What do you think?
Rate this book
Take One With You
MURDER GOES VIRAL!
Charlie and Sarah, two disaffected teens dealing with depression, meet in an online chatroom and soon hatch a plan to bring meaning to their lives by encouraging other despondent individuals to help eradicate the "scum of society", such as pedophiles and rapists who have escaped justice. Anyone determined to commit suicide is urged to first kill someone who "got away with it" before taking their own life. Why not, they ask, "take one with you?"
The idea goes viral and things rapidly spiral out of control. As they develop feelings for each other, their worldwide followers begin to enact a very different version of their idea, perverting its original intent and threatening the thin line between civil society and criminal anarchy. Just as they find the hope of happiness together, Charlie and Sarah must deal with the monster they've created, a global epidemic of murder-suicide that threatens the very core of their humanity.
Take One With You is a unique crime thriller/millennial love story that poses the question: If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, would you kill someone tonight? Someone who had done something terrible. Someone who deserved to die. If so, who would it be? If you wouldn't go that far, what about your neighbor? Your friend? Your enemy? Who draws the line? Who decides who lives and who dies? And what if we all began to take justice into our own hands?
Charlie and Sarah, two disaffected teens dealing with depression, meet in an online chatroom and soon hatch a plan to bring meaning to their lives by encouraging other despondent individuals to help eradicate the "scum of society", such as pedophiles and rapists who have escaped justice. Anyone determined to commit suicide is urged to first kill someone who "got away with it" before taking their own life. Why not, they ask, "take one with you?"
The idea goes viral and things rapidly spiral out of control. As they develop feelings for each other, their worldwide followers begin to enact a very different version of their idea, perverting its original intent and threatening the thin line between civil society and criminal anarchy. Just as they find the hope of happiness together, Charlie and Sarah must deal with the monster they've created, a global epidemic of murder-suicide that threatens the very core of their humanity.
Take One With You is a unique crime thriller/millennial love story that poses the question: If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, would you kill someone tonight? Someone who had done something terrible. Someone who deserved to die. If so, who would it be? If you wouldn't go that far, what about your neighbor? Your friend? Your enemy? Who draws the line? Who decides who lives and who dies? And what if we all began to take justice into our own hands?
Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2014
59 people are currently reading
1959 people want to read
About the author
Oak Anderson
8 books332 followersOak Anderson has developed a unique knowledge base in the area of international security, protection and safety through decades of work in the private sector. He was a certified trainer in non-deadly force personal protection, is trained in active shooter response, executive protection, identifying and handling suspicious packages, self-applied protective measures, and kidnap avoidance.
Oak has been deployed for body guarding, protective driving, undercover intelligence, and other security assignments, also liaising with federal authorities on airport security related investigations.
It is these life experiences that Oak has used to let his imagination craft unique crime thrillers that leave readers thinking, couldn't that really happen and challenge the thin line between a civil society and criminal anarchy.
He is the co-author, with Joseph DiFrancesco, of the much anticipated crime thriller, ON THIS DAY, book #1 in the Homeland Thriller Series.
Oak authored the Best Kindle Book Awards semi-finalist, and Amazon best selling novel, TAKE ONE WITH YOU, as well as TOWY Episodes #1 ABOUT FACE, and #2 DEAD EVEN.
Oak has been deployed for body guarding, protective driving, undercover intelligence, and other security assignments, also liaising with federal authorities on airport security related investigations.
It is these life experiences that Oak has used to let his imagination craft unique crime thrillers that leave readers thinking, couldn't that really happen and challenge the thin line between a civil society and criminal anarchy.
He is the co-author, with Joseph DiFrancesco, of the much anticipated crime thriller, ON THIS DAY, book #1 in the Homeland Thriller Series.
Oak authored the Best Kindle Book Awards semi-finalist, and Amazon best selling novel, TAKE ONE WITH YOU, as well as TOWY Episodes #1 ABOUT FACE, and #2 DEAD EVEN.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
November 14, 2018
I just realized that I didn't have my own story marked as 'read' haha
November 21, 2021
Charlie and Sarah, two teens saddened by the loss of supportive parents and unhappy in their homes, anonymously develop a website called "Take One With You" (Towy).
Towy encourages people who are going to kill themselves anyway to first kill a criminal or dreg of society who has evaded conviction (e.g. rapist, murderer, pedophile, etc.).
Charlie and Sarah go so far as to publish the names of candidates to be taken out. The idea catches on and pretty soon a rash of people all over the world are 'taking one with them'.
Unfortunately for Sarah and Charlie the Towy idea soon expands out of control and people start taking out more than 'deserving' criminals,' but the teens are powerless to stop the monster they've created.
Before long a police task force is assembled to track down the creators of the website, including Detective Thane Parks and Officer Anita Hellstrom.
In the course of the story the teens develop romantic feelings for each other as do the two cops. I thought it was unrealistic that married Officer Hellstrom would quickly fall for loutish, chauvinistic, unlikable Detective Parks who seems to view all women as sex objects - so this romance fell flat for me.
Oak Anderson does a nice job interspersing his narrative with news reports, scripts from television interviews, government records, and so on - which adds interest to the story. The author provides thumbnail sketches of 'bad guys' who deserve to die and 'good guys' who take them out which helps us understand why a website like Towy would catch on.
Overall I enjoyed the book and would probably read more from this author.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
February 10, 2015
Take One With You - Oak Anderson
Beauty, Books and Babble
I'd like to start with a huge thank you to Oak Anderson, who was lovely enough to send me a copy of his book in exchange for a review, complete with personal message and signature - perfect!
Charlie and Sarah are two teenagers who are dealing with depression. They meet in an online chatroom and soon come up with an idea to bring meaning to their lives - Take One With You. They encourage other despondent individuals to rid the world of it's scum, such as paedophiles, rapists and others that have escaped justice. Anyone planning on committing suicide is urged to first kill someone who got away with something terrible - to take one with them.
Without warning, the idea goes viral, and as Charlie and Sarah begin to have feelings for one another, things start to spin out of control around them. Followers of their idea from around the world begin to enact their own versions of the initial plan, and what was originally a scheme to eradicate the scum of society turns into turmoil and anarchy around the globe. The very thing that brought Charlie and Sarah together may actually be the one thing that also tears them apart as they try to deal with the monster they have created...
