I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I am quite disappointed about this book. It was a book I was really looking forward to, a book I was really interested in. However, out of the 4 POVs I only cared about 2. Those who are in the auditorium. I didn’t care at all about the 2 that were outside. Tomas was interested, for what he did, but sorry, the outside POVs just jarred me out of the whole auditorium and what happened there. Instead of being in constant fear for the characters, I just was dragged out again and again to parts that weren’t interesting.

Also I just didn’t like this many POVs, I knew there would be a few, but I had hoped that each chapter, each part would have a different POV, instead it is 4 POVs crammed into one chapter of not that many chapters. And this is my least favourite way to read multiple POV. I prefer my POVs to be stretched out, to really get to know the characters. And sure, there were flashbacks, stories to be told, but as soon as I started to get used to a character, they would pull out and the next would hop on.
Also those flashbacks did get a bit annoying. One moment we would be in the now and present, and then back to cursive past. Sure it helped understand the characters and the motive of Tyler more, but it also annoyed me.

And seriously, what was up with Tomas, inappropriate time indeed! There are better times to flirt than during the time of a shooting.

Tyler, unlike many shooter stories you hear or read about, is not a sad little boy. From the flashbacks, from the stories that are told, he is just a bully. Just an evil person. Just someone who only cares about harming people. 😐

The mails/messages/text/tweets, those were really effective, and I like that they were added, they gave off an even bigger impact than the story. Showing all the desperateness, the hope that is lost, the pain, the grief.

The ending was real sad, and I was just shaking my head at all that happened in less then an hour. How many lives were destroyed, how many families ripped apart, how many loved ones and friends will never see a new day.

But, all in all, even with the book speeding by as a train, and with several things I liked, I can’t give this book higher than 2 stars. There were just too many things that I didn’t like in this book. Which is a shame, as I said this was a highly anticipated read for me.