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Damage Done

Amanda Panitch (Goodreads Author)

3.58 · Rating details · 2,270 ratings · 487 reviews

22 minutes separate Julia Vann’s before and after.

Before: Julia had a twin brother, a boyfriend, and a best friend.

After: She has a new identity, a new hometown, and memories of those twenty-two minutes that refuse to come into focus. At least, that’s what she tells the police.

Now that she’s Lucy Black, she's able to begin again. She's even getting used to the empty bedroo ...more

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Hardcover, 304 pages

Published July 21st 2015 by Random House Books for Young Readers

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· 2,270 ratings · 487 reviews

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Jul 22, 2015 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it it was ok

The major problem with this book is that it is sold as a Gone Giri-ish thriller. It involves mass murder. It involves amnesia. It involves a fake new identity, although it didn't quite take the witness-protection route. Sounds great, right?!

I've felt more thrilled while eating a sandwich made with one of those plastic cheese slices.

There's just really not much I can say about this book because it was just so bloody bland. It was emotionless. Of course there's romance---this is an YA book, after ...more

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Feb 08, 2014 Wendy Darling rated it liked it

Shelves: gory, read-2015, tough-subjects, major-plot-twist, unreliable-narrator, thriller-suspense, 2015-publication, rh, young-adult

3.5 stars This thriller has a pretty great reveal--and while I think it was telegraphed fairly early, the premise holds up under scrutiny and the twist won't be spoiled for you even if you guess it.

I do wish, however, that the entire book had been written with the same tautness and electricity as its last three chapters. I didn't love the writing style or the characterizations (the boyfriend Michael is particularly cartoony) before that, and almost everything that wasn't specifically related to ...more

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Jun 12, 2015 Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary, mystery-thriller-horror, 2015-read, roll-eyes-worthy, you-ve-got-to-be-kidding-me

Re : Damage Done fail

Damage Done presents as a psychological thriller following on the success of Gone Girl (which I haven't read yet, I trust other readers on this), Dangerous Girls and Dangerous Boys (which I loved). It starts quite well with an unreliable narrator, Lucy, who's afraid her family's past is about to explode in her face. Her family's past being her brother shooting eleven students in their former high-school. Now that's a prime example of a shitty family history, isn't it? But we ...more

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Feb 12, 2016 C.G. Drews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to C.G. by: Zoe

Shelves: thriller-crime, young-adult, read-2016

Okay WOW. This was simultaneously glorious and terrifying. And you know how awesome glorious/terrifying books are? FREAKING AWESOME, THAT'S WHAT. Normally I am not thrilled, particularly, by thrillers. But oohhhh, this one did good. Although I honestly suspected what the plot twist would be, but not the extent of it. SO HUZZAH ALL AROUND.

So basically it's the story of twins, Julia and Ryan, and the aftermath of Ryan shooting 11 people at their old school. He's in a coma and Julia + parents are t ...more

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Nov 03, 2014 Sarah Elizabeth rated it liked it

Shelves: r2r-complete, read-2015, romance, contemporary, young-adult, death, netgalley-edelweiss, love-triangle

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Random House Children's and NetGalley.)

“You have to understand, my brother and I were born hand in hand. As in, we literally had our fingers entwined inside the womb.”

This was an interesting YA mystery story, and the answer as to what had happened was even more messed-up than I guessed!

Julie seemed a bit traumatised by what had happened to her, and once we began to findout what had happened it was c ...more

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Apr 17, 2015 Carole (Carole's Random Life in Books) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, reviewed, 2015, net-galley

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

I am a little surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this book! I have to admit that I went into this book with rather low expectations so the fact that this turned out to be really good makes me very happy. The more I read of the story the more I was hooked. I had to leave for work with only 4 chapters of the book left to read and I found myself sneaking peeks all day until I finished. This is not my normal behavior but I just had to know This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

I am a little surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this book! I have to admit that I went into this book with rather low expectations so the fact that this turned out to be really good makes me very happy. The more I read of the story the more I was hooked. I had to leave for work with only 4 chapters of the book left to read and I found myself sneaking peeks all day until I finished. This is not my normal behavior but I just had to know how this book would end. I couldn't get this book out of my mind until I read the very last word. Very few books are that hard for me to put down and I appreciate the ones capture my attention like this one did.