"If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, would you kill someone tonight?"
Well, to start with, the concept is amazing and it's executed brilliantly by Oak Anderson. You can't help but be drawn into the book straight from the first chapter. We see chapters written from different peoples perspectives and so we get to witness the world through different eyes, how society is slowly crumbling and a global epidemic of murder-suicide threatens civilization. It's a thought provoking notion: Could you really kill someone if you knew you had no tomorrow yourself? Where does it stop? Who has the right to decide who is worthy of a life and who isn't?
The story was so engrossing; along with reading the multiple viewpoints which begin to intertwine, Oak Anderson incorporates the use of media, social networking and court transcripts, and so as a reader we obsevre everything fall into place slowly with each chapter. It's like finding all of the pieces to a puzzle, and each new piece is building us up to the big finale. A lot of reasearch clearly went into this book, and the writing style kept me hooked too. It was well done, easy to follow, and had some wonderful imagery.
"There were also more sinister theories, theories that Anita dared not think about too long, but nonetheless danced around the dark recesses of her mind like busy moths around a campfire."
As the book began to draw to a close, I just could not predict the outcome. I was pleased with what I got. The ending was completely unexpected, action packed and brutal. I was in the dark about what would happen right up until it did, and so I was kept on the very edge of my seat in anticipation of the climax.
The only reason I knocked a star off my rating was simply because I personally didn't connect to the characters despite their in depth and touching backstories. I didn't find myself worrying for any of their safety through the book. Everything else was perfect!
This is Oak Anderson's debut book and he has done a brilliant job. It's a powerfully thrilling and realistic story and was not an easy one to put down. I sailed through it! I would definitely recommend this book who loves a good thriller, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Oak's work in the future.
"Evil was many things to many people."
April 9, 2017
I received this novel from the author with no expectations apart from an honest, fair review
Anyone reading TAKE ONE WITH YOU’s synopsis could assume they’re in for a resplendent splatterfest or adolescent revenge fantasy; however, for a book about murder-suicides its implementation is more cerebral than graphic. Whether this might entice or turn off readers all depends on your expectations and sensibilities, TAKE ONE WITH YOU’s emphasis is on exploring the tragedy of desperate, shattered souls who use – often vindictive – homicide as a means to alleviate their depression and/or validate their soon-to-be ended existence. For those reasons the characters have a deplorable tinge to them that readers may feel sympathy towards but are unlikely to find relatable in most instances.
Instead of a straight narrative featuring a single protagonist TAKE ONE WITH YOU splices its storytelling between multiple POVs and snippets from news and social media outlets. The combination creates a duality – microcosm and macrocosm – of events that compliments the premise of en mass vigilantism and the motivations for it. Alternating from the psychology of perpetrators/victims (readers could debate who’s who) to the sociological ramifications of the TOWY movement frames the whole picture with intermeshing perspectives. Ultimately this cultural impact adds a sense of authenticity that might have been neglected if the reader was limited to the personal journey of one or several characters.
Oak Anderson’s decision to incorporate fictitious media/social reactions to support his narrative shows his dedication to telling an encompassing tale in an imaginative, multifaceted manner. That level of diligence and versatility speaks well of his determination to engage his readers and – hopefully – Anderson will maintain that tenacity in works beyond TAKE ONE WITH YOU.
Anyone reading TAKE ONE WITH YOU’s synopsis could assume they’re in for a resplendent splatterfest or adolescent revenge fantasy; however, for a book about murder-suicides its implementation is more cerebral than graphic. Whether this might entice or turn off readers all depends on your expectations and sensibilities, TAKE ONE WITH YOU’s emphasis is on exploring the tragedy of desperate, shattered souls who use – often vindictive – homicide as a means to alleviate their depression and/or validate their soon-to-be ended existence. For those reasons the characters have a deplorable tinge to them that readers may feel sympathy towards but are unlikely to find relatable in most instances.
Instead of a straight narrative featuring a single protagonist TAKE ONE WITH YOU splices its storytelling between multiple POVs and snippets from news and social media outlets. The combination creates a duality – microcosm and macrocosm – of events that compliments the premise of en mass vigilantism and the motivations for it. Alternating from the psychology of perpetrators/victims (readers could debate who’s who) to the sociological ramifications of the TOWY movement frames the whole picture with intermeshing perspectives. Ultimately this cultural impact adds a sense of authenticity that might have been neglected if the reader was limited to the personal journey of one or several characters.
Oak Anderson’s decision to incorporate fictitious media/social reactions to support his narrative shows his dedication to telling an encompassing tale in an imaginative, multifaceted manner. That level of diligence and versatility speaks well of his determination to engage his readers and – hopefully – Anderson will maintain that tenacity in works beyond TAKE ONE WITH YOU.
April 26, 2014
The blurb got my attention and the book trailer peaked my interest even more.
There are several characters in the story whose lives intersect. Each one with their own tragic story.
Learning each character's story is like having a piece of the puzzle. And I couldn't put the book down till I had all the pieces.
Take One With You is an original, gripping and thought provoking book!
It made me reflect on life and death and everything in between.
It also made me think of actions, consequences and choices we make.
Sometimes, we set things in motion that can not be undone. And some could have consequences that are unexpected, detrimental and regrettable!!
This Oak Anderson story was superbly written and did not disappoint!
I look forward to his future works! : )
5 Viral Stars!!
There are several characters in the story whose lives intersect. Each one with their own tragic story.
Learning each character's story is like having a piece of the puzzle. And I couldn't put the book down till I had all the pieces.
Take One With You is an original, gripping and thought provoking book!
It made me reflect on life and death and everything in between.
It also made me think of actions, consequences and choices we make.
Sometimes, we set things in motion that can not be undone. And some could have consequences that are unexpected, detrimental and regrettable!!
This Oak Anderson story was superbly written and did not disappoint!
I look forward to his future works! : )
5 Viral Stars!!
March 3, 2024
Take One With You (TOWY) hits the ground running and barely lets you break for air. I must admit that I was feeling a bit disconcerted with the beginning, which added a WOW/horror factor.
