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John Cleaver #3
I Don't Want to Kill You
Dan Wells introduced us to John Wayne Cleaver in the chilling novels I Am Not a Serial Killer and Mr. Monster. In I Don't Want to Kill You, Cleaver faces his toughest challenge yet.John Wayne Cleaver has called a demon---literally called it on the phone---and challenged it to a fight. He's faced two monsters already, barely escaping with his life, and now he's done running; he's taking the fight to them. As he wades through the town's darkest secrets, searching for any sign of who the demon might be, one thing becomes all too in a game of cat and mouse with a supernatural killer, you are always the mouse.In I Am Not a Serial Killer we watched a budding sociopath break every rule he had to save his town from evil. In Mr. Monster we held our breath as he fought madly with himself, struggling to stay in control. Now John Wayne Cleaver has mastered his twisted talents and embraced his role as a killer of killers. I Don't Want to Kill You brings his story to a thundering climax of suspicion, mayhem, and death.It's time to punish the guilty.And in a town full of secrets, everyone is guilty of something.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2011
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7124 people want to read
About the author
Dan Wells
90 books6,044 followersDan Wells is a thriller and science fiction writer. Born in Utah, he spent his early years reading and writing. He is he author of the Partials series (Partials, Isolation, Fragments, and Ruins), the John Cleaver series (I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and I Don't Want To Kill You), and a few others (The Hollow City, A Night of Blacker Darkness, etc). He was a Campbell nomine for best new writer, and has won a Hugo award for his work on the podcast Writing Excuses; the podcast is also a multiple winner of the Parsec Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,315 reviews
December 2, 2025
"A corpse is actually the perfect friend. The perfect pet. I feel more comfortable with them than I do with real people."Classic John Wayne Cleaver.
John is your typical teenager, with the added bonus of psychopathic tendencies, an extremely rigid moral code and a wonderful family support system. He knows that he wants to become a serial killer but he absolutely refuses to give in and his mom is right there to back him up. I adore their mother-son dynamic:
Like the previous two novels, John's morals will be tested when a new demon comes to town. John made the mistake of challenging the latest one and now a rash of suicides is sweeping the town. But how can he manage against such an insubstantial creature? Every demon hunt leads him closer to unleash his own inner-demon - something that John is desperately trying to avoid.
"No, Mom," I said. "No pictures."
"But you're friend's here now," she said, waving us together. "Smile!"
Off-beat, quirky and fun. Great book, great series.
I love this kid!!
“It may surprise you to know this, but there are children--some of them teenage boys, just like you--who actually carry on open, honest conversations with their mothers."
"I find it very hard to believe that there are other teenage boys just like me." I finished my cereal and stood up. "I also find it a little terrifying.”
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April 26, 2011
I got so into this book that I burned off a chunk of my hair trying to read and use the blowdryer at the same time. I might take the chunk and mail it to Dan . . .
Because Dan is amazing. His brain just doesn't work like mine does. It's not that the whole serial killer thing worries me . . . if you ask around, you will probably find quite a few of your friends know random facts about serial killers, or Jack the Ripper, or true crimes. Who cares about that? What amazes me about Dan Wells is the intricacy of his plotting, and realness of his characters. John Cleaver does not think like a normal human being, there is definitely something wrong with his brain, yet I care about him. Every interaction he has, with his mother or sister or aunt or neighbor, is fraught with tension because you don't know how John will react or how the other person will react to him. My heart just went out to him in this book as he really tried to have a normal relationship- AND IT WORKED! From the beginning of the first book I have thought that John's rules and his mother's overreaction to his condition have made them both forget how a normal teenager should act. Teenage boys joke about death, and violence, and girls, and all sorts of things that John and his mother have decided are taboo. I've been wondering if Dan would address that, and lo and behold, he did. He addressed quite a few things in this book, really, and ended John's story very well.
And by "very well" I mean that I jumped up and shouted, "HELL YES!" and actually pumped my arm in the air like a football fan. Of course, this was after sending Dan several emails telling what page I was on and basically trying to figure out how much more horrible this book would get before it ended. (Page 263 is quite, quite awful.)
But not gory-awful, I hasten to add. Each of these three books has been very different. I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER was sort of: check it out, we've got a potential kid serial killer and demons! Look at the crazy! MR. MONSTER was more straight-up, SAW style horror. And I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU was very emotional, very psychological. What if you knew a demon was coming after you? What will it look like? What are you going to do about it? All wrapped up in the question of, at its most basic, How disturbed is John? Will he ever have a normal life?
It's fascinating stuff here, handled extremely well. Five stars all around and two thumbs way up. Just make sure you clear a good block of time to read it, because once you start there's no point in doing anything else until you're done. And if you don't believe me, I can send you an envelope full of hair . . .
Because Dan is amazing. His brain just doesn't work like mine does. It's not that the whole serial killer thing worries me . . . if you ask around, you will probably find quite a few of your friends know random facts about serial killers, or Jack the Ripper, or true crimes. Who cares about that? What amazes me about Dan Wells is the intricacy of his plotting, and realness of his characters. John Cleaver does not think like a normal human being, there is definitely something wrong with his brain, yet I care about him. Every interaction he has, with his mother or sister or aunt or neighbor, is fraught with tension because you don't know how John will react or how the other person will react to him. My heart just went out to him in this book as he really tried to have a normal relationship- AND IT WORKED! From the beginning of the first book I have thought that John's rules and his mother's overreaction to his condition have made them both forget how a normal teenager should act. Teenage boys joke about death, and violence, and girls, and all sorts of things that John and his mother have decided are taboo. I've been wondering if Dan would address that, and lo and behold, he did. He addressed quite a few things in this book, really, and ended John's story very well.
And by "very well" I mean that I jumped up and shouted, "HELL YES!" and actually pumped my arm in the air like a football fan. Of course, this was after sending Dan several emails telling what page I was on and basically trying to figure out how much more horrible this book would get before it ended. (Page 263 is quite, quite awful.)
But not gory-awful, I hasten to add. Each of these three books has been very different. I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER was sort of: check it out, we've got a potential kid serial killer and demons! Look at the crazy! MR. MONSTER was more straight-up, SAW style horror. And I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU was very emotional, very psychological. What if you knew a demon was coming after you? What will it look like? What are you going to do about it? All wrapped up in the question of, at its most basic, How disturbed is John? Will he ever have a normal life?
It's fascinating stuff here, handled extremely well. Five stars all around and two thumbs way up. Just make sure you clear a good block of time to read it, because once you start there's no point in doing anything else until you're done. And if you don't believe me, I can send you an envelope full of hair . . .
August 23, 2017
Por alguna razón pasó casi un año desde que lo compré para que decidiera leerlo.
El motivo: me daba miedo como iba a terminar la saga, al menos la primera parte, me gustaría decir que estuve en un error, pero no.
En efecto fue lo que muy en el fondo esperaba: A pesar de que la saga es juvenil, yo no le vi muchos elementos de este tipo de literatura lo cual me sorprendió y me encantó. Pero este libro nos demuestra porque pertenece a este grupo. Bastante decepcionante, digo es normal es un muchacho y pues... sí.
Final espantoso para una saga que me gustaba mucho, cero intención de comprar la otra trilogía con las nuevas aventuras de John, hay que saber cuando terminar y dejar ir al personaje, por que los que siguen son ridículos e ilógicos si los comparas con los primeros.
El motivo: me daba miedo como iba a terminar la saga, al menos la primera parte, me gustaría decir que estuve en un error, pero no.
En efecto fue lo que muy en el fondo esperaba: A pesar de que la saga es juvenil, yo no le vi muchos elementos de este tipo de literatura lo cual me sorprendió y me encantó. Pero este libro nos demuestra porque pertenece a este grupo. Bastante decepcionante, digo es normal es un muchacho y pues... sí.