I did guess some of the major twists in this book but I never felt confident that I had it figured out. I felt compelled to keep turning pages to see if my guess was right and sometimes it was. There was a whole lot in this story that I never expected to see and there was enough unpredictability to really keep things interesting. I think that the manner in which everything was revealed really kept the story suspenseful until the very end.

I found the characters to be really interesting. Lucy, also known as Julia, was probably one of the most interesting characters that I have read in quite some time. The story is told from her point of view and it is that storytelling that held my attention. Her friends, Michael and Alane, were the perfect support system for Lucy. I didn't really relate to any of the characters or find them to be very likeable but I also didn't dislike any of them. I think that all of the characters fit perfectly into this little story just as they are.

I thought that the pacing of this story was near perfect. The plot never hit a slow point. There was just enough information given as the story progressed to raise more questions. The more I learned the more I felt I needed to know. I really liked this author's writing style and found this to be a very easy to read book.

I would highly recommend this book to others. This is a YA novel but it is a little darker than usual book in this genre. It does deal with violence including a school shooting so it may not be the right book for some younger teen readers. This is Amanda Panitch's debut novel and I can't wait to see what else she comes up with in the future.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Books for Young Readers via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review. ...more

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Feb 22, 2015 Marla Mei rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, young-adult, mediocre-everything, mystery-thriller-horror

This review is also posted at Her Book Thoughts! (Oh, did I forget to mention? Yes, I just recently became one of the new co-bloggers at Her Book Thoughts! and will also be posting my reviews there from now on.)

Early praises for this book were very positive and it was even dubbed as the ‘Gillian Flynn for the YA set.’ I've never read any Gillian Flynn but I know how highly praised and raved her books are so I wouldn’t go so far as to calling it that. Because honestly, Damage Done is mediocre at This review is also posted at Her Book Thoughts! (Oh, did I forget to mention? Yes, I just recently became one of the new co-bloggers at Her Book Thoughts! and will also be posting my reviews there from now on.)

Early praises for this book were very positive and it was even dubbed as the ‘Gillian Flynn for the YA set.’ I've never read any Gillian Flynn but I know how highly praised and raved her books are so I wouldn’t go so far as to calling it that. Because honestly, Damage Done is mediocre at its best. True, it was a fast and extremely compelling read but only because I was itching to know the truth.

The narrator is such a liar and it was obvious from the start how skilled she is at it. It made me think how much lying she’s done already in her life as Julia Vann before she became Lucy Black because she’s so good. Who wouldn’t be fascinated with sifting the truth from all those lies especially when every word that she’s spewing out of her mouth could probably be all pure lies? Never for one second did ever I let my guard down and trusted Julia/Lucy. And for that, I have the author to thank for not pulling any punches in making her as calculating and unreliable as she is. I loved it. For most of the time, I enjoyed being inside her thoughts.

I said most of the time because there were times when I just couldn’t care. It was easy for me to lose focus on what I was reading especially when the scenes became way too unbelievable and stupid for me. One scene in particular is the one where Lucy entered a highly secured prison by posing as one of the officers without even getting noticed. Okaaay. I couldn’t get my head around of this ever happening in real life. There were a lot more of the same unrealistic scenes that made me scrunch my eyebrows one too many times but I’d be spoiling already so just go ahead and see for yourself.

I guess if the entirety of the book was as stimulating as those last remaining chapters, perhaps I would’ve cared more. I was actually really thankful that the author kept giving away clues – even though it made the twist less shocking when it came to the final reveal – because if I wasn’t too busy connecting them, I was mostly just detached.

In spite of everything said above, Damage Done is a promising debut that will satiate anyone looking for a carefully-plotted psychological thriller starring a completely untrustworthy narrator that will make you question people (this is why I have trust issues!!!) and I can see now why many people have enjoyed this despite my lack of strong feelings towards it.
...more

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Jun 12, 2015 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-books, arc-book-read

Brace yourself because this review might be all over the place only because my thoughts are as well.

