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Go Hunt Me
9 hours, 51 minutes
For 'Dracula' lovers and fans of Diana Urban’s 'All Your Twisted Secrets', this spine-tingling thriller follows seven horror buffs as their dream trip to a remote Romanian castle turns into a nightmare when they begin to be killed one by one.
Alex Rush is ready for the trip of a lifetime.
She and her friends have made some creepily awesome films together throughout high school, so with only a few months left before they go their separate ways for college, they’re determined to make the best one yet: an epic short film that reimagines the story of 'Dracula', filmed on location at a remote castle in Romania.
But when they get there, it’s not quite the majestic setting they planned for. Menacing weapons line the walls, the twisted halls are easy to get lost in, and with no connection to the outside world, the group is unexpectedly off the grid. After just a few hours spent under its roof, Alex and her friends have no trouble imagining how this dark, terrifying castle inspired one of the most enduring horror novels of all time.
Only soon they no longer have to use their imaginations to understand the location’s terrifying history—just as they get the film’s first shot rolling, one of Alex’s friends disappears, and she’s nearly certain she saw a cloaked stranger lurking in the shadows. As more members of the group begin to meet an untimely demise, Alex is desperate to stop the bloodshed, even if it means facing a monster she never thought would be let loose.
©2022 Kelly deVos (P)2022 Listening Library
For 'Dracula' lovers and fans of Diana Urban’s 'All Your Twisted Secrets', this spine-tingling thriller follows seven horror buffs as their dream trip to a remote Romanian castle turns into a nightmare when they begin to be killed one by one.
Alex Rush is ready for the trip of a lifetime.
She and her friends have made some creepily awesome films together throughout high school, so with only a few months left before they go their separate ways for college, they’re determined to make the best one yet: an epic short film that reimagines the story of 'Dracula', filmed on location at a remote castle in Romania.
But when they get there, it’s not quite the majestic setting they planned for. Menacing weapons line the walls, the twisted halls are easy to get lost in, and with no connection to the outside world, the group is unexpectedly off the grid. After just a few hours spent under its roof, Alex and her friends have no trouble imagining how this dark, terrifying castle inspired one of the most enduring horror novels of all time.
Only soon they no longer have to use their imaginations to understand the location’s terrifying history—just as they get the film’s first shot rolling, one of Alex’s friends disappears, and she’s nearly certain she saw a cloaked stranger lurking in the shadows. As more members of the group begin to meet an untimely demise, Alex is desperate to stop the bloodshed, even if it means facing a monster she never thought would be let loose.
©2022 Kelly deVos (P)2022 Listening Library
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published June 14, 2022
52 people are currently reading
6296 people want to read
About the author
Kelly deVos
6 books338 followersKelly deVos is from Gilbert, Arizona, where she lives with her high school sweetheart husband, amazing teen daughter and superhero dog, Cocoa. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. When not reading or writing, Kelly can typically be found with a mocha in hand, bingeing the latest TV shows and adding to her ever-growing sticker collection. Her debut novel, Fat Girl on a Plane, named one of the "50 Best Summer Reads of All Time" by Reader's Digest magazine, is available now from HarperCollins.
Kelly's work has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Salon, Vulture and Bustle.
Kelly's work has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Salon, Vulture and Bustle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
July 26, 2022
Alex Rush and her friends head off to Romania to shoot a small film that will hopefully get her accepted into film school. It is a small remake of some scenes of Dracula, which is perfect as they will be staying in the castle that he once lived in. From the moment they touch down, things start going wrong. They are abandoned by their chaperon, the Go Fund money is missing, and the castle is falling apart by the minute. Having no choice, the group decides to make the most of it. That is, until their friends start being killed off one by one. Everyone seems to be holding a secret. Some more deadly them others.
First, I hated the format of this book. It annoyed me to death. Did every chapter have to start with scene markers? I didn't like any of the characters and there was no bonding with them. It was a bunch of teens running around a castle being idiots while their friends get murdered.
First, I hated the format of this book. It annoyed me to death. Did every chapter have to start with scene markers? I didn't like any of the characters and there was no bonding with them. It was a bunch of teens running around a castle being idiots while their friends get murdered.
June 6, 2022
Huh..what an interesting story. Thanks to Penguin Audio for my copy of Go Hunt Me. I thought it would be about a vampire, and would consider this YA Horror. The story is about a group of amature film makers who travel to Romania to make a horror movie. The setting is an eerie castle, but when the friends get there, it’s not what they thought. The location is full of surprises, and as they learn about the castle’s history, they realize there is deeper history there. Then one of the friends disappears, and they start to see a cloaked stranger hiding in the shadows. After they lose power, they wonder if any is going to make it out alive.
Thoughts: This really sounded amazing but OH MY GOSH. First of all, the characters were super one dimensional and you don’t learn about them at all. The book is extremely unrealistic and unconvincing, from the beginning where a group of teenagers randomly meet a famous movie star and go with her to Romania, to the ending, which was just plain ridiculous. The killer completely lacked believable motivation, and honestly this book made zero sense.
The setting was so much fun and the premise sounded amazing, but it just kept getting less and less believable. I honestly felt sad with the way it turned out, almost like I wasted my time building up to the disappointing ending. Some of the book did entertain me and keep me engaged, but it was both cliche and boring. Good idea, but horrible execution. 2-stars.
Thoughts: This really sounded amazing but OH MY GOSH. First of all, the characters were super one dimensional and you don’t learn about them at all. The book is extremely unrealistic and unconvincing, from the beginning where a group of teenagers randomly meet a famous movie star and go with her to Romania, to the ending, which was just plain ridiculous. The killer completely lacked believable motivation, and honestly this book made zero sense.
The setting was so much fun and the premise sounded amazing, but it just kept getting less and less believable. I honestly felt sad with the way it turned out, almost like I wasted my time building up to the disappointing ending. Some of the book did entertain me and keep me engaged, but it was both cliche and boring. Good idea, but horrible execution. 2-stars.
May 14, 2024
First off can someone please read this so I have somebody to discuss it with? 😭 The ending is a GREAT ending. HOLY SHIT. I was caught off guard!! It's been nothing but twist after twist after damn twist. I truly enjoyed this book 🩷 This was one of the random books I came across on BookOutlet and decided to get it despite never hearing about it prior. I highly recommend this book to anybody who is a thriller lover!! Side note - once you get past the first 60 pages or so it's gets REALLY good!
Read
April 26, 2025Heads up, this book doesn't actually have vampires in it! It's a non-paranormal horror novel following a group of teenage filmmakers who get the chance to film in what may have been Vlad the Impalers castle in Romania. But things go very wrong and bodies begin to drop. It wasn't what I was expecting and the execution was underwhelming. Take my review with a grain of salt because some reviewers seem to have enjoyed this more than I did, and if you can just take it for what it is maybe you will too, but unfortunately that was not my experience.
In terms of pacing, the entire first half of the book is setup and the second half is breakneck action. But the characters are so thinly developed that I don't know why we needed half the book to set things up. They read like irritating caricatures more than people. So when things get bloody, I wasn't invested enough to feel much about it. There are some twists that were not all that surprising because of the setup and intense foreshadowing, and I think having a guess about what was going on also detracted from my experience with the book.
I also couldn't help thinking these teenagers were really dumb, and how absurd it is to go through with going to film at this location. Alone. With some creepy guy you don't know, in a country where you don't know the language. Like have none of them seen movies about human trafficking of teenagers??? The believability just wasn't there for me.
On top of which, at times it seems like this book is trying to SAY something about gender bias in the film industry, but in a way that really doesn't work with what the rest of the book is doing. I would be all for a book that really tackles that issue, but this wasn't it.
