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Nov 29, 2011

karen rated it:

on the surface, yes, i gave the second part of this series the same three stars as the first part, hunger, but know that this three stars is a shinier three.

this one also starts with a clever premise: if an anorexic girl was chosen to be famine for the first volume, who will be the incarnation of war for the second? ohhh a cutter. makes sense. someone with a lot of pent-up aggression who uses bloodshed as a coping mechanism.

the author says that, unlike the eating disor More...

12 comments like (41 people liked it)

Oct 22, 2011

the golden witch. rated it:

This was a very difficult book for me to get through. And when I mean difficult, I don't mean in the "poorly written, oh god do not want" sort of way, but more in the way of "hitting too close to home".

I am a former self-injurer, and I knew that the second book in the Horseman Quartet was going to have War as a cutter, but I hadn't prepared myself mentally and emotionally for the extremely well-written and almost graphically vivid imagery contained therein.
More...

3 comments like (14 people liked it)

Dec 02, 2011

Penny rated it:

Melissa Miller is not okay. For starters her home life is sort of a joke. Her parents are hardly ever available, emotionally or otherwise, because of their demanding careers so they think all is well on the home front. They have no clue that Melissa and her sister loathe each other, want nothing to do with one another. They don't know that Melissa is deeply troubled, in desperate need of help.

School is no better. Melissa's been a social outcast ever since her ex-boyfriend told More...

1 comment like (7 people liked it)

Feb 17, 2012

Ðємσɭιтισɴ rated it:

Note: I read this book in July 2011, so don't feed me to the wolves if I forget something like a name or whatever, okay? I still remember enough to re-review it.

I'll be honest, I don't have a very long attention span. If there is not something interesting going on or the pacing is too slow, chances are, I'll put it down. That was almost the case with this book. Instead though, I flipped through the 200 something pages where nothing happens, lightly skimming over it in case I miss any More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 20, 2011

Jess rated it:

RAGE, by Jackie Morse Kessler instantly draws you when main character Melissa “Missy” Miller confronts Death, and slams the door in His face. Missy has a fate that she must accept or she will surely die. Missy being a self-injurer she cuts, shallow and deep. Painful always. Bleed out the bad as she puts it, but one night after an ex-boyfriend tricks her into a mortifying situation she cant take it anymore and she cuts too deep. Only Death's voice can coax her to push through and open a white pac More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Mar 22, 2011

Kristen rated it:

Where to start? The author has a wonderful way with words. The turns of phrase are so often beautiful. The dialogue between Death and Missy or Death and the other Horsemen reflect this so often. I found myself sometimes reading the same phrases agin, not because I needed to, but because the sentence was so wonderful I wanted to.

But… (and here it comes) I kept hoping as I read this that the purpose of the series would become apparent. That the overall story arc would reveal itself. Unfo More...

2 comments like (6 people liked it)

Feb 03, 2011

Brandi rated it:

This is a gritty and dark novel, but it drew me in and didn't let go. Missy was in a lot of pain, and she deals with pain and anger by cutting (self-mutilation). It gets pretty graphic, but it is an accurate representation of what a cutter feels and why.

Missy has a pretty good friend that tries to be there for her, her sister and her fight, but you can see her sister cares, and her parents are clueless and works a lot but they at least try to have some family time. Her ex-boyfrie More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 13, 2012

Brandy added it

this book was definatly one of those books were you just couldn't put it down. not only did i finish this book but ive read it twice already!! just because it was that good. this book is full of emotions, real strong emotions. emotions that we can all relate to one way or another. the main charactor is a girl in high school, she never really had close freinds and she did have a boy friend once but that whole situation is explained in the book. she is just human, normal, going through things most More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Feb 02, 2012

Diane rated it:

Missy is a cutter. She presents a goth like aura at school and is able to hide her cutting from her way too busy parents, her annoyingly popular little sister, and even her best friend whom she is now avoiding. Until one night when she cuts just a bit too deep and Death appears to her. Yes, that Death, except he looks amazingly like a long dead rock star. She is chosen to become "War" one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

For those familiar with Kessler's other b More...

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Jan 01, 2012

Erica rated it:

I was not super crazy about the first book in this series, Hunger, so I was not originally going to read this one. I was talking books with Kristen, and she told me that Death has a much bigger role in this one. When I heard that, I was sold as I adored Death in Hunger, and wanted to see a lot more of him as a character. What I found in Rage was everything I had been hoping for in Hunger and was really just blown away by this one!

