This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

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. (Goodreads)

Let me get this out there. I have had this book on my TBR since it was announced and the premise was out. I have been pining for this book since and I bought it on the day that it was released. All I know about school shootings is what I read in the news. I don’t live in America, I have never been subject to something as horrific as that and I have never lived near to somewhere where it has taken place. I have no experience of it whatsoever.

Having said that, I loved this book. I read it in one sitting whilst my son was asleep and I just physically could not put it down. I had to read on – I needed to know what happened and why Tyler turned toward the path he went down. I was addicted. At the end, I was a mess. I had tears streaming down my face, I felt haunted, almost as if I knew the characters personally and was at the event myself. I felt what the characters were feeling and I just didn’t know what to do with myself after I had finished the book. I felt lost.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that it focused on the school shooting itself. A lot of books about subjects like this focus mainly on the aftermath and on the victims. Whilst this book did have focus on the victims, we were mostly reading about the perpetrator (Tyler) and about his life – the people who knew him and witnessed the changes within him, even if it was gradual.

It is easy for the reader to lose themselves in this book – it is so realistic and relatable that it is easy to believe that you were actually there. I have read a few other reviews of this book (none too good) and they compare this book to the Columbine shooting… this is completely different! It makes the reader wonder at the psychology behind such an act.

In short, I loved this book! I gave it 5/5 stars and I cannot wait to find out what the author has next for us!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

This weeks TTT is top ten most anticipated releases for the rest of 2015. When I looked at this last night, I almost felt daunted by this weeks TTT! There are so many books out there that I am waiting for – I am not even sure I know where to start! Either way, here goes in no particular order:

10.  Are You Still There by Sarah Lynn Scheerger. I saw this on Netgalley and added it to my TBR list! Unfortunately, I am in the wrong region to actually get a copy of this as an ARC, but September isn’t that far away!

9.  Dirt Daughter by Michele Shaw. Again, another find on Netgalley – this little gem was published today!

8.  This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp. Netgalley is my best friend for new releases. This is being released January 5th 2016, but I have requested it from Neutgalley and I feel like, if I don’t get an ARC for it, someone is going to have to build me a time machine because the wait for this book is just too long!

7.  Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton. As a fan of both Pretty Little Liars and Black Swan – I am definitely looking forward to getting my hands on this book! This has just been published (May 26th) by HarperTeen!

6.  Those Girls by Lauren Saft. I added this to my TBR after seeing it on one of the blogs that I follow and I am definitely intrigued by this book! Again, this book was published today!

5.  What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler. The fact that this book is based on real life events makes me want to read it even more! It is being published in September!

4.  Most Likely to Succeed by Jennifer Echols. I have adored The Superlatives series so far and I am definitely looking forward to the conclusion! This is being published in early August, so it may still make my summer reading!

3.  Spelled by Betsy Schow. Who doesn’t love a jiggle up of all the old childhood classics? This book has just been released (beginning of June) and I really need to get my hands on it!

2.  The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen. Any kind of film or book about a school revenge plot done well is a thing to behold! I am interested to see how this one will play out when it is released next month!

1.  Scripted by Maya Rock. The premise of this book reminded me a little bit of The Truman Show (with Jim Carrey), and I wondered what it would be like to read! This was published in February… So, about time I actually got a copy!

There are so many more books that I am looking forward to, that I feel guilty for having to cut down to just ten books! I have the feeling that this weeks TTT is going to have my TBR list sky rocketing in numbers more than usual… I am going to have to crack down on reading, rather than just catching up with Pretty Little Liars!! Feel fret leave your links and comments below and I will check all of your lists out!