A review by amandalorianxo
The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

So there are a lot of triggers that I wish had been brought up somewhere before the start of the novel. This should not have been marketed as YA. It’s too intense for young teens. One of the triggers is a school shooting. Despite that, this novel is hauntingly painful and sad. Albeit really short which I low key wish it was longer. I didn’t think I understood the backstory of how Jake gained the ability to see the dead. It was like the audience was expected to just take his word for it and accept it. The storyline with Alister was cute but it could have meshed a little better. Overall, I think if the story had been maybe fifty or a hundred pages longer, I would have felt more of an understanding as to why Jake can do what he do and why Benji can’t. 
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