Final espantoso para una saga que me gustaba mucho, cero intención de comprar la otra trilogía con las nuevas aventuras de John, hay que saber cuando terminar y dejar ir al personaje, por que los que siguen son ridículos e ilógicos si los comparas con los primeros.
January 9, 2020
El final me rompió en pedazos.
VIDEO RESEÑA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apQ3M...
VIDEO RESEÑA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apQ3M...
June 5, 2022
4,5⭐️
La historia continúa alrededor de un mes después de los sucesos que ocurrieron al final de la segunda entrega.
Seguimos viendo como evoluciona nuestro protagonista, John Cleaver; centrándose en el periodo de la adolescencia, en donde John comienza a relacionarse con algunas compañeras de colegio, descubriendo que es capaz de interesarse, preocuparse e incluso querer a otra persona (ya que como parte de su diagnóstico el veía a las demás personas como objetos). Por lo que nuestro protagonista pasa por la desilusión amorosa con Broke a un insipiente romance con Marci.
Sin embargo, en las últimas 100 páginas comienzan a revelarse todos los misterios relacionados con los numerosos asesinatos; estas últimas páginas estan llenas de acción y lo que sucede en el final es francamente impensado. No recordaba haber sufrido tanto en el final, especialmente, cuando se da cuenta de todo lo que ha perdido y de como estos sucesos le afectan. El diálogo final que mantiene con su “novia” es demasiado nostálgico.
La historia continúa alrededor de un mes después de los sucesos que ocurrieron al final de la segunda entrega.
Seguimos viendo como evoluciona nuestro protagonista, John Cleaver; centrándose en el periodo de la adolescencia, en donde John comienza a relacionarse con algunas compañeras de colegio, descubriendo que es capaz de interesarse, preocuparse e incluso querer a otra persona (ya que como parte de su diagnóstico el veía a las demás personas como objetos). Por lo que nuestro protagonista pasa por la desilusión amorosa con Broke a un insipiente romance con Marci.
Sin embargo, en las últimas 100 páginas comienzan a revelarse todos los misterios relacionados con los numerosos asesinatos; estas últimas páginas estan llenas de acción y lo que sucede en el final es francamente impensado. No recordaba haber sufrido tanto en el final, especialmente, cuando se da cuenta de todo lo que ha perdido y de como estos sucesos le afectan. El diálogo final que mantiene con su “novia” es demasiado nostálgico.
November 9, 2016
Debo decir que esta saga cada día me gusta más y que amo a Jhon Cleaver, se que es un sociopata y es creapy pero me gusta mucho y en este libro todavía más ya que vemos una parte de el que en los demás libros no se había tocado y que al menos yo creía que no podría pasar, desde que leí los primeros dos libros tenia muchísimas ganas de que saliera el tercero (son 6) y cuando salio me apresure para pedírselo a la editorial y no me equivoque al pedirlo ya que amo muchísimo esta historia.
Como en los demás libros en esta historia también Jhon esta buscando que es la causa de las nuevas muertes en Cleyton y se da a la tarea de buscar que es lo que esta pasando y mientras tanto igual trabaja en la funeraria para ver los cuerpos y poder encontrar alguna pista, pero en esta ocasión Jhon no esta solo ya que recibe la ayuda de alguien muy especial, que debo decir es capaz de cambiarlo y mostrar una parte de el que no se había visto en los otros libros, debo decir que dado a su condición de sociopata nunca creí que la historia pudiera tomar un rumbo de este estilo (diré romance para crear Hype) jajaja, creo que me gusta el Hype cuando ya leí el libro, pero como iba diciendo aquí creo que la historia toma un rumbo diferente, ya que como digo la vida de Jhon da un cambio de 360° es muy drastico todo lo que vive y todo lo que sucede, por primera vez no adivine quien era el que causaba las muertes, en los otros libros fue fácil pero en este como que la historia se torna un poco más complicada y se dan muchos prospectos pero en un Plot Twist impresionante el libro nos da a entender que no es lo que se pensaba, por otro lado sigo pensando que el segundo es el que me da miedo y es más oscuro, este estuvo muy ligero en cuanto al miedo e hizo que me enamorara de Jhon Cleaver, espero que V&R siga sacando los demás libros por que si quiero saber que es lo que sigue pasando con esta extraordinaria historia, que es muy dinámica y que te hace no querer dejar de leer ni por un segundo y por lo que vi Jhon se va volviendo todo un experto para poder descifrar estas muertes, con decirles que no solo yo termine enamorada de Jhon.....
El escritor es genial, hasta me dan ganas de seguir leyendo sus libros, por que hasta ahora veo que son muy buenos, dinámicos, entretenidos y hacen que emociones con cada cosa que pasa, por que me volvió a poner al filo del asiento para ver si en algún momento se descubría todo lo que sucedía en la historia, no lo duden Dreamers deben leerlo es una saga que me gusta mucho y que hizo que este genero del Thriller Juvenil me gustara mucho, descubrí con estos libros que salirme de mi zona de confort a veces vale la pena.
Reseña completa en: http://calderoliterario7.blogspot.mx
Como en los demás libros en esta historia también Jhon esta buscando que es la causa de las nuevas muertes en Cleyton y se da a la tarea de buscar que es lo que esta pasando y mientras tanto igual trabaja en la funeraria para ver los cuerpos y poder encontrar alguna pista, pero en esta ocasión Jhon no esta solo ya que recibe la ayuda de alguien muy especial, que debo decir es capaz de cambiarlo y mostrar una parte de el que no se había visto en los otros libros, debo decir que dado a su condición de sociopata nunca creí que la historia pudiera tomar un rumbo de este estilo (diré romance para crear Hype) jajaja, creo que me gusta el Hype cuando ya leí el libro, pero como iba diciendo aquí creo que la historia toma un rumbo diferente, ya que como digo la vida de Jhon da un cambio de 360° es muy drastico todo lo que vive y todo lo que sucede, por primera vez no adivine quien era el que causaba las muertes, en los otros libros fue fácil pero en este como que la historia se torna un poco más complicada y se dan muchos prospectos pero en un Plot Twist impresionante el libro nos da a entender que no es lo que se pensaba, por otro lado sigo pensando que el segundo es el que me da miedo y es más oscuro, este estuvo muy ligero en cuanto al miedo e hizo que me enamorara de Jhon Cleaver, espero que V&R siga sacando los demás libros por que si quiero saber que es lo que sigue pasando con esta extraordinaria historia, que es muy dinámica y que te hace no querer dejar de leer ni por un segundo y por lo que vi Jhon se va volviendo todo un experto para poder descifrar estas muertes, con decirles que no solo yo termine enamorada de Jhon.....
El escritor es genial, hasta me dan ganas de seguir leyendo sus libros, por que hasta ahora veo que son muy buenos, dinámicos, entretenidos y hacen que emociones con cada cosa que pasa, por que me volvió a poner al filo del asiento para ver si en algún momento se descubría todo lo que sucedía en la historia, no lo duden Dreamers deben leerlo es una saga que me gusta mucho y que hizo que este genero del Thriller Juvenil me gustara mucho, descubrí con estos libros que salirme de mi zona de confort a veces vale la pena.
Reseña completa en: http://calderoliterario7.blogspot.mx
April 30, 2011
I just finished the John Wayne Cleaver trilogy by Dan Wells and here is my ratings for each novel:
I An Not a Serial Killer: Four stars
Mr. Monster: Four and a half stars.
I Don't Want to Kill You: Five stars.
