Scan barcode
fanatic_squared's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
courtchapman's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
heidiweitz13's review
4.0
Poor Collin!!
Found this book on a whim (freebie on audible)and I’m so glad! This was a really unique fast paced thriller that I completely devoured.
Basic premise of the story: a teenage boy goes under hypnosis and becomes a completely different person. Except this person is an actual serial killer that died fifty years ago. As soon as this second identity reveals itself, strange things start happening around the boy to people he is close to. Is the alter-ego serial killer responsible? Or is someone else keeping a secret?
The best thing about this story is just how eerie and creepy it is, but it also didn’t keep me up at night because of how far-fetched the story is. I tend to get paralyzed by fear over stories that seem like they could happen to me (ex. scary man stalks and murders unsuspecting girl), but I didn’t feel very concerned that a serial killer would inhabit my body. That being said there are some really graphic and scary moments particularly in the beginning half of the book. I was definitely creeped out and paranoid, but it wasn’t the type of fear that would stick with me after finishing the chapter. This also felt like a breath of fresh air in a sense because it was such a unique story, therefore it didn’t follow many of the tropes that typical thrillers I read do.
The mystery is strung together well. No spoilers here, but I did figure most of it out about 2/3 of the way through. I thought the delivery of the clues were paced out well and I liked that the big reveal wasn’t all in the last chapter.
Not giving 5 stars because it didn’t necessarily blow me away and I don’t think I’d ever reread. I also listened to this one on audiobook and omg the narrator’s kid voice was sooo annoying.
1/5 for cover aesthetic. Not a fan of the overdramatic looking shack lol
Found this book on a whim (freebie on audible)and I’m so glad! This was a really unique fast paced thriller that I completely devoured.
Basic premise of the story: a teenage boy goes under hypnosis and becomes a completely different person. Except this person is an actual serial killer that died fifty years ago. As soon as this second identity reveals itself, strange things start happening around the boy to people he is close to. Is the alter-ego serial killer responsible? Or is someone else keeping a secret?
The best thing about this story is just how eerie and creepy it is, but it also didn’t keep me up at night because of how far-fetched the story is. I tend to get paralyzed by fear over stories that seem like they could happen to me (ex. scary man stalks and murders unsuspecting girl), but I didn’t feel very concerned that a serial killer would inhabit my body. That being said there are some really graphic and scary moments particularly in the beginning half of the book. I was definitely creeped out and paranoid, but it wasn’t the type of fear that would stick with me after finishing the chapter. This also felt like a breath of fresh air in a sense because it was such a unique story, therefore it didn’t follow many of the tropes that typical thrillers I read do.
The mystery is strung together well. No spoilers here, but I did figure most of it out about 2/3 of the way through. I thought the delivery of the clues were paced out well and I liked that the big reveal wasn’t all in the last chapter.
Not giving 5 stars because it didn’t necessarily blow me away and I don’t think I’d ever reread. I also listened to this one on audiobook and omg the narrator’s kid voice was sooo annoying.
1/5 for cover aesthetic. Not a fan of the overdramatic looking shack lol
jmccraw1989's review
1.0
I don't know who really wrote this book, but I'm certain it was not Kevin O'Brien. It is so far removed from earlier thrillers like One Last Scream, First to Die, Vicious.
First off, there are entirely too many plots. If he had not added in the whole Clay/Corinne, the backstory of Collin finding Olivia, Ian's strange friendship, this could have been a lot shorter of a novel. A good thriller should be sleek and taught, every word throttling the novel ahead to a shattering climax. This has none of that. O'Brien has become wordy, stuffing his novels--Remember TERRIFIED?--with useless backstory. Is he trying to inflate the word count so they can charge more? Maybe. All I can say is that he has one more book, and if it fails as miserably as this…I'm done.
First off, there are entirely too many plots. If he had not added in the whole Clay/Corinne, the backstory of Collin finding Olivia, Ian's strange friendship, this could have been a lot shorter of a novel. A good thriller should be sleek and taught, every word throttling the novel ahead to a shattering climax. This has none of that. O'Brien has become wordy, stuffing his novels--Remember TERRIFIED?--with useless backstory. Is he trying to inflate the word count so they can charge more? Maybe. All I can say is that he has one more book, and if it fails as miserably as this…I'm done.
brittany_hays's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jennmcclafferty's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5