I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
Release Date –  April 3, 2012
Publisher Website –  Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages -  359 pages
My Rating- 4.5/5
**obtained from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad? 

Jasper (Jazz) Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say. 

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminal's point of view. 

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod. 

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

This novel really should come with a warning - beware when and where you read. There is a high chance of spine tingling scares if read in the right environment. Barry Lyga does not flinch from the horror, and depravity of serial killers, and he delves into the mind of them with what feels like chilling accuracy.

The writing is one of the stronger points of the novel. I liked the taunt, suspense filled chapters and the mixture of humour was a great touch. A lot of the novel is Jazz's inner dialogue and it could have ended up being predictable, and off-putting but Barry's writing makes it work.

Nature vs. Nurture is something that is often debated. What if both were a factor? Genetics, upbringing and the fundamental elements of Jazz’s childhood are all factors in making Jazz who he is today. The question Jazz is asking himself though is who exactly is he. The haunted, almost desperate way Jazz tries to cling to anything that makes him nothing like his father is heart pulling. He wants so badly to not be his father, but the urges are there, and Jazz isn’t sure he wants to fight them. Jazz’s character keeps you intrigued because you don’t know what he is going to do. You can’t predict him, and that makes for refreshing character development. I wanted to get closer to him, as much as I wanted to run away. He’s charming, chillingly so, and comparisons to Dexter Morgan are spot on. You’ll root for him, but being alone with him would set you on edge.

I adored Jazz’s friend Howie. Providing a dash of humour and someone that cares for Jazz while knowing everything makes us relate not only to Howie, but Jazz himself. Howie having hemophilia make me worry about him and hold my breath whenever he got involved. Jazz's girlfriend Connie was someone who challenged Jazz and he needed that.

The hunter vs. prey, cat and mouse game that Jazz and the serial killer play throughout the novel is fascinating, and the identity of the killer is shocking. It’ll keep you holding your breath and anticipating what is going to come next.

The ending left me wanting a sequel, as Barry Lyga sets up the next book perfectly. With plenty of childhood secrets for Jazz to unravel, and a new determination to go down a different path, to not continue Jazz’s story would be the ultimate crime. I look forward to hunting with him again, and hopefully soon.

This book will chill you, give you nightmares and leave you wanting to spend some more time with Jazz. Just make sure to read it in the daylight…

Revived by Cat Patrick

Revived by Cat Patrick

Release Date –  May 1, 2012

Publisher Website –  Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Publisher Social Media - Twitter

Pages - 336 pages

My Rating- 4.5/5

**obtained from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.  

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger—and more sinister—than she ever imagined.

When I started Revived I was expecting a more thriller feel, with some futuristic aspects tossed in.  I ended up with a very moving, touching novel that went much deeper than I as expecting.

Revived asks the question of what it would be like to cheat death. Daisy has cheated it more than once. She comes across as if she feels indestructible. This rang true to me. Here is a girl that has cheated death a few times, it makes sense that she wouldn’t fear it or be overly concerned with it.

A lot of the novel deals with the effects of cheating death and what that would do to a person. Daisy feels disconnected from death. It isn’t until she’s presented with a situation that Revive can’t fix that she fully understands. The anguish, pain, and eventual acceptance that accompanies a loss of a loved one is so fully invoked in this novel. You will feel each emotion along with the characters and your heart will break for them.

The science side of the story was intriguing and yet understated enough that it didn’t take away from the heart of the story. The mystery of what the agency really is, and what the true nature of the program provides the twists, turns and shocks in the story. While I did see the ending coming, I was ok with that because it is almost the secondary part to the story. It’s the characters who really shine in this novel, and the emotional journey Daisy is on.

Daisy is an instantly likeable character. She, for all that has happened to her, seems like a well adjusted, intelligent teenager that is just trying to blend in. She temps fate by putting herself in dangerous situations because she’s come to view life as something that is a given. Her determination to dig deeper into the program, and find answers when she first starts to feel something is amiss is admirable. 

Her relationship with Matt is sweet, cute, and exactly what you would expect for high school romance. It’s not some epic love at first sight. It’s a little flirtation that could turn into more. I liked reading about the struggle Daisy had with wanting to get closer, but also needing to keep a distance so that she would not jeopardize the program. 

The Revived drug, and the subsequent program isn’t something that is out of the realm of possibility.  The consequences of a drug like that being made public are easily and scarily imagined. Revived makes us think about life, death and what they mean to us. It’s a novel that is thought provoking, and ultimately makes you want to cherish life because it really is a gift. It also reminds us to recall the good times of loved ones who have passed away, because that is the best way to honour their memory.

WinterTown by Stephen Emond

WinterTown by Stephen Emond
Release Date – December 5, 2011
Publisher Website – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 336 pages
My Rating- 7/10
**obtained at Book Expo America for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League bound Evan looks forward to a visit from Lucy, a childhood pal who moved away after her parent's divorce. But when Lucy arrives this year, she's changed. The former "girl next door" now has chopped dyed black hair, a nose stud, and a scowl. But Evan knows that somewhere beneath the Goth, "Old Lucy" still exists, and he's determined to find her... even if it means pissing her off.
Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist in this funny and poignant illustrated novel about opposites who fall in love.

When I picked up WinterTown I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I hadn’t read anything by this author before.

The writing is at time humorous, touching, and interesting. The author has a talent for art as well. The drawings interspaced through out the chapters provided a cute touch the novel. It worked well within the storyline. It made for a quicker read, because the novel is not very long when the art is taken into account.

The novel doesn’t have a lot of action. It’s more of a character driven story. These can often be deeply satisfying when done right. This one has likeable enough characters, but doesn’t dive deep enough to invoke any lasting emotional reactions.

Both Evan and Lucy are on a journey to find themselves, and grow into the adults they will be. A simple, coming of age story that everyone goes through at some point. We all struggle with living the life we want and the pressures put on us by family, friends, and others. It’s a struggle that Evan tries to come to terms with. He spends a lot of the novel trying to figure out what HE wants. Lucy’s path is different, but no less important. Lucy struggles with accepting herself, and finding that inner happiness that comes from liking yourself. She looks to outside acceptance, but doesn’t understand why anyone would like her. Again, a pretty common issue for some teenagers. This makes Evan and Lucy pretty relatable. I liked that they were able to see these things in each other, and help along the journey.

However, I didn’t get overly attached to them, because I didn’t feel like I was let in enough. I was expecting more information, especially in regards to how Lucy became this “New Lucy”. It is discussed, and somewhat of an answer given, but it just felt unexplored by the end the book.

The connection between the characters is built through memories of childhood, and this imaginary world they built. That part of the novel is quite well developed and details are provided through the art work.

The novel’s appeal is its coming of age story, and letting us see that sometimes timing really is everything. You have to be ready for the good stuff, and sometimes that journey is one that you have to be willing to take for yourself.