How did I feel about this crazy messed up read? At times upset at the parents, confused about Ryan and Julia's relationship, and other times mad at the psychologist who was obsessed with getting into the BAU instead of the actual case. And other times, completely enthralled with the story and wondering what possible messed up twist was coming, because I knew it was coming, it was only a matter of ...more

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May 11, 2015 Adventures of Nikka rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed, arcs-and-review-copies, young-adult, mystery-thriller

I received an advance digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ― thanks!

Read an ARC here

Wow. That was one hell of a ride.

I couldn't even begin to explain how this book made me feel. I'm out of words. But I'll try, it's the least I can do.

Julia and Ryan Vann are twins.
Once upon a time, 11 people died in the band room.
Ryan was responsible.
Julia was in the band room.
She's the only one who got out alive.
Now "Lucy Black", Julia and her parents moved to the other ...more

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Apr 15, 2015 Bonnie rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, unreliable-narrators, ya, arcs, arcs-netgalley

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

‘I only did what I did to protect myself. I didn’t have any other options.’

Julia Vann had the seemingly perfect life before the incident. She belonged to a happy family, had a twin brother she was incredibly close to, close friends, and a boyfriend she thinks she could love. The incident took that all away and left her and her family packing up their belongings to move to a new town with new names where nobody knows who they are. Lucy Black has a chance to start over My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

‘I only did what I did to protect myself. I didn’t have any other options.’

Julia Vann had the seemingly perfect life before the incident. She belonged to a happy family, had a twin brother she was incredibly close to, close friends, and a boyfriend she thinks she could love. The incident took that all away and left her and her family packing up their belongings to move to a new town with new names where nobody knows who they are. Lucy Black has a chance to start over, to start fresh, but her past proves to be a bit more inescapable than she thought.

Julia/Lucy was a very surprising character and her first-person narrative which carefully entwines the past and present was written extremely well. She was quite a distorted character that at first appears to be like any normal teenager, but the subtle glimpses that begin to leak through her façade tells a whole other story. Was it the incident that transformed her or does her past provide the real answers? The side characters weren’t as impressive: the dutiful boyfriend that comes over to make her homemade soup when she isn’t feeling well, the devoted best friend that asks no questions, and even the absent parents that we see very little of. The legal technicalities did manage to raise some eyebrows as well, however, despite these issues that could have brought down the whole story, Panitch still impressed me with an incredibly riveting tale.

Damage Done is quite the twisted mystery and the summary does little to prepare you for what’s in store. I think it’s best kept that way, seeing as the reveal was quite the impressive twist, even if it was foreshadowed early on. The first twist isn’t the only twist though and this is one engrossing mystery that will keep you speculating. Panitch has another YA psychological thriller coming up in 2016, Never Missing, Never Found that will most certainly be on my TBR.

I received this book free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ...more

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Jul 22, 2015 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it really liked it

Shelves: never-saw-it-coming, young-adult, arc-2015, reviewed-in-2015, are-you-kidding-me, thriller, authors-to-watch

Damage Done is one of those books that push us far outside our comfort zones, making us feel confused, scared and completely disgusted. It was a considerable feat for Amanda Panitch and a huge risk to take for a debut novel, but being courageous enough to stretch the boundaries or even erase them altogether can certainly pay off, and it did.

We meet Julia Vann as she’s getting accustomed to her new life, in a new city and under a different name. Her parents packed up and ran from their past after a horrible crime, mostly for her benefit, and now she’s alone in a new city for the first time in her life, a tabula rasa free to become anything at all.

It’s clear from the start that Lucy/Julia has a lot to hide as she’s very consciously lying and manipulating her way through her new environment. The terrible crime her brother committed might be a looming shadow over her life, but her exact role in it remains unclear until the end. Through her eyes, as she slowly reveals her past to us, we see the development of a sociopath, feared by everyone but herself. While it’s clear that people can be born evil, it’s also quite obvious that nothing is ever that simple. Even those born with something essential missing can be changed by their environment, if those around them are interested or caring enough to actually get involved. Damage Done is a psychological thriller first, but at the same time, it’s a critique of parents, the school system and even, to a degree, mental health professionals, who can become so absorbed in their own problems that they completely miss the warning signs of those they’re responsible for.

