I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. I didn't love that the main character took so many risks and did some illegal things only to be congratulated for a job well done. I didn't love the rushed and convoluted ending. I thought the ending speech was a bit cliche. I did like the overall mystery and the romance was alright even though it was a bit cliche as well.
Entertaining read with some twists and turns I didn't expect. I wish there was more explanation for Painter's world and the nightmares but I liked how the relationship between Yumi and Painter was developed. I also wish there had been some deeper connections to the Asian background that was heavily implied. Might be some ignorance since I am not super familiar with that culture but I think a bit more information would have been nice. Especially for someone with not a lot of background.
I read the re-released version as it was the only option at my library and it was very off-putting. Some of the references were updated to “appeal to modern audiences” but in all honesty they still seem out of touch with teenagers today. Overall it was a quick read, not too deep or complicated. Great if you need a book to read while on vacation but nothing that will really suck you in.
Enjoyed the overall plot of the novel. Was not at all what I expected from reading the blurb on the back cover. The blurb talked a lot about the plague and the unique nature of their blood that keeps them safe from the plague but causes them to be hunted even though this was a very small part of the book. Enjoyable read.
The writing was simply mid tier, with several places that it felt like the author was trying too hard to appeal to teenage boys without really knowing how they actually talk. Felt a little stereotypical. The romance was very basic and also a bit stereotypical. It does make you want to read the next book but only because there are so many unanswered questions from the first book. There were also several plot points that seemed too convenient rather than worked into the story. Like his mind pictures that he can conveniently do without really any explanation or practice. Or when other people discover they have powers just in the nick of time.
It was an intriguing read that held me up until the end but the overall story arc was predictable. The ending itself felt like the story spiraled a bit out of control and a bit too reactive for my taste. The actions and reactions seemed rash without background or really anchored in the careful base of the story.
I am honestly not sure what I even just read but I think it was good. Not sure on that point either. Overall an intriguing book but very convoluted with no obvious story arc. It felt a little bit like a dream where ideas and scenes are just barely tied together combined with a distracted child's ability to tell a story. You get to the end and you have no idea how you got there and are left wondering what the point even was.
I liked the author's perspective and representation of mental illness, especially in someone who is coming to realize what it is for themselves. To see that journey of self-discovery was beautiful and engaging. That being said, parts of the book were rather slow and made the book harder to get into. Not until the very end did I feel like I couldn't put it down.