Fictional Candy: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp (Review)

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp (Review)

Title: This Is Where It Ends
Series: Standalone
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Release Date: January 2016
Format: EGalley
Pages: 292 per Goodreads

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Yep, this book doesn't come out til January, and I am review it now. It's been staring at me on my kindle for a while, and I kept trying to put it off so I could review it closer to the release date. But I couldn't take it anymore! And HOLY SHIT.

This book was SO HARD to read!! The writing was freaking fabulous. Author Marieke Nijkamp did a great job of making me feel like I was right there. And when I was right there, I just wanted to be anywhere else!! I've read a ton of scary books. Monsters that go bump in the night. Psychos who want just one more kiss. This or that supernatural being. But there is not a single horror story in existence that can compare to one child murdering other children in cold blood in school - a place that should be a safe haven.

This Is Where It Ends is told from several students' point of view. The one and only complaint I have isn't even a complaint, but more of a wish - I wish we could have gotten the point of view of the shooter. But nonetheless, seeing the end of their world through several sets of eyes was an enlightening and harrowing experience. For a debut release, I was absolutely blown away. I could not put this book down. It was haunting and terrifying and beautiful.

"I'll show the world. And they'll never forget me"

There isn't even that much I have to say about this book, because it's pretty self explanatory and I don't want to give anything away. It's about a school shooting, and every word feels so visceral. If you can handle reading this book, I strongly recommend it. But be ready for the emotions to come out - because they will. LOVE THIS BOOK.