Book Review: Crazy Dangerous

About the book
"You probably want to hear about Jennifer and the demons and how I played chicken with a freight train and-oh yeah-the weird murder . . . you're definitely going to want to hear about that."

Sam Hopkins is a good kid who has fallen in with a bad crowd. Hanging around with car thieves and thugs, Sam knows it's only a matter of time before he makes one bad decision too many and gets into real trouble.

But one day, Sam sees them harassing an eccentric schoolmate of his named Jennifer. When Sam finds the courage to face the bullies down, he loses a bad set of friends and acquires a very strange new one.

Because Jennifer is not just eccentric. To Sam, she seems downright crazy. She has terrifying hallucinations involving demons and the devil and death. And here's the really crazy part: Sam is beginning to suspect that these visions may actually be prophecies--prophecies of something terrible that's going to happen very soon. Unless he can stop it.

With no one to believe him, with no one to help him, Sam is now all alone in a race against time. Finding the truth before disaster strikes is going to be both crazy and very, very dangerous.

My thoughts
Crazy Dangerous was a quick, easy and exciting read.  It is geared towards young adults, and I have to agree that the reading level, coupled with the themes (namely the supernatural and death themes) of the book, make it suitable for mid-late teens.  The book also deals with bullying, peer pressure, figuring out who you are, and accepting others.  The plot moves quickly and reaches a surprising end, but it is enjoyable.

I recommend this book to anyone, particularly in the 14-18 year old range, who enjoys books that are a little dark, yet still uplifting and not too dark.  It is a good book for anyone who has either been seen as eccentric or is/was a "preacher's kid" and had to deal with how to wear that title.

About the author

 

Andrew Klavan was hailed by Stephen King as "the most original novelist of crime and suspense since Cornell Woolrich." He is the recipient of two Edgar Awards and the author of such bestsellers as True Crime: The Novel and Don't Say a Word.

His books and screenplays have been turned into films directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Michael Douglas, Ed Burns, Michael Caine among others.

Hometown: Santa Barbara, California Books Sold to Date: over 1.5 million.

Disclaimer

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes.  My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.