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My Friend Jackson
An ancient guardian chose her. Neither the guilty, nor the innocent, nor she are safe."Ochs channels Stephen King in this unexpected and entirely unique urban fantasy"★★★★★ -- Indies Today, FINALIST Best Books of 2020Fresh out of the Projects, Jasmine Price's days are filled with emotional, physical, and cyber abuse at the hands of her new school’s queen bees. Jasmine latches onto Bibi, a grandmotherly figure from Tanzania, and her beloved pet chameleon, Jackson. Rivalries, jealousies and hatred escalate the violence toward Jasmine to a murderous level, until a monstrous force intervenes on Jasmine’s behalf with deadly consequences. When she discovers the secret behind her unholy avenger, Jasmine takes the offensive, becoming a merciless force more terrifying than her worst tormentors.But choices have consequences. Some more horrific than others.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2020
4 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Christopher D. Ochs
11 books5 followersChristopher D. Ochs dove headfirst into speculative fiction with his epic fantasy "Pindlebryth of Lenland." While scaring audiences with the Lehigh Valley Storytellers Guild, he crafted "If I Can't Sleep, You Can't Sleep," a collection of the mirthful macabre. "My Friend Jackson," is a gritty and gripping YA Urban Fantasy/Horror, and a Finalist in Indies Today's Best Books of 2020. His latest novel, "Eldritch, Inc." is a whimsical tale of science-fiction, fantasy, and horror with a soupçon of humor.
His short stories have been published in award-winning anthologies from the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group and Bethlehem Writers Group, including "Fur, Feathers & Scales," Winner of the 2020 Indies Book Awards.
Chris has too many interests for his own damn good. Throughout his careers in physics, electrical engineering and software, CGI animation, as classical organist, and voice talent, writing has always been a buried passion that finally has burst through the ground and shambles toward its time in the sun.
His short stories have been published in award-winning anthologies from the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group and Bethlehem Writers Group, including "Fur, Feathers & Scales," Winner of the 2020 Indies Book Awards.
Chris has too many interests for his own damn good. Throughout his careers in physics, electrical engineering and software, CGI animation, as classical organist, and voice talent, writing has always been a buried passion that finally has burst through the ground and shambles toward its time in the sun.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 22, 2020
My Friend Jackson By Christopher D. Ochs
Being a teenager is tough enough: trying to fit in, figuring out who you are and want to be, and finding your place in the world. Jasmine Price also has to deal with being alone most of the time because her mom works two jobs to make ends meet. Her dad? Well, he’s been serving in the military so long Jasmine’s afraid she might be forgetting what he looks like.
But things seem to be looking up. They have moved out of the Projects into a better neighborhood; their neighbor Bibi, a grandmotherly figure, provides the companionship and confidante Jasmine needs while her mother’s at work, and Jasmine has a good shot at making the basketball team at her new high school.
That is until she runs afoul of Nevaeh, the team captain, and her crew. The game plan is on: take Jasmine out.
Hard pressed to deal with the escalating attacks and violence against her, Jasmine confides in Bibi who offers a solution to all of her problems: Jackson, a pet chameleon from her native Tanzania. This magical creature speaks and can transform not only his colors, but also his size, and defends, to the death, those he has sworn to protect.
When Jasmine uses the chameleon’s powers, things spiral out of control. She even becomes a police suspect in another teen’s disappearance.
Jasmine learns that by her actions she must choose who she wants to be, and realizes that positive change starts with her. Now she wants to get rid of Jackson, but how?
My Friend Jackson is a unique and riveting story of the physical and emotional impact of bullying, and the consequences of one’s actions and choices to resolve conflicts that every teenager and adult can relate to. A great and compelling story!
Veronica Jorge
Being a teenager is tough enough: trying to fit in, figuring out who you are and want to be, and finding your place in the world. Jasmine Price also has to deal with being alone most of the time because her mom works two jobs to make ends meet. Her dad? Well, he’s been serving in the military so long Jasmine’s afraid she might be forgetting what he looks like.
But things seem to be looking up. They have moved out of the Projects into a better neighborhood; their neighbor Bibi, a grandmotherly figure, provides the companionship and confidante Jasmine needs while her mother’s at work, and Jasmine has a good shot at making the basketball team at her new high school.
That is until she runs afoul of Nevaeh, the team captain, and her crew. The game plan is on: take Jasmine out.
Hard pressed to deal with the escalating attacks and violence against her, Jasmine confides in Bibi who offers a solution to all of her problems: Jackson, a pet chameleon from her native Tanzania. This magical creature speaks and can transform not only his colors, but also his size, and defends, to the death, those he has sworn to protect.