Damage Done works hard to shock and astonish and it succeeds to a degree. It would probably work best for someone who’d go into it blindly, unaware of the many comparisons to Gillian Flynn and other similar thrillers. But even aware that something is coming, I couldn’t have possibly guessed the full extent of it or how unsettling it would all be.

For all the attention it gave to its protagonist, the book painfully neglected the secondary characters, leaving them unexplored, unexplained and completely two-dimensional, starting with Julia’s parents and ending with her new boyfriend Michael. Such lack of serious characterization should not have happened in what is essentially a psychological thriller, where everything is, and should be, about the characters.

Overall, Damage Done is disconcerting and scary as hell, but it’s a much needed breath of fresh air in YA fiction. I’m still reeling from the effect it had on me, and although uncomfortable, it makes for a nice change after all the lukewarm, forgettable reads.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review. ...more

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Dec 18, 2013 Dahlia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: top-ten-thrillers, 2015-releases, nyc-authors, read-early-version, random-house

I don't even want to say anything about this book because it's one of those you just need to read for yourself, but I read it when it was still in manuscript form and Oh. My. God. You could not pry my Kindle from my hands with a crowbar while I was devouring it. If you love psychological thrillers, you need this book like you don't even know. ...more

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May 31, 2015 Stacee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, read-in-2015, vague-review-is-vague

Wow. Wow. Wow. This was amazing.

I really liked Lucy. Being in her head was captivating and I was hooked within the first few pages of starting. She had great friends in Alane and Michael and the dynamic of the friendship was interesting to see as things started to get revealed.

I refuse to say anything about what the plot is about. I had 3 different theories while reading and none of them were correct. And when I finally got the truth of everything, I was blown away.

The subject matter definite ...more

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Jan 17, 2015 Max Baker rated it really liked it

Shelves: i-reviewed, serial-killers, unreliable-narrator, read-in-a-day, mental-illness-disease, read-as-an-arc

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Thank you Netgalley for providing me a free review copy in exchange for an honest review

THIS ENTIRE REVIEW IS PRETTY MUCH A HUGE SPOILER. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

I. TOTALLY. CALLED. IT!

A few days ago I reviewed Hannah Jayne's The Escape and found it largely uninspiring. But, I'm happy to report that Damage Done has restored my faith in YA psychological thrillers.

I got roughly two chapters into the book before I (correctly) guessed the big twist at the end, but despite that, I never found myself b ...more

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Jun 27, 2015 The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, arc, kindle, young-adult, 2015-releases

Full Review on The Candid Cover

Amanda Panitch has created an incredibly fast-paced thriller in Damage Done. One of my favourite reads in 2015, this book is going to be a sure fire hit! With its mysterious plot, perfect protagonist and amazing attention to detail, readers will be furiously flipping pages to find out what happens next.

Damage Done tells the story of Lucy Black, formerly Julia Vann. Though the summary may make the book sound nothing like a thriller, trust me, this book will blow you ...more

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Jul 29, 2015 Kelly (Diva Booknerd) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: penguin-random-house

http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/08/d...
Damage Done is chilling. Twins Julia and Ryan share a bond and even as children, becoming each others shoulder to lean on and source of strength as they age. Their relationship seemingly goes beyond the realm of twin or sibling even, with even their peers questioning how healthy their bond truly is. So Julia begins pulling away, dating and sharing her life usually reserved for Ryan and Ryan only. But Ryan's issues begun long before their teens, as a child http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/08/d...
Damage Done is chilling. Twins Julia and Ryan share a bond and even as children, becoming each others shoulder to lean on and source of strength as they age. Their relationship seemingly goes beyond the realm of twin or sibling even, with even their peers questioning how healthy their bond truly is. So Julia begins pulling away, dating and sharing her life usually reserved for Ryan and Ryan only. But Ryan's issues begun long before their teens, as a child he was vengeful and violent, taking his frustration out on animals, eventually leading to putting other children in harms way. But not Julia. Never Julia.

My brother was not kind to the people who'd wronged me.

Ryan maybe have been officially diagnosed with Conduct Disorder, but Julia's character was horrid. She was abrasive and likened popular boy and love interest Micheal to reminding her of her brother, leaving no doubt as to the closeness of their sibling relationship. Her past experience with the shootings led her to be incredibly paranoid and an unreliable narrator, with a storyline that are told in the present, while providing memories scattered throughout. It was deliciously intense in it's pacing and I enjoyed seeing the story handed to me in snippets to piece together.