I really liked Missy as a narrator. Her character was More...

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Jan 01, 2012

Bissfan rated it:

Missy ist anders. Nicht nur weil sie Death die Tür vor der Nase zuknallt, nachdem dieser ihr Wars Schwert überreicht hat, sondern auch weil sie sich schneidet, um Druck abzulassen. Das tut sie wieder, nachdem ihr Ex sie vor fast der ganzen Schule gedemütigt hat und nun jeder weiß, was sie tut – und es niemand versteht. Ein Schnitt ist zu tief – und Death sieht seine Chance gekommen.
Missy wird die neue War, des Todes Dienerin, denn diese beiden haben schon immer gut zusammengearbeitet. Währ More...

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Oct 02, 2011

Rhiannon rated it:

I love this series.
A totally unique YA concept (ie: no vampires or faeries, can you imagine?), but not just an excuse for a romance in the paranormal trappings, Jackie's Horsemen of the Apocalypse books deal with real issues in a fantastical way. So I was elated when the folks at Houghton Mifflin sent me Rage (it was on the top of my very long to buy list).

Book two of Jackie's Horsemen of the Apocalypse series, Rage follows Missy becoming the new War. Like Hunger befo More...

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Aug 11, 2011

Jessica rated it:

Pros: examines real life issues, sympathetic protagonist who gains inner strength

Cons: ending seemed too simplistic given the problems the protagonist faced

For Parents: minor sexual content and descriptions of self-inflicting wounds

Melissa Miller is a cutter. It's the only way she can deal with the emotions surrounding her. She knows others wouldn't understand. Her ex-boyfriend called her a freak when he saw her scars, and broke up with her.

Even so, she do More...

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Aug 08, 2011

Christy rated it:

So most of you that know me, know that I am big into Psych.. especially teen psych illnesses. It's something that not only fascinates me but it's something I want to spend my life involved in, trying to help if I can. While at the store a few weeks back I ran across two books that I think will go a long way in helping some teens with some serious issues that come up in almost everyday life. The first book was Hunger, I already did the review of it, and LOVED that book. Now I am on book 2 and I c More...

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Aug 01, 2011

StorySeekers rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Jul 21, 2011

Herp rated it:

A Novel for Your Lovely, Sociopathic Teen

I love reading tacky teen novels, especially the ones that relate to the characters' various emotional problems. It's not that I actually enjoy reading them — it's just that the adult author's portrayal of the problem is oftentimes inadvertently laughable. I got the same sensation from reading this book that I had when I read Ellen Hopkin's Impulse. That's not a compliment.

SPOILERS ABOUND
___

The Characters:

This More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 18, 2011

Sara rated it:

Plot: 3 Stars
After reading Hunger, the first novel in this series, I was excited to see what Jackie Morse Kessler would do with Rage. I knew I wanted to read it when I found out it would deal with another tough subject, self-injury, because I would be able to draw on my own experiences while reading. I really connected with Missy and felt what she was going through while I was reading the novel. One part of the novel I didn't completely understand though, was how everyone was so cruel to M More...

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Jun 11, 2011

Kate rated it:

Rage, the second in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series, was almost too much for me to take. No, it is not poorly written. No, it is not boring. What it is is pure emotion. A teen who cuts herself to deal with emotional pain... only to become a vessel of war.

First off, growing up, my best friend was a cutter. For years, I would watch her come to school with long sleeve shirts or jackets, even if it was 90 degrees outside, just to cover the marks. It was a very hard time for me. Wat More...

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Jun 02, 2011

Rosalia rated it:

Missy is a self injurer and whenever things are too much to handle she cuts herself with a razor. One night after a terrible party where she is exposed to the entire school and Missy cuts too deeply. In comes Death offering her the job of War the red horsemen of the Apocalypse. Missy takes the job and finds herself in an internal battle with the spirit of War and with herself.

At times Missy was very difficult to relate to. Understanding the impulse to injure yourself as a way of More...

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Apr 12, 2011

Beverly rated it:

My thoughts:
This story is powerful, compelling, and terrifying. From the first sentence which is shocking to the end - where I found myself in tears - I couldn't put this one down! This is a tale of sorrow and sadness, suffering, struggle and pain. It is also a story of acceptance and triumph, forgiveness, love, and the power of belief in yourself.

