4.5 out of 5 Stars
I’d like to thank Brent Jones for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis
A small-town librarian with a dark side, Afton, twenty-six, has suppressed violent impulses her entire adult life. Impulses that demand she commit murder.
Blending her urges with reason, Afton stalks a known sexual predator, intending to kill him. But her plan, inspired by true crime and hatched with meticulous care, is interrupted by a mysterious figure from her past. A dangerous man that lurks in the shadows, watching, threatening to turn the huntress into the hunted.
Go Home, Afton is the first of four parts in a new serial thriller by author Brent Jones. Packed with grit and action, The Afton Morrison Series delves into a world of moral ambiguity, delivering audiences an unlikely heroine in the form of a disturbed vigilante murderess.
My Thoughts
This is a weird thing to say but, I have never identified so much with a potential serial killer! I say “potential” as Afton has yet to kill anyone. She has fantasized about the perfect kill for most of her adult life, and the time has come.
You would think that a librarian who secretly wants to murder people wouldn’t be someone that I would look at and say, “Girl, I totally understand!” but, I DO!
She made me laugh,
“Neil scratched his head. “What’s a lepra-she?”
“It’s—”
Sweatpants raised her hand to silence me—not that I minded—and looked to a few of the other mothers in the room for support, most of whom were checked out or occupied with their phones. She looked back at me again, then at her daughter. “It’s when good little boys and girls get ice cream.” That wasn’t how I might have defined the word, however.
“You want to stop for ice cream on the way home, Jessi?””
“Sweatpants spoke up at the back of the room, the self-elected leader of Wakefield’s fattest and frumpiest.
“But it’s only quarter past, Afton. Isn’t storytime supposed to be a full hour?”
“Just figured you were all on your way to get a double-scoop of leprosy.”
“Very funny.”
She was crass and honest,
“If only I’d have been born with a cock and balls. Instant respect everywhere, and accepted more places than MasterCard.”
But, she definitely had a conscious. She still had emotions, she had things that she lived for,
“Oh, the feels. The goddamn feels. I prided myself on being a bitch, and here was this peppy little summer volunteer, doing her damnedest to infiltrate my blackened heart with warmth and love and sunshine and puppies and rainbows.
“Stop it, Kim.””
Brent’s writing was honest and realistic. His story is not your typical story about a serial killer, and Afton is DEFINITELY not your typical serial killer! The story and the voice are both unique, fresh and highly enjoyable.
I could keep gushing about Afton’s character development and how the story slowly unfolds more of her traits and motivations, but let’s talk about how well written the OTHER characters in this book are!
I loved the fact that Brent had Tia, your typical “pretty, slutty rich girl”
“She’d be wearing yoga pants today, perhaps, three sizes too small, suffocating two round bongos protruding from her posterior.”
In most stories, these are the one dimensional characters who are written off, there’s no depth to them. Brent made me think of things from her perspective,
“I’m no genius, I get that, but I’m not stupid.”
Afton’s brother, Chris was another great character,
“Chris, having grown to be what some might call a man’s man, kept his enthusiasm for literature under wraps. As a teenager, other boys at school had bullied him for reading, calling him all sorts of colorful names, even going so far as to stomp his reading glasses to pieces on more than one occasion. To this day, now almost thirty years old, he kept his favorite pastime a secret, and I’d sneak books out the back of the library for him.”
Then there was Kim, the nerdy library assistant… If there is one reason you should read this book, it’s to see what revenge can be wrought on someone who dumps a Gatorade bottle of piss into the returns slot at a library!
THINK OF ALL THOSE POOR, DEFENSELESS BOOKS!!
This story may contain triggers for some, but it’s also a story where a Survivor stands up for herself. She will not be looked at as a victim, and that’s one thing I love about Afton. She may not do things the right way, but she also won’t take things lying down. Who doesn’t love a strong female Protagonist… Antagonist?? I guess you’ll have to read it and see! 😉
I can’t wait for the other instalments in this series!!
Last Chance to Pre-Order your Copy for only .99 now!!! Release date is June 25th!!!
Amazon U.S
Amazon Canada
Amazon U.K.
About the Author
From bad checks to bathroom graffiti, Brent Jones has always been drawn to writing. He won a national creative writing competition at the age of fourteen, although he can’t recall what the story was about. Seventeen years later, he gave up his career to pursue creative writing full-time.
Jones writes from his home in Fort Erie, Canada. He’s happily married, a bearded cyclist, a mediocre guitarist, and the proud owner of two dogs with a God complex. Subscribe to his newsletter (AuthorBrentJones.com) or follow him on social media (@AuthorBrentJ) for updates.
Go Home, Afton is Best Served with
A Colt 45
Hello All! I had to go whole hog on this one!!
“He chose that same bar stool every damned night, ordering one tall glass after another of what looked like horse piss. Colt 45, probably, or whatever it is small-town lowlifes like to drink.”
So, it was time to embrace my inner red neck, and dive right in!!!
Strong beer for a strong book!!