The only major flaw I found was how predictable it seemed. The romance would have been more plausible had love interest Michael been acting on lust, rather than love. He seemed to form a connection with her based on appearance, and when he did question her, he allowed himself to be silenced with kisses. Julia is a liar and it's clear she uses her own brand of manipulation to lure others into her web. I'm fairly certain readers will predict the big reveal long before the final few chapters, but in no way does it detract from how sinister this storyline truly is.

Damage Done will appeal to lovers of psychological young adult thrillers, who enjoy the unreliable narration of a disturbed and toxic character. Am incredible debut that lures you into the storyline and despite it's predictability, will seize your attention until the final page. ...more

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Jul 22, 2015 Suze Lavender rated it it was amazing

Julia Vann's name is now Lucy Black. She and her parents made a new start, they needed it. Nobody knows who Lucy really is and finally she's starting to have a normal life again. She has a best friend, she meets a guy she really likes who becomes her boyfriend and nobody at school is angry at her. Julia's twin brother has killed a lot of people at their old school, he shot them in cold blood. Julia was the only one who walked out alive, but she doesn't remember what really happened. She's told t Julia Vann's name is now Lucy Black. She and her parents made a new start, they needed it. Nobody knows who Lucy really is and finally she's starting to have a normal life again. She has a best friend, she meets a guy she really likes who becomes her boyfriend and nobody at school is angry at her. Julia's twin brother has killed a lot of people at their old school, he shot them in cold blood. Julia was the only one who walked out alive, but she doesn't remember what really happened. She's told the police that she's lost her memories of the incident.

Lucy is lucky. She has a wonderful best friend who does everything for her and the same goes for her boyfriend. He loves her very much and he stands by her whenever she asks him to. Even if that means breaking some rules or doing something that goes against what he's been taught. Lucy's new life is almost great, until someone from her past manages to find her. He watches her and there's something he needs to tell her. Julia thought that when she became Lucy she could erase her past, but now it's back to haunt her...

Damage Done is a gripping thriller about a girl who has lost everything and everyone. She tries to feel things, but it isn't easy. With the help of two great people Lucy is starting to feel better about herself again. Of course I wanted to know what really happened on that awful day. Julia's twin brother had psychopathic tendencies and was seeing a psychologist because of it. They were close, so Julia misses him. He's done something terrible, but she still loves her brother. I didn't know what to think of that. The story made me feel uneasy, I knew something wasn't right. When the truth finally comes out I was disgusted, especially because of a scene in a car which made me sick to my stomach. I'm not sure I'd recommend this book to teenagers, as it's quite horrible. It made me feel all sorts of things though and Amanda Panitch has done a great job with the writing. She has written a really good and gripping book, but it's also absolutely awful. ...more

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Apr 19, 2015 Rhea Dsouza rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 365-days-of-ya, netgalley, arc-august-2015

First things first: This isn’t a bad book at all. It’s quite readable, highly entertaining, and if you ignore all the issues (Imma get to that) then it can be quite an unforgettable experience. So why the low rating? Because this book didn’t work for me AT ALL. In fact, this book is riddled with issues I’m not sure I can even cover in the course of a review. But that’s my problem and you might really, really enjoy the book when you read it for yourselves.

Now that the disclaimer’s out of the way, ...more

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Dec 17, 2013 Tez rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The publisher's summary for this book is rather vague, probably because this could've easily been brushed aside as "just another school shooting book". But that event takes place BEFORE this story starts. Julia has a new name, and lives in a new town, but when she notices someone following her, her past life isn't in the past for long.

Fewer than 300 pages, Damage Done is a short, snappy suspense with plenty of twists and turns. You'll immediately want to re-read it after completion. This psychol ...more

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Aug 28, 2014 Nikki S rated it it was amazing

Shelves: e-book, e-arc, netgalley, on-kindle, favorites, thrillers, requested

COMPLETE. TOTAL. MIND. FUCK. Was this really a debut? Real review to come. (Real rating 4.5 because I guessed whodunit.)

