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Casually Homicidal
"I know where I want to go . . . if only someone thought of giving me a roadmap."
Eighteen-year-old Hendrix Williams is a self-diagnosed sociopath and aspiring serial killer, and his biggest nuisance is his fellow coworker and almost-friend, Michelle “Arden” Campbell. The night after their high school graduation, Arden shows up at Hendrix’s door and demands they escape their dismal, small-town life.
While Arden is just looking for someone who might finally understand her, Hendrix views this impromptu road trip as the perfect opportunity to find his first human victim. But Arden’s brutal honesty and adventurous spirit only drives Hendrix closer and closer to madness.
Navigating through a world that has rejected both of them, the two alienated teens crash in motel rooms, meet fellow travelers both intimidating and heartfelt, and keep secrets from each other that will rip their lives apart.
Eighteen-year-old Hendrix Williams is a self-diagnosed sociopath and aspiring serial killer, and his biggest nuisance is his fellow coworker and almost-friend, Michelle “Arden” Campbell. The night after their high school graduation, Arden shows up at Hendrix’s door and demands they escape their dismal, small-town life.
While Arden is just looking for someone who might finally understand her, Hendrix views this impromptu road trip as the perfect opportunity to find his first human victim. But Arden’s brutal honesty and adventurous spirit only drives Hendrix closer and closer to madness.
Navigating through a world that has rejected both of them, the two alienated teens crash in motel rooms, meet fellow travelers both intimidating and heartfelt, and keep secrets from each other that will rip their lives apart.
- GenresYoung Adult
441 pages, Paperback
Published May 20, 2022
4 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Olivia J. Bennett
7 books48 followersOlivia J. Bennett is the award-winning author of Casually Homicidal. Her writing has been described as “visceral, honest, and evocative” and “gritty, yet poetic,” and her work often explores themes of mental health, being an eldest daughter, and overcoming past trauma. She loves to include morally-gray female heroines, atmospheric settings, and genre-bending horror in her contemporary, fantasy, and science fiction works. In 2018, her flash fiction “Clutching Roses” was awarded a National Gold Medal from Scholastic Art & Writing. When not creating, Olivia is most likely baking cookies, binge-watching Naruto or Lost with her partner, or cuddling her two cats. She can be found somewhere between the corn and the big blue sky in Illinois.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
July 28, 2022
Casually Homicidal is a raw and honest book that doesn't shy away from the hard reality that there is a war inside with the darkness, and we are capable of doing dark things. The characters and places are vivid, the plot fast paced and keeps you needing more. I appreciated the friendship side of the relationship, and how this was a story of coming alongside those facing their inner demons and finding the good in others. This was a hard book to read, but I could tell that Olivia wrote her heart and soul into this story. It isn't a book for the faint of heart, and I was VERY interested to see how the complicated plot would tie up in the end, and I have to say that I was satisfied.
I did have one issue -- the continual harsh profanity. While this won't be an issue for some, I do feel it will also keep the author from gaining a broader audience. But then, Olivia knows her intended audience and maybe she doesn't care if conservatives or younger teens find this book as something to throw on their tbr. If that is the case and she only wished to create a realistic book that explores the darkness inside, than her mission was accomplished. This is a haunting story that will stay with me for a long time.
I did have one issue -- the continual harsh profanity. While this won't be an issue for some, I do feel it will also keep the author from gaining a broader audience. But then, Olivia knows her intended audience and maybe she doesn't care if conservatives or younger teens find this book as something to throw on their tbr. If that is the case and she only wished to create a realistic book that explores the darkness inside, than her mission was accomplished. This is a haunting story that will stay with me for a long time.
April 16, 2023
Visceral, honest, and evocative are three words that perfectly describe this book. Olivia expertly crafts the suspense throughout, using atmosphere to her advantage in order to heighten the tension. At times heartfelt, and others unsettling, one thing is certain: This is one road trip you will not forget.
September 18, 2022
This was by far one of the most intricate, well-written indie books I’ve ever read! The narrative was haunting and explicitly raw, a snapshot that resonates with people who are battling their demons to try and make sense of tragedy and find significance in their existence. Mental health issues can be very difficult to navigate through considering the sensitivity and complexity of the subject, but I thought the author did a beautiful job of being mindful of those factors, approaching each facet with sensitivity, and accurately portraying what’s it like to face those struggles on a daily basis. There was humor and heart-ache, inspiration and angst. Love and longing and so much more. But at its core lay one of the most crucial notions we all must believe in: the hope that healing, peace, contentment, and beauty is possible and can be a part of our story.
March 13, 2024
This book is a raw, emotional roller-coaster in the best way possible. The author did a fabulous job showing the depths of human emotions and pain.
October 18, 2022
This is a gritty yet poetic story, where the themes are as dark and winding as the setting, yet it harbours pockets of philosophical ponderings on life, and threads of hope that balance the heaviness with a profound catharsis. It’s a coming-of-age narrative about two broken souls figuring each other out, navigating their internal ugliness and merits, and protecting one another in their own way.