The Take One With You Concept or TOWY came about for terminally ill or suicidal people to leave the world a better place through homicide/suicide actions with people who had gotten away with heinous crimes such as rapists, child molesters, murderers, etc.
When the idea first came about, it was more of an online idea that sprang into a website with collected names of people who had been released from jail or had not been convicted in court. As with many things in life, vigilante justice grew widely out of proportion to become a worldwide epidemic of murder pandemonium that was as unique to each case as each person.
The narration flows from the eyes of several characters, and there is some timeline jumping. It can be a lot to follow initially, but as I became more immersed in the story, I could track it a lot more. I loved the evidence, news bulletins, and other items added throughout the story to give it a more realistic feel.
Definitely a 4 star read.
The Take One With You Concept or TOWY came about for terminally ill or suicidal people to leave the world a better place through homicide/suicide actions with people who had gotten away with heinous crimes such as rapists, child molesters, murderers, etc.
When the idea first came about, it was more of an online idea that sprang into a website with collected names of people who had been released from jail or had not been convicted in court. As with many things in life, vigilante justice grew widely out of proportion to become a worldwide epidemic of murder pandemonium that was as unique to each case as each person.
The narration flows from the eyes of several characters, and there is some timeline jumping. It can be a lot to follow initially, but as I became more immersed in the story, I could track it a lot more. I loved the evidence, news bulletins, and other items added throughout the story to give it a more realistic feel.
Definitely a 4 star read.
November 8, 2014
Wow, loved this! Not usually the genre I go for. Usually have my nosed buried in some sweet romance or feel good contemporary. Oak Anderson may have swayed my taste a bit. The idea behind this creation was fantastic! Really found the characters intriguing. Loved the hard nosed Thane. Very much looking forward to more from this author!
February 22, 2015
Gritty, riveting, and provocative. TAKE ONE WITH YOU takes readers on a wild ride, with sharp twists and turns. The basic premise is to commit suicide, but to take an awful soul with you before you do. But there's more to this story and it creates some incredibly interesting ideas for conversation. Like who are we to make choices about lives like we are gods? And one of the coolest parts of the book is that the TOWY craze goes viral, which does speak to how our society can be coerced into a trend, even one as demented at this one.
The characters are so human--flawed and relatable. I found myself connecting to them, which just made the psychological part even cooler. The thing is we all want to be vigilantes. But inside us also lives a villain. Anderson does an excellent job of making the protagonist imperfect and having this dualistic personality.
The novel is well written and pacing excellent. I enjoyed the backwards story-telling and there were also interesting news reports and evidence at the end of each chapter. Stock up on sleep and then start this book. You won't be disappointed.
"Both of them would have been shocked to know, but shouldn't have been, that the same image flashed through their fading synapses at that very moment, before they each welcomed the darkness fast descending upon their consciousness."
The characters are so human--flawed and relatable. I found myself connecting to them, which just made the psychological part even cooler. The thing is we all want to be vigilantes. But inside us also lives a villain. Anderson does an excellent job of making the protagonist imperfect and having this dualistic personality.
The novel is well written and pacing excellent. I enjoyed the backwards story-telling and there were also interesting news reports and evidence at the end of each chapter. Stock up on sleep and then start this book. You won't be disappointed.
"Both of them would have been shocked to know, but shouldn't have been, that the same image flashed through their fading synapses at that very moment, before they each welcomed the darkness fast descending upon their consciousness."
September 1, 2016
To take ones own life is cowardice and a tragedy.
To take one with you, takes courage of ones convictions.
This story is about just that...
We are taken on a rollercoaster ride into the lives of several people who at one point cross paths in one way or another. Who's lives will be affected by each others in ways they never imagined. Their stories are ever so despairing, having loved and lost.
The author portrays each character astonishingly well. This was a compelling, pertubing, and very well written story that I could not put down.
Magnificent debut novel for Mr. Anderson. Looking forward to his next.
To take one with you, takes courage of ones convictions.
This story is about just that...
We are taken on a rollercoaster ride into the lives of several people who at one point cross paths in one way or another. Who's lives will be affected by each others in ways they never imagined. Their stories are ever so despairing, having loved and lost.
The author portrays each character astonishingly well. This was a compelling, pertubing, and very well written story that I could not put down.
Magnificent debut novel for Mr. Anderson. Looking forward to his next.
May 31, 2014
I received a free copy of this fabulous debut novel by Oak Anderson in exchange for an honest review.
I found TOWY to be an intriguing piece of work. Hard to believe this is a first time author. I loved the originality of the premise, the characters, the cool graphics. It really made me think. I would have liked this novel to have been a little longer in order to flesh out a few members of the cast, especially Thane and Anita. That minor point aside, overall I found this book to be a really unique read for me and one I will not forget. I will definitely be reading future works by Mr. Anderson.
I found TOWY to be an intriguing piece of work. Hard to believe this is a first time author. I loved the originality of the premise, the characters, the cool graphics. It really made me think. I would have liked this novel to have been a little longer in order to flesh out a few members of the cast, especially Thane and Anita. That minor point aside, overall I found this book to be a really unique read for me and one I will not forget. I will definitely be reading future works by Mr. Anderson.
May 3, 2014
It's not enough. Convicting a rapist, pedophile, murderer, none of it is enough. You have to Take One With You.
Oak Anderson takes the reader on an edgy fast-paced ride. So fast that I had to sleep on it before I could write a review just to get my brain to calm down. With the ingenious use of mixed media, all facets of a murderous vigilante movement are explored from every angle - morals, legality, society, politics, and teenagers falling in love. Intertwined sub-plots presents three-dimensional characters who ask and answer the readers' questions. Is this real? Can it really happen? Yes... and no.
Anderson pulls no punches. None. Ever. Brutally honest and starkly beautiful, Take One With You will leave the reader questioning their neighbors, co-workers and the guy at the florist. Could they be one of them? They could take you with them. And sometimes, that's for the best.
Oak Anderson takes the reader on an edgy fast-paced ride. So fast that I had to sleep on it before I could write a review just to get my brain to calm down. With the ingenious use of mixed media, all facets of a murderous vigilante movement are explored from every angle - morals, legality, society, politics, and teenagers falling in love. Intertwined sub-plots presents three-dimensional characters who ask and answer the readers' questions. Is this real? Can it really happen? Yes... and no.