I drank this, but I did NOT play Edward 40 Hands with this one!! (I’ll save that little gem for a later GAME ON! Post! Ha ha!!!)
nice simple drink!
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Ha ha!! Definitely still a CHALLENGING drink! At least the story was smooth, even if the malt liquor wasn’t. 😂😂
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Awesome review ❤
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Thank you! I hope you’ll check the book out. It’s great! 😄💖
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I agree!
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Loved your review! This one sounds pretty good. Great drink share as well. 😁❤
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This story is SO GREAT! I can’t wait for the rest of them to come out because this is going to be an amazing wild ride! 😄😄 If you want something with a very unique voice, Afton is definitely her OWN character, I really recommend it! 💖💖
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There’s plenty more twists and turns to come, Nicole. Stay tuned. Thanks! —Brent
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I knew it… You identified yourself with potential serial killer?? Or did you just see the potential?
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Ha ha! Both. I can’t help it if she had some familiar qualities! 😉😂💖
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How are you identifying with such ‘killing’ traits?
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Well, I can’t impart my future plans…. 😉😂😂😂
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Scary DEVILESS, aren’t you one scary babe?
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Damn straight I am! I’m hoping that through the rest of the series she’ll give me some good pointers. 😉😂😂😈😈
She is an amazing character though! Most of my notes were highlights of her dialog and thoughts just saying “ha! Great comeback!” and “ha ha!! Love the attitude!” she’s a child librarian with a dark streak and an even darker sense of humour! … My kind of gal!! 💖💖💖😂😂
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Hahaha… I got it..
On a different note, planning to buy a daily planner, worth it?
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I was just reading and thinking… ‘well maybe I won’t be meeting Nicole in person after all…” India suddenly seems so much closer! 😉
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I’ve met Nicole in person. I swear, she doesn’t bite! —Brent
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Hahaha. Thanks Brent! 😆
Aww Nicole… you’ve got Brent sticking up for you! I’m impressed 😄😇
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It’s just because I have his wife held hostage. 😉😂😅🍻💖
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🙈😄
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Just wait until we have that dinner! I’ll bite………… That burger! 🤣😂😉🍔🍔🍗🍕
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Hahaha… I agree… Nicole is showing me her true colors. We Nina she is the DEVILESS
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😈😈😈😈
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Ha ha ha!!!!! Closer than Hell?? Or the state Penitentiary?? 😉😉😉 Come on Nina! You know you want to meet me in person regardless. Think of the stories for your kids!! 😂😂😈🙃😇
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Of the time “mommy narrowly escaped…” 🤣🤣🤣
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😂😂😂 You MAY narrowly escape, but what a WILD RIDE!! 😘😅😂
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Oh dear…. 😵😵😄
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💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
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I loved this little post
And the gifs were great as well
Enjoy the beer – you earned it –
Your review was really swell!
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I’m glad you checked it out! Brent Jones is definitely getting up there with my favourite authors. This novella really showed his versatility with the change of genre and the depth of his characterization. 💖💖🍻
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sounds like a pretty intense book. great review.
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It’s intense, but lighthearted at the same time. Afton and her Animus side with all of her killing urges can be pretty intense. But, her snarky attitude and relationships with others add great alleviation to all the darkness. It’s such a great read!!
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i wonder if i pick this one up, if i’d connect with the potential killer and understand her urges too. now i’m curious!
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Pick it up and find out!! It’s out next week and you can pre-order it for 99 cents right now! It’s novella length so it won’t take up a huge amount of your time, and I want to see if I’m the only one who identifies with Afton!! Ha ha! I feel like others, even if they don’t identify with her PERSONALLY, will really enjoy her character and understand her motivations! 👍
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If I may say so, I think the idea here is that Nicole finds Afton’s character and quirks easy to relate to. Not so much Afton’s homicidal intent. —Brent
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What an awesome review, Nicole. Thanks so much for reading Go Home, Afton and putting this together.
You know, one commonality I’ve seen in a number of reviews so far is that people seem to overwhelmingly like Tia. All the secondary characters, including Chris, Jared, and Kim, but especially Tia. One beta reader even asked me, “Had you considered writing this book from Tia’s perspective? I think she’s the most interesting character of all.” All the secondary characters are going to play a larger and more pronounced role in the remaining three books, but there’s more in store (in terms of depth and development) for Tia than the others as the series unfolds.
As strange as it is to say, I’m glad to hear you were able to identify with Afton. It’s hard enough to get readers to root for a killer, let alone writing a female killer from a first-person perspective as a male author.
I have to give my editor credit for the Colt 45 reference. That opening paragraph initially referenced Bud Light. She suggested, and I’m paraphrasing, “If you really want a small-town lowlife drink, switch it to Colt 45.” Done!
Thanks for all the love and support, Nicole. Wish me luck for the official release next week.
—Brent
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I was actually looking forward to the bud light! It goes down a lot nicer and it’s easier to find!! 😂😂 But, I did like playing red neck for the night!
