Hey, guys. January has been slowly dredging by. I’ve been hard at work on my next novel and trying to catch up on my ever-growing reading list. I decided to start with some of the books that were featured here on the blog last month. Carver Pike’s Grad Night was already on my TBR list, so I chose to start with it. Here is my full review:
(Warning: there may be spoilers, though I try not to give too much away.)
Five stars
What a ride. I have to say, this book really blew me away. My only disappointment was that I didn’t discover this author sooner. “One only had to follow the flies to find the source of the stench.” I heard a lot of buzzing about this book, even before I decided to start reading it. Well, I followed the flies and color me impressed. It’s been a long time since I read a book with characters I related to as well. I can’t recommend this enough. If you’re searching for a novel with a good storyline, believable characters, and quite a few twists, this book is for you.
It starts out simple enough. The graduating class want to pay back the teachers who’ve made their life hell for the past four years. The bloodbath that follows is unforgettable. I really enjoyed the games the teachers were forced to play. To quote the book, “These aren’t kids. They’re the Children of the fucking Corn.” I don’t think those children were quite as creative as the teenagers in this story, but I laughed out loud when I read that line. I really enjoyed reading this, and I’m looking forward to reading more of Carver Pike’s work.
Here are some of my other favorite lines from the book:
“Wine wasn’t strong enough. She eyed the bottle of tequila on the counter and laughed.”
“There are three things in this world you always have to stand up for. Your family, yourself… and your beliefs. You lose any of those, and you’re an empty shell. There’s nothing worse than that.”
“His inner fourteen-year-old old a horny piece of shit. The rest of him was starting to think the kid made sense.”
“Real evil won’t let you move. When you feel that, that is when you should be afraid.”
“We were created with an animalistic side, a desire to kill rather than be killed. Only when we open ourselves up to our true nature, will we really be free. The world wasn’t meant to be tamed, Ms. Peony. It’s a mad world, and we’re embracing it tonight.”
If you haven’t read Grad Night yet, do yourself a favor. Grab a copy today and find out what all the fuss is about. You won’t be disappointed. Link below.
That’s I have for today. Thanks for reading! -E.B.
eblunsford.com 