Hendrix and Arden are like sounding-boards for each other as they each navigate their internal struggles. The looming question pulling us through the narrative is ‘will he kill her?’, creating a tug-of-war between dark thriller and inspiring roadtrip story. This back-and-forth creates an unease that mirrors the tone, as the whole book features dual contrasts – Hendrix and Arden’s alternating viewpoints, conflicting truths in a person’s soul; dark and light.
The story creates a magnetic tug towards this dark and pessimistic world, unafraid to delve into uncomfortable depths that make you think and see where your limits lie. I found it quite eye-opening, making me think ‘What do we deem ‘acceptable’ and why?’, ‘Who helps shape who we are?’, ‘How far do we have to go to find ourselves?’
"It’s about who we are, and who’s going to stick around through the mess."
It's the potential for a descent into an irreversible deep-end that makes this so intriguing. There is normality around the craziness; they talk about prom and they dance and eat food and wear aprons and t-shirts. Then, there's the running away and stealing and killing animals.
You feel for them, but there's also an uneasiness where you want them (particularly Arden) to get out, to be safe – but at the same time, you don't want the roadtrip to end; you're intrigued to see where it might go next. The emotional trajectories of the characters get a little muddied three-quarters of the way through, dwelling for a while on what we've already heard – but then, that reflects the repetitive nature of the mind when it's working through something.
There’s an uneasiness in the way Hendrix flips from showing signs of empathy and acceptance, to suddenly being rageful and thinking about killing Arden. We never quite know what he’s going to do next, and that was brilliant for keeping me hooked into the story. I flew through it!
“The light carves the surface of the earth onto his face. ‘Maybe people like us can sense each other, and gravity pulls us together.’”
The prose is smart; descriptive and vivid, but not bogged down. It flows, and the two narrative voices are distinct. It's to-the-point, but also has sophistication and poetry tucked into it. I could picture everything, each location different with the details that were picked out, really giving a sense of the atmosphere.
“The fire crackles in the background, and the turntable plays something sweet from a simpler time, and dusk falls like snow."
Both characters’ arcs are grounded with very human emotions and backstory, so we feel for them, yet both veer into alarming states that make us question our tolerance level – just as they question that about each other. I often found myself considering who was more unhinged; who was in more danger because of the other. Like Arden says, they compensate for each other, one angry while the other is dismissive, until they start to learn how to meet halfway; how to listen to each other.
“It’s like a beautiful curse, how our darkness seems to harmonize with one another.”
One of the main messages is about unlearning bad habits and relearning how to love. Ultimately, it’s hopeful, and I was left feeling uplifted with a sense of contemplation about life.
"What are we to do with all this future?"
Hendrix and Arden are like sounding-boards for each other as they each navigate their internal struggles. The looming question pulling us through the narrative is ‘will he kill her?’, creating a tug-of-war between dark thriller and inspiring roadtrip story. This back-and-forth creates an unease that mirrors the tone, as the whole book features dual contrasts – Hendrix and Arden’s alternating viewpoints, conflicting truths in a person’s soul; dark and light.
The story creates a magnetic tug towards this dark and pessimistic world, unafraid to delve into uncomfortable depths that make you think and see where your limits lie. I found it quite eye-opening, making me think ‘What do we deem ‘acceptable’ and why?’, ‘Who helps shape who we are?’, ‘How far do we have to go to find ourselves?’
"It’s about who we are, and who’s going to stick around through the mess."
It's the potential for a descent into an irreversible deep-end that makes this so intriguing. There is normality around the craziness; they talk about prom and they dance and eat food and wear aprons and t-shirts. Then, there's the running away and stealing and killing animals.
You feel for them, but there's also an uneasiness where you want them (particularly Arden) to get out, to be safe – but at the same time, you don't want the roadtrip to end; you're intrigued to see where it might go next. The emotional trajectories of the characters get a little muddied three-quarters of the way through, dwelling for a while on what we've already heard – but then, that reflects the repetitive nature of the mind when it's working through something.
There’s an uneasiness in the way Hendrix flips from showing signs of empathy and acceptance, to suddenly being rageful and thinking about killing Arden. We never quite know what he’s going to do next, and that was brilliant for keeping me hooked into the story. I flew through it!
“The light carves the surface of the earth onto his face. ‘Maybe people like us can sense each other, and gravity pulls us together.’”
The prose is smart; descriptive and vivid, but not bogged down. It flows, and the two narrative voices are distinct. It's to-the-point, but also has sophistication and poetry tucked into it. I could picture everything, each location different with the details that were picked out, really giving a sense of the atmosphere.
“The fire crackles in the background, and the turntable plays something sweet from a simpler time, and dusk falls like snow."
Both characters’ arcs are grounded with very human emotions and backstory, so we feel for them, yet both veer into alarming states that make us question our tolerance level – just as they question that about each other. I often found myself considering who was more unhinged; who was in more danger because of the other. Like Arden says, they compensate for each other, one angry while the other is dismissive, until they start to learn how to meet halfway; how to listen to each other.
