Author: Jack Steen
Page Count: 270
Genre: Horror Fiction
Rating: ❤❤❤
Backstory
Hi friends. I'm back with another hot take on the latest books I've read. First, let me tell you, I've slacked off a little on the book and short story posting recently. I know, I know. I'm sorry for leaving you hanging like that. Life got a little ugly for a minute there. Took a beat to regroup and heal. Temporarily lost the motivation to write, but on the plus side, I HAVE been doing a lot of reading. I've read 5 books this month so far. 10 books is the goal. I'm working up to that.
Anyway, I found this title in one of those Facebook ads. You know the one. It's basically a random ad that caters specifically to you. Whether it be something you had previously googled, or even had a conversation with someone about it and just to log into Facebook randomly one day and now, Surprise! it's on your Facebook feed. That's because Facebook is always listening and watching and lurking hoping to curate the ad of all ads. Eaves dropping on personal conversations so they can send you something you want or send you something you were already talking about so you'll buy it and think it was your idea all along. Facebook watches. Facebook listens. Facebook knows. So this one grabbed me. I don't even remember what I was googling or searching for. I promise I'm not weird. I think it had just been snooping on the books I had been googling previously and figured I might like this one. Well done Facebook, you win again. As you can see from the cover, it's meant to be a little creepy. I had high hopes for this book. Let's get into it.
Synopsis
An Excerpt from Amazon
My name is Jack Steen and for those who arrive on my 'death' ward at the Asylum, I'm the last face many will see before they die. I am the night nurse at the Asylum for the Criminally Insane.
Most of my patients are serial killers and mass murderers and they know me as the Angel of Death.
When they come onto my floor, I offer a deal: tell me their story, their 'untold' story that hasn't been read about in the news, sensationalized by media or cataloged in a ridiculous number of academic papers. I want the real story - the one they haven't old anyone. Some of these killers have never confessed to their crimes, some kept certain information to themselves...those are the stories I want.
If they give them to me, I'll make their death...easier. They're already dying, that's why they're now my patients. If they play nice, I can make their death less painful. But only if they play nice and tell me their confessions.
The majority of these killers are expert manipulators. I realize they could be playing me and messing with my head. It's a chance I'm willing to take.
And now...they might just be playing with yours too
My Thoughts
So yeah. The synopsis definitely had me hooked, I won't lie to you. What does that say about me? The fact that most of the books I read and review are the books surrounding the darker side of human nature? What can I say? Your regular ole run of the mill romance novels bore me. sue me.
I stood no chance against the powers of Facebook marketing. Saw that this one was available on Kindle Unlimited and snatched it right up. Overall, it was a really quick read. I think it took me about a day and a half to finish, only because at some point during the weekday, I do actually have to pretend to work. For paycheck's sake. I didn't mind the book. Matter of fact, I downloaded the second book in this series after I finished the first one.
What I Did Like About the Book
I liked the fact that the book was separated into four different patient stories. There wasn't much filler story, which I appreciated. The bulk of the book was the patients talking about their lives leading up to the crimes they committed. It was interesting to read the different personalities there in the asylum with Jack.
The stories were creative. Not sure if there is supposed to be any truth to this book or not, but the backgrounds of each character used were fleshed out well. Truly felt like I was reading about different people instead of just one person telling the stories.
What I Didn't Like About the Book
The biggest issue I had with this book was the typos! Granted, we are all human and none of us are perfect, but the typos were irritating. It took away from the story a few times. I had to go back and re-read to make sure I wasn't jumbling things up in my own head. I think I read somewhere that they typos were on purpose, but I'm not entirely sure about that. It made the book feel a little rushed. Like no one had the time to go back and make sure the book was properly edited.
I also didn't really care for the fact that the story read more like a young adult fiction than something for an adult. I don't think this type of subject matter would be suitable for young adults, but I wouldn't be surprise if this book was actually supposed to be on that reading level.
Recommend or Nah?
I think I'm on the fence with this one. Usually, if I like a book, I am all about recommending it and making sure you run to the nearest bookstore to grab it. With this one, I think you should be a little more careful.
It is sensitive subject matter. Some of the backstories of the patients can be a bit triggering, especially if you've been through similar situations. There is a lot of abuse and trauma in this book. If that is not something you think you can handle, I wouldn't suggest this series for you.
All in all, I think this book is 50% Booky Babe Recommended! If you can handle it, go for it! It is an interesting read. However, like I said, there is a lot of trauma in this book so if you read it and get triggered or upset by some of the material, don't say I didn't warn you. I don't want anyone in my comments on in my DMs on Instagram trying to cuss me out because I didn't give a fair warning. Read at your own risk. You grown. Do what you want. You can grab it from amazon by using the button below:
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There you have it folks! Like I said, you grown, you do you. If you do decide to grab this one, I'd love to know your thoughts on it. Did the typos bother you too? Were you interested to know the stories of the patients in the asylum? What was your favorite story? Your least favorite? I can't wait to read your thoughts! If you want to, you can always join the conversation over on Instagram. We'd love to have you there too. Until then,
Happy Reading Babes! ❤
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