Review: Blood of My Blood (I Hunt Killers #3) by Barry Lyga

Title: Blood of My Blood

Series: I Hunt Killers #3

Previous novellas/books in this series: Down Time (#0.1) | Lucky Day (#0.2) | Career Day (#0.3) | Neutral Mask (#0.4) | Blood Boy (#0.5) | I Hunt Killers (#1) | Game (#2)

Author: Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, mystery thriller

Publication date: September 2014

Published by: Little, Brown and Company

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: Jazz Dent has never been closer to catching his father.

Jazz has been shot and left to die in New York. His girlfriend, Connie, is in the clutches of Jazz's monstrous father, Billy—the world's most notorious serial killer. And his best friend, Howie, is bleeding to death on the floor of Jazz's new home.

Somehow, these three must rise above the horrors and find a way to come together in pursuit of Billy.

But then Jazz crosses a line he's never crossed before, and soon the entire country is wondering: "Like father, like son? Who is the true monster?"

From New York City to the small town of Lobo's Nod, the chase is on, and this time, Jazz is the hunted, not the hunter--while Billy Dent lurks in the shadows.

And beyond Billy? Something much, much worse. Prepare to meet... the Crow King.

My rating: ★★★★☆

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. I highly recommend you look up trigger warnings, if need be, because any type of abuse you can possibly imagine, poor Jazz endured. I nearly cried and threw up at the same time. Just reading over the notes I left myself in preparation for writing this review made me teary-eyed and angry on his behalf.

Review: Game (I Hunt Killers #2) by Barry Lyga

Title: Game

Series: I Hunt Killers #2

Previous novellas/books in this series: Down Time (#0.1) | Lucky Day (#0.2) | Career Day (#0.3) | Neutral Mask (#0.4) | Blood Boy (#0.5) | I Hunt Killers (#1)

Author: Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, mystery thriller

Publication date: April 2013

Published by: Little, Brown and Company

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis: In an effort to prove murder didn’t run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo’s Nod to solve a deadly case. And now, when a determined New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz’s door asking for help, he can’t say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple–and its police force–running scared. So Jazz and his girlfriend, Connie, hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer’s murderous game.

My rating: ★★★★★

This book was insane... in the best way possible!

Review: Blood Boy (I Hunt Killers #0.5) by Barry Lyga

Title: Blood Boy

Series: I Hunt Killers #0.5

Other novellas/books in this series: Down Time (#0.1) | Lucky Day (#0.2) | Career Day (#0.3) | Neutral Mask (#0.4) | I Hunt Killers (#1)

Author: Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, mystery thriller

Publication date: August 2014

Published by: Barry Lyga

Source: Purchased ebook

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Synopsis: Fan-favorite character Howie Gersten — Jazz Dent’s hemophiliac best friend from the I HUNT KILLERS series — finally gets a story all his own! Set one year before the events of the series, “Blood Boy” takes you inside Howie’s hilariously twisted mind for one night only. Enjoy Halloween as only Howie can, learn more about his relationship with Jazz and Connie... and discover exactly what it is he’s keeping a secret from both of them.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I love the I Hunt Killers series! It is such an interesting series with a complicated main character. Going into this novella I actually had no idea that it was going to be in the POV of Howie, Jazz’s best friend! So as soon as I started reading, the title of the book made a lot of sense!

Review: Neutral Mask (I Hunt Killers #0.4) by Barry Lyga

Title: Neutral Mask

Series: I Hunt Killers #0.4

Other novellas/books in this series: Down Time (#0.1) | Lucky Day (#0.2) | Career Day (#0.3) | I Hunt Killers (#1)

Author: Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, mystery thriller

Publication date: August 2013

Published by: B & Z Books

Source: Purchased ebook with Amazon gift card

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Synopsis: Connie is the new girl in town, but she already has friends...and maybe even a boyfriend. Her father isn't happy that Connie is dating a white boy like Jasper Dent, and things get even worse when she realizes that Jasper is the son of Billy Dent, one of the world's most notorious serial killers! This is the story of how Connie and Jazz overcame their early troubles and fell in love.

My rating: ★★★★☆

This novella is told in Connie’s POV, Jasper’s girlfriend, and it was very interesting. This takes place before the first book in the series, back when they first start dating, and when Connie first discovered who Jasper’s father is: an infamous serial killer.

Review: Career Day (I Hunt Killers #0.3) by Barry Lyga

Title: Career Day

Series: I Hunt Killers #0.3

Other novellas/books in this series: Down Time (#0.1) | Lucky Day (#0.2) | I Hunt Killers (#1)

Author: Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, mystery thriller

Publication date: March 2012

Published by: B & Z Books

Source: Purchased ebook with gift card

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Synopsis: A prequel short story set one year before the events in the New York Times bestselling I HUNT KILLERS!