“It’s like a beautiful curse, how our darkness seems to harmonize with one another.”
One of the main messages is about unlearning bad habits and relearning how to love. Ultimately, it’s hopeful, and I was left feeling uplifted with a sense of contemplation about life.
"What are we to do with all this future?"
April 12, 2022
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Casually Homicidal is a gritty and evocative narrative that deserves all of the hype that it gets. I can't wait until it's released for everyone else to experience the joy I had while reading it.
There are plenty of things I love about the book. One major thing was how three-dimensional Hendrix and Arden are. I felt that Bennett did an amazing job of portraying them and making them as complex as she could through their backstories. I felt like I learned something new about both characters as the story progressed.
Another thing that I can't help but praise her for is her uncanny ability to balance dual POVs. It's incredibly difficult to give characters their own unique voice, but Bennett manages to do this with ease. I never felt that I was struggling to differentiate their voices as I read the book.
I also loved her writing style and how it matched the dark, gritty tone of the story. Bennett succeeded in making you feel how somber both characters are and how those emotions twisted their individual perceptions of the world around them. Plus I felt like there was a healthy balance between exposition, dialogue, and description so I didn't feel myself getting bored or feeling like the scenes dragged on for too long.
She also did an amazing job of writing the entire road trip as a whole! I think Bennett did a good job with the character arcs and making the road trip interesting. You can tell that she put a lot of time and effort into the places she researched, how to give something that’s normally so “boring” some depth, and she succeeded in creating some type of plot from it.
However, I do feel like the story had a couple of pockets where it felt stagnant, so Bennett could have benefitted from including more external forces to propel the growth of both characters. I also think she played it safe when it came to the gritty nature of the book, but I can understand why due to the audience it's for, so it's more of a personal preference rather than a slight on the novel itself.
Overall, Casually Homicidal is the perfect book to read if you love shows like The End Of The F***ing World and you need something to help you out of your reading slump!
Casually Homicidal is a gritty and evocative narrative that deserves all of the hype that it gets. I can't wait until it's released for everyone else to experience the joy I had while reading it.
There are plenty of things I love about the book. One major thing was how three-dimensional Hendrix and Arden are. I felt that Bennett did an amazing job of portraying them and making them as complex as she could through their backstories. I felt like I learned something new about both characters as the story progressed.
Another thing that I can't help but praise her for is her uncanny ability to balance dual POVs. It's incredibly difficult to give characters their own unique voice, but Bennett manages to do this with ease. I never felt that I was struggling to differentiate their voices as I read the book.
I also loved her writing style and how it matched the dark, gritty tone of the story. Bennett succeeded in making you feel how somber both characters are and how those emotions twisted their individual perceptions of the world around them. Plus I felt like there was a healthy balance between exposition, dialogue, and description so I didn't feel myself getting bored or feeling like the scenes dragged on for too long.
She also did an amazing job of writing the entire road trip as a whole! I think Bennett did a good job with the character arcs and making the road trip interesting. You can tell that she put a lot of time and effort into the places she researched, how to give something that’s normally so “boring” some depth, and she succeeded in creating some type of plot from it.
However, I do feel like the story had a couple of pockets where it felt stagnant, so Bennett could have benefitted from including more external forces to propel the growth of both characters. I also think she played it safe when it came to the gritty nature of the book, but I can understand why due to the audience it's for, so it's more of a personal preference rather than a slight on the novel itself.
Overall, Casually Homicidal is the perfect book to read if you love shows like The End Of The F***ing World and you need something to help you out of your reading slump!
June 23, 2024
Bennett puts a murdery twist on a coming of age will-they-won’t-they in the YA road trip novel Casually Homocidal. Gritty but real mental health representation shines through two captivating POV characters who are clearly so much more than just their mistakes and mental illness.
Both POV characters had such distinct voices and starkly different perspectives on life and each other. I never found myself wishing for one POV over the other. Both Arden and Hendrix were captivating in their own ways, all throughout the story. I couldn’t wait to see what came next as they changed and shifted and grew into themselves.
It can be challenging to have a story so reliant on the internal journey also feel fast-paced and exciting, but Bennett pulls it off marvellously. Not to mention all the mystery and the very high stakes ; I was absolutely hooked and couldn’t put it down.
Bennett’s prose and description were captivating enough to give me the American road trip bug. Although her characters are flawed you can tell that she really loves them; she put in the work to give them depth and complexity, and I think every reader who sees themselves in Arden and Hendrix will feel that love through the page.
Casually Homocidal is ideal for readers who love a rich internal journey and a good road trip story, as well as a twist of impending murder on their will-they-won’t-they romantic tension.
10/10 recommend reading on a camping trip or a road trip!
Thank you Olivia for offering me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Both POV characters had such distinct voices and starkly different perspectives on life and each other. I never found myself wishing for one POV over the other. Both Arden and Hendrix were captivating in their own ways, all throughout the story. I couldn’t wait to see what came next as they changed and shifted and grew into themselves.