Anderson pulls no punches. None. Ever. Brutally honest and starkly beautiful, Take One With You will leave the reader questioning their neighbors, co-workers and the guy at the florist. Could they be one of them? They could take you with them. And sometimes, that's for the best.
May 25, 2015
Two teenagers, Charlie and Sarah, dealing with depression meet online in a chat room and comes up with the idea of Take One With You--before ending their own lives, they are encouraged to take another's preferably the rapists, murderers, pedophiles, etc. Soon this idea becomes viral and they get more than what they ever bargained for.
The concept of this book is so very unique. Oak Anderson does not only come up with an ingenious plot and three-dimensional characters, he also incorporates the use of media and social media into the story making it appear to be tangible.
In the course of the book, we are introduced to different POVs of people involved in TOWY and somehow, unbeknownst to them, are connected to each other which I found very clever. Much like pieces of a puzzle.
Oak Anderson's writing style is very cut, direct and it wasn't long before I fell into the story. The suspense pretty much killed me. The conclusion was very unexpected. I was very much engaged in the book. I am not a big fan of suspense/thrillers/mystery but the story had me investing a lot of emotions in the book.
Highly recommended!
The concept of this book is so very unique. Oak Anderson does not only come up with an ingenious plot and three-dimensional characters, he also incorporates the use of media and social media into the story making it appear to be tangible.
In the course of the book, we are introduced to different POVs of people involved in TOWY and somehow, unbeknownst to them, are connected to each other which I found very clever. Much like pieces of a puzzle.
Oak Anderson's writing style is very cut, direct and it wasn't long before I fell into the story. The suspense pretty much killed me. The conclusion was very unexpected. I was very much engaged in the book. I am not a big fan of suspense/thrillers/mystery but the story had me investing a lot of emotions in the book.
Highly recommended!
October 5, 2016
Damn! This book is crazy from the start!
The story focuses on the TOWY movement created to rid the world of the ‘undesirables’, e.g. the rapists, murders, paedophiles that received little or no conviction for their crimes. The movement was created to encourage people who were terminally ill or suicidal to “take one with you”, if they decide to commit suicide.
The TOWY movement started as a small website, with a group hacking the police database to list the local ‘undesirables’. Then as a lot of things do on the internet, the TOWY idea goes viral. The movement starts as planned, however it then leads to others putting their own spin on it and as usual general chaos ensures.
The book is written from numerous characters perspectives and includes various time lines. Because of this, at the beginning of the book I found the story quite difficult to follow. However as I got further into the story and got to know the characters everything became clear. I loved that the author has included pieces of evidence, tweets, news reports etc. linking to the TOWY movement throughout the book.
This is a book that will stay with me for awhile. The concept of ‘Take One With You’ is unique, it is also a completely plausible happening that could occur in the society we live in today.
I would recommend this book to everyone!
The story focuses on the TOWY movement created to rid the world of the ‘undesirables’, e.g. the rapists, murders, paedophiles that received little or no conviction for their crimes. The movement was created to encourage people who were terminally ill or suicidal to “take one with you”, if they decide to commit suicide.
The TOWY movement started as a small website, with a group hacking the police database to list the local ‘undesirables’. Then as a lot of things do on the internet, the TOWY idea goes viral. The movement starts as planned, however it then leads to others putting their own spin on it and as usual general chaos ensures.
The book is written from numerous characters perspectives and includes various time lines. Because of this, at the beginning of the book I found the story quite difficult to follow. However as I got further into the story and got to know the characters everything became clear. I loved that the author has included pieces of evidence, tweets, news reports etc. linking to the TOWY movement throughout the book.
This is a book that will stay with me for awhile. The concept of ‘Take One With You’ is unique, it is also a completely plausible happening that could occur in the society we live in today.
I would recommend this book to everyone!
April 15, 2014
I love the ideas in this book. The emerging web site Take One With You, or TOWY. We meet different characters in each for the chapters so get a few different POV. I liked this way of writing the book,I found it a good way of keeping the mystery going. Sarah and Charlie meet on some forums that deal with depression and one day decided that suicide is a waste and someone should die with you.
This is a first book for Oak Anderson and its a really great one. I was fully drawn in by the end of the first chapter. It shows how easy it can be for things to get out of hand on the internet and how you can come to have real regret. Its powefull and serious, not a book that you can put down easily. The characters are well written, Charlie and Sarah are favourite s of mine. It'd of loved the book to be longer, I wanted to spend more time with each of these characters. But saying that there's nothing wrong with a short book that can completely have a big impact. I can definitely recommend this book. I can't wait for the author to write some more.
This is a first book for Oak Anderson and its a really great one. I was fully drawn in by the end of the first chapter. It shows how easy it can be for things to get out of hand on the internet and how you can come to have real regret. Its powefull and serious, not a book that you can put down easily. The characters are well written, Charlie and Sarah are favourite s of mine. It'd of loved the book to be longer, I wanted to spend more time with each of these characters. But saying that there's nothing wrong with a short book that can completely have a big impact. I can definitely recommend this book. I can't wait for the author to write some more.
May 9, 2015
TAKE ONE WITH YOU by Oak Anderson is an enormously accomplished novel, made all the more so by it status as a debut. What Mr. Anderson does with his novel is simply incredible. Those who have moral issues centering around quality of life or who oppose gritty, graphic violence may not approve--but everything in this story works exactly as it is supposed to and functions according to its defined purpose.
TAKE ONE WITH YOU is gritty, edgy, pushing the envelope of moral relativism and stretching it w-a-y-o-u-t there, and it is superb. I loved it.
TAKE ONE WITH YOU is gritty, edgy, pushing the envelope of moral relativism and stretching it w-a-y-o-u-t there, and it is superb. I loved it.