I listed my rating because this is what I think a trilogy should do. It should build on each book making the next one even better. You should never get the feeling that the author is just trying to finish it up or complete for the pay check. Dan Wells appears totally invested in each work. In fact, the character of John Wayne Cleaver becomes quite complex and the reader is totally involved in how he tries to resolve his sociopathic dilemma. I would call this third installment a perfect example of how to end a trilogy. The author did leave room for possible sequels. That is okay, in fact it is welcomed, but this trilogy is perfect the way it is.
I would like to know from others what they think of the Young Adult label for this series. When I read the first book, I had no idea it was promoted as YA. Except for the fact that the protagonist is 15 years old, it is quite gruesome and touches on, if oh so carefully, some pretty heady topics. Would you want your 13 year old to read this? When I was 13 years old I would have devoured something like this but I was considered a pretty weird 13 year old. Things have changed, haven't they?
I An Not a Serial Killer: Four stars
Mr. Monster: Four and a half stars.
I Don't Want to Kill You: Five stars.
I listed my rating because this is what I think a trilogy should do. It should build on each book making the next one even better. You should never get the feeling that the author is just trying to finish it up or complete for the pay check. Dan Wells appears totally invested in each work. In fact, the character of John Wayne Cleaver becomes quite complex and the reader is totally involved in how he tries to resolve his sociopathic dilemma. I would call this third installment a perfect example of how to end a trilogy. The author did leave room for possible sequels. That is okay, in fact it is welcomed, but this trilogy is perfect the way it is.
I would like to know from others what they think of the Young Adult label for this series. When I read the first book, I had no idea it was promoted as YA. Except for the fact that the protagonist is 15 years old, it is quite gruesome and touches on, if oh so carefully, some pretty heady topics. Would you want your 13 year old to read this? When I was 13 years old I would have devoured something like this but I was considered a pretty weird 13 year old. Things have changed, haven't they?
January 18, 2023
Lo mejor de este libro es que nunca baja el ritmo. Creo que por eso me gusta tanto esta serie, además de por el personaje principal y su parte paranormal (a pesar de que una parte de sus lectores digan que estropea el libro). Si el primer libro trae a la memoria la famosa serie de Dexter, el segundo y tercero, me recuerda inevitablemente a Supernatural. Evidentemente el perfil de John no tiene nada que ver con los protagonistas de esa serie, pero en el hecho de cazar demonios se le asemeja.
Este tercer libro continúa con la segunda parte, pero con otro caso diferente. Sinceramente no puedo quejarme. La trama está bien llevada y el ritmo no baja. Sí es cierto que no me esperaba ese final en absoluto; me ha pillado por sorpresa. Sin embargo, la causa-efecto de ese final va a ser sin duda algo que defina mejor (y también de forma distinta) al personaje en el futuro. Espero que evolucione, por supuesto, pero que no cambie su esencia.
Y como ya he dicho cientos de veces: me encanta esta serie. Ahora a por el cuarto. Me siento feliz por ello, y triste al mismo tiempo, ya que poco a poco me voy acercando al último libro.
Este tercer libro continúa con la segunda parte, pero con otro caso diferente. Sinceramente no puedo quejarme. La trama está bien llevada y el ritmo no baja. Sí es cierto que no me esperaba ese final en absoluto; me ha pillado por sorpresa. Sin embargo, la causa-efecto de ese final va a ser sin duda algo que defina mejor (y también de forma distinta) al personaje en el futuro. Espero que evolucione, por supuesto, pero que no cambie su esencia.
Y como ya he dicho cientos de veces: me encanta esta serie. Ahora a por el cuarto. Me siento feliz por ello, y triste al mismo tiempo, ya que poco a poco me voy acercando al último libro.
April 3, 2024
Book three yet again has John hunting for a serial killer and demons. I don't think it would be a John Cleaver book without those elements at this point. Never less it was just as good as the previous two books. I liked that the "suicide" actually got him to feel something towards the dead, that shows some growth. The fact that he has a girlfriend that's into all the demon stuff he's gotten wrapped up in is an interesting twist. I wonder how long that will last. Mom's death seemed very underplayed. What's supposed to happen now that she's gone? I will be reading the next book of the series as this has me hooked.
Would recommend.
Would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2020
CW: Gruesome murder scenes.
Well this one got incredibly dark! I'm scared to see how much more twisted this series can get!
Well this one got incredibly dark! I'm scared to see how much more twisted this series can get!
![Profile Image for [Name Redacted].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1347082397i%2F287915._UY200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 1, 2017
First Read: ? - Sept. 3, 2012
Second Read: Sept. 10th, 2015 - Sept. 12th, 2015
Third Read: Oct. 30th - 31st, 2017
I don't even know how to process my reaction to this book. Wells kicks things up a notch for the (apparent) finale* of his "John Cleaver" series, but much of this book is actually dedicated to John's relationships to and with other people -- more than ever, John is forced to confront who and what he is and how others see him. It's incredible, it's gripping, and it's horrifying. And the final revelation of who and what "Nobody" is... It sort of blew my mind, but should have been obvious to me all along. Well done!
*He has since released an interstitial novella (awesome) and a new book in the series!
Second Read: Sept. 10th, 2015 - Sept. 12th, 2015
Third Read: Oct. 30th - 31st, 2017
I don't even know how to process my reaction to this book. Wells kicks things up a notch for the (apparent) finale* of his "John Cleaver" series, but much of this book is actually dedicated to John's relationships to and with other people -- more than ever, John is forced to confront who and what he is and how others see him. It's incredible, it's gripping, and it's horrifying. And the final revelation of who and what "Nobody" is... It sort of blew my mind, but should have been obvious to me all along. Well done!
*He has since released an interstitial novella (awesome) and a new book in the series!
April 3, 2011
This book didn't scare me, which confuses me because it seems like it did many others, but it thrilled me, moved me, inspired me.
First, his characters: in addition to John Wayne Cleaver, who's a pretty unique fellow in and of himself, Wells creates amazing characters. He doesn't take shortcuts or rely on tropes and stereotypes. The voluptuous most popular girl at school? Guess what--she's not an empty-headed bimbo. She's smart, reflective, even wise. Wayne's mother is neither the denial-ridden, emotionally absent parent nor the uber-controlling fix-it freak. She's just a mom who loves her kid and who's going to insist on loving him even though he's a sociopath. Brooke isn't the adoring rescuee--she's the teenage girl who's freaked out because she was held hostage and had a knife at her throat.
Next, plot. Most of the time, I guess books' endings and I'm either right or disappointed because the ending I guessed was better than the ending the author used. This almost always happens when I know in advance that it's a "didn't see THAT coming ending." But in this case, I truly didn't see that coming and what came was way better than what I expected. And wells executes something else (which I can't elaborate on without spoiling the book) that SHOULD feel forced but doesn't because he brings it about so subtly. Excellent stuff.
Finally, feel. I don't know why, but this series feels intimate. Maybe it's because you're inside the head of an completely candid serial killer. Maybe it's because the characters are so real. Whatever the reason, you feel like you need to own this book because you just can't let Cleaver go.
I should add that this book got the MIL award: my mother-in-law borrowed my copy and then called to ask if she could lend it to her friend. Score!
First, his characters: in addition to John Wayne Cleaver, who's a pretty unique fellow in and of himself, Wells creates amazing characters. He doesn't take shortcuts or rely on tropes and stereotypes. The voluptuous most popular girl at school? Guess what--she's not an empty-headed bimbo. She's smart, reflective, even wise. Wayne's mother is neither the denial-ridden, emotionally absent parent nor the uber-controlling fix-it freak. She's just a mom who loves her kid and who's going to insist on loving him even though he's a sociopath. Brooke isn't the adoring rescuee--she's the teenage girl who's freaked out because she was held hostage and had a knife at her throat.