It can be challenging to have a story so reliant on the internal journey also feel fast-paced and exciting, but Bennett pulls it off marvellously. Not to mention all the mystery and the very high stakes ; I was absolutely hooked and couldn’t put it down.
Bennett’s prose and description were captivating enough to give me the American road trip bug. Although her characters are flawed you can tell that she really loves them; she put in the work to give them depth and complexity, and I think every reader who sees themselves in Arden and Hendrix will feel that love through the page.
Casually Homocidal is ideal for readers who love a rich internal journey and a good road trip story, as well as a twist of impending murder on their will-they-won’t-they romantic tension.
10/10 recommend reading on a camping trip or a road trip!
Thank you Olivia for offering me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2024
Toggled a lot between a 3.5 to 4. Overall, really enjoyed! I liked the road trip, the nostalgia, how it takes you back to being 18 and the world is shifting in this way we don't know if we are scared to face it or not. Very much a vibe read, and the ending was so so good for who these characters are. While at times I thought it got a bit too monologue heavy, and the metaphors were ample that could blur together, Bennet has a strong sense of prose and writing that is captivating. The vibe was unique, the characters distinct, and Arden's family dynamic and quest to self realization really hit home for me in the end. Definitely a coming of age novel perfect for fans of road trips, grunge, a little bit of horror, and friendships.
July 20, 2024
Casually Homicidal by Olivia J. Bennet was an emotional rollercoaster to read in the best way possible. What started out as an apprehensive and unpredictable adventure between two lost teenage souls searching for purpose ended in a loving, heartwarming, enlightening journey towards self discovery for not only Hendrix and Arden, but for the readers joining them in on the chaos. As I read, I found myself resonating with a lot of different sentiments made by each character as they struggled through the trip, coupled with little “aha!” moments thrown in. While I don’t relate to homicidal urges, I do relate to the yearning of wanting to feel something outside of yourself, and this is exactly what Casually Homicidal did for me. I cannot recommend this book enough not just for YA readers, but for any adult wanting a fast paced, keep you on the edge of your comfy library corner, novel. (To be fully transparent, I am friends with the author, but all opinions are my own and I have not been incentivized in anyway. I purchased the book myself to support Olivia and fully plan to purchase her future books with an unbiased lens. She’s a wonderful author to say the least).
March 5, 2024
This is Olivia's second novel and I thought it was great. From going from her first novel A Cactus in the Valley to Casually Homicidal I can truly see the difference of her writing and how she has improved over the years. I still recommend going and reading her first novel though.
Casually Homicidal is in duel prospective. We follow Hendrix and Ardin. Hendrix is a wild unknowing character. You don't know what he is going to do next because he doesn't really know what he is going to do next. Ardin also doesn't know what she wants to do with her life in general but, she has had a more structured family life if you will say. This doesn't mean that her predicament is all sunshine and rainbows either though.
I think this book is a great idea of how the teenage mind works and not know what you are going to do in the transition period of becoming a high schooler to an adult in college (if you can say that). Both characters go through the struggle of figuring out what they want to do on a spontaneous road trip.
Casually Homicidal is in duel prospective. We follow Hendrix and Ardin. Hendrix is a wild unknowing character. You don't know what he is going to do next because he doesn't really know what he is going to do next. Ardin also doesn't know what she wants to do with her life in general but, she has had a more structured family life if you will say. This doesn't mean that her predicament is all sunshine and rainbows either though.
I think this book is a great idea of how the teenage mind works and not know what you are going to do in the transition period of becoming a high schooler to an adult in college (if you can say that). Both characters go through the struggle of figuring out what they want to do on a spontaneous road trip.
June 16, 2022
Told in dual alternating points of view, this visceral portrayal of the complicated bridge between adolescence and young adulthood will send you on a rollercoaster of emotions in the best way possible. While this is very much a "road trip" trope novel, it breaks barriers and tests the boundaries of the genre, with surprising twists every step of the way. Bennett's prose carries with it a certain lyrical, literary quality while also maintaining the integrity of two separate protagonists' voices. The characters feel real and emotive; Bennett does a fantastic job of showing us just what characterization they want us to see, when they want us to see it. Casually Homicidal is a fantastic sophomore follow-up to the author's debut!
July 30, 2022
I don’t even know where to begin. There are so many fantastic things about this book that I can be listing them all day. If you haven’t read it yet, then put this on your TBR list!!
First of all, the characters were perfectly written! They were so raw and so real. It’s been a long time since I read a book with characters that were so well crafted. We started off only knowing a little about Hendrix and Arden, by the end of the book, I felt like I knew them completely all their dark little secrets and beautiful attributes. We delved so deep into the characters’ thoughts that we understood them and sometimes sympathised with them.
To put it simply READ THIS BOOK!! It was a rollercoaster of adventures, emotions, and people. HIGHLY recommend!!
