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imskylow's review against another edition
I’m sure this book is really powerful but as I am right now, I can’t convince myself to finish it. I was dragging my feet and taking too long to finish it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Bullying, Child abuse, and Drug use
simplyv375's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
At first I was confused by the wizard references but once I caught on and realized what they representated, which imo, is change and growth I understood. I loved the writing style for this book it was beautiful and even though i'm not black i resonated with a lot of it. This book brought me through all the emotions; sadness, anger, grief, moments of happiness and those are the best books. Although I will say definitely proceed with caution and look up the trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Murder, Racism, Bullying, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault
bunnibeereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse
tinareads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oh, what a book this was. Halfway through reading I googled Echo Brown and learned she passed from kidney failure due to Lupus in September of 2023, as she waited for a kidney transplant. She was only 39 and I hope she rests in peace and light. I originally started this on Kindle, since that's how I own a copy, and I'm making a point this year to read more books I already own, but reading physical/e-books has been difficult lately, so I switched to the audiobook, thanks to my library. This novel is narrated by the author, and she gave an amazing performance. I can't recommend it enough.
I'm rusty at writing reviews, but this book touched my heart directly, so I feel pulled to speak on it. Please check trigger warnings before getting into this, especially if SA is a trigger for you. It's a prevalent them throughout the book and could be very triggering.
This book made me feel right at home. I was born and raised in California, not Ohio like Echo, but the way she wrote the experience of growing up Black and seeing how your parents struggle-to provide, to survive, to battle their demons-sometimes by using substances to dull the ache. How those struggles, when unaddressed, can bleed onto you, the child and shape you how it shaped them all those years ago. But also how the same parents who hurt you and aren't always available have those moments where they are soft and loving. How you yearn for those moments and cling to them when they're cruel. Phew! But, the magic on these pages added something special to this otherwise sad and tense recollection of Echo's upbringing. I love the aspect of ancestral magic in Black YA books. It often stems from the violence and survival of our ancestors, but it always does something for me. I like to think we might have some of that magic here in the real world, if we're willing to be open to it.
Like another reviewer said, the storytelling is definitely unique. You might be confused at the start, but if you stick with it and are open-minded I think it's quite enjoyable. The way the timelines blend together as the main story goes along was interesting and I was really invested, knowing that this book was about Echo's life with a magical twist. I shed quite a few tears in the last quarter of the audiobook, and it's a shame that we lost such a gifted storyteller so young. I'll definitely be checking out her other novels in the future.
I'm rusty at writing reviews, but this book touched my heart directly, so I feel pulled to speak on it. Please check trigger warnings before getting into this, especially if SA is a trigger for you. It's a prevalent them throughout the book and could be very triggering.
This book made me feel right at home. I was born and raised in California, not Ohio like Echo, but the way she wrote the experience of growing up Black and seeing how your parents struggle-to provide, to survive, to battle their demons-sometimes by using substances to dull the ache. How those struggles, when unaddressed, can bleed onto you, the child and shape you how it shaped them all those years ago. But also how the same parents who hurt you and aren't always available have those moments where they are soft and loving. How you yearn for those moments and cling to them when they're cruel. Phew! But, the magic on these pages added something special to this otherwise sad and tense recollection of Echo's upbringing. I love the aspect of ancestral magic in Black YA books. It often stems from the violence and survival of our ancestors, but it always does something for me. I like to think we might have some of that magic here in the real world, if we're willing to be open to it.
Like another reviewer said, the storytelling is definitely unique. You might be confused at the start, but if you stick with it and are open-minded I think it's quite enjoyable. The way the timelines blend together as the main story goes along was interesting and I was really invested, knowing that this book was about Echo's life with a magical twist. I shed quite a few tears in the last quarter of the audiobook, and it's a shame that we lost such a gifted storyteller so young. I'll definitely be checking out her other novels in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Child abuse
Minor: Racial slurs and Suicide attempt
readswithrachel's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexism
jrascoe's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Not what I was expecting, but worth the read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
srjennings's review against another edition
the content was triggering and made me feel depressed. There's a lot of content warnings in people's reviews. Take those seriously. I didn't even get far into the book, but just felt so disturbed and sad by it. The childlike way the experiences are described by the first person narrator make it feel more real than if it gave a more detailed, reality based description.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Racism, Drug use, and Domestic abuse
amradio's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Mind the trigger warnings because I did not look them up so some of the parts in the book caught me off guard even though you could kind of feel them coming
I appreciate how the book uses magic in a realistic type of way which is unique to the kinds of books I normally read
The book definitely doesn't disappoint in making everything come together and addressing just about any and everything
I appreciate how the book uses magic in a realistic type of way which is unique to the kinds of books I normally read
The book definitely doesn't disappoint in making everything come together and addressing just about any and everything
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Pedophilia, and Misogyny
Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Islamophobia, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Death, Addiction, and Xenophobia
fkshg8465's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
**********trigger and spoiler alerts **********
Child molestation, colorism, wizardry, incest, alcoholism, drug addiction, hijab, privilege, darkness vs. light, multiculturalism, stereotypes, Black poverty, imposter syndrome, religious hypocrisy, puberty, sexualization of children, rape, racism and systemic racism, LGBT, Black feminism, rising up, coming of age, (in)equity, forgiveness, mental illness, grief, healing
Child molestation, colorism, wizardry, incest, alcoholism, drug addiction, hijab, privilege, darkness vs. light, multiculturalism, stereotypes, Black poverty, imposter syndrome, religious hypocrisy, puberty, sexualization of children, rape, racism and systemic racism, LGBT, Black feminism, rising up, coming of age, (in)equity, forgiveness, mental illness, grief, healing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Incest, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Homophobia
rachelkreadsbookz's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Suicide attempt