Jasper has a problem, and everyone knows it: His father is Billy Dent, world-famous serial killer. Even though Dear Old Dad is in jail, Jasper still feels like everyone is watching him, like everyone thinks he's dangerous.

Even he thinks he's dangerous. Sometimes.

His best—and only—friend Howie is always ready with a joke or a goofy nickname, but Jasper needs more. Maybe that new girl in town, Connie, is what he's been looking for...

My rating: ★★★★★

So, it’s career day at school, which is awkward for a kid like Jazz, his dad being an infamous serial killer and all...

Review: Life is Short and Then You Die by Kelley Armstrong

Title: Life is Short and Then You Die

Authors: Kelley Armstrong, R.L. Stine, Y.S. Lee, Melissa Marr, Amanda Witt, Rachel Vincent, Jeff Somers, Eileen Rendahl, David Bart, Jeff Soloway, Julie Tollefson, Joseph S. Walker, Anthony Franze, Barry Lancet, Emmy Laybourne, Jonathan Maberry, Stepehn Ross, Caleb Roehrig, Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, horror, mystery

Publication date: September 2019

Published by: Imprint

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: Adolescence is a time of “firsts.” First kiss. First love. First loss. First job. The first taste of adult responsibilities, and the first look at an independent life away from both the restrictions and the security of home.

And in this case, a very different type of “first”: murder.

This short story collection of murder mysteries adds a sinister spin to the joy and pain of firsts that have always been a major part of life, whether it be high school cliques who take the term “backstabbing” too seriously, stumbling upon a body on the way home from school, or receiving a Snapchat message that promises something deadly.

My rating: ★★★★☆

Even though I haven’t read anything by her in a while, I love Kelley Armstrong and was very excited to read this anthology edited by her! In fact, the first story in the book was actually written by her!

But not only that, there are plenty of other authors I’m familiar with and love that also contributed to this anthology! So exciting!

Review: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Title: I Hunt Killers

Series: I Hunt Killers #1

Novellas in this series: Down Time (#0.1) | Lucky Day (#0.2) | Career Day (#0.3) | Neutral Mask (#0.4) | Blood Boy (#0.5)

Author: Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, mystery thriller

Publication date: April 2012

Published by: Little, Brown and Company

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis:

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

My rating: ★★★★☆
The premise of this book is what immediately grabbed my attention. I read a couple of the novellas beforehand and I was all in! And overall, I really enjoyed this book!

Review: Lucky Day (I Hunt Killers #0.2) by Barry Lyga

Title: Lucky Day

Series: I Hunt Killers #0.2

Novellas in this series: Down Time (#0.1)

Author: Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: April 2014

Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Source: Purchased ebook

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Synopsis:

This is the story of the small town sheriff who captured one of the world's most ruthless and cunning murderers.

It all started with Dead Girl #1 and Dead Girl #2, the first killings in the sleepy town of Lobo's Nod in decades. Two murders: just a coincidence, or something more sinister? One thing's for sure -- it was definitely inconvenient in a year when Sheriff G. William Tanner, a mourning widower, had to run for reelection.

With a trail gone cold, it's only luck that links the murders to the most notorious serial killer in memory. And in a town like Lobo's Nod, the killer must be someone Tanner already knows...

My rating: ★★★★☆

This is the story of the small town sheriff who captured one of the world's most ruthless and cunning murderers.

It was very interesting seeing how Billy Dent was finally captured after so many murders. There was a certain detail that propelled things forward and the sheriff completely missed it! I kept asking myself how he didn’t see that in the first place, but of course, I gotta cut him some slack since we knew what we were looking for.

Review: Down Time (I Hunt Killers #0.1) by Barry Lyga

Title: Down Time

Series: I Hunt Killers #0.1

Author: Barry Lyga

Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller

Publication date: August 2018

Published by: Hachette

Source: Purchased ebook

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Synopsis:

Billy Dent is the world's most notorious serial killer, but even killers need to go on vacation sometimes. When a mysterious death occurs in the hotel where Billy is staying, his "job" seems to call. Will his vacation truly be down time for him after all?

In this prequel novella to the I Hunt Killers trilogy, bestselling author Barry Lyga crafts a creepy, intricately plotted mystery.

My rating: ★★★★★
This was my first introduction to the world of I Hunt Killers and I absolutely loved it! It was SO good! So our serial killer Billy Dent goes off on vacation when suddenly he's got a murder on his hands. Funnily enough, it was one he didn't commit.

There was only one way to solve the problem, Billy realized. Without intending to, he chuckled at the very thought. He was going to have to solve this murder.