlling everything, children have been going missing and the government doesn’t seem to care. The townspeople don’t seem to mind, for every child that’s gone allows another family to have a baby. But where are they going and why are they being taken?
August 27, 2017
Are you missing the Dystopian genre since it seems to have faded away lately from the YA trend? James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet have banded together to present teens a new YA dystopian series. Crazy House I first thought would be a mystery novel, a bit of a serial killer type that James Patterson is often famous for but then I noticed his co-author as she normally helps write his romance novels. In Crazy House, some suburbs have been cornered off, and everyone must follow the rules to survive. For twins Becca and Cassie Greenfield, they have been busy trying to keep things under control as their mum was removed years ago for a mood adjustment and their father tried to kill himself and now is in a hospice waiting to die. Becca goes joyriding one night and ends up kidnapped and transported to a place known as the "Crazy House" where the only way out is death by execution. Cassie being the good twin decides to search for her sister and save her. During her search, she will discover that her sister was part of the Outsiders which include of course the son of the leader of their dystopian society - cliched I know as the son always ends up being a rebel. Cassie will eventually land herself in the Crazy House too, but can she with Becca's and her newfound friends find a way out of the house alive? Find out in Book #1 Crazy House by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. A Good start to a new Dystopian series.
April 22, 2022
I stopped reading James Patterson years ago... This book reminded me why. Crazy House was billed as the "next Hunger Games." Here's the thing, one of the most amazing parts of Hunger Games was the characters... You loved them, you rooted for them, you felt their pain. All the characters in Crazy House were awful. "Ridiculous" Rebecca and "Careful" Cassie. That was the best you could come up with?? I didn't like them and didn't care what happened to them. And the big twist at the end was stupid. Needless to say, I will not be reading the sequel.
January 30, 2019
I had this book since it was released and thought it was about time that I read it - especially being a James Patterson book and he rarely disappoints.
This was a fast paced story that I really enjoyed listening to. I see there is a sequel coming - looking forward to that!
This was a fast paced story that I really enjoyed listening to. I see there is a sequel coming - looking forward to that!
November 2, 2017
Review to come soon
June 8, 2017
First things first ~ this book claims (on the cover) that the wait for the "next Hunger Games" is over with this book.
HAAAAA HAAAAAA HAAAAAAA! Good one. So funny.
Wait, that wasn't a joke? Damn. Well.
SOOOOOOOOOO not the next Hunger Games. If Hunger Games is a 10, this book is like a 2 or 3. Good in its own rights, but NOT Hunger Games. That bugged the shit out of me, big time.
The book was good, until the very end. It would have been a 4 star book for me if the end had been ANYTHING different, but wow, that ending was AWFUL. Really?! A good, not great but good, book ended up being all about nothing really, but trying to shove some kind of meaning down our thoats? I don't know. It was weak and lame and I wasn't expecting it.
4 stars for the first 95% of the book, 2 stars for the last 5%.
HAAAAA HAAAAAA HAAAAAAA! Good one. So funny.
Wait, that wasn't a joke? Damn. Well.
SOOOOOOOOOO not the next Hunger Games. If Hunger Games is a 10, this book is like a 2 or 3. Good in its own rights, but NOT Hunger Games. That bugged the shit out of me, big time.
The book was good, until the very end. It would have been a 4 star book for me if the end had been ANYTHING different, but wow, that ending was AWFUL. Really?! A good, not great but good, book ended up being all about nothing really, but trying to shove some kind of meaning down our thoats? I don't know. It was weak and lame and I wasn't expecting it.
4 stars for the first 95% of the book, 2 stars for the last 5%.
February 16, 2019
Will probably read the next one but it better not turn out like Maximum Ride
September 16, 2017
A Magical World Of Words
(Thank you to Penguin Random House SA for sending me this book in exchange for a honest review.)
1.5 stars.
I had never read a James Patterson book until this one. I knew about him, obviously, and knew that he was a huge name in the thriller genre, but I'd never read his books.
Until this one. And believe me, I was ecstatic to dive into it and love it; I was really, really excited.
But it fell flat for me in every single way.
