What is your opinion?
Wow
"very nise"
Good read!
"Well done. The flow was there. Dialogue and descriptive language was great. The author has a skill for delving into and demonstrating the characters' thoughts. Kudos."
When the Hurting Game hurts your emotions
"(sorry for the delayed review) Where do I begin with this? This is probably the best story I have read on inkitt so far. The plot is well thought out, the characters are three dimensional and enjoyable, and the style is simple yet it is detailed enough to give the reader a full picture. The story reminds me of a coming of age novel I had to read in highschool called 'The Outsiders'. It has a nostalgic juxtaposition to this story, including the gangs, the characters and the incidents that occur. I think that you'd enjoy the story. A greatest thriller I have read in a while. Well done."
Recommended
"First point of praise: I'm primarily a sci-fi/adventure fan, but I was compelled to read this book all the way through. Score one. As for the book itself, The Hurting Game is believably painful; it clobbers the characters in horrifying ways while not quite numbing the reader to the occurring evils. This could probably become an adult book if the language were upped a little more. However, I will say that my tolerance has been maxed out for seeing the words "rib cage"--that anatomical structure came up, on a rough average, approximately once or twice per chapter. The bulk of The Hurting Game is dedicated towards character, and does a magnificent job in that regard, earning much deserved praise from the reviewers before me. The oscillations of reformation reverberate Iziah throughout the entire novel. This does occur at the expense of plot, though; (MINOR SPOILER ALERT) the sinister men with suitcases ultimately turn out to be sort of minor Macguffins. Not much extraordinary is happening outside of Nick and Iziah. As long as I'm thinking about those two, I also must confess that their polishing is not done yet. First, I don't believe that Iziah is eighteen; his mindset, while admittedly traumatized, belong to someone much younger. Second, Nick is a little too "Saint Nick". His assassin job plays into his post-separation self-management, but not much else--the smooth, callous, stop-whining-and-shoot aura does not flicker about his face as he lectures Iziah. That said, though, they both progress through believable character arcs in their redemptive tale. If you're a prospective reader, you'd do well to pick up this book. Oh, and don't read the comments unless you want spoilers. If you want spoilers anyway, shame on you."
Thoroughly Enjoyable!!!
"Alright so I am so glad I read this! This was one of the best works I have read in a long time. I should say that this not the type of novel I would normally read, but you did such a fantastic job with this. I don't even know where to start. Your writing style is clever and straightforward. Your voice is very evident and I thought it was just great! Your characters are real and I had a tremendous time getting to know them. You have a real talent and I sincerely hope you are published soon. I wish I had a criticism to give you (and I don't normally say this), but I have none! Not a single one! Good luck! I hope everyone loves this just as much as I did!"
Absolutely Fantastic!
"The Hurting Game is an extremely great, well-written story. It touches on heavy subjects, and the characters were all very real. The story had a well-structured plot, and from the first chapter to the last, it holds you captive! I hope to see much more of your writing!"
Rising star!
"If you're looking for a read with a good build, wit, and gritty folk, this is your book! You won't be disappointed. I loved the characters and identified with their emotion. Nice footwork on the fight scenes, Alex. Man, I felt the pain! I also felt the sadness and I also wanted to cheer during the small victories :) Without giving too much away, this novel is full of street-type gangs and the author makes you feel as though you are right there with them, feeling the rawness and comradery at the same time. An amazing job for a young author. Now, I'll read your other works...keep them coming, rising star :)"
well-developed
"I enjoyed on how dark it was in certain parts because of the realistic idea of the social underworld I have. The details of scene description allowed for me to easily imagine the story as I read it and i liked the conflicts between the characters that not only made it realistic, but also allowed for me to make assumptions for what may happen in the long run, but still be surprised with the end result."
Fantastic!
"What a stunning read! I'm only through the first five chapters, but the exhilarating action coupled with the immersive descriptions of characters and setting and the sensitive take on relationships--from family to friends to enemies--it all comes together to create a seamless, engaging work. My only suggestion would be combing through for places you could eliminate words or combine phrases. There are places, though I've found very few so far, where the prose could be tighter. All in all, I'm sold! Really fantastic story, you can count on me continuing. To be honest, it was hard enough to stop reading to write the review."