Honestly, I wasn't prepared for this book. My initial thoughts upon finishing this were to write "Holy. Ish." as the review and leave it that way because OMG. But I had to pull myself together because I need everyone to know about this book and read it and love it and love it some more like I did.
Before the moments that changed her life, Julia had a twin brother, a boyfriend COMPLETE. TOTAL. MIND. FUCK. Was this really a debut? Real review to come. (Real rating 4.5 because I guessed whodunit.)

Honestly, I wasn't prepared for this book. My initial thoughts upon finishing this were to write "Holy. Ish." as the review and leave it that way because OMG. But I had to pull myself together because I need everyone to know about this book and read it and love it and love it some more like I did.
Before the moments that changed her life, Julia had a twin brother, a boyfriend, a best friend... Everything she needed to be complete as a teen girl. But then afterwards, she had to start completely over... Without any of those things. In a place where no one knows her. Until someone who does begins starts showing up in her life all over again.....
After I finished this, I was stunned. I won't go into plot to avoid spoilers, but I WILL say, this is another thriller where nothing is the way you thought it would be. In other words, the mystery was AMAZING. But with me being someone that LOVES thrillers (both on tv and in books) and LOVES trying to guess the motive and whodunit, I was able to catch who the culprit was. But as for the motive? Yeahhhh I was way off. I don't think anyone will guess the twist here. As far as the plot, there are a few slow moving spots, but those chapters are early on and then ended with more exciting things. It makes the beginning a little boring, but once the book gets started and you start understanding, you will be swept away.
The romance in it was a little unbelievable though. But sense it wasn't the main part in the story, I wasn't too worried about it. There was just so much going on and there were hardly any questions asked. Everything was just done and then thought out later. It made for bad realistic fiction, but made for a great thriller. But even still, I really liked Michael. He was a sweetheart and so protective.
This book starts slow but packs a mean punch at the end. Once you hit the 20% mark, be prepared to finish the book. This page-turner will have you staying up all night but constantly looking over your shoulders. ...more

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Jun 07, 2015 Beena Khan rated it really liked it

Shelves: erotica

Damage Done is a well-written thriller about twin characters, Julia and her sociopath brother. Her brother has killed people before, he is inhuman to other people's emotions but his twin sister. Julia is now in a hometown with her family with a new identity, she is trying to start fresh, but someone from her past is not letting her. She's a complex character, although, I did like her overall. This thriller has plenty of potential, I even liked the romance between Julia and the male lead, he was ...more

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Jul 11, 2015 Jen Ryland added it

This was a pretty good YA thriller. I wasn't incredibly emotionally invested in it, and I did guess the ending early on: (view spoiler) This kind of (view spoiler) ending seems in fashion in thrillers -- and in YA thrillers -- these days.

Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
...more

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Mar 22, 2014 Brenda Mckenna rated it it was amazing

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It had me questioning all sorts of my assumptions, I loved the characters, and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN (well, it was on my computer screen, but you get the idea). If you love psychological mysteries, dark humor, and characters that will haunt you forever, I highly recommend Amanda Panitch's debut! ...more

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Nov 09, 2019 The Reading Raccoon rated it liked it

Wildly unrealistic, grating main character, giant bummer of a book that makes you need a shower

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Jul 10, 2015 Katie rated it did not like it

Shelves: thriller

I see quite a few other people have enjoyed the book so I have hidden my review because it contains spoilers. I don't want to ruin things for people who would like the book but there is no way for me to explain my rating without revealing plot points.

(view spoiler) I see quite a few other people have enjoyed the book so I have hidden my review because it contains spoilers. I don't want to ruin things for people who would like the book but there is no way for me to explain my rating without revealing plot points.

(view spoiler)[Pft. Damage Done tried to Gone Girl me but you can't Gone Girl me because even Gillian Flynn couldn't Gone Girl me. I see right through that bs from the get-go. At least Gone Girl was kinda clever. There was nothing believable in this book at all.

Unbelievables:
1. That people would hate and want to harm a girl whose brother made her watch while he killed all her friends then shot himself. I can understand people being judgmental of the parents, but siblings? Also, these parents were actually AWFUL. Utterly awful. They kinda were responsible for what happened. That seems like a bad message to be putting out there. That effed up kids always have bad parents who don't care?