Next, plot. Most of the time, I guess books' endings and I'm either right or disappointed because the ending I guessed was better than the ending the author used. This almost always happens when I know in advance that it's a "didn't see THAT coming ending." But in this case, I truly didn't see that coming and what came was way better than what I expected. And wells executes something else (which I can't elaborate on without spoiling the book) that SHOULD feel forced but doesn't because he brings it about so subtly. Excellent stuff.
Finally, feel. I don't know why, but this series feels intimate. Maybe it's because you're inside the head of an completely candid serial killer. Maybe it's because the characters are so real. Whatever the reason, you feel like you need to own this book because you just can't let Cleaver go.
I should add that this book got the MIL award: my mother-in-law borrowed my copy and then called to ask if she could lend it to her friend. Score!
December 19, 2017
Me ha gustado bastante. Los dos primeros libros de esta saga (?) me gustaron pero no me llegaron a convencer del todo. Este me ha gustado más y me da mucha pena que los demás libros de esta saga no estén traducidos al español (por lo menos yo no los he encontrado.
Sé que esta historia no me convencía antes ya que el protagonista no me llegaba a gustar. En esta novela me ha gustado mucho más. He llegado a entender más su forma de comportarse, aunque es verdad que no me gustaba como trataba a ciertas personas.
Tampoco me convencía que hubiera cosas sobrenaturales, pero me he llegado a acostumbrar y realmente no lo veo del todo mal.
En este libro me ha parecido que los policías eran un poco inútiles. Las cosas que averiguan Marci y John (que tienen 16 años), supongo que también las puede adivinar un adulto competente xD. Tampoco me ha convencido la "suerte" que tiene John a la hora de averiguar las cosas/encontrar a los asesinos.
No me esperaba para nada el final y me ha gustado muchísimo. Además todo queda bien cerrado, aunque se da a entender que la historia seguirá continuando.
En general, creo que estos tres libros han estado bastante bien, aunque si el protagonista hubiera sido un poco mayor y maduro, todo hubiera sido un poco más creíble.
Espero que algún día traduzcan los demás libros de esta saga, ya que me gustaría saber qué es lo que termina pasando (SPOILERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS: y espero que Brooke y John terminen juntos, los shippeo demasiado).
Le voy a dar 4 estrellas porque me ha gustado bastante, pero no creo que llegue a ser perfecto, ya que tiene algunas situaciones absurdas y hay muchas "casualidades".
Sé que esta historia no me convencía antes ya que el protagonista no me llegaba a gustar. En esta novela me ha gustado mucho más. He llegado a entender más su forma de comportarse, aunque es verdad que no me gustaba como trataba a ciertas personas.
Tampoco me convencía que hubiera cosas sobrenaturales, pero me he llegado a acostumbrar y realmente no lo veo del todo mal.
En este libro me ha parecido que los policías eran un poco inútiles. Las cosas que averiguan Marci y John (que tienen 16 años), supongo que también las puede adivinar un adulto competente xD. Tampoco me ha convencido la "suerte" que tiene John a la hora de averiguar las cosas/encontrar a los asesinos.
No me esperaba para nada el final y me ha gustado muchísimo. Además todo queda bien cerrado, aunque se da a entender que la historia seguirá continuando.
En general, creo que estos tres libros han estado bastante bien, aunque si el protagonista hubiera sido un poco mayor y maduro, todo hubiera sido un poco más creíble.
Espero que algún día traduzcan los demás libros de esta saga, ya que me gustaría saber qué es lo que termina pasando (SPOILERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS: y espero que Brooke y John terminen juntos, los shippeo demasiado).
Le voy a dar 4 estrellas porque me ha gustado bastante, pero no creo que llegue a ser perfecto, ya que tiene algunas situaciones absurdas y hay muchas "casualidades".
August 22, 2021
Un libro lleno de misterio, suspenso, terror y por supuesto el toque sobrenatural que envuelve esta serie de libros.
Tercer libro de la saga John Cleaver, hemos visto en los anteriores las dificultades que ha tenido el protagonista y como está en esa difícil edad dónde va cambiando, pero a la vez ya tenía una idea muy firme sobre lo que era y en qué no quería convertirse, en este libro vemos como puede afectar a John todas estas situaciones que a vivido, como se va poniendo más y más paranoico (aunque he de admitir que yo también veía monstruos en todos lados tratando de averiguar quién era en realidad el villano) se muestra que los humanos pueden ser tan crueles y horribles como los demonios y llega a un final complicado, que en lo personal a mí me dió tristeza y pena.
Lo recomiendo muchísimo
Tercer libro de la saga John Cleaver, hemos visto en los anteriores las dificultades que ha tenido el protagonista y como está en esa difícil edad dónde va cambiando, pero a la vez ya tenía una idea muy firme sobre lo que era y en qué no quería convertirse, en este libro vemos como puede afectar a John todas estas situaciones que a vivido, como se va poniendo más y más paranoico (aunque he de admitir que yo también veía monstruos en todos lados tratando de averiguar quién era en realidad el villano) se muestra que los humanos pueden ser tan crueles y horribles como los demonios y llega a un final complicado, que en lo personal a mí me dió tristeza y pena.
Lo recomiendo muchísimo
November 4, 2024
This wasn't a perfect novel, but, by now, I'm emotionally involved (only those who have read this series will get my ironic joke).
The story is initially really slow. The mortician details are still painstakingly boring and for a dude who claims to have no feelings, he sure does internalize alot.
These were pretty much the only bad things. Now for the good stuff:
1. The character growth of John Cleaver is spectacular. He is not only accepting his differences but also weaponizing them towards the achievement of his goals.
2. He certainly is a true hero, despite facing his own demons on a daily basis, he has a moral compass, which never goes overboard or becomes annoying.
3. The whole antihero vibe really works and I can't wait to start the next trilogy in the series.
The story is initially really slow. The mortician details are still painstakingly boring and for a dude who claims to have no feelings, he sure does internalize alot.
These were pretty much the only bad things. Now for the good stuff:
1. The character growth of John Cleaver is spectacular. He is not only accepting his differences but also weaponizing them towards the achievement of his goals.
2. He certainly is a true hero, despite facing his own demons on a daily basis, he has a moral compass, which never goes overboard or becomes annoying.
3. The whole antihero vibe really works and I can't wait to start the next trilogy in the series.
August 20, 2011
I’m a little sad to think the John Cleaver series is now over. I was really enjoying the socially awkward teenage sociopath and his struggle through high school. While the supernatural twist was a good one, I really wanted to know more about John and his struggle with others and teenage urges. I wonder if there are more books like this.
March 23, 2015
This is the third installment in the story of our intrepid sociopathic monster hunter/killer.
John has a trying life, as do those who care for him...or find themselves in their vicinity. For the first two books I fond these books very interesting. Here we got very involved in John trying to function in a world that he just doesn't get without seeming too weird, dangerous...frightening. After a while here I burned out on John's frustration. The story simply bogged down a bit in the middle. We've traveled this road with John but after a while the same well worn path gets, well very well worn.
It does pull itself back together and advance the plot line a bit. It also adds another aspect to the picture we're already building of John's world and his place in it.
So, I'll probably continue to follow the series. The idea of John being a sociopath seemed a pretty good hook in the beginning but if the story continues to go the way it is I'm not sure how much of a plus it will be. We're dealing with that problem but not advancing it. Possibly just my thoughts on things however. Still a good read. Enjoy.
John has a trying life, as do those who care for him...or find themselves in their vicinity. For the first two books I fond these books very interesting. Here we got very involved in John trying to function in a world that he just doesn't get without seeming too weird, dangerous...frightening. After a while here I burned out on John's frustration. The story simply bogged down a bit in the middle. We've traveled this road with John but after a while the same well worn path gets, well very well worn.