When Jasmine uses the chameleon’s powers, things spiral out of control. She even becomes a police suspect in another teen’s disappearance.
Jasmine learns that by her actions she must choose who she wants to be, and realizes that positive change starts with her. Now she wants to get rid of Jackson, but how?
My Friend Jackson is a unique and riveting story of the physical and emotional impact of bullying, and the consequences of one’s actions and choices to resolve conflicts that every teenager and adult can relate to. A great and compelling story!
Veronica Jorge
November 1, 2020
This is a good and fairly quick paced read for teens/YA or nearing adulthood aged folk. You'll easily get dragged in to what's going to come next. Fair warning of a bit of language and such. I found myself wanting to know about Jackson, what his colorings stood for/meant and where he had been/done before. Suspenseful and twisty, this is a unique read.
January 12, 2021
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*e-book given for a free, unbiased review*
4/5 stars
This book is a very impressive work. This is completely my fault, by I was not able to finish the book. I have serious anxiety and I was already going through some stuff and this book, though usually is my kind of book, gave me a few panic attacks. Trigger Warnings will be at the bottom. I would just like to thank Christopher D. Ochs for being so understanding. I realize that I was an inconvenience. This is only the second time a book has given me a panic attack (Girls Like Us by Gail Giles was the first) so I didn't really understand how I felt. However, I am determined to write a review since I got about halfway through.
Jasmine is having a hard time fitting into her new school. She is being bullied and she has already gotten on the bad side of the meanest girl in the school. The only person she has is Bibi, her neighbor. That is until she finds out she has been chosen by a guardian to protect her. Then her life goes down-hill quickly.
Character Development: 5 stars
Story Line: 5 stars.
Readability: 4 stars.
Writing style: 4.5 stars.
My enjoyment: 2 stars.
Average Star Score: 4.1 stars.
Character Development
You can really tell that Christopher did his research when writing the book. Religion and historical facts bring Bibi alive. I also relate to Jasmine as I have a very traumatic past with bullies. Also, Caleb is like the stereotypical bad boy and it just fits the story.
Story Line
It makes sense. Everything that I read makes sense and fits together perfectly. I can't forget the moment when I realized what the chameleon meant.
Readability
There were a couple of grammatical mistakes and only one time when the pronoun was undefined but other than that it was easy to read. I was very impressed by the writing.
Writing Style This sorta ties into readability. The writing style is not what I usually like. I prefer first-person however, I feel like with this book that would have been so much worse. It is (almost) perfect just the way it is. The third-person perspective makes it feel like you are there but not enduring what Jasmine has to go through. This book is one of the few instances when I would rather be in the third person (A few others are Harry Potter, Caraval, and (I believe) Eragon.)
My Enjoyment
I have anxiety. When I was younger I was bullied a lot and so I now have really bad anxiety and this book just brought it all back. IT IS NOT THE AUTHORS FAULT. I put no blame on the author for this. I really hate that I couldn't finish the book. It is very rare that I am not able to finish a book. I just feel terrible that I wasn't able to read the rest of the book. That is the only reason my enjoyment was so low. If it wasn't for the anxiety, I would have given the book at least a 4. I was really enjoying the book... until you know... anxiety.
Mr. Ochs was super nice and thoughtful when I emailed him telling him about me not being able to finish his book. I would love to thank him for that. I feel absolutely terrible about it. However, this book was masterfully written and full of joy even in the midst of sadness. The emotions are so strong and you will cry and laugh with Jasmine.
*Trigger Warnings* Bullying, attempted rape, mild language.
*e-book given for a free, unbiased review*
4/5 stars
This book is a very impressive work. This is completely my fault, by I was not able to finish the book. I have serious anxiety and I was already going through some stuff and this book, though usually is my kind of book, gave me a few panic attacks. Trigger Warnings will be at the bottom. I would just like to thank Christopher D. Ochs for being so understanding. I realize that I was an inconvenience. This is only the second time a book has given me a panic attack (Girls Like Us by Gail Giles was the first) so I didn't really understand how I felt. However, I am determined to write a review since I got about halfway through.
Jasmine is having a hard time fitting into her new school. She is being bullied and she has already gotten on the bad side of the meanest girl in the school. The only person she has is Bibi, her neighbor. That is until she finds out she has been chosen by a guardian to protect her. Then her life goes down-hill quickly.
Character Development: 5 stars
Story Line: 5 stars.