First of all, the characters were perfectly written! They were so raw and so real. It’s been a long time since I read a book with characters that were so well crafted. We started off only knowing a little about Hendrix and Arden, by the end of the book, I felt like I knew them completely all their dark little secrets and beautiful attributes. We delved so deep into the characters’ thoughts that we understood them and sometimes sympathised with them.
To put it simply READ THIS BOOK!! It was a rollercoaster of adventures, emotions, and people. HIGHLY recommend!!
September 12, 2022
Heartfelt, yet humorous. Relateable and raw.
In many ways, Casually Homicidal was exactly what I expected: gritty, honest, emotionally raw. Olivia excelled in all these areas in her last book, A Cactus in the Valley, but does so even more here, developing her characters from within and giving them rich backstories with which the reader can relate. I, for one, found myself relating to Michelle “Arden” several times, as she is constantly chasing after anything she thinks will give her life meaning. And while I couldn’t exactly relate to Hendrix’s character, I could sympathize with him and the hardships he’s faced to make him who he is. Together, the two make a strange but often comical pair, bringing out the worst of each other in the best possible ways.
In many ways, Casually Homicidal was exactly what I expected: gritty, honest, emotionally raw. Olivia excelled in all these areas in her last book, A Cactus in the Valley, but does so even more here, developing her characters from within and giving them rich backstories with which the reader can relate. I, for one, found myself relating to Michelle “Arden” several times, as she is constantly chasing after anything she thinks will give her life meaning. And while I couldn’t exactly relate to Hendrix’s character, I could sympathize with him and the hardships he’s faced to make him who he is. Together, the two make a strange but often comical pair, bringing out the worst of each other in the best possible ways.
July 14, 2022
This book has so many vibes. It's like FightClub meets teenage angst and discovery. The pain felts by the character's childhood trauma and the failures of their networks is so real but so is also their desire to be free and live out just for at least one summer a grand adventure to no where. Just them and life. These characters will be with me for a long time to come.
August 11, 2022
Last time I went to my local indie bookstore, there just so happened to be a book signing going on, so I picked up this book to support a local YA author. I’m so glad I did! It was moving, funny, relatable, inspirational, and just all around a great read. I was very pleasantly surprised! Keep doing what you’re doing, Olivia! :)
August 15, 2022
I just finished reading and I greatly enjoyed this novel, Arden and Hendrix feel alive in the pages and they both were surprisingly relatable on their respective ends on the mental health spectrum that they were on. Is definitely on my Favorite Reads list
August 15, 2023
Ahh, man, I can't even describe perfection. There is language; I'm ok with it. Yes.
There was never a moment I was bored. Always drawing me. Raw. Realistic. Man, I might need a write a long review of this book. Wow.
There was never a moment I was bored. Always drawing me. Raw. Realistic. Man, I might need a write a long review of this book. Wow.
October 3, 2023
I loved this book. The characters are so compelling and real. I look forward to reading Olivia’s future work!
May 15, 2025
What a surprising, thoughtful, and moving book! I met Olivia at a library author fair and the promise of casually homicidal interested me immediately. I love stories about teenagers dealing with real and raw emotional experiences, even ones that might make you feel uncomfortable.
Olivia executed it so well! I cared deeply about Arden and Hendrix, and I loved watching how their relationship unfolded. The conflicts and resolutions felt very honest and not fluffed over to make the reader happy per say - yet I still was left satisfied. I'll definitely read more of Olivia's books!
Olivia executed it so well! I cared deeply about Arden and Hendrix, and I loved watching how their relationship unfolded. The conflicts and resolutions felt very honest and not fluffed over to make the reader happy per say - yet I still was left satisfied. I'll definitely read more of Olivia's books!
July 30, 2022
I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into Casually Homicidal, especially knowing that one of the main characters, Hendrix, is mentally ill (one of the major themes of the book) and I was worried that it would either a) romanticize it or b) Hendrix would be cured from falling in love with Arden. Spoiler alert: neither one of those things happened and Bennet did a great job at wrapping it up in a way that was hopeful for the both of them without them being immediately cured.
The story itself is rather fast-paced which at times may be jarring, but it very well could be because I'm not the most used to the first person present tense. I felt like the sweet, happy moments didn't have enough emphasis put upon them and for a while it was fight after fight between Arden and Hendrix without reprieve.
However, the story was extremely entertaining and I was very pleasantly surprised by the ending--Hendrix's path to getting help is takes time and isn't linear, true to real life.
I don't know if I've ever seen quite an extreme portrayal of naïveté and optimism that's found in Arden vs what's quite the opposite with Hendrix, and while it does seem excessive at times it really gives the two wildly different voices. Bennet manages two alternating first person POV's very well, as I feel each character has quite the distinct voice and they don't blend into each other as is common in books done in a similar way.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend the book to others looking for a gripping, fun novel to read!
The story itself is rather fast-paced which at times may be jarring, but it very well could be because I'm not the most used to the first person present tense. I felt like the sweet, happy moments didn't have enough emphasis put upon them and for a while it was fight after fight between Arden and Hendrix without reprieve.