It does pull itself back together and advance the plot line a bit. It also adds another aspect to the picture we're already building of John's world and his place in it.
So, I'll probably continue to follow the series. The idea of John being a sociopath seemed a pretty good hook in the beginning but if the story continues to go the way it is I'm not sure how much of a plus it will be. We're dealing with that problem but not advancing it. Possibly just my thoughts on things however. Still a good read. Enjoy.
May 7, 2019
I AM SO OBSSESSED WITH THIS SERIES! I highly recommend it. If you are looking for something different than you normally read, if you like edgy, the supernatural, anti-heros (if I understand the term correctly), then you will like this.
John Wayne Cleaver is a teenager. John Wayne Cleaver is a sociopath. In I Don't Want to Kill You, John Wayne Cleaver learns what it means to love someone. And it was EPIC! I was NOT expecting this ending and am very sad it went the way it did.
There is so much to say about this story but to say too much will ruin it. John is on the hunt for yet another killer, what he believes to be a demon. But things are not what they seem, and John learns the truth almost too late. But John is super smart, and he does figure things out.
This killer is different than those who came before.
I can't wait to start the next book, but gah! I have soooooo many other books I am neglecting by being obsessed with this series. I seriously need to pace myself before I run out of books. Good news is I can re-listen to the entire series again. And I WILL be doing that. This is that kind of series for me.
5 BIG stars and if you decide not to read this series, you are missing out.
John Wayne Cleaver is a teenager. John Wayne Cleaver is a sociopath. In I Don't Want to Kill You, John Wayne Cleaver learns what it means to love someone. And it was EPIC! I was NOT expecting this ending and am very sad it went the way it did.
There is so much to say about this story but to say too much will ruin it. John is on the hunt for yet another killer, what he believes to be a demon. But things are not what they seem, and John learns the truth almost too late. But John is super smart, and he does figure things out.
This killer is different than those who came before.
I can't wait to start the next book, but gah! I have soooooo many other books I am neglecting by being obsessed with this series. I seriously need to pace myself before I run out of books. Good news is I can re-listen to the entire series again. And I WILL be doing that. This is that kind of series for me.
5 BIG stars and if you decide not to read this series, you are missing out.
October 26, 2013
3.5
For most of this book, it was easily a 4-star. It was engaging and entertaining, and I really liked the addition of Marci to the cast. She brought a spark, and it was interesting to see John start to make an actual connection with someone.
I was a bit frustrated with John now and again, in his hunt for the demons, because I'd cottoned on to a couple of things long before he did. I can write it off as his obsession making him a bit myopic, but I still wanted to reach through and shake him a few times.
Speaking of wanting to shake people - mom. One page she's saying she's gonna help him and his there for him, and the next scene she's blocking him again. WTF mom?
But, despite that, I was pretty into the story and them pages were a-turnin'.
But that ending. Ugh. The final battle seemed a bit anti-climactic, and the results of it sort of got glossed over. But, even more than that, the way things worked out in the end were just so pat. I mean, I like a happy ending as much as the next gal, and I'm not saying I wanted an unhappy ending, but there's a different between a happy ending and everything being tied up with pink swirly freaking bows.
I mean -
So, yeah...
It wasn't one of those ending which makes me hate the whole thing in retrospect or anything - it wasn't nearly that bad - but it did definitely drop this from a 4 to a 3 (the 1/2 staying in because the rest of the book was still pretty good).
It also may have "succeeded" in taking this off my re-read pile. But, who knows, that could always change down the line...
Bleh.
For most of this book, it was easily a 4-star. It was engaging and entertaining, and I really liked the addition of Marci to the cast. She brought a spark, and it was interesting to see John start to make an actual connection with someone.
I was a bit frustrated with John now and again, in his hunt for the demons, because I'd cottoned on to a couple of things long before he did. I can write it off as his obsession making him a bit myopic, but I still wanted to reach through and shake him a few times.
Speaking of wanting to shake people - mom. One page she's saying she's gonna help him and his there for him, and the next scene she's blocking him again. WTF mom?
But, despite that, I was pretty into the story and them pages were a-turnin'.
But that ending. Ugh. The final battle seemed a bit anti-climactic, and the results of it sort of got glossed over. But, even more than that, the way things worked out in the end were just so pat. I mean, I like a happy ending as much as the next gal, and I'm not saying I wanted an unhappy ending, but there's a different between a happy ending and everything being tied up with pink swirly freaking bows.
I mean -
So, yeah...
It wasn't one of those ending which makes me hate the whole thing in retrospect or anything - it wasn't nearly that bad - but it did definitely drop this from a 4 to a 3 (the 1/2 staying in because the rest of the book was still pretty good).
It also may have "succeeded" in taking this off my re-read pile. But, who knows, that could always change down the line...
Bleh.
April 23, 2021
Huh. For a sociopath, John’s a pretty popular guy… Too bad he doesn’t appreciate all that attention.
Loved this! The mystery was just as engrossing as those in the prequels, and that ending had me almost biting my nails.
Loved this! The mystery was just as engrossing as those in the prequels, and that ending had me almost biting my nails.
July 6, 2020
¡El mejor libro de la saga! Hay un avance enorme en los personajes y me agrado las sorpresas que el autor le dio a la trama ya que esperaba algo completamente diferente.
Estoy ansiosa por leer el cuarto libro.
Estoy ansiosa por leer el cuarto libro.
September 1, 2015
3.5 Stars
I have been waiting for 'I Don't Want To Kill You' for what feels like forever. I absolutely loved the first two 'John Cleaver' novels and just couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of the third and final book in this chilling trilogy. I cracked this baby open with great anticipation.
We meet John only a short time on from where 'Mr Monster' finished and there is another demon in town. This time it's after him. John has killed two of the demons friends and it wants revenge. John spends most of his time anticipating the demons' moves and analysing its motives. While John obsesses over this new demon, there a more murders which he thinks are linked to it, and he also notices there are far too many teenage suicides where he lives and wonder's why.
Unfortunately 'I Don't Want To Kill You' didn't quite meet my expectations. It may be because they were just too high. I was hoping for more internal struggle from John with regards to his desires to kill and his sociopathic tendances. Instead it felt he was just a young kid wanting to solve a murder. There really wasn't that much darkness or intensity, or the mention of John's 'rules' that were so prevalent in 'I Am Not A Serial Killer' and 'Mr Monster'.
I was to see John on the cuspe of finding out whether his serial killer compulsions were his truth or something he could resist. But John's development halted. I also felt that this time there was slightly too much repetition. With 'I Am Not A Serial Killer' the mention of all the activity which went on behind the scenes in his mother's morgue were gruesome, vivid, and gave a certain depth to John and his dark side. It suited his personality at that time. In this book, I felt it had already been done and we really didn't have to go there again. I understood what it meant to John to work there and handle dead bodies I didn't need to be reminded throughout this instalment.
Because of this, I didn't think that John's development as a person moved forward. John's relationships with girls also intensified, but it didn't really seem to bother him that much, even when it begins to get intimate with holding hands, hugging and kissing. The John in 'I Am Not A Serial Killer' and 'Mr Monster' would have been totally freaked out by this. If John was much older I may have seen this as character development, but because these books are all in the span of about a year it just didn't work for me.
VERDICT:
Despite my disappointment with some aspects of 'I Don't Want To Kill You' it is still a very good and engaging read in its own right, I just expected more from the last instalment of such a dark and thrilling series. I'm also not sure I'm particularly happy with the ending or think it was fitting for such a complex and dark character as John - I felt it was maybe a little bit predictable, and safe. However, I still enjoyed it and would recommend this series in a heartbeat, as overall it is utterly brilliant!
