Blood of My Blood

This trilogy owns my entire heart

Book #106 Read in 2014 Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga (YA) This is the conclusion to the trilogy that began with the book I Hunt Killers and it is a more than satisfying end. While these books can be graphic, they are also haunting. In this one, Jazz is hunting down Billy Dent, his serial killer father, who has kidnapped Jazz's girlfriend Connie. Billy wants Jazz to become a killer like his old man. Jazz has reconciled himself that this may indeed have to happen to save those he loves. While close to 500 pages, this book races along with a plot full of twists and turns. I am sorry to see this series end, but love that this book does such a good job of bringing closure to this storyline. http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com

This entire series I coudnt put down the books. It is amazing how sometjing absurd and yet true can exist. It makes me wounder if a ‘mafia’ of the world best killers really can exist.

Original Review Found: literarychaos.com After the cliffhanger at the end of Game, the second book in the Jasper Dent series, I had to get my hands on the final book, Blood of my Blood. In fact, no sooner had I finished Game then I rented the audiobook from my local library. I had to know what happened to Jazz, but I was also really nervous. I really enjoyed the first two books and was worried that I wouldn't like the ending. My expectations were insanely high; thank goodness the book met and even surpassed my expectations. This book had a different feel from the first two. It was dark and gory but in a different way. It wasn't Jazz going after some random killer, instead, he is facing his father and his past. This book sees a more brutal and darker Jazz. In many ways, he loses his grip on his emotions and the reader gets to see the possibilities of what Jazz's future could be: a murderer. Connie and Howie, remain amazing characters. They are both so loyal to Jazz even when they have every reason to turn their backs on him, they remain steadfast. This series honestly has some of the best characters I have ever seen in a YA novel. As with this entire series, this book's pacing was perfect. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and that is not an easy feat with an almost 500-page book. I can't say too much without giving away the plot, but man was it a RIDE. It was a never-ending series of twists and turns that I never saw coming, and the epilogue was everything. It really gave me as a reader a solid and resolved to end to the story. That being said, as a reader, I feel it is important to give future readers a trigger warning for sexual abuse. This book takes a really dark turn concerning sexual abuse of a minor that may not be suitable for some readers. My Thoughts on the Audiobook: I was thrilled to find out that the entire series was narrated by the same author. It gives the series a uniform feel when listening to the audiobooks. The voices of the characters remain constant, and for me as a reader, hearing the same voices for Jazz, Connie, Howie, etc . helped me immerse myself into the third book quickly and efficiently. And as with the previous books, the narrator did an amazing job. He has such great emotion and inflection in his narration and it sells the story. It never felt over-the-top or forced, the emotions of the characters felt genuine, which is no easy feat. I cannot recommend listening to this series on audiobook enough, it is so worth the time spent listening!

Superb ending. Love this series.

Where do I begin? I'll tell you right now, when I started this journey I wasn't expecting to become so deeply immersed. I was simply excited about the prospect of reading something new. A book from the perspective of a notorious serial killer's son sounded intriguing and original. I wasn't expecting to fall so in love with Jasper. Wasn't prepared to become so involved in the story that the very well-being of these characters would actually cause me emotional pain. Looking back now, I don't know what I was hoping for from Barry Lyga. What I found though, was a trilogy that was destined to become one of my absolute favorites. I started this with some trepidation. I was so gutted at the end of the last book. Blood of My Blood picks up precisely where I left off, and it's almost like I never stopped reading in the first place. All the nervous energy, anger and rage I felt at the end of the last book came back full force when I opened this to the first chapter. I was honestly anxious to see that these characters were safe. I wanted more of the their story, and at the same time I was terrified to see what awaited them. This book is very Billy Dent oriented. It's bloody, violent, and downright disturbing in places. If you thought the first two books were tough to stomach? This one might just set a new bar for that. Poor, poor Jasper. As last books go, I have absolutely nothing bad to say about what Lyga has offered up to his readers. While this is a much darker book than the last two, it's no surprise. Lyga neatly lays out all the remaining cards on the table, sets up all the things we've known were coming around the bend, and then ties everything up with a black satin bow. I was on edge the whole read. Constantly having to keep myself from skimming ahead. This story pulls no punches. It has no problem with reaching inside you to pull at the emotional strings it needs to. It's visceral, and expertly done. I can't deny, I loved every single damn minute of it. Since I met first met Jasper Dent, he's become firmly cemented as one of my favorite male characters of all time. There's something about Jasper that's just more. He's not your normal teenage boy. The child of a serial killer, the product of a horrible environment, he still attempts to rise above. Jasper's duality is terrifying and beautiful at the same time. There is a darkness that dwells inside him, constantly rattling around in his brain, urging him to break. It battles against the part of him that just wants to be a blissfully normal member of society. I have followed him for three books of pain, suffering, loss and love. I'd have followed him for at least that many more. I'll miss you Jasper. Thanks for the journey.