However, the story was extremely entertaining and I was very pleasantly surprised by the ending--Hendrix's path to getting help is takes time and isn't linear, true to real life.
I don't know if I've ever seen quite an extreme portrayal of naïveté and optimism that's found in Arden vs what's quite the opposite with Hendrix, and while it does seem excessive at times it really gives the two wildly different voices. Bennet manages two alternating first person POV's very well, as I feel each character has quite the distinct voice and they don't blend into each other as is common in books done in a similar way.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend the book to others looking for a gripping, fun novel to read!
July 12, 2025
I got this book at a local book event, signed by the author! It’s a book intended for ages 14 and over and has some adult themes for sure which took me a little by surprise (not in a bad way). Delving into teenage sociopathy… didn’t expect that.
The characters were well written and their relationship evolved as they learned more about each other but I couldn’t help but feel that it potentially could be taken as “I can change him” fiction which I find uncomfortable. At the same time, this book holds hope for those we usually label irredeemable.
This book was a fast, easy read during vacation.
The characters were well written and their relationship evolved as they learned more about each other but I couldn’t help but feel that it potentially could be taken as “I can change him” fiction which I find uncomfortable. At the same time, this book holds hope for those we usually label irredeemable.
This book was a fast, easy read during vacation.
July 13, 2025
This was a tiny bit long and slow, but despite that I still really enjoyed it!
It was a lot deeper than I was anticipating, which was unexpected, but added another layer to the story.
The relationship between the two characters was amazing to watch unravel.
They really stuck by each other through everything.
The author really opened my eyes to some metal health and interesting struggles people can go through.
It was a lot deeper than I was anticipating, which was unexpected, but added another layer to the story.
The relationship between the two characters was amazing to watch unravel.
They really stuck by each other through everything.
The author really opened my eyes to some metal health and interesting struggles people can go through.
April 10, 2023
Olivia crafts a beautiful story of two unlikely companions who embark on a journey with one goal in mind: escaping themselves. Arden is a lovable dreamer whose adventure-seeking personality makes you fall in love with her. And Hendrix's twisted, yet real and raw nature leaves you waiting on the edge of your seat. Olivia keeps her grip on the reader with heart and gut-wrenching scenes, and you'll find yourself screaming at the characters just as I was. I cannot recommend this book enough!
February 22, 2022
Y’all are going to like this.
May 26, 2022
Amazing book! The real and raw of what teenagers go through in the stage of figure out who and what they want to be in life. Perfect read for all of us who once asked ourselves when we were younger "what else is out there in this great big world?"
Hendrix and Arden will forever hold a piece in my heart for the feeling of youth and adventure.
Hendrix and Arden will forever hold a piece in my heart for the feeling of youth and adventure.
March 29, 2023
This one wasn't for me. I don't think there is anything inherently bad about this book. I can see a lot of people really loving this one. But I don't think it was for me. Let that be a disclaimer for the rest of this review, because I don't think you should use this as a means to decided whether or not you should read the book.
I guess what it really boils down to is that I did not care about the main characters. There are two, with alternating chapters written in first person. I will give credit where credit is due: both had distinct voices, which is a hard feat in a book like this. But I cared for neither of them. And when I don't care for either protagonist, I start losing interest very quickly. I made it about 25% of the way through the book, so I feel like I gave each of them a good enough chance. But neither Hendrix nor Arden felt redeemable, and their thoughts had me more annoyed and put off than anything. I recognize that I am probably not the target audience. I think this is a new adult novel? There are certainly too many swear words and dark themes to be considered YA. Which is why I thought I MIGHT like this one. But we're still reading about teenagers. Two 18 year olds who impulsively go on a road trip. Both seem to come from shitty backgrounds, so I can understand why they behave and act the way they do, to a degree. But that's also why I didn't like them. I can only take so much of an 18 year olds mind, especially when they're acting so impulsively. I simply can't relate.
The other thing is I feel like this would have been an excellent place to explore antisocial personality disorder or sociopathy more. And granted, I did not finish the book, so maybe these things get explored later on in more depth. But given that Hendrix clearly suffers from at least one of those things, I was hoping to get a better glimpse into his psyche. Instead, some of his thoughts just came across as...repetitive. Edgy and dark for the sake of being edgy and dark. Not the mind of someone who is suffering from a real condition. I don't know. Topics like that are close to my heart, and I'm not saying the author didn't represent it well because I didn't read enough of the book to conclude that one way or the other. I just felt like from what I did read, it could have been written a little better, in a way that leaves the reader intrigued rather than put off. I think it started out fantastic, regarding Hendrix's reactivity when anger was involved. But once it started getting into Hendrix's homicidality, I was having a hard time feeling like these were the thoughts of someone who was suffering from a serious mental condition, and more about an annoyed teen who wants to come across as dark and edgy for the sheer sake of doing so.
