machilld's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
natcommon's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
Such a fun and dark, gritty thriller. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Such a fun and dark, gritty thriller. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
cvanders's review against another edition
5.0
SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was not expecting that kind of ending. It kinda messed me up, but can't wait to read the next one.
nunib28's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! The book was on point. I mean the sociopathy and emotions were all over the place in a very good way. I've always loved a good murder /serial-killer /sociopathic books. This one is the best so far.
Jasper(Jazz) character was fascinating. The struggles he faced in the book mentally. I mean being raised by a serial-killer messes up with your mind!
Connie. Jazz's girlfriend was a great character too ,a strong and confident girl ,even though I felt that she wasn't mentioned enough but she and Howie were Jazz's rock. Howie Jazz's fragile friend who was there with him through everything literally.
What I liked about these two characters that they never judge Jazz by his father's actions and they didn't run away from him which tells a lot about them since his father is serial killer.
It's thrilling and very well written. I highly recommend this for all the fans of a good thriller ,crime and sociopathic books.
Jasper(Jazz) character was fascinating. The struggles he faced in the book mentally. I mean being raised by a serial-killer messes up with your mind!
Connie. Jazz's girlfriend was a great character too ,a strong and confident girl ,even though I felt that she wasn't mentioned enough but she and Howie were Jazz's rock. Howie Jazz's fragile friend who was there with him through everything literally.
What I liked about these two characters that they never judge Jazz by his father's actions and they didn't run away from him which tells a lot about them since his father is serial killer.
It's thrilling and very well written. I highly recommend this for all the fans of a good thriller ,crime and sociopathic books.
everthereader's review against another edition
3.0
Review Posted On: Eden of Books
Spoiler Free Review:
I Hunt Killers was recommended to me by my sister, so I of course I took her trusted opinion into consideration and gave this book a try. It ended up being a great book to read during October and I really liked it.
The book is mostly told from Jazz's perspective, the main character. But there's also a few chapters from the killer's perspective, which I really enjoyed. As creepy as it is, a story is always so much more interesting when the psychopath has a perspective. I also liked being inside of Jazz's thought as well. There's a lot of PTSD he's dealing with which was huge part of the story line.
The plot was intense and gripping. Barry Lyga definitely did his research and went through the entire process of a murderer and serial killings. It was killer accurate (pun intended) and realistic. Usually with mysteries, I like one that can keep me guessing and surprises me with the outcome. Although it was a little obvious towards the end on who the killer was, I was still engaged in the story. I liked that there was more to the plot than just the murderers, there was also Jazz's PTSD,trauma and inner turmoil.
Jazz wasn't my favorite character in the story, but it was intriguing to be in his mind. He had so many conflicting thoughts about becoming his father and having the ability to kill someone. I really enjoyed the psychological aspect to it and how Jazz suffered from the trauma and memories. He's still a charmer and reminded me a bit of Patrick Jane from The Mentalist (one of my favorite shows). There was also Howie, who is your typical sidekick best friend. Connie was probably my favorite. She's African American and isn't just seen as Jazz's girlfriend, but also the voice of reason.
Overall, I Hunt Killers was perfect to read during the Halloween season. I would say it's a lot like crime/mystery shows, but with teenagers. I probably would have like it even more if the characters were older, but it was still a lot of fun to read. I am looking forward to reading the sequel. :)
Rating: 3.25/5
Spoiler Free Review:
I Hunt Killers was recommended to me by my sister, so I of course I took her trusted opinion into consideration and gave this book a try. It ended up being a great book to read during October and I really liked it.
The book is mostly told from Jazz's perspective, the main character. But there's also a few chapters from the killer's perspective, which I really enjoyed. As creepy as it is, a story is always so much more interesting when the psychopath has a perspective. I also liked being inside of Jazz's thought as well. There's a lot of PTSD he's dealing with which was huge part of the story line.
The plot was intense and gripping. Barry Lyga definitely did his research and went through the entire process of a murderer and serial killings. It was killer accurate (pun intended) and realistic. Usually with mysteries, I like one that can keep me guessing and surprises me with the outcome. Although it was a little obvious towards the end on who the killer was, I was still engaged in the story. I liked that there was more to the plot than just the murderers, there was also Jazz's PTSD,trauma and inner turmoil.
