stackiemon's review
3.0
This book was okay. The story has potential but it felt like it parts of it dragged on and on and on... Other parts felt like they progressed way too quickly. I did not like the pacing in this book. But it kept me interested the entire time. It's the first book in a series so not all of my questions were answered.
proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting sci-fi thriller! I don't think I've read anything similar to this story before, and I'm happy I had the chance to read it. Thank you to the authors for giving me this book for free in exchange for a review.
I like that the story is told from two different point of views. The (often) short chapters, together with the dual POV, makes it very easy to keep reading! The fact that it has taken me about 10 days to finish the book has nothing to do with lack of interest, but everything to do with way too little reading time (work and preparing to move is taking most of my waking hours at the moment...).
The authors leave us hanging for quite some time before revealing what the BEKs really are. I keep thinking aliens, but no... I won't spoil anymore for those who haven't read it yet.
One thing that bugged me was that there were some misspellings and other mistakes. I lose my reading rhythm every time I discover inaccuracy.
I like that the story is told from two different point of views. The (often) short chapters, together with the dual POV, makes it very easy to keep reading! The fact that it has taken me about 10 days to finish the book has nothing to do with lack of interest, but everything to do with way too little reading time (work and preparing to move is taking most of my waking hours at the moment...).
The authors leave us hanging for quite some time before revealing what the BEKs really are. I keep thinking aliens, but no... I won't spoil anymore for those who haven't read it yet.
One thing that bugged me was that there were some misspellings and other mistakes. I lose my reading rhythm every time I discover inaccuracy.
novelbloglover's review against another edition
4.0
Book Review
Title: Death Knocks
Author: Miranda Hardy & Jay Noel
Genre: YA/Paranormal/Thriller
Rating: ****
Review: So, this synopsis sounds equally parts creepy and intriguing: “The Black-Eyed Kids don't demand money...they want more than that, they want Maverick's life. Maverick is preparing for senior year: he's no longer stuck in the "friend-zone" with the girl of his dreams, Lisa. He's looking forward to college and being on his own. The plan is to have a blast along the way. A knock on the door changes his life forever. Maverick is taken on a mind-altering, life-changing journey to discover the truth--a truth that the "Kids", and other mysterious parties, will do anything to keep hidden.
I didn’t know anything about this book going into it and I couldn’t wait to get into it. All I know is that this book have 2 perspectives; Maverick and Astid and the opening perspective is Maverick’s. The opening chapters to this novel are definitely interesting, we are introduced to Maverick, his best friend Tarick and Tarick’s baby sister Cally. Maverick is hanging out at Tarick’s while he is babysitting, and everything seems normal until there is a knock at the door. At the door is a young boy who Maverick has a bad feeling about and when it appears, he can control Tarick’s mind Maverick is terrified, but he has to protect baby Cally from the black-eyed demon child. After attacking the boy Maverick blacks out only to awaken until the supervision of a black-eyed girl, he manages to escape only to find Tarick’s body. Remembering what happened he runs back to Tarick’s place hoping to find baby Cally alive and that’s when he breaks down.
We then switch to Astid’s perspective and we know Astid is the black-eyed girl who freed Maverick although we don’t know why. We learn Astid was with another person like her called Kren and he gave Maverick to her to kill as it provides them sustenance of some sort but Astid freed Maverick. Kren is furious at this and heads to dispose of Tarick so the police can’t find him and Astid makes a break for it fleeing from Kren. The police are investigation Tarick’s disappearance, but they also seem too focused on Maverick and try to discredit his story about the black-eyed children. Maverick is beginning to think his ordeal is over until a black-eyed person appears outside his window and I believe it is Astid. It turns out that Astid and Kren are siblings and they are also royalty of some sorts, even in her weakened state Astid is strong enough to fight off those looking for her, but they have to return to where they came from. Astid is also enamoured with Maverick and seeks him out only to come face to face with Lisa, Maverick’s crush. While the pair are discussing what the black-eyed people could be Astid makes herself known to them even if it is only to tell them that she isn’t a demon.
As Astid has gone rogue from the others of her kind they are hunting her down to kill her, so she seeks Maverick’s help and he gives it. He learns from his friend Marcus that his house is being watched and they are going to find out if it is the police. It isn’t, but it is Astid who learns that this person knows about the BEK (black-eyed kids) and is now targeting Maverick because he survived an attack from a BEK. Things get strange when a paranormal investigator named Ronald turns up and is desperate to talk to Maverick because he is the first survivor. He manages to learn a little about BEK’s from Ronald and like Maverick he has reason to track them down as his wife was killed by them and his son taken. The fact the son was taken is interesting as the BEK that attacked the boys right at the beginning was more interested in baby Cally than the boys. Things don’t get better when Maverick feels something is off with his therapist who I am sure is hypnotizing him for information on the BEK’s and then Astid goes missing on top all this. Now, Maverick has to find her as she is the only one that can answer his questions.