The writing is clumsy, melodramatic, and juvenile. The sentences are stilted, the dialogue unrealistic and frequently out of character, and there is absolutely no set-up of anything. The world building is extremely limited, and for the entirety of the first quarter of the story I was completely confused. In fact, I didn't even realise it was dystopia until the story got to a certain point. Everything's vague and weak and incredibly, incredibly unrealistic. Not for one second could I suspend disbelief.
But there are some nice twists towards the end and the pacing is always fast. Yet the story ends unrealistically. The twists are good twists, but they're pathetically executed. The story feels even more unrealistic and superficial at the end and I didn't buy it.
There's no background or strong backstory for anything. Nothing is set-up! Incidents and information are thrown in randomly like the author's just thought of them in the moment. For example, when Cassie tells the reader that a certain teacher raped her sister, the information comes in the form of an outburst to said teacher and has no realism at all. There's been no set-up to that, and there's no proper consequences in that scene. The information is shocking - horrifying - but it's handled terribly. And the worst thing is, Cassie doesn't even act realistically; she shouts out the accusation like she's having a spat with a friend.
Here's the scene:
I actually felt the blood draining from my face. "Don't you talk about my ma," I said in a low, shaking voice. Something inside me came undone and I went on, not sounding like myself at all. "You're not the only one who can make threats. Remember when you pushed me into the supply closest? Remember shoving your tongue down my throat?"
Mr. Harrison got red, his eyes narrowing.
"I'm sure you do, because I bit the hell out of it," I went on. "But Becca wasn't so lucky, was she? No, you actually got her alone that time. And you forced yourself on her! You're just a rapist! Not any kind of teacher."
"You listen here," Mr. Harrison began, striding towards me angrily, "The girl had it coming to her! Just like you!"
It goes without saying that Mr. Harrison is a despicable character, but isn't that scene so poorly written? Not to mention it's extremely insensitive and offensive - the language is anything but serious, despite the gravity of the information. The subject of rape seems to be there simply for shock value.
Which brings me to: The author's handling of certain dark topics.
Rape and a pregnancy that ends in a miscarriage are mentioned, but they aren't written sensitively or intelligently. They're skimped over, with the characters barely acknowledging them, and it all comes across childish, immature, and "oh well, it happened. Let's move on." Personally, I think that if you're going to mention topics like that it's your responsibility to handle them well and make sure they get the closure, attention, and sensitivity they deserve. As it is, I'm shocked, furious, heartbroken, at the way Patterson addresses the incident of rape and the miscarriage of a girl's child. Even if the story world or characters don't give the topics proper handling, that in itself needs to be addressed in the story. But in this book it never is.
"There were no charges. There was no trial. There will be no escape."
The characters are stereotypical. Becca and Cassie do have a compelling relationship and they do change throughout the story, but they aren't great characters. I like how active they are and that they actually do move the story forward, but they're still annoying, boring characters. And I struggled to get into their heads and sympathise with them.
Everyone else is bland and underdeveloped. People pop up without introduction or impression and suddenly we're supposed to feel for them. And I tell you truthfully, I did not feel for a single character in the book. I just couldn't. Nathaniel and Tim are boring love interests with little purpose in the story aside from being love interests, and Miss. Strepp - the woman who had potential for an interesting character - is inconsistent, and gradually falls into a stereotypical, predictable role.
Crazy House is poorly written, unrealistic, insensitive to the tough subjects it brings up, and packed with bland, stereotypical characters. It has no set-up, and nothing, nothing is properly developed - if developed at all.
July 24, 2017
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I requested Crazy House because I've always wanted to read a James Patterson book and I quite enjoy novels with a dystopian setting. The premise is simple: Becca Greenfield is thrown into prison known as the Crazy House where she's told that she's on death row. In the meantime her twin, Cassie, is trying to find her. A fight for survival begins.
The writing is nothing spectacular, in fact I found it quite juvenile in places, but the world building is intriguing and the story is fast paced and I ended up reading it in one sitting. The novel comes with a few decent twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. The characters are well developed and believable teenagers.
Recommended for fans of dystopian YA, but do not expect anything groundbreaking or special.
I requested Crazy House because I've always wanted to read a James Patterson book and I quite enjoy novels with a dystopian setting. The premise is simple: Becca Greenfield is thrown into prison known as the Crazy House where she's told that she's on death row. In the meantime her twin, Cassie, is trying to find her. A fight for survival begins.
The writing is nothing spectacular, in fact I found it quite juvenile in places, but the world building is intriguing and the story is fast paced and I ended up reading it in one sitting. The novel comes with a few decent twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. The characters are well developed and believable teenagers.
Recommended for fans of dystopian YA, but do not expect anything groundbreaking or special.
June 15, 2017
What's with the abrupt ending?! Please tell me there will be a second book!!
March 20, 2025
This was horrible - way to many plot holes, underdeveloped characters, unnecessary romance - just wasn't good.
April 24, 2019
DNF @ p16 because Patterson needs to learn how to write at a skill level beyond an excited twelve-year-old with a love for exclamation points. Wait, scratch that . . . he just needs to learn how to write because I've read stuff from actual 12yo's that is miles better than this.
August 27, 2017
This is the first ever book of James Patterson's that I have never finished, and given less that 4 stars, I was sorely disappointed in this, I was very much into this book at the start and really enjoyed it, but half way through I just drifted off, I just couldn't (with a heavy heart) finish it, no matter how hard I tried.
The story starts with a girl called Becca disappearing from her home town without a trace and thrown into high security prison on death row, but it's supposed to be her sister there instead, the only person worried about it all is her twin sister Cassie, who throughout her life has been a goody two shoes and now is suddenly thrown out if school and ignored by everyone, and suddenly has a change of personality and becomes rebellious and talking out of line, which is very unlike her, and finally she finds Becca after she herself is kidnapped and thrown into prison, to sit exams and fight other kids and that's where it ended for me, I just couldn't go any further, as it all seemed too much, people living in small settlements only to not know that there is other people living in other settlements, and to have never even seen someone of a different background whether it be race or religion, they are told what they will grow up to be and not have any other choice and watched at every turn.
I did enjoy some parts of the book, as with all of other of Patterson's books there is always a twist or turn of events and whatever you are reading suddenly becomes clear when you figure it all out, but I shall never know and I am tempted to try again and get to the end, but maybe not just yet.
Right rant over, onto the next good read!!!!
The story starts with a girl called Becca disappearing from her home town without a trace and thrown into high security prison on death row, but it's supposed to be her sister there instead, the only person worried about it all is her twin sister Cassie, who throughout her life has been a goody two shoes and now is suddenly thrown out if school and ignored by everyone, and suddenly has a change of personality and becomes rebellious and talking out of line, which is very unlike her, and finally she finds Becca after she herself is kidnapped and thrown into prison, to sit exams and fight other kids and that's where it ended for me, I just couldn't go any further, as it all seemed too much, people living in small settlements only to not know that there is other people living in other settlements, and to have never even seen someone of a different background whether it be race or religion, they are told what they will grow up to be and not have any other choice and watched at every turn.
I did enjoy some parts of the book, as with all of other of Patterson's books there is always a twist or turn of events and whatever you are reading suddenly becomes clear when you figure it all out, but I shall never know and I am tempted to try again and get to the end, but maybe not just yet.
Right rant over, onto the next good read!!!!
May 30, 2017
Didn't think I'd like it once I started it. But after the first few chapters I was hooked and the book turned out better than I thought it would.
January 25, 2018
I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book but glad I struck with it. Just wish I could see what happens to Cass and nate now.
January 10, 2019
This was a strange and horrible book. I did not like that it was dystopian and the audio book was boring.
