The Taking of Jake Livingston
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Get Out meets Holly Jackson in this YA social thriller where survival is not a guarantee.
Sixteen-year-old Jake Livingston sees dead people everywhere. But he can't decide what's worse: being a medium forced to watch the dead play out their last moments on a loop or being at the mercy of racist teachers as one of the few Black students at St. Clair Prep. Both are a living nightmare he wishes he could wake up from. But things at St. Clair start looking up with the arrival of another Black student—the handsome Allister—and for the first time, romance is on the horizon for Jake.
Unfortunately, life as a medium is getting worse. Though most ghosts are harmless and Jake is always happy to help them move on to the next place, Sawyer Doon wants much more from Jake. In life, Sawyer was a troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school before taking his own life. Now he's a powerful, vengeful ghost and he has plans for Jake. Suddenly, everything Jake knows about dead world goes out the window as Sawyer begins to haunt him. High school soon becomes a different kind of survival game—one Jake is not sure he can win.
Get Out meets Holly Jackson in this YA social thriller where survival is not a guarantee.
Sixteen-year-old Jake Livingston sees dead people everywhere. But he can't decide what's worse: being a medium forced to watch the dead play out their last moments on a loop or being at the mercy of racist teachers as one of the few Black students at St. Clair Prep. Both are a living nightmare he wishes he could wake up from. But things at St. Clair start looking up with the arrival of another Black student—the handsome Allister—and for the first time, romance is on the horizon for Jake.
Unfortunately, life as a medium is getting worse. Though most ghosts are harmless and Jake is always happy to help them move on to the next place, Sawyer Doon wants much more from Jake. In life, Sawyer was a troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school before taking his own life. Now he's a powerful, vengeful ghost and he has plans for Jake. Suddenly, everything Jake knows about dead world goes out the window as Sawyer begins to haunt him. High school soon becomes a different kind of survival game—one Jake is not sure he can win.
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Community Reviews
I really wanted to love this book. I mean, look at that cover! Alas! It was not to be.
The story is all over the place to the point that it’s a little hard to follow. The characters are flat, and I just felt nothing for the main character, Jake. You have no back story for why he’s able to see that’s and ghouls, and there’s a discrepancy between whether he was 10 or 5 years old the first time he’s aware.
The story seems forced, and the characters just appear without any introduction - as though the reader is supposed to know who they are ad how they fit into Jake’s world just by calling them by name.
The prose is just… weird.
”I see bloody shower water leaking down the walls of my eyes when I close them.” <\i>
The story is all over the place to the point that it’s a little hard to follow. The characters are flat, and I just felt nothing for the main character, Jake. You have no back story for why he’s able to see that’s and ghouls, and there’s a discrepancy between whether he was 10 or 5 years old the first time he’s aware.
The story seems forced, and the characters just appear without any introduction - as though the reader is supposed to know who they are ad how they fit into Jake’s world just by calling them by name.
The prose is just… weird.
”I see bloody shower water leaking down the walls of my eyes when I close them.” <\i>
Where do I begin?? This book was fantastic. The story line was very well written and immediately draws you in. It has a bit of murder, mystery, love interests and talk on LGBTQA+. It is being told through two different main characters Jake and Sawyer. The paranormal (medium) aspects of the book is pretty well written. The ending will blow your mind and make you want more which is the only downfall is that it was so well written I want more.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
I don't enjoy this writing style, the constant similes and metaphors feel like interruptions while I'm trying to decipher what's actually happening. I really dislike the Sawyer POV chapters in general, I don't want to read more of them. I think this would work best for younger readers who are currently in the throes of teen angst and like feeling dark and literary but want something more urban than dark academia.
Content Warnings:
Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
Minor: Child death
I don't enjoy this writing style, the constant similes and metaphors feel like interruptions while I'm trying to decipher what's actually happening. I really dislike the Sawyer POV chapters in general, I don't want to read more of them. I think this would work best for younger readers who are currently in the throes of teen angst and like feeling dark and literary but want something more urban than dark academia.
Content Warnings:
Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
Minor: Child death
Well this is my first blind book. So of course I'm so excited for it and put a lot of hope especially when I saw the book cover that look interesting thought I never heard of this book. (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)
Honestly, when I told my sis about the story from this book, it actually sound so interesting. So the main plot actually amazing. No doubt! ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
But, I don't know why. Maybe the detail of his life or something that kinda made me feel bored. I did pushed myself to finished it a bit since I want to get to the interesting part of it. ( ꩜ ᯅ ꩜;)
However, it's not too bad but still I'm sorry—not the best since I keep on myself to give 3 or maybe 3.5 out of 5 while I'm reading. (˚ ˃⌓˂ )
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