And for a while there, things were looking up. Adopted by an upper-middle class couple of suburbia, Jaden believed he'd finally gotten that second chance everyone raves about. It came with potato salad.
But something happened. Something always happens. The life he'd been living took a dark twist, taking him on a journey that exposed him to evil, and the power it wields.
For those receiving it, patience is a deadly virtue.
Anonymous
Posted March 25, 2011
Good read, couldn't put it down...and don't usually like this genre, but well paced, characters developed well, dialogue flows.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.doodlepancake
Posted March 22, 2011
This novel was great! Harry Potter meets Jason Bourne in a witty and honest look at what life can mean to different people. This book has a little bit of everything in it - mystery, suspense, romance, good vs. evil, science fiction, adventure, and humor. It's a must read for anyone tired of a stereotypical hero written in a stereotypical way. Not all mysteries are spelled out for the reader, allowing you to think, plot, and imagine throughout the story. There's just enough hidden information that the suspense successfully carries the reader through the whole book without ever spoon-feeding you answers. Kirchoff's style is truly fresh; she doesn't shy away from sarcastic and non-traditional characters, just as she isn't afraid to write about a truly dark side of man. I loved reading this book - the honesty, quirky characters, and intense plot balanced each other so well. I'll be raving about this book for a long time to come!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Read_A_Book
Posted June 5, 2012
This novel blew me away. Following Jaden from the tender age of nine, the reader is given an in-depth glimpse into his life as he battles the system and attempts to gain his freedom from those who would use him as a science experiment, caged like an animal and treated horribly. Jaden is psychokinetic; he can manipulate matter with his mind, and though he attempts to hide this power as a child, he is found and taken, against his will, from the comforts of his foster home. This is a very powerful story that grabs the reader’s attention and doesn’t let go. I was appalled by the treatment of Jaden throughout the novel, and readers should be aware that it’s a very heavy read, looking into the philosophical question of sacrificing one for the greater good. While it is easy to take a stance on this question, having now read the point of view of the one being sacrificed, I am definitely rethinking this age-old question.
Kirchoff is an amazing writer and storyteller, creating such real and vivid characters, even those that are despicable. Characters like Joseph Madrid made me cringe and seethe in anger, especially with his treatment of Jaden, and I found myself, on many an occasion, yelling at him through the pages, wishing for his horrible, bloody death. That sounds harsh, I know, but you’ll understand my feelings when you read this amazing novel. Madrid is the epitome of evil…
Of course, Jaden is an amazing character and I fell in love with him from the beginning. He is a very strong young man, surviving ill treatment and “slavery” for many years in his underground prison, and I am in sheer awe of his dedication and will to survive. I feel like many would give in much sooner than Jaden, and though his life is hellacious, I found him extremely inspiring.
Perhaps what I love most about this novel is the suspense and writing style. Krichoff begins the novel in the present with a creepy encounter and hospital visit that will leave the reader wanting more, and then it jumps to the past, explaining Jaden’s origins and full story until it comes full circle, bringing us back to the present. But the story doesn’t end there; much more suspense and intrigue follows as the reader now embarks on a quest with Jaden and those he’s friended along the way, and I just could not put down this powerful novel.
This is a novel I highly recommend, one of my top 10 of the year, and I hope everyone takes some time to read and enjoy this amazing book!
Vivre
Posted August 18, 2011
Typically the books I read are very different from Jaden Baker. But that didn't matter. I bought the book yesterday afternoon and had it finished by noon today. And this book is 189,000 words. It isn't a small book. But it didn't matter. I HAD to know what happened. I needed to get to the end. If the battery on my nook hadn't died I don't think I would have gotten to sleep last night.
The characters were real and believable. Even Madrid who was just pure evil, was still a believable, well written character. Even though I don't normally read this type of novel I will definitely be on the look out for Courtney Kirchoff's next book.
Anonymous
Posted July 26, 2011
What a thrilling story! Good and evil at its best. I rarely peek at the back of the book but the suspense was killing me. If you are dull or meek, this may not be the book for you. Truly a unique story filled with excitement. I look forward to Kirchoff's next book!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 26, 2011
For a long time I've looked for a book that was a bit different than the rest, you know, something more intriguing than the average airport paperback. I got that with Jaden Baker. The characters were well developed and the story moves fast. There were parts of the book that were quite stressful, not going to lie, but that only made it more intense and made me more interested in Jaden's plight, and made him feel like a friend of mine. I hoped for the best! I was especially intrigued by Seth, and think he was a clever addition to the book. I recommend this to anyone wanting something different, suspenseful, and a page turner. Don't take it to bed with you, it'll be hard to put it down.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 26, 2011
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Anonymous
Posted April 21, 2011
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Overview
And for a while there, things were looking up. Adopted by an upper-middle class couple of suburbia, Jaden believed he'd finally gotten that second chance everyone raves about. It came with potato salad.
But something happened. Something always happens. The life he'd been living took a dark twist, taking him on a journey that exposed ...