The more I think about this one, the less I like it, which is unfortunate. It gets genuinely dark and gory with some of the horror elements and I like seeing more horror written for teenagers specifically. The setting of the castle was great and there were some interesting ideas, but the way everything came together I really wasn't a fan. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
In terms of pacing, the entire first half of the book is setup and the second half is breakneck action. But the characters are so thinly developed that I don't know why we needed half the book to set things up. They read like irritating caricatures more than people. So when things get bloody, I wasn't invested enough to feel much about it. There are some twists that were not all that surprising because of the setup and intense foreshadowing, and I think having a guess about what was going on also detracted from my experience with the book.
I also couldn't help thinking these teenagers were really dumb, and how absurd it is to go through with going to film at this location. Alone. With some creepy guy you don't know, in a country where you don't know the language. Like have none of them seen movies about human trafficking of teenagers??? The believability just wasn't there for me.
On top of which, at times it seems like this book is trying to SAY something about gender bias in the film industry, but in a way that really doesn't work with what the rest of the book is doing. I would be all for a book that really tackles that issue, but this wasn't it.
The more I think about this one, the less I like it, which is unfortunate. It gets genuinely dark and gory with some of the horror elements and I like seeing more horror written for teenagers specifically. The setting of the castle was great and there were some interesting ideas, but the way everything came together I really wasn't a fan. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
June 1, 2022
Go Hunt Me had a premise I was really excited for – everything I look for in a YA horror/thriller seemed to be present:
Isolated setting in the form of a remote Romanian Castle – Check
A diverse cast of horror buffs – Check
A Dracula inspired murder threat – Check
Sadly, if fell flat for me. The characters one dimensional and the plot boring and predictable. I’m really sad to say this because I loved Kelly’s previous book, Eat Your Heart Out and was really looking forward to this isolated setting thriller with a possible vampire-esque killer on the loose.
And then after I slogged all the way through to the ‘epilogue’ and read the motivation and just how timely everything worked out for the ACTUAL villain, it was like salt in a wound. It was just this side of ridiculous and took the story from a 3 to a 2 for me and to be completely honest, I felt cheated. I’ll leave it at that.
Can’t really say I’d recommend this but hey, it might be someone’s cup of joe.
My thanks to Penguin Teen for this gifted DRC
Isolated setting in the form of a remote Romanian Castle – Check
A diverse cast of horror buffs – Check
A Dracula inspired murder threat – Check
Sadly, if fell flat for me. The characters one dimensional and the plot boring and predictable. I’m really sad to say this because I loved Kelly’s previous book, Eat Your Heart Out and was really looking forward to this isolated setting thriller with a possible vampire-esque killer on the loose.
And then after I slogged all the way through to the ‘epilogue’ and read the motivation and just how timely everything worked out for the ACTUAL villain, it was like salt in a wound. It was just this side of ridiculous and took the story from a 3 to a 2 for me and to be completely honest, I felt cheated. I’ll leave it at that.
Can’t really say I’d recommend this but hey, it might be someone’s cup of joe.
My thanks to Penguin Teen for this gifted DRC
December 2, 2022
The premise of this book is interesting, and once the action picks up (unfortunately fully halfway through the book), the pace is fast and the mystery at least kept me engaged! I had no idea what was going on at any point and wanted answers, I'll give it that much. Unfortunately, nothing else here worked for me. The characters were thin and annoying and had neither dimension nor development, and I couldn't keep them straight (and not even in a fun horror tropey kind of way; they just were irritating). The plot was nonsensical but tried too hard to be realistic and have good stakes, and the writing was incredibly messy. I know an arc is bound to have some typos in it, but the number here were staggering--at one point, "Maddie" was referred to as "Maggie," which made me question reality for several moments--and some of the grammar was loose at best (the number of sentence fragments that should have been dependent clauses; the strange mixing up of past and present tense; the repeated use of the phrase "accent of frustration"). I wanted to like this book a lot, but it didn't work for me. The fact that the first full half of the book was dedicated to cliche setup for characters I never understood, and then immediately snapped into breakneck poorly-paced action, also let me down a lot. At least it was fast, and I really did stay up late reading half of it in a sitting to see where it went, so it absolutely gets credit for that!
Without spoiling it too much, there's a serious twist ending in the book's final few pages (and when I say final, I mean like last 10, TOPS), that either makes the whole thing much more interesting or much, much worse, and I can't decide which. It feels as if it's trying to be too clever for its own good, and also feels like a cheap cop-out--it could be an interesting reveal that makes everything better in hindsight, or it could be an unearned fake-out. I don't know which.
Without spoiling it too much, there's a serious twist ending in the book's final few pages (and when I say final, I mean like last 10, TOPS), that either makes the whole thing much more interesting or much, much worse, and I can't decide which. It feels as if it's trying to be too clever for its own good, and also feels like a cheap cop-out--it could be an interesting reveal that makes everything better in hindsight, or it could be an unearned fake-out. I don't know which.
June 10, 2023
I really really wanted to love this book more than I actually did! It was so frustrating from start to finish… and just overall very underwhelming! Characters were annoying and underdeveloped, storyline dragged and always felt on the cusp of something that never developed and that ending… I can’t even! Sold as something that’s meant to gothic, atmospheric and feminist but ends up being trite, cliche and quick frankly mediocre.
August 7, 2022
Would rate it 0 stars if possible
The good:
🩸 The cover is kind of cool - and I blame it as the reason why I gave this book a go.
🩸 The narrator is good and she tries to make the most out of the material.
The bad:
💀 There are no actual vampires in this book. As a life long vampire fan, I've had my fair share of really bad and awful vampire fiction - across all sorts of media - but even if this book had included vampires, it would have joined the bottom feeders on my list of worst books I've ever stuck with until the end.
💀 The plot is weaker and thinner than cheap toilet paper, but not even nearly as useful.
💀 The characters are all idiots. Spoiled, sheltered brats with no character development what so ever. The best thing most of them do in this book is die.
💀 The main character is a wet blanket for 99.9% of the book. The obvious plot twist at the very end - Does. Not. Help.
The ugly:
💩 The editing is awful. You could cut 80% of the book and it wouldn't really matter. Whole scenes of meaningless squabble could be cut out and - even if the story itself wouldn't get any better because of it - it certainly wouldn't waste as much of your time.
💩 The main character's script is supposed to be this really clever film idea but it is actually crap. And yes, I mean serious shite. The kind of material that makes B movies feel good about themselves. (And I say this as someone who has dabbled in movie making once upon a time.) Laughably preposterous.
💩 This is the kind of book that makes me wonder "Is it self-published?!" in all the rude, judgemental, horrible ways you could ever imagine. It makes me want to dust off the old stories I wrote in high school and publish them just for the shits and giggles. I mean, if this book found its way to publishing then why the heck not...!?
The good:
🩸 The cover is kind of cool - and I blame it as the reason why I gave this book a go.
🩸 The narrator is good and she tries to make the most out of the material.
The bad:
💀 There are no actual vampires in this book. As a life long vampire fan, I've had my fair share of really bad and awful vampire fiction - across all sorts of media - but even if this book had included vampires, it would have joined the bottom feeders on my list of worst books I've ever stuck with until the end.
💀 The plot is weaker and thinner than cheap toilet paper, but not even nearly as useful.
💀 The characters are all idiots. Spoiled, sheltered brats with no character development what so ever. The best thing most of them do in this book is die.
💀 The main character is a wet blanket for 99.9% of the book. The obvious plot twist at the very end - Does. Not. Help.
