Title: This Is Where It Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Page Count: 292
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, High School
Rating: 2 Stars
(maybe 1/4 more?)
Blurb: 10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.
10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.
10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.
10:05
Someone starts shooting.
Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.
10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.
10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.
10:05
Someone starts shooting.
Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival
I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review: First of all, this book begins intriguing as all hell. The premise of this book, though not completely original, is extremely interesting and I really enjoy this genre of books, and I think the YA genre is in need of a good one, and sadly, this book fell short for me.
I honestly didn't care about the characters. Claire was annoying and whiny, Autumn seemed so preppy... I actually like Tomas, he had depth, and I liked reading from his POV even if he began the story as the "bad boy" Sylv has an interesting backstory, but overall her character just lacked... Everyone but Tomas did, to be honest.
Positive: The diversity of this cast made me happy. You have Tomas and Sylvia, twins and of another race, which made me scream with joy, because this is needed. We need diverse books, this statement rings so true and this book does a good job with that. Sylvia and Autumn are dating (not so openly) and their relationship makes me happy. The diversity is great, so I truly appreciate that aspect.
Positive: The writing at the beginning, and near the end was phenomenal. Con: In between not so much. The blurb says it's told through 54 harrowing minutes, when almost have the book is a pity party for the characters delving into the intricacies of their backstories, and not on the situation at hand... Don't get me wrong, I love a good backstory, but when the backstories are the driving force of the novel, one that I think could have worked... it just didn't
Con: This book is something that I was SO excited for... It sounded so great! I was just left extremely disappointed by what was held inside of the novel.
Positive/Con: Chris. If you read this book, which I don't necessarily recommend, is great. I wish I learned more about him, because he was intriguing, but TOTALLY UNDERDEVELOPED. I mean, I know... He was just a 'side character' but I WANT TO KNOW MORE.
Positive: The cover, holy moly. It's simplicity is very beautiful.
Consensus: Marieke Nijkamp's debut novel This Is Where It Ends is wrapped in a pretty little bow, and promises a story that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout. She then delivers a novel that lacks in depth and is filled with sob stories of the main characters lives, resulting in another promising premise that fell short in it's execution.
I honestly didn't care about the characters. Claire was annoying and whiny, Autumn seemed so preppy... I actually like Tomas, he had depth, and I liked reading from his POV even if he began the story as the "bad boy" Sylv has an interesting backstory, but overall her character just lacked... Everyone but Tomas did, to be honest.
Positive: The diversity of this cast made me happy. You have Tomas and Sylvia, twins and of another race, which made me scream with joy, because this is needed. We need diverse books, this statement rings so true and this book does a good job with that. Sylvia and Autumn are dating (not so openly) and their relationship makes me happy. The diversity is great, so I truly appreciate that aspect.
Positive: The writing at the beginning, and near the end was phenomenal. Con: In between not so much. The blurb says it's told through 54 harrowing minutes, when almost have the book is a pity party for the characters delving into the intricacies of their backstories, and not on the situation at hand... Don't get me wrong, I love a good backstory, but when the backstories are the driving force of the novel, one that I think could have worked... it just didn't
Con: This book is something that I was SO excited for... It sounded so great! I was just left extremely disappointed by what was held inside of the novel.
Positive/Con: Chris. If you read this book, which I don't necessarily recommend, is great. I wish I learned more about him, because he was intriguing, but TOTALLY UNDERDEVELOPED. I mean, I know... He was just a 'side character' but I WANT TO KNOW MORE.
Positive: The cover, holy moly. It's simplicity is very beautiful.
Consensus: Marieke Nijkamp's debut novel This Is Where It Ends is wrapped in a pretty little bow, and promises a story that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout. She then delivers a novel that lacks in depth and is filled with sob stories of the main characters lives, resulting in another promising premise that fell short in it's execution.
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