[3.5/5 stars]
This was such a fast, gripping read: the perfect read to get me out of my reading slump. I read it in one day--which is extremely rare for me--as I needed to know what happened next. Jake Livingston is a black high school student who can see ghosts. One day, however, he finds out that the ghost of a mass shooter has turned up and killing once again, and Jake must stop the ghost before he takes possession of Jake's body to wreak more havoc. I really enjoyed the portrayal of ghosts in this book, as entities most of us cannot see and who cannot affect our world unless given extreme power. We discover alongside Jake about these ghosts, which was really interesting. The supernatural element had me intrigued from the start. I also like the friendships that he made, and how he grew out of other friendships and that was okay. The book explores personal relationships, bullying, racism, prejudice, and self-discovery. But with ghosts! This felt like a much more mature version of City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab.
I only had one main issue with the book. The first is the graphic depictions and unsettling moments. These instances happened at the end, so I was able to enjoy most of the book, but these moments left me with a bad taste in my mouth with how they were handled. This is what dropped my rating from a 4 star to 3.5. I dis not think that the bullying of the main character was handled well, as the main character stabbed them with a pencil through the hand in the middle of class, and this is kind of glossed over as, "well, he deserved it." Additionally, as a personal note, I do not like reading the explicit details of rape in my books. Besides this, I wish we had gotten to know the main character more. Overall, a fast-paced read that will keep you needing to know what happens next.
CW: attempted rape, violence, gore, murder, school shooting
This was such a fast, gripping read: the perfect read to get me out of my reading slump. I read it in one day--which is extremely rare for me--as I needed to know what happened next. Jake Livingston is a black high school student who can see ghosts. One day, however, he finds out that the ghost of a mass shooter has turned up and killing once again, and Jake must stop the ghost before he takes possession of Jake's body to wreak more havoc. I really enjoyed the portrayal of ghosts in this book, as entities most of us cannot see and who cannot affect our world unless given extreme power. We discover alongside Jake about these ghosts, which was really interesting. The supernatural element had me intrigued from the start. I also like the friendships that he made, and how he grew out of other friendships and that was okay. The book explores personal relationships, bullying, racism, prejudice, and self-discovery. But with ghosts! This felt like a much more mature version of City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab.
I only had one main issue with the book. The first is the graphic depictions and unsettling moments. These instances happened at the end, so I was able to enjoy most of the book, but these moments left me with a bad taste in my mouth with how they were handled. This is what dropped my rating from a 4 star to 3.5. I dis not think that the bullying of the main character was handled well, as the main character stabbed them with a pencil through the hand in the middle of class, and this is kind of glossed over as, "well, he deserved it." Additionally, as a personal note, I do not like reading the explicit details of rape in my books. Besides this, I wish we had gotten to know the main character more. Overall, a fast-paced read that will keep you needing to know what happens next.
CW: attempted rape, violence, gore, murder, school shooting