The ugly:
💩 The editing is awful. You could cut 80% of the book and it wouldn't really matter. Whole scenes of meaningless squabble could be cut out and - even if the story itself wouldn't get any better because of it - it certainly wouldn't waste as much of your time.
💩 The main character's script is supposed to be this really clever film idea but it is actually crap. And yes, I mean serious shite. The kind of material that makes B movies feel good about themselves. (And I say this as someone who has dabbled in movie making once upon a time.) Laughably preposterous.
💩 This is the kind of book that makes me wonder "Is it self-published?!" in all the rude, judgemental, horrible ways you could ever imagine. It makes me want to dust off the old stories I wrote in high school and publish them just for the shits and giggles. I mean, if this book found its way to publishing then why the heck not...!?
July 21, 2022
Spoilers!!! Not the kind of book you'll expect...but in a bad way... I was so frustrated😤
▪️Overall▪️
Either the author is a genius at writing the worst MC I've read in a long time or she really thought she did something. The dedication in the beginning makes me think it's the former but what if it's all just a coincidence and she ended up having to lean into it during editing?
This was a story meant to start conversations about rich privilege and the lengths someone will go to get what they really want in life but it ended up being a mess of an arrogant, selfish character trying to justify their own shortcomings by blaming it on them being poor.
It somehow ended up being about "poor privilege" and the lack of self-introspection where a character refuses to acknowledge and appreciate those around her just because they are "rich kids" even though time and time again they prove how hard-working they are and how much valuable advice they offer the MC. Who then proceeds to ignore them and suffers the consequences of that. But ends up blaming them for that??
The unreliable narrator trope ends up falling apart in the end thanks to some bad and convenient character writing and the big twist is the most upsetting part of the book. Nope...I couldn't read this.
▪️Good Things▪️
The actual technical writing is pretty good. Didn't have any issues picturing what the author was describing and she doesn't go overboard with dialogue and descriptions. The only thing that was really annoying were the chapter annotations.
The other characters are actually well written and interesting. It's just a shame that we only get to see then from the lense of this pathetic MC. Really wish this was more of a third person perspective.
I guess the premise of the story was interesting but it's definitely not what you get.
▪️Bad Things▪️
- I absolutely hate how the chapters are named. Should have just stuck to the standard Chapter 1, Chapter 2 format. It's all so unnecessarily "unique" but the dates should have just been a chapter intro/subheadings to establish time.
- Literally right at the beginning the dedication is "for all those unlikable characters/girls". Was hoping it would be ironic and that our MC would actually be a well-written character with depth but she quickly proves that she is indeed an unlikable character.
- Can already tell that I'll be rooting for her to suffer with everyone else. Which sucks coz I know it won't happen otherwise how else will the book continue?
- The "poor girl surrounded by rich people" trope where they try to make us feel bad for her. If she hates rich people so much why doesn't she just make friends with people she's better able to relate too? Why does she act like a leech to the one rich girl who seems to like her?
- So I'm guessing she's at least 17 since she's about to graduate yet here she is complaining about how her house is always dirty with unwashed dishes and a wild yard, but her dad is sick and her mom is the only person working to keep them afloat. Is she stupid or does she need someone to tell her that she's not a toddler who can't do chores to help around the house?
- So self absorbed and hates everything around her. I get that the author acknowledged that this is an unlikable character but she really does have a level of narcissism that even these rich kids can't compete with.
At least with the rich kids they grew up that way and they don't go out of their way to act like they're something that they aren't. But here she is basically scoffing at everything and I can already tell that she's jealous of her own friends as she describes just how wealthy they are.
- Ohhhh!! Booo hooo! "All my friends are rich and talented and I'm just average...whoa is me!" WTF??? Again, there's nothing she's said so far to imply that she's somehow incapable of finding out what she's passionate or good at. Instead she's clearly jealous that her friends are essentially living their lives. So now I'm supposed to fee bad for her coz she's too lazy to put in work for herself?? And she blames that on being poor?? There are literally extracurricular activities activities school and she has her own car to drive herself around.
- Also...pause...what is this implication that she can't ask her friends to help her out (not necessarily financially but to offer her moral support and help) coz she's a proud, poor girl but this is basically exactly why she's not allowed to ask for us to feel sorry for her coz she made her own choice.
- LMFAO!!! Oh wow... they started filming her own short film WITHOUT her?? Why is that so funny??? 😭 She's THAT annoying?? Then she has the nerve to compare herself to Christopher Nolan. Oh my word... And they actually had a good reason for it since this is their shared project for all their different scholarship and internship applications. I guess it's good that she backs off but I feel like this FOMO thing of hers is gonna be a reoccurring thing.
- Again, her friends are arguing about a legit issue with costuming and the issues with filming and Alex is STILL only thinking of herself by thinking "I would have covered that in a production meeting🙄". Like girl!! This is EVERYONES project and obviously you wouldn't have coz you couldn't even recognize your own setup!! It's painfully obvious how incompetent she is at even being a director. A writer maybe but she can't control herself in any way beyond that and I'm not surprised that her friends see this too.
- Even within their roles you can tell that she doesn't appreciate anyone else's roles besides Kenna as the actress. They are all trying to tell her all the issues with the props and weapons but she wants to ignore them and impose her own ideas only. Still seeing this whole thing as "hers" and not "theirs"
- Aaarrgggghh!! Will I ever get past this beginning?? Of course Jax was the one who got everyone back on track! You keep ignoring them and hoping they'll go away but all it took was someone to man up and actually issue an instruction instead of whining and complaining without giving a solution.
🔥It was at this point that I gave up, skimmed and skipped to the last 3 chapters 🔥
- Okay nope! I just couldn't be bothered with reading it all the way through. I just skipped to the end and WOW!!! WOOOOOWWWW!! I'm so happy I didn't subject myself to this.
🌟Major Spoiler🌟 Alex (our MC) is the one who killed all her friends. Why? To steal the GoFundMe money that her friends helped her set up to help her reapply to USC but of course she can't appreciate it because she's self-centred and controlling to the point of destroying those around her.
Yeah....mind you, literally none of them would have even cared and she didn't even try to ask any of her rich friends to help her get into collage using their own connections. She didn't get herself a job at all and from what I'm understanding she won't even use some of that money to help out her own family now that her dad is better.
Also!! Who guessed that out of nowhere one of the other boys would be "madly in love with her"?? Yep, it went there. Suddenly this best friend of hers is willing to do anything for her. Wtf?? Where did that even come from coz the whole time he was just a chill dude who barely spoke to her!
Oh my word this book is...💎challenging💎.
And the little bits I read in between were just the same nonsense of her whining that people aren't listening to her even though they are clearly focused on something else. More rich shaming, she even attacks yoga pants for some reason. Like she keeps repeating them over and over again and it's so unnecessary and the story tries to follow an "unreliable narrator" type of story by blaming everything on a homeless crazy dude.
I don't even know where to begin with how bad and unstructured that part is and how incompetent the investigators are in this story. You're really telling me that basically 5 rich kids end up dead and no one cares? There's no mention of the families too.
Oh, and she betrays her best friend too just coz she doesn't wanna end up having to marry him to keep her secret. Mind you, she's just assuming this is what will happen. Delusional a**.
So yeah...I guess she manages to go to USC and the new, shady neighbour is her ally. She even compliments her for being a good story teller. Which is hilariously ironic considering this all started because she's actually a bad director and writer. So the lady is lying to her I guess. If this book had the guts to go further it would reveal her sad she'd get what's coming to her. Or at least be forever tortured by what she did that it ends up driving her crazy.
Coz bruh...her boyfriend actually loved her but this selfish girl can only think of herself. Friends, family...? She doesn't care about anyone.