I have been waiting for 'I Don't Want To Kill You' for what feels like forever. I absolutely loved the first two 'John Cleaver' novels and just couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of the third and final book in this chilling trilogy. I cracked this baby open with great anticipation.
We meet John only a short time on from where 'Mr Monster' finished and there is another demon in town. This time it's after him. John has killed two of the demons friends and it wants revenge. John spends most of his time anticipating the demons' moves and analysing its motives. While John obsesses over this new demon, there a more murders which he thinks are linked to it, and he also notices there are far too many teenage suicides where he lives and wonder's why.
Unfortunately 'I Don't Want To Kill You' didn't quite meet my expectations. It may be because they were just too high. I was hoping for more internal struggle from John with regards to his desires to kill and his sociopathic tendances. Instead it felt he was just a young kid wanting to solve a murder. There really wasn't that much darkness or intensity, or the mention of John's 'rules' that were so prevalent in 'I Am Not A Serial Killer' and 'Mr Monster'.
I was to see John on the cuspe of finding out whether his serial killer compulsions were his truth or something he could resist. But John's development halted. I also felt that this time there was slightly too much repetition. With 'I Am Not A Serial Killer' the mention of all the activity which went on behind the scenes in his mother's morgue were gruesome, vivid, and gave a certain depth to John and his dark side. It suited his personality at that time. In this book, I felt it had already been done and we really didn't have to go there again. I understood what it meant to John to work there and handle dead bodies I didn't need to be reminded throughout this instalment.
Because of this, I didn't think that John's development as a person moved forward. John's relationships with girls also intensified, but it didn't really seem to bother him that much, even when it begins to get intimate with holding hands, hugging and kissing. The John in 'I Am Not A Serial Killer' and 'Mr Monster' would have been totally freaked out by this. If John was much older I may have seen this as character development, but because these books are all in the span of about a year it just didn't work for me.
VERDICT:
Despite my disappointment with some aspects of 'I Don't Want To Kill You' it is still a very good and engaging read in its own right, I just expected more from the last instalment of such a dark and thrilling series. I'm also not sure I'm particularly happy with the ending or think it was fitting for such a complex and dark character as John - I felt it was maybe a little bit predictable, and safe. However, I still enjoyed it and would recommend this series in a heartbeat, as overall it is utterly brilliant!
March 4, 2018
Die erste Hälfte zog sich etwas, dann bekommt Dan Wells beide Daumen hoch von mir für dieses heftige Ende! Ich kann nicht anders, als gleich den nächsten Band zur Hand zu nehmen.
May 9, 2021
Simplemente está tercera entrega me dejó en un estado de shock...
Yo no soy alguien a quien le atraigan las sagas, siempre he preferido más los libros autoconclusivos, creo que tienen que tener algo muy especial para que me atrapen y este es un claro ejemplo de eso. Está saga son de esos libros que no puedes, ni quieres parar de leer; siempre quieres seguir descubriendo el que va a pasar y descubrir si tus miles de hipótesis y teorías al respecto son acertadas.
En esta tercera entrega seguimos viendo ese crecimiento en el personaje principal, vemos cómo John va madurando y viviendo experiencias por las que todos pasamos en la adolescencia, y es esto un gran logro que le aplaudo a Dan Wells; el que te haga sentir y vivir esa etapa tan grandiosa y compleja que es la adolescencia y si a esto le sumamos que es un joven (con el que es imposible no sentir empatía, identificarte con él), que tiene que luchar por encajar y entender aspectos que son importantes en la vida, descifrar el funcionamiento de una sociedad a la que ve desde un punto de vista diferente, y aunado a todo lo que esto conlleva tiene que luchar con monstruos y demonios con los que tal vez se siente más identificado que con la misma sociedad en la que vive.
No puedo decir mucho para no entrar en spoilers, solo puedo decirles que esta tercera parte es la que más me ha llegado (al grado de que se me metió una basurita en el ojo), es a mi gusto de los tres primeros el más emotivo y desgarrador. Pero al igual que en el segundo libro, la primera mitad de este es un poco lento en cuestión a la acción, pero el autor se toma muy enserio la parte humana y emotiva de los personajes pues vemos cómo John vive experiencias que sin duda alguna te recordarán tu juventud, tus primeros amores o el primer beso, vemos cómo va cambiando su vida al ser visto como un héroe por ciertas personas y como esto le cambia la vida, vemos cómo sigue teniendo esos enfrentamientos con su madre porque como todo adolescente siente que nadie lo entiende, vemos cómo extraña o le hace falta su terapeuta para poder hablar de ciertas cosas, pero a su vez vemos cómo encuentra en Marci a una amiga que lo entiende más de lo que creé y como ella logra sacar a flote sentimientos o aspectos que el mismo John desconocía; vemos cómo llegado el final el autor no se tienta el corazón para hacer sufrir al personaje principal y lógicamente a uno como lector que en todo momento sentimos que vivimos lo mismo que el protagonista.
En esta tercera parte me gustó mucho el personaje de Marci, un personaje fresco, jovial, inteligente, divertido y empático, sin duda muy importante en la trama.
Me gustó también el papel que juega su madre de John siempre guiándolo y deseando lo mejor para él, haciendo de él un ser "más humano" (tanto ella como Marci) haciendo siempre su papel de madre, y entendemos como sus discusiones pasadas siempre han sido porque ella se preocupa mucho por sus hijos y que entiende a John más de lo que esté imagino.
Llegado la mitad del libro y descubriendo todo lo que John está viviendo; uno pensaría que el autor no quiso meter ese toque oscuro que lo caracterizo en las entregas anteriores, pero o sorpresa! este a mi parecer fue el más oscuro de los tres primeros, es el que más dolor te causa, con un final que te destroza...
🌟10/10🌟📚
Yo no soy alguien a quien le atraigan las sagas, siempre he preferido más los libros autoconclusivos, creo que tienen que tener algo muy especial para que me atrapen y este es un claro ejemplo de eso. Está saga son de esos libros que no puedes, ni quieres parar de leer; siempre quieres seguir descubriendo el que va a pasar y descubrir si tus miles de hipótesis y teorías al respecto son acertadas.
En esta tercera entrega seguimos viendo ese crecimiento en el personaje principal, vemos cómo John va madurando y viviendo experiencias por las que todos pasamos en la adolescencia, y es esto un gran logro que le aplaudo a Dan Wells; el que te haga sentir y vivir esa etapa tan grandiosa y compleja que es la adolescencia y si a esto le sumamos que es un joven (con el que es imposible no sentir empatía, identificarte con él), que tiene que luchar por encajar y entender aspectos que son importantes en la vida, descifrar el funcionamiento de una sociedad a la que ve desde un punto de vista diferente, y aunado a todo lo que esto conlleva tiene que luchar con monstruos y demonios con los que tal vez se siente más identificado que con la misma sociedad en la que vive.
No puedo decir mucho para no entrar en spoilers, solo puedo decirles que esta tercera parte es la que más me ha llegado (al grado de que se me metió una basurita en el ojo), es a mi gusto de los tres primeros el más emotivo y desgarrador. Pero al igual que en el segundo libro, la primera mitad de este es un poco lento en cuestión a la acción, pero el autor se toma muy enserio la parte humana y emotiva de los personajes pues vemos cómo John vive experiencias que sin duda alguna te recordarán tu juventud, tus primeros amores o el primer beso, vemos cómo va cambiando su vida al ser visto como un héroe por ciertas personas y como esto le cambia la vida, vemos cómo sigue teniendo esos enfrentamientos con su madre porque como todo adolescente siente que nadie lo entiende, vemos cómo extraña o le hace falta su terapeuta para poder hablar de ciertas cosas, pero a su vez vemos cómo encuentra en Marci a una amiga que lo entiende más de lo que creé y como ella logra sacar a flote sentimientos o aspectos que el mismo John desconocía; vemos cómo llegado el final el autor no se tienta el corazón para hacer sufrir al personaje principal y lógicamente a uno como lector que en todo momento sentimos que vivimos lo mismo que el protagonista.
