Pressure

You know when you find that one book, and go "This was written for me" because you love everything about it? That would be this one. For me at least.

Amazingly smooth writing that had me turning each page? Check. Witty, dark humor? Check. Charismatic, and fleshed out Serial Killer? Check. Adorable protagonist in way over his head? Check. Twisted Bromance? Check. Just the right amount of action and horrific details? Check.

Stupid grin on my face for the entire read through? Check.

I think total, minus a few couldn't be helped breaks, I devoured this book in maybe two or three hours. Didn't want to put it down and drained the battery on my phone reading it.

Darren is a delightfully deranged psychopath, and his obsession with Alex is downright fascinating. You can just feel how much he wants his "friend" to like him, and his childish nature when he doesn't get what he wants. Alex, for all the horrible things that happen, seems to keep a somewhat humorous and sarcastic outlook on it all with a quip here or there--and just to break it up, Alex has some amazing freak outs over all of it. The relationship between Darren and Alex is surprisingly natural, and if not for the circumstances, you could see them being best friends. It's a great combination and the interactions between the two of them really make the book.

The storyline itself is over the top when you really think about it--probably my only complaint if I had to list one--but I didn't feel that way when reading it, so it was easy to overlook it when Alex was holding the required Horror Idiot Ball for a scene or two. But, I do like how it was divided into the different ages of his and Darren's life as they kept running into each other (or as Alex was stalked as it were). The ending was particularly effective bringing everything around full circle. Loved the setting for that final scene.

Loved it. I'd read it again in a heartbeat and I'd read a sequel even faster if it brought these two together again.. Loved it.