June 29, 2014
A quality, thought-provoking read that steams along at a breakneck pace, Take One With You is a novel that all but defies categorisation. Oak Anderson here seamlessly weaves the stories of a number of disaffected and hurting people into a world changing movement that the authorities are all but powerless to stop - namely, encouraging those who are ready to take their own life to kill someone else who deserves to die before they do. It's confronting stuff and one that will cause many a reader to examine their own moral values. Though, at times, the story jumps around too frenziedly, particular mention must also be made of Anderson's use of various forms of media in between chapters to succinctly convey the wider implications and consequences of the movement after the events of the novel have closed.
At once a reflection on the power of social media, the darker trappings of the human condition, and the tragedy of suicide, Take One With You signifies the arrival of an exciting new talent.
Recommended to those who like a bit of meat on their reads.
3.5 to 4 Do And Dies for Take One With You.
At once a reflection on the power of social media, the darker trappings of the human condition, and the tragedy of suicide, Take One With You signifies the arrival of an exciting new talent.
Recommended to those who like a bit of meat on their reads.
3.5 to 4 Do And Dies for Take One With You.
April 12, 2014
Oak Anderson is an author to watch. Take One With You is his debut novel, if I'm remembering right and its one of the best I've read this year. The concept is original; several people meeting in an online chat room for depression who further branch out to their own website which turns into more of a movement as the book progresses. The general concept was what pulled me in but what kept me reading was the authors writing style. Even as he told the story from different points of view, from different characters, he developed those characters and maintained their distinct personalities. Take One With You is, in a nutshell, a hell of a read. Highly recommended.
I won this as part of a First Reads Giveaway, signed and sent to me by the author. I should also note that that in no way influenced my opinion of this book. My opinion was formed while reading Take One With You and in the way I read it.
I won this as part of a First Reads Giveaway, signed and sent to me by the author. I should also note that that in no way influenced my opinion of this book. My opinion was formed while reading Take One With You and in the way I read it.
March 17, 2014
I LOVED THIS BOOK AS MUCH AS I LOVE CHOCOLATE!! I've never come across anything like this story's concept. It kept me hooked from the beginning, and the speed, the characters and the rawness were incredible!!!
The premise is insanely disturbing, but somehow the author intertwines a love story into it. Amazing read. Please make this a movie!
The premise is insanely disturbing, but somehow the author intertwines a love story into it. Amazing read. Please make this a movie!
August 23, 2015
I like the concept that was the basis of this book, but I had some trouble keeping track of all the characters in the beginning. The flow of the story was slow in places. The ending came fast and seemed abrupt. Still, it was an OK book.
March 4, 2015
Different than anything I have read. Great beginning and ending. I am sure there is a sequel coming soon. I wish it had been longer. Good chance this will be a mini-series one day. Well done Mr. Anderson.
March 8, 2015
This book was offered free on Amazon Kindle, and since it had been chosen as the Psychological Thrillers group as the March BOTM, I took advantage of the offer and I thank Mr. Anderson.
That being said, I cannot say I enjoyed the read as much as I expected. It's premise was interesting and appealed to my way of thinking, but the execution was, in my view, lacking.
First of all, it is very short, at only 218 pp., to be considered a novel. Considering the myriad of characters the author tries to develop, it is not surprising that only Charlie, Sarah, and Charlie's mother, Anne, are developed fully enough that one can relate to them. Melissa, Mr. Tee, J.T., Brad, and Anita are all superficially developed, while the detective, Thane, is a composite caricature of every overly profane, oversexed, overly violent, alcoholic cop one has the misfortune to see in the movies or on TV. The remainder of the many characters featured are basically non-entities, only featured in short vignettes showing the philosophy of the TOWY web site and its influence over other poor souls who chose to accept it.
The book is definitely psychological, but IMHO, it is too short on pages and on action to be a thriller. It opens with an over-the-top rush of violence and sexually oriented profanity, as if the author is trying to demonstrate his ability to shock the reader, but once this scene is over, the book lapses into long, rambling, psychological back stories, inserts of news articles, and simulated web conversations by TOWY acolytes. There is really very little action until the frenetic ending.
The author's use of the language is good, as is his vocabulary, and I love that he writes in the third, rather than the first person. His writing style is choppy, however, and there is very little continuity, as the narration jumps from characters in one scene to those in another, interspersed with the aforementioned vignettes. The plot line is straightforward enough until Thane, Anita, and "Flowers" are introduced, and then it unfortunately becomes quite muddy.
I believe this author has promise, and I hope he achieves success in the future.
That being said, I cannot say I enjoyed the read as much as I expected. It's premise was interesting and appealed to my way of thinking, but the execution was, in my view, lacking.
First of all, it is very short, at only 218 pp., to be considered a novel. Considering the myriad of characters the author tries to develop, it is not surprising that only Charlie, Sarah, and Charlie's mother, Anne, are developed fully enough that one can relate to them. Melissa, Mr. Tee, J.T., Brad, and Anita are all superficially developed, while the detective, Thane, is a composite caricature of every overly profane, oversexed, overly violent, alcoholic cop one has the misfortune to see in the movies or on TV. The remainder of the many characters featured are basically non-entities, only featured in short vignettes showing the philosophy of the TOWY web site and its influence over other poor souls who chose to accept it.
The book is definitely psychological, but IMHO, it is too short on pages and on action to be a thriller. It opens with an over-the-top rush of violence and sexually oriented profanity, as if the author is trying to demonstrate his ability to shock the reader, but once this scene is over, the book lapses into long, rambling, psychological back stories, inserts of news articles, and simulated web conversations by TOWY acolytes. There is really very little action until the frenetic ending.
The author's use of the language is good, as is his vocabulary, and I love that he writes in the third, rather than the first person. His writing style is choppy, however, and there is very little continuity, as the narration jumps from characters in one scene to those in another, interspersed with the aforementioned vignettes. The plot line is straightforward enough until Thane, Anita, and "Flowers" are introduced, and then it unfortunately becomes quite muddy.
I believe this author has promise, and I hope he achieves success in the future.
January 17, 2016
Take One With You may just be the most anticipated book for me this entire year. in the groups I'm in, it has been talked about nonstop, given praise, and just sounding like a must read. Now I finally got to finishing it and have to agree with it.
This is a book that's one of those "it sounds like a great story to write out, but how the hell do I even begin to start?" It's filled with so many characters, with so many side info-bits to show the true reaction to the story, and just so much work to be put in. Oak Anderson does it very well in the fact that, he knows how to use different elements to push it forward. Such as the bits of news broadcasts in between chapters, and little things here and there that show more of what's going around these characters who are only in the know, about their own little world.