And her monologue?? Wooowww!! Talking about hidden monsters and acting like she's some kind of "good girl" who was forced to turn dark coz of everyone else around her. Lmao!! Who is she trying to fool?? Honestly, it's like the author knows the reader is going to hate this character from beginning to end and chose every possible way to lean into it.
▪️Overall▪️
Either the author is a genius at writing the worst MC I've read in a long time or she really thought she did something. The dedication in the beginning makes me think it's the former but what if it's all just a coincidence and she ended up having to lean into it during editing?
This was a story meant to start conversations about rich privilege and the lengths someone will go to get what they really want in life but it ended up being a mess of an arrogant, selfish character trying to justify their own shortcomings by blaming it on them being poor.
It somehow ended up being about "poor privilege" and the lack of self-introspection where a character refuses to acknowledge and appreciate those around her just because they are "rich kids" even though time and time again they prove how hard-working they are and how much valuable advice they offer the MC. Who then proceeds to ignore them and suffers the consequences of that. But ends up blaming them for that??
The unreliable narrator trope ends up falling apart in the end thanks to some bad and convenient character writing and the big twist is the most upsetting part of the book. Nope...I couldn't read this.
▪️Good Things▪️
The actual technical writing is pretty good. Didn't have any issues picturing what the author was describing and she doesn't go overboard with dialogue and descriptions. The only thing that was really annoying were the chapter annotations.
The other characters are actually well written and interesting. It's just a shame that we only get to see then from the lense of this pathetic MC. Really wish this was more of a third person perspective.
I guess the premise of the story was interesting but it's definitely not what you get.
▪️Bad Things▪️
- I absolutely hate how the chapters are named. Should have just stuck to the standard Chapter 1, Chapter 2 format. It's all so unnecessarily "unique" but the dates should have just been a chapter intro/subheadings to establish time.
- Literally right at the beginning the dedication is "for all those unlikable characters/girls". Was hoping it would be ironic and that our MC would actually be a well-written character with depth but she quickly proves that she is indeed an unlikable character.
- Can already tell that I'll be rooting for her to suffer with everyone else. Which sucks coz I know it won't happen otherwise how else will the book continue?
- The "poor girl surrounded by rich people" trope where they try to make us feel bad for her. If she hates rich people so much why doesn't she just make friends with people she's better able to relate too? Why does she act like a leech to the one rich girl who seems to like her?
- So I'm guessing she's at least 17 since she's about to graduate yet here she is complaining about how her house is always dirty with unwashed dishes and a wild yard, but her dad is sick and her mom is the only person working to keep them afloat. Is she stupid or does she need someone to tell her that she's not a toddler who can't do chores to help around the house?
- So self absorbed and hates everything around her. I get that the author acknowledged that this is an unlikable character but she really does have a level of narcissism that even these rich kids can't compete with.
At least with the rich kids they grew up that way and they don't go out of their way to act like they're something that they aren't. But here she is basically scoffing at everything and I can already tell that she's jealous of her own friends as she describes just how wealthy they are.
- Ohhhh!! Booo hooo! "All my friends are rich and talented and I'm just average...whoa is me!" WTF??? Again, there's nothing she's said so far to imply that she's somehow incapable of finding out what she's passionate or good at. Instead she's clearly jealous that her friends are essentially living their lives. So now I'm supposed to fee bad for her coz she's too lazy to put in work for herself?? And she blames that on being poor?? There are literally extracurricular activities activities school and she has her own car to drive herself around.
- Also...pause...what is this implication that she can't ask her friends to help her out (not necessarily financially but to offer her moral support and help) coz she's a proud, poor girl but this is basically exactly why she's not allowed to ask for us to feel sorry for her coz she made her own choice.
- LMFAO!!! Oh wow... they started filming her own short film WITHOUT her?? Why is that so funny??? 😭 She's THAT annoying?? Then she has the nerve to compare herself to Christopher Nolan. Oh my word... And they actually had a good reason for it since this is their shared project for all their different scholarship and internship applications. I guess it's good that she backs off but I feel like this FOMO thing of hers is gonna be a reoccurring thing.
- Again, her friends are arguing about a legit issue with costuming and the issues with filming and Alex is STILL only thinking of herself by thinking "I would have covered that in a production meeting🙄". Like girl!! This is EVERYONES project and obviously you wouldn't have coz you couldn't even recognize your own setup!! It's painfully obvious how incompetent she is at even being a director. A writer maybe but she can't control herself in any way beyond that and I'm not surprised that her friends see this too.
- Even within their roles you can tell that she doesn't appreciate anyone else's roles besides Kenna as the actress. They are all trying to tell her all the issues with the props and weapons but she wants to ignore them and impose her own ideas only. Still seeing this whole thing as "hers" and not "theirs"
- Aaarrgggghh!! Will I ever get past this beginning?? Of course Jax was the one who got everyone back on track! You keep ignoring them and hoping they'll go away but all it took was someone to man up and actually issue an instruction instead of whining and complaining without giving a solution.
🔥It was at this point that I gave up, skimmed and skipped to the last 3 chapters 🔥
- Okay nope! I just couldn't be bothered with reading it all the way through. I just skipped to the end and WOW!!! WOOOOOWWWW!! I'm so happy I didn't subject myself to this.
🌟Major Spoiler🌟 Alex (our MC) is the one who killed all her friends. Why? To steal the GoFundMe money that her friends helped her set up to help her reapply to USC but of course she can't appreciate it because she's self-centred and controlling to the point of destroying those around her.
Yeah....mind you, literally none of them would have even cared and she didn't even try to ask any of her rich friends to help her get into collage using their own connections. She didn't get herself a job at all and from what I'm understanding she won't even use some of that money to help out her own family now that her dad is better.
Also!! Who guessed that out of nowhere one of the other boys would be "madly in love with her"?? Yep, it went there. Suddenly this best friend of hers is willing to do anything for her. Wtf?? Where did that even come from coz the whole time he was just a chill dude who barely spoke to her!
Oh my word this book is...💎challenging💎.
And the little bits I read in between were just the same nonsense of her whining that people aren't listening to her even though they are clearly focused on something else. More rich shaming, she even attacks yoga pants for some reason. Like she keeps repeating them over and over again and it's so unnecessary and the story tries to follow an "unreliable narrator" type of story by blaming everything on a homeless crazy dude.
I don't even know where to begin with how bad and unstructured that part is and how incompetent the investigators are in this story. You're really telling me that basically 5 rich kids end up dead and no one cares? There's no mention of the families too.
Oh, and she betrays her best friend too just coz she doesn't wanna end up having to marry him to keep her secret. Mind you, she's just assuming this is what will happen. Delusional a**.
So yeah...I guess she manages to go to USC and the new, shady neighbour is her ally. She even compliments her for being a good story teller. Which is hilariously ironic considering this all started because she's actually a bad director and writer. So the lady is lying to her I guess. If this book had the guts to go further it would reveal her sad she'd get what's coming to her. Or at least be forever tortured by what she did that it ends up driving her crazy.
Coz bruh...her boyfriend actually loved her but this selfish girl can only think of herself. Friends, family...? She doesn't care about anyone.
And her monologue?? Wooowww!! Talking about hidden monsters and acting like she's some kind of "good girl" who was forced to turn dark coz of everyone else around her. Lmao!! Who is she trying to fool?? Honestly, it's like the author knows the reader is going to hate this character from beginning to end and chose every possible way to lean into it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2022
Go Hunt Me was so, so close to being the vampire-infused campy slasher of my dreams. I mean, we have seven teens who have the opportunity to film a movie in an abandoned castle in Romania! And then things start going horribly wrong as they realize they’re being stalked and killed off! A basic premise, yes, but a fun one. And while it was fun for a while…it ended up being a tad bit disappointing.