En esta tercera parte me gustó mucho el personaje de Marci, un personaje fresco, jovial, inteligente, divertido y empático, sin duda muy importante en la trama.
Me gustó también el papel que juega su madre de John siempre guiándolo y deseando lo mejor para él, haciendo de él un ser "más humano" (tanto ella como Marci) haciendo siempre su papel de madre, y entendemos como sus discusiones pasadas siempre han sido porque ella se preocupa mucho por sus hijos y que entiende a John más de lo que esté imagino.
Llegado la mitad del libro y descubriendo todo lo que John está viviendo; uno pensaría que el autor no quiso meter ese toque oscuro que lo caracterizo en las entregas anteriores, pero o sorpresa! este a mi parecer fue el más oscuro de los tres primeros, es el que más dolor te causa, con un final que te destroza...
🌟10/10🌟📚
December 7, 2019
4.8/5 stars
Life is too short. It's too precious. We have to live in this world, but we don't have to wallow in it. We don't have to fill our lives with all of this darkness.
Something to listen to while reading this ♥
Trigger Warnings for: Mention of suicides, mention of child pornography
This was definitely the best book in the series, and definitely the best way to spend my Halloween night. I found myself turning the pages at an agonizing pace, feeling dizzy with worry and shaking my head in shock. I did guess one of the plot points but that is because I love these things, and it didn't ruin the fun at all for me. If everything, this book was one of my most enjoyable experiences this year. It had the amounts of horror and gore I expected, but also humour, and some unexpected love that made me smile because it was adorable. The biggest focus was though the essence of family, and I cried in this one scene.
John developed so much as a character, and I found myself loving him more and more and cherishing, even understanding his way of thinking, as the books proceeded. What was missing from this book was the references to his pyromania (this might be slightly far fetched) but I felt like it wasn't brought up very much and it is after all a part of him and his coping mechanisms. I definitely loved his dynamic with Marci though, and I also adored the multiple mystery plots he had to deal with in the course of this story. The writing was always incredible for the story, and I will miss it so much now that it's ended (until my next reread, of course).
I also loved all the symbolisms and issues that were discussed in this story such as self esteem issues, never being satisfied with one's self, catharsis, guilt, grief, vexation and paranoia. One thing that I will keep praising is that John is never demonized throughout these books, and this strongly beats the distorted and VERY WRONG most mystery/thriller books give us on mental illnesses.
Overall, I love the series and everything it includes. The mystery, the supernatural aspect, the gore, the forensics, the many ways in which it has moved me to think or put my mind to use, the portrayal of many emotions, feelings and situations and the discussion on many issues, and of course the introduction to a unique mind, John Wayne Cleaver's inner world. I recommend for fans of thriller, horror, mystery teenage novels, or someone who just wants to see an original, hair-raising creepy story about a boy who bravely fought both the darkness in the world and the one within him, multiple times ♥
Until the next review, keep reading ♥
~Mary ♥
Life is too short. It's too precious. We have to live in this world, but we don't have to wallow in it. We don't have to fill our lives with all of this darkness.
Something to listen to while reading this ♥
Trigger Warnings for: Mention of suicides, mention of child pornography
This was definitely the best book in the series, and definitely the best way to spend my Halloween night. I found myself turning the pages at an agonizing pace, feeling dizzy with worry and shaking my head in shock. I did guess one of the plot points but that is because I love these things, and it didn't ruin the fun at all for me. If everything, this book was one of my most enjoyable experiences this year. It had the amounts of horror and gore I expected, but also humour, and some unexpected love that made me smile because it was adorable. The biggest focus was though the essence of family, and I cried in this one scene.
John developed so much as a character, and I found myself loving him more and more and cherishing, even understanding his way of thinking, as the books proceeded. What was missing from this book was the references to his pyromania (this might be slightly far fetched) but I felt like it wasn't brought up very much and it is after all a part of him and his coping mechanisms. I definitely loved his dynamic with Marci though, and I also adored the multiple mystery plots he had to deal with in the course of this story. The writing was always incredible for the story, and I will miss it so much now that it's ended (until my next reread, of course).
I also loved all the symbolisms and issues that were discussed in this story such as self esteem issues, never being satisfied with one's self, catharsis, guilt, grief, vexation and paranoia. One thing that I will keep praising is that John is never demonized throughout these books, and this strongly beats the distorted and VERY WRONG most mystery/thriller books give us on mental illnesses.
Overall, I love the series and everything it includes. The mystery, the supernatural aspect, the gore, the forensics, the many ways in which it has moved me to think or put my mind to use, the portrayal of many emotions, feelings and situations and the discussion on many issues, and of course the introduction to a unique mind, John Wayne Cleaver's inner world. I recommend for fans of thriller, horror, mystery teenage novels, or someone who just wants to see an original, hair-raising creepy story about a boy who bravely fought both the darkness in the world and the one within him, multiple times ♥
Until the next review, keep reading ♥
~Mary ♥
September 16, 2017
OMG! What a perfect book! I don't think Dan Wells can top I Don't Want to Kill You. Plot is disturbing, main character is sociopath yet you cheer for him. With every book John feels less upset about wanting to kill and can't wait to see what he's going to do next.
October 27, 2020
3 stars?? I guess??
Not as bad as book one, but not as good as book two.
I enjoyed the beginning of this, and I enjoyed John Cleaver’s development—the issue is that it comes at the expense of every important woman who loves him, pretty much. While I think the deaths that happened in this books were natural completions of the arc Dan Wells set up, this arc is a fridging arc where John Cleaver realizes he feels/has emotions/realizes he can love ONLY after the death of his mom and Marci. He literally says this—he admits to Marci’s dead body that he only knew he loved her after she was gone, even though he did love her without knowing how before. His mom’s sacrifice is meant to tug on the heartstrings and necessary for John’s preserved innocence, but with the indifference he’s treated her with thus far and the conflict and with the ending where John realizes he feels grief, it really seemed like the biggest role she had was making him feel. They died for his development, or continuing a plot wrapped around his development—either way this is like seeing fridging in action.
I also had issues with the portrayal of the girls’ insecurities, and how they were used in such a way that lacked so much depth and never said anything about the very real issue Dan Wells stole for this book. Then there’s that scene with Max which was nearly wholly unnecessary where John kind of stoops to Max’s level in talking about Marci yet again. But if you check my other reviews, writing women is a consistent issue for Dan Wells—at least from what I can tell.
I also had major issues with suicide’s place in this book. Even if you take into context that the suicides aren’t really suicide, this book is full of harmful information and beliefs about suicide that aren’t rectified by the reveal. John maintains an attitude that suicide is wasting a life he saved, and that is worse than people being murdered, as well as he thinks many other similar remarks. While this is in keeping with John’s character, this is a very common thought about suicide that people who don’t have Antisocial Personality Disorder believe and think is still okay to believe. And so its inclusion can’t escape contributing to stigma. Furthermore, there’s an idea that people who are suicidal—before they commit suicide, of course—are being dramatic, attention-seeking, etc. The girls who “commit suicide” have insecurities for one night and then do it, and even though they aren’t suicides, I still think this book plays with the idea that suicide is a selfish thing people do on a whim on a bad night for no real reason. Suicide is an epidemic with systemic causes and reasons people don’t get help, and by playing with harmful stereotypes about it, intentional or not, this book lightens that. There’s no real correction of these things; John is never like “oh, these didn’t seem like suicides anyway” for these reasons, and so even though they weren’t actually suicide, the misinformation about suicide is never actually dealt with in a good manner. The only thing John says is basically “oh good, I’m glad they weren’t suicides because that would’ve been harder for me to deal with because they don’t care.”