The characters are done great, though a few are a bit one dimensional and meant to push the story, the true main characters do have necessary depth.
If there was a flaw it would be the way he would predict the end and we weren't at the end yet. a kind of "and it would be the last time they saw each other" type of thing (not a word for word quote from the book, but you get the point). That's just a personal peeve of mine, but even then he works it well to the point you're willing to not care and just continue the story to the very end.
This is a book that's one of those "it sounds like a great story to write out, but how the hell do I even begin to start?" It's filled with so many characters, with so many side info-bits to show the true reaction to the story, and just so much work to be put in. Oak Anderson does it very well in the fact that, he knows how to use different elements to push it forward. Such as the bits of news broadcasts in between chapters, and little things here and there that show more of what's going around these characters who are only in the know, about their own little world.
The characters are done great, though a few are a bit one dimensional and meant to push the story, the true main characters do have necessary depth.
If there was a flaw it would be the way he would predict the end and we weren't at the end yet. a kind of "and it would be the last time they saw each other" type of thing (not a word for word quote from the book, but you get the point). That's just a personal peeve of mine, but even then he works it well to the point you're willing to not care and just continue the story to the very end.
February 10, 2015
Very good. The only problem I really had with the book was I felt it didn't quite live up to the concept. The basic premise of the book was, "If you're going to commit suicide, kill someone who deserves to die when you do, and take them with you." It's actually quite the idea. I actually can't stress how great an idea for a novel it is. A rapist that got away with it? Shoot them before you shoot yourself. Child molester on the street? Ditto. In the book, a website is created to promote this idea, and then it takes off and creates all kinds of problems. To me it just seems like such a good concept I dont know if ANY novel could fully live up to it.
The novel itself is well written and has great characters, although they aren't exactly the most likable.(I didn't care for Thane, for example.) That's partially by design as the book definitely had its villains. Heroes? Maybe, at least flawed heroes.
It was almost set up like a true crime novel, and had nice additions such as police reports and newspaper clippings to support the idea. It seemed to me like we only got to scratch the surface of the TOWY movement, and I would like to have seen more.
All that being said, I highly recommend this one, especially to anyone who enjoys crime or suspense novels. I am actually eagerly awaiting the next one from Mr. Oak Anderson!
The novel itself is well written and has great characters, although they aren't exactly the most likable.(I didn't care for Thane, for example.) That's partially by design as the book definitely had its villains. Heroes? Maybe, at least flawed heroes.
It was almost set up like a true crime novel, and had nice additions such as police reports and newspaper clippings to support the idea. It seemed to me like we only got to scratch the surface of the TOWY movement, and I would like to have seen more.
All that being said, I highly recommend this one, especially to anyone who enjoys crime or suspense novels. I am actually eagerly awaiting the next one from Mr. Oak Anderson!
May 25, 2016
Step One: check out the book's trailer on You Tube! I can't seem to say enough about how innovative using the trailer concept to promote a book is. I've since learned that it's been done before & to that I say, "Awesome"! The trailer hooks you in a way that no book jacket can & it sets a mood that the reader carries into the book.
Step Two: correct earlier comments about T.O.W.Y being slow to get into & realize that Oak Anderson's first book took me from my plot based reading comfort zone to a book that puts the focus onto the characters & allows them to create the plot.
Step Three: enjoy!
What an awesome first book for Oak Anderson! The characters are so compelling that you're drawn into their inner conflicts & you can't help but empathize w/ them when it all falls so sadly out of control. Beware, not everything us as it seems & there's no black & white in T.O.W.Y. Even if you completely disagree w/ the principle of "taking one w/ you", you'll find (w/ an open mind) yourself drawn into each of the characters' desire for retribution. You might even find yourself asking "is there anyone you would take with you?"
Step Two: correct earlier comments about T.O.W.Y being slow to get into & realize that Oak Anderson's first book took me from my plot based reading comfort zone to a book that puts the focus onto the characters & allows them to create the plot.
Step Three: enjoy!
What an awesome first book for Oak Anderson! The characters are so compelling that you're drawn into their inner conflicts & you can't help but empathize w/ them when it all falls so sadly out of control. Beware, not everything us as it seems & there's no black & white in T.O.W.Y. Even if you completely disagree w/ the principle of "taking one w/ you", you'll find (w/ an open mind) yourself drawn into each of the characters' desire for retribution. You might even find yourself asking "is there anyone you would take with you?"
March 15, 2015
"Take One With You" is a grim tale of vigilanteism gone amok.
A suicide pack concept takes a diabolical turn when it suddenly goes viral.
Delving deeply into the dark psychology of his suicidal characters, Oak Anderson shows us the underbelly of suicide and its consequences.
But this is not just a suicide story. It's also a vivid, chilling fictional look at cyber vigilanteism taken to the extreme.
In "Take One With You" Oak Anderson delivers complex characters, crisp dialogue, and a puzzling plot.
Highly recommended for readers of psychological thrillers.
A suicide pack concept takes a diabolical turn when it suddenly goes viral.
Delving deeply into the dark psychology of his suicidal characters, Oak Anderson shows us the underbelly of suicide and its consequences.
But this is not just a suicide story. It's also a vivid, chilling fictional look at cyber vigilanteism taken to the extreme.
In "Take One With You" Oak Anderson delivers complex characters, crisp dialogue, and a puzzling plot.
Highly recommended for readers of psychological thrillers.
April 24, 2014
What a great hook for a story! I was glad it was able to sustain the initial momentum through the narrative. I really liked the tweets and websites and other extra inserts. Some of the writing and dialogue could use a polish, and the ending was abrupt-I kept trying to turn the electronic page. Overall I thought it was an original and thought provoking story. Impressive debut novel.
October 30, 2014
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The Book:
Take One With You
By Oak Anderson
217 pages, Pub January 30, 2014
The Genre:
Thriller, Mystery/Crime
The Rating:
***** (4.5 stars)
The Blurb:
MURDER GOES VIRAL!