Readability: 4 stars.
Writing style: 4.5 stars.
My enjoyment: 2 stars.
Average Star Score: 4.1 stars.
Character Development
You can really tell that Christopher did his research when writing the book. Religion and historical facts bring Bibi alive. I also relate to Jasmine as I have a very traumatic past with bullies. Also, Caleb is like the stereotypical bad boy and it just fits the story.
Story Line
It makes sense. Everything that I read makes sense and fits together perfectly. I can't forget the moment when I realized what the chameleon meant.
Readability
There were a couple of grammatical mistakes and only one time when the pronoun was undefined but other than that it was easy to read. I was very impressed by the writing.
Writing Style This sorta ties into readability. The writing style is not what I usually like. I prefer first-person however, I feel like with this book that would have been so much worse. It is (almost) perfect just the way it is. The third-person perspective makes it feel like you are there but not enduring what Jasmine has to go through. This book is one of the few instances when I would rather be in the third person (A few others are Harry Potter, Caraval, and (I believe) Eragon.)
My Enjoyment
I have anxiety. When I was younger I was bullied a lot and so I now have really bad anxiety and this book just brought it all back. IT IS NOT THE AUTHORS FAULT. I put no blame on the author for this. I really hate that I couldn't finish the book. It is very rare that I am not able to finish a book. I just feel terrible that I wasn't able to read the rest of the book. That is the only reason my enjoyment was so low. If it wasn't for the anxiety, I would have given the book at least a 4. I was really enjoying the book... until you know... anxiety.
Mr. Ochs was super nice and thoughtful when I emailed him telling him about me not being able to finish his book. I would love to thank him for that. I feel absolutely terrible about it. However, this book was masterfully written and full of joy even in the midst of sadness. The emotions are so strong and you will cry and laugh with Jasmine.
*Trigger Warnings* Bullying, attempted rape, mild language.
November 21, 2020
After moving out of the Projects and into an apartment building in a slightly less dangerous part of town, high school student Jasmine Price and her mother befriend an elderly neighbor, Mrs. Fieldings.
While her mother works two jobs—and her father is serving overseas in the Army—Jasmine often spends time after school in the company of Mrs. Fieldings, who becomes her surrogate grandmother. As their friendship blossoms, Jasmine comes to call her “Bibi,” a term of respect and endearment.
The move also includes a transfer to a new high school, where Jasmine becomes the target of bullying and intimidation, mostly by her fellow players on the girls’ basketball team.
A short time after the first incident at school, Bibi introduces Jasmine to her three-horned Jackson’s chameleon named Mlinzi. The lizard’s colors change during the encounter, indicating an immediate trust and affection for Jasmine. Noting this, Bibi gifts the chameleon to Jasmine, who renames him Jackson.
Meanwhile, the baseless hatred toward Jasmine escalates at school until she is cornered in an alley by the basketball team’s captain, Nevaeh, who accuses Jasmine of making a play for her boyfriend. It becomes clear that Nevaeh intends to kill Jasmine—until something preternatural intercedes…
Christopher Ochs masterfully introduces all the key players in medias res and maintains steady tension throughout this believable tale of girl-on-girl bullying in an urban public school. There are scenes in which the dialogue among the teenagers is more mature than expected, given their callow and puerile behavior in other parts of the story. However, Jasmine's brief transformation from prey to predator as a result of her relationship to the creature is well crafted. I applaud the portrayal of Jasmine's mother as a harried, and mostly absent, mother struggling to make ends meet while dealing with her daughter's deteriorating situation and fretting about her husband after he is wounded in the line of duty in Afghanistan. Overall, the blending of the harsh realities of inner city life with the fantastical elements of a unique monster story is both seamless and subtle.
While her mother works two jobs—and her father is serving overseas in the Army—Jasmine often spends time after school in the company of Mrs. Fieldings, who becomes her surrogate grandmother. As their friendship blossoms, Jasmine comes to call her “Bibi,” a term of respect and endearment.
The move also includes a transfer to a new high school, where Jasmine becomes the target of bullying and intimidation, mostly by her fellow players on the girls’ basketball team.
A short time after the first incident at school, Bibi introduces Jasmine to her three-horned Jackson’s chameleon named Mlinzi. The lizard’s colors change during the encounter, indicating an immediate trust and affection for Jasmine. Noting this, Bibi gifts the chameleon to Jasmine, who renames him Jackson.