There’s other iffy things that came up—like the priest defending a pedophile—but I don’t wanna make this review all negative. I did enjoy reading this book, even though I called most of the stops. I enjoyed John’s development, and what the last scene means, if not for the cost of getting there. I don’t really like the Brooke thing at the end, pretty much at all. Basically this started good with some ugly things sprinkled throughout, but the ending went in a direction I didn’t love and, rather than fixing the problems I had, doubled down on them. I still stand by the second book being a great YA horror, but I didn’t love how this sequel went.
Not as bad as book one, but not as good as book two.
I enjoyed the beginning of this, and I enjoyed John Cleaver’s development—the issue is that it comes at the expense of every important woman who loves him, pretty much. While I think the deaths that happened in this books were natural completions of the arc Dan Wells set up, this arc is a fridging arc where John Cleaver realizes he feels/has emotions/realizes he can love ONLY after the death of his mom and Marci. He literally says this—he admits to Marci’s dead body that he only knew he loved her after she was gone, even though he did love her without knowing how before. His mom’s sacrifice is meant to tug on the heartstrings and necessary for John’s preserved innocence, but with the indifference he’s treated her with thus far and the conflict and with the ending where John realizes he feels grief, it really seemed like the biggest role she had was making him feel. They died for his development, or continuing a plot wrapped around his development—either way this is like seeing fridging in action.
I also had issues with the portrayal of the girls’ insecurities, and how they were used in such a way that lacked so much depth and never said anything about the very real issue Dan Wells stole for this book. Then there’s that scene with Max which was nearly wholly unnecessary where John kind of stoops to Max’s level in talking about Marci yet again. But if you check my other reviews, writing women is a consistent issue for Dan Wells—at least from what I can tell.
I also had major issues with suicide’s place in this book. Even if you take into context that the suicides aren’t really suicide, this book is full of harmful information and beliefs about suicide that aren’t rectified by the reveal. John maintains an attitude that suicide is wasting a life he saved, and that is worse than people being murdered, as well as he thinks many other similar remarks. While this is in keeping with John’s character, this is a very common thought about suicide that people who don’t have Antisocial Personality Disorder believe and think is still okay to believe. And so its inclusion can’t escape contributing to stigma. Furthermore, there’s an idea that people who are suicidal—before they commit suicide, of course—are being dramatic, attention-seeking, etc. The girls who “commit suicide” have insecurities for one night and then do it, and even though they aren’t suicides, I still think this book plays with the idea that suicide is a selfish thing people do on a whim on a bad night for no real reason. Suicide is an epidemic with systemic causes and reasons people don’t get help, and by playing with harmful stereotypes about it, intentional or not, this book lightens that. There’s no real correction of these things; John is never like “oh, these didn’t seem like suicides anyway” for these reasons, and so even though they weren’t actually suicide, the misinformation about suicide is never actually dealt with in a good manner. The only thing John says is basically “oh good, I’m glad they weren’t suicides because that would’ve been harder for me to deal with because they don’t care.”
There’s other iffy things that came up—like the priest defending a pedophile—but I don’t wanna make this review all negative. I did enjoy reading this book, even though I called most of the stops. I enjoyed John’s development, and what the last scene means, if not for the cost of getting there. I don’t really like the Brooke thing at the end, pretty much at all. Basically this started good with some ugly things sprinkled throughout, but the ending went in a direction I didn’t love and, rather than fixing the problems I had, doubled down on them. I still stand by the second book being a great YA horror, but I didn’t love how this sequel went.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2019
Fiquei fascinado com esta trilogia... É que não são livros que lemos... são livros que devoramos e que ficamos com pena quando acabam...Este livro em especial...que história!!!Tortuosa e cheia de reviravoltas e dúvidas,mas excelente!Livros destes deviam ser maiores e mais!Fiquei fã do John Cleaver!
April 3, 2011
After absolutely loving the first and second books in the John Cleaver series, I couldn't wait to get stuck into this one... and it didn't disappoint.
John's not like other teenage boys. He doesn't have real friends, he tries to keep his distance from girls, he enjoys helping his mother in the family mortuary, he's an expert on serial killers, he has a set of rules he constantly recites to himself, and he's a sociopath. Oh, plus he's killed two demons. Evil demons that decided to terrorise his town. And now, there's a new demon in town and she's got her eye on John.
The new killer in town seems to be very ritualistic and kills public leaders. While John is trying to figure out how he can stop Nobody--the female demon he's sure is responsible for these deaths--he befriends Marci. However, not all is as it seems and for once, John might actually find himself up against a real serial killer, and another who is directly connected to the unexplained number of teenage suicides...
I particularly liked seeing how John dealt with a girlfriend--something he's never wanted, but unwillingly finds himself with. Marci, the hot girl in school who shouldn't technically even look his way, really affects him. She makes him realise that he's not as alone as he always thought he was, and that other people are also interested in murderers and what makes them tick. Their relationship was sweet, and tragic. And it changes John, in the most devastating way.
I Don't Want to Kill You is an awesome book! It's entertaining and dark, and I enjoyed it very much. It's just as addictive as the two before it and a real page-turner. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next, but was saddened when I got to the end.
I really enjoyed this trilogy, and just found out that this will be the last book in the John Cleaver series. No! I could totally read more books with John as the narrator. Still, this was a wonderful end to John's trilogy. Not just because it intensified everything, but because we get to see a side of John we haven't seen before.... in a very human way.
John's not like other teenage boys. He doesn't have real friends, he tries to keep his distance from girls, he enjoys helping his mother in the family mortuary, he's an expert on serial killers, he has a set of rules he constantly recites to himself, and he's a sociopath. Oh, plus he's killed two demons. Evil demons that decided to terrorise his town. And now, there's a new demon in town and she's got her eye on John.
The new killer in town seems to be very ritualistic and kills public leaders. While John is trying to figure out how he can stop Nobody--the female demon he's sure is responsible for these deaths--he befriends Marci. However, not all is as it seems and for once, John might actually find himself up against a real serial killer, and another who is directly connected to the unexplained number of teenage suicides...
I particularly liked seeing how John dealt with a girlfriend--something he's never wanted, but unwillingly finds himself with. Marci, the hot girl in school who shouldn't technically even look his way, really affects him. She makes him realise that he's not as alone as he always thought he was, and that other people are also interested in murderers and what makes them tick. Their relationship was sweet, and tragic. And it changes John, in the most devastating way.
I Don't Want to Kill You is an awesome book! It's entertaining and dark, and I enjoyed it very much. It's just as addictive as the two before it and a real page-turner. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next, but was saddened when I got to the end.
I really enjoyed this trilogy, and just found out that this will be the last book in the John Cleaver series. No! I could totally read more books with John as the narrator. Still, this was a wonderful end to John's trilogy. Not just because it intensified everything, but because we get to see a side of John we haven't seen before.... in a very human way.
April 13, 2018
Well that wraps up the first arc in the John Cleaver series! I got to say that was also one of the most gut wrenching, intense endings I've read in a while. My brain is still trying to process what happened but that will take some time! The mystery in this book took a very religious turn and I kind of guessed right away from the beginning who the serial killer was. Now in the aspect of the demon that took me awhile to figure out. This series though has been so entertaining and just the right amount of thriller to leave me wanting more. I am so ready to dive into the final arc and see how John Cleavers story comes to an end.
Updated:After thinking about it long and hard I am going to down grade this to a 4 star review because I was talking it out in my head and there were some things that I wish were done differently.
Updated:After thinking about it long and hard I am going to down grade this to a 4 star review because I was talking it out in my head and there were some things that I wish were done differently.
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