Charlie and Sarah, two disaffected teens dealing with depression, meet in an online chatroom and soon hatch a plan to bring meaning to their lives by encouraging other despondent individuals to help eradicate the “scum of society”, such as pedophiles and rapists who have escaped justice. Anyone determined to commit suicide is urged to first kill someone who “got away with it” before taking their own life. Why not, they ask, “take one with you?”
The idea goes viral and things rapidly spiral out of control. As they develop feelings for each other, their worldwide followers begin to enact a very different version of their idea, perverting its original intent and threatening the thin line between civil society and criminal anarchy. Just as they find the hope of happiness together, Charlie and Sarah must deal with the monster they’ve created, a global epidemic of murder-suicide that threatens the very core of their humanity.
Take One With You is a unique crime thriller/millennial love story that poses the question: If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, would you kill someone tonight? Someone who had done something terrible. Someone who deserved to die. If so, who would it be? If you wouldn’t go that far, what about your neighbor? Your friend? Your enemy? Who draws the line? Who decides who lives and who dies? And what if we all began to take justice into our own hands?
**Contains sexual content, violence, and language. It is only appropriate for adult readers age 18+.
The Review:
Take One With You was a really good, really intense book. This work is the author’s debut novel, and I would say that he did a very nice job of writing this story. This book is unlike anything I have ever read before. The storyline was intriguing, the characters well written, and it developed at a good pace.
This is the type of book that makes you think, that stays with you for a long time. It begs the question, if you knew you were going to die (or kill yourself), would you take someone with you on the way out? The two main characters, Charlie and Sarah, developed a website in order to help people spread this idea around. Their goal was for the bad people of the world to get taken out. The pedophiles, rapists, murderers, child abusers, etc. They just had no idea that once the website was out there, how it would spiral out of control.
This story is told from multiple points of view. There are many levels to the story, as there are many different characters introduced. You see how each person’s story is interconnected, as well as the reasoning behind their decisions. There are characters that you love to hate, characters you just don’t like and characters you understand or feel bad for.
The author did a lot of research for this work, as there was a lot of detail involved, and a lot of things you don’t see in normal books. Things like newspaper articles and court transcriptions. The author clearly has a good imagination, and a grasp for the topics he explored in this work. The way it was written, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a screen play written at some point, and it was optioned into a movie.
What I especially liked about this book was the depth of emotion from the characters, the originality of the work, the concepts that are addressed, and that is leaves a lasting impression. I imagine that this book would be a great discussion topic for book clubs. Who hasn’t wondered about eye for an eye style justice, and why the evil people of the world often thrive while good people are made to suffer.
There were a few things that kept me from giving this book a five-star rating. Mainly that in some places the story was too fast paced, and others were a little dragged out. I found it hard to remember some of the back story of the characters as the POV switched often. I feel that it might have made it a little easier to follow if each person had their own chapter. That way you had a better grasp of the character before they switched. It was easier the further in you got, but it was a little more difficult in the beginning.
~Overall, I thought the story was really good, and I would recommend it. The book is out so go one-click it, share with your friends, and follow along with Charlie and Sarah’s story.
Take One With You was a semifinalist in the “Kindle Book Review, 2014 Kindle Book Awards.”
Purchase Link
http://www.amazon.com/Take-One-You-Oa...
Check out Oak’s sites to keep up with the latest news! You can find him on Goodreads, Twitter, and YouTube, Facebook.
website
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbD6dQ...
twitter username
OakAnderson1
The Book:
Take One With You
By Oak Anderson
217 pages, Pub January 30, 2014
The Genre:
Thriller, Mystery/Crime
The Rating:
***** (4.5 stars)
The Blurb:
MURDER GOES VIRAL!
Charlie and Sarah, two disaffected teens dealing with depression, meet in an online chatroom and soon hatch a plan to bring meaning to their lives by encouraging other despondent individuals to help eradicate the “scum of society”, such as pedophiles and rapists who have escaped justice. Anyone determined to commit suicide is urged to first kill someone who “got away with it” before taking their own life. Why not, they ask, “take one with you?”
The idea goes viral and things rapidly spiral out of control. As they develop feelings for each other, their worldwide followers begin to enact a very different version of their idea, perverting its original intent and threatening the thin line between civil society and criminal anarchy. Just as they find the hope of happiness together, Charlie and Sarah must deal with the monster they’ve created, a global epidemic of murder-suicide that threatens the very core of their humanity.
Take One With You is a unique crime thriller/millennial love story that poses the question: If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, would you kill someone tonight? Someone who had done something terrible. Someone who deserved to die. If so, who would it be? If you wouldn’t go that far, what about your neighbor? Your friend? Your enemy? Who draws the line? Who decides who lives and who dies? And what if we all began to take justice into our own hands?
**Contains sexual content, violence, and language. It is only appropriate for adult readers age 18+.
The Review:
Take One With You was a really good, really intense book. This work is the author’s debut novel, and I would say that he did a very nice job of writing this story. This book is unlike anything I have ever read before. The storyline was intriguing, the characters well written, and it developed at a good pace.
This is the type of book that makes you think, that stays with you for a long time. It begs the question, if you knew you were going to die (or kill yourself), would you take someone with you on the way out? The two main characters, Charlie and Sarah, developed a website in order to help people spread this idea around. Their goal was for the bad people of the world to get taken out. The pedophiles, rapists, murderers, child abusers, etc. They just had no idea that once the website was out there, how it would spiral out of control.
This story is told from multiple points of view. There are many levels to the story, as there are many different characters introduced. You see how each person’s story is interconnected, as well as the reasoning behind their decisions. There are characters that you love to hate, characters you just don’t like and characters you understand or feel bad for.
The author did a lot of research for this work, as there was a lot of detail involved, and a lot of things you don’t see in normal books. Things like newspaper articles and court transcriptions. The author clearly has a good imagination, and a grasp for the topics he explored in this work. The way it was written, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a screen play written at some point, and it was optioned into a movie.
What I especially liked about this book was the depth of emotion from the characters, the originality of the work, the concepts that are addressed, and that is leaves a lasting impression. I imagine that this book would be a great discussion topic for book clubs. Who hasn’t wondered about eye for an eye style justice, and why the evil people of the world often thrive while good people are made to suffer.