Meanwhile, the baseless hatred toward Jasmine escalates at school until she is cornered in an alley by the basketball team’s captain, Nevaeh, who accuses Jasmine of making a play for her boyfriend. It becomes clear that Nevaeh intends to kill Jasmine—until something preternatural intercedes…
Christopher Ochs masterfully introduces all the key players in medias res and maintains steady tension throughout this believable tale of girl-on-girl bullying in an urban public school. There are scenes in which the dialogue among the teenagers is more mature than expected, given their callow and puerile behavior in other parts of the story. However, Jasmine's brief transformation from prey to predator as a result of her relationship to the creature is well crafted. I applaud the portrayal of Jasmine's mother as a harried, and mostly absent, mother struggling to make ends meet while dealing with her daughter's deteriorating situation and fretting about her husband after he is wounded in the line of duty in Afghanistan. Overall, the blending of the harsh realities of inner city life with the fantastical elements of a unique monster story is both seamless and subtle.
January 31, 2021
Christopher Ochs wrote a novel filled with believable characters, teenage angst, and a driving plot that made this a cover to cover read. As a writer, I enjoyed the author's use of language. As a reader, I devoured the novel as Jasmine, the main character, survived from one hellish situation to another with the help from Jackson, her avenger. ***Warning... spoiler alert ahead. Moving into a new high school is never easy, especially in inner city districts. Her father fights in Afghanistan, while her mother fights a system destined to swallow them unless she works two jobs, leaving Jasmine to fight her battles alone until a neighbor introduced her to Jackson. The lizard becomes her guardian. Jasmine is caught in a viscous attack fueled by jealousy between two girls. Each vile crime committed against her, which she survives with his help, darkens her ability to see the truth until the assaults against Jasmine is revealed in an epic battle between the heroine and her nemesis. The nightmare continues when the girl falls victim to a hypnotic trance to follow orders, ending her life. Jasmine's confusion and guilt over her death clears when Bibi, her neighbor, confesses her own trials to allowing the monster inside to control her life, and warned the girl to heed her advice . . . to find another person who needed protection and hope Jackson identified that need. The author left the ending open for a sequel. I can't wait to find out what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2021
Jasmine is bullied in school and her neighbor, bibi (bebe) gives her a pet, Jackson, chameleon. Jackson ends up being a huge monster that protects her from her school bullies, but there's more to Jackson than meets the eye. Things start to change between him and Jasmine. (Don't want to tell the whole thing LOL).
This story reminds me of Stephen King stories, so if you're into those kinds of stories it's definitely for you. I thought there was a great storyline. Very intense. I wasn't a fan of all the cursing. It's supposed to be high school. Also, sometimes, I couldn't understand all the language. I know BiBi is supposed to be from Tanzania, so I could understand her having incoherent ramblings in another language, but sometimes Jasmine or the other girls would say things and I couldn't (or it took me a while) to understand what they were supposed to be saying. I guess it was supposed to be ebonics, but I found it wasn't necessary. Like I said, overall, it was a good read.
This story reminds me of Stephen King stories, so if you're into those kinds of stories it's definitely for you. I thought there was a great storyline. Very intense. I wasn't a fan of all the cursing. It's supposed to be high school. Also, sometimes, I couldn't understand all the language. I know BiBi is supposed to be from Tanzania, so I could understand her having incoherent ramblings in another language, but sometimes Jasmine or the other girls would say things and I couldn't (or it took me a while) to understand what they were supposed to be saying. I guess it was supposed to be ebonics, but I found it wasn't necessary. Like I said, overall, it was a good read.
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April 4, 2021For a change I am going to start with negatives.... Firstly, I have ti say that nothing annoys me much, not the story or characters, but THE COVER!!! I know, I know, cover isn't so important part of the book the book, but it is still vital. The title is good, catchy, but the cover repelled me. I understand that it has to be scary and horrific for this genre, it just doesn't feels right. Also a lot of sport descriptions, not so interesting for me, but I loved the aspect that girls are doing sports......breaking stereotypes(boys=sports, girls=cheerleaders). BUT THEN!!!! BAD BOY (seriously???!)....more here: https://tinisworldofreads.wordpress.com/
December 22, 2020
A fast-paced YA novel about bullying and the acceptance of consequences. When Jasmine moves to a new school she is faced with merciless bullying by a group of her new classmates. Then she gains the protection of a powerful fantastical creature and starts to take revenge on the girls who are bullying her. But, of course, life is never quite that simple and things spiral out of control.
I found the characters well-constructed and believable. The action was fast-paced and the plot suspenseful. A good read.
I found the characters well-constructed and believable. The action was fast-paced and the plot suspenseful. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews