Freaks by Brett Riley is the story of 4 teens that have been victims of bullying most of their lives. To deal with the feelings of helplessness, they decide to do a role-playing game. One of the boys uses his uncle’s off-limits stuff as props for the game. They perform a spell they found in one of the books and accidentally open a portal. Following the incident, the kids discover they have super strength and special powers. When people start dying violently, they realize something else came through the portal. When it’s time to step up, will the kids use their newfound powers for payback or protection?
I enjoyed the plot. With a simple theme of good versus evil, it’s easy to follow. The victimization of the main characters makes them the perfect underdogs you want to cheer for. The story is action-packed and moves quickly.
Despite enjoying the plot there was not much else to entice readers. The characters weren’t well developed, instead, they were cliches. Additionally, there wasn’t much going on in the book outside of the main story and it was pretty predictable. I know there is another book and I’m hoping it has more depth and subplots.
This was an audiobook, narrated by P. J. Morgan. She is an experienced audiobook narrator. Her use of distinct voices as narrator and individual characters adds to the enjoyment of the book. The only thing I didn’t like was her narration voice had a disconnect and fell flat as opposed to the character voices that were rhythmic and emotion-evoking.
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars because of the above-mentioned items I found lacking. However, the things lacking allowed the book to be quick and concise. It was a fast and fun read reminiscent of a comic book. Perfect for when you’re reading for distraction and don’t want to have to think.
I would recommend this book to action and science fiction lovers. The topic and structure of the story would entice fans of superheroes and graphic novels. I recommend this book to young adults since the characters are teens in high school. This book is not for younger kids or those bothered by violence.