July 12, 2018
At last, my first James Patterson novel. I had read thousands of books from authors famous to obscure before picking one up with Patterson's name on the front. I had doubts about reading him at all because of the limited amount of actual writing he reportedly did on his later novels, but Crazy House, co-authored with Gabrielle Charbonnet, looked too good to pass on. Could it be as intense as Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games, as the tagline on the front cover implies? Considering James Patterson's reputation as a mastermind of the thriller genre, I went to Crazy House with high expectations. Life is bleak in the small farming cell where seventeen-year-old twins Becca and Cassie Greenfield try to survive the loss of their parents. Their mother was taken by the government for a "mood-adjust" and never came back; their father tried to end his own life shortly afterward, but the botched attempt put him in the hospital in a vegetative state he will never awaken from. Cassie does her best to go to school and not draw attention, but Becca isn't that disciplined. One morning Cassie wakes up to find the family truck gone. She's at the end of her patience with Becca's shenanigans, but as the day ends and her sister doesn't return, dread sneaks up on Cassie. Other teens from their cell have disappeared recently, and none have been seen since.
While Cassie quietly asks around town about her twin, Becca regains consciousness in a filthy prison. They call it the crazy house, and it's a youth version of death row. Inmates are thrust two by two into a boxing ring and forced to fight until one of them is violently defeated, permanent damage done to their body. What sadistic game is Ms. Strepp, the woman in charge, playing with them, and why did she abduct Becca? Just living to tomorrow is an accomplishment in the crazy house, but at least Cassie is on Becca's trail. Cassie meets Nate Allen, teenage son of her cell's government Provost, and Nate clues her in on the truth behind Becca's recent history of wild behavior. She and Nate were part of a group called the Outsiders, political dissidents wanting to show the Provost that his power can be flouted. Nate is worried by Becca's disappearance, but he's sure foul play is involved when Cassie vanishes, too. Now he has two girls to track down.
"Facing death forces you to leave extraneous emotions behind. It focuses your thoughts, your energies, unlike any other situation."
—Crazy House, P. 348
Poor Cassie. She's brought to join Becca in the crazy house, a chamber of horrors arguably worse than death. The twins watch helplessly as kids and teens are singled out to fight and sometimes be executed in front of everyone, and the young prisoners are all losing their grip on sanity. But Cassie and Becca didn't count on Nate breaking in to the crazy house, with an eleven-year-old boy known as the Kid. There must be some way to escape before Cassie, Becca, Nate, or the Kid are executed by Ms. Strepp's goons. Every fortress has a way out, but what are the chances of finding it before their time is up? They have to risk an all-out jailbreak...but even if it works, Cassie and Becca may end up broken by the biggest secret Ms. Strepp is keeping from them.
The publisher's teaser that Crazy House could be "the next Hunger Games" elevated my expectations too high. The Hunger Games is one of the greatest novels I've read, an insane rush of adrenaline, emotion, and profound story, and Crazy House is nowhere near that, in my opinion. Not all of it makes sense, and the characters aren't as consistent internally or in their actions as one would like. The Kid is a nice addition to the story; his distinctive manner of speaking and saucy attitude make for good reading. I'm rating Crazy House one and a half stars, but I almost rounded up to two. I wasn't impressed as I hoped to be, but there's more to the story in the next novel, and I plan to give it a go. We'll see how James Patterson and his co-author pull the remainder of the narrative together.
While Cassie quietly asks around town about her twin, Becca regains consciousness in a filthy prison. They call it the crazy house, and it's a youth version of death row. Inmates are thrust two by two into a boxing ring and forced to fight until one of them is violently defeated, permanent damage done to their body. What sadistic game is Ms. Strepp, the woman in charge, playing with them, and why did she abduct Becca? Just living to tomorrow is an accomplishment in the crazy house, but at least Cassie is on Becca's trail. Cassie meets Nate Allen, teenage son of her cell's government Provost, and Nate clues her in on the truth behind Becca's recent history of wild behavior. She and Nate were part of a group called the Outsiders, political dissidents wanting to show the Provost that his power can be flouted. Nate is worried by Becca's disappearance, but he's sure foul play is involved when Cassie vanishes, too. Now he has two girls to track down.
"Facing death forces you to leave extraneous emotions behind. It focuses your thoughts, your energies, unlike any other situation."