There were a few things that kept me from giving this book a five-star rating. Mainly that in some places the story was too fast paced, and others were a little dragged out. I found it hard to remember some of the back story of the characters as the POV switched often. I feel that it might have made it a little easier to follow if each person had their own chapter. That way you had a better grasp of the character before they switched. It was easier the further in you got, but it was a little more difficult in the beginning.
~Overall, I thought the story was really good, and I would recommend it. The book is out so go one-click it, share with your friends, and follow along with Charlie and Sarah’s story.
Take One With You was a semifinalist in the “Kindle Book Review, 2014 Kindle Book Awards.”
Purchase Link
http://www.amazon.com/Take-One-You-Oa...
Check out Oak’s sites to keep up with the latest news! You can find him on Goodreads, Twitter, and YouTube, Facebook.
website
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbD6dQ...
twitter username
OakAnderson1
April 27, 2014
I received a free download of "Take One With You", a suspense thriller by Oak Anderson in exchange for an honest review. This is a magnificent debut novel.
I got hooked right with the tagline." If you knew you would die tomorrow, who would you kill today?" It has a very interesting concept, and one that requires a lot of thought. And after much thought... the possibility of a murder-suicide site gone viral, could really happen. Real scary repercussion for cult following on the internet.
This is an original, gripping and thought-provoking novel. Take One With You, alternates between multiple POVs from news and social media, from different characters, devoted to each chapter, all contributing a piece of the jigsaw...to create the big picture.
Don't miss out on this original novel, and form you own opinion.
I got hooked right with the tagline." If you knew you would die tomorrow, who would you kill today?" It has a very interesting concept, and one that requires a lot of thought. And after much thought... the possibility of a murder-suicide site gone viral, could really happen. Real scary repercussion for cult following on the internet.
This is an original, gripping and thought-provoking novel. Take One With You, alternates between multiple POVs from news and social media, from different characters, devoted to each chapter, all contributing a piece of the jigsaw...to create the big picture.
Don't miss out on this original novel, and form you own opinion.
March 17, 2016
I'm amazed there is a writer out there who is messed up enough to come up with this idea. It is genius! Why social media hasn't been used this way before is surprising.
The subject is very sensitive, so many people have been affected by suicide in the past it is gonna take tough readers to give it a try, it is well worth it though. The writing has been done well, sensitive areas have been handled carefully and it turns out to be a gripping read instead of a cheap b-movie style novel. Oak Anderson makes some clever use of websites, interviews, news reports, internet chats and tweets to keep you up to date on the latest TOWY incidents.
My only issue was with the end of the book, it felt a bit rushed. Still.... I'm sold on the idea and look forward to reading more in the series.
The subject is very sensitive, so many people have been affected by suicide in the past it is gonna take tough readers to give it a try, it is well worth it though. The writing has been done well, sensitive areas have been handled carefully and it turns out to be a gripping read instead of a cheap b-movie style novel. Oak Anderson makes some clever use of websites, interviews, news reports, internet chats and tweets to keep you up to date on the latest TOWY incidents.
My only issue was with the end of the book, it felt a bit rushed. Still.... I'm sold on the idea and look forward to reading more in the series.
March 21, 2015
This novel was chosen as Book of the Month on a Goodreads group I follow. Despite the fact that it's described as a psychological thriller (which definitely interests me), I can say with conviction, this isn't the sort of book I would normally choose to read. That said, I'm not at all sorry that I read it.
Its originality is stunning. The author's creative skill is evident on every page and leaves me filled with admiration. The plotting is tight and complex and pulls itself together like a magnetic jigsaw puzzle. I can see why readers, especially younger readers, rate this book so highly. As for the author's descriptive skills, try this witty little sample from later in the book: "He went to the nurses' station, where a bored product of the inner city's dearth of quality stores led him to a room with peeling paint and four quads, all in various stages of what he imagined was a slow and painful descent into death or madness, or probably both."
My one gripe, however, is the omniscient narrative voice that prevented me from identifying with too many characters. Instead of bringing us to a closer knowledge of the characters, it has the opposite effect. The narrator is inside everyone's head at the same time, bombarding us with snippets of information that I think just bogs us down and hampers the reading experience. Am I the only reader who feels irritated when I'm told something that characters don't, can't and never will know? It makes me wonder why I need to be told that, when I'm perfectly capable of deducing it in my role as a reasonably discerning reader. The author does this from the first chapter and by the half way point, the narrative voice simply begins to feel a bit like a smug know-all who needs a good shaking.
I won't attempt to outline the plot - plenty of other reviewers have done this brilliantly - but be prepared for a shockingly gruesome first chapter that hurls you headlong into the rest of the story. That section will haunt you and the rest of the story will remain with you for a long time, probably demanding more than one re-read, which has to be the mark of a worthwhile book.
Its originality is stunning. The author's creative skill is evident on every page and leaves me filled with admiration. The plotting is tight and complex and pulls itself together like a magnetic jigsaw puzzle. I can see why readers, especially younger readers, rate this book so highly. As for the author's descriptive skills, try this witty little sample from later in the book: "He went to the nurses' station, where a bored product of the inner city's dearth of quality stores led him to a room with peeling paint and four quads, all in various stages of what he imagined was a slow and painful descent into death or madness, or probably both."
My one gripe, however, is the omniscient narrative voice that prevented me from identifying with too many characters. Instead of bringing us to a closer knowledge of the characters, it has the opposite effect. The narrator is inside everyone's head at the same time, bombarding us with snippets of information that I think just bogs us down and hampers the reading experience. Am I the only reader who feels irritated when I'm told something that characters don't, can't and never will know? It makes me wonder why I need to be told that, when I'm perfectly capable of deducing it in my role as a reasonably discerning reader. The author does this from the first chapter and by the half way point, the narrative voice simply begins to feel a bit like a smug know-all who needs a good shaking.
I won't attempt to outline the plot - plenty of other reviewers have done this brilliantly - but be prepared for a shockingly gruesome first chapter that hurls you headlong into the rest of the story. That section will haunt you and the rest of the story will remain with you for a long time, probably demanding more than one re-read, which has to be the mark of a worthwhile book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews