Freaks start off with bullying, which has been a problem in schools for…well, forever. But what is odd is the type of bullying that is on display here. The type of bullying described sounds like it would be more inline with the bullying seen in schools during the 70s or 80s, not modern day. That being said, I was willing to roll with it, after all I’m sure there are plenty of old school bullies out there. Who’s being bullied? A group of four friends, self described nerds/geeks, though I must admit that some of the things they are being bullied for seems odd. For liking Marvel superhero movies? Really? I thought everyone liked those. Later, while messing around with a book belonging to one of the main character’s uncles, the four teens perform a cryptic ritual and end up opening some sort of portal which ends up giving them superpowers. Not only them, but one of the bullies as well, and of course something evil slips through as well. The four friends, as well as the bully who now feels like an outcast as well, suddenly have to deal with their new found powers, and of course save the day. I have to say the book seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. On one hand I love the idea of the kids suddenly getting powers (it would have been the exact thing I daydreamed about when I was young ….okay fine I still daydream about it, lol) and yet the language used seems geared toward an older audience. Overall I thought it was a fun if somewhat flawed story, but as I said, I’m also not entirely sure who Mr Riley’s target audience is. I think this is just the kind of story my youngest nephew would enjoy, and while I’m no prude or anything, I wouldn’t want him reading something with so much mature language.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Imbrifex Books for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Freaks.

I tried to enjoy this. The writing is just ok. It’s not great but it’s not awful. The plot is very linear but easy to follow. It’s a fast paced read which makes it more enjoyable. Typical ending and not a lot of twists and turns.

The writing was okay, not outstandingly good but not bad either. I think I mostly gave it 2 stars cause I had high expectations for this books that were not met. I also didn't like the main characters that much.

The plot has quite a few holes (maybe in the next books they'll get explained? If there's going to be more books) and the writer seemed out of touch with the age group this is written for.

The book however holds alot of potential and I can't wait to see how the writer will improve themselves :)

This was my introduction to Brett Riley, the great thing is that you will not have to wait too long for the second book, and there are a few sneak peeks of book two at the end of Freaks. The book "Freaks" does a great job as the first book of a series, you get the dynamics of the characters involved, you are invested in what is happening and their emotions and pains. There is pain involved, my heart hurt and sunk, in various chapters. You can't help rooting for some of the characters, and that emotional conflict that takes place in a high school. The imagery and all that transpired within the first book is a lot, you get it all at once which is good, there is no slowing down, and you really don't want to be slowing down with this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Imbrifex books for providing this copy of Freaks in exchange for an honest review. This is the story of four teenagers Jamie, Michael, Christian, and Gabby, who are often bullied. To vent their anger they practice by accident an arcane ritual that gives them supernatural powers but also sets loose a freakish otherworldly creature that starts feasting brutally on people who cross it's path. Also present at the ritual was Kenneth, one of their tormentors, and he too gains superpowers, which causes a rift between him and his bullying friends. The question is will the "Freaks" be able to let go of the bad blood between them to fight off the monster, and will they be able to keep their new powers hidden.

This was a very cinematic action driven straightforward read with a little gore on the side. But it also felt a little too familiar and clichéd. Do bullies really shove kids heads in toilets? I've mostly come across it on TV and Film, not thank heaven in real life. Cyberbullying is mentioned offhandedly in the middle of the book, but most of the harassments portrayed are very physical and somehow felt a little too old school. There are some interesting questions raised about bullying and the desire for payback, with the story indorsing a more forgiving approach and paints the one kid who is hankering for revenge as a self centered fool. All in all, a simple read predictable and fun.

it was definitely a interesting read with all the real life bullying kids usually face and how sometimes all we want is to escape!! i really enjoyed the book and cant wait to read more from the author

Thank you to NetGalley and Imbrifex Books for the opportunity to read this in advance.

I requested this one because I'd had the chance to read an advance copy of Brett Riley's "Lord of Order" and honestly thought it was one of the most imaginative and nuanced post-apocalyptic novels I've ever read.

This one is obviously very different and while not especially my cup-of-tea, I think retains the same level of imagination and connection with current events that the author brought to "Lord of Order."

I think it leans way more towards YA reading than I enjoy - and the main characters and setting make that an understandable directions - so I found it more of a struggle to complete than I imagined I would.

A clever and fresh twist on the superhero genre.
The book follows four teenagers who are both physically and verbally abused for being different at school. After they decide enough is enough, they recant a spell from an old grimoire without translating it from Latin, and summon an ancient demon who's out for blood.
It's a strong book, with graphic descriptions that will leave you on the edge of your seat until it's over.
Just don't read it before bed.

This book had a fun premise - a group of bullied underdogs perform an arcane ritual, get superpowers and decide to turn the tables on their bullies, sounded right up my street! Sadly, the execution didn't quite land for me. I struggled with the pacing, which at times felt lightning-fast, and at other times too slow and bogged down with descriptions. However, I did enjoy getting to know the kids and seeing the various dynamics unfold between them, and there were fun moments as they explored the limits of their new powers.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's a little outdated but still a nice read! The characters were really relatable and the premise was quite interesting.

The story did not catch my attention at all, I was just going through the pages without any interesting in what may happen next as I could predict almost everything and there was no new elements that could keep me interested.

I was also not vibing very well with the apparent intention to make the reader empathise with the bully who suddenly is included in the "freaks" group, highlighting that he has problems and fears too. Not really here to feel bad for that type of people sorry.

Besides, there were several sexist and homophobic phrases which I was surprised to encounter in this era, specially since this book is targeted towards a younger audience. Some of the examples: boys referring to other boys as "pussy", "bitch", or to girls who complain about them as "she is such a girl". There was a scene in which a boy was talking about hugging another boy and literally said he would not do that since they "dont swing that way". I think we are way past this toxic masculinity traits.

This was an interesting read. I think it would work for a younger audience then intended, except for the swearing.

Freaks is the first book in a new YA fantasy hero/horror series by Brett Riley. Fast paced action centred around a group of picked upon high school kids who gain powers and fight against the monster they bring into the world, while dealing with issues of friendship, bullying and betrayal. Adult fans of superheroes and fantasy books don’t miss out, you are going to enjoy this book as well. I couldn’t put the book down and can’t wait for the next in the series.

2,5 STARS
Didn't finish this book, my mental health asked me to stop reading this. Let's start with talking about the F-Word in the literal first page, that was already a red flag. The book continued with disinformation about a lot of community (except the Wiccas) which i found really bad taste. The plot is very intresting but everything gets ruined by the disinformation and I didn't want to continue.
Such a pity!

I wanted to like it yet it felt weak because the main thing so the bullying was completely out of time, it would've worked better if it was in an earlier time period but for now it wasn't credible for me almost in stereotype. Nodody is bullied for liking comics anymore, it's popular.
The plot was simple, the characters maybe a bit too simple, it was predictable but it was fun to read a comics style book narrative with super heroes
It is nice to read for an afternoon

It isn't bad at all but reads a little younger than I was expecting. Great for a lower age group I think.

Thanks to Netgalley and Imbrifex Books for this copy of Freaks by Brett Riley to review. This book is out March 2022 and I would definitely keep an eye out for it.
Freaks is about a group of friends who have been bullied for years by the same three people and what happens when they are LARPing and cast a spell from a book found hidden in an old chest and all that follows. Of course their main antagonist gets caught up in the spell casting too and that gives them all something in common when they find they now have super powers.
But what have they done? What have they unleashed in their town?
This book was in some ways very much what I was expecting after reading the blurb, it’s my kind of book for sure. But it also really surprised me with some things that happened, I’m not sure why but there were definitely some “Did that really just happen?!” moments.
Most of the characters have issues, which is kind of expected really. How would you deal with getting super powers after years of being bullied? I’m interested in how they get on in future books.

An interesting read and take on the superhero story. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves marvel or comic books.

Freaks is about a group of four geeks who have been bullied for as long as they can remember. Micah can’t take it anymore and is on the verge of snapping. After finding some old and mystical looking books and robes in a chest in his shed, Micah invites his friends around to play a game, pretending they are going to put a spell on their bullies. Instead they open a portal to another dimension, letting through a horrible Vampire-like being and in the process they gain powers of their own.

I really enjoyed this book. It starts with each of the main characters getting a solo chapter giving a brief introduction and showing them getting bullied. It felt incredibly real and brought back some memories that I had forgotten about. Since starting this book last week, they have been circling around in my head and I think that just goes to show how well-written this book is.

I like superhero stories and I like horror and this mixes them well together. When the horror starts is brutal and gory in the best way. The superhero stuff also feels good. The big fight towards the end is great and given a long time to breathe.

Micah is the most interesting character. He has been pushed to his limit, bringing a gun to one of his weekly game nights with his friends. The others panic when they see it and try to talk him down, but the rest of his character arc is really well done. It’s a really different take on a superhero and I think it will be really interesting where it goes from here.

This is really easy to read and the pages flew by. The dialogue is punchy the action is great. I do think the middle section of the book is a little weaker than the great opening and action packed ending, but it’s all building to the climax.

I would recommend this to fans of superhero stories, horror and especially fans of Darren Shan. It’s a great read and I’m looking forward to book 2.

Thank you to Imbrifex Books and Netgalley for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Freaks by Brett Riley is the perfect mix of comic book superhero and fantasy novel however the heroes aren't a group of well trained, picture ready adults: this time, it's five young teenagers, four of whom are bullied relentlessly by the other. But when a live action role-play goes wrong, all five of them find themselves with much bigger problems on their hands than their latest algebra test.

The story is well paced and the plot holds a lot of promise, with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes throughout however the characters, unfortunately, are what let this novel down. There is very little dimension to them and, even in the small details we see of their home lives - an unhappy home life, a potential for romance - the characters remain completely un-fleshed out and, as a result, unlikeable.

The second world we are introduced to holds such promise, yet we do not see much of it and only through the eyes of the creature who was grossly underdeveloped. He was, however, the only character I felt myself rooting for.

The deaths are detailed and grizzly, in stark comparison to the otherwise middle grade style of the novel which adds a strange disconnect to the story, making it seem clunky and uncertain at times.