I did like the road trip aspect of the book though, and I'm glad it didn't take long to get thrown into that. I think a longer buildup would have thrown me off. I like the idea of two people leaving behind their small town that's doing nothing for them, leaving behind their families who are not supportive of them. I love the sense of adventure and the unknown. But I guess a lot of the road trip vibes felt like they were missing for me. They may have increased if I'd read more of the book though, so again, don't let that deter anyone. Like I said, I think what did it was the characters. I could only take so much of them, so while there were certainly aspects that were done very well and would have been exciting to read about (like this road trip), I couldn't bring myself to care more for the characters to continue reading their story.
So I guess all in all, in the first quarter of the book I read, there were things I liked and things I didn't, and things that may have been well if I'd simply pushed on and continued reading. But since I lacked that interest in the characters, I didn't feel compelled to keep going, and that's okay. I can see a lot of people loving this book. It has a certain vibe to it that I can see a lot of people gravitating to, especially if they like darker books. It was just lacking certain qualities that would have made this book a better fit for me.
I guess what it really boils down to is that I did not care about the main characters. There are two, with alternating chapters written in first person. I will give credit where credit is due: both had distinct voices, which is a hard feat in a book like this. But I cared for neither of them. And when I don't care for either protagonist, I start losing interest very quickly. I made it about 25% of the way through the book, so I feel like I gave each of them a good enough chance. But neither Hendrix nor Arden felt redeemable, and their thoughts had me more annoyed and put off than anything. I recognize that I am probably not the target audience. I think this is a new adult novel? There are certainly too many swear words and dark themes to be considered YA. Which is why I thought I MIGHT like this one. But we're still reading about teenagers. Two 18 year olds who impulsively go on a road trip. Both seem to come from shitty backgrounds, so I can understand why they behave and act the way they do, to a degree. But that's also why I didn't like them. I can only take so much of an 18 year olds mind, especially when they're acting so impulsively. I simply can't relate.
The other thing is I feel like this would have been an excellent place to explore antisocial personality disorder or sociopathy more. And granted, I did not finish the book, so maybe these things get explored later on in more depth. But given that Hendrix clearly suffers from at least one of those things, I was hoping to get a better glimpse into his psyche. Instead, some of his thoughts just came across as...repetitive. Edgy and dark for the sake of being edgy and dark. Not the mind of someone who is suffering from a real condition. I don't know. Topics like that are close to my heart, and I'm not saying the author didn't represent it well because I didn't read enough of the book to conclude that one way or the other. I just felt like from what I did read, it could have been written a little better, in a way that leaves the reader intrigued rather than put off. I think it started out fantastic, regarding Hendrix's reactivity when anger was involved. But once it started getting into Hendrix's homicidality, I was having a hard time feeling like these were the thoughts of someone who was suffering from a serious mental condition, and more about an annoyed teen who wants to come across as dark and edgy for the sheer sake of doing so.
I did like the road trip aspect of the book though, and I'm glad it didn't take long to get thrown into that. I think a longer buildup would have thrown me off. I like the idea of two people leaving behind their small town that's doing nothing for them, leaving behind their families who are not supportive of them. I love the sense of adventure and the unknown. But I guess a lot of the road trip vibes felt like they were missing for me. They may have increased if I'd read more of the book though, so again, don't let that deter anyone. Like I said, I think what did it was the characters. I could only take so much of them, so while there were certainly aspects that were done very well and would have been exciting to read about (like this road trip), I couldn't bring myself to care more for the characters to continue reading their story.
So I guess all in all, in the first quarter of the book I read, there were things I liked and things I didn't, and things that may have been well if I'd simply pushed on and continued reading. But since I lacked that interest in the characters, I didn't feel compelled to keep going, and that's okay. I can see a lot of people loving this book. It has a certain vibe to it that I can see a lot of people gravitating to, especially if they like darker books. It was just lacking certain qualities that would have made this book a better fit for me.
January 13, 2026
Some books knock politely. This book kicks the door in. This is not just a coming-of-age story; it’s a coming-apart story. The story is unsettling, strangely beautiful, and fearless. The prose is sharp, playful, and quietly devastating. Sentences sneak up on you. Watching these two main characters collide is like watching a philosophical debate conducted with loaded weapons. It’s a magic trick the author has pulled off with surgical precision. But calling this book about Arden and Hendrix is like saying a thunderstorm is about water. It’s about the electricity.
Hendrix's narration (or presence, even when he isn’t narrating) crackles. He’s unsettling because his potential for murder sits in the room like a half-finished soda; unremarkable, sticky, and somehow always in your peripheral vision.
And then there’s Arden, aching, spiraling, painfully alive. Her existential dread isn’t decorative; it’s structural. It props up every interaction, it is in every thought, every choice she makes. Where Hendrix is disturbingly empty, Arden is too full, overflowing with questions about meaning, selfhood, and whether being ignored is a curse or her inevitable lot in life.
The storyline is great, but it's the author's turn of phrase and the ability to pull me in and whisper in my ear ("So, so you think he will kill her?") that gave me chills.
I closed the book feeling thrilled, unnerved, and a little nostalgic, which, frankly, is the highest compliment I can give.
