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nrogers_1030's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Addiction, Grief, Confinement, and Violence
Moderate: Trafficking and Classism
zohannah's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Trafficking, and Drug use
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
hobbithopeful's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
A dark and often tense fantasy about a young girl willing to bargain anything to save her sister, but the cost is far higher than she ever could have imagined.
Lucha just wants to protect her sister and survive, and she has been forced into a role where she has to kill awful monsters just to put food on the table. Her choices and desperation felt so real and raw. As much as she feels bitterness to what she has had to become, she would never truly leave. The way girls are treated in the town was very hard to swallow. Constant name calling and the threat of violence hangs over all of them, and I almost wished she had burned it all to the ground.
I really liked this book. I think the second half of it really had me drawn into the story, once they reach the forest I feel like it really picks up and you know where it's going. The writing style and prose along with the beautiful imagery had to be some of my favorite parts of the book. I almost felt like I was going to look around and see thick forestry, or mushrooms everywhere.
The message about power corrupting, such as in the organized religion and even with the Kings was very well done. It showed that no matter who you are, once you start choosing who to save and protect you're no better then the bad guys.
A lot of messages about mothers and children, as well as choosing your fate and not having a destiny. (I do wonder if I would have picked this book up if I had known how much the mother/child theme was in this)
There was a lot to this story, there probably wasn't ever more then a few pages before a conflict would occur, I would have liked to see more relationship progression between Paz and Lucha. I also wish we had seen more of Alán, or at least his history with Lucha. I feel like there would have been more of an emotional payoff that way. I also felt like there were almost some story threads that got dropped? I almost thought the story was going to lead into protecting the environment and saving the town, but it went in a different direction. I also really thought there was going to be more about getting rid of the drug and corruption, but that didn't happen either. It almost felt like a lot happened but not a lot got resolved.
These are all minor complaints because I loved the story, so I can't really be too bad about the direction it took.
My biggest issue with the story is there are NO TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNINGS. This was incredibly frustrating to me, as this is a new release and I truly don't see any reason for there not be any in this day and age. And y'all this book goes to some dark places, so please be kind to yourself. (There are topics alluding to sexual assault, drug use, trafficking, misogyny and worse)
I will definitely read more by the author. If you are a fan of dark fantasy books this is perfect for you!
Lucha just wants to protect her sister and survive, and she has been forced into a role where she has to kill awful monsters just to put food on the table. Her choices and desperation felt so real and raw. As much as she feels bitterness to what she has had to become, she would never truly leave. The way girls are treated in the town was very hard to swallow. Constant name calling and the threat of violence hangs over all of them, and I almost wished
I really liked this book. I think the second half of it really had me drawn into the story, once they reach the forest I feel like it really picks up and you know where it's going. The writing style and prose along with the beautiful imagery had to be some of my favorite parts of the book. I almost felt like I was going to look around and see thick forestry, or mushrooms everywhere.
The message about power corrupting, such as in the organized religion and even with the Kings was very well done. It showed that no matter who you are, once you start choosing who to save and protect you're no better then the bad guys.
A lot of messages about mothers and children, as well as choosing your fate and not having a destiny. (I do wonder if I would have picked this book up if I had known how much the mother/child theme was in this)
There was a lot to this story, there probably wasn't ever more then a few pages before a conflict would occur, I would have liked to see more relationship progression between Paz and Lucha. I also wish we had seen more of Alán, or at least his history with Lucha. I feel like there would have been more of an emotional payoff that way. I also felt like there were almost some story threads that got dropped? I almost thought the story was going to lead into protecting the environment and saving the town, but it went in a different direction. I also really thought there was going to be more about
These are all minor complaints because I loved the story, so I can't really be too bad about the direction it took.
My biggest issue with the story is there are NO TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNINGS. This was incredibly frustrating to me, as this is a new release and I truly don't see any reason for there not be any in this day and age. And y'all this book goes to some dark places, so please be kind to yourself. (There are topics alluding to sexual assault, drug use, trafficking, misogyny and worse)
I will definitely read more by the author. If you are a fan of dark fantasy books this is perfect for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Animal death, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Sexism, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Torture, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
rebyreadsandwrites's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Kidnapping, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence and Sexual harassment
caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thanks to Random House for the free advance copy of this book.
- LUCHA OF THE NIGHT FOREST is a dark YA fantasy that I couldn't put down. I read the whole thing in one day because I had to know what was going to happen to Lucha.
- The world invented in this book isn't super detailed, but enough to get you invested and rooting for everyone. Even when characters' motives are at odds, you still want all of them to succeed.
- I loved that there was sapphic attraction between Lucha and Luz, but that it wasn't the driving force of the story, simply one element of it.
- This book doesn't shy away from the idea that systems are built to keep whole classes of people down, and also that even if you think you're doing good, you can still be doing harm in ways you haven't considered.
- LUCHA OF THE NIGHT FOREST is a dark YA fantasy that I couldn't put down. I read the whole thing in one day because I had to know what was going to happen to Lucha.
- The world invented in this book isn't super detailed, but enough to get you invested and rooting for everyone. Even when characters' motives are at odds, you still want all of them to succeed.
- I loved that there was sapphic attraction between Lucha and Luz, but that it wasn't the driving force of the story, simply one element of it.
- This book doesn't shy away from the idea that systems are built to keep whole classes of people down, and also that even if you think you're doing good, you can still be doing harm in ways you haven't considered.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Abandonment, Death, Violence, Blood, and Drug abuse
Minor: Misogyny
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