2. We're supposed to believe that they could just pack up and move without anyone following them? The were able to buy a house, get a new job, enroll in school under forged identities? And if they could do this, how the hell did Spence find them?

3. Dr. Atlas Spence. You have got to be kidding me with this guy. This guy is so unprofessional and incompetent that his notes read like a 12 year old girl's diary. And these are the private set of notes because he got in trouble for trying to pass that crap off as professional notes. Yet, he still wasn't removed from this very important case. I hurt myself rolling my eyes reading his parts.

4. A notorious school shooter wakes up from a coma and it's kept a secret?! I saw screenshots on the internet of medical records of a professional football player who accidentally blew his finger off with fireworks yet I'm somehow supposed to believe that no one would leak to the press that a school shooter has been out of a coma for NINE MONTHS. Why would they even want to keep that a secret? That makes no sense!

5. And then some geniuses (see above psychologist and some cops) decide to break him out of jail? WTF? How? Why? WHAT?!

6. Lucy/Julia was obviously an unreliable narrator. She's a manipulative asshat from the beginning. I don't mind unreliable narrators. What sucked is that she was so transparent, especially as the story went on. Even worse is that she was inconsistent. Her reactions rarely made sense. Her dad cracked his knuckles and she fell unconscious because it reminded her of gunshots? First of all, impressive knuckle cracking, Dad. Secondly, is that a lie? To the reader? Because obviously she wasn't traumatized by the shooting at all. I guess it was a lie because she remembered the whole shooting even though she said she didn't. Fine. She's a big liar. But why is she flipping out at the sight of her brother's old psychologist? She has absolutely no reason to be afraid of him but she keeps acting like he's going to attack her. She has full out panic attacks. Why? And it just makes no goddamn sense that she'd tell Michael everything then let him live. After offing her precious twin.

7. I'm guessing Michael told someone something, right? How does he explain the dead kid in the cell? And wouldn't have someone come running after the gunshot? But no one does. She has time to tell her life story then walk out. So she has an hour head start but we're supposed to believe that this utter fool teenager could somehow evade the police and start a new life in New York City. This is a girl who decided the best way to deal with the school knowing who she was (and their reaction was utterly absurd) was to stage an almost-shooting with her murderous twin brother and play the hero. Why didn't she just run off with him and start a new life when he showed up in the yard?

8. And what in the holy hell is wrong with Michael? Are you buying any of these stupid stories she's telling you? Your father is a cop! This girl is clearly an unhinged liar and you're happy to chauffeur to meet up with this dangerous adult ex of hers. And his cop dad runs the plates of this adult who is following a teenage girl around but then doesn't go talk to the guy or anything. She tells him, "It's fine" and he's all, "Okie doke. You know best, weirdo teenage girl."

9. You're a parent who saw the neighbor kids try to burn your child alive in her treehouse but their lawyer father convinces you not to press charges? Uh... okay. Sure.

10. Eff it. I could go on and on. I'm done.

No one in this book behaves in any rational way. I felt like the book was set in Bizarro World. (hide spoiler)] ...more

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Apr 18, 2015 Sophie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2015-releases, 5-stars, read-in-2015, arcs-read

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Wow, just wow. I would like to apologise in advance for this review, as I'll never be able to gush enough over how amazing Damage Done is.

First of all, let me say I wasn't really expecting much from this book. When I saw it on NetGalley a few months ago, it was definitely a case of cover love, and the fact that it was read now sealed the deal. Since then, I have seen an influx of flattering re I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Wow, just wow. I would like to apologise in advance for this review, as I'll never be able to gush enough over how amazing Damage Done is.

First of all, let me say I wasn't really expecting much from this book. When I saw it on NetGalley a few months ago, it was definitely a case of cover love, and the fact that it was read now sealed the deal. Since then, I have seen an influx of flattering reviews, and knew I needed to read it ASAP. That was, easily, one of the best decisions I've made recently.

As stated in the synopsis, Julia/Lucy had to run from her original life, because her sociopathic brother shot 11 people in her school band room. And to top it all off, she was in the room, and was the sole survivor. Thinking her brother was in a coma after a failed suicide attempt, Lucy, as she is now known, can now relax, and try to resume a normal life. Unfortunately her past soon catches up with her, and everything falls apart.