Hendrix's narration (or presence, even when he isn’t narrating) crackles. He’s unsettling because his potential for murder sits in the room like a half-finished soda; unremarkable, sticky, and somehow always in your peripheral vision.
And then there’s Arden, aching, spiraling, painfully alive. Her existential dread isn’t decorative; it’s structural. It props up every interaction, it is in every thought, every choice she makes. Where Hendrix is disturbingly empty, Arden is too full, overflowing with questions about meaning, selfhood, and whether being ignored is a curse or her inevitable lot in life.
The storyline is great, but it's the author's turn of phrase and the ability to pull me in and whisper in my ear ("So, so you think he will kill her?") that gave me chills.
I closed the book feeling thrilled, unnerved, and a little nostalgic, which, frankly, is the highest compliment I can give.
November 22, 2025
This book was well written and was good for what it was intended to be. My problem was that I feel like I was a bit misled in what this book was supposed to be about.
I thought it would be themed more along the lines of a budding serial killer hitting the road with his potential victim. Which it was to a point, but honestly it was entirely a book about teenage angst and not about murder. If I had known it would be a book focused on two teens getting over some of their perceived childhood traumas, then I likely would have went in with a different mindset. Because of that, I found it very slow paced and Arden came off as completely self absorbed and whiney about everything. It felt like the two of them were constantly arguing over everything. At times it didn’t even really seem to make sense. Someone was always crying. Then randomly Hendrix would think about killing Arden but it was never the main point of the story like the synopsis would indicate.
If you want a coming of age story, that does seem a bit YA with the entire focus on teens being emotional albeit with an “edge”, then you’ll like this one. Just go into it knowing it’s not going to be a slasher or anything.
I thought it would be themed more along the lines of a budding serial killer hitting the road with his potential victim. Which it was to a point, but honestly it was entirely a book about teenage angst and not about murder. If I had known it would be a book focused on two teens getting over some of their perceived childhood traumas, then I likely would have went in with a different mindset. Because of that, I found it very slow paced and Arden came off as completely self absorbed and whiney about everything. It felt like the two of them were constantly arguing over everything. At times it didn’t even really seem to make sense. Someone was always crying. Then randomly Hendrix would think about killing Arden but it was never the main point of the story like the synopsis would indicate.
If you want a coming of age story, that does seem a bit YA with the entire focus on teens being emotional albeit with an “edge”, then you’ll like this one. Just go into it knowing it’s not going to be a slasher or anything.
April 26, 2024
𝙄'𝙢 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙨𝙣𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙨. 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙨: 𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨, 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙-𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙟𝙤𝙗 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙-𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚: 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙩, 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡, 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙠𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙞𝙙𝙤𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚.
To say I loved this book is an understatement. This was such a beautiful tale of self-discovery and taking risks outside your comfort zone. Hendrix and Arden were such relatable characters, and I really appreciated how distinctive their voices were, which can be so hard to pull off in a dual-POV novel. This book tackled a very difficult subject (very well, I might add), and I loved that the author didn't shy away from making the characters flawed. The writing was phenomenal! Overall, I enjoyed following Hendrix and Arden's journey through all the good and bad, and I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good road trip story mixed in with some teen angst!
To say I loved this book is an understatement. This was such a beautiful tale of self-discovery and taking risks outside your comfort zone. Hendrix and Arden were such relatable characters, and I really appreciated how distinctive their voices were, which can be so hard to pull off in a dual-POV novel. This book tackled a very difficult subject (very well, I might add), and I loved that the author didn't shy away from making the characters flawed. The writing was phenomenal! Overall, I enjoyed following Hendrix and Arden's journey through all the good and bad, and I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good road trip story mixed in with some teen angst!
March 15, 2024
"This trip and these moments are the glue that hold us together, that shape us and break us and fix us." - probably my favourite lines from the book.
Casually Homicidal has done exactly what I thought it would do ; shake me to my core. The book is made for people like Hendrix and Arden, people like me, people that are going into the world as fresh young adults, who are taking the baby steps into what feels like the overwhelming scary new life. That's not to say you have to be in your early adulthood to enjoy the book, the author has done such a great job of making the lives of the characters feel real, and many parts of their lives is something you've most probably dealt with - maybe not the Homicidal tendencies - but other things that they struggle with seems something that we would all resonate with. The book makes you feel some intense feelings, and every once in a while you may have to put it down just to gather your own thoughts, and yet it is irresistible.
Casually Homicidal has done exactly what I thought it would do ; shake me to my core. The book is made for people like Hendrix and Arden, people like me, people that are going into the world as fresh young adults, who are taking the baby steps into what feels like the overwhelming scary new life. That's not to say you have to be in your early adulthood to enjoy the book, the author has done such a great job of making the lives of the characters feel real, and many parts of their lives is something you've most probably dealt with - maybe not the Homicidal tendencies - but other things that they struggle with seems something that we would all resonate with. The book makes you feel some intense feelings, and every once in a while you may have to put it down just to gather your own thoughts, and yet it is irresistible.
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