The story starts off with our main character, Alex Rush, telling the tale of what happened to her and her six friends during their fateful stay in a Romanian castle. There’s a LOT of setup to create this locked-room thriller with a Dracula twist, but I didn’t mind the wait. I liked seeing the dynamic between the characters without any of the pressure that would inevitably come when they were uh…being stalked and murdered. It added a lot more weight to the scenes where they were trying to figure out what to do!
Not going to lie, I was doubtful when I heard this book being compared to Diana Urban’s All Your Twisted Secrets but I get it now. Let me explain:
This book actually felt suspenseful. I cared about several of the characters, smart decisions were actually trying to be made (why do teenagers always make the DUMBEST decisions in the horror genre like dang y’all are somehow below average in intelligence), and the stakes felt like they were constantly being raised. I’d say that the actual plot aspect was done better in Go Hunt Me than All Your Twisted Secrets.
On the other hand, I can name more characters in Urban’s debut that i read two years ago than in Devos’s which I read just a couple of months ago. I liked maybe three or four of the characters, but they all lacked depth. Obviously, I know better than to read a YA thriller expecting character depth but still! While the setup for the book did a good job at creating molds for each of our characters, I never got to know them as individual people.
And my final comparison: the ending. All Your Twisted Secrets had a decent ending, in my opinion. It cleared up events, and made for a good twist. Go Hunt Me? Not so much. Due to a lack of both explanation and depth, the ending felt more like a cheap cop-out that was just thrown in for shock value at the end. It really sucks that it ends up feeling like that, because it could have been a good twist if it were done right. Overall, this was a fun ride but I wish it had been executed a little better! A huge thank you to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review :)
The story starts off with our main character, Alex Rush, telling the tale of what happened to her and her six friends during their fateful stay in a Romanian castle. There’s a LOT of setup to create this locked-room thriller with a Dracula twist, but I didn’t mind the wait. I liked seeing the dynamic between the characters without any of the pressure that would inevitably come when they were uh…being stalked and murdered. It added a lot more weight to the scenes where they were trying to figure out what to do!
Not going to lie, I was doubtful when I heard this book being compared to Diana Urban’s All Your Twisted Secrets but I get it now. Let me explain:
This book actually felt suspenseful. I cared about several of the characters, smart decisions were actually trying to be made (why do teenagers always make the DUMBEST decisions in the horror genre like dang y’all are somehow below average in intelligence), and the stakes felt like they were constantly being raised. I’d say that the actual plot aspect was done better in Go Hunt Me than All Your Twisted Secrets.
On the other hand, I can name more characters in Urban’s debut that i read two years ago than in Devos’s which I read just a couple of months ago. I liked maybe three or four of the characters, but they all lacked depth. Obviously, I know better than to read a YA thriller expecting character depth but still! While the setup for the book did a good job at creating molds for each of our characters, I never got to know them as individual people.
And my final comparison: the ending. All Your Twisted Secrets had a decent ending, in my opinion. It cleared up events, and made for a good twist. Go Hunt Me? Not so much. Due to a lack of both explanation and depth, the ending felt more like a cheap cop-out that was just thrown in for shock value at the end. It really sucks that it ends up feeling like that, because it could have been a good twist if it were done right. Overall, this was a fun ride but I wish it had been executed a little better! A huge thank you to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review :)
August 3, 2023
Way less vampires than I had hoped! The murder mystery thing was fun and the twist at the end was interesting but overall it wasn’t anything special? I appreciated the gore but man I wish there was more show on that than discover after to keep it more interesting. That said it felt like that one “scooby doo castle Dracula to film a MV” episode which kept me pushing through
Read
April 15, 2022this was dark. my gosh. rtc whenever i feel less scared ig.
a huge thank you to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
a huge thank you to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
August 23, 2022
I was so beyond disappointed in this book and am so sad that the book's synopsis did not live up to the overall story. Not only was the book poorly written but I wonder how it was even published in the first place with so many grammatical errors. The dialogue throughout was choppy and not even necessary most of the time. Honestly, this is a book I would never recommend and don't waste your time on this awfully put together story. You will cringe at the overall execution.
November 16, 2022
This is one of those books that starts near the end and then goes backward to show how things got to where they are. It wasn't my favorite in this case, because we knew who survived and who didn't from the get go. I would rather not know and root for certain characters to make it, but oh well.
I did like when everything got going and things started to go bad. We knew everyone had secrets and it wasn't clear if the killer was one of the teens or an outside person or both. There are some gruesome death scenes, so be aware of that if it's an issue for you.
The beginning was a bit slow, but it was background information important to the plot. The ending was not what I expected and overall this was a great horror read.
I did like when everything got going and things started to go bad. We knew everyone had secrets and it wasn't clear if the killer was one of the teens or an outside person or both. There are some gruesome death scenes, so be aware of that if it's an issue for you.
The beginning was a bit slow, but it was background information important to the plot. The ending was not what I expected and overall this was a great horror read.
June 16, 2022
Alex wants to get into USC, but she's been waitlisted, we're Jax her boyfriend has not. They were supposed to be the next director/producer dream team.
Her friends not wanting to have Alex's dreams go up in smoke decide to help out and set up a gofundme page to raise enough money to make a new film to get her off the wait list and into the school.
And get the money they do, as well as score the castle of Vlad the Impaler to shoot it on location. It is a horror movie about Dracula after all, how fitting to film it at the location where Stokers inspiration came from.
Things seem to good to be true, until they are not. Because they think they are there to film Alex's film, not actually live in one. Abandoned in an old run down castle, in a different country, with no parents. No power and storm. That's when they start to disappear and the killing begins.
I really enjoyed this book. It was giving me 90s/00s teen horror movie vibes. I could honestly see this made into a movie and I wouldn't be mad about it. There were times when I was figuring it out then we had a twist that made me think okay, I didn't see that coming.
There was a few issues within the writing, like mistakes that an editor hopefully picked up on in the finished proof. Things like calling a character Maggie, when her name is Maddie.
Through out I was noticing things that made me think hmm I'm not sure about this. However knowing how the book ends and having slept on it, they make more sense. I don't want to spoil anything but when you read this book and you think that doesn't make sense or that's not right wait until it's finished and think for a moment and you will see that it all was purposeful.
Great story, perfect for horror/thriller fans. Very fast paced, which is great for a beach read or laying out in the garden.
Originally posted on I CanHasBooks
Her friends not wanting to have Alex's dreams go up in smoke decide to help out and set up a gofundme page to raise enough money to make a new film to get her off the wait list and into the school.
And get the money they do, as well as score the castle of Vlad the Impaler to shoot it on location. It is a horror movie about Dracula after all, how fitting to film it at the location where Stokers inspiration came from.
Things seem to good to be true, until they are not. Because they think they are there to film Alex's film, not actually live in one. Abandoned in an old run down castle, in a different country, with no parents. No power and storm. That's when they start to disappear and the killing begins.
I really enjoyed this book. It was giving me 90s/00s teen horror movie vibes. I could honestly see this made into a movie and I wouldn't be mad about it. There were times when I was figuring it out then we had a twist that made me think okay, I didn't see that coming.
There was a few issues within the writing, like mistakes that an editor hopefully picked up on in the finished proof. Things like calling a character Maggie, when her name is Maddie.
Through out I was noticing things that made me think hmm I'm not sure about this. However knowing how the book ends and having slept on it, they make more sense. I don't want to spoil anything but when you read this book and you think that doesn't make sense or that's not right wait until it's finished and think for a moment and you will see that it all was purposeful.