—Crazy House, P. 348
Poor Cassie. She's brought to join Becca in the crazy house, a chamber of horrors arguably worse than death. The twins watch helplessly as kids and teens are singled out to fight and sometimes be executed in front of everyone, and the young prisoners are all losing their grip on sanity. But Cassie and Becca didn't count on Nate breaking in to the crazy house, with an eleven-year-old boy known as the Kid. There must be some way to escape before Cassie, Becca, Nate, or the Kid are executed by Ms. Strepp's goons. Every fortress has a way out, but what are the chances of finding it before their time is up? They have to risk an all-out jailbreak...but even if it works, Cassie and Becca may end up broken by the biggest secret Ms. Strepp is keeping from them.
The publisher's teaser that Crazy House could be "the next Hunger Games" elevated my expectations too high. The Hunger Games is one of the greatest novels I've read, an insane rush of adrenaline, emotion, and profound story, and Crazy House is nowhere near that, in my opinion. Not all of it makes sense, and the characters aren't as consistent internally or in their actions as one would like. The Kid is a nice addition to the story; his distinctive manner of speaking and saucy attitude make for good reading. I'm rating Crazy House one and a half stars, but I almost rounded up to two. I wasn't impressed as I hoped to be, but there's more to the story in the next novel, and I plan to give it a go. We'll see how James Patterson and his co-author pull the remainder of the narrative together.
March 30, 2021
DNF. The potential was there but I just couldn't fathom how far fetched this story was getting. Made it to chapter 40.
October 16, 2017
The most stereotypical dystopia I’ve ever read.
The characters were so one-dimensional that they went by names like “careful Cassie” and “ridiculous Rebecca” so we knew what their personality traits were, because we couldn’t tell that through the writing.
The big reveal was absolutely obvious, and the “polar opposite” perspectives of the twins seemed exactly the same.
Even the corrupt government (of course) wasn’t that shocking. It was like a “fill-in-the-blank dystopia!” sheet without any of the blanks filled in...?
If you want to be the “next hunger games” you have to write a book worthy of that. You can’t just stick it on the cover.
The characters were so one-dimensional that they went by names like “careful Cassie” and “ridiculous Rebecca” so we knew what their personality traits were, because we couldn’t tell that through the writing.
The big reveal was absolutely obvious, and the “polar opposite” perspectives of the twins seemed exactly the same.
Even the corrupt government (of course) wasn’t that shocking. It was like a “fill-in-the-blank dystopia!” sheet without any of the blanks filled in...?
If you want to be the “next hunger games” you have to write a book worthy of that. You can’t just stick it on the cover.
June 27, 2022
Holy twist at the end! Prior to this, I was only going to rate this book a 4/5, but I definitely have to see what happens in the sequel.
Although not as exciting as The Hunger Games, Crazy House follows the same premise. Families are chosen to live in cells (communities), but only so many can live in a cell. That means, when 1 person dies, another must be born. Your vocation is chosen for you and the government will gladly help with assisted suicide if you feel you cannot go on. Twin sisters, Rebecca and Cassie are trying to go through life on their own after having "lost" their Ma and Pa. That is, until, Becca is kidnapped and taken to a "prison" where she is placed on "Death Row."
Although not as exciting as The Hunger Games, Crazy House follows the same premise. Families are chosen to live in cells (communities), but only so many can live in a cell. That means, when 1 person dies, another must be born. Your vocation is chosen for you and the government will gladly help with assisted suicide if you feel you cannot go on. Twin sisters, Rebecca and Cassie are trying to go through life on their own after having "lost" their Ma and Pa. That is, until, Becca is kidnapped and taken to a "prison" where she is placed on "Death Row."
June 10, 2017
Crazy House
This was not what I was expecting but it was a pretty good read. I see that it is a stand alone novel now that I'm finished reading it but for some reason I thought it was going to be a series. It actually ended as though it could be a series. I have enjoyed all the other novels that James Patterson has co authored with Gabrielle Charbonnet and I'll continue to read them in the future.
This was not what I was expecting but it was a pretty good read. I see that it is a stand alone novel now that I'm finished reading it but for some reason I thought it was going to be a series. It actually ended as though it could be a series. I have enjoyed all the other novels that James Patterson has co authored with Gabrielle Charbonnet and I'll continue to read them in the future.
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