Review: Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas

Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Received: bought
Publication Date: August 14th 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
POV: 1st person & female
Pacing: fast
Genres & Themes: YA, Romance, Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery, Secrets.

BLURB:

It all comes down to this. Oliver, Ethan, and I. Three teens venture into an abandoned lake house one night. Hours later, only two emerge from the burning wreckage. Chloe drags one Reznick brother to safety, unconscious and bleeding. The other is left to burn, dead in the fire. But which brother survives? And is his death a tragic accident? Desperate self-defense? Or murder …? Chloe is the only one with the answers. As the fire rages, and police and parents demand the truth, she struggles to piece the story together – a story of jealousy, twisted passion and the darkness that lurks behind even the most beautiful faces …

REVIEW:

description

No mind blown like with Dangerous Girls.

Mindfuck.

If you know Abigail Haas or have heard of her works, then you probably expect her to play with you and make you doubt and believe and then doubt again. Well, she does. And I bet she enjoys doing so very very much.

Even though I only gave this a three star rating (yes, some people believe it is a mediocre one), I would recommend reading not only to see how messed up—in a good and bad way—it is but also because it contains some interesting scenes worth knowing about. Although, I do believe that it will work differently for everyone, and probably depending on your personal values.

For example, family is very important to me so what the main character does in the story to her mother frustrated me and was in my opinion something very unacceptable. Same thing for her father. Loyalty is also an important value for me so that man went quite down in my estimation.

That’s the problem; I didn’t like any character in this book. They all had something that bothered me in some way. And the main ones were despicable. At some point, I did find Ethan nice but he is the kind of guy who always wants to be with you and believes that you’re his. Here’s the thing: I belong to myself and so does Chloe. I can understand why she started feeling trapped and uncomfortable around Ethan (yet I did not approve everything she did in consequence to that fact.)

Still, that love-triangle (the choice of her ”new” love interest) was sigh and eye roll-worthy. It wasn’t bad but it definitely won’t work for everyone and it in fact can make the story sound predictable (while it’s actually not, at least not throughout.) See, rivality between brothers for a girl has already been done so many times before. Plus, a romance usually works better without a love-triangle. Yet, it was part of the plot and was a very main element of the story so I came to tolerate it.

I heard some reviewers say that this was predictable enough but, darn, I wish I did predict some things besides a part of the romance! Because I didn’t and had such a surprise discovering the whole truth.

Chloe was really something…I can’t say much because I really don’t want to spoil it for you, but she is one person you could try to analyze all day and not succeed to decipher her totally. Nice too…sometimes.Basically, she will make you question the plot, her gestures and everything else.

About the ending…what the hell? What.The.Hell? It’s the kind of ending that will make you question (again) what is going to happen after you close the last page. I really feel like this needs a sequel but I don’t know, at the same time, how that would work out. I’m just not pleased since interpreting endings is not what I love doing most after finishing a read. We will never know what will actually happen. It will always be what WE think it will.

The writing was fantastic and the plot fast-paced so this will definitely not be a read that will suck you into a boredom world in which you will reside until the end of the story. Well, that was detailed…but, I mean it; it is a page-turner.

My review on Goodreads.

 

36 thoughts on “Review: Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas

  1. I haven’t read anything by this author but this sounds… interesting. I like books that suck me in, but like you I don’t really care for open endings. Sometimes it works for a story, but other times I feel like I spend too much time trying to interpret the “right” ending, you know?

    Like

  2. I read Dangerous Girls about a month ago and you’re so right; my mind was blown. Since then I’ve been desperately trying to dig some time to pick up Dangerous Boys–Haas just won me over. I’m a little disappointed that this wasn’t as good as the first (but so are many things) but at least it’s captivating, right? I gotta get onto this. Like asap haha Great review, love! Hoping your next read is better x

    Like

  3. Lola, though we have the same thoughts, I gave this one 4stars 😛 I dunno why. Abigal Haas makes me do things I don’t understand. =)) What really bothered me in this story is the romance. I HATE IT SO MUCH. Like, ugh Chloe Y ACT LIKE THAT?! Anyway, the mystery and thrill was nothing but fantastic! Right? Great review :* ❤

    Like

  4. Well you definitely have me curious now Lola!!! Sometimes books that mess with my mind work really well for me and other times not at all, so it’s always a bit of a gamble when I pick a book like this up. That only serves to make me want to read it more though, just to find out which way I’ll go:) I don’t love the sound of the love triangle, but everything else has me intrigued!

    Like

  5. I’ve been avoiding this book and the other one, The Dangerous Girls, like the plague. I am usually crept out by these types of stories. It’s like Saw and any other gross and bloody thriller movies out there. Hahahaha. So sorry that this one left you a little bit disappointed.

    I agree with you. I also despise characters who do not respect their parents. I can tolerate characters being bad to their parents as long as there’s a valid reason for that (i.e. abuse, rape, stuff like that).

    Bravo to the author for creating such a good thriller/mystery. And lovely review, Lola!

    Like

  6. Lovely review.
    I’ve heard lots about this book and many good things too but I don’t think its for me.
    But I may just end up giving it a go….some day… (May be).

    Like

  7. This sounds like a really tough book to rate. On one hand I would give it five stars for the mental confusion but the rest seems so amazingly frustrating. I do love the sound of it though, I love books that make your head just go asfghjkl.

    Like

  8. Yay for reading and quite liking Dangerous Boys. I haven’t read anything by Abigail Haas although I want to. I would definitely make time for her books in the future! So sorry you didn’t connect with the characters at all but at least you enjoyed the story overall to give it a 3. Lovely review, Lola!

    Like

  9. Aww…I’m sorry you didn’t like this as much as Dangerous Girls Lola! 😦 To be completely honest, I didn’t either; but I still really loved it. It would have taken a lot to catch up to DG, but this definitely gave it a run for its money! I completely get where you’re coming from though. The characters here definitely have a strong potential to be unlikeable, and that can definitely throw you off. (I didn’t mind it as much as you though because I don’t mind unlikeable characters as long as they’re well developed).

    Thanks for sharing, and, as always, BRILLIANT review! ❤

    Like

    • You don’t mind unlikeable characters under some conditions? Well you must be very open-minded ahah 😉 YEAH, I agree that when authors write a success, it’s quite hard after to get to that level again and do something even better. Thanks Zoe! 🙂

      Like

  10. Mysterious and thrilling. That’s catchy and interesting but if it involves So-so love triangles and unlikable characters, I think I’ll pass. :/ he-he

    Like

  11. I haven’t had the chance to read my copy of Dangerous Girls, but I think it’s in the immediate future. I do like books that completely messes with your head, but I’m worried I’ll be like you; one who couldn’t like the characters.

    Like

Leave a comment