Great story, perfect for horror/thriller fans. Very fast paced, which is great for a beach read or laying out in the garden.
Originally posted on I CanHasBooks
June 17, 2022
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos is a YA horror novel that is a scary and lovely tribute to horror movies. The story revolves around Alex, who is going with her friends to a Romanian castle in order to film a short film that can get her into her dream film school. But after they get to the castle, they're cut off from the rest of the world. Then, they start dying one by one. Can Alex stop the killer before she gets killed herself?
Here is a gripping excerpt from the opening chapter:
"Footsteps echoed behind me.
The last seconds of my life ticked away.
I would never hug my mom again. Or see my sister.
The last time I kissed Jax was the very last.
Breathe.
Breathe.
I could barely fill my lungs with air.
My feet slipped and my arms waved in the air. I dropped my phone and it traveled, gliding across the asphalt toward Kenna's house. Two seconds later, I collapsed onto the ground.
All I could think about was how some manic was going to carve me up into a billion little pieces.
The footsteps came closer and closer.
This is how it would end. I'd die here."
Overall, Go Hunt Me is a YA horror novel that will appeal to any fan of horror movies. One highlight of this book is the interesting premise. I love the idea of a group of friends traveling together to a new country to shoot a horror film, and then encountering a horror in real life. Another highlight of this book is the unexpected ending. I was shocked by the reveal. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA horror in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which is available now!
Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos is a YA horror novel that is a scary and lovely tribute to horror movies. The story revolves around Alex, who is going with her friends to a Romanian castle in order to film a short film that can get her into her dream film school. But after they get to the castle, they're cut off from the rest of the world. Then, they start dying one by one. Can Alex stop the killer before she gets killed herself?
Here is a gripping excerpt from the opening chapter:
"Footsteps echoed behind me.
The last seconds of my life ticked away.
I would never hug my mom again. Or see my sister.
The last time I kissed Jax was the very last.
Breathe.
Breathe.
I could barely fill my lungs with air.
My feet slipped and my arms waved in the air. I dropped my phone and it traveled, gliding across the asphalt toward Kenna's house. Two seconds later, I collapsed onto the ground.
All I could think about was how some manic was going to carve me up into a billion little pieces.
The footsteps came closer and closer.
This is how it would end. I'd die here."
Overall, Go Hunt Me is a YA horror novel that will appeal to any fan of horror movies. One highlight of this book is the interesting premise. I love the idea of a group of friends traveling together to a new country to shoot a horror film, and then encountering a horror in real life. Another highlight of this book is the unexpected ending. I was shocked by the reveal. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA horror in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which is available now!
dnf
June 10, 202320% in and all of this could’ve been summed up in one paragraph. I’m literally flipping pages and nothing is happening. I don’t even care about the characters enough in this intro to care if they die later
June 29, 2022
I received this book from TBR and Beyond Tours and the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
So I was actually part of the tour, but sadly while I did like the book.. I had some issues with it and so I am sharing it outside of the tour 14 days later (which was the soonest I had place on my blog). Because I just don’t think it is classy to be negative about a book on a tour stop. Those times are supposed to be filled with joy and happy feelings.
😍 Loved that it took place in a castle. A spooky castle. With creaky doors. Bad lighting. Oh, and did I mention the storm? Oh yes! We also get some daytime, which was also pretty spooky, but I just love it when scary books have big storms in them. Making it hard to leave a place. Making it hard to run. The descriptions of the castle were perfect, you know, if it wasn’t for the murders and the scary crap happening? I would have liked to step into the book and explore a bit myself. But you know, murders, I will just keep on reading about how the castle looked. XD
😍 Kicking the patriarchy, I mean, at times I was rolling my eyes at how dedicated these girls were, but for most I was rooting for them.
😍 The cover! It is really cool and I love the vibe it gives.
😍 The MC was pretty great, for at least most of the book. I loved that despite not being happy with having to work her parents business (helping them out) she just did it without too much grumbling. I loved how supportive she was of her sister and how she kept cheering her on, telling her to just go for it. To try for those auditions.
😍 I had a laugh at how Alex kept admiring the silverwear in the castle. Oh, look at this insert some term silver ashtray, so fancy. And I was like, Alex, people are dying, not the time, but I still love you. XD I did bring her some comfort, because thanks to those silver pieces she thought of her parents, gaining some motivation (and well, also losing some because OMG will I survive).
😍 That her friends set up a go-fund-me for her. Because they wanted to help! It was just so sweet of them and I loved how they promoted it.
😍 The movies they wanted to make, it sounded so good and I would have definitely liked to see it come true. I liked the additions of scripts here and there.
😍 I loved the extra parts in between with the police officer who was on the case. From interviews to snippets of proof to seeing what the officer was up to. I really love it when books add these extras.
😍 The ending. WTF? It just came out of nowhere. I was like, wait, wait… did I miss something? I mean, there was one hint, but I didn’t think it was that big… I was just so surprised.
😍 The author did a good job making the murders gruesome. I mean, we don’t really see much murdering happening, but we do come across dead bodies and let’s just say, heads will be rolling (and sinking). Haha, now you are probably looking at me with such a weird face, but I think the murders have to fit with the genre. If it is horror/thriller let it be bloody. If it is a children’s book let it be neat and tidy.
😍 I liked how the chapters intros were like this: One day ago || INT. THE END OF THE HALLWAY – NIGHT. It was such a fun touch especially given how the characters loved movies/making them.
😍 I didn’t know that 112 (what we Dutchies use to call when there is an emergency) was also for all of Europe. So cool!
😍 Yesss, let’s go into a hedge maze with a murderer around. YES!
😶 (the neutral-ish face): It was once again so American. I am just stunned each time. Oh you got cancer well have fun paying for the treatment. I mean what the actual FUCK. I am sorry, but even though I know the health system there is a terrible one I just get shocked each time and wonder how people are still not rioting more. Also the whole college thing was just WTF. Essays, movies, begging, more begging, letters, essays. WTF? Why would you go through all that and then also end up in debt? I just don’t get America.
😑 NO VAMPIRES!!! I was definitely under the impression there would be something like that, but no.
😑 While I LIKED the ending and the twist it brought… I would have liked to have seen some small hints to that. Maybe I missed them because I was struggling a bit with the pacing, but it just came out of the blue for me. Unexpected. And because of that I would have rather have it been the other scenario instead of this one. Hope that makes sense? And then there was the epilogue and while I loved parts of it.. there were parts that had me wanting to flip a few tables.
😑 The pacing. The beginning is so gosh-darn slow. I mean, they don’t go to the castle until around 30%. And then instead of having one or two spooky days at the castle, which I would have loved as I would have loved to see more of the castle in a calm-ish setting and the outside as well, it was just BOOM instant action. Their first night is also their last. And then despite it being pretty WOAHHHHHH NOPE it was also so slow. It was really weird.
😑 And thanks to that pacing.. well I just couldn’t find myself rooting much for these characters. I mean, outside of Maddie, Alex (our MC), Jax, and Reagan, I kept forgetting the other characters. Even now I have to look up their names, hello Kenna, Carter, Hazel. When Carter gets killed (not a spoiler as from the start it is clear who survived and not) I was like, who the fuck is Carter? And then later Hazel was named, and I was like? Wait? What? And given everything so far in the book? They weren’t that likeable at points. I mean, I found it rude that Jax, the boyfriend, did that to his girlfriend when applying for college. Reagan was just weird with how he was so constantly around Alex, like dude, she has a boyfriend…. Kenna was at times sweet but such a diva and she seemed to think she was above them. Maddie was OK-ish, but made some weird remarks (or was it someone else, again, bad with names).