Jazz wasn't my favorite character in the story, but it was intriguing to be in his mind. He had so many conflicting thoughts about becoming his father and having the ability to kill someone. I really enjoyed the psychological aspect to it and how Jazz suffered from the trauma and memories. He's still a charmer and reminded me a bit of Patrick Jane from The Mentalist (one of my favorite shows). There was also Howie, who is your typical sidekick best friend. Connie was probably my favorite. She's African American and isn't just seen as Jazz's girlfriend, but also the voice of reason.
Overall, I Hunt Killers was perfect to read during the Halloween season. I would say it's a lot like crime/mystery shows, but with teenagers. I probably would have like it even more if the characters were older, but it was still a lot of fun to read. I am looking forward to reading the sequel. :)
Rating: 3.25/5
sandyfrancesca's review against another edition
4.0
Hmmm... I liked this book, but i'm not i'll be reading the next one. Its a good book, its just that there is a but...
tarahnova's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
yokorie's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not a fan of crime novels normally, but I was more than willing to make an exception for one of Barry Lyga's works. This book was such a whirlwind; I finished it in only three days (reading that fast is once in a blue moon for me.) I really couldn't put it down!
The scary thing about I Hunt Killers is how into it I got. It was hard to read sometimes, but every little detail and conversation drew me deeper into the book. You not only read about killers, but you begin to think like them as well. When new characters showed up, I couldn't stop thinking: would they be a victim? If so, what made me think that? Did they act vulnerable? Was it how they looked? You begin to profile every minor character that comes up, hoping to crack the mystery yourself before the last pages (I figured out a few things, but had plenty of surprises to keep me shocked at the end.)
Jazz turned out to be such an interesting and complex character. The book wasn't written in first person, but you knew so much about him simply from his actions and relationships, including the people he kept at more than an arm's length. Despite his circumstances being so different from my own, I still felt like I really knew him.
This is a book more than worth picking up, especially if you're a fan of crime novels, or are looking for a new kind of YA fiction that hasn't really been explored. Barry Lyga has written a captivating and eerily fascinating novel that won't disappoint.
(P.S. I don't normally do trigger warnings in my book reviews, but if you are sensitive to mentions of mental illness, torture, animal abuse, and/or rape/ sexual abuse, this may be a book that you want to pass up.)
The scary thing about I Hunt Killers is how into it I got. It was hard to read sometimes, but every little detail and conversation drew me deeper into the book. You not only read about killers, but you begin to think like them as well. When new characters showed up, I couldn't stop thinking: would they be a victim? If so, what made me think that? Did they act vulnerable? Was it how they looked? You begin to profile every minor character that comes up, hoping to crack the mystery yourself before the last pages (I figured out a few things, but had plenty of surprises to keep me shocked at the end.)
Jazz turned out to be such an interesting and complex character. The book wasn't written in first person, but you knew so much about him simply from his actions and relationships, including the people he kept at more than an arm's length. Despite his circumstances being so different from my own, I still felt like I really knew him.
This is a book more than worth picking up, especially if you're a fan of crime novels, or are looking for a new kind of YA fiction that hasn't really been explored. Barry Lyga has written a captivating and eerily fascinating novel that won't disappoint.
(P.S. I don't normally do trigger warnings in my book reviews, but if you are sensitive to mentions of mental illness, torture, animal abuse, and/or rape/ sexual abuse, this may be a book that you want to pass up.)
_artsychild's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The book was ok. Interesting, funny, and mostly was just psychological thriller.
The story went around circles most of the time with the struggles the protagonist has, trying to know and understand who he is, trying to prove he’s not like the rest of his family and stuff like that. Understandable, but it drags on for most of the book.
Character development: there’s none but it’s the first book in a trilogy (with extra short stories in between).
Am I interested to continue with the rest of the books? Not sure yet. It’s not my priority at this moment.
The story went around circles most of the time with the struggles the protagonist has, trying to know and understand who he is, trying to prove he’s not like the rest of his family and stuff like that. Understandable, but it drags on for most of the book.
Character development: there’s none but it’s the first book in a trilogy (with extra short stories in between).
Am I interested to continue with the rest of the books? Not sure yet. It’s not my priority at this moment.