Again, as with the first book, I am impressed. The story is well written. The topic is tragic, compelling, and way too real More...

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Apr 05, 2011

Karen rated it:

RAGE by Jackie Morse Kessler
“Sixteen-year-old self-injurer Melissa Miller exchanges her razor blade for
the sword of War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse”
“Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.
That’s why she was chosen to become one o More...

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Mar 22, 2011

Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it:

After reading the last book, and how the current "War" acted I was pretty sure this book would be about a completely hate filled character whose only goal in life was to cause misery in others. Well, I was completely wrong. While Missy does hold some animosity towards others, most of her hate is directed towards herself. I don't think I've ever met or read about someone with such terrible self-loathing. As in the previous book, this one is a journey and a battle to conquer and over com More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 21, 2011

Laurie rated it:

What really struck me with Kessler's first book, Hunger (Horsemen of the Apocalypse series), was the ingenuity of her storyline. The author gave the lore of the Apocalypse a spooky, supernatural twist and singled out one rider (Famine) by pairing this role with a teenage girl suffering from the very serious issue of anorexia. The result was a fast, thought provoking and tense read. Despite the short length, the story came alive for me by Kessler's vivid writing. What could have easily been a d More...

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Feb 20, 2011

Chrystal rated it:

I had already really enjoyed Hunger, the first book in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse Series, so I figured I would enjoy this one too. Little did I know that it would be so much more passionate. Rage, is the story of a 16-year-old girl who has bottled up all of her emotions for so long that cuts herself to feel better instead of dealing with the pain and hurt that has happened in her life.

Death, who is completely charming yet again (he is my favourite character in the series - he brin More...

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Feb 16, 2011

Skye rated it:

This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

Rage is the second book in Jackie Morse Kessler's Horsemen Of The Apocalypse series, the first book being Hunger, which I admittedly read after Rage, but since the books have different protagonists, there were no spoilers.

Initially, I couldn't really feel for Missy. I didn't see what had happened to her prior to the beginning of the novel that was so bad she would take up self-harm. Traumatic things happen during the bo More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 29, 2010

Karissa rated it:

This is the second book in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series by Kessler. I got an advanced reading copy of this book through netgalley. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Hunger. This book was a good addition to the series. I really enjoy how Kessler ties the mythos behind the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse into teen social disorders. You don't need to read Hunger to read this book; it features a separate story and different characters.

Missy is a cutter; she cuts More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Oct 28, 2010

Chibineko rated it:

If you've read Kessler's first book Hunger, you know how well she is at packing quite a bit of story in such a small amount of pages. If you haven't then you really should give her a try- her books really are incredible.

When Missy isn't feeling good about herself, there's one thing she can count on to make it all go away. It lives in a little white box in her closet & it is always there & never lets her down, unlike some of the people around her. Her sister treats her like an embaras More...

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Oct 18, 2010

Cyna rated it:

So I gotta admit, anticipation of this book (an ARC, btw) was another wash for me. I enjoyed Hunger, and was eagerly looking forward to some expansion on its world and characters, but wasn't sure I could sympathize with a heroine who cuts. Even more than anorexia, cutting was something I did not understand, but I thought perhaps Rage could do for cutting what Hunger had done for anorexia to me, and plus, there would be more development of the Horsemen, and that interesting take on Death, since h More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 25, 2011

Music_lover3 rated it:

(Note: this review might contain spoilers.) So I read this article about how young adult books nowadays were "too dark" and that they were destorying young minds and blah blah blah (her article was utter bull and I think the person who wrote this article was off her rocker). The writer (journalist?) of the article mentioned this book among others, and when I saw it at the library, I grabbed it just to see what all the fuss was about. I didn't really expect much, but I was pleasantly su More...

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Mar 02, 2011

Chelsea rated it:

Missy Miller is one of those girls you see walk down the hallways at school dressed in all black with goth makeup and a scowl on her face. Beneath all that, however, lies a sensitive girl with real feelings. There are the emotions surrounding her ex-boyfriend Adam, and the struggle to keep from cutting herself with a razor just to watch herself bleed. Oh yeah, there's also the small fact that Death came to visit and wants Missy to be the next War Horseman of the Apocalypse. In one whirlwind week More...

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