😑 While I love that we had at least one couple (I believe we had another one, but again see point above) namely Jax and Alex… I just didn’t see it. I mean, there were points that had me like OHHHH, and awww cute! But there were also moments that I was like, wait, you are dating? You have been dating for a while? OK…
Also unsure about this, but at one point (65%) the chapter title says: One Day Ago, but then the next chapter and a new day (69%) says: Two days ago?
So yeah, I am happy I had the chance to read this book before the release date (reading this May 18-20) and while I had some issues, it was still a good book. With scary moments. I cannot wait what is next for Kelly deVos. So far I read a book filled with zombie-like monsters and now murders in a castle, what will she write about next? I will look forward to it.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
So I was actually part of the tour, but sadly while I did like the book.. I had some issues with it and so I am sharing it outside of the tour 14 days later (which was the soonest I had place on my blog). Because I just don’t think it is classy to be negative about a book on a tour stop. Those times are supposed to be filled with joy and happy feelings.
😍 Loved that it took place in a castle. A spooky castle. With creaky doors. Bad lighting. Oh, and did I mention the storm? Oh yes! We also get some daytime, which was also pretty spooky, but I just love it when scary books have big storms in them. Making it hard to leave a place. Making it hard to run. The descriptions of the castle were perfect, you know, if it wasn’t for the murders and the scary crap happening? I would have liked to step into the book and explore a bit myself. But you know, murders, I will just keep on reading about how the castle looked. XD
😍 Kicking the patriarchy, I mean, at times I was rolling my eyes at how dedicated these girls were, but for most I was rooting for them.
😍 The cover! It is really cool and I love the vibe it gives.
😍 The MC was pretty great, for at least most of the book. I loved that despite not being happy with having to work her parents business (helping them out) she just did it without too much grumbling. I loved how supportive she was of her sister and how she kept cheering her on, telling her to just go for it. To try for those auditions.
😍 I had a laugh at how Alex kept admiring the silverwear in the castle. Oh, look at this insert some term silver ashtray, so fancy. And I was like, Alex, people are dying, not the time, but I still love you. XD I did bring her some comfort, because thanks to those silver pieces she thought of her parents, gaining some motivation (and well, also losing some because OMG will I survive).
😍 That her friends set up a go-fund-me for her. Because they wanted to help! It was just so sweet of them and I loved how they promoted it.
😍 The movies they wanted to make, it sounded so good and I would have definitely liked to see it come true. I liked the additions of scripts here and there.
😍 I loved the extra parts in between with the police officer who was on the case. From interviews to snippets of proof to seeing what the officer was up to. I really love it when books add these extras.
😍 The ending. WTF? It just came out of nowhere. I was like, wait, wait… did I miss something? I mean, there was one hint, but I didn’t think it was that big… I was just so surprised.
😍 The author did a good job making the murders gruesome. I mean, we don’t really see much murdering happening, but we do come across dead bodies and let’s just say, heads will be rolling (and sinking). Haha, now you are probably looking at me with such a weird face, but I think the murders have to fit with the genre. If it is horror/thriller let it be bloody. If it is a children’s book let it be neat and tidy.
😍 I liked how the chapters intros were like this: One day ago || INT. THE END OF THE HALLWAY – NIGHT. It was such a fun touch especially given how the characters loved movies/making them.
😍 I didn’t know that 112 (what we Dutchies use to call when there is an emergency) was also for all of Europe. So cool!
😍 Yesss, let’s go into a hedge maze with a murderer around. YES!
😶 (the neutral-ish face): It was once again so American. I am just stunned each time. Oh you got cancer well have fun paying for the treatment. I mean what the actual FUCK. I am sorry, but even though I know the health system there is a terrible one I just get shocked each time and wonder how people are still not rioting more. Also the whole college thing was just WTF. Essays, movies, begging, more begging, letters, essays. WTF? Why would you go through all that and then also end up in debt? I just don’t get America.
😑 NO VAMPIRES!!! I was definitely under the impression there would be something like that, but no.
😑 While I LIKED the ending and the twist it brought… I would have liked to have seen some small hints to that. Maybe I missed them because I was struggling a bit with the pacing, but it just came out of the blue for me. Unexpected. And because of that I would have rather have it been the other scenario instead of this one. Hope that makes sense? And then there was the epilogue and while I loved parts of it.. there were parts that had me wanting to flip a few tables.
😑 The pacing. The beginning is so gosh-darn slow. I mean, they don’t go to the castle until around 30%. And then instead of having one or two spooky days at the castle, which I would have loved as I would have loved to see more of the castle in a calm-ish setting and the outside as well, it was just BOOM instant action. Their first night is also their last. And then despite it being pretty WOAHHHHHH NOPE it was also so slow. It was really weird.
😑 And thanks to that pacing.. well I just couldn’t find myself rooting much for these characters. I mean, outside of Maddie, Alex (our MC), Jax, and Reagan, I kept forgetting the other characters. Even now I have to look up their names, hello Kenna, Carter, Hazel. When Carter gets killed (not a spoiler as from the start it is clear who survived and not) I was like, who the fuck is Carter? And then later Hazel was named, and I was like? Wait? What? And given everything so far in the book? They weren’t that likeable at points. I mean, I found it rude that Jax, the boyfriend, did that to his girlfriend when applying for college. Reagan was just weird with how he was so constantly around Alex, like dude, she has a boyfriend…. Kenna was at times sweet but such a diva and she seemed to think she was above them. Maddie was OK-ish, but made some weird remarks (or was it someone else, again, bad with names).
😑 While I love that we had at least one couple (I believe we had another one, but again see point above) namely Jax and Alex… I just didn’t see it. I mean, there were points that had me like OHHHH, and awww cute! But there were also moments that I was like, wait, you are dating? You have been dating for a while? OK…
Also unsure about this, but at one point (65%) the chapter title says: One Day Ago, but then the next chapter and a new day (69%) says: Two days ago?
So yeah, I am happy I had the chance to read this book before the release date (reading this May 18-20) and while I had some issues, it was still a good book. With scary moments. I cannot wait what is next for Kelly deVos. So far I read a book filled with zombie-like monsters and now murders in a castle, what will she write about next? I will look forward to it.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
October 19, 2022
I feel bad giving this a low rating when the top ratings are already so low, but I just couldn't get into this the way I was hoping to. There was some interesting commentary about sexism in the film industry, and the bones of a good story were definitely present, but the execution left me cold. The problem for me was that the writing just wasn't that good. It was very basic, not that descriptive except when it came to the castle, and the characters ended up being so one-dimensional that their actions rarely made sense. Same with their interactions and dialogue! Just so bland and uninspired. But the idea! The idea and the ending were good, but the way the story was carried out, it just wasn't meaty enough.
April 29, 2022
The overall premise and setting was very intriguing, I especially liked the castle setting. I also enjoyed that we got to see the perspective of teen film makers which is something I've never read about before. However, I would have liked to learn more about each character's personalities and pasts so that I could be more invested in their stories. I also was able to guess a majority of the ending but otherwise it was a very atmospheric and creepy read.
October 20, 2022
Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos has a lot of potential to be something special. I thought this was going to be right up my alley but it never quite got there. It has it's moments, but for the most part that's all it got - a few moments in 310 pages. My primary issue with this book was the cast. Everyone is very flat. I can't say I got to know any of the characters, or could figure why they were doing what they were doing. Oh, well.
June 6, 2022
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: descriptions of violence & corpses, fire
3.3
Alex is determined to make a film worthy of getting her top school to take her off their daunting waitlist. When her original short film gets attention from a former movie starlet, Alex and her friends find themselves preparing to film in a Romanian castle. But what seems like a dream goes off course almost immediately, and soon the group will find themselves isolated, powerless, and hunted.
