Unfortunately I was led to believe this book was about a young man who solved his anger problems with force and violence. And the first chapters held true to this, with our main character Locke biting off the tip of the nose of a kid in a flashback. But soon after I slowly lost interest as Locke's problems seemed to be depression based. Then through a series of events Locke meets Renee a girl who he has always sought after and later the two become an item. From then the book just seems to be problems Locke faces with is friends and spending time with his girlfriend while constantly blaming the venom for all his problems, it felt very repetitive. I also felt like the comic book type pages in between the chapters were unnecessary. On a final note I found the language entertaining but it is laced with profanity and should not be viewed by younger readers. Locke has an anger problem. The kind where his outbursts always surprise him and empower him but when they are finished, he's left unsatisfied. The kind where only chocolate milk can cure it. His mother is scared that he might go off on his younger brother, Leo, even though he's never gone near his brother in a fit of anger. His father has already left before of the Venom - what Locke calls this anger problem - and he only has one real friend in his life. That is, until one night he actually gets out of the house to a party his best and only friend is dragging him too. There, he meets Renee, this beautiful goth girl, and Casey, a boy who shares the same sort of anger problem as Locke. With actual friends, and a potential girlfriend, Locke only worries that the Venom will rise up and destroy what he is slowly building. This was an enjoyable book though I didn't care for the Nightshade scenes at the end of each chapter. I pretty much skimmed over those, waiting to get back to the actual story. When Locke explained how the Venom first appeared, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid. He was being picked on relentlessly, and he obviously built up this 'persona' to help him deal with it, that would get violent for him. And now he can't control it. Renee was just crazy, and I usually hate the crazy beautiful girl authors create in books like this. Alaska in Looking for Alaska is one example. But I actually liked Renee. And she definitely had a reason for being so messed up. Not saying Alaska didn't, but she was an extreme I didn't like. It was nice to see Locke interact with the therapist his mother found for him. He didn't trust her but he slowly began opening up to her. And things started to seem to go well. He had another friend in Casey, someone who understood what he was going through, a girlfriend, and he was getting inducted into the club sort of thing they had going on based on tarot cards. He seems to have a pretty good control on the Venom now. Until it unleashes and hell breaks loose. It was an interesting read, and those that liked Breathing Underwater – which I LOVED – might enjoy this.
What do You think about Venomous (2008)?
I absolutely loved this book it was great. It had a lot of action and was easily relateable.
—RKLucy
I really loved this book. I can't find another like it yet! :D
—alimorgster