Well Done!
"This novel is very well done. Right from the start the author pulls you into this world of misguided teenagers getting tangled up a complex criminal world much bigger than they are. The author's writing style is imaginative and detailed. You can almost feel the chill in the air and the rain on your face as you follow her characters through the dark and dampened streets of the city and she accurately captures the inner angst of an immature and irrational teenager with anger issues. I truly enjoyed reading this story. Well done!"
Unique, Emotional Ride
"This is not the type of book I usually read, but it ended up being a really beautiful, well thought-out and written read. I loved the way there were no loops in the story, the way the characters changed over time, and the moral included. I also loved the emotion- I really found myself grasping at the story in the second half of the book especially, just wanting the characters to pull through. There were also very nice twists, and the ending! Wow. The most common mistake you made was "wakened." That should be "woke up" and "awakened" should be "awoke." You also made some tense mistakes here and there as well as a few typos, but overall, your grammar was impeccable, the writing beautifully descriptive with a deep, dark setting. Well done!"
Awesome!!!
"Great read, very entertaining, here is my full review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Z5coC2Xf0&list=PLVVd6C3gwfxauijZuXEttFdjW2i9aO3Jw&index=7"
Interesting...
"Not actually very far in this book but I'm sure to love it! I've always been a little intrigued by gangs and the whole bad boy shebang, and even a hit man?? Count me in!!! Great writing, loving the characters I've met so far, and just loving this book in general. Great work!"
I'm not crying...nope...*sobs violently*
"The best story I have read on Inkitt so far. A perfect combination of heart-pounding action and heartwarming friendship. The characters felt completely real, alive, and easy to care about despite their faults, which gave the horrible violence that much more impact. "The Hurting Game" deals with extremely difficult topics from abuse to what it means to be part of a family. Maybe someone more experienced than me could find a flaw in there somewhere, but I certainly can't."
Great Read
"From the very first paragraphs this story draws you in. It's action packed, dark and a bit gritty. I don't usually read stuff like this but I have to keep going. Your writing is polished and flows well, it's very easy to read and I found myself rarely hung up on sentences. I'm only a few chapters in where The Rat get's jumped. I love that by the way, your names for the gangs and characters. Well done. I'm gonna keep reading now."
Great Story
"I'm still not done reading but from the first chapter I was hooked. I'm in chapter 4 already and there is so much going on I love it! I don't have much feedback to give you because you really seem to know what you're doing. Great job. Great story! I will keep reading!"
Wow... Just Wow!
"This story is simply amazing. After reading till the end I was left replaying scenes from the book and going "Wow... just wow!". The story follows the main character, Iziah through the dark world of the Faceless - described so realistically, I felt everything happening was real, The story got pretty scary in the violent parts but it remained so relatable like I was a character in the story. I couldn't help but root for Iziah and Nick and though I was scared out of my mind for them several times, I read on because of the story's captivating nature. It ended in such a sweet way and I recommend it to everyone."
Simply Amazing!
"Wow! What a story, I'm still reading and I'm totally attached the story! I love Iziah a realistic and true character to follow! the writer keeps you wanting more. You are taken to a world that is exciting yet honest and can be dangerous! An amazing story can't wait to keep on reading! "
The Hurting Game
"Here we have a polished work by an accomplished young writer seemingly ahead of her years. On what could be a specialist subject Alex doesn't waste words in a story that moves at a furious pace. Probably targeting a generation much younger than mine these pages are filled with adventure and daring. The reader will be pressed to find a role model in these pages; but smooth escapism? Yes! Well done Alex."
Engrossing!
"This is an amazing story! The characters are relatable, believable and REAL! Some of the scenes written are actually chilling! I found myself cringing and yet I couldn't stop reading because I had to see what was going to happen next. That is the essence of a well-written novel and Ms. Rushmer has it down to a science. The flow of the story is intriguing, especially coming from multiple points of view. Sometimes that's hard to do, but again, Ms. Rushmer knows how to write. Period. I would highly suggest this book."