If you're a fan of unreliable narrators, meta thrillers, and dark and stormy nights, then you may enjoy this. There's some cool tension built open this story, which makes it more of a fun thriller. The atmosphere is good, and I can see people getting really excited by this book.
But this was one I found it hard to fully enjoy.
While the concept was already a bit unrealistic, there is simply not a realistic moment in this entire book. Everything is a reach, and there is absolutely no attempt to try to convince the reader to suspend any disbelief as deVos barrels into this. And the quality of completely unbelievable story also made the ending lack the punch it's clearly meant to have.
This book also has pacing issues. It takes a long time to start, and spend a good chunk of the opening twiddling its thumbs instead of setting up the characters well. I could have easily put down this book far before anyone got killed and still have read a fair amount of the story. That might be a bit more forgivable if the build up had had more tension.
And, as a personal disappointment, I really expected things to be more vampire adjacent. I wanted more of that aesthetic and atmosphere, if not actual vampires, but that gets stripped away so quickly it almost feels unnecessary to have at all.
This book has some interesting plot direction, and the concept was interesting, but it was hard fot me to take seriously and get invested in.
TW: descriptions of violence & corpses, fire
3.3
Alex is determined to make a film worthy of getting her top school to take her off their daunting waitlist. When her original short film gets attention from a former movie starlet, Alex and her friends find themselves preparing to film in a Romanian castle. But what seems like a dream goes off course almost immediately, and soon the group will find themselves isolated, powerless, and hunted.
If you're a fan of unreliable narrators, meta thrillers, and dark and stormy nights, then you may enjoy this. There's some cool tension built open this story, which makes it more of a fun thriller. The atmosphere is good, and I can see people getting really excited by this book.
But this was one I found it hard to fully enjoy.
While the concept was already a bit unrealistic, there is simply not a realistic moment in this entire book. Everything is a reach, and there is absolutely no attempt to try to convince the reader to suspend any disbelief as deVos barrels into this. And the quality of completely unbelievable story also made the ending lack the punch it's clearly meant to have.
This book also has pacing issues. It takes a long time to start, and spend a good chunk of the opening twiddling its thumbs instead of setting up the characters well. I could have easily put down this book far before anyone got killed and still have read a fair amount of the story. That might be a bit more forgivable if the build up had had more tension.
And, as a personal disappointment, I really expected things to be more vampire adjacent. I wanted more of that aesthetic and atmosphere, if not actual vampires, but that gets stripped away so quickly it almost feels unnecessary to have at all.
This book has some interesting plot direction, and the concept was interesting, but it was hard fot me to take seriously and get invested in.
June 1, 2022
This book was really fun. I love all things spooky and horror and while this didn’t scare me it did give me some woah what the moments. I flew through this and I really enjoyed the timeline setup of the story. I think it helped build the suspense with how it starts in present day and relives the past events and finally comes back to the present. I loved the inclusion of pieces of the movie script the characters were filming and the dossiers from the investigation. The mystery and twists were done well and kept me on my toes. I did find some of the characters tended to blend together and I could have done without some of them or wished there had been more of a distinction between them.
I don’t want to spoil to much because it is a murder mystery but I enjoyed piecing together everything. I found the ending to be a bit quick. I personally wanted more details to really explain the why and how. It almost seemed a bit out of character but as I thought about it I felt like I didn’t really know any of the characters that deeply by the end.
Overall it was a fast paced easy to follow thriller and think it’ll be a fun fall read even though it’s coming out in June.
Thank you PENGUIN GROUP /Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t want to spoil to much because it is a murder mystery but I enjoyed piecing together everything. I found the ending to be a bit quick. I personally wanted more details to really explain the why and how. It almost seemed a bit out of character but as I thought about it I felt like I didn’t really know any of the characters that deeply by the end.
Overall it was a fast paced easy to follow thriller and think it’ll be a fun fall read even though it’s coming out in June.
Thank you PENGUIN GROUP /Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 11, 2022
GO HUNT ME by Kelly DeVos was one of those books that I read almost all in one sitting (and then couldn't sleep after). It is eerie, scary, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I loved the setting, which was partially in Phoenix (where I live) and Vlad Dracul's castle in Romania. The stormy weather was also a great aspect, as I could feel the stress of the characters wanting to run by couldn't.
The story is told by the main character as she is telling it to the police. The story is about a group of students who get to shoot their movie in a Romanian castle. As they get there, they notice something is off as a storm shuts off the power and there is something lurking in the shadows. I loved how it was all in one POV and you get to feel the storyteller's reactions, along with the police officer after she tells a bit of each section of the story.
This story wasn't exactly what I expected, as I was expecting more paranormal, but that is okay! I loved a lot and Kelly is a great storyteller. If you haven't be sure to check out her books!
The story is told by the main character as she is telling it to the police. The story is about a group of students who get to shoot their movie in a Romanian castle. As they get there, they notice something is off as a storm shuts off the power and there is something lurking in the shadows. I loved how it was all in one POV and you get to feel the storyteller's reactions, along with the police officer after she tells a bit of each section of the story.
This story wasn't exactly what I expected, as I was expecting more paranormal, but that is okay! I loved a lot and Kelly is a great storyteller. If you haven't be sure to check out her books!
June 24, 2022
I was looking forward to Go Hunt Me, It looked like it would be a fun YA horror set in a creepy mansion in Romania. That is what I wanted, but that isn't what I got. I was fairly disappointed with this one. I mean, I was entertained enough to finish it, but it had a lot more going against it. In the pros column, I did like the creepy atmosphere.
The characters were annoying. And that is saying a lot because we only get one point of view from Alex. I'm not sure that worked for me. I had no sympathy for anyone in the friend group and never found myself rooting for anyone to survive. You really have to suspend a lot of disbelief in this one. The 2 twists were predictable and I called them very early on. This reminded me of a cheesy film produced by a college film student, only in book form. It's not awful, but it's not great.
The characters were annoying. And that is saying a lot because we only get one point of view from Alex. I'm not sure that worked for me. I had no sympathy for anyone in the friend group and never found myself rooting for anyone to survive. You really have to suspend a lot of disbelief in this one. The 2 twists were predictable and I called them very early on. This reminded me of a cheesy film produced by a college film student, only in book form. It's not awful, but it's not great.
June 10, 2022
Okay, so this book was not perfect, but I want to give it 5 stars anyway because I think it did what it was trying to do so well and it was incredibly entertaining the whole way through.
There are some things in the plot that I think don't fit the story so well (like the MC's father having cancer, and her drama about sleeping with her boyfriend).
But I had a lot of fun with the horror parts (there are no vampires, don't expect that), it was thrilling, and I really appreciated the ending!
There are some things in the plot that I think don't fit the story so well (like the MC's father having cancer, and her drama about sleeping with her boyfriend).
But I had a lot of fun with the horror parts (there are no vampires, don't expect that), it was thrilling, and I really appreciated the ending!
July 6, 2022
Honestly the whole book was bad which is sad because if it was good that ending would have made it amazing. The police interview parts were written in such an annoying way that is so obviously there just as a transition and not to give anything of value to the story so they just sound very cringe. I wish there were vampires in this book...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2022
Was going to be two stars but that twist pushed it to one because the ending made zero sense. All the characters were really one dimensional and flat, including the protagonist. The format was weird. I was super excited for this because teens getting hunted down in Dracula's castle felt like such a cool concept but it was so poorly executed. I struggled to read this.
November 11, 2022
Super disappointed in this. The writing was just bad and the plot was convoluted.
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