As we cross into the second half of the novel, we learn Astid has been kept in a place called Level 6 where they were possibly experimented on explaining their hatred of humans. However, when Astid realises she has to go back to keep Maverick safe from Kren she finds them at the barn where people from Level 6 are looking for her and the others. She manages to reach Maverick’s mind to tell him and Lisa to get out of there and that Marcus and Cadence have been caught. Maverick also realises that one of the Level 6 people is his therapist so that must have been a cover to get close to Maverick. Astid tells them that the BEK’s were created in Level 6 but the ones like her that were born BEK’s not made BEK’s were considered pure but couldn’t be controlled so they didn’t fit the super psychic soldiers the government wanted. However, the born BEK’s have an increased hunger for human energy due their strong psychic gifts and everlasting life.
I can’t really talk about the ending of this novel as so much happens but despite the slow and confusing start this book was well worth the read. The characters and their story arcs are compelling, they have clear set goals, so I am eager to see where this series goes. This book also reminded me of I am Number Four which was a great read so highly recommended.
Title: Death Knocks
Author: Miranda Hardy & Jay Noel
Genre: YA/Paranormal/Thriller
Rating: ****
Review: So, this synopsis sounds equally parts creepy and intriguing: “The Black-Eyed Kids don't demand money...they want more than that, they want Maverick's life. Maverick is preparing for senior year: he's no longer stuck in the "friend-zone" with the girl of his dreams, Lisa. He's looking forward to college and being on his own. The plan is to have a blast along the way. A knock on the door changes his life forever. Maverick is taken on a mind-altering, life-changing journey to discover the truth--a truth that the "Kids", and other mysterious parties, will do anything to keep hidden.
I didn’t know anything about this book going into it and I couldn’t wait to get into it. All I know is that this book have 2 perspectives; Maverick and Astid and the opening perspective is Maverick’s. The opening chapters to this novel are definitely interesting, we are introduced to Maverick, his best friend Tarick and Tarick’s baby sister Cally. Maverick is hanging out at Tarick’s while he is babysitting, and everything seems normal until there is a knock at the door. At the door is a young boy who Maverick has a bad feeling about and when it appears, he can control Tarick’s mind Maverick is terrified, but he has to protect baby Cally from the black-eyed demon child. After attacking the boy Maverick blacks out only to awaken until the supervision of a black-eyed girl, he manages to escape only to find Tarick’s body. Remembering what happened he runs back to Tarick’s place hoping to find baby Cally alive and that’s when he breaks down.
We then switch to Astid’s perspective and we know Astid is the black-eyed girl who freed Maverick although we don’t know why. We learn Astid was with another person like her called Kren and he gave Maverick to her to kill as it provides them sustenance of some sort but Astid freed Maverick. Kren is furious at this and heads to dispose of Tarick so the police can’t find him and Astid makes a break for it fleeing from Kren. The police are investigation Tarick’s disappearance, but they also seem too focused on Maverick and try to discredit his story about the black-eyed children. Maverick is beginning to think his ordeal is over until a black-eyed person appears outside his window and I believe it is Astid. It turns out that Astid and Kren are siblings and they are also royalty of some sorts, even in her weakened state Astid is strong enough to fight off those looking for her, but they have to return to where they came from. Astid is also enamoured with Maverick and seeks him out only to come face to face with Lisa, Maverick’s crush. While the pair are discussing what the black-eyed people could be Astid makes herself known to them even if it is only to tell them that she isn’t a demon.
As Astid has gone rogue from the others of her kind they are hunting her down to kill her, so she seeks Maverick’s help and he gives it. He learns from his friend Marcus that his house is being watched and they are going to find out if it is the police. It isn’t, but it is Astid who learns that this person knows about the BEK (black-eyed kids) and is now targeting Maverick because he survived an attack from a BEK. Things get strange when a paranormal investigator named Ronald turns up and is desperate to talk to Maverick because he is the first survivor. He manages to learn a little about BEK’s from Ronald and like Maverick he has reason to track them down as his wife was killed by them and his son taken. The fact the son was taken is interesting as the BEK that attacked the boys right at the beginning was more interested in baby Cally than the boys. Things don’t get better when Maverick feels something is off with his therapist who I am sure is hypnotizing him for information on the BEK’s and then Astid goes missing on top all this. Now, Maverick has to find her as she is the only one that can answer his questions.
As we cross into the second half of the novel, we learn Astid has been kept in a place called Level 6 where they were possibly experimented on explaining their hatred of humans. However, when Astid realises she has to go back to keep Maverick safe from Kren she finds them at the barn where people from Level 6 are looking for her and the others. She manages to reach Maverick’s mind to tell him and Lisa to get out of there and that Marcus and Cadence have been caught. Maverick also realises that one of the Level 6 people is his therapist so that must have been a cover to get close to Maverick. Astid tells them that the BEK’s were created in Level 6 but the ones like her that were born BEK’s not made BEK’s were considered pure but couldn’t be controlled so they didn’t fit the super psychic soldiers the government wanted. However, the born BEK’s have an increased hunger for human energy due their strong psychic gifts and everlasting life.
I can’t really talk about the ending of this novel as so much happens but despite the slow and confusing start this book was well worth the read. The characters and their story arcs are compelling, they have clear set goals, so I am eager to see where this series goes. This book also reminded me of I am Number Four which was a great read so highly recommended.
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