I was surprised at how much I loved Tia! I feel like it WOULD be interesting to get things from her perspective!! She had so much unexpected depth and wisdom to her. All of your secondary characters were very well written and fleshed out, which is rare to find, especially in such a short story. I can’t wait to read more and thank you for checking out my review! I’m glad you got me to read it, and I really enjoyed your re-writes! 🍻🍻
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Your editor could also have suggested “Old English” nothing says low-life or underage like a big ole 40 of OE!! 😂😂😂
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I sent the link to your review to my editor. She replied, “Omg! I made that poor lady drink a Colt 45!”
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Ha ha ha!!! EXACTLY!! Afton is no monster,BUT SHE IS!! 😂😉 Not ONLY did she get me to drink it… She got me to drink OVER 700MLS OF IT!! That’s like a wine bottle of Colt 45!! 😂😂🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻
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Still cracking on through Chris Moores books, I have to read them ALL!! I like the sound of this series, so will wait til he’s written a few more, I hate waiting for the next one in the series! 😀
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Go Home, Afton features characters named Chris Morrison and Tia Moore. I think it’s a sign.
The good news is that books one through four (the complete series) come out June, August, September, and October, respectively, so there won’t be much downtime between parts. And all four parts are currently available for pre-order. If you end up checking them out, I hope you enjoy them!
—Brent
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Haha yes a sign indeed, Ok you’re next 🙂
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I hear that! I really think you’ll like these ones!! 💖🍻 I’ll be around to remind you to read them when you’re done with Christopher Moore (I’m glad I got you hooked!! 😂🍻)
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It is interesting to read a justification for serial killers. Likeable people who choose a different path. Good review.
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It’s even more interesting when Brent started unveiling her motivations. He doesn’t so much justify her actions as explain why it needs to be done. I think that’s what was so unique about this story.
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One thing, I think, is worth pointing out, is that a few ARC readers have been confused about the origins of Afton’s violent tendencies. Some readers got the impression that they were the direct result of what Afton refers to as the incident.
But she reveals earlier on that her violent urges began around the time her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer, around the age of 11. It isn’t until the incident, however, six years later, that Afton first encounters “Animus” Afton.
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FANTABULOUS review Nicole! And I love that first gif!😈 I knew when I saw this a couple of weeks ago on NetGalley, I knew I had to request it! I’m hoping to finish my current book tonight so I can start this.
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I can’t wait to see what you think of it!! 💖💖🍻 I’m so happy you requested it!
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🤗🤗🤗
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I’m reading this soon for the book tour! I’m actually quite excited for it!
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I’m excited to check out the book tour to see what other people thought of it! Good thing I just followed you so I can read your review!! 💖💖🍻👍
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Can’t wait! It’ll be up Monday. 🙂
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Yay!!!
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I’m excited, too! —Brent
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I feel like it is un-normal if someone never imagined killing someone haha!
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Ha ha ha!!! UN-normal! I LOVE IT!! 😂😂😂 I totally agree! If someone says they’ve never wanted to kill someone, I say they’re a liar!
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wow this book sounds really interesting! 🙂
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It’s so much fun!! It keeps you guessing, and there is so much to the characters! 💖💖 I really hope you check it out!
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😂 SO much fun and fantastic review!
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That’s right it is!! I would really love your view on it! 💖
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The book sounds exciting and a little tense, huh? It raises the age old question about whether it’s justified (good) to kill bad guys. Cheers to Brent on the great review.
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Your blog post today piqued my interest so here I am reading your posts on books 1 and 2. I have to say I think I might actually relate to this female character as well. This is kind of scary. Also highly amusing. I just ordered this book on Amazon and if I find that it’s chicklit or that it sucks, I’m going to find you and beat you up. Also, love you!!
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Oh God… You will DEFINITELY NOT get ANY chick lit elements in this book!! 😂😂😂 Like, literally the COMPLETE OPPOSITE! Afton is my spirit animal…. Weird to say about someone who tries not to relate to anyone and wants to kill people… But, Ya. That’s pretty much my life! 😂😂 And, love you too!! 💖💖 Hope you love the books as much as I did! Brent really is such a great writer!! 😍
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You relating to somebody who writes about serial killers does not surprise me in the least. And I say that with love.🤣
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Oh, I know. Ha ha ha!!! It doesn’t surprise me either…. Should i be worried about that?? 🤔🤔😂😂
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Chick lit?!
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EXACTLY!!! 😂😂😂😂 FAR FROM!! 🍻
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Nicole understands that I have a major issue with anything chick lit. Makes me want to vomit. I admit that I misjudged your book with its female main character and assumed that was going to be love and lace and roses. I acknowledge that I am wrong and I look forward to reading about your homicidal heroine. 😁
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Ha ha!!! Damn straight, darlin!! I know you’ll love it! 😂😂🍻😍
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I wanted to mention that Go Home, Afton is now permafree ($0) everywhere eBooks are sold, including Amazon.
If you think your followers would like to know, feel free to pass on the good news!
Best wishes,
—Brent
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