Both predictable and a few surprises, Teen Killers Club (volume one) has a few bumps and bruises and some killings. Okay, a lot of killing. The overall of this novel I enjoyed, however, there were several parts I did not. The biggest two were Signal (our innocent member of this summer camp from heck) is a major Damsel in Distress and she thinks she can change people just by loving them. Even murderers who really like their “hobby.” There are several heavy-handed plot points, some coincidences that were a bit much, but at the same time did make sense. The redeeming point for any issues that I had was the killer. Slight SPOILER it might not be who you think it is.
Still, Lily Sparks made a story that teens (a strong 13, but probably 14 and up) will get into. Part soap-opera romance (the character Jada is literally going to cut Signal for looking at her “man”, the love triangle between Signal and two of the boys, and the “ugly girl” isn’t) and part who-done-it mystery, the idea is what do you do with teens who have been convicted of murder and are pure psycho/psychopaths? You turn them into assassins who “only” kill the worse of the worse. Only, there is a monkey wrench tossed in. Signal. She’s actually innocent of her crime, or at least really too nice to be there. The usual “Secret Assassin Training Camp” for teens is the theme, but there are some fun things as well as the usual clichés. I wish Sparks had taken a few modern turns with their writing (having the character Nobody gay is nice, especially since it is not really a “big deal” but why not have one of the boys? Or have the real Love Triangle become a thruple?), still it is not “all that bad.”
Due to the fact these kids are killers (body count is a matter of pride) this is not for everyone. Such things as the murder Signal is accused of is described not “in huge detail” but is not sugar coated, there is a glossed over sexual assault, a drive by that leads to a the killing of someone which is described, and there is a cult later in the book, makes things not for the sensitive reader. As I said, there are clichés, there is talk about murders and how to get rid of the bodies. The reveal at the end has a few triggers as well. Again, overall, if I don’t pick it apart, I enjoy things. But I cannot say, “OMG best book ever.” However, now I am curious how things like clearing Signals name will happen and who gets to kick the Director’s butt for (SPOILER) killing one of the kids? So, Teen Killers in Love and Teen Killers at Large you’re up next.