Considering this was Panitch's debut novel, I am overwhelmed with the depth of her writing. I started this book at approximately 10 am this morning, and it's only 9:30 pm as I'm writing this. Honestly, I could not put down this book. Basically, the only time I've stopped reading was to shower, and eat; other than that, I've had my iPad glued to my hand. All the descriptive language made me feel as if I was actually in the book, and considering how thrilling it was, this wasn't exactly a 'nice' feeling. As every chapter passed by, I was on the edge of my seat for more. The final chapters neigh on killed me, and I was completely thrown by the revelation at the end. Normally I can sort of guess what the plot twist will be, and this was a case that I didn't even want to consider it could be true.

Julia/Lucy was a character you wanted to like, but at the same time there was always something beneath the surface that made you stay away. Her love for Ryan was interesting, and I loved how Panitch dealt with this situation. To be perfectly honest, all the character were fascinating to read about, included the somewhat absentee parents, who I kind of want to blame for some of the sociopathic tendencies present throughout the story. Dr Spence was a wonderful addition to the story, and his interludes from his journal between chapters helped to increase the tension of the action.

I don't even think there's more I can say about this book, other than I am in shock and awe at this book. It was utter perfection, and Panitch should be lauded for her excellent debut. Everyone should get there hands on this book as soon as they can, and I seriously can not wait for more from Panitch - she is an author to keep an eye on, and I'm expecting great things from her in the future. ...more

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Jul 28, 2015 Morris rated it really liked it

Shelves: all-time-favorites, 2015-favorites, 2015-reviews, recommend

“Damage Done” is a book I expected to enjoy if the description was any indication, but I had no idea just how far beyond my expectations it would go. It’s the perfect blend of mystery, thriller, and to be quite honest, “messed up.”

Julia Vann is living a new life after a horrific crime committed by her twin brother, Ryan. The story is told in her voice, which is very well-written and easy to read. While her circumstances are extraordinary, she is going through many things that are relatable to an ...more

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Apr 18, 2015 Abby rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle, advanced-copy, young-adult

Wow. All I can say is wow. I finished this book cover to cover in one night because I literally could not put it down-- and that rarely happens with me. I cannot go too deeply into the plot of the story, as that may give away some of the thrill of actually reading the book. But, oh my goodness, was it good.

Damage Done follows Julia Vann as she and her family take on secret identities after her twin brother killed 11 of their friends and classmates in the band room and left Julia to live before t ...more

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Jun 25, 2015 Zemira (Kylo Ren fangirl) Warner rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: everyone who likes to read books about psychos and incest

Shelves: contemporary, killing-machine, flipping-pages, cool, thriller, mystery, surprised-me, taboo, death, best-of-2015

WHOA! This book was crazy! This is pre-order material!

I'm busy right now but I'll try to write a review later, when I find the time.

...more

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Dec 22, 2014 Allison rated it did not like it

Shelves: on-kindle, released-2015, read-2015

Okay. When I went into this book, the only thing that I knew about it was what the Goodreads summary said. Perhaps that was my first mistake.

This is not a spoiler, really, because you find out within the first few pages, so I'm not going to tag it (I will for all of the other plotty discussion), but this book deals with a school shooting. This is where my dislike of this book first started to show. School/mass shootings are one of my biggest anxiety points, to the point where I have nightmares a ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Book about a girl who moved to a different area after experiencing a high school shooting committed by her brother. She was placed into witness protection [s]	6	69	Feb 12, 2018 04:56PM
Damage done- 4th quarter book review	1	9	Jun 06, 2016 08:56AM
Crazy for Young A...: Damage Done, by Amanda Panitch → Start Date: August 25, 2015	24	27	Aug 28, 2015 08:26PM
Cover Art	1	15	Feb 04, 2015 12:43PM

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About Amanda Panitch

Amanda Panitch

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Amanda Panitch spent most of her childhood telling stories to her four younger siblings, trying both to make them laugh and scare them too much to sleep. Now she lives in New York City, where she writes dark, funny stories for teens, kids, and the pigeons that nest on her apartment balcony. You can follow her on Twitter @AmandaPanitch, and visit her online at www.amandapanitch.com

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